Love Rules by Dandi Daley MacKall

Emma and Jake Jackson and Mattie Mays -The Three Musketeers, The Three Stooges, Three Coins in a Fountian. When Mattie and Jake (Emma's brother) decide to head for California to Freedom University, Emma is left behind; but before they leave Missouri, Emma makes them promise to send her postcards about everything they learn about love. And from the looks of things, it's going to be pretty hard too.....

LOVE RULE #1:

The chances of finding love at this university are slim to none. And slim went home.

From "Greek God" to the nervous nerdy Jeremy Skittles, Mattie sets out to find true love-but could it possibly be right under her nose?

This book was absolutely stunning and so very fun to read! The book is narrated by Mattie who is the best character I've read in a long time. (I think I was secretly glad to read a character who thinks like me.) I mean, she's so animated and realistic! She's got a unique sense of humor, an inspiring view thats all her own, and a funny habit of speaking in foreign accents. Plus to top it off, MacKall puts the best little details in the book about Mattie, Jake, and Emma's friendship. (My favorite detail in the entire book was the "moon checks".)

Though Mattie is the main narrator, another neat thing about this book is that you get to see inside the minds of Mattie's dates or other guys she meets.

Okay don't get me wrong, this girl is not some tramp who goes around deliberately dating guys nor is college the best time to look for true love, but nevertheless it made a wonderful heartfelt story about finding true love and what true love should really be.

To tell you the truth I sorely miss Mattie, Jake, and Emma and am excited to read more of MacKall's books. Just to give you a taste of MacKall's writing skills, I'm going to give you a little blurb from the beginning of the book:

There are some moments that are prefect. I'm only 17, and I know this. Sitting on the hood of the old Ford, wedged between Emma and her brother, Jake, I lean back against the windshield. I can't even guess how many time the thre of us have come to this spot. First on our bikes....and later, when Jake got his license, in his car. I want to memorize every detail-the stars, white explosion on blue-black sky, their blurred reflections on the reservoir lake, rippled by the late summer breeze.

Dandi D. MacKall has written over 350 books for adults, teens, and kids. Some of her teen novels include Crazy in Love, Eva Underground, and Maggie's Story. Love rules! End of story.

Pages: 242 Year Published: 2005 Genre: Realistic/Contemporary,

Romance, Comedy, Chic Lit Age Group: YA, girls ages 14+

Content: Mild sexual references, drinking, and one frat party scene

(main characters do not take part in any of the above)

Recommend? Yes!

Rating:

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