Sometimes It Happens

Gr 9 Up—After Hannah's boyfriend cheats on her at a party and she learns that her best friend, Ava, is abandoning her for the summer, she reluctantly takes a job at Cooley's Diner with Ava's boyfriend, Noah; and Lacey, a girl Ava hates. Over the summer, Hannah develops a friendship with Lacey and, even worse, serious feelings for Noah. Unsure whether he shares her feelings and because she doesn't want to hurt Ava, Hannah does her best to keep her feelings secret, but when she goes to a summer's end party at the house where she discovered her boyfriend's infidelity, she finds herself making a mistake that changes everything. Chick-lit fans will enjoy this summer read in which chapters alternate between the summer and the first day of school, but those looking for more depth will be disappointed. While the romantic tension is well developed, Hannah's apparent codependence on—and refusal to stand up to—Ava is annoying. When she finally finds her voice during a crisis on the first day of school, she surprises herself and thinks she likes the new Hannah. While there's no doubt that what she did was wrong, the ending wraps up a little too neatly and leaves readers with a sense of frustration.—Gina Bowling, South Gibson County High School, Medina, TN