The writing was good. The sense of place, especially in San Francisco, was excellent. I never quite warmed up to Lemon, though a lot of her bone-headed teenage decisions resonated with me. Stella, Lemon's goofball mother, was mostly just annoying. I think that Madonia tried to cram too many different plot points into the book, and it was a little crowded. Some passages were lovely, and I think Madonia is a writer to watch. I want to read her third book. ( )