Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto

June 21, 2010
After the title character's girlfriend dumps him on the same day he sees his father with another woman, Seth starts an anonymous podcast where he plays songs and muses on the nature of love and lust. In addition to the podcast and his job at a country club's pro shop, Seth is also spying on his father's "other" woman, assisted by best friend Dimitri, who plays the sex-obsessed sidekick role. As the podcast grows in popularity, Seth's anonymity is stripped away, getting him in trouble for his candor. At the golf course, a friendship develops with Dimitri's wiser-than-her-years little sister, Audrey, while the plot builds to an over-the-top confrontation among Seth, his love interests, his father, and his father's two women during the annual father-son golf tournament. Though Seth is not quite as evolved as he thinks he is—he describes his father's other woman as "a slightly weather-beaten Eva Longoria wannabe," and repeats Dimitri's comment that Seth's mother is a "major-league MILF"—Luper (Bug Boy) delivers plenty of laughs for the average male reader, if not feminists. Ages 12–up.

September 1, 2010

Gr 9 Up-Poor Seth Baumgartner: his girlfriend dumps him during lunch, and while leaving the restaurant he sees his father with a woman who isn't his mother. The 17-year-old has a lot to process over the summer. Along with humorous conversations and soul-searching with his relatively clueless friend Dimitri, he pours out his feelings about love on the Internet. Seth has typical teen interests (music, cleavage, hanging out) but is overwhelmed by the thought that his father is having an affair, and finding out more about the woman becomes a fixation. More trouble arises when Seth's podcasts, full of snarky comments, are discovered by people who consider him a friend and he struggles to make amends. Seth and Dimitri are avid golfers with summer jobs in a country club pro shop. A stroke-by-stroke description of an important tournament deliciously draws out the tension in the last chapters, and the revelation of a secret results in a positive ending and the indication that Seth is maturing. Those who enjoy computers and music will appreciate the details of creating and uploading the podcasts, although the pop-culture references will date this book in a few years.-Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2010
Grades 8-11 In rapid-fire succession, Seth gets dumped by his girlfriend, Veronica; spots his dad cozying up to a woman who most certainly isnt his mom; and gets canned from his fourth summer job. He pours his heart out in a series of anonymous podcasts he calls The Love Manifesto, which, naturally, dont stay anonymous for long. Chapters oscillate between heartbroken musings; idle time on the golf course with his snarky best friend, Dimitri; and some light detective work tracking his dads side woman. At the same time, Dimitris gangly younger sister suddenly isnt so awkward, and Seth eventually realizes that theres a difference between relationships of convenience and those of genuine feeling. Its a fairly white-bread read, but Luper earns some marks for likable characters who arrive naturally (though sometimes painfully) at universalities that will ring true for many teens. The shelf life of some of the pop-culture references will be fairly short, but for now, this is entertaining summer reading with heart and soul worn proudly on its sleeve.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2010
At the same time his girlfriend is dumping him over lunch, Seth discovers his (married) father dating another woman, fueling resentment in the lead-up to a father-son golf tournament. Documenting his views on love via a podcast, Seth realizes that all relationships are more complicated then they seem. Seth's casual, authentic voice gives the plot enough lift to keep readers engaged.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)