Played

Ian Striver is popular and handsome, and all the girls like him. He is also part of a secret boys' club called the CIA, which guarantees his standing in his school's social elite. So when one of his CIA friends throws down a bet, Ian has to take it, or risk losing his rep. The bet is that Ian has three weeks to make a girl fall in love and have sex with him.

Grade 9 Up–Ian Striver is challenged to prove himself worthy of joining his Detroit high school's elite fraternity. He has two weeks to make plain and unpopular Kylie fall for him and sleep with him. Although he feels uncomfortable, he turns on his charm and asks her out. Kylie has never had so much attention before; though her friends try to convince her that Ian is a player, she develops feelings for him. When she finally has sex with him and tells him how she feels, his deception is accidentally revealed in front of the entire school. Ian has to come to terms with the man he is becoming, and try to convince Kylie to trust him again. This look at high school fraternities is reminiscent of Sharon M. Draper's The Battle of Jericho (S & S, 2003), though the conclusion is not quite so extreme. Kylie is not popular, but she has true friendships. Ian may be popular, but he has sacrificed his integrity to be so, and he is unhappy. It isn't until his sister points out that he is turning out like his absentee father that he realizes he needs to change. Davidson's understanding of teen motivations and language is apparent here. Though the topic is nothing new, the author's voice and the urban setting make it fresh and relevant to teens.–Stephanie L. Petruso, Anne Arundel County Public Library, Odenton, MD
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Gr. 9-12. Gorgeous Ian Striver is horrified when he receives his final challenge for entry into the FBI, an exclusive fraternity at Cross High School. Not only must he prove that he has gotten plain Kylie Winship, an obvious virgin, to "give it up," but he must also prove that she has fallen in love with him. Although Ian is prepared to fulfill the challenge, he isn't ready to fall in love himself. Neither is Kylie prepared to fall for Ian, who sometimes even humiliates her. Davidson, the author ofJason and Kyra (2004), has written a disturbing, authentic romance. The characters are African American, but the story is focused on plot and characters rather than ethnicity. Direct and affecting, this will pull at readers' heartstrings while also serving as fair warning for teenage girls everywhere. Frances Bradburn
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