Amelia works at Cole's grocery store to earn money so she doesn't have to ask her parents anymore. It's a job filled with part-timers who work nights and weekends, living in a waiting stage of life: school aged kids like her self looking for a little pocket money, college age kids working to pay the bills before they get those first real jobs, and those in between childhood and adulthood who aren't sure what step to make next.
Chris is the young man who trains her on the register, a university student working part time. Chris is also her first crush, and to make matters more complicated he is 21. Chris is kind to Amelia and sees her at first as a little sister. At fifteen she is way too young for him, and he is still pining over a couple of unavailable young women.
Amelia quickly develops a crush on Chris, fed by his kindness and while they have an easy friendship, Amelia knows she could never be his. Chris on his search for the ideal woman, starts to see Amelia as someone who could be ideal, if she wasn't so young. Amelia tells us her story, while Chris shares journal entries. Little acts of kindness on Chris's part feed Amelia's crush, and what to Chris is a throw away action becomes a big deal to Amelia.
First part time jobs meet first loves in Love and Other Perishable Items. Amelia is wise beyond her years, but still at heart is a 15-year-old girl, and while Chris may not know what he wants or how to move on, he is really a 21-year-old man trying to figure things out. Readers will sense that these two are a bit star-crossed, and wonder what if they just met in five years, wouldn't that make it easier? But then we wouldn't have this heartbreaking story of first love and first heartbreak.
Fans of first romance, not easily obtained will enjoy this first novel by Australian author Laura Buzo. Love and Other Perishable Items is a Morris nominee that will appeal to fans of authors Sarah Dessen, Sara Zarr and Deb Caletti.
I'll see you @ the library!
Katie (Now reading Legend by Marie Lu)