Girlfriend Material

Book talk:
Family conflicts meet summer romance in this funny but realistic story. For just a moment, put yourself in the role of Kate, the main character in Girlfriend Material. Pretend you are 16 and just starting what you hope is a summer vacation that includes your favorite things. (If you really were Kate, that would mean looking forward to a peaceful summer writing, reading, and playing tennis.) Now imagine your plans are jerked out from under you like an old rug. Not only do you not get to do anything YOU want to do, but you are also stuck riding across the country with your mother so she can spend time with some old friends at their summer house in Cape Cod. (You hardly speak to her through the entire 3000 mile drive.) What could show more make it worse? Actually, quite a few things can make it worse. The reason your mom wants to travel to the east coast is because she wants a separation from your dad. Then there's the daughter of your mom's friends who makes it very clear that she would rather YOU not interrupt HER summer. And what else could go wrong? Well, how about your mom flirting with an old friend who ALSO just happens to come visit the same summer house in Cape Cod? And have I mentioned that your best friend back home is super busy having fun with a new boyfriend and hardly has the time of day for you? What could possible save you from this horrible summer? Well, let's just say that there is a pretty cute guy named Adam who just might consider you as girlfriend material, even if you don't. show less

Girlfriend Material is a quick, cute, summer read! It would be excellent to throw in your bag for a day at the beach. While initially I was expecting quite a bit a fluff, perhaps a summer fling romance, there were some deeper elements at play in this novel. It’s more about Kate discovering what type of girl she is, not so much “girlfriend.” Deeper element number 1) finding your place when your parents are having problems. Number 2) sibling jealousy, overcoming the closeness you feel one sibling has with a parent and opening yourself up. Number 3) realizing besides being parents, they are also human. Number 4) don’t be quick to judge.And then on top of all that we have this budding relationship between Kate and Adam. It plays out show more nicely in the beginning stages of the relationship, has a rocky spot in the middle, but instead of progressing steadily as it did in the early stages, there is a race to the finish, that made it just a tad bit to unbelievable for me, even if it’s only fiction. The writing was fun, and enjoyable. The story flowed nicely, but as I said above, the ending was rushed. The characters were realistic, and relatable, each one adding their own element to the story line. Definitely reading material.. show less

Full review at Amaterasu readsI was given the impression that this would be a fun summer read, but this had a more serious tone than a fluffy novel should have, you'll notice the depth of the story as you go along.A summer with her parents apart, not being able to play tennis with Laura, leaving her writing class, spending it without her best friend, trying to get along with someone she knew from when she was little who turned out to be totally different now that they're grown ups, bonding with her mom three thousand miles away from home, and dealing with the intricacies of first love, things are bound to get awkward for her, one way or another.What made this book interesting for me, aside from Kate dealing with what was happening to show more her parents, was her first plunge on love, boys and relationships. You can feel how uncertain she was on a lot of things, how to act, and how to think. And frankly speaking, if she wasn't thinking too much ahead and judging too quickly, things could have turned out easier for her.And I'd like to think that this Lady Brett gave Kate more trouble than she could ever hope to have. In her hopes of living her life like her role model, her summer had unexpected twists and turns because she always thought: WWLBAD? (What Would Lady Brett Ashley Do?).Every character in the book felt significant, and played a role in Kate's story. I loved how she was able to reconnect with Sarah. I'd always love reading stories about friends and knowing that they'll be there for you if you ever needed them.I'm giving this a four stars because of how much I was able to relate to Kate's character, and Melissa Kantor, I now realized, has a talent of writing from a teen's perspective, in a way which you can easily relate to, with a small dose of angst along the way. :)I don't have a favorite Kantor book right now, but I'd definitely read her book again if I have the chance! show less

This was a breezy fun read for teenage girls. Not memorable, but fun while it lasted.

Reviewed by Dianna Geers for TeensReadToo.com

Katie had the perfect summer in progress: hanging out at her best friend's house, creative writing classes, and tons of time to perfect her tennis game so she could make varsity the next school year. That is until her mom decides to take Katie along with her for "time away" from her father so they can reevaluate their relationship.

Katie wants to be home living her life and is mad that her mom drags her along to her mother's best friend Tina's house. In Cape Cod! But Katie decides she might be able to make the situation tolerable - she had visited there once before and gotten along well with Sarah, Tina`s daughter.

When Katie and her mom arrive, Katie realizes that Sarah is just as unhappy with show more Katie's arrival as she is. Sarah avoids Katie and makes it quite clear that Katie is not invited to her activities.

To help pass her time, Katie accepts an offer to coach a girl in tennis. She struggles to teach the young girl as the girl's father hounds her with criticisms.

Katie keeps trying and trying to make this summer living arrangement work for her. Each time she thinks she has made it doable, Katie finds out she is sorely wrong.

What will Sarah think when Katie starts hanging out with her friends?

And when Adam actually seems to like her..like LIKE her, there has to be a catch! She's not the girlfriend type. She's never had a boyfriend before. And those things just don't happen to Katie.

Or do they?

Will Katie's summer be a complete flop? Or will she manage to survive? Join Katie as she tries to survive outside of her comfort zone, and even learns that things are not always what you think they are at first. Sometimes they are WAY different. show less

Ah young love. Yes, I totally let myself get caught up in this one. There were several gasps and giggles as I read along. A great escape from a cold, rainy, yucky day.

Best book that I have ever read in my 13 years of living. This author has taken teen novels to a whole new level with this book. I could actually picture what was going on in my head for a moment I thought I was watching a movie,thats how visual it was for me.