She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen is a highly entertaining young adult rom-com that highlights the importance of being true to yourself and learning how to let go and move on from painful experiences no matter how daunting it may seem at first.
It’s the first basketball game of their season and Scottie Zajac is embarrassed beyond words when she loses to her ex-girlfriend’s team on her own home turf. When Scottie thought her day couldn’t get any worse, she gets into a fender bender with her worst enemy: Irene Abraham, the head cheerleader and the most popular girl at their high school.
Irene is gorgeous but she is also cruel and dismissive to underlings like Scottie. Thanks to the accident, Irene will be without her car for a few weeks and she is forced to carpool with Scottie and that’s the last thing either of them want to do.
Scottie really wants to get back at her manipulative ex and get respect and validation from her peers at school so she talks Irene into being a part of her fake-dating scheme but their real feelings for each other may come to the surface sooner rather than later.
Will Scottie and Irene be able to put their rivalry aside and open their hearts to each other?
The Characters
Scottie Zajac plays basketball at Grandma Earl High School and she is a die-hard fan of old school music and movies. Irene Abraham is the head cheerleader for the Fighting Reindeer and she is also Scottie’s biggest adversary. I’m going to be totally honest and admit that I wasn’t fond of Irene when she was first mentioned but I eventually warmed up to her when I saw a vulnerable side of her that she rarely allows anyone to see. My heart went out to Scottie from the beginning because I could easily relate to some of the self-esteem issues she had after her agonizing breakup with her ex-girlfriend.
This wonderful author deserves the highest of fives because these unforgettable characters were well fleshed out and I was living my best life when I tagged along with them as they embarked on the rocky journey of self-acceptance, healing and embracing new relationships.
The Writing Style
Kelly Quindlen has become one of my favorite authors because I couldn’t get enough of her flawless and humorous writing. I am not ashamed to admit that I fell in love with the cozy and charming descriptions of the small town called Grandma Earl and I also have a soft spot in my heart for the down-to-earth characters who live there. This author has done a fantastic job of bringing Scottie and Irene’s differing personalities and their turbulent emotions to life for me. Even though this story was told from Scottie’s point of view, I didn’t feel as though the story was one-sided at all because the attitudes and the unique traits of the other characters came through loud and clear.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
I don’t think there’s anything better than binge reading this hilarious young adult novel because it has flawed and relatable teenagers who are trying to sort out their emotional baggage and their unexpected attraction to each other. I’ve always been a certified book nerd and I don’t have an athletic bone in my body but I must say that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the basketball games and the practice sessions because I got to live vicariously through Scottie and her teammates. Plus, this story had enough angst and drama to keep me anchored to my couch for hours on end. By the way, this book cover is adorable and I love everything about it!
Cons And Heads Up
Zero complaints.
The Conclusion
If you’re a huge fan of young adult rom-coms that feature headstrong young women who are rivals but there’s an undeniable attraction brewing between them, endless drama with ex-girlfriends coupled with plain-talking family members and quirky friends who will always have their backs, then this is definitely the story for you!
TLDR (too long didn’t read)
I’ve placed this gem of a novel on my ‘greatest-books-of-all-time’ list and I think you’ll really enjoy this delightful young adult rom-com just as much as I did!
Excerpt from She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
It takes a moment for my senses to catch up with me. My heart is pounding so hard I feel like I’ve just dropped off the side of a cliff. My entire body is sweeping hot, and my palms are pooling with sweat.
The car I’ve hit is a black sedan, but before I can get a proper look at it, the other driver stomps out of the car with all the anger of a rabid bulldog.
It’s Irene Abraham.
Fuck.
My shock transforms to fury. Go-freaking-figure. I know I wasn’t exactly looking when I hit her, but I also know I had the right of way. She must have decided the rules didn’t apply to her.
My adrenaline carries me out of my car before I can think about it. I slam my door and meet her in the middle. “What the hell?”
Her eyes flash when she sees me. Under her breath, she says, “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”
I ignore her and check my front bumper. Miraculously, it’s only slightly dented; I’ll have to get it fixed, but it’s still drivable.
Behind me, Irene is examining her own car. “Shit,” she grumbles. “My parents are gonna kill me.”
“Yeah, well, so are mine,” I say, kicking at my front tire. I can feel tears building behind my eyes, but I fight against them. I hate the idea of crying in front of Irene Abraham ever again. I take a deep breath to steady myself, but when I turn around to check her car, the bottom drops out of my stomach.
Her rear bumper is a craggy, mangled disaster; the right half of it hangs off the frame, dragging against the pavement. There’s no way her car is drivable like this. My anger suddenly turns to panic. If her car took the worst of the hit, does that mean it was my fault, even if I had the right of way?
I steady my breathing and look at her. “Damn it. I’m sorry.”
Her dark eyes sizzle like I’ve just said something offensive. “Do you know nothing?” she snaps. “You should never apologize after a car accident. It’s an admission of fault.”
I’m so thrown off, I can only stare at her.
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Bits and Bobs
- ISBN number: 9781250209153
- Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
- Kelly Quindlen Online
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