Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen

CHANGE OF PLANS by Sarah Dessen (Lock & Key; Just Listen; The Truth about Forever and more) is her first novel in seven years and offers the chance for new readers to sample Dessen’s expressive writing. Booklist says, “Dessen’s greatest strength is her creation of vivid atmosphere, which enhances both her characters' personalities and their conflicts.” Here, the award-winning young adult author introduces readers to Finley, a graduating high school senior who lives with her stepmom, dad, and their young family. Finley has a strong, two-year relationship with Colin, but must decline his family’s invite to a cruise because her career-oriented and distant mother, Catherine (Cat) has plans for the two of them to travel together. Quite a bit does change when Colin meets another girl on the cruise and Finley’s Mom chauffeurs Finley to The Woods, a family home on a rural lake, instead of heading to New York City. Finley meets new friends (Clark, Ben, and Lana) and aunts (Liz and Kasey) as she begins to learn more about her Mom – and herself. CHANGE OF PLANS received starred reviews from Kirkus (“she discovers strength, independence, and the transformative power of being fully present …. A sweet, nuanced, and reflective coming-of-age love story filled with moments of true beauty between family and friends”) and Publishers Weekly (“delightfully layered, bighearted novel”). As Clark says, “Everything changes. You have a choice: make it hard or make it work. And there's enough hard shit already.”