Imagine if your mom were a female Richard Simmons. You would have no choice but to lose weight. Colie does lose the weight, but still hates her body and herself. When her mom, an exercise guru, tours Europe, Colie gets shipped off to her aunt in north Carolina where she becomes friends with two waitresses, Isabel and Morgan. While Colie’s story line of learning to like herself and falling in love with short order cook Norman is good, the really great part of this book is the kick-ass relationship between Isabel and Morgan. They are everything good about being girl friends, and the way Colie looks up to them will be recognizable to every girl who was in 7th grade and had that cool 9th grader show them the ropes with school and boys and make-up. Though it seems quiet on the outside, this story is about the out-loud-proud strength girls’ give to each other. Read it, and then get your best friend a copy for her birthday.