Not Just Proms & Parties: Rica's Summer

"She willed herself to move, to push him away and roll over and stagger to her feet. He called her name and reached for her but she was backing away, looking at him as though he was a stranger. She was suddenly terrified of [him], of herself, of what was happening. She turned away from him and ran."

Rica's tired of being treated like a kid while her two older sisters get all the guys, until out of the blue, a cute boy starts paying attention to her. But her new hunk turns out to be a total player, and Rica and her sisters hatch a plot for revenge. When alcohol gets involved, the situation spins out of control--leaving Rica wishing that she could go back to being Daddy's little girl for a while longer.


The Not Just Proms & Parties books have many qualities that will appeal to teens, and Rica's Summer is the best entry in the series so far. Girls will relate to Rica's desperation to grow up and sympathize when she does foolish things to try to fit in. Reluctant readers will find Patricia G. Penny's writing easy to follow and her language convincing. While the relationship between the sisters could have benefited from a more in-depth treatment, the novel skillfully handles the important issue of underage drinking and the dangers it presents. A quick, easy read with a positive message.