Adorable isn't a word I use often to describe books. In Majaland, the word is not even a compliment in that context– it’s almost insulting, really, like calling a guy cute. But there have been a few exceptions along the way, and When It Happens happens to be one of them. It’s just… adorable.

Told from alternating POVs, this is a story about Sara and Tobey’s senior year in high school. They both start the year single, but Sara has a small crush on Dave, the new boy, and Tobey has a huge crush on More...

Warning: It took about 30-50 pages for me to get sucked into the narrative. So if you don't feel the effect super quickly, at least give it those initial 50 pages. The book's a quick read anyhow :)

God, I needed this. (A girl has much to grain from a pinch of romance amidst the midterm hustle.) I have no idea what worked here to make this novel as, I don’t know, endearing? Whatever it was, kudos to Ms Colasanti—a mi me gusta.

Okay, so the theme of this novel is already stamped on the title—what ha More...

I was born too late! I wish I were more conscious/aware the decade when The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo’s Fire and Pretty in Pink were cool and hip. Then my inexplicable crushes on Andrew McCarthy *sa-woon* and John Cusack *sa-wooning some more*, wouldn’t be so… well, inexplicable. But thanks to weekend reruns on ABC5, I have watched them over and over and over again (much to my brother’s confusion.) Why am I so into those movies anyway?

I am very fond of those movies for the same reason I am very More...

The synopsis of When It Happens was interesting; unfortunately, that's not what I cay say about the book. It falls short and by a large margin as well. I was really psyched to read Susane Colasanti after Something Like Fate. Thus, I decided to read this out the three options I had: Waiting For You and Take Me There.

My feelings about the book could be summed up by a repetitive dialog in the book, “You"re so much more than you"re letting yourself be." That's what I felt like saying to the author, More...

I would like to start of saying that I really liked this book and I think it is romantic. Sara starts of dating some popular guy named Dave but realizes hes not her type and asks her to do something that shocks her, and she also has two close friends who are always there for her. This story also goes from the point of view of tobey who has a secret crush on Sara who cant ignore his big blue eyes once she finds out, tobey wants to win battle of the bands and get into a college hes dying to go to More...

Like other books, i wanted to read this just for its pretty cover very likely of me. haha

Basically, this one is a very fun, fresh and witty read. Since i'm a big sucker for happy endings I love love stories like this. What i trully like about this one is how it is told in both the perspectives of the main characters Sara & Tobey regarding the same situations. The scenes between these two are so sweet, romantic and well-written. I especially like the remake of the scene from Say Anything More...

This book is about a girl who has two option wheather to stay with the nerdy boy or the cool guy and needs to know which one of them is the one that truelly loves her and which one desires her. What I liked about this book is that it shows what many teen go through when it comes to love. What I didn't like about this book is that the girl was to dumb.A person that will like to read this book is a person who is into romance movies . If you would like to read this book it can be found in Ms.Lacy's More...

When It Happens begins on an awkward note. The author's use of "so I go" and "then she was like" instead of the tried and true "he said", "she said" was more distracting than anything else. It jolted the reader out of the narrative long enough for them to think, "Wow, the author's trying too hard," before sinking back in to the story.

With little things like that, it took awhile for it to really feel that Colasanti got into the groove of the story. Things started to sink into place between pages More...

When it Happens is a really cute read. I really loved the dual POV. I thought it was done really well. Tobey has had a crush on Sara for the longest time. The summer before their senior year, Sara decides she wants something real. Only Sara is hoping her "real" is Dave.

I was really impressed with the way Colasanti wrote the parts with Sara and Dave. Not so much them together, but the way that Sara descibes her feelings of hollowness. She feels really confined and even though she wants it to wor More...

THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS:

Literally one of the most awful books I have ever read, and this is coming from a girl who has read a lot of books, and always finds something to like about them no matter what.

Unless you’re thirteen or have a thirteen-year-old’s ideology of love, I suggest you skip over this one.

Sara wants Dave the hot guy and Dave wants to have sex with Sara, the hot/smart girl. Tobey likes Sara for who she is (and also wants to bang her) and Sara feels something “real” for To More...

Sara and Tobey are seniors in high school. Sara wants two things in her last year of high school which is to get into her first choice college, NYU and to find true love. Tobey also wants two things for his senior year which is to win Battle of the Bands and to make Sara fall in love with him. All summer, Sara was waiting for Dave to call her, since he asks her for her number on the last day of school. Dave is this gorgeous, popular jock in her high school. Later on, Dave asks Sara out and she w More...

I chose this book because it was written by one of my favorite authors: Susane Colasanti. This book to me wasn't a typical teenage love story. It was about a senior in high school named Sara who has started applying to colleges and a musician at her school named Toby. Each of them have a different goal. Toby wants to win this big contest called "Battle of the Bands". Sara liked Toby but then the most popular guy at school asks her out and they start dating. He starts to become a very big distrac More...

Susane Colasanti is apparently convinced that people who are meant to be have to have the same tastes.
Whatever happened to "opposites attract"? After reading two books from this author, Something Like Fate and this When It Happens, I am more and more convinced that this woman would rather marry her clone twin than any other person in this world.

But people have their own tastes and beliefs. I personally don't think two people who like the exact same things are necessarily supposed to be together, More...

This review originally appeared on my blog, www.thebiggestbookshelf.blogspot.co.uk

I read this one when I was on holiday in America and it was fantastic!

The blurb of When It Happens also features a Kirkus review, which says "Chick lit for girls who think". I think this summarizes this novel perfectly, as it was a quick, yet well thought-out read that I really enjoyed. It is different from normal chick-lit because, again, Susane Colasanti's books feature deep topics, and have, dare I say it, inte More...

WHEN IT HAPPENS could have meant many different things but it is about relationships. The connections with other people. And at the heart of this story is Sara and Tobey. Two young people on the brink of adulthood who suffer from simple anxieties like so many others. I was going to add 'at this age' but when do we not worry? Teens with normal names who, primarily, live in the moment.

I liked this simple story. Sara is intelligent and works for her grades. That takes her down a notch with most of More...

If you've ever known any town people, who are totally wrong for each other, but somehow end up together, that odd story is told in this book.

Two high school students, in their senior year, want completely different things. Sara, is a hard working girl, focused on two things- school, and falling in love. Tobey who has much more on his mind than school, could be described as a polar opposite of Sara. But Tobey has one other goal- to make Sara fall in love with him. The only thing in their way was More...

Have you ever heard of the saying "opposites attract"?

Tobey and Sara are seniors in highschool and they couldn't be more different. Sara is a good girl who's focus is on school and getting into her first-choice college. Tobey is like a bad boy. He is focused on music and not so much on school. Yet he is also focused on Sara. His goal is to make her fall in love with him. And lucky for Sara, her goal is to fall in love. The only problem is there's another person, Dave. He's a popular jock, you More...

GOODREADS RECOMMENDED THIS BOOK TO ME AND I DO NOT KNOW IF I CAN TRUST THEM ANYMORE. Anyway, I probably would've picked this book up if I was just perusing the library shelf so I'll shush up. ANYWAY. I've been meaning to read a Susane Colasanti book for awhile now and... This book probably shouldn't have been my first one. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was a good read (haha) but... It took over 100 pages to even be invested into the story. I really like that Colasanti discredited Dave right off More...

Q. Did I like 'When It Happens'?
A. It was alright.

Q. Did I get confused?
A. Erm... YEAH!

Seriously, I did like the book. It's very good, easy to follow between the alternate points of view and Susane Colasanti has done something that few other female authors can do - write in a male perspective and make it seem legitimate. Which was refreshing.

Tobey and Sara are the main two characters. Sara is independent, knows what she wants and how to get it, intelligent and a good friend. Tobey is bright - bu More...

i wish there was a rating for 'hated it' because that's exactly how i felt towards this miserable excuse of a book after i read it.
ive thought about writing a review and it was soo bad that i couldn't even do it.but now i'm going to.i feel like i need to warn people.
i think i read a review for this saying that we would be rooting for the characters. well let me just tell you that i most certainly did not 'root for the characters'.i didn't even care what happened to those crappy characters.
&i More...

First of all, i gave this a 1 star at first...but then I changed it because I finished the book. I am very confident that if a book was a 1 star book I would not have finished it HOWEVER this is the only book that I can remember reading and thinking the whole time "...only ____ more pages until this thing is finally over". this is the only young adult book that I have read and thought, man, maybe i', too old for these books. I am well aware that these books are intended for YOUNG adults but gene More...

sara, a brainy but cute student, starts her senior year hoping hot jock dave will ask her out. but when he does, they don't have much in common and he's kind of a jerk. then she finds out that tobey, a slacker musician with amazing eyes, also likes her. as they fall for each other, she encourages him to get better grades and apply to music school. they have their ups and downs, but everything ends happily.

average teen romance- on the boring side. teens looking for fluffier romances will probably More...

When It Happens is told from 2 alternating view points.

Sara a high school senior who is incredible smart and has her life all mapped out. Sara has plans that include going to NYU to become a Suburban Devloper/Planner. She studies every night and does her homework. She is focused on what she wants. The only other thing she wants besides graduating out of high school is actualy obtaining a real boyfriend. She is looking for something real and of coarse she already has her sights set on Dave. Dave More...

I really really want to go and watch Say Anything right now! This book is like a tribute to it and it is one of my favorite movies! I'm such a sucker for the nerdy girl and the bad A boy. A book that captures the essence of high school love that becomes true love. I thought this book was a super sweet romance with lots of "butterflies in my stomache" moments. I just wish that the author could have cleaned up the language in it. If I was a sailor I would be blushing. I liked that the author would More...

Kayla Johnson
Ms. Campanella
English 3, Period 5
February 29, 2011
Good Reads, When It Happens By Susane Colasanti

The lesson that takes experience to learn is that life is too unpredictable to live by a plan. The novel When It Happens, by Susane Colasanti takes you on the journey of a teenager that is in a situation that almost everyone goes through, attempting to be patient when waiting for their first love. I would rank this novel a 3 on a scale of 1-5 because the story has good potential based More...

Sara has two goals this year: get into her college of choice and score herself a very hot boyfriend. The first one should be pretty easy, since she’s super smart and has been working her booty off. When it comes to the second goal, though, Sara isn’t totally sure she can pull it off.

Enter Dave – new kid at school and totally hot property. When he starts casting his eye Sara’s way, she can’t believe her luck.

Tobey, also can’t believe his – his bad luck, that is. His two goals this year are to tak More...