Can't Stay Away

Sweet Valley High Senior Year #1

by Francine Pascal

The twins are seniors! New faces, old friends, and Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, right in the middle of things.

Elizabeth Wakefield jumps into senior year, ready to devote herself to the newspaper, homework and her writing.  Trouble is, she can't stop thinking about Conner McDermott, a guy from El Carro high who is total bad news--and who hardly even notices her.  She misses study dates, can't speak in class and takes hours to get ready for school--completely unlike herself.  Could any guy change her so much?

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Teen

163 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 12, 1999

About the author

Francine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.

Reviews

[Molli Moran]

I was just starting high school when this book came out, and it was so different from the Sweet Valley books of old, which I'd read a few of, or even the Sweet Valley University books. I remember being so excited - this series was set immediately after the earthquake ripped through Sweet Valley and all the schools had been divided up, sending kids to Sweet Valley High...which meant new characters!

To me, this series while shorter than either SVU or SVH, was far more realistic than the previous ones. The twins and their friends dealt with real life issues - life was not entirely picture-perfect as it had been portrayed before. Love was messy, friendships were complicated. Everyone had to grow up, and Pascal (or her ghostwriter/s) did it beautifully.

This series will always have a special place in my heart, hence my adding it to my list. I don't think I'd ever re-read the books, having grown up since then - but I grew up while I read them, and that wins them a special mention.

[Shianne]

I should probably be embarrassed by how much this series still fills me with joy. I should be, but I am not! These crazy kids and their woes will always be my favorite.

[Ruby Rose]

Hi! Tell me if any of this is incorrect. I read about 3 books in between this one and writing this review so I will get most but not all... I might, but it still helps if you have read this and I missed any of this.

ROMANCE: This book was mostly clean from what I remember except the thoughts about IT that one of the main characters kept thinking about.

AGE RECOMMENDATION: 12 and up for above.

VIOLENCE: None that I remember.

SWEARING: Very little, a few words (up to 5).

[Laura McGee]

So bad but so good. But mostly bad. How did I love these so much in middle school? And why will I continue reading them?

[Kristin]

I remember loving this series in 7th and 8th grade and it's been 18 years since I've read it. So much drama and whining this time around. And why do all the characters hate each other? These weren't nearly as entertaining to reread years later compared to the regular SVH series. Maybe they are too realistic?? I will probably keep reading the Liz and Connor parts though.

[Tanya]

When I started trying to get all of my book on Goodreads, I decided to leave all of the "kid" stuff out, because if I tried to put all of the series' I have read, like all the Sweet Valleys, Baby-Sitters Clubs, Nancy Drews, Goosebumps, Fear Streets, ect., it would probably take me forever!! But then I decided since I still own all of the SVH Senior Years, and I loved them sooooo much, I would just bite the bullet and go ahead and add them!!

This series (awesomely) came out halfway through my own senior year of high school, and after reading almost every other book from all the other series', I knew I had to continue with this one!! I felt like the series was made just for me, so that I could continue on with all of my 'friends', who were much more modern and complex than they were in the Sweet Valley High series (which I think I also had almost every single book of before I gave them all away!!)

The series continued all the way until the year I graduated from college, and I kept up with it book by book as they came out, in between Stephen King, Harry Potter, and others. I loved all of them, but of course the OCD in me was horrified when the series ended on #48, and not a nice, round 50 or something.....

Nostalgia at it's best, and if I had all the time in the world, I would absolutely LOVE to reread the entire series!!

[Felicia Moore]

Love the sweet Valley series!

[†Reviews of a FearStreetZombie†]

Years later after reading this and I STILL love this book.
But

Will, Lila, Melissa. Ugh! Gotta love snotty people, cheaters, liars, and people so full of themselves. They really deserve each other. Just saying.

now that that is out of the way, I really love this book. The writing was great and kept me interested. I loved the little diary entries as well because it's always great to see from other's points of views. There really isn't much to say about this book, because I really like everything about it. I love the character developments and personalities. As if high school isn't drama enough alone, try tossing in another school and forcing them to "work together" when each school thinks they are better than the other. That is just asking for trouble. Ready to read book two now!

[Audrey]

How do you rate this?
I loved these books in high school, when my sister and I used to look so forward every month to heading to books-a-million for the new one.
And now I’ve started my reread of all 48 of then.
And it was oh so terrible but I loved it oh so much!

[Michelle Madow]

I remember liking the Sweet Valley Senior Year books better than Sweet Valley High :)

[Taylor]

i was so addicted to this book. its one of my very favorites.

[Jackie Bromagin]

This was a completely nostalgia driven reread. I loved these books when I was in 8th grade and I just felt the need to pick it back up.

[Jaclyn]

I love this book so much, for so many nostalgic reasons. I stared the series in 8th grade when it came out, and I don't think I ever finished. I'd love to read the end of it!

[Alejandra]

I figured since I liked reading about the twins when I was younger I would give this series a try. It's written in a sort of diary form. I remember how dramatic these were now hahaha

[Sarah Baines]

I read this a few years ago now. I adored the Sweet Valley High books many moons ago when I was in school so when I saw these books during one of my online browsing sessions, I practically hyperventilated. I bought practically the whole series before I read Can't Stay Away and I shouldn't have bothered. I HATED Can't Stay Away and and found it really irritating. There seemed to be so much whining. But what irked me most was NO WINSTON!!!

[pennpenn]

3/5

My sister found this book in a Little Free Library and the cover was so iconic that I just had to read it for kicks. CAN’T STAY AWAY is so cheesy, cliche, and over-the-top in its 90s teen drama that it’s good. I had a blast and was genuinely invested in the plot and characters (they’re all ridiculous but Tia is amazing <3). “Disreputable pants” and “schmooze-a-thon” are entering my daily vocabulary now thank you

[Rachel]

Ok, I didn't know these were a thing. Never read one never heard of em. Since i finished the original series I was like maybe try the first book out.

Damnit this trash got me. I was thrown off at first. It's weird because it's set in the 2000s versus the 70s and 80s. High school me would have been sneak reading this in class. Adult me can read them anytime. The chokehold this series has me.

I'm blinking twice for help.

[JH]

Ugh this reminds me of the California Diaries, the spin-off series to the Baby-sitters Club. They’re dark and angry and gritty and you want more…yet they don’t feel satisfying in the slightest and the books end on a cliffhanger with everyone in a really bad mental state. I will not be reading any others.

[Joy Rosales]

Amazing nostalgic goodness! My only issue was that this book is supposed to be the enemies to lovers story between Elizabeth and Conner, and all we really got was the enemies part except for the very end.

[Tiffany]

Considering the fact that this book is written for ages 12+, it is well written. I didn't feel like I was reading a YA book. Plus, it brought back memories of how I was obsessed with this particular SVH "spin-off".

If you can get your hands on a copy, this is worth the read. It kept me wanting more. Now I'm hunting down the entire series.

[Micah]

So much memories re-reading this series! I loved it just as I first read it.

[Kimberly Perry]

This is the perfect introduction to the series! It introduces the twins Jessica and Elizabeth. This book talks about how Elizabeth starts not acting like herself because she likes Conner. She doesn’t want to admit she likes him! Jessica is feeling on top of the world. The new football player Will likes her and even kissed her. Come to find out he is dating Melissa. Melissa is a cheerleader and starts spreading rumors and lies about Jessica just to feel better about Will cheating.

[Samantha Glasser]

Because of the earthquake, Elizabeth and Jessica are going to a new high school for their senior year, and they have to find a way to fit into the dynamic already established there. Jessica butts heads with another popular girl, and it doesn't help that the girl's boyfriend Will has eyes for the beautiful blonde. Arrogant Connor gets Elizabeth's attention, but even though she's attracted to him, all she does is fight with him.

This series was my favorite of all of the Sweet Valley series. The characters were all enjoyable, the girls were more mature, and the stories were always entertaining.

[Kat Petersdorf]

I loved this book, I enjoyed the high school feel of it. Even though, as an twenty year old and author (Arched Wing) I knew the huge twist at the end, funnist way to end it and how I would have too, was coming it was still epic. Even when you know it is all going wrong and that they are not real people you can't help but become enveloped in their lives and care so much about their future that you freak out with them, almost cry with them, and fall in love with them. It may have been 1999 when they came out, and back when I first read them, but they are still modern with teen ideals that don't die.

[Winna]

Another Sweet Valley book, actually this is the first book out of the 40 something bunch..

Starting with a story on Elizabeth starting senior year, falling unexpectedly for someone not her type, and Jessica.. getting into a mess as usual.

It's fun to read, especially that I've missed the beginning of the entire drama.

[Christine P.]

I love this. It's Sweet Valley with some mature and realistic tones to it.

[Nur Ain Z.]

I love this series. Period.

[Sheila Read]

I have read so many of these books I can't remember all of them.

Merged review:

I have read so many of these books I can't remember all of them.

[Angelinadorkygirl24]

It was so COOL!!! I enjoyed every minute of it!

[Aleina]

I think that this series was pretty good. I'm hooked when I read it, but when I stop reading it...well....I get distracted by other books. It's a pretty good high school drama.