Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary
Published by Simon and Schuster on May 5, 2026
Also by this author: That Summer, Saint Anything, Just Listen, What Happened to Goodbye, Keeping the Moon, Lock & Key, Along for the Ride, Someone Like You, Once and for All, The Rest of the Story
Format: Hardcover (368 pages) • Source: Purchased
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From acclaimed and #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah Dessen comes a “sweet, nuanced, and reflective coming-of-age love story” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about an unassuming girl who learns to stand on her own while falling in love during a life-changing summer.
Finley has always felt most comfortable in someone else’s shadow. Fortunately, she’s got Colin, her magnetic boyfriend, who sweeps her along for activities, friendships, and future plans. Then she goes on a last-minute trip with her distant mom to a family vacation house that Finley didn’t know existed and is now about to be sold.
Her mom was estranged from her own parents and siblings since leaving home for college, and it’s a novelty for Finley to see her aunts and cousins. There’s also the handful of teens who work at the Egg, her aunt’s diner, and make up a found family of their own—including undeniably handsome guitarist Ben.
Then her relationship with Colin goes into freefall, and Finley’s roadmap for life after high school is gone. She has no choice but to live, for the first time, without plans. The longer Finley stays, the closer she gets to the truth about why her mother stayed away—and why she’s brought Finley here now.
And the closer she grows to new friends at the Egg, the more she starts to fall for charmingly awkward, soulful Ben and to realize how much of herself she’s been missing. By the end of the summer, nothing will be the same—for this community or for Finley herself.
It’s well-documented on here how much I love Sarah Dessen. I’ve been reading her books since I was a teenager and was really disappointed when we didn’t get another book after her last release in 2019. I started reading her Substack and was surprised to learn of her publishing struggles after such a storied career. Nonetheless, I absolutely preoredered CHANGE OF PLANS when it was announced and read it right away.
This story follows the tried-and-true Dessen formula, and I am not mad about it at all. Finley graduated from high school and is ready to head to college with her longtime boyfriend Colin. When she unexpectedly ends up at her mom’s lake house that summer and her relationship ends, she’s reeling from all the ~changes in plans.~
Does this remind me of old school Dessen and give me the same summery feelings? Yes. Does it lack the depth and oomph you get from most of her older books? Also yes. But I think Dessen is honestly stretching her writing muscle again and upcoming books may get back to what we’re used to? This was like her old stuff but faded a little bit lol.
I enjoyed the premise a lot but wanted more from the characters and setting. It was almost like each person and plot point needed to be turned up a few notches on the dial, if that makes sense. A bit more punchiness and feels?
I would definitely recommend this in general for Dessen fans but don’t hold it to the same standards quite yet. I have a really good feeling that her upcoming books (that I believe are definitely coming) will get even stronger as he hits a groove.
Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan Genres: Adult, Contemporary
Published by Penguin on May 26, 2026
Also by this author: Same Time Next Summer, Summer Romance, It's a Love Story
Format: Audio/Physical (384 pages) • Source: Library, Spotify Audiobooks
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'Beautiful, sexy, and escapist, DOLLY ALL THE TIME is my new favourite Annabel Monaghan book. I adored it!' - Beth O'Leary, bestselling author of The Flatshare
A hardworking single mom returns to her seaside hometown and stumbles into a fake dating situationship with a wealthy, workaholic scion, from the New York Times bestselling author of It's a Love Story
If they begin by pretending, can they end with something real?
Dolly Brick is a woman you can rely on. She's never met a problem she couldn't solve. Not when her mom left when she was ten, and not at thirty-nine when she returns to her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island to help her dad and brother from losing the family home.
So when she sees Stewart Whitfield - annoyingly handsome scion of the Whitfield family - with a flat tire and at the wrong end of a very public, very humiliating breakup, it's in her nature to help. But what Stewart asks of Dolly ends up being more than either of them bargained for. As public dinners and high society benefits turn into sunset boat rides and kisses that give her butterflies, Dolly starts to feel something more than helpful. She's never relied on anyone besides herself, can she really start now?
PRAISE FOR DOLLY ALL THE TIME:
'Packed full of chemistry, and Monaghan's signature humour and charm, this is going to be the must read rom com of the summer' SOPHIE COUSENS
'Annabel has such a tender way of crafting her characters... The perfect book to soak up the summer sun with' BK BORISON
"Quick, witty, and an absolute triumph, Dolly All the Time is escapism at its very best!' PAIGE TOON
'Everything I want in a love story! Dolly and Stewart's chemistry is off the charts, and their summer romance grips you from the very first page and sparkles like the sun' ELLE KENNEDY
''This book is like a spicy margarita or a magic ice cream cone, the way it's sweet and a little salty and tart and hot... I have fallen in love with Dolly' CATHERINE NEWMAN
'This book isn't just brilliant, it's exceptional... It might be my favourite love story of all time' ROSIE WALSH
Annabel Monaghan has become a must-read author each summer. I just love her stories along with the perfect beach town summery settings. This one had a fun fake dating situation with a super rich guy, a cute preteen son, and lots of family feels.
This story follows Dolly, a teacher in Boston, and her thirteen year old son Gus as they head back to her family home in Rhode Island for the summer. She’s going to help her dad’s seafood restaurant and fish market while spending time with him and her brother. When she randomly happens upon the rich Stewart Whitfield (the town is literally named after his family) and ends up in a fake dating situation for the summer to pay for her family’s new roof, naturally it leads to more.
I really loved the setting – I went to college in Rhode Island and have been wanting to spend more time around there in the summertime lately! The family feels were strong due to working in the business with her dad and helping to take care of her brother, who was in a devastating accident as a kid.
The romance was very natural and super cute, though the third act breakup felt like a bit much given the situation. I liked seeing the characters work through it though.
I don’t think this was the perfect book despite my rating – and probably isn’t even my favorite of her books – but it just hit perfectly at the right time. I don’t have any real complaints about it. It was the perfect early summer read for me to get in me in the mood for more!
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