Change of Plans
Stock Information
Description
A #1 New York Times bestseller!
From acclaimed and #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah Dessen comes a “sweet, nuanced, and reflective coming-of-age love story” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about an unassuming girl who learns to stand on her own while falling in love during a life-changing summer.
Finley has always felt most comfortable in someone else’s shadow. Fortunately, she’s got Colin, her magnetic boyfriend, who sweeps her along for activities, friendships, and future plans. Then she goes on a last-minute trip with her distant mom to a family vacation house that Finley didn’t know existed and is now about to be sold.
Her mom was estranged from her own parents and siblings since leaving home for college, and it’s a novelty for Finley to see her aunts and cousins. There’s also the handful of teens who work at the Egg, her aunt’s diner, and make up a found family of their own—including undeniably handsome guitarist Ben.
Then her relationship with Colin goes into freefall, and Finley’s roadmap for life after high school is gone. She has no choice but to live, for the first time, without plans. The longer Finley stays, the closer she gets to the truth about why her mother stayed away—and why she’s brought Finley here now.
And the closer she grows to new friends at the Egg, the more she starts to fall for charmingly awkward, soulful Ben and to realize how much of herself she’s been missing. By the end of the summer, nothing will be the same—for this community or for Finley herself.
Praise for Change of Plans
"Longtime fans will welcome Dessen's return with this emotional story of reinvention, and new readers will appreciate her expert blend of emotional introspection and place-driven storytelling."
— Booklist
"Both devoted fans and new readers will be delighted that Dessen’s polished prose, playful dialogue, and sympathetic characters have also remained the same. Though YA romance trends have ebbed and flowed in the past decade, Dessen’s abiding brand of gentle, realistic love story retains its appeal."
— Horn Book
"Anyone transitioning into adulthood or who enjoys realistic coming-of-age stories will want to pick this one up. Highly recommended for school and public libraries."
— School Library Journal
“Is there anyone who can write about what matters most to teens as well as Dessen can? I sincerely doubt it.”
— Jodi Picoult
★ “A warm summer romance that’s a fortifying interpretation of self-transformation. . . . a delightfully layered, bighearted novel.”
— Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
★ “A sweet, nuanced, and reflective coming-of-age love story filled with moments of true beauty between family and friends.”
— Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“As with all Dessen’s books, [this] is a must-have.”
— VOYA (STARRED REVIEW) on Along for the Ride
“Unforgettable.”
— Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW) on That Summer
“This is young adult fiction at its best.”
— SLJ on Just Listen
“Another pitch-perfect offering from Dessen.”
— Booklist (STARRED REVIEW) on Dreamland
