Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

A late-night phone call turned bad…turns good. After his parents' quick divorce and his mother's even quicker remarriage to his gym teacher, Mr. Buonofuoco, in 1977, 15-year-old, half-Italian/half-Jewish Vinnie Gold relocates from New York City to Long Island with his mother and Mr. B. The loner teen knows that Patsy, the "foxy blonde" next door, is out of his league, but after discovering her private number, he musters the courage to call her at midnight. His nervousness and bumbling, however, leave Patsy thinking he's an obscene caller. The potential creepiness of the situation is not lost on Vinnie, and it fuels his desire to right his wrong and prove himself. So he calls back, and this time Patsy keeps listening--and even talking. With a shield of partial anonymity, their midnight repartee continues night after night, developing into an unusual romance that keeps Patsy guessing at Vinnie's identity and Vinnie watching the school's football star abuse her. In a first-person narration that ranges from humor and quirkiness to insecurity and anger, Vinnie struggles between two personas. Can he ever reconcile both selves and still keep Patsy's interest? Even if Patsy doesn't fall for Vinnie, readers will grow to love his vulnerability and sincerity. His parents' evolving relationships echo his own maturation. Not exactly a perfect story. But it comes pretty close. (Fiction. 13 & up)

ALA Booklist (Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2012)

Just as the title promises, this is a romance rt of. Fifteen-year-old Vinnie happens upon the phone number of his crush, Patsy, and calls her at midnight only to blurt out the kind of vulgar statement that would make an obscene phone caller proud. He calls again, once more at midnight, to apologize. So begins a strange dial-a-relationship between two teens who come to realize their similarity: "If I'm screwed up it's okay, because we both are." Vinnie keeps his identity secret thinks of his confident phone persona as "Vincenzo" t Patsy is angling to meet at the masked Valentine's Day dance. If you've seen your share of teen movies, you know what's afoot: Patsy develops an interest in the real Vinnie and begins discussing him with Vincenzo. What to do?! There are a number of plot and character stretches here, and Patsy's interest in her phone stalker never quite washes. However, the general lack of serious incident and sprinkling of family drama mark this for what it is: a light, diverting read that goes down easy.

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

It's 1977, and fifteen-year-old Vinnie moves from Queens to Long Island. He finds next-door neighbor Patsy's unlisted number on the ground; on the phone they enjoy a flirty chemistry, and their in-person relationship also gradually develops. The story moves to a satisfying conclusion as Vinnie's identity is revealed. Couloumbis's novel, refreshingly sweet and nostalgic, is a solid choice for teenage romantics.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A late-night phone call turned bad…turns good. After his parents' quick divorce and his mother's even quicker remarriage to his gym teacher, Mr. Buonofuoco, in 1977, 15-year-old, half-Italian/half-Jewish Vinnie Gold relocates from New York City to Long Island with his mother and Mr. B. The loner teen knows that Patsy, the "foxy blonde" next door, is out of his league, but after discovering her private number, he musters the courage to call her at midnight. His nervousness and bumbling, however, leave Patsy thinking he's an obscene caller. The potential creepiness of the situation is not lost on Vinnie, and it fuels his desire to right his wrong and prove himself. So he calls back, and this time Patsy keeps listening--and even talking. With a shield of partial anonymity, their midnight repartee continues night after night, developing into an unusual romance that keeps Patsy guessing at Vinnie's identity and Vinnie watching the school's football star abuse her. In a first-person narration that ranges from humor and quirkiness to insecurity and anger, Vinnie struggles between two personas. Can he ever reconcile both selves and still keep Patsy's interest? Even if Patsy doesn't fall for Vinnie, readers will grow to love his vulnerability and sincerity. His parents' evolving relationships echo his own maturation. Not exactly a perfect story. But it comes pretty close. (Fiction. 13 & up)