Sun-Kissed

by Melissa de la Cruz

Book Overview

Sometimes when the sun shines, it scorches. Third time's the charm as Mara, Eliza, and Jacqui head back to the Hamptons. This summer the au pairs are doing it right: in style, in step, and "in" everywhere. Mara has the VIP hookup at all the new clubs -- not to mention sweet digs living with bf Ryan on his parents' yacht. Eliza's nights are steaming too, since she and Jeremy are in total relationship bliss. Too bad she's spending her days at a fashion...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416917470
• ISBN13: 9781416917472
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Simon Pulse
• Length: 306 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.6" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 14 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Sunscreen required - 'Sun-Kissed' is smoking!

Two summers have passed, and the third is on the horizon. But this year, things are quite different from the past. Fashionista, Eliza Thompson, bookworm Mara Waters, and Brazilian bombshell, Jacqui Velasco have waved goodbye to high school, and are looking forward to the future. Unfortunately, while the future lands them all in the Hamptons, this summer, they'll be working in three very different professions that will leave them struggling to find time for one another. For the past year, Eliza has found herself in relationship bliss with Jeremy Stone, a local Hamptons "gardener," of sorts, who just opened his own business. The two couldn't be happier, but Eliza is still uncomfortable with the fact that her V card is still intact; which is why she plans on handing it over to the wonderful Mr. Stone at the next available opportunity. But opportunities are scarce when you're interning for fashion-do-turned-fashion-don't designer, Sydney Minx, a veritable tyrant who seems to have lost his artistic light, and is searching to steal it from anyone possible. Eliza, with her over-the-top fashion sense, doesn't mind lending a helping hand; after all, she has just snagged a spot at Princeton, and can't wait to set off on the road to higher education in the fall, even if it means slaving a way for an untalented schmuck over the summer. Mara is finally with the guy of her dreams - Ryan Perry. After two years of being hot-and-cold with the billionaire brother of her charges, this au pair finally sunk her claws into the boy of the hour. And, even though their relationship has been long distance over the past year, they've held tight to their blooming romance. This summer, however, Mara has ditched diaper duty, and is interning at HAMPTONS Magazine, where she'll have the chance to rub elbows with the rich and famous, and write about it in a society column. Even better, after a long day at work, Mara gets to come home to Ryan for snuggle sessions upon his father's yacht - The Malpractice - where the two are playing house for a full three months. The only problem is that Ryan keeps questioning Mara about her impending attendance at Dartmouth University - where Mara has been wait-listed - and Mara is forced to decide whether Columbia or Dartmouth is the proper place for a budding journalist, like herself, to be. Jacqui, as always, is the epitome of hotness. Having broken up with her boyfriend, Kit Ashleigh, after a few months of bickering, Jacqui is once again single and looking for love. And this summer, she seems to have found it in the form of three billionaire hotties next-door. Smooth-talking Grant Kotack, sensitive Ben Defever, and the hilarious John Duffy are the creators of DormDebauchery.com, and renting out the Reynoldes' house next-door for the summer. While tossing money around like water, and hosting a slew of parties, all three guys are also vying for Jacqui's affections, and waiting for the chance to be called her "boyfriend." While the attention

Fast, fun read

I was surprised to see some of the reviews here. I guess some people felt this book was not as good as its predecessors in the series. I thought it was maybe a little better, since the 3 girls were no longer working together. As a result, there were more varied storylines. It also seemed like Eliza, Jacqui and Mara had developed more distinct personalities. And each one had troubles that a teenage girl (or any woman, for that matter) could relate to. Eliza gets hired as an assistant to a diva-esque designer, only to get fired for upstaging him. Mara dives into her job as a cub reporter with enthusiasm, but her relationship is on the line, because Ryan would rather surf than go to parties where Mara needs to interview celebrities. NYU turns Jacqui down because she didn't take enough math and science courses in Brazil. The plot twists are entertaining and numerous, if not always believable. They helped make the book a compelling read. If you liked The Au Pairs and Skinny Dipping, I don't see why you wouldn't like this one.

A Really Good Book

Well, It's really hard for me to say whether or not it was worse then the other two in the series (Au Pairs, Skinny-Dipping), but but it was amazingly intersting and fun to read. The book is about three girls who come back for their third summer in the Hamptons. Jacqui is still an Au Pair for the Perry's, Eliza lands a job as an interen for a famous designer but ends up designing some clothes along the way, and Mara is staying with Ryan on his yacht! TOGETHER! Of course, their are some problems that develop with the three girls. The Perry Parents are fighting and Mr. Perry files a divorce with Anna (his wife). This is not going to work for Jacqui because if she can't keep this job, then she can't go to school in New York! Eliza gets fired from her designing job (You'll see why), gets a new job at a crappy lunch resturant, fights with her boyfriend Jeremy because he used to date her evil ex-coworker. Mara's boyfriend Ryan doesn't understand how important Mara's job is to her. He wants her to stay home with him and have fun all day. Mara's extremly upset because she got accepted into a good school in New York that has a great writing program, but she finds out she acepted into Darthmouth, the school that Ryan goes to, and she doesnt want to tell him that she thinks that she should go to the school in New York (I think it's Columbia). Read to find out what happens!