Blind Spot for Boys

Sixteen-year-old aspiring photographer Shana Wilde is spending the summer scouring Seattle, trying to capture “knock-your-heart-open” moments on film to fill the portfolio she hopes will help get her into her dream college. She’s also on a “Boy Moratorium,” having had her heart broken by an older boy. While taking photos, Shana literally bumps into Quattro, an attractive, kind guy visiting Seattle with his father to look at colleges, who happens to be on a “Girl Moratorium” himself. Then Shana learns that her father is going blind. Along with her parents, Shana travels to Machu Picchu before her amateur photographer father loses his sight entirely; there, Shana bumps into Quattro once again. Chen creates the kind of vivid characters and strong emotion that featured so prominently in North of Beautiful, along with unexpected moments of action and danger, and descriptions that make the Andean setting come to life. As Shana and Quattro open up to each other’s losses, both past and future, their sweet romance will leave readers satisfied. Ages 12–up. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Aug.)