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The Unwritten Rule

by Elizabeth Leonard Scott
211p. 978-1-41697-891-6.
COPY ISBN
Gr 9-Up The unwritten rule is plain: "You don't like your best friend's boyfriend." But Sarah does. She likes Ryan a lot, and she has for a very long time. They share a moment at a party, but the next thing she knows, he belongs to Brianna. Then one night, something happens that Sarah can't take back and doesn't want to. She feels guilty, she doesn't want to hurt her friend, but she can't stop thinking about Ryan, either. Character development drives this novel. There isn't much plot, and the opening chapters are a little hard to follow, but the characters are fully realized and their motivation is clear. However, the tone of the writing is more suited to an adult novella than to YA fiction. A slow read that is all too easy to put down and forget about."Julianna M. Helt, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.
Sarah has liked Ryan since eighth grade, and now she's jealous that he's her best friend Brianna's boyfriend. When she finds out Ryan likes her back, Sarah knows she'll hurt Brianna if she gives in to her feelings. The narration is sometimes overdramatic, but Sarah's emotional mixture of guilt, joy, and growing self-assurance is realistic, resisting easy resolution.

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