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Dating Sarah Cooper (2014)

by Siera Maley(Favorite Author)

3.56 of 5 Votes: 4

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Author via Amazon

review 1: Oh my god I'm so giddy it's ridiculous. HOW is it that I discovered this book only a few days ago? I'm usually not a big fan of coming out stories because I'm way past that point in my life and usually find it boring to read about teenagers. But this book was such a great surprise! A real feel-good story with sweet mature characters and a lovely romance and a happy ending and it makes me want to run around my house naked singing love songs!!Dating Sarah Cooper deserves its average rating. The story is really well written, very realistic, with angst that anyone could relate to (strangely enough, I felt like the issue was more about falling in love with someone you think doesn't feel the same, than realising you're gay), and quite a lot of funny moments too! I also kind of l... moreove the "best friends falling in love with each other" storyline... or better yet, the "best friends in love with each other for years only realising it now" storyline. I really will read it again. It was refreshing to read a teen story that was light, but not so light that it only scratched the surface. This book has real, believable and relatable emotions. It's also written in the first person (Katie's POV) but well enough that we understand what's going on in Sarah's head as well, and that's a hard thing to achieve with this kind of narration. So WELL DONE!
review 2: Katie and Sarah have been best friends since they were both in primary school; they might as well be joined at the hip, each complimenting the other in ways they now take for granted. This closeness lands them in hot water when they are mistaken for a lesbian couple and dragged along unwittingly to the LGBT club. Although initially puzzled by these turns of events, Sarah decides to take advantage of the situation to get a hot bloke to notice her. Katie, protesting, is pulled along with her. As the story unfolds, they both find the pressures of being openly out an unpleasant new experience - and even more worryingly for Katie, reality and pretend seem to be blurring into each other. How can she figure out what's going on with herself, fool the entire school, and prevent Sarah from noticing the new weirdness?Firstly I would agree with other reviewers when they remark on this plot's similarity to "Faking It", the TV show on MTV. Although the premise is initially off-putting (and strained!) once the plot starts flowing it is a surprisingly nuanced discussion regarding the perils of coming out, and its effects on one's social circles. One of the best of the subplots involves a gentleman who gains courage from seeing his (supposedly) newly out acquaintances weather the storm. The themes are worked through with a lot of lightness and humour - I often found myself laughing openly at some of the duologue.It did lose a star for the incredibly forced nature of the set-up. Who pretends to be a lesbian to get a boy? Did I miss a whole chapter in the art of seduction which suggests that's a good idea? I don't know. The other problem was the ending - I am not going to spoil anything, except to say mostly in that section of the book I winced heavily and wished the premise had been pulled apart earlier. Happily it has a relatively happy epilogue, which puts it at the top of my list for young, well-adjusted teens needing some encouragement in a weird time.So in summary this is a well-written book for young adults that's reasonably thoughtful in addressing certain important themes for people questioning their sexuality. It also has certain problematic elements, which shouldn't stop anyone from reading the book.Four stars. less

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