Surviving Adam Meade

Gr 8 Up—Claire Collins, already reeling from a bad breakup, has been uprooted from her beloved high school for her senior year. Her dad just couldn't pass up the job opportunity as the new football coach. Adam Meade, star quarterback, butts heads with strong-willed Claire right away. When they realize that their strong feelings for each other might actually turn out to be attraction, Adam tells Claire up front that he doesn't have time for a girlfriend; he is working hard on getting a football scholarship. As the football season draws to a close, readers find out more about the protagonists. Adam lost his father and sibling in a car accident; his mother overdosed not long after that, so his grandmother is his guardian. Claire's ex-boyfriend tries to make his way back into her life when he realizes what he lost. In the midst of all this drama are applications to college and meetings with football scouts. The banter between characters is engaging and will keep even reluctant readers invested in the story. Romance fans won't blink at minor missteps—working on college applications during a boat date when most of these are now done completely online. Though this is a pretty typical romance, the quirky secondary characters do add some heft. Fans of Sarah Dessen will enjoy this.