Candace Thompson’s plans for a fun-filled summer come to a screeching halt when her parents tell her what every teenager dreads to hear: “It’s time to get a job.” In THE SUMMER OF COTTON CANDY, Candace must give up a carefree summer with best friend Tamara to work at The Zone, a local amusement park. As if giving up her summer isn’t bad enough, when she arrives to interview at The Zone, she is informed that there are only two open positions: cleaning the women’s restrooms and working at a cotton candy cart.

Disappointed that all of the cool jobs have been taken, and destined to receive an endless amount of cotton “candy” jokes about her name, Candace is consoled that at least she won’t be cleaning bathrooms. Things at The Zone don’t exactly get off to the best start. An unsympathetic boss and hours of paperwork mark the beginning of the job --- and that’s the easy part. However, when Candace runs into a handsome co-worker masked as the Lone Ranger, she begins to wonder if working at The Zone might actually have some perks.

Each day Candace braves sweltering heat, long lines, screaming children and unwanted attention from disreputable men. It certainly doesn’t help that her friends and family are being less than supportive. Candace’s parents refuse to let her quit the job, even though it barely leaves her time to sleep, let alone have a social life. Meanwhile, Tamara, whose wealthy parents give her a generous allowance, is angry that Candace even has a job. When Candace can no longer hang out, Tamara begins to ignore her and spends time with a new crowd.

Things at work start to improve as Candace gets to know her co-workers and finds a new good friend in cute-surfer Josh from the water park. Josh also hints that the Lone Ranger she’s been crushing on, who’s actually named Kurt, might be returning her attention. All of a sudden, the job she never wanted has given her great friends and a gorgeous boyfriend.

However, as soon as things are looking up, problems inevitably arise. Tamara is now flat-out ignoring Candace, and when Candace catches Tamara with Kurt, it adds to a growing list of questions she has about who her boyfriend really is. And the surprising results of a drug test may mean that Candace won’t be working at The Zone anymore. Between selling cotton candy, redeeming herself to her parents and co-workers, and trying to resolve complicated relationships with her boyfriend and best friend, Candace knows that her carefree summer days are over.

THE SUMMER OF COTTON CANDY is the first installment in Debbie Viguie’s Sweet Seasons series. It’s important to note that the book, while categorized as Christian Fiction, is very light on faith-related content, aside from a few brief mentions. The novel’s title gives an accurate description of its text --- light and fluffy, and perfect for summer. While it does lack in depth, it is a great read for any teen struggling with the idea of giving up the carefree summers of childhood to join the workforce, and will be enjoyed by anyone who wants to know the ins and outs of life at an amusement park.