I have TWO disclaimers for this book! TITILLATING ISN'T IT?
First disclaimer: I didn't fully comprehend this is a sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend and gleefully read this book anyways. I probably missed out on some quality character building time and coming of age confidence, but I think the second book hinted and covered a lot of what transpired in the first book that I feel comfortable not reading it.
Second disclaimer: In case you couldn't tell by the title or the book cover, this book does have sex in it. Sex as a topic, sex as a scene, and ways to be safe about sex. If that makes you uncomfortable, read no further. However, I would say that the sex scenes are reduced to simply stating they had sex, where they had it, and very mundane details. It's not anywhere near a pornographic novel, but it more refers to sex like talking about the weather; it's there, everyone is familiar with the weather, but no one needs to discuss it in detail to know exactly what the weather is. So if that doesn't dissuade you, carry on.
Now, to the amazon summary so you can have a more depicted picture of what you're getting into, "With Judy Blume-like honesty and insight, this sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend is about life after first love--romance, sex, friendship, family, and the ups and downs of life as a single girl.
After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one. The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered. But I couldn’t avoid my future forever. In Daria Snadowsky’s daring follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Dominique explores the relationship between love and lust, and the friendships that see us through." AMAZON LINK OF DRAMATIC NOISES
So Dom, Dominque, whichever you like better isn't exactly the most charming of narrators. I gathered based on context clues that her first relationship she liked because she was in love and sought to strengthen that through sex. In the end, when they went off to college, it seems that they broke up and Dom was super heart broken about it. There are a lot of words in this book that seem to 'over-emphasize' what happened; just as a heads up.
So Dom has returned home for the summer in kind of an inner turmoil of lamenting about her dead relationship, trying to enjoy her friendship with Amy, and of course bumping into Guy. Guy just so happens to be smart, handsome, and completely at ease with himself. Good thing she bumped into him in a hospital.
Yep.
I'm actually not going to spend time summarizing this book because it would just be one 'girly' situation to the next.
HOWEVER, the 'girly' situations are well thought out as we see Dom's initial reaction, how she works through it, and what she decides on (all reasoning seems sound most of the time, other times it is irrational and she DOES admit to it).
It is a good exploration into the quest of sex-ships versus relationships and while it does take place for a college freshman soon to be college sophomore, I think there is a lot that sexually budding teenagers could relate to. There's another HOWEVER here, I don't think the book really encourages sex. It just enlightens the possibilities of what is, what could be, and seems to generate a carpe diem attitude. AND ALSO HOW TO BE SAFE. YAY SAFETY!!!
Also, there's a particular moment I laughed at; when Dom manages to hit Guy's man tackle with a plate (on accident). Goodness gracious.
This book isn't particularly full of laughs, but it is charming and is a bumpy exploration book.
I do like how it leaves without a resolute ending because hopefully, at such a young age, life isn't going to end.
Meh.
Personal growth, better understanding of self, better understanding of relationships, and all kind of meshed into this book.
Happy reading!
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