Rating: 
Summary: (...)
Review: I have recently read Hard Love, by Ellen Wittlinger. Its about a boy named John Galardi. He’s a high school student in about eleventh grade. He’s not really part of the crowd, as some people might say. He doesn’t have very many friends besides his one best friend, Brian. Though neither really fit in with everybody else, they’re practically opposites. John doesn’t think he’ll ever get a girlfriend. Brian, on the other hand, feels like you’re not an official human until you have one. John’s parents are divorced. Lfe isn’t all that peachy with either of them. So, he starts writing zines.
While at Tower Records one day, he picks up a zine called Escape Velocity. When he reads it, he’s captivated. He becomes obsessed with the author, a girl named Marisol. He just had to meet her, so he got a plan. Guess what, it worked! Meeting only on the weekends, they practically become best friends. Wearing only black, Marisol is a lot like John, almost. She’s a lilt out of the box. She doesn’t care what people think, hates to waste time, and never lies. You would think they would make a perfect couple, right? Well, I did, but there’s one problem, she’s a lesbian. Will she turn straight just for John? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
John knows Marisol is gay, but that didn’t stop him from mentioning his prom to her. Brian and his freshmen girlfriend begged him to go. Well, to make the outcome between the two of them even more of a mystery, the author decided for her to say yes. A few bad moves made by John, they get into a big fight in the middle of the prom. After that things between them become a little rough.
Once again, they are put in a situation together. There is a zine convention being held in Provincetown, a very homosexually influnced town. Will John and Merisol work everything out? You’ll just have to read it to find out if they wind up together.
Allen Wittlinger did a very good job on the characters. They were believable; like the book could have been John’s journal. The foreshadowing pushes you to keep reading. You’ll fall in love with it. Thought the situations are sometimes like they were out of a soap opera, they were still very well done. This book would basically appeal to everyone. With a little harsh language, it is most likely better for teens. So, pick it up and have fun, I did, and you will too.
Rating: 
Summary: Hard Love
Review: Since his parents got divorced, john's mother hasn't touched him. His new step dad wants to move them away to his mother's house, and his real dad would rather be anywhere else than around him especially at Friday night dinner. John writes articles like "Interview with the Stepfather" and "Memories from Hell". The only stress relief he finds is reading zines like Escape Velocity by Marisol. She calls herself a self proclaimed "Puerto Rican Cuban Lesbian". When John meets Marisol, they become close friends and a Hard Love is born. I really enjoyed this book, although it had some very harsh material. I believe that's what I'm going to see a lot of in Young Adult books. But I love the book so much, because it told the truth. In a way I think I have a lot in common with Marisol, except for the lesbian thing though. Marisol seems so cool and truthful I loved her character. I also liked John (a.k.a Giovanni) I could understand how he felt and how he was getting mixed signals from Marisol. I thought they were going to get together to. My favorite part of the story was at the end when Gio responded to Marisol's poem, "You're Not Listening", with his own "I'm Not Lying". Marisol loved the poem, but it was very hard to tell, because it didn't seem like she was even listening to it. I think this book was very unique and I believe it shows gay and straight people can become the best of friends. Maybe sometimes mates, but not in this case. I rate this book with a 6 it was great.
Rating:
Summary: Diffferent Approach on a Familiar Struggle
Review: Ellen Wittlinger does a wonderful job of exploring young love through the eyes of a guy who isn't quite sure where he fits with relationships. Not only does Wittlinger focus on John's struggle with his feelings for a certain girl (who has a surprise barrier for him!), the author also digs deep into John's mind to help the reader discover why he refuses to get close to anyone. We get to look at how his relationship with his parents affect his relationships with others. Hard Love is very insightful. Another book on relationships you might want to read is If I'd Only Known... by Edee Wilcox. The main character in that story is female, but she struggles to find how she fits into relationships with the opposite sex as well.
Rating:
Summary: Hard Love Hits Hard
Review: Before I read this book I was told how terrific it was by fellow librarians, that is all fine and good but it seems often when we love a title the audience it was truly meant for does not feel the same. I don't think that will be the case with Wittlinger's stunning coming of age story about a very confused teenager trying to define himself and those around him. John (or Giovanni as he calls himself) both reads and writes Zines (homemade magazines) hoping to find some of the answers he is searching, for he even strikes up a friendship with fellow zine writer Marisol. Through their platonic relationship both are able to discover some painful truths about themselves. On this road to self discovery John unwittingly finds himself falling in love though Marisol has been up front about her homsexuality from the beginning. On top of this John has a completely affectionless relationship with both his parents, since they divorced six years ago and finds his only school friend "Brian" a cheery annoyance. This is a book with three dimensional characters that could be your neighbor your friends or even you. Which is the reason I beleive middle schoolers and high schoolers alike, may just agree with myself and all those other librarians who are raving about this title.
Rating:
Summary: Abby Hildreth-Mrs.Feilds English clas-P/5a
Review: I have recently read Hard Love, by Ellen Wittlinger. Its about a boy named John Galardi. He's a high school student in about eleventh grade. He's not really part of the crowd, as some people might say. He doesn't have very many friends besides his one best friend, Brian. Though neither really fit in with everybody else, they're practically opposites. John doesn't think he'll ever get a girlfriend. Brian, on the other hand, feels like you're not an official human until you have one. John's parents are divorced. Lfe isn't all that peachy with either of them. So, he starts writing zines.
While at Tower Records one day, he picks up a zine called Escape Velocity. When he reads it, he's captivated. He becomes obsessed with the author, a girl named Marisol. He just had to meet her, so he got a plan. Guess what, it worked! Meeting only on the weekends, they practically become best friends. Wearing only black, Marisol is a lot like John, almost. She's a lilt out of the box. She doesn't care what people think, hates to waste time, and never lies. You would think they would make a perfect couple, right? Well, I did, but there's one problem, she's a lesbian. Will she turn straight just for John? You'll have to read the book to find out.
John knows Marisol is gay, but that didn't stop him from mentioning his prom to her. Brian and his freshmen girlfriend begged him to go. Well, to make the outcome between the two of them even more of a mystery, the author decided for her to say yes. A few bad moves made by John, they get into a big fight in the middle of the prom. After that things between them become a little rough.
Once again, they are put in a situation together. There is a zine convention being held in Provincetown, a very homosexually influnced town. Will John and Merisol work everything out? You'll just have to read it to find out if they wind up together.
Allen Wittlinger did a very good job on the characters. They were believable; like the book could have been John's journal. The foreshadowing pushes you to keep reading. You'll fall in love with it. Thought the situations are sometimes like they were out of a soap opera, they were still very well done. This book would basically appeal to everyone. With a little harsh language, it is most likely better for teens. So, pick it up and have fun, I did, and you will too.
Rating: 
Summary: Hard What?
Review: I liked the theme/idea of this book a lot. But when I finished reading this, all I can think of was how much I disliked the characters, John and Marisol. John is nothing more than an overly emotional jerk, and Marisol is a complete hard ass. I would have liked to read more about John's love for Marisol and how he tries to 'get with her', rather than reading about how they became such good friends.
Rating:
Summary: hard to understand
Review: It was hard to understand at first..with John being so lonely and stuff. But when he started expressing his feelings and exposing his true self, it's like you can feel it, like it was happening to yourself. Good book. recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Hard Love to its fullest
Review: Ellen Wittlinger truely out does herself with this one! It is a wonderful book. It touches many problems teenagers have trouble dealing with. John is somewhat of an outcast as a Junior in highschool. He only has one friend (Brian) who only see's girls as important. John is completely opposite. He doesn't really care about not having a girlfriend. His mom won't even hug him, and his stepfather doesn't seem to care about him. His father would rather be anywhere, but with his son on a Friday night. John confides in the zine he writes "Bananafish" and others that he reads, "Escape Velocity" by a young lesbian girl named Marisol that just wants to find herself. They meet one day, and from there become best friends. John and Marisol go to Junior Prom together which turns into a disaster because John falls in love with her, even though she is openly gay. They go to a magazine convention together in Cape Cod and Marisol has to find a way to gently let John down, therefore, John learns just how diffucalt "hard love" is.
Rating:
Summary: love is the greatest gift - even if its' hard love
Review: This book made me weep, seriously. I would cry for all my remembered friendships - bestfriendships, my first love - where, at a point, the love turned hard. This is a must read, with two excellend characters, one male and one female, one straight and one gay. Wonderful wonderful read.
Rating:
Summary: Hard Love
Review: This book kept me reading all night. Once I started, I didn't want to put the book down. I believe this reasoning was because it was from a male perspective, which seems different now in literature. A lot of the issues faced in the book I am faced with and so are my friends. This book seems like it can be drawn to about any audience!
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