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For fans of smart romantic comedies, this is a clever Cinderella story with a tech twist. When Public Corporation, a giant tech company, announces a contest for the best app developed by a high school student—with $200,000 in prize money—computer whiz Audrey McCarthy is all in. Audrey's been searching for her one ticket out of town ever since her dad died and her best friend, perfect and popular Blake Dawkins, turned into her worst nightmare—and this scholarship may be it. Audrey comes up with an idea so simple, yet so brilliant, she can't believe it hasn't been done before: the Boyfriend App. With a simple touch of the screen, romance blooms among the unlikeliest couples at school—and people start to take notice. But it's not quite enough. To beat out the competition, Audrey will have to dig deeper—right into a scandal that would rock Public to its core. Launched into unexpected fame and passionately kissed by the hottest guys in school, Audrey finds that her invention has thrown her life into complete chaos . . . but can it bring her true love? ** ### Amazon.com Review #### Who is Your Literary Boyfriend? **Get the app. Get the guy.** Before apps. Before cyber connections. Before online romance: There were quite a few heartthrobs sending letters instead of texts in classic literature. So who would be your literary leading man? Take this quiz to find out! Then find out which boy makes Audrey McCarthy swoon in Katie Sise’s hilarious debut novel, *The Boyfriend App.* **1. How do you meet your leading man?** a. At a party, where you boldly introduce yourself. He isn’t exactly receptive to your approach, but you can tell you’ve sparked his interest. b. While on vacation last summer. But now, as luck would have it, you both live in the same town. c. After seeing you around school a few times, you heard him asking who you are and telling everyone how much he likes you. d. He is the manager at the store you both work at in your town. You know office romances are frowned upon, but you couldn’t help it! **2. You have a weekend all to yourself with absolutely no plans. How do you spend it?** a. Reading. Your to-be-read pile is almost as tall as you, so curling up with a few novels sounds fantastic. b. Calling up a bunch of friends and planning a day trip somewhere. You know you’ll get cabin fever if you sit at home for too long. c. Exercising your business savvy! You have a major babysitting business where you rake in the bucks. d. Shopping! Even if it’s just a little window shopping, you are always up for a little retail therapy. **3. Your leading man plans an awesome first date. It is:** a. An afternoon outing to an art gallery. b. A huge party that he is throwing at his house. c. A picnic in a quiet park. d. A reading at the local library followed by coffee. **4. The most important trait you look for in a boyfriend is:** a. Strong values. You wouldn’t sacrifice your morals and you wouldn’t want him to either. b. Confidence and energy. You want someone who lives life to the fullest! c. Goals. You like a boy who knows what he wants out of life d. Devotion. You want your boyfriend to be romantic and loyal and to have no problem showing you just how much he cares. **5. You might be perfect for each other, but everyone has flaws. Your crush’s would be:** a. His pride; he’s not a fan of losing. Or being wrong. b. He is a bit of a party animal; it’s great 99% of the time, but a quiet night every once in a while would be nice, too. c. His impulsiveness; often he tends to act out of passion, without thinking of the consequences. d. He can be a little clingy; he absolutely adores you, and you love that he does, but sometimes you just need some time alone. **If you chose mostly A's:** **Fitzwilliam Darcy, from *Pride and Prejudice* by Jane Austen ** You like a bit of a chase, and your perfect man, while aloof at first, doesn’t profess his love for you right away. Like Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett, you are both reluctant to admit your feelings for each other. You prefer a partner who doesn’t necessarily agree with everything you say and sticks to his own guns, since you do exactly the same. As long as neither of you lets your pride get in the way, you are destined for a happy future. Besides, we dare you not to melt when he says, “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” Plus, you can’t resist a dapper gentleman – especially not Colin Firth in the 1995 mini-series adaptation. **If you chose mostly B's:** **Jay Gatsby, from *The Great Gatsby* by F. Scott Fitzgerald** Your energy and passion make you a perfect match for Jay Gatsby. The two of you are social creatures and crave both luxury and attention. Yet amidst all the glitz and glamor, you know your man only has eyes for you. You need someone who is going to keep up with you, and although your guy likes to pretend his life is perfect, he knows he cannot live without you. Remember to slow down and enjoy each other’s company one-on-one, and then you can get back to making the rest of the party jealous of your chemistry. Plus, we can’t wait to see Leonardio DiCaprio portray Mr. Gatsby himself, in the upcoming Baz Luhrmann adaption. **If you chose mostly C’s:** **Edward Rochester, from *Jane Eyre* by Charlotte Brontë** Initially impulsive and a little reckless, your ideal boy is reforming from a rash individual into a thoughtful character. Still brooding, and a little mysterious, he looks to you for both happiness and support. You love that he prefers to avoid any sort of drama and would rather run away with you than cave to social pressure. Sometimes his intensity has you ready to run, but your convictions are strong enough that you stick to your values. You appreciate how well you two complement each other. And have you seen the sparkle in Michael Fassbender’s eyes in the 2011 movie version? We’re smitten! **If you chose mostly D’s:** **Marius Pontmercy, from *Les Misérables* by Victor Hugo** You love all things romantic and adore being pursued. A boyfriend who leaves love notes in your locker, will risk life and limb for you, and has no problem professing these intense feelings? Right up your alley! You enjoy being swept up in the romance, and you ignore any outside circumstances that would prevent you from being together. Sometimes it seems as though your relationship is the only thing your guy can think about, but you need someone who is willing to go far for love, and Marius is your man. Plus, if Eddie Redmayne from 2012’s *Les Mis* smiled that adorable grin at us, we would be running all over France, too. ### From School Library Journal Gr 8 Up-Audrey McCarthy's tech-savvy and humorous voice carries readers through the improbable events of her senior year. Ever since her father died, money has been tight, and winning the $200,000 scholarship offered by Public Corporation for the most popular app would mean that she could afford college. Audrey builds the Boyfriend App, which uses information from questionnaires to send a phone message when a user comes within 100 yards of a "perfect match". After Audrey's cousin tweets the surprising results of her successful match to thousands of followers of her fashion blog, one message is retweeted by Public's spokesperson and teen pop star, Danny Beaton. The Boyfriend App soars temporarily before a swift decline from failed matches. Then Audrey investigates a strange buzzing from her buyPhone and hacks into Public's site. She learns that the company has installed secret software that emits sounds that stimulate feel-good hormones when teens come near a Public store or download music from buyJams, causing them to purchase more. Adapting this "falling in love" phenomenon, Audrey launches the Boyfriend App 2.0, with instant success. When she successfully deploys it against Beaton during a concert, his kiss wins her the contest. Unfortunately, Public threatens to ruin Audrey if she reveals the truth. With the help of some powerful allies, the teen not only gets to college without Public's money, but also finds romance with an app. Underneath unlikely plot developments lie some serious questions about personal relationships and corporate power, but they never overburden the story's lighter and humorous moments. This fast-paced, clever romance with a smart, likable narrator should find a place in most libraries.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankatoα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.