Hot Dutch Daydream
by Kristy Boyce
Harper Teen, 2023. 290 pages. Young Adult Fiction
No one has ever accused Sage Cunningham of being easily distracted. She has a plan, and she won't be swayed. She'll spend the summer interning in her mentor's lab in Amsterdam, and then she'll be ready for college. All she needs to do to pay for the summer abroad is agree to serve as the au pair for Dr. Reese's three-year-old. Sage has it all down to a science, but she doesn't anticipate the surprise arrival of Dr. Reese's teenage son. Ryland is spontaneous, flirty, and impulsive--everything Sage isn't. He's a talented artist, but he's desperately in need of someone to keep him focused. And as nannying proves harder than Sage had expected, it turns out she might need help too. The two strike a deal. Sage will stop Ryland from going out with a different girl every day, and Ryland will pitch in with his little brother. Spending the summer stuck together is the perfect way to keep distractions to a minimum. Right?
This feel-good novel is much more than your basic teen Rom Com. It is an atmospheric love letter to the city of Amsterdam. Sage is not a boy-crazy girl searching for romance. She is thoughtful and driven, doing cancer research that helps her come to terms with her own father’s lost battle to the disease. Ryland is not a party animal, but a sensitive artist trying to build his artist’s portfolio. This is a really interesting take on the teen romance trope of the girl who doesn’t believe in or have time for love. I highly recommend it.
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AG
