An emotionally powerful and captivating narrative about growing up.
By Rhiannon Wilde ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2023
Cinnamon and Scarlett Prince are two sisters who are well-known in their seaside town due to their father’s fame from a 1990s band and the tragedy that occurred at their family’s home in the 1960s. Despite their notoriety, the sisters are estranged, with Cinnamon guarding her feelings and Scarlett hoping to leave her anxiety attacks behind when she went to boarding school. When Scarlett returns home for the summer after graduating, she contacts her divorced mother, who shows up to see how poorly their dad is doing.
This novel is a mix of gothic romance, family secrets, and realistic depictions of the sisters’ feelings and internal musings. The tender awkwardness of both of their burgeoning relationships—Cinnamon’s with her co-worker Daisy and Scarlett’s with Will, Cinnamon’s ex-boyfriend—is sweet and swoonworthy. The family mystery that runs as an undercurrent throughout the story is a bit contrived in places, but it is resolved in the end. The sisters are white, while Cinnamon is bisexual and Daisy is biracial, being Chinese and white. This Australian novel is a captivating read, with a lot of emotion and depth packed into it.
Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9781623544232
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Charlesbridge Teen
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023