Books › Along for the ride
Along for the ride
448 pages
A warm, nocturnal summer breeze of a book about learning how to finally let go and just be a teenager.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a warm, coastal summer night where the rest of the world has gone to sleep. It unfolds at a steady, comforting pace, wrapping the reader in a nostalgic, breezy atmosphere that perfectly captures the magic of late-night diners, quiet boardwalks, and the intimacy of shared insomnia. The narrative voice is earnest and deeply introspective, exploring the heavy, quiet burdens of perfectionism and grief without ever losing its underlying sense of hope. The prose is accessible and emotionally resonant, making the characters' gradual shifts from guarded loneliness to joyful vulnerability feel incredibly earned. It is a quintessential comfort read, delighting anyone who loves stories about found family, the healing power of female friendship, and the quiet thrill of second chances.
- Mood
- nocturnal
- breezy
- nostalgic
- comforting
- Tone
- earnest
- introspective
- hopeful
- gentle
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- reclaiming lost youth · healing from grief · navigating family transitions · the intimacy of shared insomnia · female friendship
- The writing
- Accessible and effortlessly conversational, balancing sharp internal reflections with warm, natural dialogue.
- The arc
- Moves from guarded, lonely perfectionism to vulnerable, joyful connection and self-acceptance.
- Who it's for
- Readers seeking a comforting, character-driven summer contemporary about late-night adventures and finding your people.
Content notes
- grief
- divorce
- parental emotional neglect
About the book
It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect.
Description from Open Library.
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