NOT EXACTLY A LOVE STORY

When Vinnie moves to Long Island with his mother and new stepfather, he develops a crush on Patsy, the seemingly unattainable girl next door. Narrator Maxwell Glick captures the nuances of Vinnie's character--his intelligence and resilience as well as his shyness and uncertainty. Set in 1977, much of the story revolves around the anonymous midnight phone calls Vinnie starts making to Patsy, during which he begins to get to know a side of her that's not visible during the day. Glick does a fine job with secondary characters, particularly Patsy, whom he gives just the right amount of sass. A sensitive and realistic exploration of acceptance and what knowing someone really means. A.F. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2013]