The Breakup Bible

Jen Lewis is having a great junior year.  She is the features editor of the school paper, and she's dating Max Brown, the paper's editor-in-chief. Everything is perfect--that is, until Max says, "Maybe it would be better if we were just friends." In shock and total denial, Jen wonders how she is going to deal with the pain of seeing Max in school every day. Her misery only intensifies when her grandmother gives her a book that she heard about on the radio. Dr. Emerson's The Breakup Bible claims that "there's no reason a woman can't get over a breakup very quickly if she'll just follow a few basic commandments." Jen is doubtful. What does Dr. Emerson know about her and Max?

In a send-up to the scores of dating books on the market, Melissa Kantor's The Breakup Bible tackles the aftermath of a high school romance with her trademark honesty, humor, and wit.

"'Jen is crushed when her boyfriend tells her 'it would be better if we were just friends.' Making matters worse, she catches him kissing another girl from the school paper, where she also works. Jen cannot sleep, cries constantly and thinks she 'could actually die of heartache.' Even with supportive friends and family — and opportunities to advance her journalism career — it takes time to move on. Kantor (Confessions of a Not It Girl) successfully juggles several storylines, including Jen's work on a controversial article about race relations at school, her mother's attempt at romance after years on the sidelines and even a fun first date for Jen with a boy who bravely takes her salsa dancing. These threads make Jen's world seem very real and reflect her growing sense of self. Readers may not know what to make of the actual self-help book Jen's grandmother buys her (called The Breakup Bible); full of clichs (such as 'A fabulous, foxy lady such as yourself knows when it's time to say good riddance to bad rubbish!), the cheesy book seems to help Jen at times, but ultimately ends up in the trash. Jen goes through much of the book thinking 'I'm so sad, I'm so sad, I'm so sad,' which may overwhelm readers, but in the end, they will likely be convinced both of Jen's readiness to move on and of her ability to see the good and the bad in her first romance. Ages 12-up.' Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

In a send-up of the scores of dating books on the market, this latest from the author of "Confessions of a Not It Girl" tackles the aftermath of a high school romance with her trademark honesty, humor, and wit.