Date issued: March 2009
ISBN: 978-0-06-084113-3
Young Adult
Trade paperback
Reviewed by Valerie
Hayley is a typical sixteen year old who has a pretty face and is fat. It doesn’t help that her mother forces her to eat tofu, or her pretty, thin friend has all the boyfriends. Hayley tries to flirt with hot, Drew Wyler, but Drew is more interested in her friend. A day at the beach causes Hayley to run in panic, no way is she going to be wearing a bikini. Then her mother decides to send Hayley to Italy to visit her friend. Under the Italian sun, Hayley begins to learn to enjoy life and accept who she is. She’s walking every day, eating real Italian pizza and has just met a very nice Italian boy. At last, she may have just found true love.
I am far from a young adult, but I found this story truly entertaining and heart warming. At the beginning of this story, I think every woman of every age can relate to Hayley. For us older readers, it just may be a trip down memory lane. I loved how Mary Hogan showed us the difference between life in the U.S.A and Europe. Poor Hayley gets thrown back to what she thinks is almost prehistoric times with no cell phone, no computer and a trek up a mountain to the nearest internet café. She’s amazed that she can actually drink wine in Italy. Mary Hogen shows how free people are in Europe. And I can assure you that every adult woman will love this story and will immediately pass it on to their daughters. It’s a story that will inspire.
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