Changes in Latitudes - by Jen Malone (Paperback)

About the Book

Cassie embarks on a sailing vacation with her mother and younger brother, hoping to get over the shock of her parents' divorce. There, she meets Jonah, a flirtatious deckhand. At first she tries to keep him at a distance, but it becomes harder to fight the attraction. Can Cassie forgive her mother for her divorce? Should she take a chance on Jonah? Cassie must decide all of this and more.

Book Synopsis

Jen Malone, author of teen novels Wanderlost and Map to the Stars, will take readers to the high seas--literally--in this contemporary YA novel about a girl facing the dissolution of her parents' marriage, a new romance, and self-discovery while sailing down the Pacific coast.

After concluding that her is to blame for her parents' recent divorce, Cassandra McClure is hoping to stay as far away from her as possible. With a summer of freedom right around the corner, it shouldn't be too hard. But when a forty-foot sailboat appears in her driveway and her mom announces that Cassie and her brother Drew will be accompanying her on a four-month sailing trip down to Mexico, Cassie's plans for the summer go, quite literally, overboard.

Once the three set sail, tensions quickly rise. So meeting Jonah--a gorgeous, whip-smart deckhand--is an unexpected bright spot on an otherwise dim horizon. Though she tries to keep him at a distance--considering the upheaval of her home life--their chemistry is impossible to ignore, and Cassie soon finds herself questioning everything: Should she go for it with Jonah? Can she forgive her mom? Will home ever feel the same? With life's unpredictable tides working against her, Cassie must decide whether to swim against them, or dive right in.

• A Complicated Mother Daughter Relationship: Cassie is furious with her mom for breaking up their family. Now she's trapped with her on a forty-foot sailboat for four long months.
• YA Travel Romance: Sailing from Oregon to Mexico wasn't in Cassie's plans, but meeting the gorgeous deckhand Jonah might just be the one bright spot on the horizon.
• A Coming of Age Journey: Faced with turbulent waves and even more turbulent emotions, Cassie must confront her anger, navigate her first love, and decide who she wants to become.
• Pacific Coast Setting: From the misty shores of Oregon to the sun-drenched coast of Baja, experience a breathtaking voyage on the high seas.

Review Quotes

"[The] narration crackles with a wit and intensity sure to pull readers in. Solid plotting and a unique scenario keep this journey nicely on course." - Booklist Online

"Cassie's voice and feelings about the divorce are realistic. The story's strength lies in Cassie's realization of the impact her anger has on her happiness. A recommended purchase for coming-of-age romance shelves." - School Library Journal