First published 2006
Amy Nelson thinks a moshav is Hebrew for shopping mall. She pictures herself browsing European fashions and bringing home designer finds. The sixteen year old discovers her mistake when her estranged Israeli father takes her to what she calls a war zone for the summer. Amy holds a serious grudge against the man she refers to as the Sperm Donor. He barely appeared in her life growing up. Now he wants her to meet Israeli relatives she has never known. Amy assumes she will get drafted into the military. She faces a summer in a house without air conditioning. Seven people will share one bathroom. She leaves behind her best friend, her boyfriend, shopping trips, and her cell phone. Amy must swallow her pride as she confronts a country and a family that challenge everything she expected.
Genres: coming-of-age, contemporary, adolescence, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Europe, Israel, Moshav
Period: Summer
240 pages · Paperback · Flux