A fresh and funny contemporary YA rom-com about teens working as costumed characters in a local amusement park.
Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the absolute best, most impossibly epic summer of her life. There are just a few things standing in her way:
She's landed a job at Magic Castle Playland . . . as a giant dancing hot dog.
Her crush, the dreamy diving pirate Nick, already has a girlfriend, who is literally the princess of the park. But Lou's never liked anyone, guy or otherwise, this much before, and now she wants a chance at her own happily ever after.
Her best friend, Seeley, the carousel operator, has always been up for anything, but she's decidedly not on board when it comes to Lou's quest to set her up with the perfect girl or Lou's scheme to get close to Nick.
And it turns out that this will be their last summer at Magic Castle Playland—ever—unless she can find a way to stop it from closing.
Jennifer Dugan's sparkling debut coming-of-age queer romance stars a princess, a pirate, a hot dog, and a carousel operator who find love—and themselves—in unexpected people and unforgettable places.
Elouise was determined to have an epic summer. She was excited to be returning to Magic Castle Playland, where she would be able to work alongside her best friend, Seeley, and her current crush, Nick. It all quickly begins to fall apart, and in an attempt to save her summer from ruin, she begins scheming on ways to save the park and make Nick fall for her. But, as with all the best-laid plans, this one may backfire.
You see that cover? You see how fun it looks? Well, it's a great representation of this book, which was a ton of fun to read. There were all sorts of summertime and amusement park antics, which I expected. I mean, imagine the view of things from inside a giant hot dog. The fun was enhanced via the thoughts and narration of Elouise. I found her rather amusing, and though she sometimes failed to see the forest for the trees, I still adored her in all her awkward glory.
But, Dugan gave me more than fun, fun, fun. There were some weightier issues each character was dealing with, such as bullying, abandonment, and sick relatives. So, to answer your question: yes, there were tears.
Speaking of the characters, this book featured one fine cast. I found each character stood out on their own, while also meshing together so well. I loved Seeley. The friendship she gave to Elouise was a beautiful thing. And, Nick ending up really surprising me in a most wonderful way. Even dad touched me at one point. I just loved them all.
Overall: A warm-and-fuzzy inducing rom-com topped off with a fabulous happy ever after.
