Review: Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Seventeen-year-old Mercedes Ayres has an open-door policy when it comes to her bedroom, but only if the guy fulfills a specific criteria: he has to be a virgin. Mercedes lets the boys get their awkward, fumbling first times over with, and all she asks in return is that they give their girlfriends the perfect first time- the kind Mercedes never had herself.
Keeping what goes on in her bedroom a secret has been easy- so far. Her absentee mother isn’t home nearly enough to know about Mercedes’ extracurricular activities, and her uber-religious best friend, Angela, won’t even say the word “sex” until she gets married. But Mercedes doesn’t bank on Angela’s boyfriend finding out about her services and wanting a turn- or on Zach, who likes her for who she is instead of what she can do in bed.
When Mercedes’ perfect system falls apart, she has to find a way to salvage her reputation and figure out where her heart really belongs in the process. Funny, smart, and true-to-life, FIRSTS is a one-of-a-kind young adult novel about growing up.

Publishes in US:  January 5th 2016 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: ya contemp
Source: St. Martin's via netgalley
Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC (advanced review copy). I am not paid for this review, and my opinions in this review are mine, and are not effected by the book being free.
This is a book with dark or difficult themes. Young adults that have made hard choices from hard backgrounds. It deals with sex, teens without supervision. It is a young adult book, but if under 18, ask parent's guidance.
Series? no

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    I wanted to read Firsts because it was an interesting premise. I haven't read anything quite like it, but wanted to find out her motivation and see what kind of person she is. Mercedes from the synopsis has a best friend, and there is the possibility of seeing some major tension and chemistry. \

   Mercedes/Mercy is pretty easy to like, even if I could never do what she does. She convinces herself that she really is helping these guys, that her feelings don't play into it, and she isn't doing anything wrong. But I know that from her thoughts, and from the way she dresses trying to get her mom's attention, and mentioning several guys coming over,  that even if she convinces herself she doesn't care about her mom's opinion or doesn't need her affection, that a lot comes back to that. 

   She sets numbers of guys who she takes their virginity and gives them tips and advice on how to make their girlfriend's first time a good experience. But every line and number she sets, she keeps getting asked to help and she finds herself agreeing. And she starts breaking her own rules, both with the guys she's helping and her chem partner Zach. 

   When she is threatened and her secrets start to come out, she has to face a lot of hard choices, and she has to see who is really by her side. Her full story comes out little by little, and consequences catch up with her. The ending wrapped things up well and I enjoyed the character growth and the eventual romance. 

Bottom Line: Overall, worth a read, has a very different concept.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Does virginity or lack thereof effect (or did it effect) dating prospect?