Keep My Heart in San Francisco

May 1, 2020
Caroline "Chuck" Wilson finds herself unraveling as she tries to keep her heart in San Francisco, trying to save Bigmouth's, her family's bowling alley. Chuck dreams of going to San Francisco's Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising after graduating from high school. Spring break is around the corner, and Chuck has a packed itinerary that she hopes will bring her closer to her fashion design dreams. However, in a twisted turn of events, Chuck learns that she has less than two weeks to help her father come up with $8,000 in overdue rent. Enter Beckett Porter, Chuck's ex-best friend and crush, who seems to know the ins and outs of the Bay Area's underground bowling scene. He has a plan to help Chuck save Bigmouth's and avoid her family's having to move in with grandparents in Arizona. Despite her doubts, desperate times call for desperate measures, and they are off on a thrilling adventure together. As the story unravels, Chuck finds herself trusting Beckett again, and the sparks she once thought to be snuffed out are rekindled. Chuck has clinical depression and is worried that she might develop bipolar disorder like her mother, Caroline. The author's portrayal of mental illness is sensitive and insightful although Caroline is slightly underdeveloped. Readers who enjoy thoughtful, character-driven stories will appreciate this book. Main characters are presumed to be white. Intriguing and charming. (author's note, resources) (Fiction. 13-18)

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May 25, 2020
High school juniors Caroline “Chuck” Wilson and Beckett Porter were best friends until the year before, when he betrayed her by letting out a secret told in confidence. Chuck hasn’t spoken to him since, and now she’s dealing with another family problem: her father’s business, Bigmouth’s, a bowling alley, is about to go under. Beckett, hired by the alley’s food supplier to make deliveries, overhears the devastating news, and he has a scheme to raise much-needed funds: teach Chuck, a superior bowler, how to hustle at underground games. Despite her misgivings and her grudge, Chuck reluctantly agrees. After her first few successful hustles, she’s ecstatic about her winnings but secretly fears that her impulsive behaviors are a sign she’s inherited the bipolar disorder that afflicted her late mother before she died by suicide years before. At the same time, the crush Chuck once had on Beckett is returning, stronger than ever. Though the progress of Chuck’s illegal activities and her relationship with Beckett are fairly predictable, both protagonists emerge as flawed, sympathetic characters. Capturing the vibe of bowling alley action and the business of betting, first-time author Coombs, herself diagnosed with bipolar disorder, sensitively portrays mental health concerns, including roller-coaster highs and lows. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jennie Kendrick, Red Fox Literary.

June 1, 2020

Gr 9 Up-Caroline "Chuck" Wilson loves her life in San Francisco and plans on staying there after high school. During spring break, she's touring the fashion school of her dreams and hitting up estate sales to find vintage clothes. When she discovers that her father's business, Bigmouth Bowl, is going to close, forcing the family to move to Arizona, Chuck hustles to raise funds. Enter Beckett Porter, Chuck's attractive ex-best friend, who introduces her to the world of bowling, betting, and hustling. With Beckett's gambling connections and Chuck's bowling skills, they can raise money fast-if they can keep things strictly professional. Coombs's debut features realistically flawed teen characters addressing complex issues, including mental health, family poverty, parental abandonment, and suicide. The teen romance is sweet and charming, but the real love story is between Chuck and San Francisco as Coombs beautifully captures the atmosphere of the city from the perspective of a besotted resident. The main plot is simplistic and at a couple of junctures, implausible, but the characters are multifaceted and the setting is rich. VERDICT Those who enjoy Jenn Bennett's works or Rachel Lynn Solomon's Today Tonight Tomorrow will find much to love in this atmospheric and mostly realistic romance.-Kaetlyn Phillips, Yorkton, Sask.

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