Thea Galehouse has always known how to take care of herself. With a flighty club-owner mom and a standoffish, recovering-alcoholic dad, Thea has made her own way in her hometown of New York, attending the prestigious and competitive Stuyvesant High School. But one chat with Will, a handsome and witty senior, and she's a goner—completely hooked on him and unable to concentrate on anything else.
Always worried that she loves Will more than he loves her, Thea is pleasantly surprised when their romance weathers his move to college and Will goes out of his way to involve her in his life. But then, Thea misses a period. And that starts Thea and Will on a wild ride that neither of them could have possibly prepared for. When they decide to keep the baby, their concerned parents chip in what they can to keep Will in school and give both teenagers a comfortable place to raise their child. But when a freak accident leaves Thea shaken and threatens to upend their little family altogether, Thea is forced to turn to the last place she would have chosen for comfort: her stiff, uncompromising father.
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Reviewed by Kim Baccellia December 17, 2011
Last updated: December 17, 2011
Top 10 Reviewer - View all my reviews
Teen Pregnancy Tale
I have to admit, I'm somewhat picky on books that deal with teenage pregnancy. Our son's birthmother was fourteen when she had him. My own sister had her baby at age eighteen and decided to keep him. I've also been to numerous birthmother panels where teens have described what they went through with being pregnant. Not all gave their babies up for adoption either.
One thing that hooked me to this story was the writing. Greenman does a great job showing us seventeen-year-old Thea and the struggles she goes through from finding out she's pregnant to deciding whether or not to keep the baby. I also liked how Thea is the one who decides what to do and even when others around her try to steer her to do something else, she's the one who makes the choice. There is one scene, where she goes to get an abortion that rang out so real to me. She ends up walking out and at the back of her head thinks the whole pregnancy thing will do the same thing. Another scene shows her trying to make it work out with Will, the birthfather. She really wants them to be a family and tries to ignore little things like Will not feeling the same way. Plus her own family dynamics are pretty true too.
I did find some issues with both of their families sitting down and deciding to give them money to start out. I don't know many families that do this. Instead I've seen how hard it is when the birthmother does decide to keep the baby. My own sister had a really hard time with her choice even when our family tried to help out.
But Greenman doesn't dwell on this but rather shows Thea realizing her choices will be hard and even painful like seeing her best friend Vanessa go off to college without her. Thea is a strong character who grows with each choice she makes. I also admire how she makes her own plans that might include living without Will. To me that is realistic and also truthful.
This is a moving tale of hope that digs deep within the hearts of each character. You can't help but be hooked at the end.
2. Realistic descriptions of teen dealing with pregnancy without being sugar coated
User reviews
Average user rating from: 1 user(s)
The end annoyed me
I loved this book, like couldn't put it down...yell at people for interrupting me loved this book, until the last chapter or so. I couldn't believe how it turned out. I do not think, in the end, she made the right decision in regard to Will. She needs to move on with her life and let him do the same. Yes, they can both be good parents, but not together. Obviously, Will isn't ready to be a real father or partner.
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