What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

     In the past two years, Mclean Sweet has moved four times. At each stop, she assumes a new persona, but it never quite works. Whether she's an effervescent cheerleader or an intense drama queen, nothing can permanently dispel the turmoil and rage at her mother since her parents' divorce. Sarah Dessen's novel about a teenager and her restaurant manager father captures the vulnerability that young people often experience after the dissolution of their family. A compelling story; strong characterization; and with a touch of romance. (Goodreads)


WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE was just another testimony of Sarah Dessen's greatness. Mclean was a complex character with many unique characteristics. She reinvents herself every time she and her dad move for his restaurant job. I liked this concept and couldn't argue that it was not unique. She has terrible issues with her mom and her new family, especially since her mom cheated on her dad. While running from the police, she meets Dave, a genius who made a stupid decision. Dave was awesome. He was definitely a geek, but he was diverse. He didn't always talk with huge words and flash his ingeniousness like people think geeks love doing. He was sweet and I loved how he dealt cautiously with Mclean to not scare her off, but was alternatively forward in his approach. I think that my least favorite person in the story was Mclean's mom. She made me so angry that she was threatening and selfish. I honestly couldn't find it in myself to fault McLean for ignoring her or anything. I was so relieved when Mclean, her mom, and her dad sorted everything out because I was tired of McLean being treated so badly. WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE was a wonderful outlook into the world of  divorcee children that burrowed deep inside me and made tears sting my eyes.