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Description
In Cynthia Voigt's Seventeen Against the Dealer, Dicey takes on the challenge of starting a boatbuilding business in a small coastal town. She juggles family obligations, a complicated romance, and the unpredictable motives of a drifter who offers to lend a hand. As she wrestles with trust and ambition, Dicey must decide how far she'll go to protect her venture and her loved ones.
Quick Summary
If you've followed the Tillerman family through the earlier books, you'll love seeing Dicey all grown up and trying to build something of her own. This is really a story about a young woman standing on her own two feet for the first time running a boatbuilding business, handling money pressures, and trying to figure out who she can really trust when a drifter shows up claiming he wants to help. There's this constant undercurrent of tension throughout because you're never quite sure if this guy is genuine or if something darker is going on, which keeps you turning pages. It feels very real and a little bittersweet, dealing with family obligations, first love, and the scary leap of starting your own business. Anyone who's a fan of the Tillerman series will want to pick this up, and it's great for readers who enjoy stories about complex family dynamics and figuring out who you are. Parents will appreciate that it deals honestly with themes of trust, hard work, and growing up without being preachy about it. If you've enjoyed other Cynthia Voigt books, this one feels right at home with her thoughtful, character-driven style.