Wanderlove

Hubbard’s second novel, following Like Mandarin, is rich with the unexpected joys and tribulations of new experiences. When 18-year-old Bria Sandoval is dumped, her art school plans fall through, and her two best friends renege on their summer travel plans, Bria signs up for a “Global Vagabond” tour in Central America. Upon arriving in Guatemala, she is disappointed by the tame, touristy group, and when a handsome stranger named Rowan and his half-sister, Starling, invite her to travel with them, she jumps at the opportunity. From Guatemala, Rowan and Bria make their way to a Belizean island where they stay in hostels, get on each other’s nerves, and skirt conversations about their pasts: both are angry at themselves and focused on changing themselves. The sincerity of Bria’s narration is balanced by a healthy dose of sarcasm, and her journaling and delicate, skillful pencil drawings contribute to the novel’s strong sense of place. Bria’s charged relationship with Rowan and the vast emotional and physical territory Hubbard covers make for an evocative and romantic read. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michelle Andelman, Regal Literary. (Mar.)