Love Bomb

February 1, 2016
Betty, just turning 15, lost her mother to cancer when she was a toddler. Now she thinks she's in love for the first time. Can she still get advice from Mum? When she sees pale-skinned, black-haired Toby for the first time, blonde, blue-eyed Betty has an immediate physical reaction. Toby might be the most handsome boy she's ever seen. When Toby takes an interest in her, even calling her his girlfriend, Betty needs advice. On every birthday her dad has given her a letter that her mother wrote to her, but this year's is the last letter. But in it, her mum writes that she has hidden more letters in the attic, and these specifically talk about her first experience of falling in love. It turns out that her mum had an experience quite similar to Betty's when she was the same age. Meanwhile, as Betty gets to know Toby better, she begins to see another side to him. Betty will find love in this story, but from whom? Set in England (with a lightly Americanized text), the story shows little evidence of its racial and cultural diversity. McLachlan creates a lovely coming-of-age experience for Betty as she learns about love and also about the mother she cannot remember but whose love she also craves. The story drops clues about Toby's less-than-stellar character that allow readers to discover his flaws before Betty does. A sweet mother-daughter tale. (Fiction. 12-14)

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December 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-Betty Plum, named after the lead singer of her mom's favorite band, is in a bit of a pickle. She's fallen in love for the first time, with the new boy in school, Toby, and she's never even kissed anyone yet. Her mom died when Betty was just a toddler, so she's a bit confused and could use some motherly advice. She gets a few hints from the yearly letters her mom wrote for each of Betty's birthdays before she died of cancer. On her 15th birthday, Betty's dad tells her that this will be the last letter; Betty's mom died before she could write any more. Betty keeps putting off reading that last note, but when she does, her mom drops a bombshell-there are more letters hidden in the attic. Letters about when her mom had her first kiss and, most importantly, when she first fell in love. The teen thinks these will come in especially handy now that she thinks she might be falling in love. But things are complicated now that her dad is getting lovey-dovey with a yoga instructor. How is she going to figure out her own love life and come to terms with her dad's at the same time? This is a cute and fast read that is perfect for young teens; readers looking for a clean romance will not be disappointed. Although the basic story line is nothing new, Betty is an entertaining and humorous character. The novel is set in England, and Anglophiles will also find much to appreciate. VERDICT This tale of confusion, love, and romance will keep readers interested until the neat and tidy ending.-Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR

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