Review: Hooked by Catherine Greenman

Publisher: Delacorte

Pages: 288

Source: Personal Copy

A teenage pregnancy comes with a certain amount of drama, and when Thea Galehouse discovers she’s pregnant at the age of sixteen, her mother is less than thrilled. Thea comes from a divorced family and asks her mother not to tell her father, afraid of what he might say and opting for an abortion, her secret can be kept. Thea’s boyfriend sits back and accepts her decision to abort the baby. When the time comes, Thea runs out of the room and decides to come back another day, but that day doesn’t come. When she decides that abortion is not her best option, and her attachment to her child has already formed, she must confront everyone including her strict father. During her pregnancy, Thea tries to pass away the time by crocheting a bikini that her grandmother once gave her. Once the baby arrives, Thea is feeling the pressures of motherhood and a relationship propelled on the fast track. When an accident occurs that sends Thea running to the hospital with the baby, she must endure much criticism. An honest mistake, turns into a teenager being irresponsible. The caring and supportive boyfriend turns his back on her, and Thea must keep her priorities in check.

Hooked is an emotional tale about the struggles of teenage love, and teenage parenthood. A debut novel filled with realistic circumstances. The narrative is told in the first person, and readers get to know Thea, a teenage girl who makes adult decisions, who must confront those who think they know what’s best for her.  Greenman has the ability to tackle a sensitive topic and be able to touch the intended young audience as well as adults.  The characters could have been more developed, but overall the story was very well written. The family dynamic really comes into play, and Thea turns to the one person she was afraid to tell about her pregnancy. Her father becomes her rock, and steers her into the right direction. While he tells her all that she needs to know, Thea has her own ambitions. Readers really see the complicated relationship of teenager daughter, and mother but still a child who needs direction. This story has its fair share of drama, it's a story about unconditional love, perseverance, and favorable outcomes. A quick read, with a big message.