Two Way Street (Abby Scanlon)

Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt, Simon Pulse Publishing, 288 pages.

I found this book at Barnes and Noble one day just browsing. The title and cover looked interesting and the authors name sounded familiar so I decided to check it out.

Jordan and Courtney have been dating forever, they are completely in love and everyone knows it. As their high school year comes to an end they plan a road trip for the end of the summer to drive together to the college they are both attending. The ride from Florida to Boston takes only 3 days but when Jordan breaks up with Courtney before the trip it becomes a lifetime. Jordan falls for a girl he met on Myspace and loses his connection with Courtney. Behind scenes though Jordan is still in love with Courtney and there turns out to not be a Myspace girl at all. Lies and deception never work out in a relationship but its not all Jordan’s fault, someone else has it in for him.

This book is a teen read that captures your heart in the year of a high school senior and the drama of relationships.

The author writes in alternating chapters between Courtney and Jordan to show the others perspective. It shows great insight on the differences between men and women and how they react to the same situations. Barnholdt writes casually and makes this book a breezy read. “‘I’m ridiculous? I’m ridiculous?’ How could she say that? Has she lost her mind? It’s so completely not ridiculous to be upset about going on a trip with your ex-boyfriend, when said ex-boyfriend broke your heart and left you stranded for some Internet slut.”

“‘I am going to tell her, you know.’ ‘Of course,’ I say, even though he’s been feeding me the same bullshit line for the past three months.” (15)
—This passage struck me because its only the second chapter and you feel as if you have figured out that Jordan broke up with Courtney for another girl but then Jordan seems to be angry around Courtney’s dad who has been keeping a secret from her that Jordan knows.

“‘Let me get this straight,’ B.J. says a couple of hours later... ‘Courtney is not your girlfriend.’ ‘Right.’ ‘And two hours after you two crazy kids came to the conclusion that you’re soul mates, you figured out your mom was [having sex with] her dad?’”(138)
—Jordan’s best friend B.J. really adds a bit of humor to the otherwise bizarre love story between Jordan, Courtney, Courtney’s dad, and Jordan’s mom. We now realize what Courtney’s dad was keeping from her and that Jordan knew about this.

“I look at him then, and I see how hurt he is. I think about how awful it must have been for him to find out hi mom was cheating on his dad, and even more awful that he felt he couldn’t tell me. I think about how people make mistakes, and how I lied to him about the Lloyd thing, and how emotions and heartbreak and love can really screw with your head. Most of all, I think about how it is to be with him, and how if there’s even a chance we can be together, I can’t be afraid to find out.” (285)
—This quote is right in the end of the book and I like how Courtney is finally realizing things and making sense of her life. She can see Jordan’s side of the issue and why he kept it from her. Courtney knows she loves him and her love for Jordan outweighs anything her father stupidly did.

I really liked this book for the realistic conversations between teenage couples. The scenario with their parents seems unlikely but they way they deal with it is so typical. College is a stressful time and the fact that they planned to go to the same college is common for high school couples. The idea is poor overall but many do it with the hopes to stay together. The book also shows how love can prevail and as a closet Shakespeare fan I love a good tragic love story.