A spirited novel about love, friendship and growing up

Download the reading guide here.
It's the summer before Lucy's senior year in high school, and life in her sleepy Louisiana town is about to be turned upside down. Her mama's flirting with the dark stranger who runs the art gallery, her best friends Mary Jordan and Evie have boys on the brain, the drama teacher is sparking some powerful (if very, very wrong) feelings in Lucy, and a new boy has moved to town-Dewey, whose gentle ways captivate her. With everyone, including herself, so embroiled in affairs of the heart, it is any wonder the town of Sweetbay is fixin' to have itself one sweltering summer?
For fans of Rebecca Wells and Kimberly Willis Holt, here's a delicious novel sure to be read, loved, and passed along.
Readers' Praise
"A story of love's imperfections, told with the honesty of a young girl's heart." -Megan, Charlotte Country Day School, Charlotte, NC
Reviews
"With a cast of distinctive characters, this story is told with humor and warmth and is deliciously full of Cajun metaphors and mouth-watering cooking descriptions-and one particular scene with Tabasco that will provoke squirms and giggling. Recommended for fans of Ellen Wittlinger, Joan Bauer, Deb Calleti, and the like." -School Library Journal
"Filled with playful vignettes of a fun-loving Cajun lifestyle, here's a novel dealing with sexuality that can appeal to both conservative and liberal readers. . . . Realistic, affecting and enjoyable throughout." -Kirkus Reviews
"Like a spicy Cajun stew, this mixes together lots of ingredients, and the result is delicious. . . Les Becquets creates a wonderful world that not only captures the emotions and dreams of youth but also the longings and regrets of adults. Populating the small town are richly drawn characters who waltz in and out of scenes with grace and humor. Religion and talk of God and morality also slides easily through the narrative. This is romantic, real, and lots of fun."-Booklist, star