The Perfect Boy

August 1, 2007
Gr 9 Up-Ciara Simmons thinks that a summer spent in Santa Barbara will be the perfect time to change her image from random hook-up to serious girlfriend material. Things look bright: within two days she's employed, reunited with old friends, and has found AJ, the perfect boy. Ciara's friend Heidi already has AJ in her sights, but luckily, their mutual friend Kevin wants Heidi. So begins Operation Woo-ha, in which Kevin and Ciara work together to get Heidi and AJ for themselves. While this is an easy and enjoyable beach read, the plot is sadly predictable. It doesn't take long for it to become obvious that Ciara and Kevin should be together, and the sappy sweet ending is disappointing. In case readers miss Ciara's desire to change her image, or her guilt about Operation Woo-ha, or how perfect she thinks AJ is, Abbott says it again and again. That being said, the characters are authentic, even if they lack depth. While they are amazingly chaste and drug-free for the music/beach scene they inhabit, they are believably so. Abbott already has a following, and this will be a good addition to collections where her books circulate."Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library"

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