Today, we are so pleased to be kicking off the official blog tour for Two Summers by Aimee Friedman — which is, if you couldn’t guess from the title, the PERFECT book to read this summer. (We loved it — see our review here!)
We’ve got a really fun guest post from Aimee, then keep reading for your chance to win a copy of the book!
Top 5 Favorite Scenes in Two Summers
by Aimee Friedman
- When Summer has to decide whether or not to answer her phone in the airport
This is the pivotal moment in the book, the hinge on which the plot swings. I’ve always been fascinated by instances of decision—or indecision, as the case often is for me! Will something we choose to do, or not do, have a huge impact on our lives that we cannot foresee? Will a seemingly insignificant choice change the course of everything? These were the questions that inspired me to write TWO SUMMERS in the first place, and this what-will-she-do? scene in the airport was the first scene I thought of for the story!
- When Summer first arrives in France and sees all the beauty during her cab ride to her dad’s house.
This scene is special to me because it’s personal; it was inspired by my own experience seeing the South of France for the first time, when I was 19. I remember being awed by the rosy light, the sunflowers, the charming cobblestone towns. (Also, I was super jet lagged, which maybe heightened my emotions). It was like a fairytale come to life. I wanted to capture that same sense of enchantment and surprise, through Summer’s eyes.
- When Summer meets Cute Waiter Jacques at the café, and they flirt.
I mean, come on! Who doesn’t love adorable French boys? The accents ALONE. This scene MAY have also been inspired by some of my experiences while I was living in France. J Let’s just say I spent a lot of time in cafes, eating delicious things and gathering inspiration!
- When Summer finds out that her crush, Hugh, is in her photography class
I love any scene where there’s any element of surprise. I wanted Summer to be caught off guard by seeing this boy, for whom she’s pined forever, in a place where she wouldn’t have expected him. This scene also sets into motion a lot of what occurs in the “Home” sections of the book, which are all about Summer seeing familiar things in a new way.
- When Summer and her BFF, Ruby, have a heart to heart while picnicking in the park and getting ice cream.
To me, this scene captures two of my favorite things to write about: friendship and summer. There is nothing quite like hanging out with a good friend on a blanket in the sunshine, talking about everything and nothing. It was also important to me to show how Ruby and Summer’s friendship is complicated and challenging—like all real friendships are. And hey, all’s well that ends… with ice cream. 🙂
ONE SUMMER in the French countryside, among sun-kissed fields of lavender . . .
ANOTHER SUMMER in upstate New York, along familiar roads that lead to surprises . . .
When Summer Everett makes a split-second decision, her summer divides into two parallel worlds. In one, she travels to France, where she’s dreamed of going: a land of chocolate croissants, handsome boys, and art museums. In the other, she remains home, in her ordinary suburb, where she expects her ordinary life to continue — but nothing is as it seems.
In both summers, she will fall in love and discover new sides of herself. What may break her, though, is a terrible family secret, one she can’t hide from anywhere. In the end, it may just be the truth she needs the most.
From New York Times bestselling author Aimee Friedman comes an irresistible, inventive novel that takes readers around the world and back again, and asks us what matters more: the journey or the destination.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Goodreads
Aimee Friedman was born and raised in Queens, New York, in an apartment filled with books and different languages. She wrote her first story at the age of five, and was off and running from there. Aimee wrote all through her years as a student at the Bronx High School of Science and then Vassar College. After graduating from college in 2001, she became a children’s book editor, a job she still does, and loves, to this day! Aimee published her first novel, the New York Times bestseller, South Beach, in 2005, and is now the author of several novels for young adults, the latest being Two Summers. Aimee lives in New York City, where she can usually be found writing in cafes, window-shopping, or searching for the perfect iced latte.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads
3 winners will receive a signed finished copy of TWO SUMMERS and TWO SUMMERS travel bags. U.S. only.
Week One:
- 6/27/2016- Novel Novice– Guest Post
- 6/28/2016- Page Turners Blog– Review
- 6/29/2016- The Cover Contessa– Interview
- 6/30/2016- Just Commonly– Review
- 7/1/2016- YA Book Nerd– Interview
Week Two:
- 7/4/2016- Here’s to Happy Endings– Review
- 7/5/2016- Andi’s ABCs– Guest Post
- 7/6/2016- A Dream Within A Dream– Review
- 7/7/2016- Curling Up With A Good Book– Guest Post
- 7/8/2016- Margie’s Must Reads– Review
Novel Novice 
love the look of the cover and the story sounds great
Friendship, summer, France, and romance…sounds like there’s lots to love about this one!