The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

Title: The Unwritten Rule
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Pages: 224
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: March 16, 2010

Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don't like your best friend's boyfriend. Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend. Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful. Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more...

All's fair in love and war. That is and isn't the case here. Sarah liked Ryan first...ever since the eighth grade actually. But that doesn't matter to Brianna, Sarah's best friend. Brianna siddles up to Ryan, works her charm, and captures his attention...at least until he gets a taste of Sarah. But Sara is rational and is all too aware of the unwritten rule; you aren't supposed to like your best friend's boyfriend. As she struggles to deal with her feelings for Ryan, guilt and fear for Brianna's friendship consumes her. What's more is that Brianna's emotionally breaking down because of family-related problems and Sarah is her only lifeboat. When Sarah is given the chance to be with Ryan, will she take that leap of faith? And if she does, what will Sarah think?

Elizabeth Scott weaves a contemporary tale of family, friendship, and romance. The Unwritten Rule is set in such a normal and real environment that readers cannot help but feel empathy towards the characters and their different situations. With such an indifferent topic, Scott evokes so many emotions in the reader and at the same time, forges a connection between the reader and the book.

Sarah is a conflicted over-thinker that teenagers will definitely be able to relate to. She's lost and depends on Brianna as her only source of friendship. Sarah stands behind Brianna's shadow; doing whatever Brianna wants and always putting Brianna first, before herself. But as The Unwritten Rule goes on, her personality becomes more solid and her growth as a person is evident in her strong narration.

The Unwritten Rule revolves around a pretty complex concept that shows the hardships of a teenager in four very important aspects; family, friendship, finding yourself, and love. Elizabeth Scott's pure and simple writing is perfectly blended to mold this beautiful story. The Unwritten Rule is a book that focuses on the drama, heartache, and confusion that is bonded with a teenager's experience. A =)

The Bottom Line: There are exceptions to every rule.

---Report Card---
Originality: 6/10
Ending: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 10/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 9/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Total Score: 94/100 (A)