Romance is the furthest thing from Tamiko Gashkin’s mind when she drops her copy of the Brothers Karamazov on the path through Faculty Glade on the Cal Berkeley campus. Imagine, then, how stunned this almost 16-year-old brainiac athlete is when she’s instantly beguiled by Alec Burns, the shaggy-haired college senior who not only retrieves her book, but pledges his affection. But how is a high … school girl who has never been kissed to cope with a far more sophisticated older guy given that almost everyone in their world disapproves, especially Tamiko’s protective single mom, Amy? Indeed this modern fairy tale might have been squelched right there were it not for the appearance of Max, a demonic psychopath from Amy’s past ready to destroy everyone in his way. But with survival now the overwhelming priority, can there suddenly be room for Alec and Tamiko to be together?
more
Jake Warner, ‘Coming of Age in Berkeley’
As a Hidden Gem ARC reader I received this book for free. And promised an honest review. Here it is.
English isn’t my first language. Sorry for errors.
Rating: 4,5 stars (of 5).
In general: Credible love story of young girl and older boyfriend.
Main characters:
– Alec Burns, college student (22 years old).
He was a succesful pentathlon athlete. But realised a few years ago that
topsport takes a lot of time to train, so he quit and returned to college.
– Tamiko O’Shea Gashkin (15). Her father was killed when she was 12 years old. She’s a very intelligent student, helping her mother Amy who works (and has a relationship with her boss) at the book publisher firm Bay Books. Tamiko is good at sports, especially softball.
Tamiko’s mother forbids her 15 year old daughter contact with a 22 years old college student. But next day the two youngsters meet again, they like each other and have a quick kiss, a first for Tami. They keep seeing each other around summer-classes, but before their relationship develops Alec has to stop a short term affair with an foreign girlfriend who will return to Korea within a few weeks. Alec is surprised that Tamiko gives him time to end the affair with his Korean girlfriend. Tamiko and Alec decide to meet only in public places, for Alec realises that it’s important for Tami to keep a good band with her mother.
So very carefully Tamiko and Alec get to know each other better and guardedly their love develops. The author describes with a lot of feeling and insight how all the persons who are involved step by step accept this relationship between a young girl and an older boyfriend. The main characters are sympathetic and credible. The dialogues fast, sassy and often very interesting. So for me the book was a page turner. A real pleasure to read, in spite of the text not yet divided in chapters and paragraphs.
R. Huiszoon.