In Real Life

January 4, 2016
Hannah and Nick have never met, though they have been best friends for years. They talk on the phone constantly, message each other, and use Skype, but ever since a “total disaster” of an attempt to meet, they have been content to maintain a long-distance friendship (Hannah lives in Southern California, Nick in Las Vegas). Love (coauthor of Push Girl with Chelsie Hill) takes on the familiar story of distant romantic admirers who inevitably meet, using the framework to create a predictable but satisfying romance. When Hannah, who narrates, finally gets up the courage to make an impromptu road trip to Vegas with her best friend and older sister to test whether her romantic feelings for Nick are real, the ensuing complications are no surprise (Nick has a girlfriend he never mentioned, among other things he lied about). But as Hannah and Nick work out the kinks of having to interact in person, they discover the advantages of taking things to the next level in this sweet, straightforward romance. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jill Corcoran, Jill Corcoran Literary Agency.

January 1, 2016
High school senior Hannah has one night in Vegas to discover whether her online friendship with Nick can blossom into real-life romance. For four years Hannah and Nick have been long-distance BFFs. She lives in Southern California, he's in Nevada, and they've never met in person. Lately Hannah's feelings for Nick have taken a romantic turn. When she find herself without plans for spring break, she rebels against her "Good Korean Girl DNA" by driving up to Las Vegas with her older sister and real-life best friend to visit Nick. However, Nick's not the only one surprised when Hannah shows up unannounced at his rock band's show. Hannah's also shocked, because she meets the girlfriend Nick's somehow failed to mention. Life-changing road trips, friendship becoming romance--this is well-trodden ground in teen literature. For the most part, Love sticks close to the usual formula. The tour of Vegas' sights and temptations is predictable and therefore slightly boring, and Hannah's sister is the only supporting character to leave much of an impression. Nevertheless, the story manages to find its heart when it focuses on Hannah and Nick's relationship. The warmth and intimacy of their friendship is convincing, and readers sighing over their long history will root for their relationship. An undemanding read for fans of the genre. (Romance. 14-18)

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January 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-Hannah Cho has spent her entire life doing everything she is supposed to do. She has never broken a single rule, except that rule about falling in love with your best friend. Nick Cooper has been Hannah's best bud since eighth grade-even though they've never met. They talk everyday and he knows everything about her, from her greatest fears to her latest boyfriend. When Hannah's original plans for her senior year spring break get ruined, she forgets her "good girl" self for an instant and suggests a trip to Vegas to surprise Nick and express her deeper-than-friend feelings. Her ever-eager best friend and rule-breaking sister are quick to jump on board, and so starts an adventure in love and self-discovery for Hannah. Love expertly creates a timely and entertaining story set on the glamorous Vegas strip, complete with rock and roll, gambling, love, and drama. Readers will relate to the characters in this book and their effortless use of technology to support relationships. VERDICT A strong purchase for any library with a large teen audience.-Betsy Davison, Cortland Free Library, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2016
Grades 9-12 Hannah and Nick have been online and phone BFFs for four years without ever meeting in person, a reality that has led to Hannah's nickname, Ghost. But rule-follower and control freak Hannah decides to remedy this with a trip with older sister Grace and in-person BFF Lo. They are off to Las Vegas to surprise Nick when his band plays at the House of Blues for the first time. Predictably their meeting is a disaster, with Hannah discovering a whole fleet of lies, including the awkward reality of Nick's girlfriend, Frankie. The glitzy Las Vegas strip is the backdrop for this road-trip taleMGM, Planet Hollywood, the fake Eiffel Tower, and all. Add to this high-interest backdrop a romantic cat-and-mouse game, funny dialogue laced with big-sisterly advice about taking control, and a competitor who is too nice to hate, and you have a predictable but sweet story ideal for contemporary teens whose lives play out in similar computer-and-text-message-related ways.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)