The Unwritten Rule

The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

Simon Pulse, 2010

210 pages

YA; Contemporary

Summary: Meet Sarah. Sarah's best friend is Brianna. Sarah likes Ryan. Brianna's boyfriend is Ryan. Problems? Another story from YA author extraordinaire Elizabeth Scott.

Spoilers

Thoughts: I adore Elizabeth Scott (especially because I've gotten my sister to read some of Scott's books thus sparing my sister several hours of the dreck she usually reads) but I didn't really like this one. It was well-written and in some ways I could identify with Sarah. For example I loved her parents and I am psyched to see a healthy parent/child relationship in a YA book because that is rare. I liked Sarah's feelings for Ryan; they seemed very real.

But I'm just not a fan of girl likes her best friend's boyfriend. First it's so so so wrong. Second it makes me think of two of my friends who have dated total losers and I think, how could we ever like the same guy? Luckily my friends with boyfriends are with nice guys now but still not anybody I'd like.

I also felt the friend was cliche mean. Sarah is a doormat who exists to need Brianna. When that relationship shifts, she flips out. It is very honest to have it end with them unreconciled but I wish that it had been clearer that Sarah would have friends beyond Ryan because people need friends, not just romantic partners.

Overall: 3.5/5. Well-written as usual by Scott but not a fan of the basic plot.