This book doesn't come close to the first one in terms of plot. But I really hopped on here to say something about some of the reviews I've been reading and what they've been saying about the books message/content more than the plot and the writing.

This book was written some time ago, though the topics discussed in the book are extremely relevant in our country today. I think that while there are things in this book that are lacking (some of the characters fall flat and some seem to have little to do other offer a line here or there while they were in the first book a lot), the message isn't one of them. Not because I agree or disagree with the choice the character makes, but because the book in the end is all about making your own choice. That's what the book is really trying to say, the execution was lacking but a lot of people seem to have more of an issue with the fact that Meg Cabot attempted at all.

Look, Meg Cabot is forty-five years old. She probably has kids, I'm sure she's had sex. Most of your reading this book probably have too, this idea that we have to let young people remain in this dream world where no one tells them the truth and the books written from them never offer an honest look at hard topics is one of the hardest things for writers to do in an honest manner. There are a lot of things this book tries to do, lying isn't one of them. The only sad thing is it doesn't manage to pull off the story part as well as it could have.

There's a lot of focus on going back over things covered in the first book, some of the characters seem to have undergone a reset. While that could just by the cycles people go through in high school, it seemed as if some things mentioned never happened. I suspect this is because she didn't plan on writing the second book when she finished the first.

Things I really did like: There seemed to be less seemingly ambiguous lists, but the lists also seemed more crucial in a foreshadowing way this time around. I actually don't like the lists, for some reason. And I really liked how Cabot isn't shy about topics like sex, the body, and contraception or even race and other things mentioned here and there in small goes. Her being open with these things just makes the character more realistic because it sounds like you're reading what a sixteen year old girl is thinking. Actually, Sam is just an all around likeable character.

I thought it couldn't get any worse, but alas, it did.

Oh my lord, why is this book so bad? It felt like the longest sex ed class ever. I mean, I get it, I’m a 31 year old reading stuff for teens, but even if I were 11 I would have found this book soooo superficial and “be smart about sex, kids”. Strongest eye roll ever

I really like Meg Cabot. And I really like Samantha, her recurring character who saved the President's life and now dates the President's son. She's smart and funny and does not have a hard life, and does not have an easy life.

After reading All American Girl, I have to say that this book was a huge disappointment! I definitely did not send a good message, and it was just an unnecessary book. All American Girl didn't need a sequel, especially not one like this.

I should have known better than to listen to this second book after I was less than thrilled with the first book. Many here are griping about the "casual sex" agenda. I could care less about that. I didn't think that part was horrible and that's not why I rated the book so low. The writing style bothered me again. The character overreacts to the most ridiculous things. Thankfully there wasn't a lot of "frisson" mentioned this time, else I might not have actually finished.

Sam is a little cray cray maybe? lol I liked it though

it was ok, focused way too much on one uncomfortable topic.

I read the first book in the series when I was like 12 or something and it was great, but when I read this one I was blushing. A lot. But it did get me thinking about a lot of stuff surrounding the ~controversial subjects~ that no one really talked about with me. So though it was a little embarrassing on my part to read, it really did entertain me as well as answering and informing me.