“A fifteen-year-old creates an alter ego to woo his dream girl. Compulsively readable.” —The New York Times
This quirky, flirty, and smart story will appeal to fans of Frank Portman’s King Dork, John Green’s An Abundance of Katherines, and Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor and Park. It’s not exactly a love story . . . but it’s pretty close.
It’s 1977. Fifteen-year-old Vinnie is recovering from the worst case of acne his dermatologist’s ever seen. His girl moved to California without saying good-bye. And the ink on his parents’ divorce papers is barely dry when his mom announces they’re moving from Queens to Long Island. The silver lining? Moving next door to Patsy, everyone’s dream girl. Not that she’d ever notice him. But when Vinnie calls Patsy one night, it leads to a chain of anonymous midnight conversations, and the two develop a surprisingly strong connection despite the lies it’s built on. But as Vinnie gets to know Patsy in real life, it’s clear that both identities can’t survive. . . .
Things are not quite going Vinnie's way these days - problems with the family pet, his skin, his grades, his parents' divorce, his mother's remarriage, moving out to the island, starting in a new school, he has a lot on his plate. However, he finds a bright spot in the form of his neighbor, Patsy. She is beautiful and popular and the object of the football star's desire. Fate drops Patsy's phone number into Vinnie's hands and he begins a ritual of anonymous midnight calls with Patsy, and unknowingly, a relationship.
This book really highlights the ups and downs of Vinnie's life. We find out that Vinnie's character is not defined by what happens to him, but rather, how he reacts. He is actually quite a tender heart, who loves and cares for the people around him. Then there is Patsy, who is struggling with her own home life issues and other people's expectations of her. The characters were interesting and believable. I know I like the characters when I find myself wanting the best for them and I was rooting for Vinnie the whole time.
