Janey has just lost her mother and thinks she’s all alone in the world; that is until she finds a letter that leads her to discover her extended family-who are of course wealthy, attached to the Australian embassy and live in the dreamy and exotic city of Rome. It’s not long before Janey is winging her way across to the other side of the world to be with newfound aunt and cousin-a 15-year-old-girl with deep insecurities and relationship issues. Putting a 15- and 16-year-old together in the one room and expecting them to be friends and confidants is a sure way of exposing all kinds of teenage angst and love triangles and this manuscript is formulated to a tee. The choice of an exotic backdrop gives the tale a little of a different tilt but the premise is predictable while the text and dialogue are lacklustre and the back story is forced rather than being allowed to evolve. However if you consider yourself to be a junior teen and the names Mary-Kate and Ashley and Hannah Montana resonate, then you may just have found another title that will tickle your fancy, while not necessarily challenging your intellect.

Fiona Edwards is an editor, journalist and teacher

Tags: rebecca lim