Name: Smart Boys & Fast Girls
ISBN: 9780843953985

Stephie Davis

A cross-country runner is buddies with all the guys--but what happens when she wants to be more than that?

Smart Boys & Fast Girls

Danielle H.

ON YOUR MARK 

Natalie Page is overlooked and unappreciated. 
Yeah, sure, she can run fast. 
Yeah, sure, all the boys love her...as a buddy. 
Yeah, she has plans every weekend night...with her friends and their boyfriends. 

GET SET 

It's time for the world to sit up and take notice. When Natalie makes the varsity cross country team, it seems like the fast track to being cool. The popular girls notice her, the hunky captain of the boys team is giving her rides home. Natalie Page is off and running. 

Then she starts to fail geometry. She has to get a tutor: a very annoying boy who thinks sports are for idiots. A very smart boy who thinks she's stupid. A very cute boy who already has a girlfriend and has no interest in her. A boy she told her parents she was dating. 

GO! 

Natalie Page can run. 
Now she has to decide how to finish.

I liked it, yet I don't know, something about it irks me at times. I would like to question the maturity level of certain characters *cough* Natalie *cough*. Her obsession with being "cool" is probably the only real thing in this book that annoys me. I understand how she feels, being a high school student myself, but really, she's trying a little TOO hard to fit in if you ask me. Making some poor innocent boy who has a serious girlfriend pretend to be your boyfriend just to hide the fact that you're being tutored is a little too much, don't you think? Especially when the guy's girlfriend does not like the situation so you bribe him with a job opportunity he really wants.
But if you ask me, that's how high school works. Well, it's a little exaggerated, but close enough. It does describe the classic high school cliques. The "stupid jocks" and "annoying math geeks". I feel for Natalie because it is difficult to be a guy's "buddy" instead of girlfriend. Then there's the evil, vindictive ex girlfriend of the guy, Zach, that Natalie likes. Along with her boy troubles, NAtalie also faces some within her friends. She feels left out because all her close friends have boyfriends. That's understandable really. I have to say though, I was rooting for Matt and Natalie to be together. It would be pretty predictable, classic jock and brain relationship, but I think they're cute together. I felt bad for Matt's girlfriend though. As I got towards the end, I got giddy (yes, giddy) because I could tell that Matt was going to change his mind about going to London and show up at Natalie's meet. It was really sweet and even though Natalie did bother me at times, I did like the book. It is a pretty short, enjoyable read, which is exactly why I picked it up in the first place. It's the perfect summer read for teen girls, or anyone looking for a quick paced romantic comedy.

Smart Boys & Fast Girls

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