Review by Booklist Review
When the town's two biggest, boy-heavy families send their sons to private school, there's a noticeable shortage of testosterone at the local high school. Kelly, understandably, is concerned what will this mean for future boyfriend material? But it's good news for Hunter, who is basically the world's cutest slacker, and his friends, who can now have almost any girl they want. The school newspaper deems it the great boy recession and chronicles the effects on the school's decimated male population. In addition to the lack of guys, there's an actual recession going on, and the school band is completely, er, disbanded, throwing Kelly and Hunter together to institute a youth band program for elementary students. As Kelly's crush on Hunter begins to grow, she finds herself in danger of losing him to one of the popular (read: trashier) girls at school. What to do? Meaney's laugh-out-loud dialogue and vulnerable protagonists they split first-person narration duties assure this charming crowd-pleaser a varied audience.--Jones, Courtney Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this sassy and very funny he said/ she said romantic comedy from Meaney (Bloodthirsty), Kelly and Hunter's small Wisconsin high school suffers an exodus of dudes when several popular jocks defect for better football programs, turning under-the-radar guys like Hunter and his friends into prime boyfriend material. Hunter relishes his life as a slacker, despite his academic and musical gifts, but is prodded into action when he starts teaching music to elementary school students with Kelly as a resume booster, and lands the lead role in the school musical. Before long, Kelly and Hunter are falling for each other, although typical barriers stand in their way-aspiring actress Diva pursues Hunter, and Kelly dates geeky piccolo player Johann in retaliation. The fun of the story lies less in the question of "Will they or won't they?" than in the large supporting cast of offbeat friends-such as Hunter's friend Eugene, whose reputation as a perv does a complete 180-and the romantic pairings that result. Rarely has a recession brought such enjoyment. Ages 15-up. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (Aug.) ? (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8-11-Budget cuts at Julius P. Heil High cause the football coach and all the players pursuing college scholarships to leave for prep schools with better prospects. Suddenly the remaining guys at the small school near Milwaukee find their girl appeal soaring. Longtime friends Hunter Fahrenbach and Kelly Robbins narrate the events of their unusual junior year in separate chapters. Easygoing, long-haired Hunter not only attracts spandexer Diva, who proclaims him her boyfriend, but also unexpectedly stars in the school musical. His entrepreneurial friend, Eugene, expands his business enterprises of securing cigarettes and alcohol for underage users by setting up an escort service for girls needing dates to the prom. Dependable "nice girl" Kelly realizes her feelings for Hunter have changed from friendly to romantic when they set up a musical mentoring program for elementary students after the school band is eliminated. Her friend Aviva documents developments in the boy recession for the online school newspaper. Despite mishaps and misunderstandings, all plotlines lead to Kelly and Hunter getting together to attend prom. Their narrative voices sound similar, although he spices his chapters with profanity. Their breezy, fast-paced accounts incorporate humorous situations and witty comments. Standard fare for readers searching for romance with a neatly packaged happy ending.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This novel with two protagonists has authentic teen voices but nothing new to say. The students at Julius P. Heil High School are shaken up when several boys transfer out, losing "[t]welve percent of the population" and "sixty percent of the hotness." Boys like Hunter, a slacker who hangs out with Derek the pyromaniac and Eugene the beer supplier, suddenly become much more appealing. Kelly, a girl who just blends in, wonders how she can compete with the "spandexers." Amid budget cuts at their school, Kelly and Hunter become better friends by teaching music to third graders. When Hunter reveals his musical skills during the school talent show, spandexer Diva sinks her hooks into him. Kelly knows she's fallen for Hunter, and Hunter knows what a great girl Kelly is. Can these two teens find a way to make it work? The dialogue is witty and crisp, capturing the rhythms of teen conversations. This authenticity is reflected in profanity and mentions of underage drinking and pot-smoking. Male characters are particularly well-drawn, yet the plot is thin and standard. Teens who enjoy novels in two voices will pick this up, but they will find little new. (Fiction. 14 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
