Top Ten

by Katie Cotugno

Overview

The newest stunning and unforgettable contemporary realistic romance from the New York Times bestselling author of 99 Days, Fireworks, and How to Love. Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Morgan Matson.

Ryan McCullough and Gabby Hart are the unlikeliest of best friends. Prickly, anxious Gabby would rather do literally anything than go to a party. Ultra-popular Ryan is a hockey star who can get any girl he wants—and frequently does. But somehow their relationship just works; from dorky Monopoly nights to rowdy house parties to the top ten lists they make about everything under the sun.

Now, on the night of high school graduation, everything is suddenly changing—in their lives, and in their relationship. As they try to figure out what they mean to each other and where to go from here, they make a final top ten list: this time, counting down the top ten moments of their friendship.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538457283
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	10/03/2017
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.50(h) x (d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Katie Cotugno is the New York Times bestselling author of Top Ten, Fireworks, 99 Days, and How to Love. She studied writing, literature, and publishing at Emerson College and received her MFA in fiction at Lesley University. Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in Iowa Review, Mississippi Review, and Argestes, among others. She lives in Boston with her husband, Tom. www.katiecotugno.com

Editorial Reviews

Praise for 99 DAYS: “A complicated, compelling summer romance…and a whole lot of kissing make[s] this one to stick in the beach bag.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Praise for HOW TO LOVE: “There are those novels, once in a spectacular blue moon, that just feel perfect. HOW TO LOVE is that book. Perfect.

Carolyn Mackler

Praise for HOW TO LOVE: “HOW TO LOVE is epic. I crushed so hard on this book. A roller coaster ride with all the euphoric highs and the stomach-dropping lows of falling in love. The writing is as beautiful as the love story. I adored it!

Siobhan Vivian

Praise for HOW TO LOVE: “A vibrant, sparkling narrative of first love and second chances - will remind you that love isn’t ever easy, but falling for a great story is.

Entertainment Weekly

Praise for HOW TO LOVE: “Cotugno’s debut ambitiously, and intriguingly, follows a couple who fall in love twice, over two different time periods.

Booklist

Gabby and Ryan have been best friends since freshman year, even though they could not be more different: Gabby is an introverted, studious girl who suffers from anxiety, whereas Ryan is an outgoing, party-loving hockey star. In spite of their differences, they love spending time together, whether they are engaged in deep conversations about their lives or just enjoying a game of Monopoly or bowling. There have been times when they both wondered if they might be more than just friends, but it is not until the night of graduation, when sparks fly, that they have to decide what their relationship really means to each of them. Told from the alternating perspectives of Gabby and Ryan and following a non-linear timeline, Top Ten is a sweet portrayal of friendship and the challenges of growing up. Ryan and Gabby are both relatable characters, and the relationship between them is believable and well developed. The secondary characters are also well crafted, especially Gabby’s supportive parents and Ryan’s assertive girlfriend, Chelsea. The structure of the novel, flashing back and forth between moments in Gabby and Ryan’s friendship, builds tension and keeps the reader invested in the characters. The novel deals with a variety of real life topics—anxiety, concussions, bisexuality, class differences—in ways that are sensitive and honest. Although the coming-of-age romance is common, Cotugno avoids clichés and manages to keep this story feeling fresh. This is a solid purchase for high school libraries. It will appeal to fans of Rainbow Rowell and Sophie Kinsella’s Finding Audrey (Random House, 2015/Voya June 2015). Reviewer: Jennifer Staller; Ages 15 to 18.

VOYA, October 2017 (Vol. 40, No. 4) - Jennifer Staller

09/01/2017
Gr 9 Up—Told in alternating viewpoints between Ryan McCullough and Gabby Hart, this novel presents their high school friendship and the transition between graduation and college. The two are not likely friends; but somehow their relationship works. He is a hockey player, while she is a bisexual introvert who deals with social anxiety. The ups and downs of their friendship will resonate with readers. Will they end up together despite Gabby's previous relationship with a girl named Shay? Some teens will be drawn to the style of the book—it takes the form of a countdown of the top 10 moments of their relationship starting in present day and told in flashbacks, allowing teens to understand how the pair ended up where they are. Gabby's social anxiety is well-portrayed; her difficulty doing things alone may prove therapeutic for some. This novel will appeal to older fans of YA romance. VERDICT A good choice for most YA shelves, especially where the author is popular.—Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI

School Library Journal

2017-08-21
Cotugno's newest follows a seemingly mismatched duo over the first four years of their friendship. White high schoolers Gabby and Ryan make an unlikely pair. Gabby's intense and untreated social anxiety makes her relatively reclusive, sticking to her family's weekly Friday night Monopoly games and spending time with her one close friend. Ryan is an extroverted hockey player, effortlessly popular with a string of short-term girlfriends. Their chance meeting in ninth grade at Gabby's sister's party leads them to become best friends almost instantly, much to everyone's surprise. With some persistence, Ryan becomes one of the few people who can distract Gabby from her "panickers" and draw her out of her shell, while Gabby becomes one of the few people who's deeply honest with Ryan and looks out for his health after multiple concussions. While both characters find themselves attracted to each other, missed signals and poor timing (including when both bisexual Gabby and straight Ryan have girlfriends at the same time) complicate the potential for a romantic relationship. Their prioritization of their interpersonal relationship, person-to-person and regardless of romance, is endearing and refreshing. The third-person narration, which alternates between Ryan and Gabby, at times feels distant, but the nonlinear narrative structure (divided into 10 interconnected moments in their relationship and beginning with their consummation after graduation) makes a compelling balance. Whether or not Gabby and Ryan make it into readers' own top tens, readers will root for them. (Fiction. 14-17)

Kirkus Reviews