Waiting Games

Jessie Walters #2

by Carole Hart, Bruce Hart

Fourteen-year-old Jessie becomes romantically and sexually involved with her eighteen-year-old guitar teacher Michael.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Teen

311 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1981

Reviews

[Joanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to Sooner or Later. Definitely much steamier as now Jessie and Michael have moved forward with their relationship. God, it's so creepy to think that we were all reading this book that's essentially about statutory rape-weird!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the few sequels that lives up to the original. Jessie and Michael continue down their tortured path of true love, only to be torn apart by her youth and his fame. A sweet love story packaged as romantic trash. Great stuff.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once I finished Sooner or Later, I had to dive right into Waiting Games, its sequel. Anyone reading this book for the first time in this day and age without knowing the history of the movie is probably outraged that a 13-year-old teenage girl would be involved with a 17-year-old high school boy. I admit it's not something I agree with, but the seventies were definitely a different time. That being said, this is still a clean, sweet teenage romance story. While the writing is a lot more cohesive in this book, the ramblings of a teenage girl are still present, and it actually grew on me this time around. One thing that was a bit unsettling was how the book started out in third person omniscient, then bounced to Jessie's first person narrative, reverted back to third person omniscient, and the rest of the book Jessie's first person narrative. I'm not sure why the authors chose to write it that way, but it was quite distracting as a reader, especially since it only happened a few times at the beginning of the book. A couple of things that truly puzzled me were the word Meteropolitan (typo perhaps?) and when Jessie and Michael are speaking on the phone and it's written "'Yeah,' Michael grins." How can Jessie possibly know Michael is grinning if they're speaking on the phone? As with the first book, the ending is quite abrupt, which is a bit startling because I truly could have kept reading.

Some of my favorite lines from the book:

"The sweet scuffing of his beard. The slippery deliciousness of his mouth."

"He's a three-hundred-pound, long-haired and bearded, sixty-year-old, chubby-cheeked millionaire hippie, who doesn't just look like he could eat you for breakfast--he looks like he already has."

"The way Michael writes now, they're all mixed up together--with little bits of happiness stuck in big chunks of sadness, like chocolate chips in cardboard cookies."

"...he gets this expression on his face that reminds me of a parked car. An empty one. One that's just sitting there, waiting calmly, while its driver is off somewhere, taking care of some very important business."

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so I went back into the trunk after reading Sooner or Later again, I had to continue the story of Jessie and Michael.
Jessie's parents now know about Michael and the age difference and have a plan to take her away on vacation in the summer - away from Michael. In the meantime, Michael is being pulled away by his band, a new manager, and the influence of a roadie JoJo.
Jessie has sex with Michael, spends the summer wondering if she is pregnant and what or who is is doing. During that time a distance of not just geography begins as she celebrates another birthday and grows up.
A great story that reveals the intensity of teen relationships and the milestones of a teen girl. It also has the consequences of decisions and choices that one makes.
I am wrapping my Bruce and Carole Hart novels in a ribbon and giving them to my new teen girl to enjoy.

[Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to wait until I read the last book to give my thoughts. For now..........

[Christina Salem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I ever read when I was just maybe 11 years old..I remember that I had used a 5 dollar bill as my book marker so that when I was done reading it I'd be able to spend it.

[Marie Porciuncula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did read tons of reviews warning readers about what a joy killer this book was, to just be happy with Sooner or Later, BUT of course I did not listen, I just had to torture myself and read Waiting Games! So yeah its SAD! Too sad for my taste. Jessie had to go thru things which for me is too much too soon for a 14 year old. And Michael what the heck! he is not the same sweet, down to earth person in this book!
I understand books imitate life but urghhh, definitely robbed me of the sweet giggly happiness that Sooner or Later brought me. Serves me right for not listening. Oh well life goes onnn...

[sublimosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I have not read this book in decades, there are parts of it that are embedded in my memory. From the hilarious “Quick As A Bunny“ A.k.a. “Quick As A Pickpocket“Pregnancy test to the “why is Jessie like a run on sentence?“ to the lovely sketches of Jessie‘s mother in the unforgettable conversation with grandma Esther and her story of Duvid (Such a beautiful part of the story). This book was frank and funny and my guess is probably somewhat experimental for the time and genre in the writing style switching POV as it did. It is one of three books I kept from books in my teens.

[Joni (Jonez) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember loving this book when I was younger and becoming a huge fan of Carole Hart. Ahhh..the nostalgia. Old Joni is going to give this book 4 starts just because I am sure young Joni would have. LOL

[Celina]

My only review is that the ad on this page is “Lipstick for women in their 40’s 50’s 60’s” 😂😂😂

[Lynne M · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this in a box of old books and magazines from my parent's old house as I was preparing to move. I don't even remember reading this as a teen or pre-teen and have no idea where it even came from.

My first thought now as a parent is: yikes. A 14-year-old with an 18-year-old? I guess things were way different in the 1980s. No way would my parents have ever let me hang out with an 18-year-old.

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written long ago and it still stands up against current contemporary fiction. Written in first person present tense. That's a bigger. Issue oriented. Not sentimental at all. Nice humor. Very good story.

[Sara G · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review is based on my high school self. Loved this book and read over and over again. Haven’t seen the book since I was 20, but loved it back then. Saved it here because I saw it listed and didn’t want to forget the name again!

[Kim]

I bought this at a Girl Scout mall sleepover in the 1980s. We passed it around to share all the juicy parts. I’ve been trying to remember the name of this book for years and I’m so happy TiK Tok helped me find it.

[Penny Penny]

Teas this book almost 30 years ago. Must be read after Sooner or Later. Both good books. Also saw the movie. As usual, books are better than the movie.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequel to Sooner or Later. Teen love, first love- heartbreak- Ah, the memories! 40 plus years later and it still makes me cry.

[Jaydeen A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading “Sooner or Later” I was dying to read “Waiting Games” and loved it just as much as the first book. Unique writing, and Jessie was close to my age at the time (I was 11) and really wanted to read the sex scene. It was a great story.

Now I'll read the last of the three Jessie Walters books!

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember reading this book when I was a pre-teen. I thought it was really hot stuff! All of us girls put a paper book cover on it to make sure the teachers did not know what we were reading!
Now, not so good. I get that I'm not the target audience, and it is dated, but hmmm. Lame? That might be the right word. As I read it this time, I could not remember why I thought it was so hot! Oh well. Still good to relive my middle school years!

[Nancy E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this sequel to Sooner or Later! Had to wait years for this, but it was worth the wait.
Now, 30 years after I read this my "niece"has read the first book & liked it.
Together we watched the movie of S&L. Once she is a little bit older she will read this one
& the third in the series, Now or Never. These three books are timeless stories of
young love & romance.

[Lo · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is fun.
Fun like chicken.
Wait, is that dad?

Okay, so it totally reads like this and it's really annoying at first but if you're like me and you are totally obsessed with the Jessie/Michael Skye love affair, you don't care.

[Ann Mulholland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this, not only because I absolutely loved Sooner or Later, but on it's own, it's a good book. Reading this took me back to being 14, being in love and dealing with all of the feelings and thoughts that come with it.

[Debra Barstad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical young teen book but figured I would read this as it was the second book in the series. Super fast read and would be good for a young teen to read. This story was about a first love and how the young girl handles the emotions involved with a first love.

[Velika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I LOVED these type of books in jr high school!!! These were all we read!!!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this sequel to "Sooner or Later"!!

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this many times when I was a young teen. Pure 80s schlock, but I loved it back then - the romance, the sex, the heartthrob boy, etc.

[Arlene Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the greatest of sequels; she lets her rock star crush talk her into doing the deed, and I will never forget her line: "it was 'ow' instead of 'wow'".

[katie]

Aw, I read this way back when I thought "making love" meant kissing with tongue.

[Tracy Miller]

Another blast from the past.

[Tonja Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is awesome book I read in high school. I just read it to my girl. she enjoyed it a lot too.