Time elapsed in this book: 2 weeks
Length of their junior year: 1 year, 11 months
Jessica’s love interest: Eddie Winters
Entertainment rating: 9/10
An absolutely iconic Sweet Valley High installment. I remembered so much about this book, but I somehow forgot just how great this book is! This is the book where we’re introduced to Jeffrey French, the hot new guy that Enid and Lila are fighting over, with the twins each supporting their best friend (and Liz trying to deny her own interest). We also get the greatest school auction of all time (albeit the most inappropriate one). And as a subplot, we have Jess trying to date a guy and shake off her needy cousin, who keeps third-wheeling it on dates. Again, iconic.
The cover: not the best, but still a good one. I love the serious expressions on their faces as they stare down one another, focused on setting their own best friend up with the prize that is Jeffrey French. It’s not the most exciting cover, but I love it anyway. The tagline is a bit misleading since this is hardly the “hottest feud ever,” but I’ll let it slide because I love the book so much.
We open with Liz, Jess, Enid, and Lila all eating lunch outside the school. This is such an unlikely foursome, since Liz and Enid never want to spend time with Jess and Lila, but okay. Lila spots the new hottie, Jeffrey, and is immediately intrigued because, you know, he’s hot and new. Jess says he’s gotta be really romantic with a last name like French. Enid is alarmed because she’s interested in Jeffrey and doesn’t want Lila crowding in on her territory! Nevermind that neither of them have actually talked to him much. If I were Enid, I’d be worried too since she’s kind of boring. Lila might be snobby, but at least she’s fun!
After school, the twins hurry home. Their cousin, Jenny Townsend, is coming to visit for two weeks and will be arriving that night. I have no idea how the family tree works since we’re told she’s the daughter of one of Mrs. Wakefield’s sisters, but it’s later established that she only has two sisters, neither of whom has a daughter named Jenny. It’s also unclear why she’s visiting for two weeks, since it’s clearly not a school break. Jess isn’t thrilled because Jenny requested to stay in her room and ruined one of Jessica’s shirts last time she visited, plus this comes at a time when Jess is trying to land Eddie Winters, a hot swimmer. Liz says she’ll just have to deal with it. Liz is so helpful.
Jenny arrives and Jess is dismayed to see that she has unkempt hair, thick glasses, dressed in unflattering fuchsia sweats, and is “at least ten pounds overweight.” Yikes. Jess thinks that the most glamorous thing about Jenny is that she lives in Dallas. I didn’t know it was glamorous to be from Dallas.
Lila, Jess, and Jenny go to the Dairi Burger and sit at a booth with Eddie Winters and Ken Matthews. They’re there because Lila heard Jeffrey say he was going to stop by the Dairi Burger. Jess is happy to be with Eddie and Ken but annoyed because Jenny’s there too. At one point, someone asks Jenny about the book she’s reading and Jenny launches into a whole story about the author. Jess can’t believe Eddie pretends to be interested, even prolonging the conversation with her! Jess decides this is proof that Eddie is perfect. Jeffrey and Aaron finally show up at the Dairi Burger and Lila immediately insists they squeeze into the booth. She invites Jeffrey to a pool party the next day.
On the drive home, Jenny raves about how cute Eddie is and says she thinks he’s more attractive than Jeffrey. She asks Jess if she thinks Jeffrey likes Lila or Enid more. As if there is any competition. I know who I like better (as a character, not a love interest, but still). Jess is horrified to hear that Jenny overheard Liz and Enid talking about setting Enid up with Jeffrey! She tells Jenny not to tell Liz about the pool party.
At the pool party, Lila is frustrated because Jeffrey is too busy playing water volleyball to pay attention to her. Jess is also frustrated because Eddie is paying attention to Jenny and having fun with her instead of hanging all over Jess.
The next day, Liz and Enid find out about the pool party. Enid feels like she’s already lost, but Liz says she shouldn’t give up. She tells Enid to go to the school volleyball game the next day and save a spot next to her because that Liz is going to convince Jeffrey that he needs to be involved in school activities right away so he’ll go to the game and sit with Enid! I’m not sure why Enid can’t just ask him out herself. This is either a case of Liz just being eager to meddle or Liz not thinking Enid will be able to land a date on her own. Either way, hmm.
Eddie drops by the Wakefield house that afternoon, and Jess invites him out to the pool. Jenny immediately appears and joins them, which Eddie doesn’t seem to mind but Jess definitely does! Jess can’t believe that Jenny isn’t picking up any hints; even when Eddie leaves and Jess walks him out to his car, Jenny comes too.
The next day, Liz is in the Oracle office, working on their special issue about the PTA food drive. I can’t believe that warrants a special issue. Mr. Collins asks her to show Jeffrey around when he drops by, since he’s a photographer and wants to join the school paper. Jeffrey shows up shortly after Mr. Collins leaves, and the two of them start chatting. They bond over their shared interests. Jeffrey asks if Liz has a boyfriend and she gets embarrassed and says no. They get to talking more, and time flies by. Finally, Liz realizes that she needs to invite him to the volleyball game so she does. Jeffrey says it’d be great for the three of them to sit together at the game. Liz quickly tells him that she won’t be there, since she has to hang out with her cousin, but that Jeffrey should still go. He says maybe. Liz hopes he does so Enid won’t be disappointed!
Jeffrey does not show up to the volleyball game. Enid calls Liz later to wail about it. Jenny and Jess return from the Beach Disco, where Jenny says Eddie Winters danced with her three times. Liz snickers to herself, thinking Jess must have loved that. Then Jenny says that Jeffrey and Lila danced together and looked like they were falling in love. Liz is furious. How dare Jeffrey not show up to meet Enid and instead dance with Lila!!
At school, Jeffrey asks Liz if she wants to eat lunch with him. Liz is frosty, so he asks what he did to make her mad. Liz says he was supposed to go to the volleyball game, not the Beach Disco. Jeffrey says that he showed up at the Beach Disco because he heard that Jenny would be there and Liz had told him she couldn’t go to the game because she’d be with her cousin, so he assumed Liz would be there too. Calling her out on her lies! I love it!
Enid whines to Liz about needing a new plan to get Jeffrey to go out with her. The new plan can’t just be Enid asking him out herself, since that’d be too obvious. Instead, Enid suggests that Liz convince Jeffrey he auction off a date with himself as part of the PTA fundraiser and then Enid will bid on that date! Liz obliges and makes this suggestion to Jeffrey when they’re together in The Oracle office. Jeffrey is skeptical and doesn’t think many people will bid, but Liz convinces him it’s a great idea. Jeffrey says that if Liz wins, their date can be a tour of Sweet Valley. Enid finds Jess and Lila and asks them to help pack up cans of food at the auction. Neither of them want to volunteer, so they make excuses about needing to miss the auction. Enid is thrilled because this means Lila won’t be there to bid against Enid for that date!
The day of the auction arrives, with Winston as the auctioneer. The auction items range from normal (two tickets to see The Number Ones, a tape by the Droids) to bizarre (a red pencil Mr. Jaworski uses to grade exams) to wildly inappropriate but hysterical (a voucher for a homemade dinner by Mr. Collins, a photo of Bruce Patman in his teeny tiny bathing suit the size of a bandaid). I would absolutely be bidding on that photo of Bruce, by the way. I need to know just how small this bathing suit is!! The book does not mention who won this or how much they bid, to my immense disappointment. Also, a homemade dinner by Mr. Collins?! Yikes. Then the date with Jeffrey is auctioned off. Enid bids 75 can of food. The crowd goes wild! The date is hers! Liz knows she should be happy for her friend but feels like she’s going to cry.
Jess, Eddie, and Jenny go out on another third wheel date to the movies. Jess can’t believe Jenny is still tagging along and Eddie seems to enjoy her company. She spots Enid and Jeffrey together in the theater. She asks about it, and Jeffrey mentions that Enid won a date with him at the auction. Jess realizes she was tricked into staying away from the auction and vows to get back at Liz for it.
The date between Jeffrey and Enid is okay. They have a nice time but it’s a bit awkward due to lack of chemistry. Enid tells Liz about this, but Liz won’t listen to her and is determined to set Enid and Jeffrey up.
The PTA throws a party on the beach. Liz tells Enid that she will ask Jeffrey to take photos for the Oracle and then work with Enid so he can get to know her better. Enid says he’s not interested, but Liz tells Enid she can’t just give up. A clear instance of Liz thinking she knows better than everyone else. She puts her plan in motion and then leaves Jeffrey with Enid. Enid finds Liz soon after and tells her to stop setting them up! Liz pleads with Enid to give it another chance, but Enid gets mad and won’t hear it. Liz then finds Jeffrey to ask why he isn’t with Enid. Jeffrey’s mad at her too and asks why she keeps trying to force him to get together with Enid. He tells her he can take care of his own love life.
Liz is miserable now that everyone’s mad at her. Jess finds her and says she can’t believe everyone’s been chasing after Jeffrey because he’s completely average. Liz can’t believe what she’s hearing and starts singing Jeffrey’s praises. Jess says it sounds like Liz is in love with him herself. She realizes that it’s true!
Liz apologizes to Enid for trying to force her to get together with Jeffrey and confesses that she’s in love with Jeffrey. Enid accepts her apology and tells Liz to go for it. Liz then finds Jeffrey and Lila dancing together and cuts in. Lila is irritated about this, but Jeffrey takes it in stride and says he just hopes Liz isn’t there to do more matchmaking. Zing! Liz apologizes, and Jeffrey tells Liz he isn’t interested in Enid because he’s already in love… with Liz! They kiss! She thinks this is going to be a relationship that lasts.
Lila is furious about Liz stealing Jeffrey from her. Jess also had her own love interest stolen: Jenny is now with Eddie. Jess is annoyed but says they’re made for each other. Jenny says she and Eddie are good friends and that Eddie might come visit her in Dallas.
Up next: Jess is tired of being an identical twin and wants her own identity!