The Unwritten Rule
Sarah has always kind of liked Ryan-- but currently, he's Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend.Sarah has always been there for Brianna and she doesn't want to betray her best friend, but Ryan just seems to get her unlike anybody else. As hard as she tries to stay away, the more it seems like she keeps getting put in situations where she's alone with Ryan.
Will Sarah be able to keep her feelings at bay, and will her friendship with Brianna be able to survive this betrayal?
Sometimes I need a blast from my reading past to remind me why I read and love YA. It's not that I forget, it's just that sometimes I get into a slump and start feeling like maybe I'm starting to get bored. Reading this book, a book by one of my favorite authors that I hadn't previous read, proved to be exactly what I needed to get back on track.
It's a common trope, girl is in love with boy, but boy is dating girl's best friend. The difference here is this one had FEELING. I felt every single thing that Sarah felt. I cried. My robot heart short circuited a little because Sarah was in so much pain-- and I felt that.
It helped that Brianna wasn't all that likable. She overlooks Sarah and Ryan's feelings time and time again because she's so into herself. Her redeeming quality is that she's going through some pretty horrific family stuff, so at times it's understandable that she be self-centered.
My favorite part of this whole book is the reminder that sometimes toxic friendships exist no matter how much you love the person. I had a friendship that I loved the person like a sister, but had to let her go-- and I think about her all the time, but I can't be friends with her and it sucks. I think that's what is really at the heart of this book, and for that, I'm thankful.
I think we all need to read books that touch our hearts, and I'm so happy I found this at a time when I needed it. So many of Elizabeth Scott's books have been at the right place and the right time for me over the years (my fave is: Love You, Hate You, Miss You), and I really wish she would write a new book soon!
OVERALL: Tropey, but in all the best ways. If you want to read an "I'm in love with my best friend's boyfriend" book, go no further. This book had the trope but did it in the exact right way. Plus, any book that can make me cry these days is pretty special.
Date Published: 3/16/2010
How I got this book: Purchased
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Add it to your To-Read List!!
My Rating: 5/5
Character: Sarah Houplin
Book: The Fashion Committee by Susan Juby
- I think Sarah's tennis shoe designs mean more to her than she's admitting, and I'd bet she'd really like to read a book about other creative teens.
I have no issue with tropes. If the characters are engaging and I care about them, I usually buy in to the story. This sounds cute, and if it affected your robot heart, I will be bawling, because I am a total crier.
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