Relationships are supposed to make you feel good.
Relationships are NOT supposed to make you feel bad.
Or guilty, insecure, ashamed, paranoid, or hopeless.
Good.
So when a relationship makes you feel bad, guilty, insecure, ashamed, paranoid, or hopeless, end it. Get over him. Move on.
Flirt.
It’s summmer, sweet summer!
Self-proclaimed Superflirt Dee Barton can’t wait to spend the summer months practicing her Nine Rules of Flirting on the cute guys who stay at her family’s campground. Why not? Flirting is fun and makes people feel good–which is the exact opposite of her relationship with her toxic ex-boyfriend, Blaine. Sabrina Owens’s summer plans include keeping her over-the-top karaoke DJ mother in check, maintaining her status as the queen of the popular crowd–and being the perfect girlfriend to Blaine.
Each girl sees the other as the enemy. But when a secret blog embroils them in a frivolous lawsuit, they must team up and embark on a risky, flirt-filled plot to set things right again.
Laura Bowers’s new novel is a heartfelt and hilarious story of friendship, family … and flirting!
A “sweet and lively summer read,” Publishers Weekly.
“Amidst summer’s onslaught of dystopian thrillers and paranormal romances, it’s refreshing as a dip in a cool, blue pool to read this sassy novel.”–Washington Parent Magazine
“Bower’s fun read about flirting – and the fun/disastrous consequences it can bring – is enjoyable and has a positive, unexpectedly feminist message. I loved it and so will teen girls!”–Lauren, Goodreads
“When I picked up this book, I was honestly just looking for a fluff piece, something that I wouldn’t get too emotionally attached to. I didn’t give it enough credit. I LOVED this book, I read it within eleven hours, basically all day, and it was great. Fantastic character development, interesting plot twists, touching on themes such as assumption and a woman’s role in society, but sort of sugarcoated. It was funny and not too serious, which was exactly what I needed. The author really does well in making the reader empathize with the “evil” characters. By the end, you love them. And it’s got a happy ending, all loose ends tied up. Would 10/10 recommend it to anyone looking for a cute, fun read.”–Reilly, Goodreads
“Just Flirt” by Laura Bowers is five stars. Even though it’s a high school girls story, the events that the main character and her friends and enemies go through let her see how strong she is. They also get a lesson on life, the good and bad people, and the consequences of their actions. It is realistic so you understand and believe the series of events and leaves you wondering if they can mentally survive it.”–Read For Your Future
ISBN: 978-0-374-35515-9
Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers
Ages 12 up
~~EXCERPT~~
The Superflirt Chronicles
. . . blogs from a teenage flirtologist
Friday, June 11
YES! Goodbye, school. Hello, summer!
MOOD: Wonderful, blissful, and simply joyful!
MUSIC: “Summer Girl,” Jessica Andrews
Ahhhh. Summer, sweet summer.
The sunshine. The smells of freshly mown Maryland grass and chlorine-damp hair. The parents who flood our campground with their loaded RVs, and most important, the flirting with their cute teenage sons! Only one thing could make the last day of school even better: Realizing that this is my one-hundredth blog post here at The Superflirt Chronicles!
Ahhhh. Memories, sweet memories.
I so fondly recall the first entry I made here last October. Trivia Question: Does anyone remember who it was about? Answer: An adorable varsity linebacker I nicknamed Spike, who wore his football uniform to our Halloween haunted hayride.
Original costume? No.
Cute? Oh, yes.
Then there was my second post about Check Mate, whose baby blues actually made chess interesting, which—I admit—was a first for me. And how can we forget Bull’s Eye, that gorgeous archery champ who showed me how to shoot a compound bow, and the clumsy-yet-adorable Scratch, a terrible pool player who I taught how to bank a combo?
Ahhhh. Scratch, sweet Scratch.
Of course, there have been some duds, like Beater Boy, who wore those thin wife-beater tank tops. He seemed cool at first, but his frequent references to his “beaters” as though he were a future spouse abuser caused me to swear off all guys who wear them. But one must take the bad with the good, so in honor of summer, my Ghosts of Flirtcapades Past, and the many new readers here at the Chronicles, allow me to once again post the nine rules of flirting written by me and my partner in all flirting crimes, the fabulous Miss N.
Memorize it, and I promise . . . you’ll be mesmerizing!
SUPERFLIRT’S NINE RULES OF FLIRTING
RULE #1: Smile. Seriously. I cannot stress this enough. Guys don’t want to hang around some whiner who complains about parents, school, monster cramps, life’s glooms and dooms, wah, wah, wah. Everyone has problems, my dears. Even Superflirt has problems, but being miserable won’t make them go away. So until they do, smile!
RULE #2: Be confident. Okay, which contestant on a reality show do you think a guy would prefer: A.) the nervous one who’s so worried about elimination that she’s eliminated, B.) the complainer, C.) the gossip, or D.) the confident girl everyone loves, hmm? Get the picture?
RULE #3: Be interested. So simple—so effective. Pay attention to what most people don’t notice. Compliment him, in subtle, honest ways with no fake flattery. Ask questions, like what kind of music he’s in to. Just don’t lie and say you love rap unless you want to be dragged to an Eminem concert. And don’t try to impress him with any do-or-die debating skills. Playful banter? Good. Ball busting? Bad, very bad.
RULE #4: Make eye contact. Readers often ask how to tell if a guy likes you. Of course, there are the novice observations: the stolen glances he gives you when he thinks you’re not looking, the way he “accidentally” bumps into you at different places. But for professional results, do this: Make eye contact. Hold it for three seconds. One . . . two . . . three. By the third count, you’ll know if he’s interested, ladies, you’ll know. And then?
Gotcha.
RULE #5: Timing, timing, timing. Do not approach a group of guys and think you’ll be able to single one out like a dog herding sheep. Guys get all macho when they’re with their friends and will most likely say things such as “Dude, did you see that chick? She wants me, man.” So wait until he’s away from the testosterone troop before making a move.
RULE #6: Work it. Speak softly; give him a reason to lean in closer. Play with your hair; let him know you’re interested without saying a word. Lightly touch his arm, but don’t overdo it. And, at opportune moments, lower your gaze . . . wait a second . . . and then look up at him with a soft grin. Killer move. Practice this one in the mirror.
RULE #7: Know when to walk away. Don’t let him be the first to end the conversation. Never, never, never. Otherwise, you might appear desperate, and you don’t want that. Leave him wanting more by breaking away first.
RULE #8: Know when NOT to flirt. It is so not cool to flirt: A.) with someone who’s in a relationship, B.) if you’re in a relationship, or C.) with hurtful intentions. I also choose not to flirt with guys from school or work (because of the whole don’t poo where you eat thing) but this I leave to your discretion.
RULE #9: Don’t take it seriously! Look, flirting is not about scoring the perfect boyfriend or lifelong mate. Gag. It’s about having fun and meeting people.
So here’s to a summer of being bold! To being fearless! To Fridays, which bring a fresh crop of campers! Will there be any cute guys among them? Stay tuned to find out …