Beauty Returns

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Harvard,
Massachusetts.

Liz makes a vow with her best friend that they won’t have any serious
boyfriends during their first year of high school. Yet, when Liz spots
Kyle and his “assistance dog” Beauty, whom she raised for the Canine
Vision program, Liz realizes that she already has feelings for Kyle.
They soon develop a romantic relationship that is forbidden by Liz’s
parents because Kyle is older, but they continue to see each other in
secret. The two find comfort in their relationship as they each struggle
with school and family issues. While both know that their future is
uncertain, the outcome that concludes their story is unexpected and
tragic.

This is the final book in the award-winning Beauty series, which
includes Bringing Up Beauty (1994) and A Different Kind of Beauty
(2004). The story centres around the romantic connection between Liz and
Kyle and how they try to make sense of their feelings and situation. It
is narrated in parallel by both teens, which gives the reader an
intimate and honest perspective on how each is thinking about the other,
and the problems that they don’t always share. Although there is less
focus on Beauty’s role in this sequel, fans of the series are not
likely to be disappointed. As a stand-alone book, the story can be
enjoyed without reading the first two books. Recommended.