Ask Again Later

Gr 9 Up—"You can't get pregnant if you don't even have a boyfriend, right?" Heart LaCoeur has spent her life trying to not end up like her mother, who had two children by age 20 and then panicked and abandoned the family. So when prom, the most romantic night of the year, rolls around, Heart and her friends decide to attend as one big group, nicknamed the "No Drama Prom-a Club." The plan falls apart when Heart is asked to the prom by two different guys-Ryan, a theater-geek friend, and Troy, her brother's jock best friend. The novel plays out both scenarios in "Heads" and "Tails" sections, allowing readers to see the outcome of each of Heart's potential dates. Throughout both story lines, Heart relies on one of her guy friends, Chase, to help her through the chaos of the night. Eventually, Heart learns that Chase has been harboring a secret crush on her. The back-and-forth story lines of the narrator's two different dates becomes confusing to follow at times, and the plot contains many YA fiction clichés (a friend coming out as gay, underage drinking, dating drama, and an absentee parent). Even so, Heart is a more-than-likable main character, and her budding romance with Chase will be relatable and win over teens, while her resolute stance on "taking it slow," even once her no-dating policy dissolves, will be appreciated by adults.—Nicole Knott, Watertown High School, CT