New Year’s Kiss

Gr 8 Up–Tess and her sister Lauren, whose mom is Greek and dad is Irish, have been sent to spend the week after Christmas at their family-owned ski resort while their father moves out of their house. Stuck with their grandmother who manages the resort, Tess plans to spend her time reading in her room while Lauren, seemingly undisturbed by the impending divorce, spends the vacation with newfound friends. Tess’s plans are disrupted, however, by the handsome, blond-haired Christopher who broke his leg skiing a few days earlier. Together they cook up a scheme to help Tess step out of her “Type A” behavior and try 10 new things to be accomplished by New Year’s Eve. Completing them jump-starts Tess’s liberation as she gets out of her comfort zone by singing karaoke, wearing high heels, and flying paper airplanes with Christopher at her side. But Christopher has a secret that forces him to leave the resort, leaving Tess to decide if she is truly ready to acknowledge her daredevil side and accomplish the other tasks on her own. With the help of her sister, grandmother, and new friends, she works through the list. But she misses Christopher and the last item involving a kiss may never occur. Readers are kept on the edge of their seats while rooting for Tess and Christopher. A happy ending isn’t always guaranteed when one takes the first step beyond that comfort zone, but surely love will win out.