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Summary
Summary
After being falsely accused of a crime, Tatum is confined to her house under the watchful eye of her step-mother. But when a twist of fate comes in the form of a mysterious client to her graphic design business, maybe there's a bit of fairytale luck after all.
Sixteen-year-old Tatum Elsea is bracing for the worst summer of her life. Trapped under her stepmother-imposed house arrest and her BFF ghosting her, Tatum pours herself into the assigned community service. With a helpful push from her fellow community service member, Abby, Tatum fills her time at homebuilding her covert graphic design business, right under her stepmother's nose. When a cute cello-playing client sweeps Tatum off her feet, she's left breathless and eager to get out of these four walls.
But Tatum discovers she's not the only one in the house keeping secrets as she takes the chance to make amends with her family and friends. Encouraged by her feisty step-abuela/fairy-godmother, and filled with a new perception of life, Tatum is ready to start fresh and maybe even get her happy ending along the way.
A contemporary twist on the Cinderella tale, It Started With Goodbye features:
secret admirer and hidden identity trope a strong, spunky female lead for fans of Elise Bryant, Meg Cabot, and Sarah DessenReviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up-When 16-year-old Tatum Elsea is arrested for being a getaway driver for her best friend Ashlyn and her boyfriend Chase, she is charged with a misdemeanor. Her punishment is a $500 fine and 100 hours of community service. In addition, Tatum's father and stepmother decide that she should be under house arrest for the entire summer, allowed to leave only for work and community service. Luckily, Tatum's stepgrandmother will be around to act as a buffer between her and her strict stepmother. Ashlyn has been sent away for the summer and refuses to respond to Tatum's emails. But Tatum becomes close to Abby, a schoolmate who is doing the same community service. Abby suggests that Tatum spend her "jail" time productively and encourages her to advertise her web-design skills. With very little effort, Tatum ends up with a few clients, one of whom is her perfect stepsister Tillie, who at first has no idea that Tatum is behind TLC Design. Tatum's decision to come clean with Tillie transforms their previously frosty relationship into true sisterhood. The quick changes in Tatum's stepmother's and Tillie's attitudes add to the fairy-tale quality of the story. A glib contemporary coming-of-age novel loosely based on "Cinderella," this book is suitable for teens who enjoyed Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries. VERDICT A good purchase for large collections.-Marlyn Beebe, Long Beach Public Library, CA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
After being falsely accused of a crime, Tatum is faced with a summer of community service. To make matters worse, her best friend is not speaking to her, and she is being kept under her stepmother's watchful eye. Looking for a way to be herself again after this tailspin, Tatum secretly starts a graphic design business. With a new friendship blossoming at her community service project, a flirty e-mail correspondence with a client, and a supportive stepgrandmother, Tatum's summer begins to turn around. In this modern take on Cinderella, Tatum embarks on a summer of learning, during which she tries to figure out who she is and to understand different points of view, leading to a changed perception of her family. While a few references feel dated and some of the supporting cast underdeveloped, Tatum's journey of understanding and self-reflection is relatable and appealing. Steer readers who enjoy the updated fairy tale angle toward this book and follow with Ashley Poston's Geekarella (2017). A nice addition where contemporary fiction is popular.--Thompson, Sarah Bean Copyright 2017 Booklist