Romancing the Dark in the City of Light

A troubled American teen in Paris must choose between a guy who encourages her to embrace her life and another—hot and mysterious—who urges her to end it.. Eighteen-year-old American Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools for flunking or drinking or both she has to get on the right track or lose a hefty inheritance. Paris is as beautiful as advertised but the city's hidden seamy side confronts Summer at every turn. Then she meets Moony a charismatic classmate who is recovering against all odds from a serious childhood car accident and he and Summer form an unexpected connection. Her feelings for him quickly grow stronger. And scarier. She knows she doesn't deserve him. Meanwhile Kurt a hot mysterious and sophisticated older guy shows up and sweeps er knocks her off her feet when she’s at her weakest. He leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city and way out of her depth. When Summer's volatile behavior manages to alienate everyone else even Moony she's finally forced to decide if a life so empty and painful is worth living. Then muster the energy to take action. Haunting wry and beautifully written with a sharp distinctive voice that could belong only to this character the ending will surprise even seasoned readers. Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an utterly compelling novel about a young woman stuck in a deadly love triangle as she battles despair and discovers deliverance.. Winner of the Housatonic Book Award For Young Adult LiteratureJacobus creates a full picture of wild and wonderful Paris in her novel tinted with an exotic magic realism that adds an extra layer of atmosphere. Recommend to teens who are interested in exploring serious issues such as suicide and teen alcoholism or those who prefer their fiction moody and thought-provoking. --BooklistIn her debut novel Jacobus explores difficult topics including depression alcoholism death and the reckless behavior that can accompany them. As Summer struggles with alcohol dependency and contemplates suicide readers will grit their teeth in the hope that Moony will win the romantic tug-of-war with Kurt in time to help Summer see the light at the end of the tunnel. --Publishers Weekly