Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.
Christian or Secular: Secular
ASEL Rating: no profanity, violence, bedroom scenes, or other content that could otherwise be considered disturbing.
Content to be aware of: Underage drinking, drug use (non-descriptive), a 15-year-old girl is dating a freshman in college.
Suggested Age: 12+
Dangerous Love by Francine Pascal
Series: Sweet Valley High #6
Published by St. Martin’s Press on January 1st, 1984
Genres: Contemporary Women, Fiction, General, Social Themes, Young Adult
Pages: 250
Is this the end of Todd and Elizabeth?
“No motorcycles.” That is the one rule not to be bent or broken in the Wakefield house. Ever since their cousin was killed in a crash, Elizabeth and Jessica are forbidden to go near them.
So when Elizabeth’s boyfriend Todd drives up on a shiny new Yamaha, she knows there’s trouble ahead. She’s not allowed to ride Todd’s bike, but other girls are—and do. Elizabeth loves Todd, but the sight of these girls with their arms around her boyfriend is making her mad with jealousy.
Todd says there’s nothing to be worried about, but Elizabeth is scared of losing him. Will another girl come in an swoop Todd off his feet? Will Todd’s new bike tear him and Elizabeth apart?
Dangerous Love is one of the original Sweet Valley High stories by Francine Pascal.
Finally! A Sweet Valley book that didn’t make me want to strangle Jessica! Of course, I know she’s lying through her teeth when she says she’s going to change. But, for the first time, she’s actually kind of human!
As an adult, I can’t help but wonder why Elizabeth doesn’t tell Todd from the beginning that she isn’t allowed on a motorcycle—and why! A lot of angst would have been avoided if she had just been honest.
Despite the fact that this book is teenage drama, it actually more of how I remember SVH. I definitely don’t remember 1-5 being so annoying. I mean, it was still drivel. But, I didn’t want to kill Jessica. Huge improvement!
Anyway, hold up just a moment…Enid is having her 16th birthday party in this book. So, she was strung out on drugs and dating a much older guy at 13-14? Holy crap. She’s just turning 16 and she’s dating a freshman in college? My mind is blown.
Anyway, this book ends with a massive cliffhanger. I may very well die of suspense. Whatever will Jessica and I do if Elizabeth dies?! Yes, I’m being facetious. Of course, we know Elizabeth can’t and won’t die. I hope.
Anyway, this book actually had a moral to it. Shocking, right? The moral? Don’t get on a motorcycle against your parent’s wishes. You’ll end up in a coma.
This book is a delightful little train wreck that made me remember why I loved this garbage.
My rating now: 3 stars.
What I would have rated this at 13: 5 stars
About Francine Pascal
Francine Pascal is the creator of the Sweet Valley High series and one of the world’s most popular fiction writers for teenagers and the author of several bestselling novels, My Mother Was Never A Kid (Hanging out with Cici), My First Love and Other Disasters, as well as the series Fearless. Her adult novels include, Save Johanna! and If Wishes Were Horses (La Villa) and the non-fiction, The Strange Case of Patty Hearst. Pascal is on the Advisory Board of The American Theatre Wing. Her favorite sport is a monthly poker game. She lives in New York City and France
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I vaguely remember reading this one actually. My teenage self also had no problem accepting that Elizabeth wouldn’t just tell Todd why she couldn’t go on the bike.