ALA Booklist (Sun May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

High-school-junior Emily has had a rough year. Her mother's death from cancer also meant her father lost his auto-repair business, their home, and the vintage Chevy she had lovingly rebuilt. Now Emily and her father have moved south to her aunt's home, a McMansion with a pool, multiple Mercedes, and a lifestyle completely foreign to Emily cept for church. Formerly a devout Christian, Emily has lost touch with her faith since her mother's death. Emily's first-person narrative is studded with diary entries and flows smoothly in Clipston's relaxed, teen-friendly prose. Emily (a self-professed "motorhead," who loves all things automotive) is an atypical character who is self-aware and content with who she is pecially when the handsome teen next door turns out to be a car devotee as well. The formulaic plot, however, is overly predictable, as Emily swiftly wins the gorgeous guy, makes peace with her faith, and discovers her irritatingly perfect cousin Whitney is not the Queen Bee she seems. Still, readers seeking support in their Christian faith will find Clipston's first teen novel worth sampling.

Kirkus Reviews

In this Christian chick-lit effort, car repair paves the way to emotional healing. High-school junior Emily and her father have just moved in with her wealthy aunt and uncle and their two children. Several months previously, Emily's mother died of cancer, and hospital bills have pushed them to the brink: Emily's father has lost his car-repair business and their home. Emily, given to dramatic sighs, unexpected tears and prickly angst, has not been able to talk to God since her mother died, her emotional distress amplified by being recently dumped by her boyfriend. While she enthusiastically rejects nearly every kind overture offered to her, next-door-hunk Zander easily breaks through her barriers, since the two of them share an intense interest in auto repair. This activity provides Emily with solace but horrifies her critical, fashion-focused aunt. While cheerleader cousin Whitney is initially portrayed as shallow, she tries hard to relieve Emily's suffering, as do the minister and youth-group leader at their church. Emily's egocentric, first-person narration sharply limits the focus, leaving other characters little room to develop. A lack of suspense, a predictable outcome, a nondescript setting and a surfeit of soul-searching on Emily's part, as she writes long letters to her mother in her journal, all contribute to a largely vanilla-flavored tale of loss and, not surprisingly, redemption. (Christian chick-lit. 10 & up)

School Library Journal (Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Gr 7 Up-Seventeen-year-old Emily Curtis has lost her faith in God. After her mother died from cancer, her father, bankrupt from the medical bills, had to sell the family automotive business, and the two move in with her wealthy aunt, whose generosity unnerves her. A self-proclaimed motorhead, Emily is happier repairing cars than hosting pool parties, and she feels inadequate compared to her beautiful and popular cousin. Fearful that others are judging her, she distrusts people's good intentions. When a romance blossoms with next-door neighbor Zander, her lack of confidence and spiritual questioning threaten to sabotage her newfound happiness. Then an accident forces her to reevaluate her relationship with God and count her blessings. Interspersed throughout the thoughtful first-person narrative are the emotional letters Emily has written to her dead mother, describing her isolation, grief, and wavering faith. Adult author Clipston deftly tackles her first YA novel with insight and understanding about grief and God. A worthy addition to Christian fiction collections and a meaningful recommendation for teens dealing with similar issues. Kimberly Garnick Giarratano, Northampton Community College, Hawley, PA