Jack Grammar is the hero of the new YA novel 24 GIRLS IN 7 DAYS. Turned down by his dream girl days before the prom, Jack seeks comfort and advice from two of his closest friends. What he gets is a whole lot of trouble. Unknown to Jack, his friends are downright evil and cruel at best. His friends post an online ad in the school paper saying that Jack would make the perfect prom date. When the response is less than enthusiastic (4 or 5 girls), they tell Jack that they’ve got over two hundred responses. The friends then begin to lie and manipulate not only Jack but the unsuspecting girls in his high school class. They tell one girl, “He’s rich and famous.” Another, “He’s dying, and to go to prom is his last request.” Another, “He’s the star of a new reality TV show, and if you go out with him you’ll be on TV.” Lie after lie pours out. Jack only knows that suddenly girls everywhere are begging to go out with him. The friends arrange a schedule of 24 girls and 24 “mini-dates” in 7 days. Jack doesn’t hit it off with most girls. There are three or four that he clicks with. But none that he really falls for. His “mystery” girl that he emails and instant messages turns out to be the twelve or thirteen year old sister of one of his friends. She has a crush on Jack. And the two do seem to click—but not in a romantic way of course. She is the one who tells him that her sister, his friend, is evil. She tells what she knows about how his friends are setting him up. Jack does go to prom, but he goes alone. But at this point, Jack is fine with that. He’s more aware now of the world around him—and the ins and outs of the dating game.