Tobey and Sara are, of course, the core characters of the novel, and I loved that we were able to watch their relationship grow - and that * SPOILER: the book didn’t just abruptly end when the guy finally gets the girl. It was obvious she believed what she was saying, so I believed it, too! I appreciated, too, that Colasanti recognized the importance of first love - and that it wasn’t reduced to something silly, or something to be mocked. Real problems and questions teens face are addressed, but they’re done so in a thoughtful way - and the novel never seemed to fall into the trappings of an author talking down to teens about why they should wait.

What I loved about the book was how realistically relationships were portrayed (complete with realistic dialogue), and the fact that Colasanti doesn’t just gloss over the difficult stuff or make the novel dissolve into a cheesetastic after-school special. When It Happensis Sara and Tobey’s sweet love story, looking at the ways in which they continually seem to miss opportunities to be together - or simply dodge them, afraid of their feelings. But cue the big, dopey but smokin’ hot competition for Sara’s affection: Dave, a jock with one thing (and you know the thing!) on his mind. Tobey’s had his eye on Sara for a while and has decided that the start of their senior year is going to mean big changes in his world: namely, he’s going after the girl. Watching her from afar is Tobey Beller, a consummate slacker student who spends his time plucking guitar strings instead of doing schoolwork.

Sara Tyler is a sophisticated, sassy senior known for her intelligence and dedication to getting into the best college possible. In fact, Colasanti’s novel didn’t seem to be missing much in terms of easily placing us in the world of a suburban high school in New Jersey, and introducing us to two would-be lovers who struggle to own up to their feelings for one another - and not look foolish in the process. The confusion, turmoil and uncertainty about friendships, sex, family? Here too. Those fresh, exciting feelings of first love - and of your high school sweetheart? All here. And reading Colasanti’s novel was just like taking a plunge back into my own high school memories - in a good way. It’s no secret that I’m a diarist - I’ve written in a journal every day since my freshman year of high school, now giving me a solid ten years worth of recollections and ramblings. After finishing Susane Colasanti’s When It Happens, something strange happened: I had an overwhelming urge to read my journals from high school.

Waiting for you susane colasanti