Chalet Girls Bk. 1:
Balancing Acts
by Emily Franklin

    BALANCING ACTS by Emily Franklin
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  10/2/07
    Publisher:  NAL
    Reviewed by:  Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen
    Rating:  4 Stars


    It's one winter vacation three girls will never forget, even if they may want to.

    First there’s Harley, who quickly packed her bags to get away from her life, which basically took place in a
    trailer, so she can have a little fun and excitement. With a bad attitude, Harley doesn’t really care about her job,
    even if it is the top job that everyone wants -- hostess. It helps to have good looks. Harley can’t believe her luck,
    even if she doesn’t show it. She is finally able to start a whole new life, hopefully complete with some rich and
    famous friends, and a hot boyfriend on her arm.

    Then there is Melissa, the girl from Australia who loves to follow by the book and believes everything she reads.
    It’s her first time at Les Trois but definitely not her first time around this type of scenery. Her ultimate goal is to
    forget about everything that has happened to her with a certain professional skier and find something else to
    worry about, like learning how to cook, since that is her job and she has no idea how to. Being able to get over
    her ex seemed easy, especially since her encounter with a guy named JMB leaves her completely breathless. But,
    then she found out that the one person she did not think she would see just happens to make his way to the
    slopes at Les Trois.

    Last but not least is Lily. To all her old rich friends, Lily was her name but now, in a whole new environment
    complete with people who have never known her, Lily is now Dove. Unfortunately for Dove, she received the
    lowest job on the Les Trois working ladder, that of maid. But it is completely fine with her since all she wants is
    to earn money so she can see Will, the guy she cares about the most.

    All three girls, who get off on the wrong foot in the very beginning, will soon find friends in one another. All want
    to have a good time, while trying to keep their jobs, and all hope that what they wanted to leave behind will not
    find their way back to them.

    Fans of Emily Franklin’s THE PRINCIPLES OF LOVE series will not want to miss out on this new one,
    CHALET GIRLS. BALANCING ACTS is not only heartwarming but is a story that shows us the true meaning
    of friendship, especially with people who we never thought we would be friends with, and how all of our lives are
    full of slopes -- we just need to be ready for the ride. Grab a cup of cocoa and a warm blanket, because this is
    one winter read you do not want to miss.