The Boyfriend Bracket

Gr 8 Up—Stella is very excited about her senior year. Her overprotective brother has finally graduated and she will be able to date whomever she wants. To find the perfect candidate, Stella and her best friend Franklin create the boyfriend bracket. Not only will this help Stella find the perfect boyfriend, she also hopes it will help her get over her longtime crush on her brother's best friend Will—not likely. Readers who are interested in a predictable, light romance with a happy ending will find this story satisfying. Will and Stella are both likable characters, and Franklin steals the scenes that he is in with his charm and protectiveness of Stella. Stella and Franklin's ambitions to get into fashion design school and a fashion design contest add an additional level of depth. Those looking for a little more substance would be better served by the books of Jennifer E. Smith or Kasie West.