Don't Look Back

by Laura Peyton Roberts

Book Overview

The members of Eight Prime have been through a year full of ups and downs, but now summer is ending, and so is their time together. . . . Leah and Miguel are getting ready to start college apart, and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553493795
• ISBN13: 9780553493795
• Release Date: November 2001
• Publisher: Bantam Books for Young Readers
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 4.2" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

A Spectacular Finale to an Amazing Series!

You'll have to read the ending (or well near it) to find out my favorite part in this entire book. Hint: Miguel+Leah! These two were together the whole series with two breakups and problems with other side attractions (Shane and Sabrina). Now that they're starting college, Leah is miserable, but the ending of their time in this book changes all that =D Jenna and Peter are about to start their senior year, with Jesse and Nicole as other seniors (although Jesse and Nicole aren't a couple). Jenna's birthday was mentioned early in this book, as was Melanie's. Peter is thrilled about adopting one of the Junior Explorers into his family, and about the fact that his brother David is marrying Jenna's sister Caitlin (Jenna also is excited). Nicole is starting senior year and breaks up with Noel for being superficial and for flirting with Gail. There is one emotional moment with Gail and Nicole in this book, and it seems that Courtney (Nicole's best friend) and Nicole have someone else to see at CCHS next year... Ben is in starry-eyed shock over Bernie, his new girlfriend. Even his parents like her! These two are good together. And finally...Melanie and Jesse. First he liked her, then they got together, then she broke up with him...and then they fell in love with each other. Melanie has to deal with a rough driving lesson or many in here, while Jesse has to convince a rather nonconvincing person as a favor to a family member. They're starting Jesse's senior and Melanie's junior years together (and one of the funniest scenes in this series involves these two and is in this book!) Overall, this book is amazing. Like the title says, a spectacular finale to an amazing series. I wish that Laura Peyton Roberts could have made more books like this, but with Miguel and Leah starting college (and Leah going away) I suppose this was a good place to stop. Fantastic finale!

really good

this is a good book.....the part with leah and miguel makes me a bit sad, i actually cried while i read it. since they're graduating, it was bringing out my own feelings about my graduation in june. but its still a good book, just cause a book makes u cry doesn't mean its bad. :-)

One of my fave in the series

I stumbled across these books by chance in my local library, and have learned to like them. This book is actually about and ending point in the Eight Prime. Leah is going away to college, and Miguel is too, only he'll be at the community college, so he won't be that far away. Finally Nicole starts to have a little faith in herself, but I think she still has some hurtles to overcome, and I think the next few books are going to be tough on her cause everyone knows that the only reason she is on the squad is because Melanie quit. But it's cool that her and Gail are finally starting to work out their problems, and are starting to become real good friends. I think Gail could totally help Nicole realize that it's not about looks. I love the part in this book where Nicole dumbs her man!! ( I think his name is Neil but I can't remember right now) He was mad hitting on Gail at Melanie's pool party, and Nicole just got sick of it cause he was using her anyway.Melanie is my favorite character, because unlike most cheerleaders, she's not shallow and self asorbed. I wish she wouldn't have quit, cause she was the best, and she did deserve to be there instead of crybaby Nicole. Melanie is so sweet!! She's really nice, and so is Jesse. But hey, at least next year she'll be captain, then maybe Nicole will finally have a sweet caring friend who isn't brainless!!Jesse is cool as ever too. He is working out his problems with his family, and helps out Brittany (Bee as he calls her) I think Brit is really cool, and hopefully will be mentioned in the later series.The whole Jenna and Peter thing is as it always is. I always find their plot lines so boring and unrealistic, just plain revolting. Them and their do good ways are so freaking boring!!!! Peyton should have Jenna do something really bad in the upcoming books, and make a really cool twist in the plot, cause Jenna and Peter need some spice in their lives.Oh well there you go. Can't wait for the next books, and I hope that Leah comes back for a visit real soon, cause her a Miguel are cool!!!

Great book!

Don't Look Back is another fantastic read by Laura Peyton Roberts and I highly recommend it to teenagers.As this is the finale to Clearwater Crossing, we see the lives of the eight members of Eight Prime evolving for the better. Miguel is headed for a bright future in Clearwater University, and has succeeded in his dream of providing a good home for his mother and sister. Leah is filled with bittersweet feelings as she prepares to attend her aspired college while also preparing to leave the town, friends and family that she loves. Peter, as the leader of Eight Prime, strives to lead the group as best as he can, and also strives to provide a warm and loving home for Jason. Jenna is full of satisfaction with her life at this moment, as she continues singing in the band and takes on the new responsibility of being the oldest Conrad sister living at home. Melanie has finally found the contentment and peace that she so desperately yearned for in the beginning of the series. She finally experiences the love of her father, of Jesse, and has managed to fully overcome the grief of her mother's death to look at life anew. She decides to attend the bible-study class that Peter invited her to, showing that she is willing to explore the doubts she faces about Christianity. While Melanie's life makes a turn for the better, Jesse feels a sense of belonging in his family at last. Nicole also manages to deal with her low self-esteem and her concern with physical appearance. Still in shock over the fact that he has a girlfriend, Ben is no longer as ashamed of himself as before.As you read this book, you will be filled with mixed emotions. A sense of happiness will fill you as the members of Eight Prime seem to be leading meaningful lives, while a feeling of disappointment will be felt as you realize this is the last book in the series. However, one negative aspect of the book is that the problems faced by the different characters at the beginning of the series seemed to be solved at too fast a pace. This made it seem rather unrealistic. I wish the series would continue so that readers can find out more about how Eight Prime continue with their lives and how they cope with future problems. Loose ends could be tied up too!