You and Me and Him

Sixteen-year-old Maggie is overweight, but she’s not “one of those shrinking violet fat girls.” She has passions for hiking and baking, a great record-store job, and a loyal best friend -- the artistic, sardonic, openly gay Nash. Neither Nash nor Maggie fits in with the rest of their small-town classmates, but their tight friendship has always made life bearable. Then Nash invites Tom -- the friendly, flirtatious new kid -- into their inner circle. Maggie plays the supportive friend, hoping that Tom might be the guy for Nash. When Tom instead turns his attention toward Maggie, their maybe-romance threatens to destroy Maggie and Nash’s friendship. Nash likes Tom; Tom likes Maggie; Maggie likes Tom, but she’s worried he’s not serious -- it’s a confusing tangle of friendships and romances that unravels when Maggie and Tom’s dalliance is discovered. Dinnison maintains a pleasantly breezy tone throughout the story, even if the dialogue often sounds too perfectly crafted to be realistic. Firmly at the center stands a protagonist whose likable voice and authentic struggle to accept herself and find love in a world that would rather she shrink back -- not to mention her crackling chemistry with Tom -- lend this fresh, contemporary romantic comedy considerable appeal. jessica tackett macdonald

Sixteen-year-old Maggie is overweight, but she's no "shrinking violet fat girl." When her gay best friend Nash invites Tom into their inner circle, Maggie hopes Tom might be the guy for Nash. Tom instead turns his attention toward Maggie; their maybe-romance threatens Maggie and Nash's friendship. Maggie's likable voice and authentic struggle to accept herself lend this fresh romantic comedy considerable appeal.