0 Bloom By Elizabeth Scott

Lauren, a not-so-popular high school junior, is dating the most popular boy in school. Without warning, Evan, the loner son of her distant father's former live-in girlfriend, returns to town and stirs up confusing emotions for Lauren, who once believed that a popular boyfriend was all she needed to secure happiness.

Bloom is the first of Elizabeth Scott's books that I've read, and I wasn't disappointed.

The thing I liked most about Scott's writing was her honest depiction of teen life, and the emotions that accompany it. Lauren experiences confusion, uncertainty, loneliness and guilt, all of which are well-known friends to most seventeen year old girls. The way she handled her attraction to Evan, her father's ex-girlfriend's son, was realistic and believeable, and is a situation that I'm sure a lot of people can easily relate to.

Scott's characterization reminded me of Sarah Dessen's, as they were all very well developed and layered. By the end of the book, I felt as if I really knew them, and I think this was helped by Lauren's memories of her past, and how every character had more to them than I thought.

Lauren is stuck in a relationship with the perfect guy, Dave, but is afraid to end it and escape. By meeting Evan, she realises that Dave isn't what she wants, and that she's not her real self when she's with him. The message I got from this, which I think is really important, is to make the right decision for yourself, and not worry about what someone else is going to say, think or do.

I also like how the title, Bloom, has so much relevance to the story. I interpreted it as Lauren blooming - growing up, making choices for herself, and taking control of her life.

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