The Last Best Kiss by Claire LaZebnik

It’s Anna Eliot’s senior year of high school and she hasn’t had a boyfriend since she ditched Finn Westbrook at their freshman dance because she was afraid her friends wouldn’t approve. Finn subsequently moved away but now three years later, he’s back and has Anna’s friends fighting over the cute new guy. Can Finn forgive Anna for being weak? Ms. LaZebnik has created a fun, breezy adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Persuasion.” I especially liked the modern adaptation of Captain Wentworth’s character, Finn Westbrook. He was likeably nerdy, referencing several pop culture tidbits like League of Legends and Battlestar Galactica, which I enjoyed. I might be a tad biased since “Persusasion” is my favorite Austen but I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It’s an easy summer beach read and lovely escapism for my fellow Austenites.