Since I actually have a spare moment.
This book starts out with another party. I know, another party! This time, they are celebrating Elizabeth's return from being kidnapped by that crazy psycho whatsisname in book 13. Elizabeth opens the door to her home and looks into the face of Nicholas Morrow, both of whom have never met. Liz can tell instantly that despite is dashing good looks, he is intelligent as well. Nicholas on the other hand, falls madly in love with Liz, even though he knows nothing about her. As an added plot twist, Jessica also falls in love with Nicholas. Why? Well because he's hot and he's "so fabulously rich he can afford to drive around in a jeep," which are apparently more expensive than Porsches and Ferraris.
So then we have some more partying, where in we see Robin, who apparently is still suffering with her eating disorder in order to be popular. But it's ok, because her boyfriend Allen is eating for her. Now that's real love, right there. And then there's more partying....Liz is being followed by Nicholas everywhere she goes. Now, I would think this to be crazy and stalkerish, but she doesn't think anything of it, even though she wants to spend time with Trusty Boyfriend Todd.
There is brief mention of Liz and Jessica's older brother Steven not being at the party. His girlfriend has Leukemia and therefore, he's moping in his room. Because it's not like his girlfriend is dying of cancer or anything.
Liz meets Regina, they talk and then it goes on to the next chapter. And the party continues...Jessica is wearing a "black pantsuit with a plunging neckline." Ned and Alice are also at this party, so why they are letting their 16 year old daughter look like a slut, I dunno. Anyway, Nicholas continues to stalk Liz, finally trying to con her into dating her, by arguing that she's too young to "go steady." Who uses that term in 1984? Liz can't hurt Nicholas' feelings, so she finally agrees to go to dinner with him. But she's not going to tell Todd, because she doesn't want to hurt his feelings either.
Then we shoot back to Jessica, who is doing a con job on Randy. Randy is a nerd. But he's a nerd with a computer. And in 1984, we know what a rarity this is. Jessica has a sudden interest in computers, which has nothing to do with the fact that Nicholas Morrow's family is in the computer business and she's trying to relate to him so he'll like her instead of Liz, which she doesn't know Nicholas likes Liz. Nothing like that is going on. At all. Randy, because he's a nerd, cannot tell that Jessica is trying to con him. So he falls for it and agrees to teach Jessica about computer.
Jessica then corners Liz and tells her all about how she loves Nicholas, and she's sure Nicholas loves her. Liz doesn't tell her that Nicholas has already professed his undying love to Liz. That wouldn't make for a good story, now would it? Jessica goes on about how never in her 16 years has she found someone like Nicholas and how she's been waiting for him for, "practically forever." Forever being 16 years, of course.
Fast foward a little bit. Jessica is meeting up with Randy to learn about computers. She silently makes the remark, "Doesn't Randy know he's a nerd?" No, I'm sure that thought has never crossed his mind, you bitch. Anyway, she continues to suck up to him and flirt with him and of course, poor, nerdly Randy actually believes Jessica likes him. He offers to tutor in math since she tells him how much she sucks and she agrees. Little does he know, this is only the beginning of Jessica's nefarious plot.
In the next chapter, the twins are at the mall. Well, actually Jessica wanted to go to the mall and since she's not allowed to drive, Liz has to take her. Who should they run into but Nicholas Morrow! He's showing clients around of course. No stalkerish behavior here. He flirts with Liz, which Jessica somehow transposes on to herself. I'm not sure what planet she's living on.
In the next big scene, Jessica again meets up with Randy, though she's late. But Randy is a nerd and waits for her, not realizing she is of course, almost standing him up. A watch doesn't go with her outfit, after all. Back at Randy's house, Jessica cons Randy into using the internets to hack his way through the series of tubes and get into the Sweet Valley database and change her math grade from an F to a C. He doesn't want to, but then Jessica pouts and he caves in. This is as close as we get to sexual favors.
At home, Jessica whines and complains that nobody in the world loves her or cares about her. Stop being emo, you callous bitch. Oh wait, that's just me. Liz didn't say that. Then Randy calls and says he's going to turn himself in for changing Jessica's math grade because he feels guilty and he doesn't want to ruin is chances of being a systems programmer or anything else. Never fear, Randy. There's always fast food! Liz just so happens to listen in on the call and she makes Jessica march her happy ass to Sweet Valley High and turn herself in to the principal.
The principal is pissed but because Liz sweet talks him, Randy and Jessica are let go with a warning to never do it again. Oh, and Jessica's grade is returned to an F. Heaven forbid, we actually punish the spoiled brat or something.
A couple days go by, Liz has a date with Todd, and some more boring, inconsequential stuff happens that has nothing to do with the plot, but somehow progresses us foward to Sunday. Sunday! Liz borrows her mom's Fiat to go out of town to her date with Nicholas. The restaurant has some fancy French name, which I'm pretty sure is French for "our food stinks." Anyway, they have valet, which is French for "other people park your cars." Liz has never experienced this in all her rich and priviledged life. It's quite a culture shock for her.
Dinner goes well. Liz eats more food, fat and calories in one sitting than I can eat in one day, and manages to convince Nicholas that they're better off as friends, since she's not attracted to him in that way and she loves Todd. Nicholas is a gentleman and accepts this offer of friendship, thanking her for giving him a chance. Things are going well. Until Todd stumbles onto the scence. Dum, dum, dum.
As it turns out, Todd's mother's birthday is that night and for her dinner, they came to the same fancy French restaurant. So, since Liz never told Todd that she was going out to dinner, Todd thinks Liz is cheating on him. Which you know, isn't plausible or anything like that. Only! Liz pulls a fast one and claims she's Jessica. Poor Todd feels so shitty for not being able to recognize his own girlfriend, that he rushes over to the Wakefield's as quick as he can to tell Liz. Only, Jessica answers the door. Dum, dum, dum. DUH! DUM!
So Todd accuses Liz of cheating on him and there's drama, drama, drama. Jessica also hates Liz cause she didn't tell her that she was going out with Nicholas and now Jessica is heartbroken because the only man she's ever loved (this week) doesn't love her back. So on, and so forth.
Fast foward to the Championship game between Sweet Valley and you guessed it, Big Mesa. Liz is there covering the game for The Oracle because the sports guy is out sick or something. Todd cracks under all the emotional pressure and can't shoot a basket to save his life. Liz is practically in tears because her life is over, and all that jazz. But! Nicholas shows up and finds out what's going on. And he hatches a plan. See! Liz knew he was smart.
Nicholas goes into the locker room at half time and talks to Todd, straightening the whole mess out. He explains that Liz loves Todd, and that she told Nicholas that on their date, meeting between friends. Todd realizes he was a moron for rationally assuming his one and only love to be cheating on him, goes back out, and wins the game for Sweet Valley. Because no one else on the team can shoot a hoop to save their life.
Sweet Valley Wins the Championship and Liz and Todd are back together. So what do they do? Go to a party of course! So they're at this party. It's at Cara's house this time, when a call comes to the twins from Alice. Tricia, Steven's girlfriend, has taken a turn for the worse and it looks like she's going to die. The book ends with Liz and Jessica rushing to the hospital to be with their family.
The End.
I give this book four out of five lameness stars.