A roller-coaster of romance and reality

All I Need
By Susane Colasanti 
(Viking)

Skye wants what every teen girl does: A real love connection. She aches to be swept off her feet by her soul mate ― that guy, that perfect guy, the one she’s so in sync with he can almost read her mind. And she’s been waiting. For years. Every summer at the beach brings the same crew, boys with killer abs but little karma.

Then she sees Seth, and she knows he’s something special. The two have a magical 24 hours together, including a butterflies-in-your-belly first kiss, before being unexpectedly separated. Neither knows how to contact the other, but they don’t forget the intensity they shared. When they finally find each other again the next summer, they’re ready to put their feelings to the test.

The rest of their relationship is a roller-coaster of romance and reality served up by Susane Colasanti. Like her previous best-selling books, the author’s seventh novel captures the rush of teen love and lust in ways that 12- to 18-year-olds everywhere will devour. The tale is told in alternating voices ― one chapter is from Skye’s point of view, while the next shares Seth’s side ― giving readers a glimpse into each character’s hopes, worries and angst.

Colasanti’s attention to detail is what makes her readers return. You almost can taste the spearmint lemonade and watermelon tangerine snowballs served up at Cold As Ice. You feel the fun of cramming into a little photo booth and capturing a slice of summer on the celluloid strip the machine spits out. And you feel the tension ― awkward! ― when Skye’s parents grill her a bit about whether she’s spending too much time with Seth.

In spots, Colasanti’s novel feels a little far-fetched. Would the buzz of spending 24 hours together really linger for an entire year? Would the parents of even The Most Responsible High School Girl in the World let her travel a few hours by car and spend the night on the campus of her college boyfriend? What about a weekend road trip just for two?

But readers ― especially the young adults who will eagerly eat this up ― will be more than happy to wave aside a little reality. “All I Need” is an idealistic love story that’s ideal for summer. What’s not to love about that?

(MCT)