Review: Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

Publication: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Stand Alone Novel
Young Adult
Pages: 208
Genre: Contemporary, Romance

It's the summer before senior year and the alluring Angel is ready to have fun. She's not like her best friend, Inggy, who has a steady boyfriend, good grades, and college plans. Angel isn't sure what she wants to do yet, but she has confidence and experience beyond her years. Still, her summer doesn't start out as planned. Her good friend Joey doesn't want to fool around anymore, he wants to be her boyfriend, while Angel doesn't want to be tied down. As Joey pulls away, and Inggy tours colleges, Angel finds herself  spending more time with Inggy's boyfriend, Cork. With its cast of vivid and memorable characters, this tale from the Jersey shore is sure to make some waves.

*Galley provided by publisher for a honest review*
Out of all the reviews I've read the concept that Angel is a kind and generous character truly blew my mind. Kind? Generous? How does a main character with absolutely no morals, no diction for herself be a kind girl? How is cheating on your best friend with her boyfriend time and time and time again, know its wrong but still doing it anyway a kind and generous character? As maturity levels go with this main character, the concept of a relationship should have been chastised because throwing yourself around like she did, the raunchy persona she threw around just sent my stomach reeling from discomfort and disgust.
I understand the realistic standards of teenager nowadays with the priority of sexual activity decreasing in age groups but I cannot stand a character whose morals are below what they should be. Not even that, the flatness installed within the characters made relating to them in any way shape or form difficult and ultimately unresponsive. I'm probably the minority with this review seeing as the reviews I've read coveted the book. I was expecting more from this story. Maybe for Angel to own up to her acts, not lie to her best friend, and become more of a decent person. But no. And the disappointment towards her skyrocketed leaving the book to end with her as the scumbag slut of a character she was. Derogatory names for a deragtory character. The truth is the truth.
First Line: A whiff of seaweed blows in the window from across the bay, and the bed fills with sunlight.Story: CCover: B