The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Men I've Dated

October 1, 2005
Adult/High School -Rory Egglehoff has always been a geek. She has built her life around her "Star Wars" addiction, relating all of life's triumphs and travails to what she's learned from watching the movies. She's clumsy, smart, and a hopeless romantic. When her childhood crush walks into her office, Rory decides that she's had enough with dating Wookies and sets out to snag a Jedi Knight of her own. With the help of her best friend, she undertakes a plan to get Hunter Chase to notice her and invite her to their high school reunion. The plan works, but Rory still believes herself to be the geeky outsider and is still so in awe of Hunter that she loses a bit of herself as she wrongs her current boyfriend, neglects her family, and denies her very essence. Rory's so scared of rejection that she can't bring herself to tell Hunter that she already has a boyfriend, that she's a vegetarian and has a hippie mother, or that she's obsessed with "Star Wars". Once he realizes that she hasn't been entirely truthful, he breaks off their relationship, and it looks as if Rory will once again be alone. In the end, though, she learns an important lesson about being true to oneself. Bolks manages to put high school relationships and experiences into perspective. Fans of "Star Wars" will enjoy the movie and character references and details, but they are woven in so subtly that anyone can enjoy the story." -Erin Dennington, Fairfax County Public Library, Chantilly, VA"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2005
Rory Egglehoff has always been a geek. All through school she was clumsy, smart, and addicted to " Star Wars." Now she's an accountant, dates an even geekier guy from work, and is still hopelessly addicted to " Star "Wars. Rory's life begins to change when Hunter Chase walks into the office. She's idolized him since grade school. Hunter had the looks, the money, the personality, and the athletic ability of a god among mere mortals. Nonetheless, Rory's best friend, Allison, convinces her to launch a four-phase plan to get Hunter not only to notice her but also to ask her to their high-school reunion. The plan actually works, but Rory is still so in awe of Hunter, and still believes herself to be the geeky outsider, that she loses a bit of herself as she wrongs her current boyfriend, neglects her family, and denies the very essence of herself. Bolks' romance-with-a-twist is totally enjoyable and funny as all get-out.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)