Fourteen-year-old Frances is spending the summer in Maine as a mother’s helper at Wonderland, the Emerson family’s exquisite lakefront home. Forrest Emerson is a charming old friend of her father’s who grew up hard-scrabble but now lives a life of luxury with his wife, Regina, and their two children, supported by Regina’s family money. Frances's job is to look after twelve-year-old Hayward and six-year-old Jilly. At first, Frances is so intimidated by the wealthy country-club set that she can barely breathe. But within days, she creates a routine that brings her enormous happiness: writing in her journal, learning to play tennis, and reading every Stephen King novel she can find at the library. On the verge of getting her first period, Frances quietly imagines what her future might be like when she grows up—and what it might feel like to have a man like Forrest in her life. While her own parents fight and ignore her, she begins to feel as though she is finally part of a family, even if it is only temporary. What initially appears idyllic begins to unravel as secrets from the past emerge, leaving Frances unsure of whom she can trust. I loved every minute of this page-turning coming-of-age novel. Maynard perfectly captures the summer of 1986 and the intense vulnerability of a young girl standing on the cusp of adulthood. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
