This book tells the story of Allen and Julie's first breakup, which takes place in the summer of 1961 after a Riverdale Youth Club outing to the beach where new guy, Victor Morgan, likes Julie. But Julie likes both Victor and Allen. To complicate matters, Julie's friend Sarah likes Victor. And Julie's Momma doesn't like Victor!
After Allen and Julie's first breakup in the summer of 1961, they "wasted" an entire school year making each other miserable, as evidenced by the esoteric short stories Julie wrote during that time. They got back together in the summer of 1962 for a brief time. Then Allen went away to boarding school while Julie stayed at Highview Academy. Their "long-distance relationship" worked--sort of--until the spring of 1963.
The setting is a Christian youth gathering in Beach City in April 1963 where Allen and Julie break up for the second time. During this special weekend, Julie meets the "marvelous" Bill Johnson who becomes a good friend, but never quite a boyfriend, though she always wished he would be.