Review: Boyfriend from hell

Title: Boyfriend from Hell         
Author: E. Van Lowe
Publisher:   White Whisker Books
Publication Date:  August 13, 2011

Reviewer: Elisa

Summary: Fifteen year-old Megan Barnett and her single mom, Suze, have a special relationship—they are friends, close friends, who do almost everything together.
“But come on, guys, she’s my mother… Can I really tell her that while we’re snuggled up on the sofa watching Spider Man Three, I’m secretly undressing James Franco with my eyes? Of course not…”
The special bond takes a turn for the worse when Suze decides to start dating again. She hasn’t had a man in her life since Megan’s father left ten years ago.
Enter two mysterious young men, Megan’s new classmate, sinfully attractive bad boy, Guy Matson, and the dangerously handsome art dealer, Armando. Before long Megan and Suze both wind up in steamy relationships.
But neither of the handsome pair is quite what he seems. In fact, one of them is Satan, with his sights set on a new bride. Megan has precious little time to figure out how to stop him. If she doesn’t, either Megan or Suze are quite literally going to HELL. (goodreads.com)

Review: Megan, our protagonist is smart, neurotic, precocious and funny in an "I don't know I am funny" way. Her voice actually reminded me a little of the Sloppy First series, which I completely enjoyed. This book opens with her mom deciding she wants to start dating and Megan is having a really hard time with it. Though she won't tell her mother that, she just goes about trying to ruin each man she finds. So, it is a little like Peter and the Wolf when Megan sees something distinctly dastardly about her mother's new boyfriend, Armando. Is he really as evil as she begins to think he is or can things be easily explained away? Also, what about this cute and smart boy she is somewhat dating? He keeps getting her into trouble, tardy slips are piling up and her mom doesn't like him at all...

This was a quick and easy, fun book to read. Megan got pretty jerky there for a while, but it can be chalked up to teen angst and made sense. Megan does wake up and realize what a jerk she is being and fixes what she needs to fix. Yay! 

The ending has a good action scene. The bad guy is pretty bad, but the reason he is there in the first place...really sad and a little surprising to me as I didn't notice any hints in the narrative at all. I like getting a hint or two just to make it feel believable. But then that Megan rolls with this reason and the resolution! and deals with these things so easily? Kinda weird to me. I know when I was young, I was completely unsentimental and handled a lot easily, but this was too much for anyone to remain unemotional. It does, however, leave a pretty big opening for a new, more malicious bad guy and sequel.

So, it is a quickie read with a paranormal twist. Young protagonist, but enjoyable and I will probably pick up the next book at some point. It is well-written, just the ending was quick and a bit miraculous (too convenient) in its timing. I liked it and give it 3 stars.

-Elisa