Love, Inc.

November 29, 2010
This overlong story focuses on high school sophomore Zahra Ahmed-MacDuff—part Pakistani, part Scottish-American—whose parents recently separated. Forced to join a support group for "teens who have ‘families in transition,' " she meets flirty Kali and artistic Syd. When the girls learn they are all dating the same guy, they pull off an over-the-top revenge scheme that leads to the formation of Love, Inc., which helps couples "match, patch, and dispatch," depending on which service is needed. Soon the friends are staking out possible cheaters, mediating breakups, and doling out revenge pranks (these can be vicious: they do $2,000 worth of damage to their ex's car). Collins and Rideout (Girl v. Boy) are most successful when focusing on Zahra's struggle with her ethnic identity; her
Pakistani grandparents want her to be more traditional, but she blames their strictness for her family's breakup and wants to prove that "Zahra Ahmed-MacDuff isn't ashamed to be hyphenated." While Zahra eventually comes to terms with her identity and family, even readers who buy the far-fetched premise will have trouble tracking Love, Inc.'s long client list and several subplots. Ages 11–up.

December 1, 2010

Following her parents' separation, Zahra is forced into group therapy, where she meets Kali and Syd. The three girls quickly find that fractured families are not all they have in common—it turns out that they are all dating the same guy. Despite their differences, they find they are all good at one thing: revenge. After trashing their boyfriend's car and then his reputation, they decide to offer their services to others. The specialty at Love, Inc., is initially payback, but the three jilted girls find they have a wider range of love-related services to offer. Genuinely endearing, narrator Zahra reacts authentically to betrayal, her parents' separation and the confusion of assimilating her Pakistani and Scottish-American roots. Smart dialogue and a hip cast of characters keep the story engaging.  Unfortunately, the plot is too often bogged down by superfluous details that make the book read more like a visitor's guide to Austin, Texas, than a fast-paced novel of romance and revenge. (Fiction. 12 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

May 1, 2011

Gr 7 Up-Tenth-grader Zahra Ahmed-MacDuff struggles with her Pakistani/Scottish-American heritage as well as with her parents' recent separation. She is placed in group counseling with other teens where she meets Kali and Syd. Much to the girls' surprise, they soon find that they have more in common than divorcing parents: the same boyfriend. They are being three-timed by Eric (aka Rico and Rick). The girls plan and orchestrate their revenge on Eric with precision and style. Their Austin, TX, community can't help but notice, and soon word gets around that the trio can be hired for all manner of romantic troubles; thus Love, Inc., is born, specializing in matchmaking, mediation, surveillance, breaking up, and revenge. Business is booming and the teens' friendship also blooms. Through Love, Inc., the girls discover their own strengths and work with them to understand the confusing world of relationships, including their own. Several subplots keep the book flowing and interesting. The three main characters are well-developed, each with her own quirks and fortes, and the supporting cast members are also refreshingly multidimensional. Not necessarily a quick read, but still a worthy one for teens wanting a book that is fun while still containing some substance.-Mindy Whipple, West Jordan Library, UT

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2011
Grades 8-12 Zahara Ahmed-MacDuff, 15, is not sure why she has been placed in group therapy when its her recently separated Scottish American dad and Pakistani mom who will not even speak to one another. The aspiring pastry chef finds an unexpected sisterhood, though, when she and fellow group members Kali and Syd discover that they have been three-timed by the same guy and plot revenge. When news spreads of their retribution and other group members and classmates seek their help with matters of the heart, the trio forms Love, Inc. Although keeping track of their lengthy client list can be difficult, the girls failure to heed their own matchmaking advice drives this predictable yet entertaining first-person narration. Reminiscent of Randa Abdel-Fattahs Ten Things I Hate about Me (2009), Zaharas struggle to reconcile her Scottish American heritage with her mothers Muslim traditions and her sarcastic quips with her Pakistani grandparents, who are ready to marry her off to the first eligible Member of the Tribe, add depth to this breezy, happy-ending romance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)