Maddy has her sights set on popular Joe, even going on the pill and watching porn in preparation for a relationship; Rich, listening to his family’s vinyl records and garnering tips from Erich Fromm’s bestseller, The Art of Loving, hopes to win over gorgeous, aloof Grace. Despite this lust-from-afar, the 17-year-old British teens, self-proclaimed losers with no experience in love or sex, discover true love with each other. Although the cover suggests a cheaply titillating read, Academy Award–nominated screenwriter Nicholson realistically captures the eagerness, insecurities, fear and wonder of sexual awakening, culminating with a frank yet tender depiction of the “first time.” While a few side stories and twists, such as rumors of the English teacher’s sexual orientation, Rich’s grief after his grandmother’s passing and Maddy’s sister’s involvement with an abusive boyfriend, tend toward the moralistic, they also serve to highlight the teens’ gentle, respectful and satisfying lovemaking. In the tradition of Forever, this is destined to become a classic as a go-to source for teens curious about both the physical and emotional aspects of sex. (Fiction. 15 & up)
