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A review by mezzano
Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This story encapsulates the mess that comes when someone realizes they are bi-questioning. Lara has had the dream of dating Chase for years, but when Jasmine and Lara meet the summer before senior year, everything changes. Lara grows more confident and independent, sparking the interest from Chase. But every moment that Chase and Lara grow closer is met with confusion and jealousy. If Lara dates Chase, will she grow apart from Jasmine? Or worse...what if Jasmine finds "a Chase" of her own?
As someone who has navigated a similar experience to the Lara in my own life, I was blown away by how accurate the confusion and yearning was in this book. Many books centered around the LGBT community have characters who are very certain of their identities, leaving out the nuance that often exists in real life. Lara said it best in the novel: when you know you like the opposite gender, it can make it harder to realize that liking other genders is okay too. I also appreciated that Lara didn't have her identity completely figured out and still was able to find the ending that was sincerely the best for her.
The only thing that I would say I found hard to relate to while reading the novel was the stark class difference between myself and the characters. There were moments where Lara would talk about indulgent spending sprees and multiple course meals for three people, and at times it tore me out of the story. The moment when Lara mentioned how much clothes Jasmine bought when she already had so much at home was a great example, because it was immediately followed by the fact Jasmine had such a kind heart for donating her older clothes to make room for the newer outfits she bought. I couldn't imagine having that mindset, but it certainly affirmed early on the level of unknowing crushing Lara was participating in. Ultimately, the fact that money was little object for most of the characters allowed for shopping trips and dinners which were used to further develop characters and their relationships with each other, so it didn't necessarily take away from the narrative that Dahlia Adler strove for.
As someone who has navigated a similar experience to the Lara in my own life, I was blown away by how accurate the confusion and yearning was in this book. Many books centered around the LGBT community have characters who are very certain of their identities, leaving out the nuance that often exists in real life. Lara said it best in the novel: when you know you like the opposite gender, it can make it harder to realize that liking other genders is okay too. I also appreciated that Lara didn't have her identity completely figured out and still was able to find the ending that was sincerely the best for her.
The only thing that I would say I found hard to relate to while reading the novel was the stark class difference between myself and the characters. There were moments where Lara would talk about indulgent spending sprees and multiple course meals for three people, and at times it tore me out of the story. The moment when Lara mentioned how much clothes Jasmine bought when she already had so much at home was a great example, because it was immediately followed by the fact Jasmine had such a kind heart for donating her older clothes to make room for the newer outfits she bought. I couldn't imagine having that mindset, but it certainly affirmed early on the level of unknowing crushing Lara was participating in. Ultimately, the fact that money was little object for most of the characters allowed for shopping trips and dinners which were used to further develop characters and their relationships with each other, so it didn't necessarily take away from the narrative that Dahlia Adler strove for.
This book is a quick and fun summer read. I highly recommend reading it, as its Jewish and LGBT representation offers new perspectives that adults and teens alike could truly benefit from. Be aware that this story is about choosing between two people, so naturally with this trope there will be moments where characters end up in a gray area when it comes to cheating. Alcohol and drinking is present in the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Minor: Alcohol