A high school girl grieving the recent loss of her father and a closeted non-binary teen grappling with their faith team up to save their hometown amusement park in SUMMER IN FREE FALL, a young adult contemporary novel. Featuring a whirlwind summer romance, a nuanced critique of evangelicalism, and a thoughtful examination of loss, SUMMER IN FREE FALL is perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston, Becky Albertalli, and Alice Oseman.
Four months ago, Beth Wheeler’s world turned upside down. Her dad died, she broke up with her girlfriend, and now, the only place that feels like home is Pelican Park, the oceanside amusement park where, once upon a time, her parents fell in love. But Pelican Park is under attack from an ambivalent city council and a bloodthirsty development company hoping to demolish the park and build a resort in its place. Beth would do anything to save the park, but if she wants to take on a massive corporation, she’s going to need some help.
Enter: Adam Greene, the only other person in Arista Beach who might love Pelican Park as much as Beth. But outside of the park, Beth and Adam have nothing in common. She goes to Arista Beach High. He goes to Southside Christian. She’s an atheist. He’s Southern Baptist. She’s queer. He’s… not. Like, not at all. Right? Right? Taking place over the course of one life-changing summer, SUMMER IN FREE FALL is the story of two kids putting aside their differences and working together to save the place they love most. And who knows? Maybe they’ll even save each other in the process.
Elliott Wiltrout 