Browsing through the library, I laid eyes on a book called “When It Happens” by Susane Colasanti. My interest was sparked, because I was immediately wondering what it was that “happens” in the book. The cover depicted two people kissing behind a tree, which I thought was pretty cute. Many times I decide whether or not to read a book based on whether I like the cover or not. From reading the summary inside, I discovered that it was a high school love story, about how a brainiac girl, Sara, and a slacker guitarist, Tobey, fall in love. This interested me because I am a sucker for romances, especially the ones that feature an unlikely pair who end up together. “When It Happens” seemed like the type of book I would take delight in.

This book was almost exactly what I expected. The event that “happened” was falling in love when you least expect it, which anyone could have guessed just by looking at the cover and the summary. Since it was sort of a cliche, it was quite a predictable story. I mean, there are tons of books about two people who you wouldn’t expect to be together, and this one didn’t really stray far from the beaten path. Even so, there were other elements to the story that made it more interesting. For example, I enjoyed reading about the band that the boy was in, and his passion for music. I could connect to this, because I also have a strong love of music. Plus, there were a couple plot twists that kept you on your toes, but I don’t want to give anything away!

“When It Happens” was a wonderful story. Both main characters were very believable, and I felt like I knew them personally by the time I had finished the book. I found it interesting since both Sara and Tobey seemed to fit into common high-school stereotypes, but then you realize that they have real feelings and experiences, and the stereotypes just fall away. The plot line, though cliched, was sweet with many “awww” moments. What I liked most of all about this book was how it was told from the point of view of both of them, alternating in chapters. It was funny how Sara and Tobey perceive the situations differently, and the thoughts they had were very true to life.

As I was reading, I could see many similarities with other books I have read, since I read a lot of romance novels. For example, it reminded me a lot of the book “Someone Like You” by Sarah Dessen, because that one also features an unlikely couple in a high-school environment. Also, I could connect some of it to my own feelings and experiences, such as the whole butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling, and the way Tobey always seems to do or say the wrong thing. The writing format was very similar to the one used in the book “Flipped” by Wendlin Van Draanen, since both had part of the story told by a guy and part told by a girl, which is a format that I am fond of reading. I would recommend this book to anyone, because it was a fun read that many people can connect to.