Five ways to fall out of love

Gr 10 Up--When Webster Casey moves in across the street, Aubrey Cash is excited to have made a friend. After spending the summer getting to know him, she asks him to the homecoming dance. When he stands her up, though, she realizes he's not the person she thought he was. Not only does he stop talking to her, but he spends most of their senior year bullying her, leaving Aubrey confused about his former kindness. Then Aubrey starts dating his cousin Holland and realizes what it's like to have someone treat her well. When she finds out why Webster acted the way he did, she must confront new emotions that change her outlook. Though the premise of this story is sweet, its execution falls flat. In the first half of the novel, the characters seem naive and their actions are not always realistic. During the second half, the author suddenly throws in heavy sensual scenes that do not fit the flow of the narrative. The problems that Aubrey faces are relatable and important, but the way her character complains often comes across as whiny. Webster's identity as bisexual, though an important attempt at greater inclusion in the narrative, is poorly developed. Despite the inconsistencies, Martin does a good job at advancing the plot and highlighting the granular level of teenage angst. Main characters are white. VERDICT Books by Julie Buxbaum and Marie Marquardt are better choices, but this is a possible purchase for libraries with a large teen romance following.--Karin Greenberg, Manhasset H.S., NY

Love is put to the test. As a self-proclaimed scientist, high school senior Aubrey Cash is an anti-romantic. Evidence like her parents' failing marriage and her best friend Reese's long list of ex-boyfriends who were "the one" confirm her theory that "the whole concept of true love is inherently flawed." Holland Sawyer might just be the guy to test her observations thus far, however. His optimism could balance Aubrey's cynicism, and their first meeting has the makings of an "epic meet-cute." Except there's the fact that he's Webster Casey's cousin--the same Webster who seemingly inexplicably stood her up at their junior dance; the Webster who now is either at her throat or completely shutting her out. Things get all the more complicated when Webster is assigned to be her Life Skills class partner for the semester. Aubrey is self-aware of her M.O. and realizes that she filters evidence through her own preconceived ideas; nevertheless, she can't help herself, and her tendencies start to sabotage the relationships that matter to her even though those around her are there to call her out and drive her self-reflection. Readers will find Aubrey sympathetic as she struggles. The romantic tension is not as strong as the more well-developed friendship between Aubrey and Reese, whose ups and downs have higher stakes. Characters are predominantly White by default; Webster is bisexual. Misunderstandings and miscommunication drive this character-driven romance. (Romance. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.