BE TRUE TO ME BY Adele Griffin is set in 1976 on Fire Island and is about two girls named Jean and Fritz. Both girls are seriously crushing over the new boy, Gil. Now this makes things interesting because the two girls don't hate each other. They don't tear one another down, but they are fiercely competitive with each other, both on the tennis court and off. This competitiveness makes for a lot of twists and turns that makes this a fun heartfelt read.

Griffin writes all about the heat of summer and the sweetness of first love and romance. The setting is written so well that it is picturesque and perfect for a teenage summer love story. From the first chapter, you know that you are tossed into a world of young love and its consequences. Friendship can be challenged when you and your friend like the same boy.

Both of the girls have interesting and complex back stories that make them very likeable. You feel almost like you could be friends with Jean and Fritz. I really like how the seventies play a big part of the plot line and setting. There are a lot of references and details that could only make sense in that time period. BE TRUE TO ME is a great beach read or perfect for a rainy day snuggled in bed. This book reminds me of Dirty Dancing, not in plot, but feel. Overall, a fun summer or vacation read.

Book Summary

JEAN:

Could it be true? Instead of a summer playing handmaiden to Daphne, was I being delivered something entirely different--a summer in the spotlight? A summer starring Gil Burke and me?

Summer flings and sexy romances were Daphne's territory. Not mine. I was the one you didn't pick.

I swatted off my hope like a bumblebee, knowing it was already too late. I'd been deliriously stung.

FRITZ:

People always joked about summer romances because they didn't last. Summer romances were made out of ice cream and cotton candy, intensely sweet before they melted into nothing. But I'd never thought of Gil as a summer thing.

Gil was my real love, my real first. We were outsiders together, we had each other, we didn't care that we didn't belong.