The Goodbye Girls

July 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-Everyone knows that high school boys are terrible at relationships, but they also really suck at ending them. Lizzie and Willa feel that they can do goodbye much better, with style and finesse. They set up a business to send personalized gift baskets on behalf of the dumpers. They weren't expecting a rival who wants to take over their enterprise and destroy their lives. What starts out as a way to help their classmates break up while making a little (much-needed) extra cash becomes a nightmare for Lizzie and Willa. Harrington shines in this novel where two best friends-who couldn't be more different-navigate the struggles of high school drama, family, and friendships. As the plot thickens, Lizzie and Willa must come to terms with their own feelings of love, longing, and forgiveness. While some readers might find the ending a little too pat, many will think it refreshing and inspiring. The author offers a nuanced perspective on teen angst and relationships. VERDICT A first buy for all high school library shelves. This book has much to offer to a wide audience.-Christina Paolozzi, Bonaire Elementary School, GA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2018
Grades 9-12 When Lizzie needs to pay for a trip to New York, she and her best friend Willa hatch what seems to be the perfect plan?starting a business that helps hapless guys (and girls) break up with their significant others. Just answer a short questionnaire and the Goodbye Girls will send a thoughtful gift basket to your dumpee. Their business booms, but things start getting a lot more complicated when Lizzie's crush requests a basket be sent to his girlfriend?who's also Lizzie's sister. Harrington has written a fun story that should appeal to any teen with an entrepreneurial streak. The sister relationship rings true, with the perfect meld of long-simmering animosity and fierce loyalty, but the dialogue often feels a little old-fashioned for modern teens. A novel for any high-schooler who grew up loving the kids-on-a-mission tales of Andrew Clements, this fast read is filled with characters you can root for. Beth Kephart's Cyrano de Bergerac-inspired Undercover (2007) would make an interesting pairing, as it also makes a business of romance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)