Summer Constellations by Alisha Sevigny I Book Review

Title: Summer Constellations
Author: Alisha Sevigny
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Published Date: May 1st, 2018
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA
Page Count: 264
Format: ebook

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Goodreads Summary: 
Julia Ducharme is ready for a fresh start. Her little brother has finally recovered from a serious illness, and now she just wants to enjoy peak season at the campground her family owns. Maybe this will be the year her annual summer fling with Dan Schaeffer becomes something more?

But her summer dreams are quickly shattered. First, Dan arrives for vacation with a new girlfriend in tow, and then Julia discovers this may be her last summer in the only home she's ever known.

Crushing medical bills have brought her single mom to the brink of bankruptcy, and a wealthy developer is sniffing around the campground. He sees what Julia sees: lush woods, a pristine lake, miles of trails for adventure. Unlike Julia, he thinks this is the perfect spot for a casino resort.

Heartbroken and afraid, Julia looks to the stars for some perspective. Taking her telescope down to the dock one night, she has a chance encounter with a guitar-playing boy who offers some helpful advice. Too bad this handsome stranger is the developer's son, Nick Constantine.

As plans for a resort move forward, Julia is desperate to find a solution that doesn't mean leaving the lake. Nick, in turn, is desperate to separate himself from his father's aggressive business tactics. He promises that, together, they can thwart the sale.

But can Julia trust him to conspire against his own father? And could she ever she trust him with her heart?

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My Review:

Thank you to the author for an e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

"The moon is a wide band of gold on warm silver waters. Overhead, an infinity of diamonds sparkles just beyond fingertips."

This one reminded me so much of a Hallmark movie, and it was exactly what I needed after reading so many fantasy novels back to back.


Summer of Constellations follows Julia Ducharme, whose family runs a campground that has been in the family for years. After falling on hard times, the bills have gotten to be too much and they just might have to sell it. Between that and the guy, Julia likes not being who she thought he was, she's not having the best start to her summer. That all starts to change when she meets a guy on the docks, who could just be everything she needs.

"I think that despite the reason you're here, you're a good person. Your mom would be proud of you."

Overall I really liked and enjoyed this book. It is a perfect summer contemporary read. It does have its predictable moments at times, but I kind of like those in these types of books. Julia and Nick made a good team when they were working on something together. Nick was a little to perfect for my liking at times (this is where it felt a little Hallmark movie-ish to me). I also really liked how Caleb illness was mentioned and explained for a change. There was also the very real worry of his illness coming back at any time. One of the last things I really enjoyed about this book is how involved the mom is, she's always present and worried about what Julia and Caleb are doing.


The only thing I wish this book had more of is the mystery of searching for something hidden on the property. It was always on the backburner to Julia's love life, even though it was far more important.

 "You don't win every fight, but you have to try anyway. The losses make you stronger for the next time."