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You know how sometimes, your high school crush grows up to become an insanely famous movie star?
Okay, probably not. But I do.

Although, I guess I’m getting ahead of myself.

Trip wasn’t always the gorgeous Hollywood A-lister you see these days on the big screen. Back in 1990 he was just the “new kid” who sat behind me in my fifth period English class.

He was always gorgeous, however.

I mean, he was That Guy. You know the one. That guy who could raise your blood pressure just by passing you in the hall. That guy who could melt you with a single look aimed in your general direction.

So, you may want to bust out your stretch pants and tease out those mall bangs, ladies, because we’re going back in time. Back to the days of keg parties, making out in cars, and big fricking hair. Back to a time when almost every girl in town found themselves drooling over a guy named Trip.

I should know.

I was one of them.

And my life hasn’t been the same since.

Let me start by saying that I think this book was badly marketed:

It’s not really New Adult, it’s Young Adult (they MCs are both minors in high school, not 18 or in college), and it’s not really an 80s novel so much as it is a 90s novel. (I don’t read back cover copy; I probably should have.)

While bad marketing isn’t always the author’s fault, it does impact a reader’s enjoyment of a book. For instance, I wouldn’t have picked this up if I’d known it was a high school romance. I did pick it up, though, so I plowed through.

While the story initially grabbed my attention, it slowed for me in the middle. There were some funny parts to the story, but there wasn’t as much action as there was personal reflection and memories (one of the reasons I don’t prefer YA).

As a YA book, it could be fun, but it’s not my preferred genre.

R for underage drinking, swearing, and sex.

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