Friedman, Aimee (2005). South Beach. NY: Scholastic Paperbacks. ISBN: 0439706785. 336 pages.
Former best friends Holly and Alexa find themselves an unlikely pair on a Spring Break trip to South Beach. Though the two had been close as kids, Holly's strict parents, goody-goody status and participation in high school athletics began to distance her from Alexa as Alexa's growing interest in fashion, travel and the good (read: rich) life began to surface in adolescence. When both girls find themselves stranded in their hometown over Spring Break, Alexa proposes a trip to Florida where the girls can stay with Holly's grandmother. During their week in SoBe, Holly grows a spine and finds an unlikely paramour while Alexa begins to reevaluate her snobby persona. Breezy and very readable, this novel provides little in terms of sexual content but does reveal a lot about younger teen drinking and partying habits. I'm not certain how realistic this book is; it seems more like an aspirational novel dealing with one aspect of life we more often associate with college Spring Breaks than high school travel. Note: Friedman also wrote the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedy A Novel Idea, which name drops a LOT of YA novels and was a slightly loftier read. |
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