Review: College Girl

By Patricia Weitz

From the back of the book:

“College senior Natalie Bloom is beautiful and ambitious, but also painfully insecure when it comes to sex. At twenty, she’s still a virgin, never even having had a boyfriend. At school, Natalie hides out most weekends in the library – until she meets Patrick, her fantasy (she thinks) of a cultured, intellectual Prince Charming.”

This book took me totally by surprise. I became so engrossed in it I couldn’t put it down and finished it in three sittings over the course of about 24 hours.

That’s unusual. I’m typically so busy, I have to force myself to stop and take some time to relax.

Not so once I started “College Girl.” It became quite the opposite and I have notes staring at me waiting for the newspaper article I need to write by the end of the weekend!

“College Girl” is a debut novel by Patricia Weitz and she’s quite the writer. She brings to life on the pages a cast of characters who will get into your heart in one way or another.

Natalie, the main character, is such a sad soul, yet she has such potential. I rooted for her from the first page and waited and watched as she came into her own.

I couldn’t help but despise her so-called boyfriend. He was obviously using her and I wished I could get my hands around his throat. He is such a cad – in the true sense of the word.

I also wished I could talk to Natalie face to face and convince her that she is a lovely girl and not to be so hard on herself.

This is absolutely one of the best books I’ve read this year and it definitely deserves my rare “5 books” rating. I hope Patricia Weitz will continue to write as I will be watching for more books by this innovative new author.

And thanks to Penguin Group for offering me the opportunity to review this novel. I’m certainly glad I read it.