Readers will be interested in the two other books in this trilogy. Fat: A Love Story introduces Rita, describes her crush on an unattainable man named Robert Swann, and depicts the developing relationship between Arnold Bromberg and Rita. Arnold and Rita are separated across continents in Love Is the Crooked Thing, as they make separate journeys of independence. For a different Wersba take on May-December romances—this time presented from the male point of view—The Country of the Heart is a sad, romantic novel.

The trials and tribulations of teenagers who marry or live together are presented in several young adult novels. In Two in the City by Robert Kaplow, David and Stacey move to New York City after high school and live together in an apartment. Margaret Willey's Saving Lenny presents a darker look at the subject when Lenny and...