JULY 2017 - AudioFile
All 17-year-old Sam (Samson) Raines wants is a boyfriend, so much so that he’s willing to let his Wiccan friend, Meg, cast a spell to find the guy who embodies his list of “perfect ten” attributes. Hijinks ensue, but that makes this audiobook sound much more fun than it is. Kirby Heyborne’s narration often seems too deliberate, and there's not enough distinction between characters. (One notable exception—the way French exchange student Gus purrs “Samson.”) A livelier performance overall might have worked some magic and helped rescue the meandering plot and poorly drawn characters. Skip this audiobook and seek out the many better examples of LGBTQ+ high school romance that are out there. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
04/24/2017
Sam Raines, 17, is tired of being lonely and single—he hasn’t even kissed anyone since breaking up with his ex, Landon. So he agrees to participate in a Wiccan love spell conducted by his best friend Meg, and he puts together a (mostly shallow) list of qualities for a “perfect ten” of a boyfriend: sexy, “thick hair,” ambitious, etc. Almost immediately, prospective partners start popping up all over Athens, Ohio: Gus, a jazz-playing French transfer student; sweet and artistic Jamie, a sophomore; and bisexual rock star Travis, who can’t keep his hands off Sam. Philips (the author of My Faire Lady as Laura Wettersten) keeps this wish-fulfillment fantasy moving briskly, thanks to the quippy dialogue and Sam’s dalliances with all three boys, as well as Landon. It’s a too-good-to-be-true setup by design, but although pure realism isn’t really the goal of this magick-driven plot, the characters are more types than real people. Philips successfully keeps the conclusion from feeling foregone, however, and Sam and his friends grow plenty along the way. Ages 14–up. Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada U.S. Literary. (June)
From the Publisher
- A Seventeen Best Book of 2017
"A fun, swoony, and romantic novel that honestly expresses the trials and tribulations of finding the right one." —BuzzFeed
"A sweet summer read about a boy looking for love and the lengths he will go to find it." —Teen Vogue
"Philips’ tale will resonate with readers who are looking for love and a light, breezy summer read." —Entertainment Weekly
"If you like a solid YA read that makes you shamelessly squee, Perfect Ten will deliver." —HelloGiggles
“You can count on Perfect Ten to make you laugh, think, and, ultimately grow—what more can we ask from a coming-of-age love story? L. Philips treats her characters and her characters' love with the respect and heart they deserve. An absolute delight to read.” —John Corey Whaley, Printz Award–winning author of Where Things Come Back
"Perfect Ten is a smart, messy, complicated romance, full of swoony kisses and lie-on-the-floor heartbreak and unexpected twists of fate—just like love itself." —Katie Cotugno, New York Times bestselling author of How to Love and 99 Days
"Perfect Ten is a perfect ten. Romantic, sweet, and far wiser than expected. A breezy romcom that is as smart as it is fun, with characters that leap off the page." —Bill Konigsberg, award-winning author of Honestly Ben and Openly Straight
"The most fantastic, hopeful, aspirational story of gay teens in a red state since David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy." —Aaron Hartzler, author of Lambda Literary Award finalist Rapture Practice
“Perfect Ten is: 1. Adorable 2. Heartbreaking 3. Funny 4. Delightful 5. Unexpected 6. Queer 7. Moving 8. Honest 9. Unapologetic 10. A must-read.” —Michael Barakiva, author of One Man Guy
"Perfect Ten is as charming as it is relevant. A stunning, twenty-first-century teen romance that will have readers begging for more. In a word, it's Magick." —J. H. Trumble, author of Lambda Literary Award finalist Don't Let Me Go
"Cute and catchy . . . An engaging read." —Romantic Times
"This surprisingly tender rom-com explores relationships with an authenticity that’s full of heart and poetic splendor. The novel bravely examines some of the pitfalls of young love in a manner that neither makes Sam unlikable nor lets him off the hook for his behavior. His decisions and actions aren’t always admirable as he navigates his way through his mistakes and inexperience, yet they will be sure to elicit sympathy from those who have had their own misadventures in love . . . Fans of Stephanie Perkins or David Levithan will discover much to love about this sweet confection of a tale." —School Library Journal
"We’re not gonna lie, the unicorn dude on the cover sold us. But inside is an equally funny and sweet story." —PureWow
"Like its literary godparent Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan, the point of L. Philips’ lighthearted story isn’t to reflect reality so much as to enhance it. A fun, sweet and sexy summer read for anyone who’s ever sought (and maybe even found) that special person, perfect or not." —BookPage
“Philips writes a fresh and honest male romance that is not centered on issues of coming out or bullying . . . The blunt honesty about sex makes this a dramatic and refreshing read.” —VOYA
"Sweet and satisfying . . . Like one of the ultimately lucky three, this is a keeper." —Booklist
"Philips keeps this wish-fulfillment fantasy moving briskly, thanks to the quippy dialogue" —Publishers Weekly
"Perfect Ten is a little ridiculous and a whole lot of fun. Sam’s grounded and self-deprecating voice keeps the story real, even in the face of a lot of larger than life characters and extreme plot twists, and the humor is classic." —Book Riot
School Library Journal
05/01/2017
Gr 10 Up—High school senior Sam Raines is desperate for a relationship after two years without a date. He's willing to do just about anything for true love, including participate in a Wiccan ceremony at his friend's insistence. The problem is, it seems to work. When eligible boys begin coming out of the woodwork, Sam struggles to make sense of his sudden and seemingly endless set of options on his quest for love. Phillips gets off to a clunky and unpolished start, with prose that sometimes feels forced and characters who validate stereotypes even as they make efforts to combat them. The conversation also occasionally veers into vernacular that doesn't quite feel genuine. However, once past the setup and initial mysticism, the story sheds these issues and finds its footing. Despite the fading presence of ambiguously supernatural elements throughout, this surprisingly tender rom-com explores relationships with an authenticity that's full of heart and poetic splendor. The novel bravely examines some of the pitfalls of young love in a manner that neither makes Sam unlikable nor lets him off the hook for his behavior. His decisions and actions aren't always admirable as he navigates his way through his mistakes and inexperience, yet they will be sure to elicit sympathy from those who have had their own misadventures in love. Realistic recreational drug use and nongraphic discussions of sex are included. VERDICT Once past the first few chapters, fans of Stephanie Perkins or David Levithan will discover much to love about this sweet confection of a tale.—Alea Perez, Westmont Public Library, IL
JULY 2017 - AudioFile
All 17-year-old Sam (Samson) Raines wants is a boyfriend, so much so that he’s willing to let his Wiccan friend, Meg, cast a spell to find the guy who embodies his list of “perfect ten” attributes. Hijinks ensue, but that makes this audiobook sound much more fun than it is. Kirby Heyborne’s narration often seems too deliberate, and there's not enough distinction between characters. (One notable exception—the way French exchange student Gus purrs “Samson.”) A livelier performance overall might have worked some magic and helped rescue the meandering plot and poorly drawn characters. Skip this audiobook and seek out the many better examples of LGBTQ+ high school romance that are out there. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2017-03-29
A quest for the perfect boyfriend is rife with imperfection.Two years after breaking up with his now-best friend Landon (the intensity was unsustainable), lonely Sam is eager for a new beau—a supply of which Athens, Ohio, isn't flush with. So former-Catholic/current-Wiccan Meg (Sam's other BFF) suggests dialing up the Goddess to summon a boy who meets Sam's 10 requirements. After a cemetery incantation, Sam is delivered a quartet of options, one hiding in plain sight. He's not convinced any live up to his expectations—mostly because he's not really sure what he wants in a boy. Carefully positioned as not-a-coming-out book, the novel places homosexuality comfortably center stage. However, longing for love in an upper-middle-class Ohio far-removed from real-world tarnish feels so inconsequential as to make the rom-com narrative positively generic. The most substantial conflict comes three-quarters through; preceding that, not much is at stake in Sam's search for someone "sexy" and "attractive" with "nice eyes" and "thick hair." In Sam's seemingly all-white Athens (besides Sam, Meg, and Landon, all four beaus are white—three being blond), he wonders whom he'll bed, casually smokes pot, drinks occasionally, and fumbles through sexual chemistry and college applications. There is a ring of wit and comedy to Sam's voice, but his told-not-shown intellect and esoteric taste are belied by his shallow list. His enthusiastic references to 1980s film and music only confuse the setting's chronology. Very light, occasionally enjoyable, but insubstantial guy chick-lit. (Romance. 14-18)
