That First Summer

Every summer leaves a mark. Some leave a legacy. It's the summer of 1999, and sixteen-year-old Jonie Kirkland's job at Twin Pines State Park's swimming pool feels like a dream. She finds more than she could have ever hoped for: coworkers who become friends, Brandon Murphy, a goofy boy who tries to win her heart, and a pool run by the quiet and mysterious Alice Livingston. But just when Jonie finally feels settled, it all comes crashing down. Alice, who has managed the park pool for decades, guarding both its traditions and her own heart, watches Jonie navigate the kind of disappointment she knows all too well. However, what Jonie sees as the end of something is, for Alice, only the beginning. That First Summer: Part One is the heartwarming second installment of the Enchanted Mountains series-a story of first loves, found families, and the unexpected ways people become part of our story.