Looking for a young adult contemporary that is heavy hitting, but also part coming-of-age? Look no further than Katie Montinaro’s debut, The Girl in the Sunflower Dress, which focuses on Chelsea Roberts, who just finished high school, and her family and friends. There’s a stakeout of sorts, a crazed ex, and scandals that rocks Chelsea’s world—what more could you want?!
Chelsea’s summer before starting university was changing way too fast for her and this felt like whiplash in my mind as I experienced the very same thing! Chelsea was loveable as a character, and her best friend was also a whirlwind of activity. Chelsea appeared to be a worldy, curious young person and someone I could have seen myself being friends with if she were real.
Noah was another interesting character to read about and he was depicted as Chelsea’s crush and he finished at the same high school a few years beforehand. He was what Chelsea regarded as hot—the hair, the tattoos, and being there for her when she saw something suss happen with one of her parents. The crazy plans Chelsea and Noah execute, the raw emotion that was written in, and the scandals that both witness throughout the story will draw you in from page one!
A character you’ll learn to hate is Chelsea’s ex who is portrayed as this manipulative human being and very jealous that Noah is getting Chelsea’s attention, so he is always scheming to get her back. He has the gall to try and pit two best friends against each other in one plan and he surely should’ve known better than to try and do that (obviously didn’t). It doesn’t help that Noah was initially very hot and cold towards Chelsea, honestly! The way Chelsea handles the secret affair sounds absolutely realistic, and I would honestly hate to be in her position. Internalising problems and life-changing secrets is something I can relate to a lot, and it was kind of nice seeing that being portrayed in a book.
The writing was engaging and you’ll genuinely enjoy each page! The description of the sunflower dress Chelsea so dearly loves makes me want to make my own! The pacing was spot on for a contemporary coming-of-age story, and it even felt more relatable as it was distinctly Australian. The scenery Montinaro described reminds me so much of visiting my aunt in Mornington Peninsula (meaning a giant trip across Melbourne for me), and genuinely it brought me joy to see that replicated (albeit in reverse) in this book. The storyline was something I also haven’t come across in a while, which was definitely a positive in my books, and it was absolutely done so very well in my eyes. Whilst I devoured the book so much, I felt like the book genuinely hit different for me, and is definitely one of my new favourite books.
Overall, a great contemporary coming-of-age book for those that want something more realistic than a happy summer break. This one is definitely one for those who want some scandal and heartbreak too. I’m personally super excited to see more books from Katie Montinaro, as this is a spectacular first book!
The Girl In The Sunflower Dress is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 13th 2021.
Will you be picking up The Girl In The Sunflower Dress? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Chelsea Roberts is living the dream post high school; no commitments, no stress and nothing to do. Simple times. But life has a funny way of turning your world upside down when you least expect it.
A chance encounter with her old high school crush, Noah Kalani, leads Chelsea to uncover her father’s secret affair. The discovery leaves Chelsea unsure about her place in the world and in her own family. With Noah by her side, Chelsea is convinced a carefully laid New Year’s Eve plan can protect her family and make her world seem right again. Only, this plan will be the beginning of Chelsea unearthing more secrets than she ever imagined.
