Perfect Fifths (Jessica Darling Series #5) by Megan McCafferty

From the Publisher

Old flames are reignited in the fifth and final book in the New York Times bestselling Jessica Darling series.

Captivated readers have followed Jessica through every step and misstep: from her life as a tormented, tart-tongued teenager to her years as a college grad stumbling toward adulthood. Now a young professional in her mid-twenties, Jess is off to a Caribbean wedding. As she rushes to her gate at the airport, she literally runs into her former boyfriend, Marcus Flutie. It’s the first time she's seen him since she reluctantly turned down his marriage proposal three years earlier–and emotions run high.

Marcus and Jessica have both changed dramatically, yet their connection feels as familiar as ever. Is their reunion just a fluke or has fate orchestrated this collision of their lives once again?

Told partly from Marcus’s point of view, Perfect Fifths finally lets readers inside the mind of the one person who’s both troubled and titillated Jessica Darling for years. Expect nothing less than the satisfying conclusion fans have been waiting for, one perfect in its imperfection. . . .

Publishers Weekly

McCafferty's mixed follow-up to Fourth Comings begins with Jessica Darling running through an airport to catch a flight to her friend's wedding, only to trip over ex-boyfriend Marcus Flutie, fresh off the plane from New Orleans, where he was building houses. Jessica is reluctant to start things anew with Marcus, who had in an earlier book proposed to her and still longs for her. McCafferty does a terrific job of recounting her protagonists' pasts while keeping the story feeling fresh, and Marcus's friend Natty Addison makes for a charming foil, though the narrative really lags during part two, with 80 pages of nonstop dialogue-and a series of 54 haikus doesn't do the book any favors. Fans of the series might be hooked, but newer readers may find the intimacy irritating and even boring. McCafferty writes strong characters with rich, believable inner lives, but the attempts at formal cuteness don't allow the book to properly flourish. (Apr.)

VOYA

When Jessica Darling rejected Marcus Flutie's marriage proposal in Fourth Comings (Crown, 2007/VOYA October 2007), this reviewer was happy with a fitting end to the series. Nothing in Perfect Fifths changed this opinion, although something did change Jessica's. After bumping into Marcus at the Newark Airport while rushing for a flight she ultimately misses, Jessica and Marcus take an eighteen hour stroll down memory lane as well as catch up on the intervening three years of separation. Stranded overnight at the airport, they share a hotel room. Much of their underlying thoughts relate to their hesitancy to resume a relationship (they still love each other) and whether or not to have sex (not make love). The stilted conversations revolve around trivialities in their lives. There is a silly Barry Manilow undercurrent—he sang the first song they heard on their first date and was a recurring theme in prior books. Not much new and nothing of interest is revealed. A fan of the Jessica Darling series, this reviewer is disappointed. The book seems like an afterthought. There is no witty repartee as in previous books. Jessica and Marcus are shells of their former selves. Secondary characters that readers had come to love play miniscule roles. The thoughts about sex are incessant and the two shower scenes involving Marcus are unnecessary (use your imagination). This installment is meaningless without the previous four series books. McCafferty's fans will likely want this book, which is likely to be included in the adult collection; however, abstaining from purchasing this book will not leave a hole in a YA collection. Reviewer: Ed Goldberg

School Library Journal

Adult/High School—In this final title in the series, Jessica Darling is now a professional at age 25. The series began with her as a sophomore, continued through her high school years, then college (and her long relationship with Marcus Flutie), and ends with her as the founder of a program in which she travels the country working with teens to encourage their creative expression. This episode begins with Jessica frantically running through the airport to catch a flight to her friend's wedding. She literally runs into Marcus, misses her plane, and spends the rest of the day (and evening) reconnecting with her old love. McCafferty employs some surprising literary devices, including an entire chapter told in haiku. This series has had a loyal group of followers, and though many were disappointed in books three and four, fans will be satisfied with this last installment. Though a bit predictable, the breezy style, great vocabulary, and wry humor make it an enjoyable, quick read. For libraries that have the previous four books, this is a must purchase and for those who do not, this book will stand alone and find a wide audience.—Jane Ritter, Mill Valley School District, CA

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