Time elapsed in this book: 1.5 weeks
Length of their junior year: 10 1/2 months
Jessica’s love interests: Nicholas Morrow, Randy Mason
Entertainment rating: 7/10
This is one of those books that I looooved as a kid because it was heavy on the Liz/Todd drama. Rereading it now, I’m filled with nostalgia and still kinda love it despite how their drama is all Liz-caused and how obnoxious Nicholas Morrow is.
We open right where the last book left off! The Wakefields are hosting a party to celebrate Liz returning from being kidnapped. You know, normal stuff. Nicholas Morrow shows up and the moment he sees Liz at the door, he knows he’s in love with her. Liz admires his chiseled features that could be on a magazine cover because they “put a Greek god to shame.” Also, Liz can tell he’s intelligent just by looking in his eyes. She leads him into the living room, where the Droids are performing on a “makeshift bandstand” while people dance. How large is this house?? I’m pretty sure that if you put a band in most people’s living rooms, it’d take up the entire room.
Nicholas asks Liz to dance and points out that the song the Droids are singing is about Liz’s return from being kidnapped. They dance and he wants to monopolize her time more, but Liz makes an excuse to go see other friends. Nicholas joins them too. Liz is surprised but Nicholas says what, did she think he’d let her out of his sight? He’s super creepy. I assume he was written this way to easily convey to young readers how in love he is, but now that I’m reading this as an adult, ew. At some point, Nicholas brings Liz over to introduce her to Regina. Liz sees Regina and literally gasps at how beautiful she is despite being deaf.
Jess, who’s already gushed to Liz about how she’s in love with Nicholas, finds him and drags him around with her. Eventually, Nicholas says he has to leave. Before he does, he finds Liz and tells her that he’s fallen in love with her:
“Elizabeth-” Nicholas began, his face reddening. “I don’t know how to tell you this… I’ve never said anything so difficult in my life. But I guess it’s best just to get it out into the open, so here goes.” He paused for a second, then said quickly, “Elizabeth, I think I’m falling in love with you!”
This is the most unabashed depiction of instalove that I’ve ever seen read. And yet, when I was like 12, I probably was like, oh he just knows he loves her, this is so romantic! I think I used to believe this was normal.
Liz tells Nicholas she has a boyfriend. Nicholas should be deterred, but he’s not. He asks if he’s really that unattractive (obviously this is the #1 criteria to look for when falling in love) and tells her she’s too young to settle down. The subtext here is obvious: too young to settle down with Todd but just right to settle down with Nicholas! Nicholas presses Liz to go out with him. She says she can’t, it’s not fair to Todd. Nicholas says that’s not fair to him! Instead of telling Nicholas to stop pressuring her, Liz agrees to go to dinner with him the following Sunday when Todd is busy celebrating his mom’s birthday. Liz thinks she’ll tell Todd and he’ll be fine with it. Todd? Fine with his girlfriend going on a date with some new hot, rich guy? Are we talking about the same jealous Todd who likes punching people?
Liz goes back to the party and finds Todd, who’s sulking because Nicholas was hanging off Liz all night, keeping Liz from hanging out with Todd. Liz accuses him of being jealous and Todd says he knows he can trust her. They kiss and Liz realizes she can’t tell him about her date with Nicholas because he wouldn’t understand. I mean, duh. I don’t know who would understand.
Later that night, Liz asks Jess why she was gushing over Randy Mason at the party. Randy isn’t bad looking, but he isn’t handsome (something the ghostwriter specifically notes; obviously doesn’t meet the criteria to be a real love interest in Sweet Valley). Jess explains that she’s using Randy to teach her about computers. Jess says she knows that Nicholas is in love with her and since Nicholas is into computers, Jess should learn about them too. Liz realizes she can’t tell Jess about her date with Nicholas either. I don’t know why Liz thought she could, since Jess has been obvious about wanting Nicholas for herself. I also don’t know what Nicholas sees in Liz other than the fact that she’s an absolute doormat.
The next day, Jess goes to Randy’s house after school. He gives her a basic lesson in computers and Jess pretends that he’s taught her so much, all the while flattering him. He eats it up. The next evening, Jess goes out to the Dairi Burger with Randy. He orders fried clams and douses them in ketchup. Is this a thing?? Randy tells Jess he’s never had a girlfriend and Jess says she doesn’t believe it, all the while thinking she easily believes it. I want to be mad at Jess for using Randy, but I also kinda admire her style. She’s so brazenly obvious that I have to wonder why Randy doesn’t see through it.
Nicholas calls Liz on Wednesday and asks if their date is still on. Liz wants to say no but then thinks she made a promise and needs to keep it, so she says yes. What terrible messaging. Also, how did I never notice as a kid what terrible decisions Liz made? Nicholas suggests they drive an hour to eat at the Cote d’Or. Liz says that sounds great because the place is expensive and far enough away that they won’t run into anyone she knows.
On Thursday, Liz confides in Enid about her dilemma. Liz says she doesn’t want to hurt Todd or Jess, but she also doesn’t want to hurt Nicholas and she promised him she’d go on this date! Enid says it sounds like Liz will have to go on the date and hope Jess doesn’t find out but that Liz should at least tell Todd. It’s like 50% decent advice.
Jess is on a study date with Randy, who offered to help her with math. Jess asks him if he knows anything about hacking and he says yes but that it’s illegal. She convinces him to log into the new computer that the Morrows recently donated to Sweet Valley High. Randy is reluctant but agrees to hack the school computer. The screen asks for a password, he types something in, and boom! They’re in! That is how easy hacking is in December 1984, when this book was first published! Jess asks to see her grades and looks sad when it shows she has an F in math. She asks him to change it to a C-. He protests a bit, then changes it.
Later that day, Randy has second thoughts about what he’s done and calls the Wakefield house. Liz picks up. Thinking it’s Jess, Randy starts babbling about how guilty he feels and how he needs to turn himself in for hacking the school computer and changing her grade. After they hang up, Liz tells Jess that Randy’s about to turn himself into the principal and Jess better go with him. Jess doesn’t want to, but Liz forces her to go. Chrome Dome wants to suspend both Randy and Jess for what they’ve done, but Liz convinces him to let them off with a warning. He says he’s changing Jessica’s grade back to an F and that they’ve changed the password so Randy can’t get into their computer again. That is how you put an end to hacking!
On Saturday, Liz goes on a date with Todd. At the Dairi Burger, they see Betsy Martin, Tricia’s sister, with “one of the disreputable boys she ran around with.” They’re drunk and belligerent about the fact that there are no booths. Liz thinks it’s such a shame that Tricia is so sweet but Betsy is such trash. Ahh, the Madonna/whore dichotomy, dumbed down into for young readers. I am sure I internalized some of this messaging as a kid, although I have no idea how much since I was too busy being entertained by the rest of the drama. Anyway, Liz tells Todd she saw Regina at school and how nice she is. Todd says Regina does seem nice but that he could do without Nicholas. Liz protests that Nicholas is nice too (is he?!?) and Todd asks why she wants to spoil their night out by talking about Nicholas.
It’s Sunday, the day of Liz’s date with Nicholas. She goes to the restaurant, which is ridiculously fancy. Nicholas is there already. She asks if he’s been waiting long for her. With twinkling eyes, Nicholas tells her, “All my life.” I want to gag now, but as a kid, I think I was enamored with this. Liz tells Nicholas he can order for her and he says great, he’s been planning their meal ever since she said yes. He orders smoked salmon, tournedos Rossini (apparently a fancy French steak dish I’ve never heard of, even as an adult), puffed potatoes, haricots verts, and wild strawberry soufflés for dessert. Whoa. I know Nicholas is eighteen and has a job at his father’s company and from a rich family, but still. I don’t know how the teens in Sweet Valley afford dates like this or why they think it’s normal! Pretty sure a date when I was eighteen meant ice cream or the like.
Their date goes well. Liz and Nicholas talk a lot, and she enjoys the conversation. At the end of it, Liz tells Nicholas that dinner was wonderful but she’s not in love with him. To be fair, it’s normal to not be in love with someone after a first date. At least, it’s normal anywhere other than Sweet Valley. Nicholas takes it well and says he’s glad she gave him a chance. Liz thinks that all is well… and then see sees the Wilkins walking into the restaurant!! They came to Cote d’Or for Mrs. Wilkins’ birthday! What are the odds?!?
Liz starts to panic. Todd and his parents are about to walk past and see her. She can’t ignore him. And so we get the scene that somehow was the most memorable scene in this entire book to my twelve-year-old self: Todd walks by and gasps. He turns white and manages to croak out Liz’s name. She channels her inner Jessica and wags her finger at him, chiding him for thinking she’s Liz and asking him why he can’t tell the difference between Jess and Liz. She says to just wait until she tells “Liz” about this and he’ll be in trouble! Todd’s jaw drops open and his parents stifle laughs. Todd thinks it has to be Liz, but she sounds just like Jessica…. so eventually he accepts that it must be Jessica. After Todd leaves, Liz tells Nicholas that she doesn’t usually lie but she didn’t want to hurt Todd. Nicholas says she did the right thing.
When Todd gets home from dinner, he immediately races over to see Liz. He rings the doorbell and one of the twins answer in a white terry-cloth robe. Who answers the door like this?!? Todd immediately gives the twin a sizzling kiss. When he releases her, she looks at Todd and says, “Wow, no wonder Elizabeth likes you as much as she does!” Todd realizes that she’s Jessica. Which means…. it really was Liz on a date with Nicholas! He tells Jess, who’s furious about it too since she wanted Nicholas for herself.
Eventually Liz comes home. How on earth did she get home after Todd despite his family getting to the restaurant when she was finishing up there? What did she and Nicholas do after dinner?!? Unanswered questions. Jess confronts Liz, telling her Todd stopped by. Liz apologizes to Jess and worries about Todd. Jess says it’s fine, she doesn’t want Nicholas anymore anyway because all he does is think about work and computers, so he’s as dull as Randy Mason. She’s moving on, the way Jess always does. Jess tells her there’s more bad news too: Tricia has taken a turn for the worse and is in the ICU.
At school the next day, Todd ignores Liz. She’s miserable. She tells Mr. Collins that she needs something to keep her busy and he asks her to cover the championship basketball game that night for The Oracle. Liz is miserable but goes there. Todd ignores Liz in the crowd and plays terribly. Nicholas shows up at the game (Why? No clue. He’s not a student, never attended SVH, and there’s no indication his sister is at the game. But okay…) and sits next to Liz. He tells her he’s surprised by how bad Todd is playing since he heard Todd is the star of the team. Liz says it’s all her fault. Nicholas says she shouldn’t worry, he’s going to talk to Todd and straighten it all out.
Nicholas finds Todd in the locker room. Apparently anyone can go in there, even non-students. He tells Todd he basically forced Liz to go out with him and that Liz told him both on their date and today that she’s in love with Todd. Todd is thrilled to hear this and says it means everything is different! He goes out and plays a killer second half, leading SVH to victory!!
Everyone pours out of the gym and heads to an afterparty at Cara’s house. Liz doesn’t think she’ll attend, but then Todd comes up to her, spins her around, and gives her a kiss that tells her all is forgiven. Todd says Nicholas explained everything and that he’s not such a bad guy after all. I’m not sure how Todd came to this conclusion, since Nicholas admitted he basically forced Liz to go out with him after she said no. Liz and Todd talk for a bit, interspersed with making out in the moonlight. I am swooning over their love story. It’s moments like these that made me wish Todd Wilkins were my own boyfriend!
Next up: Tricia doesn’t have long for this world…
Notes:
Nicholas references the clam special at the Dairi Burger on his date with Liz. She tells him that special is just awful. I’m confused as to why this special is still around if it’s so bad.
Nicholas mentions how nice Switzerland is while talking to Liz. Foreshadowing for a later book when Liz applies to a boarding school in Switzerland? Maybe!
We’re treated to a lovely exchange between the twins about how even rich people have their struggles:
“Even people as rich as the Morrows have their troubles. Like Nicholas’s sister, Regina.” Jessica shook her head sadly. “She’s deaf,” she said in a low, sorrowful voice.
“Deaf? How awful!”
I wonder if this was the same ghostwriter as the one for book 7, since the “extras” on the basketball team, Tom Hackett and Jim Daly, are still the same. What generic names that sound straight out of the 1950’s.
The Nicholas portrayed on the cover of this book is nowhere near as hot as described by basically everyone in this book. I feel a bit robbed, even though I do love the cover and Liz’s oh-so-modest hand placement. “What, me? Go on a date with someone other than my boyfriend? I couldn’t possibly! But oh, if you insist…”