Book Summary

A seventeen-year-old girl falls in love with a Latino immigrant in this powerhouse novel about taboo passion and interracial love

Introduction

Annabel Brown’s first glimpse of the boy fated to change her life is on a soccer field near her home in the resort town of Seaview, Long Island. His name is Esteban Santiago, and he came to town as a member of a crew hired by Annabel’s father, a widowed contractor. From the moment they see each other, Annabel and Esteban know they’re meant to be together.

Contrasts and Challenges

They couldn’t be more different. Annabel is a blue-eyed blonde from a wealthy family living a life of privilege and ease. Esteban is an illegal immigrant from Colombia. With both of their families violently opposed to the relationship, they have to sneak around, leaving love notes in library books and meeting secretly on the beach late at night. As the summer—and their romance—progress, racial tensions flare, threatening to turn this peaceful Hamptons town into a powder keg.

Context and Themes

Set against the backdrop of the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina, Someone Like Summer has undertones of a modern-day West Side Story as it confronts issues of class, race, prejudice, and a love that transcends every stereotype.

Additional Features

This ebook features an illustrated personal history of M. E. Kerr including rare images from the author’s collection.