Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Goodreads: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Series: Companion book to Anna and the French Kiss
Publication Date: September 29, 2011
Source: Gifted
Summary: Seventeen-year-old Lola Nola thinks herself nearly perfectly happy. She has a great best friend, a super-cool older rock star boyfriend, and lots of talent sewing original clothing. Her world is shattered, however, when the Bells, specifically eighteen-year-old Cricket Bell, move back next door. Two years of hating him, and how he left her, cannot stop her from secretly wanting him back in her life.
Conclusions: Lola and the Boy Next Door is a sweet, uplifting book that has fantastic messages about being true to oneself, learning to forgive, and living up to potential. Although Lola faces many challenges in her life, including complicated relationships with boys and her own family, she always manages to find her way back to herself and to some type of truth about how to live a good and fulfilling life.
On the romance front, there is some underage, premarital sex. It is not treated casually, but neither is it condemned as immoral. Beyond this, however, the messages Lola and the Boy Next Door sends are sound. Friends and family caution against Lola's relationship with a much-older boy (He's 22). Ultimately, Lola learns that good relationships are based on honesty and respect, and that they should inspire the individuals in them to be the best versions of themselves they can be.
On the familial front, Lola learns from the bad example of her mother that drinking, drugs, and teen pregnancy are all bad ideas. She has, however, been raised by her uncle Nathan and his partner Andy in a loving household. So although she encounters pot and alcohol within the book, she does not herself participate.
Overall, this is just as inspirational a read as it is an adorable romance.
Tempestuous by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes
Summary: A modern day retelling of The Tempest by William Shakespeare.
Conclusions: The story is based on Shakespeare, so a bit of cursing and vulgarity is to be expected. The book is appropriately YA, however, and nothing gets out of hand.
The romance is very sweet and, like Lola, Miranda discovers that being in a relationship is just about "being loved for who you are" but about aspiring to be better. Of course a significant other should accept you and love you, and not enter a relationship with the intention of changing you, but that does not mean you never need to grow or improve yourself. Good boyfriends and girlfriends help you in your personal journey to become a kinder or more patient or more confident. Tempestuous is a rare YA book that points this out.
Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
Goodreads: Lock and Key
Series: None
Publication Date: April 22, 2008
Source: Gifted
Summary: After Ruby's mother disappears, Ruby is sent to live with her older sister Cora, whom she has not seen in years. Cora has a new, upscale life that Ruby never knew about, and she is certain she does not want to become a part of it now. The cute boy next door is only making matters more complicated.
Conclusions: Lock
and Key features a clean romance.
Here, the story is mainly about Ruby finding herself and
interacting/flirting with a guy, rather than about their romantic
relationship. The main character does
deal with minor drinking and drug problems, but they are portrayed as problems,
and not either normal or acceptable actions.
She also struggles with family problems, as her mother seems unwilling
to take responsibility for her children, but Ruby does ultimately start working
on building stable relationships. The
message is that you can be who you want in life, and that the mistakes of your
parents do not need to define you.
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