Abbie's Rival

Abbie's Rival
Tracey Morait
K&T Mitchell
ISBN: 978-0-9558550-0-9
Fiction, Young Adult
Reviewed by Maurice A. Williams

Abbie's Rival is a fast moving, interesting story about teenagers living in Liverpool, England. Abby Palmer has three sisters, one a quarrelsome step-sister named Tanya, and two brothers. The youngest brother and youngest sister are twins. Abbie found, during a school project, a pen friend in France, Colette Saunier, with whom she texts frequently, although secretly because her parents frown on chat room relationships.

The story begins with Abbie realizing that Colette plans to visit her in Liverpool after the school year and stay with her family in the Palmer's home. The first complication arises when Abbie remembers that she was not entirely honest with Colette, texting Colette that she is an only child and that her parents are well to do, having a large house, a swimming pool, and a pony.

Abbie discusses her dilemma with her best friend Shireen Shah. Abbie decides to text Colette that she and her parents will be on a Mediterranean cruise all summer. With that problem seemingly solved, Abbie becomes enamored with an "older man," twenty-year-old Richard Farnham, six years her senior, who crashed his bicycle into Abbie when she absently mindedly walked into his path. Instantly attracted to Richard, Abbie and Shireen argue about the wisdom of having a crush on an older man. Richard turns out to be the son of Abbie's French teacher, Mrs. Farnham ("Frog Face"), and Richard will be the new student teacher next term, helping his mother teach French.

The story takes a twist when Colette shows up unannounced at the Palmer home. She wanted to surprise Abbie. More surprises develop later when Colette's real reason for her visit comes to light. Colette is a stunningly beautiful sixteen-year-old blond who could easily pass for eighteen. She is introduced to Richard and both are attracted to each other, causing Abbie no little anxiety. Abbie's jealousy becomes hard to control, plus her differences with her step-sister Tanya worsen as Tanya begins to show hostility toward Colette. Fights ensue, and the Palmers ask Colette to leave.

The story continues in this direction, developing the sibling rivalry in the Palmer family and the girl's interest in Richard. Tracey Morait's dialog is good, and the story moves rapidly with several surprising new developments.