Jake

by Jack Weyland

Vain, shallow television actor Jake Petrocelli has what he thinks is a near-death experience, which eventually causes him to reevaluate his life and join the Mormon Church.

Genres: Lds Fiction, Lds, Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Christian Romance, Clean Romance

171 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1998

About the author

Jack Weyland is the best-selling author of young-adult fiction for the Latter-day Saint market. In fact, the modern genre of Latter-day Saint-themed popular fiction is one he is largely responsible for creating with his overwhelmingly popular novel Charly. His interest in fiction began with a correspondence course in creative writing taken during a summer at BYU where he was doing research work. Since then he has published more than two dozen books, and over fifty of his short stories have been published by the LDS Church magazine The New Era.

Born in Butte, Montana, Jack received a B.S. degree in physics from Montana State University and a Ph.D. in physics from BYU. Currently he teaches physics at BYU-Idaho. He formerly taught physics at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Jack and his wife, Sheryl, are the parents of five children and have four grandchildren. His hobbies include racquetball and singing.

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Most unrealistic book I've read in a while.
Tone-deaf, even for its time.
For example, we have a character who is a mechanic and a movie star, but because he is a young person, people keep telling him he should GO TO COLLEGE! He says multiple times he doesn't like school, but the response is, "Maybe you could be a teacher."
Ugh.
Also, the whole met a Mormon girl, joined the church and proposed the next week is just not a great expectation for anyone to have.

[Rachel Woodbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Jack Weyland.. where does he get the ideas for these books? A handsome tv star who thinks he dies and then falls in love with a girl while pretending to be her cousin? It was definitely a fun, easy read and it wasn't super cheesy like some of his other books. My one complaint was that I felt like the ending was too abrupt. I would have liked more closure on the story. At the same time the ending was kind of cute. :)

[Siera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me literally cracking up. I was laughing so hard that tears were coming from my eyes. Normally Jack Weyland's books are realistic, rather heavy, and deal with real life, horrible problems. This book had his style, but it was funnier and lighter than most of his other ones ... I LOVED IT!! It's definitely one of my favorites by him.

[Ella · Rating 1 out of 5]

Many people like Jack Weyland, but I am not among them. If you do, however, you may like this book and I am glad for you. Me, on the other hand, I hated it! There are very few books I can say that about, but this one was mindless drivel! Not only did it not offer any real depth the story was contrived and completely beyond reality.

[Dorry Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its been so long since I read this book I have forgotten a lot of it. As I recall tho' I was not too crazy about it. Its about a 19 year old guy that is in TV. He sees a beautiful girl, meets her and finds out she is a Mormon. He can have about any girl he wants but has never met one quite like Andrea. He really is not her type so its hard for them to find common ground. O.K. book

[Dad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I have laughed so much in a book for a long time. In a bit unrealistic plot, Jack Weyland has brought together an entertaining novel which brings across gospel standards and missionary work. Andrea is a beautiful girl who doesn't try too hard to be beautiful and Jake notices how different she is. He is knocked over by her. The ending is very heart warming.

[Kasi Beorchia · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know, as cheesy as this book is, I just love it. I think I have read it at least a few times now, and I just get butterflies when I read and laugh at how silly this bosy is. It is a quick, fun read.

[Shelleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the one I liked the least of all the Jack Weyland books I read. Too far fetched but for sure I know the right date as to when I read it. I was in the hospital with an amsthma attack after my freshman year soccer try-outs.

[Lori · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book might be good if you are:
A: A teenaged girl
B: Religious
C: Someone who likes mindless reading.

None of the above fits. I read the first few chapters and then the last chapter and that was a big waste of my time.

[Dorian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes a girl is just in the mood for a cheezy chick-flick book. I don't know that this one quite hit the spot, but I was entertained by the fact that the author was able to keep up "I don't realize I'm not dead" theme for a good 20 pages.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

mom bought this for me one year for christmas..can't remember the story at the moment but I always enjoy reading Jack weyland.

[♫♪ Olivia ♪♫]

it was pretty good but the cover is creepy!

[Shaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was so humorous, I believe I laughed throughout the whole book!

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as a teenager and thought it was a really cute romance book. I love Jack Weyland. He definitely knows how to write for the youth of the church.

[Love2Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. Kind of hard to get into, but still a fun read.

[Laceymorris1]

this one is very unexpceted

[Rachel VanBibber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of my favorite Jack Weyland books. It made me laugh a lot, and i liked the story. What can i say, i'm a sucker for corny lds romance novels.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read most of Weylands books when I was in high school. Easy, fast reads. A lot of them have romance in them. Almost all have a LDS person in them- the author is LDS.

[Megs · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was an interesting book with a lot of surprises.

[Stacy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably one of the worst lds fiction books I've read! :-)

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious! Could not stop laughing.

[Missy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am fine suspending reality, but this was a little too much even for me. It just wasn't very realistic. If I were her parents I wouldn't be very happy about this union.

[Roberta Morehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Skye · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reminded myself why I stopped reading jack weyland in middle school. So cheesy haha

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the 'near-death experience' confusion early on in the story. The play on words is very fun.

[Janeya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awful writing but with some hilarious/original scenes.

[Sierra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one had me laughing because it was SO absurd.

[Suzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not his best book.

[Kiirsi Hellewell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay book, but kind of unbelievable in spots. But it was a fun read.

[Merrianne Call · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute, light read! :) I recommend it for teenagers, too : )