Zipped -- Laura and Tom McNeal
I'll admit it. I read this book because I really liked the cover. It was entertaining, but not ultra-special--a pretty typical teen novel.
Mick has to deal with a lot of stuff--he has a huge crush on a Mormon girl at his school who, in turn, has a crush on an older missionary. He's just discovered that his hottie stepmother is having an affair. That discovery leads him to wrestle with anger towards her about the betrayal, but also to come to terms with his own jealousy. His supervisor at work is a racist, misogynist jerk. Thankfully, he has the friendship of Myra, the gorgeous college girl with a secret:
Mick told her about the day, and how he was going to ask her to do something after work, but her friend, Janice Bledsoe, had mentioned tall, dark, and Mormon and that had kind of let the air out of the balloon.
Myra waved her hand dismissively. "I wouldn't read too much into it. Besides, what Janice was doing was a classic girl move. She sees you're getting friendly and she plays dumb and throws a wrench into the works."
"You think? I mean, why would a girl care if her girlfriend was talking to a guy?"
A light laugh from Myra. "Trust me on this. The female persuasion is unmatched for complicatedness."
Light, fun, mostly forgettable. Except Mick's complicated feelings about his stepmother--that was really well done. Also, I think this is the first YA book I've come across with a Mormon as one of the primary characters. (One of the authors went to BYU).