Review- Must Love Black

(I'm trying a new format for these posts)


Name: Must Love Black
Author: Kelly McClymer
Overall Rating: 2.5/5 (nothing special)



Philippa is a slightly-abnormal black-clothes-loving high school junior. Still mourning the death of her mother several years ago, and bummed both about her best friend going on a Habitat for Humanity trip and her father marrying the evil Krystal, she takes a nanny job at the secluded Chrysalis Cliff. The classified ad is strange, reading:

Wanted: Nanny for 10-year-old twins. Main Coast. Own room and generous salary. MUST LOVE BLACK.

And of course, this sounds like the perfect job for her. Discreetly planning to be picked up in a limo at her father's wedding, Philippa promptly falls in love with Chrysalis Cliff gardener and part-time driver, Geoff. Unfortunately, like in many other YA novels, Geoff seemingly already has a girlfriend, who happens to be not only Philippa's boss, but her polar opposite as well. Upon arrival she finds two very well behaved little girls, and a father who is too busy managing the Chrysalis Cliff resort to spend time with his daughters. She also finds out that the girls mother has "fallen off" the notorious Cliff of Chrysalis, and they now believe she is a ghost. So begins Philippa's very eventful summer.

Must Love Black, despite the premise, is a very typical YA novel. This may, or may not be a good thing. I personally expected something a little more out-there, and was slightly disappointed. But; if you're looking something that is very quick and cute, with characters that have slightly abnormal personalities, you'll probably enjoy this.