Time elapsed in this book: 2 weeks
Length of their junior year: 2 years, 4 months, 1 week
Jessica’s love interest: Randy Lloyd
Entertainment rating: 8/10
We’re back to great books in this series!!! I have particularly good memories of reading this installment as a kid! I love the main plot about Liz wanting to go to boarding school in Switzerland (so exotic!) while Jessica and Steven scheme to keep her in Sweet Valley. I also love the subplot about Winston and a winning lottery ticket. The scheming in this book is A+ and made me laugh out loud even during this reread. Even Steven, who I usually can’t stand, is super likable in this book, possibly because he’s an accessory to Jessica’s scheming and there’s nothing about his love life in here.
I also love this cover. Something about it just speaks to me, with Liz posing thoughtfully at her typewriter while Jess looks on deviously from the doorframe. Aside from the Super Editions, this is the first SVH book with an actual scene (including a background) instead of just being an awkward portrait of the characters. I always thought I’d look exactly like Liz looks on this cover, were I to have my portrait taken as a writer.
This book starts at the beach, where Jess is using binoculars that she borrowed from her “latest admirer,” Randy Lloyd, to check out gorgeous surfers. Naturally, Randy has no idea this is why Jess needed the binoculars, but she thinks that if he keeps lending her things, she might stay interested in him for a while. Liz, meanwhile, is gushing about the possibility of going to boarding school in Switzerland for her senior year. She says she’s sure to get lots of inspiration for her writing while staring at the Alps. I imagine she’s dreaming about writing something more serious than the school’s gossip column, but the only other writing she ever seems to do is about how great Sweet Valley is, and I don’t think the Alps will inspire this.
At school, Liz continues her non-stop gushing about Switzerland. Her friends don’t seem enchanted with the idea, but Liz doesn’t let that stop her from talking about it. Winston says that his dad bought him a lottery ticket and that when he wins, he’ll use it to send Liz to Switzerland so she won’t have to get a scholarship! Liz looks at his lotto ticket and notes that the first three digits are Jeffrey’s birthday, 712 (July 12). Winston says he’s going to have a party that night so everyone can be there when the winning numbers are read out at ten o’clock. What high schooler goes to a weeknight party that late?!?
Liz and Jeffrey go to the mall after school and she asks why he’s been so quiet lately. Jeffrey says it’s weird to hear her talk about going to Switzerland and that he doesn’t want her to leave. Liz says that it’ll only be for one year and that they can keep their relationship going long-distance (yeah, right). Jeffrey shares my skepticism and reminds Liz that she and Todd couldn’t even keep their relationship going when they were in different states. Liz says that was different because Todd moved away forever while she’d only be gone a year. Liz decides that she needs to show Jeffrey how important moving to Switzerland is to her and then he will support this idea, so she tells him that he should come over so she can show him a book on Switzerland. She has zero skill at reading the room.
Winston and Maria go to a convenience store to pick up some stuff for the lottery party. There’s an old man there who looks kinda poor and has a similar jacket to Winston’s. When they’re in line at the checkout, the old man accidentally takes Winston’s jacket and leaves. Winston leaves his contact information at the register so when the man realizes his mistake, he can get in touch.
Winston’s Get Rich Quick party gets underway and he realizes that his lottery ticket was in his jacket pocket, which the old man now has! He doesn’t know what to do…. but when he reaches into the pocket of the old man’s jacket (which he inexplicably took home instead of returning to the clerk at the store), he finds a lotto ticket! The winning numbers are read out on the news. They match Winston’s ticket! He can’t believe it! He’s won $25,000! Hardly a huge jackpot by lottery standards. That said, I’d still be happy to win it! No one can believe he actually won. Liz is confused because the first three numbers weren’t 712. She asks him about this later. Winston lies and says that his dad gave him two tickets.
The next day, Liz gets mail from the Interlochen boarding school in Switzerland with information about a scholarship specifically for girls from California to be at this school in Switzerland for a full year. She tells her family about this and doesn’t understand why no one else is super excited for her. She calls Enid, then Jeffrey, and they’re not excited either.
Winston is feeling guilty about winning the $25k since he knows that the old man bought the winning ticket. The store lets him know that the old man has returned Winston’s jacket and left his contact information, so Winston goes to the man’s house to return the jacket. The man introduces himself as Mr. Oliver. Winston asks if he plays the lottery, and Mr. Oliver says yes but that he doesn’t even check the winning numbers anymore (one way to make sure you’ll never win) and might stop buying tickets so he can save money and help send his granddaughter to horse camp. Winston realizes he has no idea that the ticket won.
Liz is stressing out because Mr. Sterne is going to come over to interview her for the scholarship next week. She tells her family that maybe they should practice what to say to him so it’ll go well. No one’s impressed by this suggestion. She calls Jeffrey and he says that if Mr. Sterne asks him, he’ll say that Liz is the sexiest and most romantic girl he’s ever met. Liz is shocked and tells him he can’t say that to Mr. Stern! Jeffrey asks if she’s losing her sense of humor. Liz decides she needs to redouble her efforts to show everyone how important this school is to her. Enid tells Liz she doesn’t want Liz to leave, and Liz accuses Enid of being selfish. What a great friend Liz is.
Enid and Jeffrey console each other and decide to put together a memory book for Liz so she’ll have that as a gift when she leaves. Jeffrey is way too understanding and reasonable about Liz being insufferable. Todd would have blown up at Liz, punched someone, and then actively argued with Liz. Perhaps this is why I always preferred Todd over Jeffrey: the drama. I don’t want this kind of drama in real life, but I live for it in these books!
Winston calls the lottery office and asks what would happen if someone finds a lottery ticket and claims the jackpot despite not being the one who bought the ticket. The woman says they can’t track who bought a ticket, so whoever has the ticket is the winner. Winston feels guilty, so he buys a doll to send to Mr. Oliver’s granddaughter as a gift.
Jess calls Steven about the Liz situation, and he says he’ll come home from school the day that Mr. Sterne will be there to make sure that Mr. Sterne gets the “right” impression of Liz’s family. The scheming is underway!!!
Liz sees Jeffrey and Enid together and starts to wonder if they’re finding comfort in each other’s arms before she’s even left! She tells her mom about this, and Mrs. Wakefield surprisingly gives good advice! She points out that Liz has been unfair to Jeffrey with her nonstop Switzerland chatter and hasn’t stopped to consider how he feels about it and says that Liz should talk to him. Liz calls Jeffrey, but he’s not home. His mom tells Liz that he went to Enid’s house. Liz takes this as confirmation that she’s lost Jeffrey forever.
Liz meets with Mr. Sterne about the scholarship. They head to her house for a home visit (apparently knowing about her family’s character is very important!) and discover that there’s a motorcycle in the driveway, which embarrasses Liz and doesn’t seem to impress Mr. Sterne. When they go inside, Steven’s there. He hasn’t shaved, looks unkempt, and relays the news that neither of their parents are home yet. He says their mom will be a little late due to work, and then Steven shrugs while saying, “And you know dad.” Then Jessica appears, wearing a leather miniskirt and more makeup than anyone should ever wear, and talking about how Randy’s cousin parked the motorcycle in their driveway. It is such a beautiful and hysterical scene!
Later, after Mr. Sterne leaves, Mr. and Mrs. Wakefield apologize for being late. Liz can’t believe none of them took the home visit seriously and already knows that they’ve ruined her chance to get this scholarship and go to Switzerland.
Jess and Steven are pleased with how their plan went but decide they also need to sabotage Mr. Sterne’s visit to Sweet Valley High the next day. To do so, Jess secretly put on an identical outfit to Liz’s, and every time Mr. Sterne is alone in a hallway, she races up to him to chat. As “Liz,” she tells Mr. Sterne that her priority in life is “men,” flirts with him, talks about all the different guys she’s interested in, and then has random guys at the school show up to escort her away, giving him the absolute wrong impression of Liz. One of the best twin switches yet in this series! By the time Liz has her interview with Mr. Sterne in the principal’s office that afternoon, Mr. Sterne doesn’t look happy and Liz doesn’t understand why. Steven then plays his part of the scheme: he calls the principal’s office multiple times, claiming to be a new guy each time and saying it’s urgent that he talks to Liz. Rosemary, the principal’s secretary, keeps interrupting the interview to let Liz know she has a new male admirer on the phone. It is beyond insane and I LOVE IT.
As Liz leaves the school, she catches sight of Jessica in an identical outfit and suddenly realizes what happened. She confronts Jess and Steven, who admit they were behind the antics and apologize. They decide that since it’s important to Liz, they’ll call Mr. Sterne and explain what happened.
Winston goes to Mr. Oliver’s house and tells him about the lottery ticket mixup. Mr. Oliver can’t believe that his ticket actually won! Winston asks if Mr. Oliver thinks he’s a crook for trying to keep the ticket at first, and Mr. Oliver tells him that he’s a fine young man for returning it. Winston feels so much better and knows he’s done the right thing.
Mr. Sterne drops by the Wakefield house and says that they were prepared to dismiss Liz’s scholarship request but then they got a call from Jess and Steven explaining what they’d done. Because of this, they’re offering the scholarship to Liz after all! Liz can’t believe it! Then Enid and Jeffrey show up to give Liz a scrapbook with memories from Sweet Valley. It’s unclear why they’re giving it to her now, since this seems like a gift you’d give at the time the person leaves (apparently it barely took them any time to put together). Liz realizes this is why they’d been spending so much time together! She makes up with both of them. Liz tells Mr. Sterne that she has to pass on the scholarship because she wants to stay in Sweet Valley with her friends and family. Mr. Sterne says no one’s ever turned down this scholarship before. Liz says that she thought she needed Switzerland for inspiration but that Sweet Valley is actually the most magical place on earth.
Up next: The Oracle starts running personal ads! Who will fall in love?!