Vinnie's entire life has changed, abruptly. His parents divorced, his mom remarried, and he moved to a new town and a new high school. To make matters worse, he is recovering from a wicked bout with acne, and he is not exactly the jock his new stepdad wants him to be. When Vinnie serendipitously obtains the phone number of the most desirable girl in school, his new next door neighbor Patsy, things start to look up. Calling her nightly, pretending to be much more cool and confident than he really is, the two flirt and chat and actually get to know one another. What if when Patsy finds out who the mystery caller really is, she wants nothing to do with him?

Not Exactly A Love Story is a charming read, set in 1977, with an endearing and relatable main character. Vinnie struggles to understand his new family arrangement, the hierarchy of high school, and how to relate to girls. He is unsure of his relationship with his new stepfather in the beginning, but the two actually grow to understand and respect one another. Vinnie's crush on the out-of-his-league Patsy leads him to call her anonymously every night. Obviously, his biggest concern is that she will be disappointed when she learns his true identity. A somewhat predictable, though pleasant ending wraps things up nicely. Language is strong (a-s, sh-t, f--k) though very infrequent. Fist fighting between two characters takes place on more than one occasion, and some misogynistic boys' locker room talk takes place. This book may be more appropriate for those slightly older than the publisher's recommended age of twelve and up.

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