Question

Summary about the book accidental love by Gary Soto

Answer 1

Risa Rodriguez is a Latina with a hot temper. She goes to a rough school and is accustomed to solving problems with her fists. This is actually how she meets the boy who will end up changing her life. When Marisa gets into a fistfight with Roberto, the slimy boyfriend of her best friend Alicia, Roberto's nerdy math tutor Rene is there to break it up. During the scuffle, Marisa and Rene accidentally pick up each other's cell phones. Upon exchanging them, it is evident that there is an undeniable chemistry between the two.

They begin dating and become inseparable. Marisa ends up transferring to Rene's school and uses her aunt's address on her registration. They audition to be in Romeo and Juliet together, begin a fitness plan (Marisa wants to lose weight and Rene is determined to gain muscle), and each desire a personality makeover (Marisa would like to stop reacting so violently, while Rene wishes to be cooler).

Because their attitudes and personalities are so different, it's understandable that Marisa and Rene must deal with certain conflicts and pressures in their relationship. These are the kinds of problems that all teenagers will face at some point in their lives. As a result, readers will be able to relate to this young couple quite well; they will want them to succeed and be happy with each other.

Included at the end of the book is a glossary containing Spanish terms that are sprinkled throughout the pages. In no way do the presence of these words detract from the overall reading of the novel; most can be figured out easily from the context of the sentence they are in.

Through his outstanding story, Gary Soto demonstrates that young adults indeed are capable of overcoming various hurdles to become whatever it is they want to be. They can succeed and make better lives for themselves, just as Marisa and Rene have done in ACCIDENTAL LOVE.