Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Headed for college in New York, Molly discovers that her lab partner and major crush, Mark, is moving to New Jersey. Molly fantasizes about becoming Mark's girlfriend, but heartbreak awaits: Mark is gay. Narrated believably by Molly, the humor-laced text isn't limited to being only a story about sexual orientation; it's also about change, growth, and how relationships transcend hurt. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 8 Up-Molly is soon to be high school valedictorian in her small town of Le Sueur, MN. She is a genius at science, hopelessly unpopular, and desperately in love with her angsty and mysterious lab partner, Mark Dahl. At first, it appears that he only pays attention to her when he needs to copy her chemistry test answers, but when she announces that she'll be attending Columbia in the fall, Mark starts to take an active interest in her, knowing that he will be living in nearby New Jersey. Life in New York City is a completely different world for Molly. She has two loyal and loving dorm mates who make it their mission to help her come out of her shell. So when Mark asks the new-and-improved Molly if he can crash in her room one night, she thinks that they will finally have their romantic moment. Then she learns that Mark is gay. Although she is crushed at first, the teens are able to build a strong friendship. This breezy novel chronicles the 12 months from graduation to the end of Molly's first year in college. Lovable characters and fun scenarios keep the story moving, and more serious issues regarding the difficulties of coming out elevate this novel from being pure chick lit. Readers are left with the message that the love of a true friend can be just as meaningful as the love of a boyfriend.-Michelle Roberts, Merrick Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

A self-described fool for possibilities, Molly is elated when, first, she is accepted to Columbia and, second, her lab partner tall, sleepy-eyed Mark, on whom she has a major, though unrequited, crush announces he, too, is moving to New York. Will all her dreams come true? In a word: no. Because it turns out Mark is gay, but, still, there's Columbia and a new friend, Simon, who shares Molly's passion for physics. There is even a shaky friendship with Mark until he betrays Molly in the cruelest way possible. Or does he? Malloy's first YA title (he won an Alex Award for his 2003 adult novel, The Year of Ice) is a creditable piece of character-driven fiction. Mark and Molly are appealing, well-realized characters struggling to find love and, believably, not always succeeding. Yes, the book is too long; the plot, a bit meandering; and the pace, sometimes slow. But the thematic treatment of the many meanings of love is successfully and even subtly handled, inviting thought and discussion.--Cart, Michael Copyright 2008 Booklist

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Molly Swain and Mark Dahl are about to graduate from La Sueur High in Minnesota. She has loved the cute, standoffish farm boy for years, and finally their lab partnership has afforded them the chance to become friends. Molly's off to Columbia on scholarship after graduation, and when Mark announces he's going to his uncle's in New Jersey to live, Molly knows they were meant to be together. While out with new friends in New York City, however, Molly discovers Mark is gay. Their friendship actually grows instead of ending, and when Molly's boyfriend Simon needs a roommate, she offers Mark. Simon is not what he appears to be, though, and Mark and Molly's friendship as well as Molly's newfound self-confidence are tested. Malloy's second outing for young adults might be based on some eyebrow-raising coincidences, but the strength here is the realism of Molly's voice. Too-young cover models mean this might take some selling to the right older teens. (Fiction. YA) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.