The Story
Some loves are meant to stay...some are meant to set you free.
The Summer I Turned Pretty meets Circe in this windswept, emotional retelling of The Odyssey. A stunning story of first love, ancient echoes, and the power of rewriting your own fate.
Callie Quinn has never left Catalina Island. Her world is a crumbling cliffside inn, a father who's more prison guard than parent, and a curse she believes she's doomed to repeat: every summer brings a boy, a spark--and then a goodbye. Until one summer everything changes.
A storm. A shipwreck. A boy washed ashore.
Odie is secretive, wounded, and desperate to disappear. Callie offers him shelter, a place to heal, and slowly, something more. But Odie is no ordinary castaway. He carries secrets that could destroy them both. On Catalina, Callie shows him another way to live. A life of freedom and belonging. An everlasting life where he could be anyone--even himself.
But when Odie's world crashes back into their paradise, both Odysseus and Calypso must make impossible choices: one between legacy and love. The other, between holding on and setting herself free.
Inspired by the tale of Odysseus and Calypso from Homer's The Odyssey, this fresh retelling gives star-crossed lovers a chance to defy fate. Full of longing, first love, and impossible choices, it's a story where, at last, they find their happily ever after.
A star-crossed, slow-burn summer romance. A contemporary reimagining with mythological roots. A girl who learns that sometimes, the most epic love story is the one you write for yourself.
Perfect for fans of:
- Forbidden Love
- MMC with a mysterious past
- "Just for the summer" relationships
- Mythology retellings
- 1-Chili Pepper Romance
Author: Anna Ellison
Publisher: Avon A
Published: 05/26/2026
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.43lbs
Size: 7.94h x 5.28w x 0.64d
ISBN: 9780063485044
Audience: Young Adult
Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 03/20/2026 pg. 1
Kirkus Reviews 03/15/2026
Booklist 05/01/2026
About the Author
Ellison, Anna: -
Anna Ellison is the pen name of a lifelong storyteller. A hopeless romantic at heart, Anna has always been captivated by the magic of first love, late-night conversations, and the bittersweet excitement of growing up. When she's not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book, wandering through a local coffee shop, or working on her next story idea. This is her debut novel under the name Anna Ellison.
Description
Some loves are meant to stay...some are meant to set you free.
The Summer I Turned Pretty meets Circe in this windswept, emotional retelling of The Odyssey. A stunning story of first love, ancient echoes, and the power of rewriting your own fate.
Callie Quinn has never left Catalina Island. Her world is a crumbling cliffside inn, a father who's more prison guard than parent, and a curse she believes she's doomed to repeat: every summer brings a boy, a spark--and then a goodbye. Until one summer everything changes.
A storm. A shipwreck. A boy washed ashore.
Odie is secretive, wounded, and desperate to disappear. Callie offers him shelter, a place to heal, and slowly, something more. But Odie is no ordinary castaway. He carries secrets that could destroy them both. On Catalina, Callie shows him another way to live. A life of freedom and belonging. An everlasting life where he could be anyone--even himself.
But when Odie's world crashes back into their paradise, both Odysseus and Calypso must make impossible choices: one between legacy and love. The other, between holding on and setting herself free.
Inspired by the tale of Odysseus and Calypso from Homer's The Odyssey, this fresh retelling gives star-crossed lovers a chance to defy fate. Full of longing, first love, and impossible choices, it's a story where, at last, they find their happily ever after.
A star-crossed, slow-burn summer romance. A contemporary reimagining with mythological roots. A girl who learns that sometimes, the most epic love story is the one you write for yourself.
Perfect for fans of:
- Forbidden Love
- MMC with a mysterious past
- "Just for the summer" relationships
- Mythology retellings
- 1-Chili Pepper Romance
Author: Anna Ellison
Publisher: Avon A
Published: 05/26/2026
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.43lbs
Size: 7.94h x 5.28w x 0.64d
ISBN: 9780063485044
Audience: Young Adult
Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 03/20/2026 pg. 1
Kirkus Reviews 03/15/2026
Booklist 05/01/2026
About the Author
Ellison, Anna: -
Anna Ellison is the pen name of a lifelong storyteller. A hopeless romantic at heart, Anna has always been captivated by the magic of first love, late-night conversations, and the bittersweet excitement of growing up. When she's not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book, wandering through a local coffee shop, or working on her next story idea. This is her debut novel under the name Anna Ellison.
