"First Date" by Krista McGee

I have just recently been introduced to Krista McGee's books, but I am decidedly a fan! Her characters are well-developed and I love that in every book she's written so far she has taken a Biblical story and presented it in a modern setting. They're not straight-up re-tellings, but it's not hard to see where she draws the inspiration from. In "Right Where I Belong" it was the story of Ruth, and in "First Date" it's the book of Esther on display.

Addy Davidson is a normal high school sophomore. She likes routine and order. When she suddenly discovers she's going to be on a reality television show, she's distraught and resists the notion. Her school was one of 100 in the nation selected to send one girl to compete on a TV show called "Book of Love," with the premise that these 100 girls will compete and be chosen as a date for the President's son's senior prom. Addy doesn't want to be famous. She just wants to finish high school and get into an Ivy League college. But she's not really given a choice, and she leaves the next morning for the set in Tennessee.

It seems like every other girl in the competition has aspirations. Addy just wants to be kicked off the show as soon as possible so she can go home. When she first meets Jonathon Jackson, the President's son, she makes quite an impression, and not necessarily a good one at that! Having her moment of frustration caught on camera, Addy immediately receives media attention, which infuriates the other girls. They are sure Addy also has a hidden agenda, and nothing she says can convince them otherwise.

As well as the cattiness of dozens of teenage girls, Addy must deal with the hostility of the show's host, Hank. He's all charm for the cameras, but once they are turned off he is demanding and rude. He's far more concerned with furthering his own career than with helping anyone else.

If there's one bright spot, it's Addy's roommate, Kara. The friendship of the spunky redhead is just what Addy needs. It's not long before Addy discovers that Jonathon might not be so bad himself. but she can't tell whether he is also putting on a false front for the cameras.

I loved how Addy was portrayed. For the most part she's a quiet thinker, and even in the middle of conversations sometimes she'd drift off into her thoughts. An introvert! Her struggles with how to respond to criticism and outright mean-spiritedness seemed genuine and something a lot of teenagers could relate to. Maybe not everyone gets the chance to be on TV, but all of our lives are on display in one way or another. The question is if we'll choose to do our best to honor God no matter the situation, or let pressure and strife change us into people we wouldn't want to recognize as ourselves. A great story for young women today!