★ 05/12/2014
Having led a sheltered life, sophomore Bettina Vasilis is surprised when her strict Greek-American father allows her to date basketball star Brady. Brady is sweet and attentive, at first, “what anyone would call a good boyfriend,” but his dark side soon emerges. After a disturbing incident with Brady, Bettina almost literally falls into the arms of a handsome mechanic she nicknames Cowboy, who works near her school. During the weeks that follow, his garage becomes her refuge, and he becomes her confidante as she sorts out her uncertainties and nurses very real bruises. First-person narration brimming with emotion traces how Bettina and Cowboy’s friendship evolves, although both of them know her father (not to mention the law) wouldn’t condone a romantic relationship. Beautifully capturing the intensity of first love, Connor (Waiting for Normal) draws readers into a world filled with Greek culture and punctuated by upsetting moments of abuse. Readers will be unprepared for the book’s shocking climax, which changes Bettina’s life forever and brings her closer to her family as she discovers who she is and what she wants. Ages 14–up. (July)
Connor keeps her story completely realistic with fluid prose and convincing characters. Romance fans who happen upon this will find an absorbing portrait of abuse and recovery.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“With compassion and respect, author Connor explores the ways in which loving relationships can get twisted into cycles of misery. Be ready with the hankies; this one is a real tearjerker.” — Booklist
“Connor lets the story play out slowly, a choice that adds multiple subplots but also deepens characterization and elevates the book above simple problem-novel territory. Bettina’s situation creates much food for thought. ” — Horn Book Magazine
“A girl who can’t find her way out of an abusive relationship finds herself longing for an impossible one. Unforgettable with moments I wanted to reach in and hug sweet Bettina. An unforgettable book every girl should read. ” — Jen Bigheart, Westbank Community Libraries
“A well told & intricate story with a refreshingly authentic teen voice.” — Jessica Wood, author of the Emma Stories series
A well told & intricate story with a refreshingly authentic teen voice.
A girl who can’t find her way out of an abusive relationship finds herself longing for an impossible one. Unforgettable with moments I wanted to reach in and hug sweet Bettina. An unforgettable book every girl should read.
With compassion and respect, author Connor explores the ways in which loving relationships can get twisted into cycles of misery. Be ready with the hankies; this one is a real tearjerker.
Connor lets the story play out slowly, a choice that adds multiple subplots but also deepens characterization and elevates the book above simple problem-novel territory. Bettina’s situation creates much food for thought.
With compassion and respect, author Connor explores the ways in which loving relationships can get twisted into cycles of misery. Be ready with the hankies; this one is a real tearjerker.
★ 2014-04-09
A shy, overprotected girl is the focus of this character study of a victim of physical abuse.Sixteen-year-old Bettina keeps to herself. Her Greek father dominates her life, rarely allowing her out of the house. She has no friends until she meets Brady, a good-looking boy who asks her out, politely seeking her father's permission. With approval, Bettina begins a relationship that at first seems just what she needs, until Brady pushes her for sex and begins deliberately to hurt her, always claiming his violence is accidental. By chance, Bettina meets a young man she calls "Cowboy." She immediately feels an easy connection to him and begins surreptitiously visiting his small car-repair shop. As events progress, Brady becomes even more abusive, while the undercurrent of a real romance develops between Bettina and Cowboy, despite their 10-year age difference. Once the two realize they are truly in love, disaster strikes. Connor keeps her story completely realistic, a welcome relief from standard-issue romances. Her fluid prose and convincing characterizations lift the story beyond the average. Only Cowboy seems idealized, as readers see him through Bettina's eyes—also true to life. The book's examination of abusive relationships is cleareyed and instructive.Romance fans who happen upon this will find an absorbing portrait of abuse and recovery. (Fiction. 14-18)
Sixteen-year-old Bettina’s rigid Greek-American father has taught her to kiss hardship goodbye, but it’s impossible in her increasingly complex life. Narrator Lauren Fortgang portrays Bettina with emotive tones that ring true. Bettina’s confusion becomes disbelief and then horror at the escalating brutality of her boyfriend, who once provided freedom from her strict home. Discovering real love with the older Cowboy, she struggles to hide the truth from others and herself. Fortgang achieves believable portraits of the secondary characters as well. She imparts the essential qualities of each—Bettina’s father’s control has a measure of protection, her mother’s timidity is steeped in caring, and Cowboy’s hesitancy is flavored with tenderness. All these relationships strengthen her portrayal of Bettina—as well as the story’s heartbreaking conclusion. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
Sixteen-year-old Bettina’s rigid Greek-American father has taught her to kiss hardship goodbye, but it’s impossible in her increasingly complex life. Narrator Lauren Fortgang portrays Bettina with emotive tones that ring true. Bettina’s confusion becomes disbelief and then horror at the escalating brutality of her boyfriend, who once provided freedom from her strict home. Discovering real love with the older Cowboy, she struggles to hide the truth from others and herself. Fortgang achieves believable portraits of the secondary characters as well. She imparts the essential qualities of each—Bettina’s father’s control has a measure of protection, her mother’s timidity is steeped in caring, and Cowboy’s hesitancy is flavored with tenderness. All these relationships strengthen her portrayal of Bettina—as well as the story’s heartbreaking conclusion. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine