T-minus ten days until university. In just ten short days the kids of New York City will be packing up their convertible and driving off into the sunset, awaiting, well they do not even know themselves. Everything in their life is changing, after all it is the end of summer and instead of another year at the school they went to since they could walk, it is something different. In just ten little letters the word University opens a whole world of mystery and the unknown. Dan heads East, our trio to New Haven, and Vanessa decide to stay in the city, nothing in these kiddies' lives is going to be the same again, and for that we are glad.

Mr. and Mr. Daniel Humphrey. No that does not sound right. Mr. and Mr. Humphrey. No that just sounds like dad and I. Mr. and Mr… With Dan comes out in the last novel, it seems as if he wants to eat his words. With just a short postcard to Jenny, his mother (whom he has not seen in ten years) comes to New York to throw him a surprise “You’re Gay!” party, inviting Dan’s entire graduating class. Seeing this from a camera lens, Vanessa finds Dan’s whole coming out to be quite funny. As he stutters around his mother who gave him a cupcake, Vanessa similes at her friend’s blunders thought his new life. Still seeing him, well old feelings die hard. With her sister, Ruby, announcing her marriage to new boyfriend Piotr, and everyone in Vanessa life is moving out of the city (Except her). The motto “Be Bold” comes into play, as Vanessa must stop hiding her feelings, and tell her ex-lover, best friend, who’s dating another guy, that she loves him, always have, and probably always will.

After a month of open sea, Blair was ready to use a full size shower. Not that she minded, actually she loved the time she and Nate spent at sea, sailing by day and making love by night. She could almost forget that three page love letter from Serena to her boyfriend… almost. With her Natie back, Yale in ten days, Blair was already decorating the cottage Nate and she would get after living with the roommate in their dorm for all of a month. But then there is Serena, who Blair was ready to forgive after a few months if Serena confesses the letter she wrote, and all would be well in Blair’s world. Then she walked into her house and was imminently hit with plans (that do not go along with hers) plunging Blair’s whole life into uncertainty, something she could not stand. Standing in the middle of it was Serena, who runs over to Nate and gives him a long embrace, with Nate returning her embrace back. Serena was not just going to sit back and watch Blair have Nate all to herself, she was going to fight for her Natie, no matter who stands in the way.

Nathaniel Archibald, also known as Nate, Archibald, and to his girls Natie. See the three of them have always been together, wait scratch that, Blair and Serena have always been together, with Nate in between them. Since running around Central Park, when they Nannies sat down to gossip, to middle school parties, then high school graduation (well almost). Nate has been in love with both of them. Blair the girl he done wrong countless of times, but always forgave him in the end. To Serena, his easy friend who was always there for him, who made him smile no matter where they are. So how can he choose? Nate always had things handed to him, never working a day in his life (after all he could not even finish one summer of work with a coach) so this is the first big decision he has to make in his entire life, and no Nate “both” is not an option. “When he really thought about it, things between him and Serena had always been simple - it was life that had complicated them” but what about Blair? “As crazy as Blair was, the fact that she was trying to squeeze him into her tiny dorm room made him fall in love with her all over again.” So, who is it going to be Natie? The girl you swore you were going to marry one day, or your best friend who would never try to change you?

With coming up to the last novel in this extremely long series, Cecily von Ziegesar is heating things up. After meeting these kids in September, it is now August and they are crazier and more love than ever. Remember when Serena was with Dan? Or Jenny and Nate? Blair started off the summer buying a wedding dress thinking his Lordship would propose. Of all the books though this is the most sediment one, which is kind of nice to see. After all these kids’ lives are changing, so of course they would be feeling down about some things, but also excited about others. With one book left von Ziegesar is setting us up for the biggest party of these kids’ lives, so be ready, as heads will roll, kisses be made, and friendships will finalize, as our kids are finally on their own.