Review: For Keeps by Natasha Friend

FOR KEEPS by Natasha Friend

Pub. Date: April 2010
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Format: Hardcover, 272pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Josie's never met her dad, and that's fine with her. To Josie, Paul Tucci is just a guy who got her mom pregnant and then moved away. It all happened sixteen years ago, when Josie's mom was still a teenager herself. But now Paul Tucci is back in town, and Josie has to deal with not one but two men in her life—her father and her first boyfriend, who Josie fears will hurt her just like Paul hurt her mother.

I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Especially with it being outside of the genre I normally read. The characters were likeable. I could easily understand Josie’s frustrations with her mom and the secrets that were kept from her about her dad. There were a couple of humorous moments that I laughed out loud at. For instance, their reactions and incognito moments around Paul’s parents were amusing. I could actually relate to some of the run-ins that Josie and her mom had with Paul’s parents.

I was also surprised by how fast I read this book. One minute I was at the beginning of the book and the next it was over. Going into this book, I really didn’t know what to expect but I ended up being quite pleased with this novel. A lot of the actions by the characters and some of the plot in this book were predictable; nothing shocking really happened. I guess it was just that this book was so relatable in many ways. I could apply the events in this book to just about anything such as friends or relatives keeping secrets from you. Then you find out years later everything you thought you knew about your life or a loved one was a lie.

So overall, FOR KEEPS was a quick and entertaining read. Readers will be able to easily relate to the characters. Good Read!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars