Review: Until Friday Night (Glines)

	AUTHOR: Abbi Glines SERIES: The Field Party, book 1 PUBLISHER: SimonPulse PUBLICATION DATE: August 25, 2015 ISBN: 9781481438865 PAGES: 352 SOURCE: Edelweiss GENRE: contemporary romance SETTING: present-day; Lawton, Tennessee GIVE IT TO: HS, adults

SUMMARY: Told in alternating perspectives. West Ashby is a popular senior football player silently dealing with his beloved father’s terminal illness. Maggie Carleton is a high school senior who has been mute since she witnessed her mother’s murder two years ago. When West opens up to Maggie one Friday night after a football game, Maggie speaks for the first time in two years.

REVIEW: I am so excited that Abbi Glines is writing a new series for young adults! I am a huge fan of Abbi Glines’ New Adult books–I’ve read and enjoyed several  books from her Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, and Vincent Brothers series. And now, I’ll be adding The Field Party series to that list.

While I didn’t think this one was as strong as Ms. Glines’ other novels, I really did enjoy it. The characters of West and Maggie are well-developed, and each character had a distinct voice.

There is a lot of “mine, mine, mine” and possessive relationship behavior in Ms. Glines’ books, and Until Friday Night is no exception. I love that Maggie is aware that this behavior is unhealthy and is concerned enough about it to take a stand. As the daughter of an abusive and possessive father, Maggie knows full well the consequences of dysfunctional, possessive romances.

Though this deals with high school characters, Abbi Glines’ adult fans won’t be disappointed. As with her new adult books, there is some sex, but it is definitely less descriptive and without the “dirty talk” of the other series. I think upper-high school readers can handle this just fine, but I personally wouldn’t give this to a ninth grader in the library.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Another hit from Abbi Glines. Fans won’t be disappointed, but the relationship arc is similar to her other books.

STATUS IN MY LIBRARY: I am not planning to get this one at this time. It’s not because the book isn’t good; it’s because our contemporary romance section is too saturated as it is.

READALIKES: Hundred Oaks series (Kenneally); Pushing the Limits series (McGarry)

RATING BREAKDOWN:

• Overall: 4/5
• Creativity: 3/5
• Characters: 4/5
• Engrossing: 4/5
• Writing: 4/5
• Appeal to teens: 4/5
• Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5

CONTENT:

• Language: medium-high; includes F-bombs
• Sexuality: very high; sex, loss of virginity, promiscuity, oral sex
• Violence: mild; past domestic violence
• Drugs/Alcohol: medium; teens drink beer at post-game field parties
• Other: SPOILER–highlight to see—>suicide by hanging