Erste Liebe, zweite Chance

Boy #4

by Meg Cabot

Es läuft rund für Becky: Sie führt ein gutgehendes Umzugsunternehmen in ihrer Heimatstadt Bloomville und hat mit Graham einen netten, verlässichen Freund. Den Sommer mit ihrer ersten großen Liebe Reed hat sie verdrängt. Was auch ganz gut klappt, denn Reed hat vor zehn Jahren Bloomville - und auch Becky - überstürzt verlassen und ist mittlerweile als erfolgreicher Golfprofi in der Welt unterwegs. Doch als seine Eltern anfangen, sich seltsam zu verhalten und in einem Restaurant mit einer Briefmarke bezahlen, ist es mit Beckys Frieden vorbei. Reed kehrt zurück. Und ausgerechnet Becky wird engagiert, seine Eltern in ihren neuen Alterswohnsitz umzusiedeln.
"Cabots Bücher sind Pageturner, die man in einer Nacht liest." New York Times
"Eine der populärsten modernen Autoren der Welt." Sunday Times
"Dieses Buch hat die Ehre, J.K. Rowling von Platz 1 der Bestseller-Liste gestoßen zu haben." Sunday Times (zu "Dein Auftritt, Prinzessin!")
"Ich liebe dieses Buch und habe mir gleich noch 8! Bücher dieser Autorin bestellt, die ich absolut bewundere." Amazon-Rezensentin (zu "Aber bitte für immer")

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

480 pages, Paperback

First published October 18, 2016

About the author

Librarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels).

Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.

She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.

Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.

Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.


Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator

Reviews

[Irena BookDustMagic · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I found out Meg Cabot was coming out with another book in her Boy series, I was so excited!



I was fan of hers for years. In fact, her Princess Diaries were first books that made me care for characters so much I wanted to know them. I was crazy about Mia Thermopolis and she was my role model in a way.

When I got a bit older, I read her Boy series and really, really loved it.
I loved the concept of books, how Cabot told us the story by only writing emails.
It was a new thing for me and I welcomed it with both hands open.



So, when I first heard about The Boy Is Back the first thing that came to my mind was "OmG, I can't wait to read it!!!" and the second thing was "I wonder how the story's going to be told today when emails are so ancient and we live in era of social media?".

There are still emails included as tool that brings the story to life, but the main part of story is told as screen shots from characters' phones.
There are chat rooms, messages and even products reviews.

I really liked the "look" of the book and how it was adjusted to today life.

Unfortunatelly, this was the only thing I liked about this book (oh wait, I'm lying! I also like the cover).

Drama, drama, drama - that was what this book is all about.



And characters that are so nosy!
They were just plain annoying and every single one of them made me nervous.
I can't always connect with characters, I get that. But there's a huge difference between the situation when you don't or can't understand someone, and the situation when you actually can't stand characters.
And the second is what happened with this book.



I couldn't like anyone from main characters.
I didn't like family drama, I didn't like how family members pushed Becky and Reed to be together, I thought how the main problem that caused all the drama and Reed's comeback to little town was uninteresting and plain stupid.
I just couldn't like the story no matter how hard I wanted to.



I wanted to DNF it so badly. I can't even remember when was the last time I just wanted to stop reading. For sake of having good memories about book series that's dear to me, for sake of not being able to say that one of my favorite authors wrote a book I didn't like at all.
But, I had an obligation to review the book, and it was only fair from me to finish the book and write honestly about my reading experience.

When browsing for other reviews, I realized I am in huge minority when it comes to disliking this novel.
Please keep in mind that many book reviewers enjoyed reading The Boy Is Back and if you liked Cabot's other books, maybe giving it a try wouldn't be the bad idea.
However, telling you that I recommend this book would be a lie.
The only suggestion I can give you is to borrow it from the library. That way, you won't be crying over 20$ spent on book if you end up not enjoying it, and in case you end up loving it, you can always purchase it later.



Note: I got this book via Edelweiss for free in an exchange for an honest review. Thank you William Morrow.

Read this and more reviews on my blog: https://bookdustmagic.com

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boy Is Back is the fourth book in the Boy series. This book is Chick Lit and is a complete standalone.

This book is told entirely through texts, emails, and journal entries.

I love that in the past 1-2 years Meg Cabot has gone back and written conclusions to some of her most popular series. First she did Royal Wedding (The Princess Diaries #11 - they are now adults), then she did Remembrance (The Mediator #7 -they are now adults), and now we have The Boy is Back (a conclusion to her popular Boy series - told completely through emails, texts...).

It has been forever since I read the first three books in the Boy series. So I was happy that this book has different characters and that I did not need to remember the previous books. Apparently there are a couple of minor characters from the previous books that have cameos (if anybody knows who these are can you list them in the comments section).

The book takes place in Bloomville, Indiana. The main characters of this story are Becky Flowers (age 24) and Reed Stewart. Other important characters are Nicole and Beverly (Becky's sister and mom) and Judge Stewart and his wife (Reed's parents), Carly Stewart (Reed's sister-in-law), Marshall Stewart (Reed's brother) and Trimble Stewart (Reed's sister).

This story is completely told through emails, texts, journal entries and a few other interesting ways (there were product reviews on Amazon which were hysterical). The other books in the series were done the same way. There are no chapters. This is a fun way to set up a book. But it does take a bit of getting used to. Also there were a handful of times when I felt this format did not work (i.e., when two characters were together and I just really wanted them to speak to each other vs the author having to figure out a way to tell us what they were saying).

The story is about Becky. She is a senior moving consultant. She helps seniors declutter and relocate. Reed is a professional golfer. He was Becky's high school boyfriend. But he left town 10 years ago. When his parents are mixed up in a town scandal everyone gets involved. And the result is some pretty funny stuff. But even though this book is fun and funny, there are some serious issues that are explored: senility, elder abuse, hoarding, and under-age drinking.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is funny and charming. It is a quick and light read. The format is interesting and made for a nice change. I really liked it!



Thanks to edelweiss and William Morrow Paperbacks for allowing me to read this book.

[Aditi · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The course of true love never did run smooth.”

----William Shakespeare


Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author, is back with her popular Boy series and yet once again the author has successfully enlightened the spark between two old flames in Cabot's signature style flair, complete with laughter, humor, a bit of pain and lots of emotions, that only ensure that whoever picks up a copy of her book is sure to have a good time. The Boy is Back is centered around a celebrated golf player who returns back to his hometown following a scandal about his parents and there he once again come face to face with his first love, who he has been avoiding for the past 10 years.


Synopsis:

In this brand-new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a scandal brings a young man back home to the small town, crazy family, and first love he left behind.

Reed Stewart thought he’d left all his small town troubles—including a broken heart—behind when he ditched tiny Bloomville, Indiana, ten years ago to become rich and famous on the professional golf circuit. Then one tiny post on the Internet causes all of those troubles to return . . . with a vengeance.

Becky Flowers has worked hard to build her successful senior relocation business, but she’s worked even harder to forget Reed Stewart ever existed. She has absolutely no intention of seeing him when he returns—until his family hires her to save his parents.

Now Reed and Becky can’t avoid one another—or the memories of that one fateful night. And soon everything they thought they knew about themselves (and each other) has been turned upside down, and they—and the entire town of Bloomville—might never be the same, all because The Boy Is Back.


Reed Stewart is back in Bloomville, the small town in Indiana, which he painfully left 10 years ago in order to forget about his heart break and also he was kicked out by his father following a tragic accident. Reed is all set to save his parents' name and also to move them to a retirement facility where they can be taken care of, following an awkward scandal that has apparently gone viral on the Internet. Although Reed is backed by his brother and his sister-in-law, he is bit scared to come across his old love whom he left behind all those years ago to become a professional golf player.

Becky Flowers has managed to make her heart understand that Reed is gone and that it is time to move on. Although she is in a stable relationship with a wine shop owner, yet her heart still holds back the sweet memories that she shared with Reed. And not to mention, when Reed's sister hires Becky to help her in laws stuffs to relocate, Becky jumps at the opportunity, who herself has inherited her father's business of moving and relocating household goods and stuffs. Little did Becky had any idea on how to react in front of Reed, when she comes face-to-face with him, all the while her emotions are running wild. But no matter what, Becky needs to maintain a professional contact with Reed, even though she is constantly being forced by her sister, mother and her best friend to rekindle the spark between Reed and Becky. But can they?

Meg Cabot is a queen when it comes to creating some cheesy melodramatic chick-lit stories that are hilarious and extremely heart touching. Unfortunately, The Boy is Back is mildly funny, moreover, it feels like the fun is force-fed by the characters, who also try to be weird and hilarious in a dramatic way. The one unique thing about this book is the way the story has been unfolded by the author through text messages, email threads, online reviews and journal entries, sometimes images too show up amidst the light heart-hearted communication among the characters. Cheesy drama aren't my forte yet I grabbed this book on the pretext that I'm gonna have a good time, no matter what. After all, sometimes, cliches are necessary to make the readers have faith in fairy tales, otherwise, fairy tales would fade into nothing.

The author's writing style is simple, articulate and something easy to comprehend with, perfectly laced with emotions, hilarious remarks and moments to reflect a sweet and romantic flair. The narrative is often sketchy, as the story is unfolded in the form of text messages and emails, hence the scenes that have already happened are narrated or discussed among the characters, which will give a brief idea to the readers about such scenes. Hence descriptions are lacking from the scenes, and also the depth is missing from those, that will leave the readers pretty clueless about the importance of the events and the scenes. The pacing is swift, as it is very easy and quick to read the book through short sentences.

And if any reader is looking for cheesy romantic story, then he/she must grab a copy of this book, as when Meg Cabot creates a magical romance between two old flames. The spark between the two central characters is well concocted by the author as they rediscover one another after a decade, where they learn new truths and secrets about one another, all the while forgiving one another for their broken past. The emotional flow among the two characters is strong, evocative and extremely compassionate, that will make the readers fall for the idea of love all over again. So on a long, lonely afternoon, this book can be your companion that holds the power to feel for your lost love yet one more time. The feelings are very much real and the readers will find it easy to contemplate with the demeanor of the two characters, who in the beginning feels scared to re-approach one another with their honest feelings.

Although the characters lack realism, layers and shades from their behavior thereby leaving them look vague in the eyes of the readers. The characters fail on being trying to look funny, yet somehow the love story will beg the readers to stay glued to the story line. The main characters are crafted out someone who is very plain, straightforward and okayish type, without much flair, passion or diversity in their demeanor. The character development lacked terribly.

So to sum up my review, I would not highly recommend this novel to anyone, yet anybody who enjoys reading cliched love stories can easily find this novel delectable and compelling enough to keep themselves engaged through out the story line.

Verdict: A sweet, tender and a bit cliched and typical Cabot-styled love story.

Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.

[Jasprit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time and time again I have to pick up a book by Meg Cabot, she’s my go to author when I’m feeling down and had a crappy day, when I need to lose myself in her crazy funny worlds with her bubbly characters. She always guarantees a laugh out loud read that you find yourself up until the early hours finishing off even though you have to get up early the next day. I’ve lost count from the times that one of her books has become my new favourite, it was originally the Princess Diaries series, then Queen of Babble, then the Heather Wells series, but now Meg’s Boy series has become my favourite once more. I adored these books when they first came out, and so when Meg announced that there would be a new addition to this series, I was over the moon and once again Meg didn’t let me down with The Boy is Back. I love the format Cabot gives us with the emails, text messages and group chats, you would think this sort of format would be difficult to get into, but once you get stuck into the story it seems to flow so well. Of course Cabot creates characters that you’re rooting for from the very beginning. I love it when characters are reunited under awkward circumstances and try to hide their feeling away from 10 years ago. We’re never given the full story of what happened between Reed and Becky 10 years ago, but just given snippets over the course of the story and I really liked this. I’d made my guesses of what really went down, but was glad to be surprised that I was wrong. It was obvious from the beginning that there was still something between Reed and Becky and I adored the build up to their relationship, the misunderstandings and mistakes that they had to endure along the way. Reed was such an adorable character, watching him try and make sense of how to make things right was so cute. It was clear that even though Reed had messed up in the past, he was trying his best to make things right now.

Once again Cabot gives us a great set of quirky characters which bring so much entertainment to the story with their colourful personalities. I loved the interactions between them, how they were there for each other to offer extra encouragement and support when needed. But they were also those characters who you loved to hate, that were so infuriating, but also so entertaining at the same time. Even though I had inkling about how things would end I absolutely loved this book. The Boy is Back couldn’t have come at a better time for me; I was in the biggest reading funk ever, and feeling quite down to coming back home from holiday. So I welcomed these vibrant characters into my life with open arms. I also liked the small cross references that Cabot included to other characters in the rest of the Boy series, just this small amount of it made me want to re-read the entire series once more. I’m not normally a big book pusher, but if I can recommend one book that everyone should pre-order this year it is The Boy is Back. Cabot weaves a wonderful story of missed chances, family, friendships and love. It’s full with many scenes which will have you laughing out loud and swooning throughout!

[Eva • All Books Considered · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally posted at All Books Considered: 4.5 STARS

This book is told entirely in newspaper articles, texts, chats, e-mails, journals and product reviews. While this sounds silly and a bit fun, it totally worked for me. I liked getting so many different POV and so many different ways of telling the story. I literally devoured this -- I couldn't put it down, even for a minute. I never had any trouble getting into this book nor was any part of it not super easy and fun to read. It's just the kind of book that you can pick up and read in one sitting, with a smile on your face the entire time. Also, Reed is my new book boyfriend, like one of the ones that will go down in history for me. He was so swoony and so kind. And I loved Becky, too -- you can tell that Reed and Becky just belong together from the start of the book. I hate to give too much about the plot away but I can tell you that Reed and Becky were high school sweethearts -- on prom night, something happens and Reed leaves town, never to return. He becomes a pro golfer while Becky stays in Indiana, taking over her father's business. Cue ten years later when Reed's parents are in need of Becky's services and Reed has to come back to town. The attraction is, of course, remembered and magnetic but there was a definitely slow burn about it. I laughed out loud while reading this so many times, which is rarer and rarer to find lately. I know I'm gushing about this but I really did love it -- it makes me happy to think about it and I know it will become a re-read.

I hadn't read any of the other books in this "series" prior to this book but I gather they are all standalone and I had no problem with context. I definitely will go back and read them now since I loved this book so much! I highly recommend this to fans of funny and swoony contemporary women's fiction; although this is pretty light in its topics, it's so fun and the perfect second-chance romance! The Boy is Back comes out soon, on October 18, 2016, you can purchase HERE, and I loved this so much!

It's been ten years. Ten years! I've been in so many other relationships since Reed and I went out (well, okay—three, including Graham).

But I've had multiple hookups, if you count all the rebounding I did during freshman year, when I still thought I might hear from him.

I have very definitely moved on.

So why is it that everyone in this town still links our names together?

And why is it that whenever his name is mentioned, my heart still flips over in my chest, and I catch my breath—so much so that tonight I started choking on the mouthful of camembert I was chewing?

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

18 June 2018

Cabot is one of my favorite authors: she is reliably entertaining, even when addressing serious themes. And her books never fail to cheer me up. She is literary Prozac, returning the world to favor in my eyes, restoring my sense of perspective.

That's in general. In the specifics this is going to be the best book I read this year. First, it's a retelling of Persuasion, a book I recently re-read and one I now respect far more than I did in my youth (now tying with Pride & Prejudice for second behind Northanger Abbey [consider this an invitation to respond with your ranking of Austen]). Second, it deals with aging parents and their progressive deficits, and the responsibility that places on the offspring who then have to step in and address many challenges with no preparation. There is a huge untapped market for childing classes that would cover topics like how to financially guide parents, and home maintenance and repair for seniors who are reluctant to accept help, and downsizing retirees into more manageable homes, and increasing frailty in the aging, and decreased nutrition in people who won't or shouldn't cook. This year has meant having to cope with an entirely new set of care-giving tasks that make nursing a parent through cancer feel easy. This isn't a statement made unknowingly: I have now seen four parents through a total of seven different cancers, and compared to dementia cancer is refreshingly straightforward.

The hard part for the aging parent is losing their independence. For the child (or other relation, or partner, or friend) the hard part is finding a way to help someone who may aggressively reject help. Everyone complains about getting older than we used to be, but no one ever seems to feel old in an absolute sense. The same way no one ever seems to feel adult. I certainly don't. When I look in the mirror I'm always surprised that I'm not still a young-looking 25. Seeing my grandmother's face in the mirror is weird no matter how many decades I've had to get used to it.

But this is where Cabot's skill really amazes me: she's written a book about aging parents and how overwhelming it can be to suddenly have myriad new fires to put out every day and it's a romcom. More than that: it's funny as hell and it's never mean. Not about the older people anyway. Like the heroine Becky, it is sweet, and kind, and understanding. The first time I read Emma I was struck by the way Mr. Woodhouse was treated: yes his whole early nights and gruel advice is silly, and very effectively played for laughs, but the tone is loving and indulgent. Emma wouldn't leave him for anything, and her happy ending includes him. How many writers since Austen have succeeded at pulling off that "silly old bear" tone? The only other I can think of is von Arnim in Enchanted April.

So this is really the perfect book for me this year: light hearted and compassionate and grounded and optimistic. Any other writer mentioning raccoons and cat collectibles would have me ugly crying and full of grief. Not only am I not sad, I am comforted.

Okay, one last way in which Cabot is a superlative author: her backlist has more series than most writers do separate novels, and there isn't a disappointing one in the list. Even Shakespeare has some works that leave me meh (The Winters Tale leaves me cold despite the best stage direction ever). And I still haven't embraced Mansfield Park. Stephen King and Agatha Christie mostly please, but they've both published some duds.

Library copy

[Suzanne]

Fun and funny, great at this time when I really need to laugh!

[Lakshmi C · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Ceramic Cats

I love Meg Cabot's Boy Series and was a happy smurf when I heard about a new book. The other 3 books  are romantic, funny, sweet and have a permanent place on my comfort re- read list.
Was this a fine addition to the Boy Series?

What worked for me :

1 Marshall and Carly
First, Marshall and Carly are the lead hero's brother and sister in law. Second, they are my favorite characters in this story and a book that revolves around these two would be terrific.
Carly was strong, sorted, funny; caring and she loved to be right. Marshall loved his family but was in total denial about their behaviour. It was super funny to see him struggle with Auto Correct when he got mad or shocked.
This was a Classic case of opposites attract.

Great. I’m going to kill myself.
Right after I kill those other parents. And then my own parents.

According to Daddy, when your accountant dies, you do not have to pay taxes anymore. What a wonderful law of which I was not aware until now! Why don’t we all start murdering our accountants? Then we’ll never have to pay taxes again.

Carly : Jackie Monroe says it’s the duty of every person in a committed,happy romantic relationship to try to help at least one other person find romantic happiness too. And I haven’t managed to help any!
Marshall : Well, my baby brother is not going to be the first. Swear on Blinky’s life that you’ll stay out of this.
Carly : I’m not swearing on the life of the dog, Marshall.

Marshall
Are you shooting me?
Reed
No, I am not shooting you. Why would I shoot you?

2 Small Town Setting
Small towns add a cozy atmosphere, a sense of intimacy and community. It increases the  crazy and embarassing events in the story.

3 Second chance Romance
These just have the potential for so much - reconnecting, history, flying sparks, a broken plate or two, lots of tension and emotions running high.

4 Reed's Parents
They have turned into eccentric hoarders and it was hilarious to see their kids run around trying to help them.

This is America. A man has a right to allow raccoons to nest in his ceiling if he wants to.

Marshall, they’re stacked up like high-rises all around the house.They’re complete accidents waiting to happen. One of them could fall over at any time and wipe out Mom or one of the kids.

What didn't work for me :

1 When you don't love the lead couple ...
I liked Reed but Becky was ok, I don't have any feelings for her. Reed was funny & charming but he ran from conflict and emotion.
If the story focused largely on these two, this story could have been in some trouble.

2 How I long for thee
A disastrous night kept them apart for 10 years and got Reed banished from his hometown. I was Super curious but the big reveal disappointed me.
I hate it when couples have to stay apart for a long time, but Reed's reasons for going silent...I really don't get it.

3 Trimble
Most of us have some stuck up family or relatives, but Trimble was too much. She was realistic at first but soon it was repetitive whining and I wanted to push her into a pool.

The story had a light mystery, lots of funny moments but it lacked a loveable lead couple.
Maybe not the Boy series, but this could definitely be considered the Boy series Lite.

[Eri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read since the election depleted any wells of joy/happiness I had, and for good reason.

It's been years since I've read a Meg Cabot book but I will admit this; no one writes chick-lit as well as she does and this book made me smile and grin at the ridiculous hijinks. Cabot has a talent for writing completely ridiculous sentences and infuse them with cheek and humor that you can help but adore.

I really liked the other books in this series, but I think this one might be my favorite. It's amazing how she can make a random collection of texts, emails, diary entries, and other multimedia pieces come together to form such a fun book without resorting to a conventional narrative, one of the strong points of this series. I do think that the interactions/relationships between the characters wouldn't have come across as strongly without this narrative and the book wouldn't have worked.

I especially enjoyed the Stewart family exchanges (minus that one Stewart no spoilers) and the ones between Reed and Becky. I don't even know how to explain how I ship them so much even without actually getting real descriptions, only interactions and a few diary entries that almost read like a traditional book. But I am gushing over them anyway, and I loved them together.

The entire premise of the book itself is slightly wacky, and I think that Cabot has a flair for taking a tad of a ridiculous premise and somehow, making it work. It's a special brand of her writing magic, and I was enthralled and could not stop reading. I also liked how, compared to her earlier works, this book featured some very thoughtful commentary about social issues while balancing it with the overall wacky humor that makes her trademark writing so winning and enjoyable.

[Anna Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, but extremely predictable. Also, Becky was basically Mia, just in a very small town and much less neurotic. Kind of boring at points because I already knew without a doubt how it'd end.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Meg Cabot is the queen of fluff! And this series is one of the best at it. The epistolary format consisting of emails, texts, and documents makes this a fun and quick read. The Stewart family is in trouble. Their father, a prominent local judge, tried to pay for a meal with a worthless stamp. Is he going crazy? His children are scrambling to figure their parents out and professional golfer son Reed rolls back into town. And sister-in-law Carly has decided to hire ex-girlfriend Becky to organize their parents' stuff. See the dilemma? Meg really has us rooting for Becky and Reed getting back together throughout the entire book.

[BookChic Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Boy series is probably my favorite Meg Cabot series; I love the unique way the story is told and in this new installment, there's the usual text messages and emails, but there's also the Bloomville Herald articles and ads, Amazon reviews of random items that fit into the story, and even some picture messaging too! With this unique styling, I just flew through the book and really had a hard time putting it down and making the reading experience last as long as it did. Every time I had a free moment, I wanted to pick it up and keep reading!

This book is a little different from the previous three in the series, in that it doesn't take place at the New York Journal, but you do see two familiar faces in little bit parts of the book. All of the new characters though are so easy to fall in love with, especially the two main characters Reed and Becky, and feature the usual Cabot humor (and yes, I did laugh out loud many times while reading). There's a darker aspect of life given some page time in the book- hoarding and elder abuse- but it doesn't really bring down the book at all.

I highly recommend this latest installment in Cabot's Boy series and it's making me want to re-read the previous three again (for the millionth time)!

[Glory · Rating 3 out of 5]

В плане юмора, воздушности и отдыхательности "The Boy Is Back" ничуть не уступает предыдущим книгам серии. И как же я соскучилась по этим записочкам и эсэмэскам)))

На сей раз у нас роман в стиле "второй шанс". Десять лет назад Рид Стюарт укатил из родного городка, чтобы стать профессиональным гольфистом. И добился успеха, но из-за одного крошечного поста в интернете Риду приходится ехать на малую родину, дабы помочь семье справиться с трудностями. К отцу-судье и брошенной любимой девушке, с которыми все эти годы он не общался.

Простая история о старых ошибках и обидах, о годах отчужденности, о семье, о любви, о дружбе. С милыми и добрыми героями, с сумасшедшими родственниками и соседями, с глупыми и уморительными ситуациями.
В чем-то этот роман излишне драматичен - куда драматичнее прочих книг в серии, - но не то чтобы сильно тяжелый. Просто несколько "сопливый", в лучшем смысле этого слова)))
От развития, а точнее возрождения отношений Рида и Беки сердце замирает. Ну и пусть герои получились слегка... шаблонными, но, имхо, читать о них все равно приятно.

Однако слишком высокую оценку поставить не могу. Роман мил и бесспорно цепляет, но не настолько.
Это просто хорошая история для поклонников автора в целом и серии в частности.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who else loves Meg Cabot?! I’ve read quite a few of her books in the past and The Boy is Back was calling my name from my shelves after sitting there for 100 years. This was cute, funny and a breezy read. It’s told only in emails, texts, journal entries etc so you can finish this one fast. It has crazy, meddling family members, a small town cozy vibe and a second chance romance, what more could I want in a fall read? Nothing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⁣

[Lacey (laceybooklovers)]

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

ANOTHER BOY BOOK FROM MEG CABOT!!!!!!

First the Princess Diaries series, then the Mediator series, and now THIS!? I'm so happy I could cry.

Preorder:
Paperback: http://amzn.to/1qVAQ7I
Kindle: http://amzn.to/22xx2F7
Hardcover: http://amzn.to/1SOiz2u

[Aisha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf
It was cute reading the text messages and emails for awhile but after it just makes you cringe..I personally need one on one conversations between the characters.
Hope my next one is good :|

[Zøe Haslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

· “Choose the road that leads to success, not to the basement.” ·



Believe it or not, this was my first Meg Cabot book ever. And I found it hilarious! As I turned the pages, I couldn’t stop laughing at the events.

To begin with, I find the premise of this story very appealing—boy returns home after a long exile. Boy left a girl behind and never spoke to her again (in a decade!!!) Boy never got girl out his system (pun intended). Girl never got boy out of her system either. This sounds promising.



But now, let’s add some fun—a lot of chaos, crazy parents (let’s just say every parent in this book is mental at some extent and lovable precisely because of that—except Trimble, we should all hate Trimble), family in denial of hoarder parents, nosy sister, small town (big hell?), naughty kids and tons of cats ♥




What I loved the most about the book, however, weren’t the characters, but the way the story is told. The narrative. Through a series of emails, chats, transcripts, journal entries, blog posts, and newspaper pieces (among others), the story moves forwards brilliantly. Everything is fast paced, things are constantly happening, and the reader gets dragged into the most weird situations. But a good laugh is guaranteed at all times!

And some romance too!



All in all, I completely enjoyed “The Boy Is Back” and I’m looking forwards to my next Meg Cabot book!!

[QNPoohBear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Becky Flowers owns a successful senior relocation business in her hometown of Bloomington, Indiana. She enjoys helping seniors transition to a new life and wine tastings at her boyfriend Graham's wine and cheese bar. When she learns that local bigwig Judge Stewart and his wife have been arrested for trying to defraud a local casual eatery, she believes she can help. The Stewarts were very kind to her in the past and she wants to repay that kindness, certain this is all a misunderstanding. However, the Stewarts children know things have gotten out of hand and they need Becky's help. Her sister Nicole urges her NOT to take the job; the Stewarts sound like hoarders and the job may bring back Becky's high school boyfriend, Reed Stewart, whom she hasn't seen or heard from in 10 years. Becky is sure she can maintain a professional working relationship if Reed returns. Riiight.... Reed Stewart, pro golfer and ladies man, hasn't spoken to his parents since prom night 10 years earlier. He's happy to send a check to help them if that's what his siblings want, but his sister-in-law Carly has other ideas. She wants Reed back in town and back in Becky's life. Reed's uncle believes he has unresolved issues and should return to his hometown. Reed isn't sure what he wants, but if he returns, it will be to help his parents only- right?!

Meg Cabot does Persuasion *SQUEAL*! I'm sure all of you know Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen novel and dear Jane one of my favorite writers. Meg Cabot is my favorite contemporary women's fiction author ("chick-lit") and the marriage of the two is the perfect combination. I loved the previous "Boy" books, especially Every Boy's Got One so of course I had to read this one. The book had me with the epigraph from Persuasion.

The texting/chatting/e-mail format is a little weird. She doesn't use Twitter's limit on characters though so the messages are long enough to get in plot and dialogue. The discussions are lively and funny, especially Marshall's attempts at using bad language which autocorrect overrides. The plot develops nicely despite the limitations of the format. The one message format I didn't care for were the long-winded reviews of items purchased. They didn't really add anything to the story and neither did the Stewart grandkids' antics, though they did add to the humor, which Meg Cabot always does well.

Another thing Meg Cabot always does well is create memorable and quirky characters. At first I didn't like Reed. He seemed like a "douche" as the modern Bennet sisters in the "Lizzie Bennet Diaries" would say, but then I fell madly in love with him for the same reason Becky did. He reads Jane Austen! He quotes from Jane Austen's novels! Then when Becky reveals what actually happened on prom night, it made me love him even more. I ended up with a big cheesy grin on my face and swooning with delight as I finished the book. Though there is one moment where he sounded like Darcy in the first proposal scene but that was quickly cleared up.

Becky isn't quite as memorable as Reed. She's a girl-next-door type character who is content to live in her small town and date a boring guy she isn't compatible with. I admire her for taking over her late father's business and running it successful with her mother and sister. She handles the Stewarts very well and even the junior members of the family respond to her. I guess she's supposed to be a modern Anne Eliot, but she has a little more spunk and of course, a modern life where she has choices and freedoms Anne doesn't have. I like the relationship between Becky and Reed. I wasn't sure the limitations of the format would be enough to develop the love story, but it works. The multi-character point-of-view helps develop the story instead of just getting Becky and Reed's sides of the story.

The secondary characters are so much fun! I loved the Stewarts. At first I thought they would be the usual rich, snobby people found in the previous Boy books and Reed would be the black sheep, but this story breaks from the mold. The Judge and his wife are entirely likable with all their quirks and faults. They're very kind and obviously love their family and their community. Their house and obsessions were cringe-worthy but it could happen to me or anyone who collects anything, or anyone who uses ebay. It seems at first like Carly would not be likable but I enjoyed her very much. She keeps her family in line while still allowing their natural unique qualities to shine. She loves her family and wants them all to be happy, especially Reed. She is NOT Mary Musgrove. She's more like Sophia Croft but all her own person. Her husband is a bit of an idiot, but he's funny. Their daughter Bailey is hysterical but not necessary to the plot. Trimble is the only Stewart I didn't like and she was written as unlikable. Her siblings can't stand her and neither can I. Her kids are awful but Ty has some good insight into the family dynamics.

Becky's family is also quirky. Her mother, Beverly, is a hippie-like woman trying to fight injustice. I admire her fight, I question her methods! Nicole is a bit sarcastic, feisty and protective of her sister. She always tells it like it is. She's the younger sister but sometimes acts like an older sister to Becky. Becky's best friend Leanne doesn't add anything to the story except as a confidant to Becky.

I'm marking the book clean and technically it is kisses only but there is some suggestive dialogue and references to sex.

This story is best appreciated by Janeites, especially Persuasion fans. I don't know if people who don't know Jane Austen's original work will enjoy this one. They might like it but probably not as much as #TeamWentworth would!

[Christa Schönmann Abbühl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth star is for brightening an otherwise rather trying day. This was sweet and funny. I have always enjoyed stories in this format (the book is told through chat messages and emails mostly), and even though this does not always make perfect sense, it makes for easy reading.

The romance and the family drama was very much to my liking. What I did not like was the callous way the main characters got rid of their exes.

[Lady Gabriella of Awesomeness (SLOW) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 fun Stars !

Had lots of fun buddy reading this with my lil' sis ! Had a lot of LOL moments :)
Would recommend it It as a quick one time,if your a fan of this series otherwise no harm in skipping this one *shrug*

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

 

The unique storytelling format added a ton of humor to this second chance romance with the added story about "crazy" parents (tongue firmly in cheek).

 

This is my first book by Meg Cabot and it will not be my last.  I'm not sure if I should have picked this particular book to be my first, though.  But hey, you don't really know what you're getting into until you're knee deep into a book.  And once I got into the swing of how this story was going to go, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

The reason why it took me a bit to "warm-up" to this story is because it is told entirely in emails, text messages, shopping reviews, news stories, and finally, towards the last half, journal entries.

Ms. Cabot makes this work!

It is laugh out loud hysterical at times.  And it's also very moving (pun completely intended).

Becky Flowers lives in Bloomville, Indiana and she has grown her family's moving business into a senior relocating business.  But back in high school, she was quite the crazy one who had the dream boyfriend in Reed Stewart.... until he left her to go to college for golf and never said goodbye.  Yeah, that stings.  Now he's a pro on the golf tour and Becky is still in their hometown dating a "lumbersexual" wine and cheese shop owner.  When Reed's sister-in-law asks Reed to come back home to help deal with his parents, he reluctantly comes back to Bloomville.  Turns out, his parents are going to need A LOT of help.  And Reed is going to need to Becky's assistance on this one.

Oh, this family is a hysterically sad mess...

But behind this quirky (some might say gimmicky)  method of telling the story, there's an important story about family dynamics, elder abuse, and alzheimers/dementia.  I can't tell you any more than that because this story also managed to flat our surprise me with it's ending!

Just be prepared that this story is really 50% romance and 50% family story.  Both mix well into an interesting plot with crazy characters.  Just don't be stuck on who the crazy ones are ;)



 Review appears on

[Camilla Isley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book... like the others in the boy series I really enjoy the modern epistolary writing style. I think it was completely genius. This novel has plenty of humor and a cute, sweet romance.

I would suggest buying this book in a physical format, I read it on the iPad, but I couldn't zoom and it was difficult at times.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was so freaking cute I'm in physical pain.

Meg definitely has a formula, but I LIVE for that formula. And actually, The Boy is Back broke from that formula in certain ways that made it even more delightful to read. Plus it's just straight up hilarious. And cute. Did I mention cute? SO CUTE.

Exactly what the doctor ordered for a gloomy day. Review to come.

[Deyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, how much I love that Cabot decided to do a revival of (almost) all her old series <3

[Mireille Duval · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Boy series ♥

I'll be honest, this felt very shallow (particularly the love story), mostly because it's such a quick read. I LOVE an epistolary novel, but the whole email signatures etc. takes up a lot of space on the page, and thus there's less space for the actual story! But I had a lot of fun reading it and it had been a while since I had read a romance, so, I recommend it. (Particularly if you can borrow it from the library.)

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I know.” What was wrong with me? “I must have forgotten to hydrate.”
I did know what was wrong with me, actually. It was Reed Stewart, back (in spirit, anyway) to ruin my whole life. AGAIN.

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 4 out of 5]

***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads

Earlier this year, Remembrance came out - an adult add-on to one of my favorite series growing up - and I was d.i.s.a.p.p.o.i.n.t.e.d. I had come to expect so much from Meg Cabot but the book failed to deliver and I was filled with sadness. But when I heard about The Boy is Back, I was pumped and ready to dive into the book. Fortunately, The Boy is Back is as amazing as a Cabot book should be and filled with all the sugary goodness that makes me squeal with delight.

I am trash for good second chance romance novels and even though it was Meg Cabot, I was a little vary because I hate the second chance romances where two people were in love in HS and 10 years later, still aren’t over each other. It’s awkward and perhaps even a tad unrealistic. I mean how much of the world have you really seen at 18? How can the person you loved when you were 18 be “the one” 10 years later when you haven’t interacted with them at all in those 10 years? IDK but Meg Cabot made it work for me. I can see why they Becky and Reed work well together and I love that while there is some dancing around, it isn’t stretched for any longer than it should be.

This book is told through text convos, diary entries, newspaper articles, interviews, etc and that worked for the most part except for a few diary entries that read more like first person POV rather than diary entries. I feel like I should elaborate a little bit more on the “worked for the most part” because I actually REALLY enjoyed the format except for some of those diary entries (they were awkward.) Meg Cabot is one of the few people who can write a book in that format and make it work like an actual novel.

The other thing that bothered me was that certain individuals were mostly characterized by stereotypes rather than actual characteristics. Like Reed’s parents for example. I think the stereotypes probably made it harder to explore in depth some real-world issues that were at play in the novel.

Having said that, I do think Cabot does a good job of bringing up some real-world problems in a humorous setting. There is LOTS of humour but she uses it to highlight problems and makes us question the society in which the elderly can be abused so easily and taken advantage of.

The characters that are less stereotypes and more human beings are WONDERFUL. I LOVE THEM because they are all adorable and I want to give them all hugs. Reed and Becky who are at the heart of this novel are so much fun to read about because they have lives outside of each other. Their relationships with their families and friends is so much fun to read. It’s also why Cabot’s books are so great. She creates these amazing social environments that draw you in until you are invested in everyone’s lives and pretty much want to be part of their families/friends circles. Plus people support each other, call each other out and engage is communication and cuteness.

Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounding up: MEG CABOT! WROTE A NEW BOOK! IN THE BOYS SERIES! Really, that alone, was enough to have me read it. Also the Tim & Dolly cameos was A+ much appreciated.

So, I absolutely completed loved the epistolary update from ten years ago--texts for emails! Newspaper articles! FB events!--though I am still waiting for my epistolary romance with tweets somebody please write for me? As usual the mystery was not too mysterious but I am liked seeing Carly's hatred justified (also her and Marshall were a cute secondary couple!)

As for the main couple, hi hello this is my EXACT FLAVOR OF SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE, down to she thinks she has moved on while he IS STILL MADLY IN LOVE WITH HER. Bonus times a thousand for the Austen quote exchange they have going on & Persuasion quote sexting because why flirt when you can use Austen? Half a point knocked off because I think the epistolary format wasn't quite as well used as it could have been/things were rushed re: their reconciliation to reunion, but honestly, this was really just so, so, so very enjoyable.

Meg Cabot is one of my favorites and this book highlights pretty much all the reasons why. So glad, when it comes to romcom, she's back!

[starryeyedjen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute story AND it's an epistolary novel. I loved the use of text messages, emails, newspaper articles, online reviews, and even the transcript of an interview to show the characters actually having a conversation. This way, you got so many perspectives and you got to really know all of the characters. Plus, it was just plain funny. And really, really perfect for my first Meg Cabot book. All of the books in this series -- this was the fourth and naturally I started with it because I'm awful -- are epistolary in style and I can't wait to read the rest. I hope they're just as candid and hilarious.

[Rowena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delightful treat from Meg Cabot. I missed this series and the style of writing (the entire story is told through text messages, instant messages, emails, etc...). It was fun with charming characters. I was a happy camper. Full review to come.