The Last Best Kiss

This contemporary retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion will resonate with high school readers as Anna, now a senior, faces the consequences of her freshman-year decision to protect her popularity rather than admit to her friends that she likes nerdy Finn Westbrook. Tension between Anna and Finn builds as they avoid facing their unresolved feelings while spending time with their mutual friends. When Anna’s friends tease her about a guy who was flirting with her, for example, she unconvincingly denies it. Everyone laughs, Anna notices, “Except Finn, who’s apparently too busy watching a tiny bug crawl across his hand.” Punchy dialogue reveals characters’ personalities and underlying feelings. Anna realizes she misses Finn after he moves and texts him: “Carpool’s not the same without you.” He replies, “LOL,” which they used to joke about people saying because “it’s really just a lazy way to get yourself out of an exchange you want to end as quickly as possible.” Anna’s relatable group of friends has diverse personalities. Lily, for instance, at first comes off as quirky and fun, but her impulsiveness and dramatics are taxing on her friends’ patience. Conversely, Hilary (who happens to be her twin) is less of an entertainer but is more responsible and takes charge when the group goes to a music festival together. Teens will quickly become absorbed in Anna’s candid opening description of her freshman year, when she met Finn and her home life fell apart. The novel maintains momentum as several concurrent subplots unfold, including Anna’s older sister coming out to the family and Anna and her friends applying to college.