Gr 9–11—Penny Lane Bloom is stung by love and vows to give up boys and dating for the rest of her high school days. She and her older sisters, Lucy (in the Sky with Diamonds) and (Lovely) Rita grew up with parents who were huge Beatles fans so it's no surprise that Penny calls her no-dating club The Lonely Hearts Club. There are lots of fun references to the Fab Four throughout the book. Now unfettered by the rules of high school dating and courtship, Penny is free to be, and enjoy, herself. Other girls notice her burgeoning self-confidence and her infectious joie de vivre. They want to join the club too, so what began as one girl's personal rebellion becomes a school-wide revolution. Formal rules strictly forbid dating, so when swearing off boys doesn't work and Penny meets her match, she has to keep the relationship on the q.t. Eventually club rules are amended and dating is permitted, but with the caveat that friends come first, so no ditching your girls just because a guy calls at the last minute. The plot is fairly predictable, but it moves along at a quick enough pace to hold readers' interest. The story is a gentle reminder to girls who may fall head over heels and sometimes jeopardize solid friendships for a romantic relationship. Fortunately, Eulberg injects the right amount of humor so the message doesn't come across as too heavy-handed.—Patricia N. McClune, Conestoga Valley High School, Lancaster, PA
In a spirited, feminist debut, musician Eulberg traces the resilience of a 16-year-old suburban high-school junior who turns her disappointment in love into a happy affirmation of autonomy and friendship. When Penny Lane Bloom is jilted, she turns for solace to the only guys who have never broken her heart: John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Tired of the boy runaround, Penny starts the Lonely Hearts Club, devoted to "the benefits of being single," with herself as the only member. Soon, however, the other girls at McKinley High School join with enthusiasm (and some occasional cattiness), like Diane Monroe, the once-clingy arm fixture of star athlete Ryan Bauer, now destined for the basketball team. Swearing off boys might be a beautiful notion, but it's short-lived, as even Penny is tempted by Ryan, and the school principal fears a boys' backlash. The dialogue-heavy adventure addresses tender teen concerns of conformity versus self-preservation, but the formulaic plotting doesn't lift this effort above the rest, despite the mildly amusing Beatles gimmick. (Fiction. 14 & up)
Praise for The Lonely Hearts Club
"A must-read for anyone who's ever fallen in love—or sworn it off completely. A funny, fantastic debut!" —Stephenie Meyer, author of The Twilight Series
"It's hard not to get caught up in this good natured revenge fantasy." —The New York Times Book Review
"The Lonely Hearts Club turns the world of teen dating upside-down, proving that a girl can ignore 'the rules' and still land squarely, happily, and hilariously on her feet." —Lauren Myracle, author of ttyl
"Why oh why weren't Penny Lane Bloom and her Lonely Hearts Club around when I was in high school? Penny is a terrific voice-smart, sassy, and full of girl power — just like author Elizabeth Eulberg. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next." —Jen Calonita, author of Secrets of My Hollywood Life
"A delightful coming-of-age story about learning to define yourself without shutting the door on love." —Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games trilogy
