Friday, May 2, 2014

Review: How to Meet Boys by Catherine Clark

How to Meet Boys
 How to Meet Boys by Catherine Clark
Find out what happens when you fall for your best friend's worst enemy in this timeless and hilarious story of a forbidden first love and forever friendship.
Lucy can't wait to spend the summer at the lake with her best friend, Mikayla. But when Jackson, the boy she's been avoiding ever since he rejected her, reappears in her life, Lucy wonders if this summer to remember is one she'd rather forget.
Mikayla's never had much luck talking to boys, but when she (literally) runs into the cutest guy she's ever seen, and sparks fly, she thinks things might be looking up...until she realizes the adorable stranger is the same boy who broke her best friend's heart.
As things begin to heat up between Mikayla and the one guy she should avoid, will Lucy be able to keep her cool or will the girls' perfect summer turn into one hot mess?
Catherine Clark, the author of beach-read favorites Maine Squeeze and Love and Other Things I'm Bad At, has once again crafted a hilarious and spot-on portrayal of what it's really like to be a teenager. Readers will love this irreverent coming-of-age story…and will be breathlessly turning the pages to find out what happens next.
GR
Publishes in US: May 6th 2014 by HarperTeen
Genre: Ya Contemp
Source: Harper Teen via edelweiss
Series? No

Buy it: Amazon  Barnes & Noble  IndieBound  Book Depository

Author stalk away: ~site ~twitter

 
   I wanted to read How to Meet Boys because I really liked the idea of a summer romance that sounded pretty light with just enough emotion and conflict to balance. 
   I totally envied Lucy and Mikayla. They were best friends and they had a house to themselves in a summer town with jobs and lots of time to have fun together. I would have loved that as a teen. But they have been responsible teens and its a great way to set off the story. 
   Lucy has past that at first I thouht it was pretty over-dramatic, but we do find out there is a bit more to the story. She feels awkward and neither her or Mikayla are used to or good at talking to boys. Lucy was changed by trying to kiss Jackson and being rejected, and Mikayla just isn't good at talking to boys. 
   When Mikayla meets a boy and then discovers who he actually is, she has to fight her attraction and she keeps the fact that it is Jackson she met. I can see how Lucy would be hurt by it but I think that the secretiveness made it worse. 
    It was also a different set up because I felt the awkwardness between Lucy and Jackson when they find out they work together for the summer. They end up resolving some of the issues and while they never have a stellar friendship they are able to get through the long days together.
    I liked the setting and the small town with tourists mixes it up. Lucy has an old friend--because her grandparents live there and she's been there on vacation- Claire. Mikayla meets a whole crew that livens up their summer at the club as well as running into a mystery guy. There was a huge mix of feelings, attractions and boys. 
    I liked who Lucy ended up getting a crush on. He is so sweet and seems nerdy but in the good way. The scenes they spent together were cute and fun to read. I liked their conclusion and the hope of future things working out. 
    While there is a bit of drama between Lucy and Mikayla, I was glad that Ava, their third best friend showed up when she did. She didn't really deal with the nonsense. She listened, validated feelings and empathized and then pushed for the two to fix it, talk it out and not let boys come in between a solid and lasting friendship. 
    Fun, forgiveness, friendship and learning to break out of your shell were really the themes of this one. How to Meet Boys was an enjoyable, well paced and fun read. 
   
Bottom Line: Great story about awkward with boys best friends who have a summer and learn to be themselves, flirt, have fun, and also to forgive.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Did you ever get to vacation with your friends?
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38 comments:

  1. it's so cute to read about summer love! This one sounds really interesting.

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  2. Jenea WhittingtonMay 2, 2014 at 7:29 AM

    It sounds like a great summer read. :)

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  3. I love a book about summer love!

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  4. It was, cute romances and good friendship that required forgiveness

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  5. This does sound like a great summer read with its romance and friendships. Glad you enjoyed, Brandi :)

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  6. This sounds like the kind of book I've been looking for lately. Light and summery! I'll have to watch for this one!

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  7. This sounds like my kind of read! I think we can all relate to being awkward at one point or another. :-) Mikayla and Lucy sound like great characters, and they have a pretty sweet summer set up. Great review!

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  8. Middle school anyone? And then some of us, like me, don't grow out of the awkward silences or saying weird things.

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  9. The friendship was solid and so glad to see one that is tested and works through it because it is worth it.

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  10. This sounds like a great summer read! I would have loved a summer job like that! I vacationed with cousins at my grandmother's house. It was kind of like being with friends. There were 7 of us from 4 to 18. We wandered the countryside, baled hay, fished, swam in the river, we never knew it wasn't a resort or anything. I spent every summer like that. It was a blast!

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  11. We have all suffered awkward moments, and this sounds delightful Brandi! Perfect summer read, so glad you enjoyed it!

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  12. Thanks for sharing what you loved about this book, Brandi! The friendship sounds wonderful and I can totally relate to those awkward moments that you mentioned. I'll have to keep an eye out for this one.

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  13. Ava sounds like a good friend to have--the perfect mediator. Glad you liked this.

    Lauren from www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com

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  14. Andrea @The Bookish BabeMay 2, 2014 at 11:43 PM

    Fun, forgiveness and friendship sounds like great themes to me. I'm glad you enjoyed!

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  15. This sounds like a pretty good read. I'm glad that you enjoyed it :)

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  16. I do love the sound of this one! I love summer books like such, and one with just enough tension and drama, but still has a light air to it as well! Great review!

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  17. It was cute and needed after my serious ones

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  18. It was well written but never got too heavy

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  19. Ava was and weird thing is that sshe was the wilder one.

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  20. Oh gosh, me too. I always feel so awkward with new people

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  21. I know, and so weird how we all feel so alone then

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  22. That sounds like a great vacation, I'd love to go with my cousins

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  23. ah well this does sound like a very sweet summer romance read! I never vacationed with my friends, I am sure it would have been fun thought!

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  24. I am SUCH a sucker for these kinds of reads. I don't remember actually going on vacation with my friends when I was younger, BUT I went to summer camp with a bunch of them every year, and that was always ridiculously fun. Does that count, LOL? Great review, Brandi! I'll definitely be checking this one out ;)

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  25. Sure it does. I never got to go to summer camp, but I can imagine some great memories

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  26. I know! I have been trying to plan a getaway with some girlfriends now to make up for time lost, lol

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  27. This sounds like a sweet book Brandi! Glad you enjoyed it! I like stories like this, it sounds like a lighter read, with great secondary characters.

    Do I holiday with friends... it really depends on the friend! *wink*

    Naomi @ Nomi’s Paranormal Palace

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  29. It would depend on the friend, for sure.
    I like stories like this too

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  30. Bookworm BrandeeMay 5, 2014 at 1:15 PM

    I like the sound of this one, Brandi. Summer love, figuring out how to interact with boys, learning to be better friends...I'm going to have to give this one a go! Thanks for the great review!

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  31. It really is a fun summer read, and I relate to the awkwardness

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  32. So glad you liked this one! I thought it was really cute and had just the right amount of summertime fluff. Ava was a great addition and mediator between the two girls!

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