Teenreads.com -- CLOSE YOUR EYES by Robin Jones Gunn

CLOSE YOUR EYES
Sierra Jensen Collection: Volume Two, Book Four
Robin Jones Gunn
Multnomah Publishers
Fiction
ISBN-10: 1590525892
ISBN-13: 9781590525890
135 pages

Sierra Jensen finally seems to have settled into her new life in Portland. In CLOSE YOUR EYES, the fourth installment of Robin Jones Gunn’s Sierra Jensen series, not only is the protagonist doing well in school and beginning to contemplate her college options, she also has a solid group of friends --- something she had desperately needed for so long. However, despite her successes, there is one thing Sierra doesn’t have: Paul.

Even though they have spent no more than a few hours together and only exchanged a couple of brief letters, Sierra is becoming increasingly more infatuated with her mystery man. Her friends, on the other hand, have different ideas. Sierra is beginning to realize that everyone in school thinks she and her best “buddy” Randy are actually a romantic item. But does Randy think they are a couple? As much as she likes Randy, her thoughts constantly return to Paul.

Best friend Amy begins planning a series of romantic dates and dinners for Sierra and Randy to attend together. Sierra is also comforted by the fact that she will soon be starting a community service project for class. Things get off to a complicated start, as she is not only placed with Randy but also with Tre, who has a very bad reputation preceding him. Surely all of this will keep away thoughts of Paul --- until she arrives to volunteer at the Highland House and finds out that Paul himself works there!

Now that their paths have crossed again, Sierra has a real opportunity to turn her dreams into reality. As they spend more time together, Sierra begins to think, or at least hope, that her infatuation is not at all one-sided. But she soon receives some startling news. In a matter of weeks, Paul will be moving to Scotland to attend university and work at his grandfather’s mission. Wanting to get her feelings out into the open before he leaves, Sierra has the heart-to-heart conversation with Paul she had been waiting for. Will her dreams finally be realized? Or will they be completely crushed?

CLOSE YOUR EYES is a very satisfying addition to the Sierra Jensen series. Fans will be relieved to have Paul present as an actual character, as opposed to the long-agonized-over ideal he had been in previous books. While the events can seem predictable at times, and even unlikely (such as the constantly reappearing Paul), young teens undoubtedly will enjoy Gunn’s fun and captivating writing.

--- Reviewed by Jennifer Crosby

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