A funny, bracing, poignant YA romance and coming-of-age for fans of Huntley Fitzpatrick, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and The Beginning of Everything
lake effect | n.
1. The effect of any lake, especially the Great Lakes, in modifying the weather in nearby areas
2. The effect of elderly ladies, mysterious girls, and countless funerals, in upending your life, one summer at the beach
It’s the summer after senior year, and Briggs Henry is out the door. He's leaving behind his ex-girlfriend and his parents’ money troubles for Lake Michigan and its miles of sandy beaches, working a summer job as a personal assistant, and living in a gorgeous Victorian on the shore. It's the kind of house Briggs plans to buy his parents one day when he’s a multi-millionaire. But then he gets there. And his eighty-four-year-old boss tells him to put on a suit for her funeral.
So begins a summer of social gaffes, stomach cramps, fraught beach volleyball games, moonlit epiphanies, and a drawer full of funeral programs. Add to this Abigail, the mystifying girl next door on whom Briggs's charms just won’t work, and “the lake effect” is taking on a whole new meaning.
Smart, funny, and honest, The Lake Effect is about realizing that playing along is playing it safe, and that you can only become who you truly are if you’re willing to take the risk.
"Vibrant and smart . . . Perfect to tote around on vacation." —Bustle
“Every word glows with brilliance." —Francisco X. Stork, author of Marcelo in the Real World
"Dazzlingly hilarious . . . Erin McCahan is the reigning queen of summer YA reads." —PopSugar
“Observant, sarcastic, compelling, and very funny.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Summer romance at its best." —HelloGiggles
“The perfect smart, beachside read. . . . Unforgettable.” —Stephanie Elliot, author of Sad Perfect
"Elegant and touching." —Publishers Weekly
“Refreshingly honest and real. . . . An absolute must-read.” —Elise Allen, co-author of Elixir
“Funny and poignant." —PureWow
"Thought provoking—and at times hilarious . . . A great summer read." —SLJ
★ “Observant, sarcastic, compelling, and very funny . . . this thoroughly enjoyable read is a seductive invitation to relax and let life happen.” —
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"[An] inviting, thoughtful novel." —
The Chicago Tribune"A dazzlingly hilarious trifecta of awkward growing pains, social gaffes, and the romance that will warm your heart forever . . . Erin McCahan is the reigning queen of summer YA reads." —
PopSugar"Elegant and touching . . . Heartwarming [too], illustrating the ways that family can expand beyond blood." —
Publishers Weekly“If the cover didn't already convince you,
The Lake Effect is a vibrant and smart summer read, perfect to tote around on vacation." —
Bustle
"Erin McCahan has done it again with this quintessential summer read guaranteed to make you laugh, cry, and everything in between."
—BuzzFeed
"Clever, charming, and sweet, this ode to Lake Michigan, small beach towns, grandmothers, and relationships is the perfect coming-of-age book for the end of the summer. Packed with great characters, snarky dialogue, and buckets of heart, Briggs is a character to root for. Kick back and let the lake effect work its magic." —
Booklist Reader
“This is YA summer romance at its best: not set on an exotic beach or the tourist traps of Europe, but rather right here at home in our own backyards." —
HelloGiggles "McCahan writes clever and charming characters . . .
The Lake Effect will find readers among the John Green fan set: those who like their teen protagonists brilliant but vulnerable.”—
VOYA“The rare book that fills you with delight from the first page to the last.
The Lake Effect is funny and witty and a little bit sad and every word glows with brilliance." —Francisco X. Stork, author of
Marcelo in the Real World“A funny and poignant YA novel about that fun and eye-opening summer between high school and college." —
PureWow
"Intriguing . . . Compassionate." —
Booklist
"Thought provoking—and at times hilarious . . . A great summer read . . . Recommend this title to those who enjoyed
Cara Chow’s
Bitter Melon, John Green’s
An Abundance of Katherines, and Ned Vizzini’s
It’s Kind of a Funny Story." —
SLJ"The perfect smart, beachside read. This is an unforgettable story about a boy who thinks he’s got his future figured out, and a girl who knows what she wants but is scared to get it.
The Lake Effect will pull you in like the waves of the lake and won’t let you go until the last satisfying page.” —Stephanie Elliot, author of
Sad Perfect
“Refreshingly honest and real. Every one of Erin McCahan’s characters rings perfectly unique and true—you’ll laugh with them, struggle with them, and seriously hate to leave them when the book is over. An absolute must-read.”
—Elise Allen,
New York Times bestselling co-author of
Elixir
