The Girlfriend Project

The Girlfriend Project by Robin Friedman is a delightful read. Reed Walton, former dork turned hottie, has never had a relationship, girlfriend, or fling. So at the start of his senoir year, his best friends Ronnie and Lonnie launch The Girlfriend Project to start of his love life. This book is the story of that project as it takes Reed up and down the rollar coaster called romance. It's a true take on teen life with added humor. The website adds a quirky context to this book. In the end, The Girlfriend Project, in every essence of the word, is cute from the characters to the cover.

Reed is a senior in high school who has never been on a date. Not one. His best friends, fraternal twins Lonnie and Ronnie, create The Girlfriend Project. Their friendly advice and handwritten lists of dating do's and don'ts evolves into a website - thegirlfriendproject.com - where kids can leave feedback. When Reed starts acting more confident, girls from both school and work notice him. Before he knows it, he's gone on his first date - and his second date the very next day! But Reed is ultimately unimpressed by the girls that are interested in him, and he falls for the girl next door instead. As opposed to Pygmalion and stories of that nature, where the character changes to be more socially acceptable and/or more attractive, Reed did not intend to change his looks and become popular. He simply got taller and got a haircut - basically, literally, he grew up. He feels uncomfortable in his new height and stature. He is incredibly smart and incredibly shy. Throughout the story, Reed's grandmother tries to come up with the perfect entry for the New Jersey state motto contest. Keeping with this theme, each section of the book is a numbered exit, rather than being called a chapter, and has a funny title. His gran's creativity extends to the kitchen, and she's constantly supplying the teens with tasty treats. His parents are also in the picture, though peripherally. His older sister is married with four kids of her own. Reed honestly loves baby-sitting his nieces and nephews, earning him more points in the nice boy handbook. Though this book is all about one teen's quest for romance, it stays fairly clean. Reed wants to find a girl that likes him for him, not for his appearance, and he would rather have a heart-to-heart talk than a naughty rendezvous. Were the book a film, it would be given a tame PG rating. If you want a cute story about first dates and gentle break-ups, if you liked Saved by the Bell, or if your heart belongs in New Jersey, give THE GIRLFRIEND PROJECT by Robin Friedman a try.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well a women has written and gotten inside the mind of a 17 year old teenage boy. I'm so used to reading YA books about teenage girls so this was fresh, new and different. I really enjoyed reading it and I hope to read more form this author in the future.

Nice guys don't always have to finish last. In THE GIRLFRIEND PROJECT by Robin Friedman, Reed Walton is a slightly shy high school senior who understands his AP classes much better than girls. In fact, he's never had a girlfriend before in his life. But his best friends, Lonnie and Ronnie, have decided that this year is going to be different. They have put together a 'girlfriend project' with the ultimate goal of finding a girlfriend for Reed. It doesn't hurt that over the summer Reed has grown taller, gotten his braces off, and the girls at his school now think he is smokin' hot! Reed is pleasantly surprised by this change in attitude that the girls have towards him, but he adamantly maintains that he is still the same person. Watching Reed slowly morph from a completely awkward AP dork to a more confident and independent young man is amusing, with plenty of hilarious, embarrassing moments. It's great to get a look inside Reed's mind, and find out what high school guys are really thinking. The website Ronnie sets up for The Girlfriend Project serves as a place for Reed to pose questions to the student body, such as "If a guy doesn't kiss you on the first date, what does that mean?" and "How important are looks to you?" These questions are followed by several comical and some very honest answers hidden behind the veil of anonymity that an online screen name provides. After going out on a couple of unsuccessful dates, Reed realizes that maybe the girl he likes the most was right in front of him all along. Now, if only he could work up the courage to tell her how he feels about her. Reed really dispels the myth that high school boys are only interested in the physical part of a relationship. He is a surprisingly sensitive and sweet guy, and maybe after reading this book, girls will give that shy guy at the back of the class a chance when he tries to talk to you. This book addresses the whole issue of high school dating very clearly, with a lot of humor, but also with a lot of truth. Robin Friedman has a great understanding of how confusing the teenage years can be, especially when you are trying to figure out just what 'being yourself' really means. Reviewed by: Amber Gibson