The first thing that needs to be said about this book is that the cover definitely doesn't give you an adequate depiction of the story ... at all. I'm sure this could work in either direction -- it may deter readers who don't enjoy bubble-head summer reads but may invite those who are actually anticipating something cute for the poolside. For the latter group, I advise you tread with caution -- this isn't exactly a cutesy beach book. For the former, I suggest you skip the description and the cover art and give it a chance -- if you're looking for something a tad more emotional and troubling than your everyday Bridget Jones type story. 
 I'm not sure which group better fits my expectations -- I do, after all, watch YouTube book reviews every morning at my makeup mirror, so I had *some* idea of what to expect. But, for those who don't share my indulgence in video reviews, I'll give a bit of description... 
 This is the story of Mia, a teenager who isn't quite as thin or as beautiful or as popular as her mother would like -- but she still gets by, for the most part, with just the typical degree of teenage woes .. until, that is, that one summer at the beach. Away at her aunt's summer home, Mia means Simon, a pale, mysterious, artist boy who sees past Mia's insecurities and ignites a glow that she never expected to find -- especially not from a teenage boy. But as Mia and Simon make new discovers about themselves, their relationship, and their family, they come face to face with a tragedy that forever changes the way everyone remembers that summer. 
 While THE SUMMER OF SKINNY DIPPING is definitely a love story, the romance doesn't overtake the story or overshadow the real emotional struggles of the novel. This definitely isn't your typical boy-meets-girl beach novel, although I can't really tell you why without spoiling the story ... and I'm *definitely* not going to ruin a book for you! AS IF! 
 I think the only thing that just didn't connect for me in this story was Mia's incessant teenagy angst and rumination throughout the book. To be fair, though, I'm not the target audience here. My fifteen year old self would appreciate this much more than my not-quite-as-young self, I'm sure. While Mia is likely relateable to those closer to her age range, I just found myself a bit distanced from her emotions, reactions, and descriptions -- sometimes flipping ahead to get to the plot points (which is *very* out of character for me!). 
 But, for those who secretly (or not so secretly) enjoy books with less than happy endings, I definitely think this is one to try. Just don't judge this particular book by its cover -- you've been warned!