What I Thought Was True

Gwen Castle is trying really hard to forget about the mistakes she has made in the past.  Mistakes involving boys.  Lots of them.  Working at her Dad's hamburger joint is not helping, so when she gets an opportunity to spend the summer helping one of Seashell, Connecticut's richest widows, she takes it.  She figures helping Mrs. Ellington with her groceries will be a much better gig, one that will help her forget about Cass Somers.  But Cass is the island's "Yard Boy" for the summer, and he keeps popping up.
I was sooooo excited to read this book!  My Life Next Door is one of my favorite summer romances.  

It is one of the books I recommend to students looking for a love story.  So, when I saw that the author had written a new book, and another summer romance at that, I couldn't wait.  It jumped to the top of my to-read list.
And then I read it.  And I couldn't finish it.  I tried, really, I tried.  And I even had some doubts about reviewing it if I hadn't finished it.  I even tried to skim.  But at 39% I am officially giving up.  I can start with the nice things- Seashell, Connecticut is a place I would love to visit.  Fitzpatrick describes it beautifully, and the summer beach parties, swimming, ice cream and hamburgers all make me want to go there.  Cass Somers is a great love interest.  He's grounded, even though he comes from a super rich family on the island.  He's always sweet to Gwen, even though she doesn't seem to deserve it most of the time.  That's about all the nice things I can say.
The worst part- the book is very confusing.  It is told through flashbacks that come out of nowhere.  I couldn't follow what was happening.  Is this happening now?  It happened in the past?  I could never tell and spent most of the book that I did read extremely confused.    
I did not like Gwen Castle.  She is whiny and mean and I never found myself rooting for her.  
There were so many plot points that seemed unnecessary  and unbelievable.  Mrs. Ellington is selling her estate, and her dad tries to convince her to take a piece of it.  Cass Somers is failing English and the swim coach shows up at her house to ask her to tutor him.  During summer?  Cass shows up EVERYWHERE Gwen is.  Constantly.  Her 18 year old cousin and best friend are sucking each other's face off nonstop.  
This was just not a book I enjoyed.  She is currently writing a second book to My Life Next Door, and I will read it, but I might not be as quick to pick up. Hopefully it is an improvement to this one.