Bloom by Elizabeth Scott

Lauren has the perfect boyfriend that every girl in school lusts after, and yet she is not happy. Insecure and unpopular Lauren still wonders why popular, and perfect Dave chooses to be with her. So to keep him, Lauren feels like she has to be perfect as well- perfect grades, perfect attitude, perfect behavior. Lauren hides a lot of herself in order to keep everyone happy. She doesn’t discuss the mother that abandoned the family with her father, she doesn’t open up to her best friend, she hides her love of music from everyone, and she certainly doesn’t tell her celibate boyfriend that she wants to have sex with him. When Evan, the son of her father’s first live-in girlfriend, returns to town, Lauren begins to connect with him in ways she never expected and soon finds herself rebelling against the restraints she has put on herself to keep her loved ones happy.

Bloom is a great mix of coming-of-age and romance with enough angst and drama to draw a variety of teen readers. Lauren will connect with many teen girls who are struggling to find themselves and at the same time define themselves within the confines of relationships with others. Scott has created a wonderful first book that will appeal to fans of Sarah Dessen and will have readers waiting to see what she will put out next.