Clumsy, shy Roger Barrett has always had a crush on the glamorous, wealthy Lila Fowler, but it’s hopeless. She’s the queen bee, and he secretly works as a janitor after school. The only attention Lila ever pays to him is to make fun of him in front of her friends.
When Roger wins the qualifying heat for a big race, he becomes an instant school celebrity. To his surprise, Lila begins to chase after him, but he knows if he runs in the race finals after school, he will lose his job. Should he give up Lila’s attentions? Can he risk being fired? Will Lila notice him if he’s no longer a star?
- Print Length: 160 pages
- Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks (November 27, 2012)
- Publication Date: November 27, 2012
- Sold by: Macmillan
FINALLY, a Sweet Valley High book that hasn’t made me want to roll my eyes incessantly or throw the book across the room in disdain. It’s been a long time in coming. If the books continue like this, I will no longer dread reading them.
Racing Hearts includes all the typical stuff in the other books. The Wakefields always eat pancakes for breakfast, Jessica has three hundred thirty-seven things to do, and the mean girls are still mean.
The book begins with Jessica Wakefield deciding to get a job at her dad’s office. She’s decided that she wants to be a lawyer, and she has inflated dreams of being her dad’s assistant from Day One. She decks herself in her mom’s chocolate brown suit (yikes), and leaves Liz stunned at the transformation of her twin sister.
At school, Roger Barrett skids across the wet floor at the school and embarrassingly lands right in front of his dream girl—rich Lila Fowler. Lila laughs at him, naturally, and watches him race away. Poor Roger has a hard life. His folks are poor, so Roger has an evening job as a janitor at a corporate building. No one knows his secret job and the reason why his pants are too short. Instead, Lila just calls him “Bugs Bunny” because he bugs her.
The school gears up for a race called the Barton Ames race, and Bruce Patman, Todd Wilkins, and some other guys all decide to take part in the race. Up for grabs is a SVU full scholarship. Elizabeth pushes Roger Barrett to take part, because he’s always racing around campus and seems to be pretty fast. Lila hears Elizabeth and joins in because she thinks Roger would just make a fool out of himself. Let’s face it; Lila’s not nice. But because Lila wants him to enter, Roger decides to.
I won’t spoil the rest of the story, but I’ll say that it turns out pretty great. I was thrilled with the writing of this book. It was so much less cheesy than the other have been, and I can say I enjoyed it. Other than the incessant teasing of poor Roger, it was a decent story!
Content Guide
- very mild kissing scenes
Check out what Kristin had to say about Racing Hearts!
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She’s the wrong kind of girl…
Jessica Wakefield knows that “Easy Annie” is bad for the Sweet Valley High cheering squad. Annie Whitman may have the looks, talent, and spirit to be a cheerleader, but she also has the worst reputation in school. She goes out with a different boy every night, and Jessica isn’t about to sully her squad’s image by letting Annie on the team.
But Elizabeth, Jessica’s twin, knows that there is more to Annie than just her reputation. But can she change her sister’s mind before Jessica shatters Annie’s dreams?
