Have a Great Summer - by Francesca Cocchi (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Set against a vibrant Jersey Shore backdrop and bursting with summertime romance, hometown nostalgia, smart humor, female friendship, and millennial angst, TODAY Show journalist Francesca Cocchi's dual-timeline teenage-crush-to-adult-lovers debut is the perfect beach read for fans of Anabel Monaghan, Carley Fortune, and Emily Henry.

If time is supposed to heal all wounds, Lina Mariano's broken teenage heart never quite got the message--but 15 sunny, sandy, angsty Jersey Shore summers later, she finds herself unexpectedly facing her old crush, getting a new perspective--and maybe even a hopeful glimpse of the future . . .

Lina Mariano is stuck--in her hometown, in her job, and in the past. And after six years of writing up local weddings as a columnist for a popular lifestyle website, she's wholeheartedly sick of nuptials. Worse, the next one on her list is none other than Sebastian Nikolaou's.

Working high school summers with sweet, handsome Sebastian at his mother's iconic beach restaurant, teenage Lina was totally wrapped up in the way he made her feel--until the night that everything changed. Even so, she's embarrassed to admit how often she still thinks of him, and now, comparing their present lives is wrenching. It will take a careful look at her younger self, and some wisdom from the best friend who was there for it all, to see that making her dreams come true is up to her alone--whether or not those dreams still include Sebastian . . .

Poignant, engaging, and insightful, Have a Great Summer is an ode to the confused teenager in all of us, and a reminder of the blissful, excruciating, delicious days of summers gone by.

About the Author

Francesca Cocchi is a writer and editor who has covered food, commerce, and other lifestyle subjects for national outlets, including Food Network Magazine, The Pioneer Woman Magazine, and NBC's TODAY. She holds a degree in English literature from Villanova University and attended New York University's Summer Publishing Institute. A proud Jersey girl, she grew up down the shore in Monmouth County and currently lives in Jersey City with her husband and their dog. Find her on Instagram @francescaa_nicolee and TikTok @francesca_cocchi.