Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Saunders
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun novel about teen's last summer before college.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
When ONE TRUE LOVES begins, Lenore, a freshly minted high school graduate in Los Angeles, is feeling cynical about love and life. Her parents aren't satisfied that she got great grades and is bound for NYU. They're pressuring her to immediately choose an entire life path. They believe Black kids like her can't afford the luxury of finding themselves. Two boyfriends so far have dumped Lenore, both of them choosing lighter-skinned Black girls or girls who aren't Black. Her whole family is going on a Mediterranean cruise for the summer, but it's no escape. Her parents have given her an ultimatum to cement her choice of major by the end of the trip.
Is It Any Good?
This novel is a fun, emotionally accurate take on the uncertainty and anxiety that can accompany the transition from high school to college. In One True Loves, adolescent angst gets its due respect. Many teens share the problems Lenore faces: She has parents who are loving and supportive but very, very pushy. She's just learning to navigate a dating scene that's sometimes hurtful. And the future feels at turns exciting and scary. The one shortcoming is that some of the characters seem like caricatures. This is particularly true of the gifted 10-year-old, whose dialogue sometimes doesn't seem true to the life experience of any 10-year-old, regardless of IQ.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of values in One True Loves. What values do you think the adults believe they hold? What values do you think the teens are observing?
Do you think it's better to have a solid life plan, go with the flow, or something in between?
What was the best family vacation you've ever taken? Why? What was the worst? Why?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Balzer + Bray
- Publication date : January 4, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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