The Summer of Skinny Dipping

The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells

After she's snubbed by her snooty cousins in the Hamptons, 16-year-old Mia Gordon meets next-door-neighbor Simon. And from the very first time he encourages Mia to go skinny dipping, she's caught in a current impossible to resist.

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Mia is so excited to be spending the summer with her family in the Hamptons.  It's been years since she's seen the cousins she spent her childhood playing on the beach with and she knows  the summer is going to be perfect!  When they arrive she's disappointed to see just how much her cousins have changed.  Instead of hanging out on the beach with Mia all they care about is partying.  Mia finds herself spending a lot of time alone on the beach...until she meets Simon, the neighbor her cousins totally disapprove of.  Simon is a free spirit, loves painting and skinny dipping at night.  He plans to travel the world after he graduates from high school next year.  Too bad his dad is determined to send him off to his Alma Mater, and he doesn't care what Simon says about it.  Simon and Mia fall head over heals...of course.

I gave The Summer of Skinny Dipping 3 stars. It probably deserves more, but I can't seem to do it.  The Summer of Skinny Dipping was an enjoyable read, however...



** spoiler alert **

*Please don't read ANY further unless you want to know exactly how this book ends!!

First of all let me say that I like my books with a nice HEA. I really enjoyed this book so I'm trying not to let the ending negatively influence my star rating, but I just can't give 5 (or even 4!) stars to a book that leaves me feeling empty inside. Great character building, great plot, great love story...but why, oh why would the author kill off the best character in the book? Simon was the only one that really had it all together and knew what he wanted out of his life. How cruel to have tha...moreFirst of all let me say that I like my books with a nice HEA. I really enjoyed this book so I'm trying not to let the ending negatively influence my star rating, but I just can't give 5 (or even 4!) stars to a book that leaves me feeling empty inside. Great character building, great plot, great love story...but why, oh why would the author kill off the best character in the book? Simon was the only one that really had it all together and knew what he wanted out of his life. How cruel to have that snatched from him. Yeah, I know...that's life. But it still sucks.  I've read lots of books where characters die, and I don't ususally like it but it wouldn't negatively influence my rating.  For some reason in this book it bothers me more. 

**end spoiler**