Customer Reviews

For Keeps

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
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Gold Star Award Winner!

I was really excited to discover Natasha Friend was releasing a new book. Many of my students have enjoyed her other books: LUSH, BOUNCE, and PERFECT. Now that I've read FOR KEEPS, I know they will love this one, too.

What happens when you think that sometimes you are more mature and in control than your mother? That's how Josie Gardner sometimes feels. She and her mother have made it through a lot together. Josie knows she was the product of a high school romance. She knows her dad's name was Paul Tucci and that he left town with his family not even knowing he was going to be a father.

It never really made a difference until one day in the grocery store. Josie's mother suddenly ducks for cover in the pet-food aisle. What is going on? Kate Gardner appears to be a nervous wreck as she whispers to her daughter that Paul Tucci's parents are in the store. When Josie takes a peek at the couple headed for the checkout, she suddenly realizes they are her grandparents. Now it's a matter of calming down her frantic mother and finding out what they are doing here.

The mystery is solved by Josie's best friend, Liv. With a little amateur sleuthing, Liv finds out that the Tucci's have moved back to town. When Josie tells her mother, she's surprised by Kate's sudden lack of interest. Josie doesn't think there will be a problem and probably not even any contact between them. It all changes when her boss turns his mediocre ice cream parlor into a thriving little pastry/coffee shop. Josie's grandfather, Big Nick Tucci, becomes a regular customer. Again, thanks to her talkative best friend, Josie learns that Paul is the youngest of the Tucci's three boys, and he remains unmarried, working with at-risk youth somewhere in the Carolinas.

Filled with mixed emotions about the possible return of the side of her family she's never known, Josie faces further emotional upheaval when the popular and attractive Matt Rigby makes it known that he is interested in dating her. It's almost more than one girl can handle.

Natasha Friend's fresh, straightforward style makes FOR KEEPS excellent reading entertainment. Her use of humor, down-to-earth characters, and heartfelt relationships will have her fans cheering and any new-comers clamoring for her earlier books. I'm glad to see this new arrival and will be eagerly awaiting more to come.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

Spoilers. Josie and her single mom, Kate, are perfectly happy with their small family, bolstered by their friends the Weiss-Longos, a gay male couple who are parents to Wyatt and Josie's best friend, Liv. Until things start to change, and Josie and her mom start to grow up and each find themselves in new territory, Josie dating Matt, and her mom dating Jonathan.

This book is longer and a bit more in-depth than Friend's previous YA books, and Josie is a memorable and relatable teen character, dealing with figuring out who to trust when it comes to family, and how much she's ready to share with her mom, and share her mom. As the daughter of a single mom, I totally got her struggle to accept Jonathan as her mom's boyfriend.

Without giving away the entire plot, toward the end, Josie's long-lost father returns to the scene and throws a lot of her preconceived notions of who she is and the story of her birth out of order.

One of the best things about this novel is that Josie is mature, to a level I'm not sure most girls her age are, about how she fits in with her family. She looks at her peers and questions why they are so rude to their parents, and when she stops for a moment and looks at her mom as an actual person, not just her mom, she starts to see just how loved and valued she is. Friend ties in the subplots, like Liv's relationship drama, into the core of the story, and while Josie is definitely the protagonist, the other characters are fully fleshed out. This novel deals with teen pregnancy, abortion, teen sexuality and alternative families, but not as "issues," as parts of life, ones that are, ultimately, very human. Excellent and highly recommended.

The author sums it up best toward the end of the novel as her protagonists makes a keen observation. We all have faults, peccadilloes if you will, that challenge and shape us and can become so much bigger than we ever imagined. This is a story chock full of such characters and Natasha Friend has used them all to beautifully illustrate a story about self-discovery and personal growth.

There are a number of subplots in this novel, all of which weave together perfectly to tell the story of a young girl coming to terms with the possibility of getting to know her father and his family after they moved away when she was a mere embryo. Josie's paternal grandparents have moved back to the area from Arizona, but she is reluctant to make their acquaintance, especially since she is aware that her mother's pregnancy was somewhat of a secret. During this time, Josie begins a relationship with a boy she has a shaky past with and whom she's not certain she can trust. Her best friend Liv has a pregnancy scare and Josie's mother has begun dating. It's the perfect storm of anxiety and fear.

This novel is ripe with internal conflict between Josie's changing relationship with her mother and her fear of stepping into the unknown. But, as usual, fate intervenes in the strangest of ways and the decision whether or not to meet her father and his family is taken from Josie's hands, forcing the confrontation of her fear and resentment. What unfolds is emotional; uplifting and at times sad, but ultimately, at the end, hopeful.

There's a smattering of everything in this novel and it may not be suitable for younger teens. The topics range from underage drinking to teen pregnancy; gay parents to casual sex. But everything is tastefully handled by the author and I never felt knocked over the head by any one of those topics. They were all merely pieces of a world in which we all live and I feel they were handled with great tact.

The characters Natasha Friend has created are perfectly written and the story offers readers of all types something appealing. There is a cute romance; a great, supportive relationship between BFF's; a strong but evolving mother-daughter relationship; and just the right amount of conflict and turmoil in the exploration of the potential relationship between Josie and her father.

What I appreciated most was the ending of this novel. The author wrapped things up nicely, there were no "real" loose ends but there was enough ambiguity to create a fitting end. There was no magical "getting back together" for Josie's parents, which would have made the last quarter of the book seem like one was reading The Notebook (I thought that was were the author was going but was pleased when she didn't). It was a fitting end. There is no way to write an absolute ending to relationships that will continue to grow and evolve and I appreciated that this fact wasn't sugarcoated with a mushy, surreal, happy ending.

I heard this book compared to the TV show The Gilmore Girls and so I knew that I had to pick it up because The Gilmore Girls is one of my favorite shows of all time. I can definitely see the similarities between Josie and Kate's relationship and Rory and Lorelei's relationship. Josie has never know her father and so when his parents show up in town, her world is turned upside down. This happens while her best friend becomes involved with an older guy and Matt Riggs, her big crush, sets his sights on her. It is a lot for her to handle but I think she handles it really well. She is really a great main character because you can see her vulnerable side in her relationship with Matt but you can also see her strong side in her relationship with her mother. Her friend Liv is a great sidekick who has some issues with guys but is always there for her friend. I really enjoy contemporary romances like this because they do not inundate you with the paranormal and science fiction but they still have a great story to tell.

Josie never knew her father, but in the grocery store, her single mother nearly has a heart attack when she sees her old high school sweetheart's parents.

Kate found out she was pregnant with Josie when she was 16. Paul moved away not knowing the whole story. Paul's always been the elephant in the room.

Now his parents have moved back to town.

Josie's half sacred and half hoping she might run into her grandparents. When her grandfather becomes a regular customer at the cafe she works at, she has a small opportunity for contact. Her best friend urges her to get to know him.

Josie's not she wants to open that door.

Just when she's freaking out about her family life, her mother meets a man. He quickly becomes part of their lives. Josie just wishes everything would go back to normal - including her relationship with her mother!

My Thoughts: This reminded me a lot of Gilmore Girls (which I'm REALLY missing!) I loved the relationship between Josie and Kate. I loved Kate's freak out moments. I liked Josie's limited interaction with her new family. I really liked Liz (Josie's best friend) and her two gay Dads were priceless. A fun contemporary novel for fans of Sarah Dessen and Susane Colasanti!

For Keeps by Natasha Friend
Viking, 2010
267 pages
YA; Contemporary
3.5/5 stars

Source: Won

Summary: Josie didn't need a father because she had her mother Kate, who dropped out of high school when she became pregnant while Paul, the father, and his family moved to Arizona. But now his parents are back and he may soon follow, reducing Kate to a bundle of nerves. But new relationships in both of their lives as well as in that of Josie's best friend Liv may cause them to question their entire lives.

Thoughts: I saw this featured on some blogs as somewhat like Gilmore Girls due to the close mother-daughter relationship. The story starts with showing us that but their relationship quickly unravels as Kate starts dating a new guy and Josie becomes more interested in finding out information about her paternal family. Their relationship crumbles so fast that I found it very unbelievable; maybe their relationship wasn't as strong as I thought.

Then the guys they start dating kind of suck: Kate's boyfriend is too clingy, Liv's is too old and emotionally unsupportive of her, and Josie's is represented as okay but I didn't think he was redeemed after his jerk behavior in the middle. But not all of the males are awful. Liv has two dads who love each other and her very much. And Josie's grandfather is another warm and loving male.

The revelations about Kate and Paul were heartbreaking and Josie's reactions angered me but were also somewhat realistic because how else does one respond to news that shakes up her entire worldview. The novel ends on an optimistic note although as mentioned Josie forgave her boyfriend who I thought should have been kicked to the curb.

Overall: Okay contemporary novel; appreciated for its emphasis on family.

Cover: I would have preferred mother and daughter to daughter and boy plus why is it so blurry?

Natasha Friend weaves a beautiful story of a girl being a teen. It was sweet and enticing. For Keeps was very well written and the writing just flowed.

I loved the characters. My favorite aspect of all of the characters in For Keeps was how easy it was to relate to them. All the characters brought something different to the table. Natasha Friend also made it easy to like all the characters. For example, Liv was such a laugh. I loved her confidence and everything she brought to the story. Big Nick had his sweet buying addiction. Josie's reactions to everything that happened continued to surprise me. Her journey she takes through the plot of the story makes you love her as a character. Matt was the guy any girl could easily fall for.

The storyline was cute, and once I got several pages into the book, I couldn't put it down! Many things that happened were very predictable, but that made it better. You knew what was going to happen, then you were waiting for characters to figure it out and see their reaction.

This was my first book by Natasha Friend, but it surely won't be my last! I would definately reccomend this one, especially to anyone looking for a quick cute read.

From the moment I opened to the first page of For Keeps, I instantly knew I was going to love this book. Told through Josie's perspective - with a fresh, young voice, we learn of her relationship with her young mother - who is as much a parent as a best friend. Josie and her mother, Kate, are as close as a mother and daughter can get. It has always been the two of them against the world -but when Kate suddenly becomes interested in a man, the close-knit relationship with her daughter starts to crumble. Aside from the problems the mother and daughter team are facing - there is also the reality of Josie's dad. Paul Tucci (said dad), has never been in the picture. The thought of him alone can make mature and capable Kate go into a hyperventilating fit. So when Paul's parents move back to town, you know nothing good can come of this... or can it?

I really loved this book. From start to finish I was invested in these characters lives. Josie had this strong and memorable voice. She was very mature for her age - yet at the same time she was innocent and gullible. I absolutely loved the relationship between her and Kate. For some reason, parents aren't a big factor in YA books. In fact, in most books they're just someone mentioned in passing. Rarely do you ever see them play a major role. That is not the case in For Keeps - Kate's role in the book is just as important at Josie's.

Aside from Josie and Kate, there were some other characters that I loved as well. I absolutely loved Liv, Josie's best friend. She brought a smile to my face every time she came in a room - with her quirky fashion sense, snarky remarks and sarcastic humor. Riggs, Josie's love interest, was also a highlight. I liked the push and pull between them - but I especially liked the way that Josie was able to stand up for herself and her feelings - not letting her love for him blindside her. I love a strong female and you definitely find that in Josie.

I think Ms. Friend does a superb job in creating a realistic, heartfelt, coming of age story in For Keeps. The novel exudes love and charm and definitely leaves you feeling good at its closure. This was a very enjoyable read and one that I can highly recommend.

Not my cup of tea as for as genres, but this title is great for the teenage girl around the middle grades. Teachers, too. Great choice for your teenager on her birthday...

Natasha Friend has written four YA novels, but, for some unknown reason, this was the first one that I've read. I must admit, it looks as though I've been missing out!

FOR KEEPS is one of those novels that, for the most part, is predictable. Josie has been raised by a single mother, who became pregnant in high school, and has never met her father, the seemingly uncaring Paul Tucci. Josie doesn't mind though, she's got her mom and her best friend Liv - she doesn't need any boys in her life. Then, unexpectedly, Paul Tucci returns to town and the life Josie knows is turned inside out. Perhaps Paul Tucci isn't who she thought he was. And, perhaps, Matt, the boy she desperately doesn't want to like, has a place in her life after all.

It isn't often that I truly like the character that is cast as the best friend, but I really enjoyed Liv. She was the perfect foil to Josie's anti-boy stance and she opened Josie's eyes to so many possibilities and ideas that she never would have considered on her own. Josie is such a stubborn character; she needed someone like Liv to pester her into opening her eyes.

I very much enjoyed Josie and Matt's relationship. Josie's reluctance to enter into a relationship with any boy - let alone Matt, with whom she has a complicated history - added the perfect amount of tension to the plot. It often seems that after the two main characters finally admit their feelings for one another, the book is all but over, but that wasnt' so with FOR KEEPS. Friend touched on some other true to life issues that often occur in relationships, keeping Matt and Josie's relationship interesting. I found this satisfying and much more realistic, which I think is important in YA literature.

I also feel that I must briefly mention the letters. Now, I can't really say what letters. Or who they were from. Or what they were about. All of this information is better uncovered as you read the novel, but for those of you who have already had the pleasure of reading FOR KEEPS: I loved the letters! They were absolutely perfect and allowed me to forge a connection to the character that had written them, a connection that I fear would not have been nearly as strong without said letters.

It has been mentioned that the ending of FOR KEEPS was too perfect, but I don't believe this was the case. I like that all the loose ends were wrapped up and the reader is left with a happy image in mind. It might not necessarily be real life, but it isn't supposed to be. Friend wrote a compelling novel that tackled many issues - let Josie have her happy ending.


Grade: A