What do a 74-year-old grandmother, a 15-year-old granddaughter, a 50-year-old Cadillac, the Beatles, the Nazis, Bonnie & Clyde, and one gorgeous football receiver have in common? Oh so much! Hailey thought her summer was going to be the worst ever because her BFF, Livi, was sent to a wilderness camp as punishment for sending some pics to a guy she thought she could trust. Since she has nothing else to do, Hailey’s dad thought it would be a good idea to go help her Gigi a couple of days a week. Hailey doesn’t really know her mom’s mom but what choice does she really have? Hailey soon finds out that she has the coolest grandmother EVER!
Is this going to be the worst summer ever?
They swap their favorite books for the summer – Hailey’s is Twilight while Gigi’s is The Great Gatsby. Hailey soon finds out that this is not just any old copy of The Great Gatsby, it is a 1st edition from 1925 rich in family history. When it is time to take Gigi on some errands, Hailey is speechless when she finds out that Gigi has a 1970’s Cadillac Eldorado named “Blue Betty”. One day when she is practicing driving and parking Betty in the high school parking lot when the football team is released from practice. Hailey is mortified when the star quarterback, the #1 wide receiver in the state of Texas, and the blue-chip running back notice the classic car. She is shocked to find out that Gigi knows Blake Alexander because he lives down the street from her.
Or the best summer ever?
Blake and Hailey soon become running partners. Hailey wants there to be so much more between them but she knows that Blake is in a relationship with the most popular girl in school and she doesn’t stand a chance against her. Blake and Hailey also become partners working on a mystery that has been told to Hailey by her Gigi. Apparently, Hailey’s great-great-grandfather had connections to the notorious bank robbers, Bonnie and Clyde while her great-grandfather had connections to the Nazis. Gigi weaves an unimaginable tale about her family, so much so that she gets Hailey to drive her to Malone, Texas to look for the land where there is buried treasure.
After Hailey drives her grandmother on this long road trip, she gets grounded for two weeks. Her time with Gigi and Blake has been completely shut down. Just when she is allowed to go back out into the world, tragedy strikes. Hailey’s world is turned upside down, inside out and she basically just begins going through the motion of life. She shuts everyone and everything out. She feels like she has lost everything, that is until she finds a secret letter written by her great-grandfather that leads her and Blake on the greatest adventure of their lives.
Will Hailey find the answers to her family’s century-old secret? Can she solve the mystery of why her mother will not speak to her grandmother? Will she be able to make amends with Blake after pushing him away for so long? Will this officially be the worst or the best summer of Hailey’s life? Find out when you read this absolutely amazing, can’t-put-it-down novel by Kate Stollenwerck!
What I Love About This Book!
I don’t even know where to begin!! This book stole my heart from the first page and it still has not let go. I fell head over heels in love with every character, well maybe not the bad man on the horse, but everyone else! The relationship between Hailey and her dad is so special! He is almost always on her side and because of this she says that he is “her person”. The relationship between Hailey and her Gigi is remarkable! They really only spend a short time together but the bond that they forge is unbreakable. The relationship between Hailey and Blake is such a teenage romance! Even though they haven’t officially been labeled as “boyfriend and girlfriend”, Blake is by her side, even when she pushes him away.
Kate Stollenwerck has woven a tale of family, friendship, first love, action, adventure, mystery, intrigue, humor, and some classic music into one incredible book. Make sure you carve out some time for this one because once you pick it up, it will be very hard to put down until you get to the end! Don’t miss this one!!
My Favorite Quotes
“But if you want something to happen, be brave and step off the ledge. Whether you fall or fly is up to you.”
“The Beatles have provided me with three guiding tenets of my life: I get by with a little help from my friends, all you need is love, and let it be.”
“The Trinity of a Perfect Day: good book, cool car, great song.”
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