I Love You, Beth Cooper (book review)

From The Movie Snob

I Love You, Beth Cooper, by Larry Doyle (HarperCollins 2007). This is a fairly amusing novel about what happens when a high school valedictorian (i.e., nerd) named Denis Cooverman uses the bully pulpit of his high school graduation speech to announce the five words that make up the title of this book. Beth Cooper, of course, is the captain of the cheerleaders and Denis's near-opposite in every respect. Not to mention the fact she has virtually no idea who he is, even though he sat right behind her in plenty of classes. Anyway, Denis's bold announcement sets off a remarkable chain of events that is generally very entertaining, although faintly repetitious after a while. Doyle seems to have an ear for the dialogue of the young and clueless, and it's a fast read. It's kind of like a blend of Superbad and Mean Girls in book form, with the smart kid from Superbad as the hero. If this book isn't turned into a movie within a year or two, I'll be astonished.