What do boys really want? Is it true that they think about sex every seven seconds? Why do they spend more time focusing on what they are eating than the pretty girl who is sitting across the table? And why do they have a need to recklessly endanger themselves while trying to impress others? High-schooler Adam Merchant is pretty sure he knows the answers, or at least where to find them, and he’s betting that you’ll be willing to spend the $10 to find out once he’s published his book. That is, if his best friend Lita Wold will let him.

"The dialogue banter back and forth between his characters is some of the best out there, and I caught myself chuckling more times than I can remember."

Lita and Adam don’t necessarily agree who had the original idea for the book, but between the both of them, Lita knows that she is the writer. After all, she’s the author of a secret blog called Miz Fitz, where readers send in questions dealing with anything and everything related to relationship advice. Lita also has a novel half-written in her desk drawer called Wrathlust Hollow that’s waiting to be finished as soon as she can tear herself away from helping her friend Emily with her crush. The more Lita thinks about it, she spends a lot of time helping others with their potential romantic relationships rather than focusing on her own.

Even though Lita swears she’s the writer and came up with the idea, Adam is the one actually doing the hard work. He’s spent considerable time convincing others to buy his book, sought out his English teacher for help, and even decided that self-publishing was the way to go. The only problem is that Adam isn’t sure exactly what to write. It can’t be that hard to write about what boys want, but Adam will be forever grateful to Lita for introducing him to the anonymous Miz Fitz’s blog for ideas. A little rewording, paraphrasing, and some copying and pasting is just what is needed to make sure Adam gets enough material for his book.

Told in the alternating narratives of Adam and Lita, WHAT BOYS REALLY WANT explores the all-encompassing teenage angst of relationships. Adam gets so caught up with his publishing endeavor that he selfishly ignores others around them --- except for one of the skankiest girls in school. Lita is so busy helping others with romantic endeavors that when she does take time for herself, she falls for the bad boy who may or may not have a history with one of the skankiest girls in school. Adam and Lita are more connected than they think, which makes the melodramatic concluding events even more hilarious.

The best part about Pete Hautman’s books is that they are laugh-out-loud funny. The dialogue banter back and forth between his characters is some of the best out there, and I caught myself chuckling more times than I can remember. The other reason it’s so funny is because it’s very realistic. If you’ve ever taken drastic measures to get someone to notice you, had a secret crush, or struggled in a relationship, then this book is for you. And yes, you’ll also find out what boys really want.