Teenreads.com -- ONLY YOU, SIERRA by Robin Jones Gunn

ONLY YOU, SIERRA
Sierra Jensen Collection: Volume One, Book One
Robin Jones Gunn
Multnomah Publishers
Fiction
ISBN-10: 1590525884
ISBN-13: 9781590525883
156 pages

Sierra Jensen is preparing for some big changes. While she is spending her winter vacation in England on a mission trip, her family is leaving behind their home in rural California to move in with her grandmother in Portland, Oregon. In ONLY YOU, SIERRA, the first book in Robin Jones Gunn’s Sierra Jensen series, 16-year old Sierra has a blast making new friends and traveling across Europe. Although younger than college-aged Christy, Tracy, Doug and Katie, she instantly bonds with them and struggles to think of going “home” to a new place where she doesn’t know anyone. And, of course, she can’t help but feel that she’s the only person without a boyfriend. As she reluctantly prepares to leave, Sierra finds that many surprises are awaiting her.

The first surprise comes in the form of a chance encounter at the airport in London. A handsome stranger asks to borrow money for a phone call, and Sierra soon realizes that they’ll be flying together across the Atlantic. As they begin to talk on the flight home, she’s startled by the deep connection they share. But it appears that is all they’ll be sharing. Paul has a girlfriend and seemingly no desire to see any more of Sierra after she makes some bold statements.

Settling into life in Portland, Sierra hopes to distract herself from constant thoughts of Paul. It isn’t too easy, though, as her social life is almost non-existent. She vows to hate her new school before she even steps foot in it, and on the rare occasion that she’s invited to something, she doesn’t have the cash to do so. Without friends, money or a job, Sierra is sure that the move will be a complete disaster. However, just as she’s feeling completely discouraged, she receives some very surprising letters from people she’s been longing to hear from. Will Sierra ever adjust to her new life? And will she ever see Paul again?

Fans of Robin Jones Gunn’s Christy Miller series easily will transition into the world of Sierra Jensen. In fact, ONLY YOU, SIERRA overlaps with much of A PROMISE IS FOREVER, the final Christy Miller book. The series begins with many familiar characters, who are often referred to later, and then follows Sierra back to her life in Oregon. While this first installment is an enjoyable read, the newly introduced characters are not quite as lovable or developed as those in the Christy Miller series. A number of references in the book (which originally was published in 1995), such as pay phones and communicating via snail mail, may seem outdated to young readers. Nonetheless, fans of Gunn’s previous work undoubtedly will enjoy this new series as they watch some beloved old characters, even if from afar.

--- Reviewed by Jennifer Crosby

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