The Boy is Back - Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot is the author of a number of series, but my favourite is the 'Boy' series. The fourth book, The Boy is Back, has just released - and I think it's the one I've enjoyed the most. All can be read as standalones though.

Reed Stewart and Becky Flowers were high school sweethearts - everyone thought they were the perfect couple. Until prom night when something happened - and that was the last night they ever saw or spoke to each other. Fast forward ten years. Reed's elderly parents are in trouble and Reed's brother and sister have asked him to come home to help.

A great set-up all round - with the main thread being will Becky and Reed rekindle their romance? As with any good chick-lit book, there's a whole lot of yes/no/maybe so. (A whole lot of no from Becky's side of the table!) Playing just as big a role in the plot are the family relationships amongst various members of both the Stewart and Flowers families. I found myself laughing out loud many times (Becky's mom's Blessie Sticks quite amused me). And just as often nodding my head at interactions and discussions I think every family has had. The supporting cast was fun, quirky and (mostly) lovable.

What makes this book so much fun to read is the epistolary format Cabot has chosen to use. The entire tale is told in texts, chats, emails, online reviews, journal entries, newspaper stories, cell phone screen shots, photos, flyers, transcripts and more. I feel like I'm eavesdropping a bit, with insider knowledge of what's going on from numerous sources. But it's so easy to get drawn into this style of storytelling, just wondering what's on the next page.

There's not much doubt as to how things will turn out, but I loved the journey to the final pages. If you're looking for an easy, fun read, The Boy is Back is perfect! Read an excerpt of The Boy is Back.

Photo: Ali Smith

"Meg Cabot was born in Bloomington, Indiana. In addition to her award-winning adult contemporary fiction, she is the author of bestselling young adult fiction, including The Princess Diaries and the Mediator series. More than twenty-five million copies of her novels for children and adults have sold worldwide. Meg lives in Key West, Florida, with her husband." Find out more about Meg at her website, follow her blog, and connect with her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. See what others on the TLC book tour thought - full schedule can be found here.

I received this book for review from HarperCollins and TLC Book Tours.