Boyfriends, Burritos and an Ocean of Trouble by Nancy Rue

~Saturday Stories~

Typical Bryn: I wasn’t so worried about tonight’s injuries. Those bruises wouldn’t rise to the surface until at least tomorrow. It was Wednesday’s evidence I was worried about. I couldn’t let [the doctor] see that.

The last thing Bryn wants is for someone to know. But when taken to the hospital after a car accident, her secret is revealed. Her boyfriend has abused her. A number of times. What is Bryn supposed to do with her father pressing charges, her boyfriend’s friends threatening her and a grandmother coming over to help that insists Bryn learns -of all things- how to surf? Is there any way out of this mess, with or without this strange book that seems to talk directly to her?

As usual, Nancy Rue has written an amazing book. I loved Boyfriends, Burritos and an Ocean of Trouble! It was fun to read about a girl who, though in high school, is still younger than me (Bryn’s fifteen). The issues dealt with are serious and are real problems that teenage girls face daily. RL-the book that helped her- is basically a modern-day paraphrase of the Bible and can mysteriously open to the pages that Bryn needs to read. Although a book that talks to you isn’t really there, Nancy does show us that the Bible can speak to you too.

This is the second of the Real Life series for teens. The others are Motorcycles, Sushi and One Strange Book, Tournaments, Cocoa and One Wrong Move and Limos, Lattes, and My Life on the Fringe. They can all be read as stand-alones since the only thread is that one girl places the RL book for someone to find, and the next girl picks it up.

For more on Nancy Rue, visit her website, Facebook page, and blogs for tweens, teens and new women.