Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen Review
***Review contains some spoilers***
Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen is an endearing and heartwarming novel about the ever-changing dynamics of life, family, and love. With its themes of unexpected change, family relationships, first love, and figuring out who you are after high school, this heartfelt coming-of-age story has much more to offer than a typical summer romance.
For fans of Sarah Dessen's previous novel, The Rest of the Story, you'll appreciate the journey back to Lake North. Change of Plans introduces a new cast of characters while bringing readers back to the familiar community and dynamics surrounding the lake.
Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen: What It's About
Change of Plans follows Finley during the summer immediately after her high school graduation. Hoping to go on a cruise with her boyfriend's family, Finley is disappointed when her mother says no. Instead, the two plan to take a trip to New York City together.
Starting the summer disappointed, separated from her boyfriend, and spending time with the mother who isn't often around and remains something of a mystery to her, Finley is shocked when everything she expected from the trip turns on its head.
Their plans change again when they return to her mother's childhood home, The Woods. Suddenly, Finley is thrown into a whirlwind of news and new experiences in a place she barely knows.
From Colin breaking up with her over the phone and seemingly moving on almost immediately, to flinging her phone into the lake, meeting family members she'd only met once before, working morning shifts at The Egg, and learning that her mother has cancer, Finley's summer becomes a flurry of surprises and unexpected emotions.
My Thoughts on Change of Plans
At its heart, Change of Plans is a story about learning that life rarely follows the plan you've created for it.
No matter how carefully you plan your future or how certain you feel about the steps you're going to take, you can never truly know what's going to happen next. Life is always capable of dumping surprises on your doorstep, and sometimes the only thing you can do is evolve and roll with the proverbial punches.
I thought this theme was especially well done throughout the book because Finley wasn't the only character being forced to adapt.
A Story About Learning to Adapt
Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen sprayed edge special edition overlooking a lake
What I found especially moving about Change of Plans was that although Finley is the main protagonist, everyone around her is experiencing their own version of change.
So many of the supporting characters stood out to me. Lana, her BFF, with her dating preferences. Ben and his openness to being in a band. Cat, Finley's mother, as she accepts and shares news about her illness while reconnecting with her sisters. Anne, her cousin, as she puts her foot down for the wedding she truly wants. And Liz and Kasey, her aunts, as they come to terms with selling their childhood home.
Each person's journey has its own complexities, but together they show how, from time to time, everyone can be shaken by what they know and what they expect from life.
The Supporting Characters Steal the Show
One of my favorite aspects of the book was how much depth the supporting characters brought to the story.
While Finley's journey is at the center, the people around her are also navigating relationships, family expectations, illness, nostalgia, and uncertainty. Their individual storylines make Change of Plans feel like a story about an entire community rather than just one teenager figuring out her next step.
That made the story feel especially layered to me. Finley is learning how to move forward without the future she originally imagined, while the adults and other young people around her are also learning how to accept that their own lives may not look the way they once expected.
More Than Just a Coming-of-Age Story
Although Change of Plans is a young adult novel focused on the troubles of a newly graduated high school student transitioning into life after high school, I think the story speaks to multiple generations.
This book works not only for high school and college students, but for adults and parents, too. Watching Finley experience so many new things during this summer, while learning about her mother's illness and connecting with people at very different points in their lives, reminded me of a younger version of myself while also connecting with experiences I'm facing now in adulthood, whether personally or through the eyes of a loved one.
It's not just your typical coming-of-age story. It has so many layers.
Final Thoughts on Change of Plans
Overall, I really enjoyed Change of Plans. It was a fast-paced, heartfelt, and relatable read that left me feeling warm inside.
I was glad for the outcomes everyone experienced and grateful for another chance to see what life at the lake was like. That said, I would have liked to see more of what most of the characters truly learned and accepted about themselves and their changing lives.
Still, it was a wonderful read to close out the summer, and Sarah Dessen once again crafted a story that I think will resonate with readers for years to come.
If you enjoy contemporary young adult fiction, coming-of-age stories, family-centered novels, and romances that are about more than just the romance, Change of Plans is definitely worth adding to your reading list.
Change of Plans Rating
I am rating Change of Plans 7.5 out of 10 stars.
As always, thanks for reading!💙
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
7.5/10⭐️