Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Summer has never looked so bad to Scarlett Martin, starting with the news that she will have to help out more around the Hopewell, the hotel her family owns, instead of getting a summer job for much desired spending money. And on top of the Hopewell’s economic woes, Scarlett has to deal with her older brother’s failing acting career and her bratty little sister, not to mention having to take care of the Empire Suite, the hotel’s grandest rooms. Scarlett is less than thrilled when the Empire Suite acquires a guest, Mrs. Amberson, a glamorous theater has-been, but this slightly wacky woman opens up Scarlett’s world to all of life’s possibilities, especially the ones in NYC. Enter in a bit of luck, Scarlett’s older brother’s gorgeous co-actor, a heavily disguised fairy godmother, and a historic feud, and this will be a summer like no other.

Johnson weaves a breezy, humorous, and heartwarming story in Suite Scarlett. She immediately captures the reader’s attention with her unusual setting and cast, particularly lovable Scarlett. Scarlett seems slightly out of place among her still-in-love parents, her acting brother, her cancer-surviving little sister, and her trust fund-dating older sister, yet this only increases the reader’s desires to see her shine. Though the plot is very enjoyable, I felt Scarlett fell a little short of true brilliance despite her resourcefulness and sheer determination. I think this is because Johnson didn’t offer enough insight into her mind; I couldn’t really connect with Scarlett’s character beyond just sympathy for whatever situation she was in. However, this book was still very fun for me to read because of the frequent humor and Mrs. Amberson, Scarlett’s not infallible fairy godmother, and just the general sweetness of how things tend to work out.

Good but not fabulous, I recommend Suite Scarlett as a quick summer read to those who enjoyed Johnson’s other novels, such as 13 Little Blue Envelopes and The Burmudez Triangle, or Fringe Benefits by Valerie Frankel, Airhead by Meg Cabot, and Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling. I look forward to catching the continuation of Scarlett’s story in Scarlett Fever.

Rating: 4.25

Review copy from publisher Scholastic