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How My Summer Went Up in Flames
How My Summer Went Up in Flames
How My Summer Went Up in Flames
Ebook243 pages3 hours

How My Summer Went Up in Flames

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this ebook

First she lost her heart. Then she lost her mind. And now she’s on a road trip to win back her ex. This debut novel’s packed with drama and romance!

Rosie’s always been impulsive. She didn’t intend to set her cheating ex-boyfriend’s car on fire. And she never thought her attempts to make amends could be considered stalking. So when she’s served with a temporary restraining order on the first day of summer vacation, she’s heartbroken—and furious.

To put distance between Rosie and her ex, Rosie’s parents send her on a cross-country road trip with responsible, reliable neighbor Matty and his two friends. Forget freedom of the road, Rosie wants to hitchhike home and win back her ex. But her determination starts to dwindle with each passing mile. Because Rosie’s spark of anger? It may have just ignited a romance with someone new…
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 7, 2013
ISBN9781442459410
How My Summer Went Up in Flames
Author

Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Jennifer Salvato Doktorski once took a cross-country road trip in a celery green Oldsmobile. She’s a freelance writer who has written articles and essays for national publications, including Cosmopolitan. She lives in New Jersey with her family and their dog, Buffy (The Squeaky Toy Slayer). How My Summer Went Up in Flames is her debut novel. Visit her at JenDoktorski.com.

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Rating: 3.936274550980392 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    There are some book fads that get old: vampires, mermaids, dystopian to name a few. Road trip stories are not one of them. Doktorski's debut, How My Summer Went Up in Flames, is a fun adventure of a reluctant traveler forced by her family and friends to get away from her ex boyfriend and violating her Temporary Restraining Order. I'll be honest here, I was slightly annoyed in the first half of the book. I have heard from other people who've read the novel, that they felt the same way at first. The main character, Rosie, is... Obsessive? Self-centered? Just annoying? She spends a good portion of the first part of her trip feeling sorry for herself and somehow still finding ways to do everything this trip is supposed to stop her from doing. I told myself that she was in denial, that she's still in her boy-crazy stage, and she'll come out of it. So I ignored all my reservations against Rosie and just tried to enjoy the story. I'm glad I did! Rosie has quite dramatic character development over the course of the novel. She transforms from that character I wasn't so crazy about into a young woman that I really appreciated. I wish I got to see more of the Rosie 2.0, but I'm really glad she was there. Please do not do what some other have done and stop reading because of beginning-of-the-story Rosie. Stick it out so you can see how much she changes and how each aspect of her trip affects her. There is one scene in particular when you see Rosie developing right there in front of your eyes. I don't want to spoil anything, but it involved her, Spencer, a broken down car, and a guitar. At first I was thinking, "Who are you?" and then I realized that this was the new and improved Rosie coming out. It is just SUCH a CUTE scene! Another aspect that I really liked is that something still happens once the road trip comes to a close. Not everything Rosie escaped could be fixed on the trip. The author recognized that, and Rosie isn't at ease until some things get resolved. So perhaps my "road trip" label is not quite correct, and we should add "coming of age" right there along side it. It sounds so cliche, which makes me reluctant, but Rosie is one of the most transformative character's I've seen in a while. The author has such an amazing feel for her characters, which is something that does not go unnoticed. How My Summer Went Up in Flames is a quick, summer read, perfect for that day at the beach you've been planning. (You, not me, because I hate the beach.)

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was amazing and I love how Lagan and Rosie meet again in the end and start dating
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Cute book but I'm thinking the author has no sense of time or direction. There's no way you can drive from Knoxville, stop in Nashville for a few hours, stop in Memphis for a few hours, then make it to Dallas that same night. The whole timeline of the trip and the stops made the story some what unbelievable.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I have to be honest. I had a little trouble getting into this one at first. To me, the opening was a little awkward and I felt like I had missed something. It was hard for me to imagine getting into that kind of trouble and having my parents ship me off on a cross country trip with 3 boys, 2 of whom they had never previously met. It just seemed really surreal to me.

    Rosie just kind of irritated me a little. She is your typical self-centered teenage girl. But maybe that is the beauty of it. She is a character that a lot of people can relate to. I just am not one of them. I am probably more closely like Matty and Spencer, the nerdy type who was too busy in a book or learning something to have much of a social life.

    By far, Avery was one of my favorite characters. She had money, but she was not so full of herself as to forget that it is important to do something for other people. I think having met Avery had the biggest impact on how Rosie turned out as a person. But maybe that is just me.

    Overall, this was a quick, fun read. When so many of the books I have read lately have been on the heavier side, it was nice to read something light and silly. I read this book in less than 24 hours. Sometimes in summer, a quick read is just the fix I need.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    How my Summer Went Up in Flames was such a fun read! (Although I can't stand the way the girl is standing on the cover. Can I say Ow?) At first, I thought it sounded cute but thought the main character would be kind of pathetic. Luckily, she was real, and fun, and not too pathetic.

    Can I just start by saying I have a rocky relationship with road trip books? I tend to love em' or hate em'. In this one I thought the road trip aspect was handled superbly though. The characters go to cool destinations in the USA, plus the ratio of boys to girls is 3:1. So, we get a lot of fun comments from Rosie about the car ride with the boys. One of my favorite scenes is when Rosie tries to play a road trip game. (To the question "What kind of fruit are you?" Rosie get back an answer something like, "I am not sure about me, but you are definitely bananas!")

    Rosie is, as already stated, an awesome narrator. She is spunky and you can clearly see the character growth by the end of the book. Also, her voice is easy to read and I was laughing, like, the whole time! This was a such a good book to read right after Prophecy which had nothing remotely laugh inducing within the pages. The other girl we get to know well is a character met half way(ish) through the book. I really liked her though. Just let me search through the book for her name... Avery! Yes, I remember!

    Anyways, she is lots of fun and also induced some laughs from me. And, finally, we have the three boys, Matty, Spencer, and Logan. They were all great. Matty is the younger best friend that helps keep Rosie from getting into trouble. Spencer and Logan are brother who are both very, um, neurotic about the schedule and rules. I think I rolled my eyes at there freakish obsession with how they planned everything!!! Rosie feels the same way.

    Also, I love how the dialogue feels real, and not at all forced, as that is one of my biggest pet peeves in a book. I read the book so fast, it was addicting. I love addicting books! And this book had everything else too: humor, awesome romance, a good message, cool premise, and a great pacing that had me zipping through the pages.

    Overall, this was a great read! I would reccomend this to anyone looking for a light, fun contemporary full (and I mean full) of laughs. I cannot wait to read more by this author, Jennifer Salvato Doktorski!

    4/5 bookcases (This was won in a giveaway, thank you Emily Crammed Bookshelf and Jennifer!)
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    *** Really a 2.5

    Pros:
    * Jersey girl sets boyfriend's car on fire
    * She often lets her jersey out
    * Personal growth

    Cons:
    * The writing was really lacking.
    * The road trip stops were unbelievable.

    I was ready to DNF this book at page 85, but the current Rated YA-MA challenge has us reading seasonal novels and I needed another summer book so I kept reading it.

    The book gets better as it moves along, but there were lots of superfluous sentences and place where it read like someone's first intro to creative writing exercise. I was also frustrated by some of the road trip stops, there were so unbelievable for a group of 16-18 year old boys.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was cute. Nothing earth shattering and it does require some suspension of disbelief but on the whole Rosie is a likable character.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read this book at Pulseit.comWhen Rosie's first love dumps her in favor of someone else, she feels humiliated, betrayed, and furious. What she does in retaliation gets her into some serious trouble when the former boyfriend accuses her of stalking him and gets a Temporary Restraining Order against her. To remove Rosie from this volatile situation, her parents agree to allow Rosie to take a cross-country road trip with her friend Matty and two of his friends. She will return just in time to attend her court date at which time a judge will decide if the TRO will be made permanent and what, if any, Rosie's punishment under the law will be. Rosie isn't happy with being banished from her home in New Jersey for part of her summer, but she doesn't have much say in the matter. What begins as a trip Rosie knows she's going to hate turns into an eye opening experience as Rosie finally takes the time to evaluate her behavior and decide what she's going to do about her situation. In the beginning, Rosie is a typical teenager -- irresponsible, selfish, and far too impulsive for her own good. As the trip progresses, Rosie begins to see matters in a whole new light. It is both interesting and fun to watch Rosie become more self-aware as she opens herself up to new experiences and new people. I thought at times this book read more like a travel log than a YA novel, but overall it was a good read with interesting characters, good writing, and good plot development. This may be labeled as YA Lit, but I think women of all ages would enjoy this story of a teenager who reminds us what it was like dealing with confusing and heartfelt emotions.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is the sort of refreshing YA contemporary that I live for. A road trip book complete with a scandalous start, HOW MY SUMMER WENT UP IN FLAMES is about how Jersey Girl Rosie completely and totally didn't mean to blow up her boyfriend Joey's car, but how she actually did, leading to a temporary restraining order.It doesn't seem to matter how many times she explains that it was an accident, how when she saw Joey show up at a party with his new freshman girl -- the one he cheated on her with -- she felt the urge to light some of the things he gave her on fire. Who wouldn't, really? But that doesn't stop her parents from agreeing to sentence her to a road trip with her neighbor and close friend Matty, his pal Spencer, and Spencer's older brother Logan, the latter of whom is on his way to pre-orientation at Arizona State. It's for the best, everyone says, to keep Rosie away from her ex and out of trouble. But Rosie isn't that into it. She feels like she's been kidnapped by a bunch of nerdy little brothers. Plus, Logan is kind of a jerk, and they're treating her like a girl invading their bro time, and Matty is in charge of her phone so she can't call or text or email Joey and break her restraining order. If Rosie is going to survive this road trip, she's going to have to take control. And it's not going to be easy. Especially when she finds herself cracking Logan's hard exterior. HOW MY SUMMER WENT UP IN FLAMES is laugh-out-loud funny, the kind of book that keeps you turning pages late into the night. This is a story of friendship and growing up, with just the right amount of sizzle. Keep an eye out for this debut from Jennifer Salvato Doktorski this summer!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ever since I read the title and saw the cover I knew I wanted to read this book! I admit I was a little hesitant because I had found out it was a road trip novel, but I decided to give it a shot. (In case you didn't know, I don't normally like road trip novels because they just seem to be in the car and not have much happening...) But now I'm in a dilemma... If I decide to read another road trip book and its not as good as this one, I'm not sure I'll ever be a real fan of road trip books. That's really just how good this book was. Doktorski brought these characters to life during their trip and with every turn of the page I was looking forward to the adventures they had while making their way across the country. One of my favorite things from the novel though, was the fact that it centered around a break up instead of a newly budding romance. I haven't read many books like this, and it was actually refreshing to see crazy Rosie develop into mature and smarter Rosie. Which in turn brings me to the one thing I didn't like about the book. The "OMG my life is over after this break up" turn she took after they broke up. Granted there probably wouldn't be a story without it, but I was definitely glad when she grew up and forgot all about him. Another thing I really loved was the laugh out loud humor. There were so many times I got the stink eye from my boyfriend from just randomly bursting out in laughter because of Rosie's snarkiness. Her attitude along with Matty's was the reason I enjoyed the trip so much. With them there was never a dull moment. Lastly, I know I've loved a book when I loved all its supporting characters as much as its main character. Everyone from Matty to Avery to Logan to Spencer, right on down to Pony. I developed a connection with them all and I hated for the story to end. Doktorski's debut novel is seriously a laugh out loud , very sweet, coming of age novel. Definitely a must read for everyone as looking for a romantic summer read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Thanks to April of Good Books and Good Wine, I'd been warned not to have high expectations going into How My Summer Went Up in Flames. Doktorski's debut had been high on my must-have list ever since the cover reveal (will I ever learn), so this reality check was needed. Prepared to dislike the novel, I was actually pleasantly surprised. Though flawed, Doktorski's debut still kept me entertained and flipping pages.Okay, guys, believe it or not, but I haven't actually read too many road trip novels. It's a super popular sub-genre of contemporary fiction, but I only really started reading contemporary novels this past year. How My Summer Went Up in Flames has convinced me that I need to read more of them, because this book totally simulated a vacation. It's like I got to visit a whole bunch of touristy places I wouldn't actually want to go, so I can cross them off. Success!Driving across country with her best friend Matty and brothers Spencer and Logan, Rosie visits so many sights. They pack a lot into their trip. It's seriously impressive how much they get done. Also, I love how much focus Doktorski gives to the music playing as they drive. Music is essential to a road trip, so I loved knowing what they were listening to. Also, Spencer rules for playing Al Simon as they drove to Graceland. *sings "We're going to Graceland, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee"*Doktorski also does a great job with the characters. All four of them felt like real people, though Rosie I didn't like, and I'll tackle that soon. However, I thought Matty and Spencer were utterly adorable and delightful. I only wish Rosie wouldn't roll her eyes and turn her music up over their dorky discussions of Star Trek, because I dig that. Logan, too, though not my favorite, has depths to him. Doktorski captures a lot of the awkwardness of time spent trapped together: the tiffs, the silences, the uncomfortable moments where personal space is invaded.With novels in a first person perspective, one's enjoyment can be seriously impacted by the personality of the main character. In this case, the MC was the big negative to the book. Rosie, short for Rosalita, should be awesome. She's half-Ecuadorian and half-Italian, and she's very passionate. Plus, she has a distinct personality, so I do give Doktorski serious props for that. However, Rosie's also seriously obnoxious. She is seriously judgmental, selfish, and hypocritical. She slut-shames, even though she almost had sex with her boyfriend (she didn't because she wasn't ready which is great, but also means she's not opposed to sex before marriage), she judges girls who show too much skin, and she judges girls who drink, though she does a couple of times too. There's also a double standard to her mean thoughts; Rosie's predisposed to dislike females she comes in contact with, but sizes up every guy as a dating prospect, not judging them for drinking, bare skin, or sexual activity. I'd been hoping that Rosie set his car on fire in a bit of overenthusiastic vengeance. Instead, it was an accident that happened while she was stalking him after the breakup. Rosie's crazy, completely obsessed with Joey. His birthday is even the password to her voice mail. All of this made her really difficult to relate to in any way. Also, I couldn't support the romance, because she's obviously not mentally stable enough to be in a relationship. I wish the ending had stayed more open-ended.For those who can stomach Rosie, How My Summer Went Up in Flames will be a fun, summery read. Doktorski's well-drawn characters and humor show talent, and I still hold out hope for her sophomore novel, Famous Last Words, to be released later this year.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Main character Rosie is funny and snarky, but there's an underlying sweetness to her, and any girl who's had her heart broken by a jerk will relate. Her story seems like it would be kind of a cliche--cross county road trip to escape your problems but end up finding yourself--but the well-drawn supporting characters (including a dog. Aside: we need more dog characters in YA novels! just saying) and some unexpected twists and turns along the way move this book out of the fluff category and firmly into high quality/entertaining read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    After dating for almost a year, Rosie finds out her boyfriend Joey has cheated on her and she is furious. So furious, in fact that she takes all the things he has given her and burns them in his driveway. What she didn't count on was Joey's car catching on fire. She goes into stalker mode to try to talk to him and make things right. Of course, she doesn't see herself in this way, so she is shocked when the police present her with a temporary restraining order, and even more shocked when she finds out she has to go to court in a few weeks. Matty, her neighbor who has been more like a part of the family all his life, comes up with the perfect solution. He is going on a road trip to Arizona (they are currently in New Jersey) with his friend Spencer and Spencer's brother Logan, who is going to college there. His suggestion is that Rosie come along with them to keep her out of trouble until her court date. Rosie is totally opposed to his and her parents are completely for it. Thus, the road trip commences and Rosie soon finds out she is in for the summer of her life. Logan is a total hottie, but he also is a jerk and sort of mean, at least in the beginning. Despite all this, Rosie still finds herself attracted to him, and his jerkdom may just be a cover for his own attraction to Rosie. Spencer is 16 years old, as is Matty, and both are kind of nerds, but also wind up being so much fun. Rosie really finds a good friend in Spencer and winds up in some precarious situations on his behalf. Matty is like her best friend, brother, and maybe more, or maybe not, which is something that is also considered on this road trip. They also meet Avery in Texas, who is a "friend" of Logan's and she quickly becomes a best-friend to Rosie. I really enjoyed watching Rosie's character grow and change on the course of the road trip. When she arrives back home, she is not the same Rosie that left two weeks prior. I loved all the guys to, even Logan when I got to know him. They were all really great and the bond they all formed on the road trip was one that they will remember for life. There are also some really hilarious things that take place. After her court date regarding her TRO with Joey the Jerk, Rosie, by her own choice, is ready to make retribution and ends up doing some things she would have never considered prior to the trip, and one of the guys winds up winning her heart, but which one will it be? You'll have to read the book to find out. I love road trip books and How My Summer Went Up in Flames was fun, entertaining, and a really great read that I totally enjoyed.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    You know those books that make you smile throughout? The ones that aren't especially deep, but loads of fun and laugh out loud funny? The ones you read when you're looking for an escape, when you don't want to think too hard, when you just want to read to enjoy? How My Summer Went Up in Flames is that sort of book.I am actually a newbie when it comes to books about road trips, and I'm glad this was my first experience, because it really was a cute, fun, fluffy way to spend an afternoon. The book is engaging and engrossing in equal measures, and I was actually surprised that, once we got past a hilariously funny (without always meaning to be) main character in Rosie that there's actually a lot of depth to her story, and the way her ex-boyfriend's actions turned her into someone she didn't like at all. I thought it was pretty thought-provoking in the end, without hitting you over the head. I also liked the cast of characters accompanying Rosie on her trip, from boy-next-door Matty, to geeky and surprisingly sensitive Spencer, to moody and impatient Logan. Each of the boys served their own role in getting Rosie to realize that breaking up with Joey wasn't the be all, end all and that she actually could do something to turn her life around.I do want to say that I had a fairly big problem, however, with the fact that Rosie used words like "skank" and "slut" and other completely inappropriate names to refer to Joey's new girlfriend. Considering that he is the one who cheated on her, not the new girlfriend, Rosie's anger was completely misdirected. And regardless of how angry you are, throwing a word around like "slut" to describe the girl your boyfriend cheated with is just distasteful. Let's put the blame on the right person, and quit with the name-calling.Nonetheless, I came away from How My Summer Went Up in Flames with a new appreciation for road trip books. Rosie's personal journey was infinitely readable, and I found it impossible to not root for her to make the necessary changes and figure herself out. If you're looking for a fun and quick contemporary read that's perfect for summer, do pick this one up!An e-galley was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What do you do when you have a bad break up, you set your ex-boyfriends car on fire right? Maybe not such a good idea, but that is exactly what Rosie does. At lease in her case it was accident, but no one really believes her.

    Rosie has a boyfriend that she adore, but when he betrays her in the worst way, she just want to get back at him in some way, but when she burns some the things he had given her, it doesn’t go according to plan. And she finds herself in some major trouble. I found Rosie to be a realistic character. She lashes out, and behaves in a way that could be seen as just annoying. This is a horrible thing to happen when you care about someone, even though she is young, it feels like the end of the world to her, so I couldn’t help but like her. Matty, the long time best friend, is standing by her side. He offers to take her on a road trip with a few of his friends. Logan and Spencer were great and they were such sweethearts. Logan comes across as a jerk as first, but I did grow to like him. He was a pretty good love interest for Rosie and probably what she needed, and the interaction between them was sweet and fun.

    The plot was one that I really enjoyed. The road trip distancing herself from the entire situation, was the best thing her parents did for her, but with 3 teenage guy wasn’t going to be an easy trip. They made several stops, they went to museums, Dollywood and a few others, and the banter between Rose and 3 guys was funny and had me laughing most of the time I was reading. Rosie has little flashbacks of Joey was sweet, and they seemed to be good together, which did help to see why she cared for him so much. But watching her grow while on the trip, was even better. She made some decision at the end that I thought was wonderful, and so grown up. Her parent’s were so supportive from the beginning, and most of the time in YA books, we don’t see much of them, that’s not the case here. It was just one more thing on the list of things that made this such a good book. the ending was a happy one, and it tied up all the loose ends.

    How My Summer Went Up in Flames is fun, light summer read that had a great story of self discovery. It was fun, entertaining and had a sweet romance. What more could you ask for.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    “I wasn’t always the kind of girl who wakes up on the first day of summer vacation to find herself on the receiving end of a temporary restraining order. But things got ugly when Joey, my ex, came to an end-of-the-school-year party on Friday night with his new girlfriend—the bleach-blond freshman ho bag he’d been cheating on me with."
    Rosie Catalano never thought that her summer would kick off in a Ford Taurus with her childhood friend, his dorky best friend, and a gorgeous college boy en route to Arizona. She had planned to work in the local bridal store for the summer, but this all changes when she sees her ex-boyfriend at a party with the very girl that he cheated on her with. And if that weren't enough, a moment of anger and jealousy results in: a car on fire, a temporary restraining order, and that very Taurus with the three boys, two of whom she has not even met.

    As the miles rack up and Rosie truly begins to understand these boys, she rediscovers the Rosalita that she had lost when she started dating Joey. He becomes a fleeting thought during these nine days in which Rosie experiences life outside of New Jersey. During this trip and the days that follow, Rosie must determine what in life is worth fighting for... And that sometimes, the best thing to do when really is nothing.

    “There’s no use looking beyond my court date—whatever’s going to happen will happen. That doesn’t mean I can’t have a plan, though. I’ve got to stop letting things just “happen” to me.”
    How My Summer Went Up in Flames is a really good, quick summer read. Rosie's growth throughout the trip was fantastic to see. The friendships between the four (plus Avery) were heartwarming and realistic. The romance was a slow build-up, sometimes I was unsure whether or not there was even a romance aspect in it. But I liked it. I liked that it paid off in the end and that the whole book didn't surround love. Each character was realistic and the development is slow, but consistent. The trial was kind of anticlimactic though. But I loved the last few pages.

    For anyone looking for a quick read during the summertime, I would definitely recommend How My Summer Went Up In Flames. Sometimes we just need to relive those days. And this book give us a wonderful opportunity to do so.

    “... So much can happen in nine days."
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When Rosie Catalano torches her ex-boyfriend’s car after a bad break-up and then finds herself slapped with a temporary restraining order (which she promptly ignores), it is time to get out of Dodge – or, at least, New Jersey. At a suggestion from best friend and next-door neighbor Matty, Rosie suddenly finds herself on a road trip to Arizona with Matty, his friend Spencer, and Spencer’s big brother Logan. With her cell phone held hostage by Matty and a guitar encroaching on her personal space, this Jersey girl embarks on a journey from Graceland to the Grand Canyon, with Dollywood, Dallas – and a whole lot of growing up – along the way.As with most road trip stories, How My Summer Went Up in Flames is all about the characters – if one of them doesn’t work, everything pretty much falls to pieces. Thankfully, Jennifer Salvato Doktorski’s debut has a cast of well-developed, interesting characters and plenty of snappy dialogue to keep the story rolling along nicely.Rosie is one of those characters who at times had me laughing out loud, other times slightly annoyed, and still others grimacing in sympathy. Rosie is chock-full of personality; I loved that she was so passionate, but there were times where I just wanted her to forget her ex Joey (who was clearly a smooth operator) and get her head on straight. I totally understood where she was coming from when she decided to burn some memorabilia from their relationship after she discovered he cheated on her (the car was a bit of a miscalculation). I mean, who hasn’t wanted to burn away bad memories? And it was great to see that even in the depths of her madness, she recognized how great her family and Matty were as they tried to get her through the legal nightmare that erupted with the car flames. Brash, snarky, caring, a little self-involved, and all-around relatable, Rosie is a character that readers will either embrace or find a little irritating. I fall into the former camp and had a blast seeing this road trip – and the three guys – through her eyes.And what guys! Good-guy Matty, sweet Spencer, and straight-shooter Logan were great – and Rosie had chemistry with all three of them. Since she grew up with Matty, their relationship had sibling overtones mixed in with their friendship. They knew each other inside and out, strengths and weaknesses alike. Matty’s other best friend, Spencer, was simply adorable with a touch of OCD when it came to the itinerary he had put together for the trip (complete with maps and pit stops!) and slightly delicate sensibilities (yes, he apparently shrieks like a girl). I loved how Rosie recognized the possibilities in him and bonded with him in the manner she had with Matty. And then there’s Logan – the reason for the road trip as he headed to Arizona State for his freshman year. Sexy, annoying (to Rosie), and unwilling to put up with any shenanigans, Logan was a nice solid presence with enough nerd in him to talk superheros with the guys, and enough maturity to want to make a difference in the world. This is the type of guy Rosie really needs, one who can provide balance for her flights of emotion and call her out when necessary. I have always fallen more for the boy-next-store type in romances than the bad boys, so I was in absolute heaven with these three.Doktorski keeps everything moving with smooth and zippy pacing. I did have a hard time believing Rosie’s loving parents would send her out on a road trip with three boys – two of whom they’d never met – but I decided to just suck up my disbelief and settle into the story. Rosie’s inner monologues kept things interesting and had me busting out in laughter, while the nerd-tastic conversations between the boys were right up my alley (I’d love to know what their Green Lantern discussion was all about). There were some rough spots – mainly at points where Rosie would randomly lose her mind again – but they were offset by moments when there was some actual growth in Rosie’s character. For her, the road trip becomes more than just an opportunity to get away from a toxic relationship; it’s about finding herself along the way.Jennifer Salvato Doktorski’s debut novel How My Summer Went Up in Flames is an entertaining road-trip story that shows she is an author to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying Rosie, Matty, Spencer and Logan from New Jersey to Arizona (courtesy of Spencer’s carefully planned itinerary), visiting the sights and seeing Rosie mature a bit along the way. These are some seriously adorable dorks taking this road trip with a very opinionated Jersey girl, so kick back, relax and enjoy the ride!

Book preview

How My Summer Went Up in Flames - Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Chapter 1

I wasn’t always the kind of girl who wakes up on the first day of summer vacation to find herself on the receiving end of a temporary restraining order. But things got ugly when Joey, my ex, came to an end-of-the-school-year party on Friday night with his new girlfriend—the bleach-blond freshman ho bag he’d been cheating on me with. Until I saw them together, I didn’t know he and his indiscretion had become an actual item. It felt like someone had knocked all the air out of my lungs with a blunt object. What can I say? First I lost my heart. Then I lost my mind.

I stare out the screen door and watch as the patrol car drives away, my face burning with embarrassment. What if Mrs. Friedman is watching from across the street? She doesn’t miss a thing, ever. What a crappy start to a Monday morning.

This cannot be happening, I say.

Rosie, you blew up your boyfriend’s car. What did you expect? says Matty, our next-door neighbor.

For the last time, I did not blow up Joey’s car. It caught fire!

What’s the difference?

Hello, there was no explosion. I was just burning all the stuff he gave me in his driveway. Why doesn’t anyone understand this? I’ve spent all weekend trying to explain it. The box wasn’t even near Joey’s car. He was standing right there. I don’t know how it happened.

Lighter fluid and stuffed animals. Bad combination, Matty says.

Shut up, Matty! I need to think.

The thinking ship sailed when you lit that match.

It was a lighter and—what are you doing in my house, anyway? It’s like he doesn’t even pretend to go home anymore. When Matty was six, my mother offered to let him come over after school so his mom didn’t have to pay for child care. Apparently Matty thought that meant forever.

Matty extricates himself from the couch and walks toward the front door, where I’ve been rendered immobile by this latest turn of events. Take it easy, all right? I’m not the problem, your bad temper is.

I don’t have a bad temper. I look down at my purple toenails, away from Matty’s beady blue-eyed stare. I’m passionate.

Call it whatever makes you feel better. I’ve grown immune to your acerbic wit and biting sarcasm, but lately it’s like you’re . . . I don’t know, hostile?

Hostile? Where does he get hostile? Okay. Maybe I’m high-strung. I’ll give him that. But at our house, we yell when we’re happy, we yell when we’re upset, we yell when we want someone to pass the remote. It’s what we Catalanos do.

I look down at the paper in my hand. I guess Joey must’ve called the cops.

Ya think?

I feel like I’ve just done a belly flop on dry land. My parents are going to freak. They already grounded me, indefinitely, after Joey’s mom called Saturday morning to scream about the postparty car fire caused by yours truly. And now there’s a restraining order. At this point, my parents will lock me in a tower until I graduate from high school next June. For a brief second I wonder if I can keep the whole thing a secret. Yeah, right, like that’ll ever work. I couldn’t even burn a box of memories without the police getting involved. I don’t know what’s happening with me lately.

Maybe it’s a mistake, I say.

Matty grabs the three-page document from me. Right. This is for the other Rosalita Ariana Catalano Joey dated, who also blew up his car.

I cross my arms and scowl as Matty scans the page. I’ve got to talk to him.

You’re to stay away from Joey’s house, his job. There’s to be no written, personal, or electronic communication with the complaining witness by you or anyone you know. He pauses. It actually says you are prohibited from returning to the scene of the violence.

I’ve got to talk to him, I repeat.

Have you been listening? Matty waves the papers in my face. Restraining order.

But if I can just explain—

Save it for your court date in two weeks.

What? Court date? I snatch the papers from him and start flipping through the pages, but my eyes won’t settle on any words. Fruity Pebbles rise in my throat and I start to sweat. I suddenly want to throw something at the TV screen. The View is on—leave it to Matty. Now I have the urge to throw something at the whiny one’s head. Maybe I do have anger issues.

I hand the TRO back to Matty. I can’t find it.

Right here, he says, pointing to the correct page. You’ve been ordered to appear before Superior Court Judge Tomlinson in Essex County, New Jersey, to address the allegations of, let’s see, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, harassment, and stalking. Stalking?

I cover my eyes with both hands. I think I’m either going to vomit or cry. At the moment, I can’t decide which would make me feel better. I part my fingers to look at Matty. It was only a few e-mails and texts.

A few?

And maybe I showed up at ShopRite once or twice when he was getting off work.

Good way to keep busy after a breakup. Hoping incarceration would fill those empty hours? Matty says.

He looks as pained as I feel, which is why I need food. I walk into the kitchen and begin opening cabinets in search of the perfect snack to calm me down. Let’s see. Temporary restraining order . . . I bypass the pretzels and head straight for the Double Stuf Oreos. I tear open the new package, which rouses Pony, our ninety-pound Lab mix, who’d been sleeping under the kitchen’s central-air duct. I smile when he turns his head quizzically as if to say, Did I hear food?

Some watchdog, I say in the baby-talk voice I use when speaking to my pooch and for which Eddie, my brother, always makes fun of me. Where were you ten minutes ago when the police were at the door? Cookies are a different story, huh?

Pony saunters over to the counter and nudges my elbow with his big wet nose until I relent. Sugary foods are bad for dogs, but I can’t resist his pleading eyes. Only one, big guy, I say. He gently takes the Oreo and swallows it in a single gulp. Matty comes into the kitchen just as I’m about to pour myself some milk.

I think I know how to handle this, he says.

Matty is always trying to handle things. Most of the time, it makes me sad that he thinks he has to. I blame his absent father, not that Matty and I ever talk about him. Still, I know one of the reasons Matty likes hanging out at our house so much is that he gets to be a kid here. At sixteen, Matty is a year younger than me, the same age as my brother, and at least a foot taller than us both. When I was in middle school, Eddie and I finally stopped arguing about who Matty belonged to. He’s our Matty. I love him like a second brother, and unfortunately, sometimes I fight with him like he’s one too.

Lately, most of our spats are my fault. I know I’ve been impossible to be around since just after Memorial Day weekend. That’s when I went away with my family and Joey cheated on me with the freshman slut. To his credit, he told me. He begged me to forgive him. He said all they did was kiss. That it was a huge mistake, a onetime thing, blah, blah, blah. As much as I wanted to believe him, I was hurt, angry, and completely shocked. I couldn’t get over it and consequently, my entire relationship imploded. Since then, if I didn’t know me, I’d think I was a bitch too. And that’s why at this moment especially, it’s best if Matty leaves. I don’t want to cause an argument.

I’m gonna call my girls, I say. Wait until they hear this. My best friend, Lilliana, and the rest of our group will understand. I wasn’t stalking Joey—right? I honestly don’t know what I thought I was doing. Looking for evidence that Joey’s fling was a one-night stand? Hoping to find him moping around town wearing an I image.jpg ROSIE T-shirt? Whatever it was, I certainly didn’t think it was illegal. If only it hadn’t culminated in an accidental car fire.

I swallow my last bite of Oreo and start dialing. Matty takes my phone from me.

I think you need to get out of town for a while, he says.

I grab my phone back. I think you need to get out of my house for a while.

I’m serious. I’m leaving for Arizona on Saturday with Spencer and Logan. You should come.

Okay. Here’s where my curiosity trumps my need for him to go home. Who are Spencer and Logan?

I know some of Matty’s friends, but not all. Matty goes to public school, the same school as my ex and his new chicken-head girlfriend. Oh, and my brother, Eddie, of course. My parents thought it was best for me to attend an all-girls Catholic high school because it’s every teenage girl’s dream to dress like a Scottish bagpipe player. All because I got busted at an eighth-grade graduation party playing seven minutes in heaven with Armand DelVecchio, who, by the way, kisses like a seal. It wasn’t even worth it.

Spencer Davidson. We’re in robotics club together.

No surprise there.

Logan’s his older brother. He got accepted to ASU.

Okaay, so why’s he leaving now?

He has to be there for this special summer session. Logan wants his car in Tempe, so he figured he’d make a road trip out of it. Me and Spence are flying home.

Has Matty told me all this before? Did the information get lost in my I-just-broke-up-with-my-boyfriend haze? I’m feeling a bit guilty.

So, why did Spencer ask you to go?

He’s afraid to fly.

Of course he is. So now I’m picturing the scene: me, trapped in a car with three nerds. Doubtful. And I should go because—

It will keep you out of trouble for nine days. You can’t stalk anyone in New Jersey while traveling seventy-five miles per hour in a vehicle headed west.

I pretend to think about this for a second. Right. Sure, I’ll go.

Really?

No.

 • • •

After filling in Lilliana on the whole restraining-order ordeal, I spend the rest of the day trying to distract myself, which is what I’ve been trying to do every day since Joey and I broke up. Today, it got a lot harder. I take Pony for a long walk before attempting to read one of my romance novels. Usually I plow through them to get to the happy ending, but today, only five pages in, I toss the book aside. Lately, everything—books, song lyrics, movies, even Yankee games—reminds me of Joey.

Eventually, I settle for mindless eating and cable TV. I just want to feel normal again. I love, love, love those shows where they help women find wedding dresses. The gowns are so gorgeous, and I always seem to know which dress the bride-to-be is going to pick. That inspired me to get a part-time summer job at Something New Bridal Boutique downtown. I start next weekend and I cannot wait. I’ve got a definite knack for knowing what people look good in and think I have untapped potential for designing clothes. I smile as I remember this fashion studio drawing set I had when I was a kid. It had a light board, colored pencils, and all these traceable patterns. I spent hours mixing and matching the templates for tops and bottoms, hairdos and shoes, to create my own sketches. I kept my designs in a folder. My mom, who used to pretend to be a client, wrote ROSIE COUTURE on it for me. I wonder if I still have that folder somewhere.

Around three in the afternoon, I decide to lay out on the deck. The whole world just seems better when I’m tan. I love how my skin smells after I come in from the sun. Pony whines to come outside with me—he always follows me around when I’m home. But after five minutes, he starts panting and stands by the back door.

That’s when I remember I forgot to put on sunscreen. I get up to let him in, find a bottle in the kitchen cabinet, and return to the deck. My olive skin is immune to sunburn, but I’m paranoid about skin cancer and premature wrinkling. As soon as I open the bottle, I wish that I had risked it and done without my SPF 50. The tropical scent immediately takes me back to the first time I saw Joey. He was standing on the boardwalk near the pirate-themed mini-golf course. It was September, a warm Indian summer day, and me and Lilliana’d crammed in one last beach day. I was balancing on one foot, dusting the sand off my toes so I could put my flip-flop back on, when I spotted him. He caught me staring, but I never even had a chance to be embarrassed.

I’ve seen you before, he said. I couldn’t believe this beautiful boy was talking to me. Your brother goes to Chestnutville High, doesn’t he? I was totally self-conscious because my long hair was all frizzy after a day of sun and salt water. I tried to casually smooth it down while I talked to him, but then he reached over and brushed a stray ringlet away from my eye, like he was already used to invading my personal space, and said: I love your curls.

A week later, we were a couple.

I think about our first date a lot, remembering how I watched from my bedroom window as he pulled into the driveway. I had been ready for an hour, but I figured I’d let Joey ring the bell and sweat out the first meeting with my family before I went downstairs. If he was going to be a keeper, my family needed to like him and he needed to like my family.

I stood on the upstairs landing, out of sight, and listened to the introductions, followed by easy laughter when my brother said, There’s still time to back out, man. I don’t think Rosie knows you’re here. When I walked down the stairs a few seconds later wearing a yellow silk tank top that contrasted nicely with my dark eyes and hair (I had worn it curly for him), I could tell he had no intention of bailing. He was all in. Neither of us said a word, but we were both smiling like it was yearbook picture day. People think those time-stands-still moments only happen in movies. They don’t. It sounds cheesy, but everyone else just faded away and it felt like we were alone.

Do you two know each other? my dad said, breaking the spell. Everyone laughed and then we walked out the door.

As Joey opened the car door for me, he leaned down and whispered in my ear: You’re even prettier than I remembered. A chill rippled from my neck and spread across my body.

Before my date, Matty and Eddie did try to warn me that Joey had a love-’em-and-leave-’em rep around school. But that night, Joey seemed more like an anxious little boy than some arrogant Casanova. He asked me a ton of questions and wanted to know everything about me. It was like I really, really mattered. And he seemed so worried about whether or not I was enjoying myself. I lost count of how many times he asked if my tortellini with pesto sauce was any good. When he spilled his water and his entire face turned red, my heart went out to him. I was making him nervous. Me. I didn’t care what Eddie and Matty said about how Joey treated girls in the past. I could tell I was going to be different.

Ha! What a joke. I put the cap back on my sunscreen, lie down, and close my eyes. Forget it. I already got burned.

 • • •

At five o’clock, I change back into shorts and a tank top and brace myself for what’s coming. At dinner, the tiny lift I got from a healthy dose of vitamin D is gone. Probably because we’re having pork cutlets and salad with a heated family discussion about criminal mischief on the side.

Say that again, Rosie, Mom says. It sounded like you said ‘restraining order.’

I did. ‘Temporary restraining order.’

I hold out the document halfheartedly. My mother takes it from me, stares at it, closes her eyes, and passes it to my father.

"Oh, Dios mío, Mom says. Are you trying to kill your father and me? This business with Joey keeps getting worse."

Here we go with the Spanglish. Worrying always transforms my mom into George Lopez. Predictably, the veins in my dad’s neck bulge out as he reads the restraining order. Let’s hope he doesn’t transform into the Incredible Hulk.

I don’t know you anymore, Dad says. He’s got the papers rolled up and waves them around like a light saber. My daughter would never do these things.

Well, your daughter did, apparently, says the Rosie in my head. He’s right, though. I hate to disappoint my dad. I pick at my food as he gets up and starts pacing. I waited until after he ate to tell everyone. Low blood sugar tends to fuel my father’s anger. My mother just rubs her temples. Pony, who had been under the table waiting for scraps, slinks out of the room. Smart dog.

I’d better not find out you slept with this boy, my father shouts.

Oh my God, Dad! You did not just say that. I cover my ears. Eddie looks mortified. So does Mom.

That’s when Matty materializes at the back door. I spot him first and can tell he’s afraid to knock. I’m guessing he’s waiting for a pause in my dad’s tirade. Finally, Matty taps on the door. His arrival is a welcome diversion—my parents adore Matty.

Sorry to interrupt, Matty says. Did Rosie tell you about my plan?

Wait, what? Why would I? I had practically forgotten until this very second that he’d gone all road trip on me. Okay, maybe Matty isn’t a good diversion, but it’s too late, he’s already pulling up a chair. So, ten minutes later, after he shares his whole getting-out-of-Dodge scheme

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