With the summer heat beating down on the Earth, most people head to the beach to escape without second thoughts, unless that is- Francesca Snell in The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner. For her, the beach used to hold fond memories until one day when she looked the other way and her life changed forever. Even though Francesca is haunted by her past, her best friend Lisette seems to be moving on just fine as she hooks up with a guy that Francesca had eyes for. Not only is Francesca having relationship issues, but it also seems her Father is too as he seems preoccupied with a near-by neighbor. The only person holding her life together turns out to be a little boy named Frankie Sky, who has a haunting resemblance to that of her past.

As Francesca is forced to deal with her past, she learns more about herself and finds her own voice to speak out. The lesson she learns is that the past is always there, but the lessons learned can make you a better person if you learn from them. Keeping this in mind, Francesca has a summer like no other that very few people would ever experience as it truly changed her for the best.

A very realistic novel which is told from first person perspective is truly able to capture the emotions of a teenage girl haunted by her past. Not only is it realistic, but the novel is also touching as at times I had tears welling in my own eyes. The novel is great quick-read to read anytime of the year, which makes the soul long for summer and a time for change. I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in coping with tragedy and learning to love at the same time.