The Faraway Inn

Gr 8 Up–Durst’s charming fantasy is as cozy as a mug of hot cocoa. When Calisa finds her boyfriend cheating, her summer plans are uprooted, and she flees to her great-aunt’s bed-and-breakfast in Vermont in hopes of helping out for the summer and healing her wounded heart. Despite how much the inn looks like it needs help, Calisa’s Auntie Zee refuses to let her stay for more than a few days. Calisa enlists the help of Jack, the groundskeeper’s handsome son, to convince her great-aunt to let her stay, but she discovers that there’s far more to the Faraway Inn than its faded walls and dusty furniture, and that she needs the Inn as much as it needs her. While this is more grounded than Durst’s other cozy fantasies, hints of the otherworldly appear early and keep readers guessing as they root for Calisa to win over cantankerous Auntie Zee. The plot unfolds slowly, as does the slow-burn romance between Calisa and Jack, but there’s plenty to love in the struggles and sweet moments of humor as Calisa blunders her way through discovering the magical mysteries of the bed-and-breakfast. There is some diversity in the characters, such as the elegant, dark-skinned guest, Kendra, and the more fantastical green-skinned Melidor. Calisa’s two moms cheer her on through supportive phone conversations.