Life is slow in Little, California, and Carter Moon loves it. She loves stargazing with her friends, spending time at the river, and working in her family's caf̩. But when a Hollywood crew and teen heartthrob, Adam Jakes, show up to film a Christmas movie, Carter's idyllic world is disrupted. Unimpressed by the Hollywood crowd, Carter avoids them. However, when approached with a job offer, Carter feels compelled to earn much needed money for her family. She will spend a few weeks posing as Adam's 'small town girlfriend' in an attempt to improve his tainted public image. As Carter is thrown into the world of publicity and tabloids, she struggles to distinguish truth from acting.
The classic story of a small town nobody pulled into a life of fame is not new, but Kim Culbertson tells this version well. Carter and her friends are delightfully quirky characters and the town of Little charmed me enough to consider moving immediately. Adam Jakes is intriguing as well, with his stereotypical Hollywood narcissism that hides a kinder and more complex person. Culbertson also creatively embellishes this classic story by including star gazing metaphors and profound lessons about friendship, service, and life decisions. What I expected to be a fluffy romance was actually an endearing story of a strong girl finding her place in the world. Carter Moon's entertaining experience is perfect for teens trying to define their future.
Recommended ages-12 and up