Until Tomorrow by Robin Jones Gunn
#1 Christy & Todd: College Years
Audio narrated by Christina Moore
2-1/2*

YA Christian squeaky-clean romance. Recommended for middle school+ readers. The extra 1/2 star is strictly for those younger readers' benefit. It looks like this picks up after a series about this couple which took place when they were in high school. Christy and Todd have been dating for five years and are now 19-20 years old and getting together with their mutual friend, Katie, for a three-week vacation in Europe while on a break from school.

This is a "sweet" book with a strong emphasis on the characters' Christian faith. I think it would be a decent read for an innocent teenager, especially if they share that faith. It was too saccharine sweet for me, however, and the characters were D-U-L-L. You don't have to be dull (or self-righteous or judgmental) to be Christian, but you'd never believe it from reading this. Christy, a very sweet girl, came across as naive and immature. She needs to put on her big-girl pants and stop being a doormat. Her boyfriend, Todd, although mellow and a perfectly nice guy, seemed disinterested or oblivious most of the time.

Their friend, Katie, was simply a selfish bully. I'm not always at my best behavior when traveling, and I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I truly disliked that girl. She was loud and obnoxious in public. She would boss Christy around, belittle her, refuse to make plans for the trip then act ticked if she didn't get to do something she wanted. They would jump over hurdles to change plans so she could see something she wanted, then once they got there, she would sleep through it. She would join in on each and every activity that would have given Todd and Christy a few minutes alone to talk (things like a simple picnic), and she admitted to feeling jealous about their relationship. She ruined things for them simply because she wasn't the one getting all the attention. She performed one selfless act at the end of the story, but it did nothing to make me forget her rude and obnoxious behavior prior to that. Katie was Veruca Salt.

I won't be looking for others in the series. I'll leave this for the YA crowd it was written for. ( )

Better than I expected. Loved the feel of traveling through Europe. ( )

Christy Miller, her best friend Katie, and her boyfriend Todd set out on an adventure across Europe. As they deal with the stresses of travel, Christy questions whether her long-standing relationship with Todd is ready to move to the next level.

This inspirational romance is first in a trilogy that follows characters from Gunn's teen series as they move on to the next stage in their lives. No knowledge of the earlier series is necessary, however, as this series can be enjoyed by newcomers to Gunn's writing as well as those who have followed Christy during her teen years. While this probably won't appeal to readers who do not enjoy inspirational romance, it is a cut above others in the genre. The plot is believable, the characters fully realized, and the pacing appropriate. ( )