Boyfriends, Burritos and an Ocean of Trouble (Enhanced Edition)

By Nancy N. Rue and Nancy Rue

Secrets? Bryn O’Connor is good at keeping secrets. But when a car accident reveals her boyfriend’s abusive behavior, the truth is unleashed. And it starts a tidal wave of trouble in Bryn’s life: enemies who were once friends, a restraining order violation, and her world unraveled. If that weren’t enough, her grandmother Mim arrives, attempting Mexican cuisine and insisting that Bryn try surfing. It’s all too much! Even Bryn’s habit of daydreaming won’t offer an escape this time. But could a mysterious book she found hold the secret to riding a tsunami like her life? In this enhanced eBook version of Boyfriends, Burritos & an Ocean of Trouble, you'll be able to enjoy three high-definition videos featuring author Nancy Rue that explore the book's topics, as well as two recipes tied to the content and discussion questions that will help you delve further.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: May 24, 2011
• ISBN: 9780310727927

Nancy N. Rue

Nancy Rue has written over 100 books for girls, is the editor of the Faithgirlz Bible, and is a popular speaker and radio guest with her expertise in tween and teen issues. She and husband, Jim, have raised a daughter of their own and now live in Tennessee.

Reviews for Boyfriends, Burritos and an Ocean of Trouble (Enhanced Edition)

[mrsjason · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nancy Rue's YA books are like a breath of fresh air in Christian young adult fiction. While there are several good CF YA authors already in place, her stories are not just fluff and romance. She takes serious subjects and puts it in a teen's perspective with situations and answering questions that no one else pays attention to.This book does not shy away from realistic issues that teens face. I'm sure that there are probably some parents who will think that this book is too mature for their teens and while it is their right, I believe that learning about how to handle this kind of situation will benefit teens. Bryn has found herself in an abusive relationship with almost no one to turn to. Many teen girls are either in this kind of relationship currently or have had abusive boyfriend in the past but never told a single person. The story shows the helplessness, fear and shame that comes with being in this situation. The behavior that she has to put up with is unbearable and even though I don't condone physical abuse from both sides, I really wanted this guy to feel the same pain and agony that he put on Bryn.However, there is some hope for Bryn as she finds this in her new relationship with her grandmother, the new guy she meets, and surfing.I was particularly excited that parts of the book took place in my hometown area of Virginia Beach. I love seeing places I know show up in books so it was a very nice surprise and Rue portrayed our area very nicely. And kudos for mentioning burritos!Some might complain that this book is preachy due to the Christian overtones found in the overall story and in the book that Bryn finds. However, I am going to have to disagree with this. Yes, I read a lot of Christian books and am a practicing member of the faith. BUT for a young adult fiction book, this story features so much more than just religion. Bryn is obviously going through A LOT of emotions and is involved in a dangerous situation with no one to turn to and almost no help in sight. It's her choice to turn to her faith to put her trust in and the way that Rue handles it is not at all in your face or proselytizing type of way. Pretty much all I can say is a quote from 12 step programs: "Take what you like and leave the rest." Because what Rue says in this book is something that a lot of teen girls need to hear but no one ever tells them and you can choose what you want out of this book. HIGHLY recommended.

[nookbooks_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I didn't read the description of the book before I bought it. I was just downloading a bunch of free ones. I knew it would be geared towards teens, but not much more than that. I wasn't expecting the religious overtones the story had. That said, the book wasn't bad. It dealt with a subject that there are teenagers dealing with today. Maybe not many, but there are some. And it dealt with it pretty honestly. Bryn, the main character, gets upset with her dad for not just letting things be. She gets frustrated with her grandmother for not acting the way she expected her grandmother to act from the last time she'd seen her, 5 years earlier. She feels alone, even when talking to her closest friends. She shies away from situations that are too much for her to deal with, or hide things that she thinks will just compound the situation. She's very real.I'm not knocking on my sister's door saying "you've got to read this," but if she picked it up, I'd tell her "It's not a bad book, you might like it, go ahead and try it."If you don't want religion slammed down your throat, though, this book probably isn't for you. Within the first chapter, she's praying to Jesus, asking what she should do. She picks up a magic book that ends up being preachily full of Bible stories, written in a modernized way a teenager can understand. Great if you want a teenager to understand Bible stories. Not so great if you really don't care about the Biblical message of the book, whether because you've made up your own mind before reading it, or you just don't care right then.