Anatomy of a boyfriend

Dominique, a high-school senior in Fort Myers, Florida, is an aspiring doctor whose favorite book is Grey's Anatomy. Wes, a fellow senior, becomes her first boyfriend, and the two inexperienced teens explore first love, and sex, together. Written in Dom's authentic voice, Snadowsky's debut novel is an unusually honest portrayal of a teen girl's sexual discovery. Comparisons to Judy Blume's Forever (1975) are inevitable; even the plot, from the couple's initial fumbles to their breakup after separation, is similar. What feels so new here is the nonsensationalized explicitness. Dom speaks with an almost scientific curiosity: "I can recognize the features of his penis from my anatomy books." And her sexual insecurities are just as direct: "What if I squeal or scream or fart?" Also rare and authentic are scenes of Dom experimenting on her own, when she finally experiences her first orgasm. Snadowsky considers all the questions: Does sex mean love? What's normal in a relationship? Like Forever, this sensitive, candid novel is sure to find a wide audience among curious teens. Gillian Engberg

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