From Product Description:

When Auden impulsively goes to stay with her father, stepmother, and new baby sister the summer before she starts college, all the trauma of her parents' divorce is revived, even as she is making new friends and having new experiences such as learning to ride a bike and dating.

Lexile: 750.

I would love to read this book, but somehow this author or publisher has the nerve to charge $16.99 for this book on Kindle. Not even the best authors charge anywhere near that much. Maybe when she reduces the price of her book on Kindle I can write a review

Ever since a parents' divorce, eighteen-year-old Auden has been unable to get a good night's rest. Instead, she visits the local 24-hour diner where she catches up on her studies, or rather, gets ahead. Now that her senior year is over, Auden decides to stay with a her dad, his wife, Heidi, and their newborn, Thisbe, over the summer vacation. In the quaint seaside town of Colby, Auden, discovers a world that, in the past, she was deprived of, thanks partly to her mother. Now, Auden is ready to have everything she lacked in the past, and maybe, she will finally be able to fall asleep at night again... <br /> <br />Along for the Ride is my first Sarah Dessen book. Truthfully, I have no idea why I waited so long to read her novels. I think, somewhere in my brain, I just grouped her with Lurlene McDaniel. After hearing great reviews of her novels, I knew I needed to finally read one of her novels. I wanted to get of my reading comfort zone. In the past, I mostly read YA novels with male protagonists, while shying away from female ones. I realize, that's incredibly strange, but that's just me. :P <br /> <br />Anyway, Along for the Ride did not leave me disappointed. Dessen did an amazing job depicting Colby. While I was reading this book, I had a clear picture of what the town was like. It reminded me of someplace I would love to visit. I also thought Dessen's characters were spot-on, major and minor. The characters felt like they could pop out of the book at any moment. Another thing I enjoyed was the bicycle part. I thought it was really unique and relatable situation. There's always that one thing a person has never done. I, for one, never learned how to swim. Never too late though. ;) <br /> <br />I only had one minor problem with the book. I just could not understand how Auden learned to drive a car. Personally, I think driving is a much scarier task than riding a bike. I guess the whole "getting up after you fall" thing does not work with driving though. <br /> <br />So, after reading Along for the Ride, I am a Sarah Dessen fan.

Loved it! :) This is definitely one of my new favorite Sarah Dessen books along with The Truth About Forever. I especially liked the fact that Auden was older and seemed more mature. Also, how Eli and Auden spent a lot of time together at night doing fun things like bowling or just driving and talking. <br /> <br />I once read a review of a Sarah Dessen book and it explained to me WHY I like Sarah Dessen's books so much: She takes a simple plot and an ordinary girl and transforms them into a deep and meaningful story. There is no fantasy and she keeps it clean, but because she is such a fantastic writer we can't help but become swept up in the motion of the novel and want to keep reading forever. I think another reason why so many people devour her books is because her characters really connect. They talk about important things, things that are hard to face, things that are sometimes just easier to ignore and not talk about. But her characters do, and that really sets a solid foundation for a great relationship. <br /> <br />These points are all present in Along For The Ride. I wasn't disappointed and I hope you won't be either. Just know: this book is worth reading once, if not many times over again.

Sarah Dessen is amazing! This book was actually the first book of hers I read and after I finished I just had to head out to the book store to pick up more. "Along for the Ride," is her most recent release and I can see why she has had the success she has. It was phenomenal! Just further justification for why, after reading this book, she became one of my favorite YA authors! <br /> <br />Auden is spending the summer with her father and his new family (a very young and very pregnant wife). While some things are changing Auden's sleepless nights are not. Auden has missed out on all the normal experiences that a girl has in high school: friends, boys, parties, etc. because she was too busy being the perfect daughter for her mother. But her new job in her stepmother's boutique introduces her to all that she has been missing...oh and did I mention Eli? <br /> <br />Eli is a loner and a fellow insomniac who she soon starts spending her long sleepless nights with. Soon Auden and Eli embark on a series of quests to introduce Auden to some of the things she has missed out on and maybe even get Eli to come to terms with a loss he has suffered. <br /> <br />All of the assumptions and judgments that Auden has made in her life about who people, what they are like, and how they should act are challenged. Maybe a girl can be "girly" while still being smart and kicking a little ass once in a while ;) Auden and Eli were a great contrast and made for an interesting romance. Loved it!! And I can't wait for the next Dessen book... <br /> <br />[...]

1 word. <br />1 syllable. <br />3 letters. <br />Wow. <br /> <br />Yet again, Dessen is able to flesh out every simgle emotion I have to give. Pain. Hope. Joy. Love. Dissapointment. So now, after reading Along for the Ride, I am left only with awe. As I continued to delve deeper into Auden's world, I continued to learn about myself. Sometimes, when the birds refuse to sing and the sun can't just shine...all you can do is get back on the bike again. <br />And just enjoy the ride.