Girl, 15: Flirting for England

Jess Jordan #0.5

by Sue Limb

Jess is in a fix. She has to write a letter to Edouard, her French exchange, before he comes to visit, and her normal ability to write charismatic, charming and seductive letters has deserted her. But there is an even worse problem. She has to send a photo. The idea fills Jess with a special sort of fear. But she has a solution - a digitally enhanced solution - and who better to ask to help than her best mate Fred?

It's only when you've stopped laughing that you realise in addition to being incredibly funny, Sue Limb has dealt seamlessly with the bigger themes of friendship and loyalty

Fans will lap up this prequel as it charts Fred and Jess's relationship - and Jess's relationships with others - before Fred and Jess actually get together. The whole book sparkles with Sue Limb's characteristic wit and humour, and will send fans racing to read the rest of the books in the series.

Genres: Young Adult, Humor, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Fiction, Teen

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Arminzerella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jess Jordan is fifteen years old, her parents are divorced, she lives with her mom, has a gorgeous best friend (Flora), and a crazy guy pal (Fred). Jess is studying French and will be traveling to France next year as an exchange student. Right now, though, she’s psyched because she and some of her friends will all be hosting French exchange students – and she gets to host a guy! Jess and Edouard exchange a few letters (Jess sends Ed a picture of herself that she and Fred have subtly enhanced), and when Jess gets Edouard’s picture she almost can’t believe how hot he is. Unfortunately, he’s hobbit hot, which is to say he’s almost 5 feet tall, and they can barely communicate in one another’s respective languages. Jess can see that she’s not going to have the romance she was looking forward to. Another one of the French students, Marie-Louise, tells her that Edouard has the beegest crrrush on her, though, so Jess immediately enlists Fred to be her stand-in boyfriend. He’s not terribly willing or excited, so their relationship is decidedly weird. Jodi, however, has hit the jackpot. Her French exchange student, Gerard, is incredibly handsome, and soon all the girls are swooning over him. Gerard, of course, is thrilled with the attention. A weekend camping trip throws them all together and tempers flare as the girls compete for Gerard’s attention. Jess almost can’t wait for the French students to go home so her life can get back to normal.

Sue Limb writes some entertaining chick lit. Jess is another one of those funny British gal protagonists (think Bridget Jones or Georgia Nicholson) who is always getting herself into some hilarious scrape, but manages to live to tell the tale. This was somewhat less British-jargon-y than the Georgia Nicholson books (no glossary of British terms defined or needed, really). Give to readers who like up-beat, light-hearted chick lit/romances and they should eat it up (fans of The Princess Diaries or Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series will probably enjoy these). Added bonus – they’re quick reads; easily digestible in an afternoon/evening.

Note: This is technically a prequel (it came out after Sue Limb’s other Jess Jordan books – she’s 17 years old in the newest of those). There’s also a new book out about Zoe and Chloe, who make a short appearance in this story.

[Gloria.n · Rating 3 out of 5]

4.5 stars -(2016 edit to 3 or 2.5 stars ish now, ive read a few better books recently. but this was pretty fun, i have nice memories)
I was deciding whether to do this or not, so here goes... (this is my first review so im not sure it'll be too good, sorry about that)

Jess has to write a letter to Edouard, her french exchange. she has some problems but ends up doing OK, next thing she knows, she has to send a PHOTO, so she gets her BEST friend Fred, to photo shop a picture for her. when she gets edouards picture (i quote) "he was adorable".

I LOVE THIS BOOK!! its one of my favorites(not as much as the next one in the series but yeah you get what i mean) i kept thinking if this was romance or not when i first got it, but it didn't(if your looking for romance, get the next book or 2), so that's why it got 4.5, otherwise this book really feels like it was MADE by a 15 year old. I brought this to school (which i don't do with books unless I'm desperate to read whats next)and it was pretty awkward, what? with the title and all? ANYWAY I actually laughed at this book and i think its worth getting... at least under $20. i think the age is 12+

it kinda makes me wish my life was like this... whats up with books? i thought they were made to "take you to another world" but all that happens to me is... MY LIFE IS SO BORING! or maybe its just me...
Did i do well for a first review? (as in, make you want to buy this or something) i hope so :D

[Saylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't remember I wanted to read this until I saw my old copy of Girl, 15: Charming but Insane. It's a fun light read I found myself laughing out loud at Jess' thoughts

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the terminology in this book did not age well at all. I wouldn't feel good about handing this to a teen. As an adult I can appreciate the time frame it was written and give it some grace.
This was funny with a slow start. Some of the conversations are very silly and reminiscent of the ones I overhear at school.

[Annie Al Saher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Takhle jsem se pobavila naposledy u Vampýrky

[Caoimhe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book like any sue limb book was and still is amazing you may think why I have only spoken about sue limb books or you may not be but even if there is one of you wondering I will put your wondering to a stop . I'm only a little girl that I have a lot to say about books and I am inspired by the book choice of Sue Limb and now I am moving onto many other books like Jacqueline Wilson and the playwrights of Shakespeare and many more I'm going onto you more adult books now and gruesome books like World War I and World War II and may only be a little girl but I can be inspired by many other books

[Ann-Triksden Süld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it for a friend. It was funny, but that's just about it.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

i didn't realize this went before "gril 15, charming but insane" but it was really funny.

[Alice Lucie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read this book when I was 9 (probably a bit too young in hindsight!) and it’s wonderful to find I still have the same sense of humour more than 10 years later - I can remember laughing like a loon at the same parts now as I did then! My favourite quote ever “there was about fifty people staring at us, hoping we’d died.”

Jess Jordan is a hilarious character; sarcastic, self-deprecating, over-dramatic, I adore her. Exactly the way I was at 15. I haven’t rated anymore than 3 stars as the plot doesn’t really have much to it or any character development blah blah blah, but it’s a great one to get stuck into whilst in the bath or on your lunch break.

I’m very much looking forward to re-reading the rest of the series.

[Chloe · Rating 1 out of 5]

It wasn't interesting in the beginning but I forced myself to continue. But after I reached chapter 2, i really must give up. It's so long winded and uninteresting. The author is trying very hard to make the book a fun read by cracking many 'cold' jokes. I will not recommend or read this author's books.

[Σελήνη]

DNF 53%

I can barely believe how boring and... plain this was. So so so bland. Nothing of interest was happening and it wasn't even remotely funny. I kept on trying because I couldn't believe that this was the actual book. Why would anyone want to write or read about nothing?

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

In conclusion: I’m definitely too old for this hahah. I think I would have loved it when I was 15 but I have a completely different mindset so reading it was somehow painful. But especially at the last few chapters I laughed a lot so I would say it’s good but more for teens around the age of 15!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute!

[Solebum Books ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

È incredibile come questo libro riesca a farmi ridere ogni volta che lo leggo.

[Malaika Opany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very funny quick read.

[Marit · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't a cliché, but... still. The book was okay, but I'm not going to read part two.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Marie Robinson for TeensReadToo.com

This is a book with a great sense of humor. It's a story about 15-year-old Jess, who lives in England and hosts a French exchange student for two weeks. The basic plot revolves around Jess and how she and her friends react to their temporary French invasion (every student in Jess' French class hosts an exchange student), but the real story is about a young teenager finding her way among her friends, accepting herself, and maneuvering through the usual crushes and teen angst that every girl experiences. What stands out here is that where many girls would wilt in the face of conflict, Jess always holds her ground and is true to herself. In that way, she is quite the role model.

This novel is a good introduction for teens and pre-teens into the chick lit genre. Unlike some critics, I like chick lit • usually. The genre is categorized by smart characters, an engaging plot, a smart sense of humor, with a little escapism thrown in. When done right, chick lit novels are reminders that reading is supposed to be fun.

Jess is never given a physical description. This allows the reader to imagine herself as Jess. She is not the prettiest or most popular girl in school, but she is pretty enough, she is smart, she is a good friend, and even though she doesn't get the boy she has her eye on, she still remains the heroine of her own story.

The one decent teenage boy in the story, who is also the only friend with whom Jess can truly be herself, is sadly a somewhat stock gay male sidekick character. And while Jess has a good relationship with her parents, they are somewhat dim. At times I had to wonder exactly who was parenting whom. But, while Jess' parents aren't the strongest characters, they did share an obvious and genuine affection for their kid, which is nice to see.

While the plot is lively and the pacing fast, the real star of this story is the language. Sue Limb has a knack for writing smart, witty dialogue that at times relegates the plot to just details. Read this book for the humor and you won't be disappointed.

[Squirrel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many funny bits, but overall a miss. Some parts seem spot on, others, that much too uncomfortable.

A LIBRARIAN mother, a foreign student visitor, and a high school student, not ONE of them think of bringing a French-English dictionary or a phrase book? It's painful. The normally funny Jess puts out zero effort to make a guest feel at ease, mom just splits with a new foreign kid in the house - its a wonder Social Services hasn't been a frequent presence prior to this time.

The dog poo on the shoe - its a distinct odor, certainly walking in a field in the dark, that would be any NORMAL person's first thought, "oh no, did I step in something?!" Offering a guest towels, telling them the timetable, offering a plate of cookies, the simplest courtesies are ignored. The kid coming from a foreign land, with dietary needs, doesn't have a list? Pictures? There's no paper to draw and neither of them can gesture? Over the top stupid for the first third, the protagonist acts like she's 9, not 15. In the second half the adults are finally allowed to participate and interact as proper parents/grandparents, redeeming the tale to some extent.

The cartoon chapter heads delight, the mercurial mood-changes accurately reflect the early teen hormonal-driven nonsense, as do the fluid friendship turnabouts. Yet it seems out of character for the players that have appeared before. Flora is not clueless, self-absorbed, insensitive, nor an exhibitionist. Surely with Whizzer as part of the HS crowd, these kids can recognize a 'player', a guy who just bounces off of girls until one 'sticks'? They just seem the wrong age to be this intense over a kid who will be there for two weeks and then gone. Maybe that's what being a teenager is like.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Jess Jordan is barely 15. Fred is her often-aggravating best guy friend; her father is a lonely bachelor; Flora is her gorgeous best friend, a constant liability; and Ben Jones is barely a twinkle in her eye. Into this innocent scene are dropped 30 or so helpless French exchange students. Jess and her mother are assigned to house Eduoard, a shy, awkward, and painfully English-deprived boy Jess's age. To counter what Jess fears in Eduoard's growing crush on her, Jess convinces her friend Fred to pose as her boyfriend, but he refuses to take their fake relationship seriously. Add a gorgeous, womanizing French student, an ill-fated camping trip in a student's a backyard, and Flora just being, well, Flora, and you have all the makings of an international incident. Will Jess be able to keep the peace, or even translate the whole debacle to the confused French students?

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has an amazing knack of thinking, writing and talking like a 15 year old girl! The plot is at once realistic and overblown--just the way the lives of 15 year olds seem to be! Jess, the protagonist, is looking forward to the visit of Edouard, a French exchange student, who will be living with her and her mom for a fortnight. From the point when they exchange introductory until they say farewell, there is lots of drama, mayhem, misunderstandings, and silliness. I laughed out loud at some of the British expressions that were woven into the book. I can't wait to read the others in the series. This would be a super beach read. If you like the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella or Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding you might enjoy these books that start younger!

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, this is the prequel to Girl, 15, Charming but Insane, which is a hilarious book. This one? Not so much.

In this outing, Jess is faced with entertaining a French exchange student. His name is Edouard, and he is basically a nerdy shrimp. Who only speaks French. Her best mate, Flora, hosts the charming Marie-Louise, and their pal, Jodie, hosts the sexy Gerard.

When the girls cook up a camping party with the exchange students, hilarity and hurt feelings ensue.

I don't know what to say. This novel is nowhere near as funny as the first in the series. Nor is it as funny as the less funny sequels. But it was nice to visit with wacky Jess one more time.

[Jodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is honestly so cute! I remember reading this back in year nine when I was only thirteen, now four years later after (accidentally)picking it up from my local bookstore, I found myself loving this piece of work! Jess Jordan is absolutely hilarious, she does remind me a little of Georgia from Angus Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging; however that is not necessarily a bad thing. This book was lovely and filled my nostalgia and I am glad that I picked this up and read it again.

I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a light and easy read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this cute prequel to Girl, 15, Charming But Insane, Jess and her friends are involved in a foreign exchange with a school in France. Jess's partner is a boy named Edouard who is incredibly short and can barely speak any English. The physical humor in this novel is great as the kids go on a disastrous camping trip in the English countryside and Jess has to borrow clothes from the aunt of one of the kids.

[crazy · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK WAS REALLY COOL AND THINK U ROMANCE LOVERS SHOULD READ IT COZ I LIKED IT AND I FOUND IT INTRESTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sarah13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Sue Limb, as an author. I think the way that she so expertly writes as if she's in the head of a 15 year-old is amazing. I think that this book is very funny and enjoyable (though maybe not as hilarious as others might say, personally I think some of her other books are better). Its a bit of light reading that will certainly get you smiling in no time, boys might not love it but I know that (like me) girls will never be able to put it down.

[Mina Yamanaka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really hilarious and I enjoyed reading it very much. The protagonist of the book, Jess is a very funny girl and always a positive-thinker. I was encouraged by her very much because even her parents have divorced, she does not let the people around feel it because she behaves very positively. This book taught me to overcome the difficulties always be positive.

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was ok, it isn't one of my absolute favorites, but it's different. Most of the books I read are by Meg Cabot, but since I almost read all her teen books, I decided to try another author. I found this book in the public library, it's part of a series. I just decided to try it out, and it's pretty good :)

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had basically no plot. They used a bit of language, used a lot of British words and phrases which we confusing, the girls were extremely shallow, and were a little inappropriate at times. I feel that this book was a waste of time.

I think it was trying to be funny, but it just fell flat.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book after Girl 15, Charming but Insane because the publication date was years later. I was surprised and that the story was chronically before Charming but Insane. I read the books backwards, I like to read books in order! Otherwise another cutesie Jess tale.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the second book in the series first but this was just as funny. We're introduced to Jess Jordan and her friends as they act as hosts for a French exchange.

Warning: You'll probably laugh out loud.