Amy's True Love

Sweet Valley High #75

by Francine Pascal (Creator)

Boy-crazy Amy Sutton has finally found the guy of her dreams-tennis star Tom McKay. But Tom's not at all interested in dating her. Amy just can't believe it and refuses to give up! Tom asks his friend Barry Rork to help him convince Amy that she's wasting her time. Barry's fallen for Amy himself, and he tries to make her see how much he cares about her. But Amy just gets furious with Barry for interfering. Will she ever set aside her pride and find true love?

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Teen, Romance

135 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1991

About the author

Francine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.

Reviews

[Rena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading a bunch of Baby-Sitters Club and Sweet Valley High books for nostalgia, but I knew I had to read the one book I found in my search for gay people in Sweet Valley. Although the story is centered more about shallow Amy's quest to be taken seriously – both in school and with cute tennis player, Tom – the real crux of the biscuit is Tom realizing he may be gay. While I didn't like the phrasing of being gay as a "choice," I had to admit this was a pretty progressive story. It approaches coming out as something that takes time and you may not have all the answers right away. Good story, aside from Amy's desperate attempts and oblivious actions.

[Ashley Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The one where we want to kick Amy until she's dead...

[Hillary]

I'm a bit torn here: On the one hand SVH finally has a gay character, on the other there have been at least four previously who were just living the lie.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amy Sutton didn't get a super-star super edition book, but number 75 was kind of like one, as there are very little Wakefield twins in this book. Amy is barely passing a class and gets roped into volunteering for the Teen Help Line at a local nonprofit. Surprisingly, superficial Amy is pretty good at handling the phone lines, and she makes what we're told is her first "male friend"- which seems incongruous with what we know about Amy from previous books and the Twins series- that she was a serious tomboy through elementary and middle school, but... hey, its Sweet Valley, where people stay 16 for like 4 Christmases and nobody bats an eye. Amy thinks that all her problems will be fixed if she just gets herself a real boyfriend, and sets her sights on newly single Tom McKay because he's hot, athletic, and popular-- the only three things that matter in choosing a mate.

Tom isn't having any of Amy's affecction, however. He just isn't interested. The big reveal in this book is that Tom McKay and Jean West have broken up (been together since a book in the early 30s, so- that's a long time in Sweet Valley years), and even Tom isn't sure why he can't feel any passion towards Jean, just knows that it isn't working. Then he meets Enid's super hot tennis star cousin, and he catches all the feels for this dude, who confides in Tom that he's gay. Tom realizes he may also be gay. Just in case you think uber-Republican Sweet Valley is going to be cool or at all progressive about this (this book was published in 1991, so no longer the mid-80s)-- don't worry, they're DEFINITELY NOT. The book talks about being gay over and over again as being a choice, how people choose to be that way, and even cousin Enid is kind of icked out about her cousin when he first comes out to her. I mean.... I think its crystal clear at this point that Sweet Valley books were pretty bad for our national psyche as impressionable tweens, not only because they gave us unrealistic versions of high school friendships and fun, but because when they start tackling social issues, they pretty much always did it REALLY BADLY (except for Regina's cocaine death- that shit kept a lot of kids from ever trying coke...lol) by giving too much credence to the talking points of expected and accepted bigotry, be it to race or apparently sexual orientation. At any rate, newly-maybe-gay Tom isn't interested in Amy, despite her throwing herself at him constantly, but don't worry! New character Barry has the hots for Amy and he's not gay, so she may get herself a boyfriend after all, and all her problems will be fixed.

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amy’s True Love
Plot: A). Everyone is kinda over Amy being an airhead and the only conversation that she seems to be capable of (of) boys and clothes. She doesn’t make it a secret she’s into Tom Mckay. She even asks Jean if she’s crazy letting him get away. She’s also not doing so hot in her school work. After making a failing grade in sociology her teacher tells her she can rewrite the paper or she can volunteer at a community center called Project Youth. At first, Amy doesn’t wanna do it because it’ll interfere with her oh so important social life of cheerleading and shopping. But then she changes her mind because she thinks of a tv show she saw about a social worker and secretly she found it interesting. It turns out she’s good at concealing the people that call the center. She meets a guy there named Barry Rork whose head over heels in love with Amy, but she just brushes him off and sticks him in the “just a friend” category. She’s slightly more interested in him only when she finds out he’s friends with Tom McKay. Tom, unfortunately, is NOT into Amy. She makes a fool out of herself practically the whole book chasing him around SVH and trying to get him to dance with her at parties. Even she sees he’s not feeling her like that, but she thinks if she’s persistent enough. It just does NOT work like that! Jess does notice Barry’s into Amy and decides to get them together. Amy tries to tell her mom about Tom, but can’t think of anything other to tell her than he’s blond and hot. She has no idea about anything else about him. Even though it’s painfully clear to Amy she’s just into this guy for surface reasons, she goes out and spends 60 dollars on concert tickets. Not only does she ask him, she asks in front of everyone and he turns her down. Kirk Anderson calls her a dumb blond and she runs out the cafeteria crying. Jess convinces Amy to ask Barry out and all of sudden she goes from Tom being everything to Barry being the one. B) Enid’s cousin is coming to town from San Francisco. All the girls wanna get with him, but all he wants to do is just chat them up and buy them drinks at the beach disco. Instead, he’d rather play tennis and talk about jazz music with Tom. He and Tom become fast friends. At a party, he confesses to Tom that he’s gay. Tom is kinda disturbed by this (slightly) but he tells himself Jake can like who he wants. Then Tom starts to worry that he too is gay and what everyone will think of him. Enid tells Elizabeth, (because Jake told her) that he’s gay. Enid has an awkwardness about it. Elizabeth (typical) acts like she’s shocked and says some people might not ever get past what he is to see who he is. Then he goes to MR COLLINS to discuss this. He tells him it’s natural for anyone to question their sexual identity and empathizes with how hard it must be for him at this age. Liz bumps into Tom at Project Youth reading a pamphlet about coming out and she says she admires him. C) Lila and Jessica spend the whole book ignoring Amy and throwing themselves at Jake


My Thoughts A) Amy and Barry will NOT last to the end of this series. To the end of this series? Who am I kidding? Amy and Barry won’t make it 10 books from now. And I really wanna feel sorry for Amy over Tom because we all play the fool sometimes. I can’t tell you how much this year I’ve looked back at some of the people I've thrown myself into and then when I saw some of the stuff I wrote I just CRINGED like what the HLL were you on and thinking about. But I can’t feel *too* sorry for her because she’s such a shallow character that the urge for pity is QUICKLY replaced with one to roll my eyes. I wanna feel sorry for Barry but then I can’t really feel sorry for him neither. I can’t feel sorry for Barry because this happens ALL the time! Time after time after time men pick these kinds of chicks to fall head over hell for, and usually, they're the ones that end of wifed. But it a few books from now -what- when all the excitement of having a steady relationship wears off and some other SV male that’s just as shallow as Amy herself comes to her attention at Big Mesa or wherever. Barry won’t even be so much as another one to add to the list with Bruce, Ken, Scot Troust, and Peter DeHaven B) This was just SAD! First of all, Tom thinking he’s gay because he enjoyed the company of another male that just so happens to be gay is RIDICULOUS! And then it leaves us on a cliffhanger like well *is* he? No where in this does it say he has sexual thoughts for Jake. And just because he broke up with Jean doesn’t mean he is or isn’t. It just might mean Jean wasn’t the *right* girl. Guys break up with great girls (women) ALL THE TIME for absolutely NOTHING! Please don’t ask my why this is but half the time I don’t think it has anything to do with them being gay. And Tom not being into Amy doesn’t prove anything either. Not liking Amy just means he’s SMART and probably doesn’t wanna catch something down the line. Also, it was horrible how they all treated Jake like he was something to be pitied or handle with awkwardness. The attitude for Jake and Tom should have been “Oh okay” as in moving on. I had two friends (female) to tell me they were bisexual (well one didn’t tell me directly) but should it *really* that much of a big deal? I see them both as I always have GOOD FRIENDS and that’s all there is too it. Therefore, neither Tom, nor Enid, nor Elizabeth should have been phased. I thought Enid was supposed to be one of the “good” characters. She avoids poor Jake like he has the plague or something. Like his gayness will rub off on her and she’ll start wanting to feel up Elizabeth. The way being gay was dealt with in this book just felt awkward. And COME ON you think your gay the first person you tell is your TEACHER (side-eye). YEEEEAH! I don’t think so?
Rating: 5

[Carla Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy’s true love

So this was surprisingly really good. I’d never read it before, and was super surprised to discover a former main (for one novel) character realises he’s gay. He learns this after Enid’s cousin, who also comes out in this novel, confides in him about his sexuality. It’s pretty progressive in a hallmark kind of way, especially so for the SVH universe. Considering This book was published in 91, with wide AIDS fears and general homophobia, that’s pretty cool. But it makes it even weirder that Steve marries AJ in the future when there’s at least one SVH recurring character that’s actually gay.

[K.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amy Sutton is convinced her friends don't take her seriously because she doesn't have a boyfriend- not because she's a vapid bitch. She fixates on tennis player Tom McKay despite his lack of interest. She also volunteers at Project Youth, a hotline, in order to bring up her sociology grade. There she meets Barry Rork, Tom's closest friend, who seems to be a lot more interested in Amy than Tom is

[Bobby Stringini · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little book that handles some serious subject matter with a great deal of thoughtfulness and heart. Have to say, I was impressed.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to read

One of the boys in the book became gay... Well Amy found the job she wants and a new boyfriend. She really likes.

[Monique Brownrigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, a surprisingly wholesome book.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always loved this one, and it's held up surprisingly well.

However, why did they have to make Amy so unfortunate looking on the cover? Poor girl.

[Nell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never been a great big fan of Amy so wasn’t expecting too much from this one, but it surprised me into really liking it. I liked Amy and Barry together, and how this one tackled teen issues with the hot line but also Amy starting to change the perception of herself.

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Francine Pascal, how you shaped my childhood. And how much I loved every word that you wrote. Good times.

[Sheila Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember the cover but just not the story.

[Dr. Aditi Kapoor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book Amy's perspective
It also introduces the concept of multiple dimensions of gender and love in a very gentle way.