Just Another Meet Cute

Gr 7 Up–An engaging romantic comedy/coming-of-age book that tweens and teens will enjoy. Nina meets a boy, Ian, on a hiking path, but doesn’t get his contact info. She meets him again a few weeks later, but he does not seem to recognize her. This time, Nina pushes him to safety, out of the way of incoming traffic. He introduces himself as Ryan, then asks her to go for ice cream and the two begin seeing each other. Nina feels torn about whether to tell him that they actually met on the hiking path, and things become even more complicated when she joins him for a family Sunday lunch. There are surprising twists and turns that will keep readers hooked into the story as they wait to see how it all works out. It is a tangled mess but enjoyable to read, and the book flows well. The characters are well-developed and realistic, as they have emotional depth and good points and minor flaws. The plot is a good blend of romance, humor, and coming-of-age drama. It hits on topics like friendship, honesty, and non-traditional families and is rich with cultural diversity. Ryan is Vietnamese; Nina’s mother is Vietnamese, but her father is not.