Sweet Valley Senior Year

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Sweet Valley Senior Year is part of the Sweet Valley High franchise and the last spin-off series to be published. A double edition of the final book, Sweet 18, included the first book from the SVH series, Double Love, and a letter from creator Francine Pascal. The series is considered the most contemporary and realistic of the franchise^{[citation needed]}.

The Senior Year series continued the earthquake plot that took place in the final Sweet Valley High books, notably that the earthquake destroyed nearby El Carro High. As a result, El Carro students were forced to transfer to Sweet Valley High.

Like the Sweet Valley Junior High series, the chapters are interset with "handwritten" diary pages, e-mail entries and similar that explore the characters thoughts "off screen".

[edit] Returning Characters

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Elizabeth Wakefield

Elizabeth became more outgoing as the series progressed. Though still a member of The Oracle, she experimented with drinking and moved out of her parents home for a while. Her primary love interests were Conner McDermott and Jeff French. She dated Evan Plummer briefly after her break up with Conner.

[edit] Jessica Wakefield

An intense antagonism developed between Jessica and Melissa Fox after Jessica unknowingly kissed Melissa's boyfriend, Will Simmons, in the first book of the series. Jessica was devastated when her friends Lila and Amy sided with Melissa, and became the target of vicious rumors spread by Melissa and her clique throughout the school. She was able to bounce back from the gossip and became good friends with Tia Ramirez, another member of the cheerleading squad. Jessica dated Will briefly before entering a serious relationship with Jeremy Aames. They broke up once after Jessica decided to date Will again, but soon got back together.

[edit] Maria Slater

Studious, hard-working Maria was also a member of The Oracle and Elizabeth's best friend. She placed a lot of pressure on herself to receive a scholarship at a good university and saw herself as slighty nerdy. She had a brief fling with Conner McDermott before starting a steady relationship with Ken Matthews. Maria was named valedictorian at the series conclusion.

[edit] Ken Matthews

Still in mourning over Olivia, a depressed Ken quit the football team, a decision he later regretted. After his new relationship with Maria slowly brought him out of his shell, Ken rejoined the team but he was made to ride the bench, as Will Simmons was the team's quarterback. Ken became quarterback again after Will was seriously injured during a game.

[edit] Jade Wu

Jade appeared in an early edition of Sweet Valley High as a timid Chinese girl who was terrified of defying her traditional father. In Senior Year she was significantly changed, becoming an extroverted, flirtatious cheerleader turned basketball player who lived with her single mother. Her affluent father and stepmother lived in Seattle; at one stage, Mr Wu attempted to make Jade move to Seattle with him. Jade dated Jeremy Aames briefly before beginning a relationship with Evan Plummer.

Note: Jade's mother was a budding novelist who eventually began a series about Jade's friends, Elizabeth and Jessica, hinting that she is writing a version of Sweet Valley High.

[edit] Jeffrey French

Soccer star Jeffrey from Sweet Valley High became funky DJ Jeff in Senior Year. After revealing himself as the writer of Elizabeths secret Valentines Day letters, the two began dating. They broke up after Jeff lied about his university plans and maintain an awkward friendship.

[edit] Other

The following characters appear in minor capacity:

Bruce Patman was mentioned briefly and did not appear.
Aaron Dallas was part of the football team's clique and dated cheerleader Cherie Reese. Melissa Fox tried to seduce Aaron when she suspected that Cherie was after her boyfriend.
Winston Egbert was mentioned briefly and did not appear.
Lila Fowler took Melissa's side during the Jessica/Melissa war and later admitted that she felt like she was always in Jessica's shadow. The two slowly repaired their friendship over the series.
Enid Rollins and Elizabeth drifted apart; Elizabeth later remarked that she has turned goth.
Amy Sutton also took Melissa's side. She and Jessica did not patch things up.
Annie Whitman was on the cheerleading squad with Jessica.
Todd Wilkins joined the football team and was respected by both El Carro and Sweet Valley students. At the end of the series, he invited Liz out for coffee to catch up. They were together when Sweet Valley University began.

[edit] New Characters

[edit] Will Simmons

Will was one of many El Carro High student who transferred to Sweet Valley High. Despite being involved in a serious relationship with Melissa Fox, he pursued Jessica Wakefield. His relationship with Melissa remained on/off throughout the series.

A talented quarterback, Will was offered a football scholarship to University of Michigan. Unfortunately, after receiving a serious injury on the field, Will was informed that he would never be able to play football again. Although initially bitter, he later decided to become a sports reporter instead.

[edit] Melissa Fox

Melissa was Will's manipulative, insecure and very possessive girlfriend. When she discovered that Will had been cheating on her with Jessica Wakefield, she led a vendetta against Jessica, which included spreading vicious rumours and attempting to sabotage her cheerleading try-outs. She was devastated when Will broke up with her for Jessica and attempted suicide.

She was cheerleading captain for the El Carro squad, but lost captaincy of the Sweet Valley squad to Tia Ramirez. During her break up from Will, following his football injury, she dated Ken Matthews.

Her close friends were Cherie Reese and Gina Cho.

[edit] Conner McDermott

Another El Carro student, Conner was an attractive but brooding musician. He lived with his mother and younger sister Megan, of whom he was very protective. Tia Ramirez, his best friend since year two, lived behind him. Other close friends included Andy Marsden and Evan Plummer.

At the beginning of the series, Conner appeared to have Jessica-like tendencies, with his friends constantly remarking that he never stayed with a girl for long. After a brief fling with Maria, Conner fell for Elizabeth Wakefield. They initially struggled with their feelings for each other, since Elizabeth felt guilty about pursuing Conner when her best friend was still interested in him. After they began dating, he cheated on her once by kissing Tia in Backstabber. Conner and Elizabeth's serious on-off relationship is an ongoing theme in the series.

Conner developed a drinking problem and eventually agreed to go into rehab, where he met Alanna Feldman. The pair dated when they came out of rehab but broke up because of the strain the relationship had on his friendship with Tia, and the fact that he still had feelings for Elizabeth. However, Conner and Elizabeth never reconciled.

[edit] Tia Ramirez

Easy going, tomboyish Tia was a cheerleader at El Carro and became captain of the Sweet Valley High squad. She lived with her parents and had many brothers.

She began the series as the long-time girlfriend of Angel Desmond. However, when he left for college, she cheated on him with Trent Maynor. She and Trent later had a steady relationship.

[edit] Jeremy Aames

Jeremy Aames was a student from Big Mesa High and captain of the football team. His best friend was teammate Trent Maynor. Jeremy was mature for his age and helped to look after his two younger sisters, especially during his family's struggles after Mr. Aames lost his job and had a heart attack.

Jeremy worked with Elizabeth at the House of Java. Elizabeth and Jessica switched places once, resulting in Jessica picking up Liz's HOJ shift. Jeremy then fell for Jessica, he realized that she was not Liz, and told Jess that he thought that she was prettier than Elizabeth. Their initial relationship was short-lived, ending when he caught her kissing Will. A brief fling with Jade, another co-worker, followed. He and Jessica eventually reunited and remained together until the end of the series.

When Mr. Aames received a job offer in Arizona, Jeremy decided to remain in Sweet Valley to finish his senior year.

[edit] Andy Marsden

Class clown Andy was a close friend of Conner and Tia. His very brief relationship with a sophomore, Six, led him to realize that he was a homosexual. After struggling with the realization, he came out to his friends and family, who were very accepting. Towards the end of the series he had a steady boyfriend, Dave.

[edit] Evan Plummer

Evan, a laid back environmentalist, was a good friend of Conner, Tia and Andy. He was on the SVH swim team and was dedicated to his causes. He dated Jessica, then Elizabeth, before settling down with Jade. He plans to attend Berkeley.

[edit] Megan Sandborn

Megan was Conner's younger half sister. She was a member of the school newspaper The Oracle. When she met Liz, she offered to let Liz stay at her house. She dated Todd, much to Conner's disgust.

[edit] Cherie Reese

Cherie was Melissa's best friend. Like Jade, she left the cheerleading squad to join the basketball team. She dated Aaron Dallas, and Melissa believed that she was interested in Will.

[edit] Josh Radinsky and Matt Wells

Josh and Matt were close friends and team mates of Will Simmons. Josh briefly hooked up with Jade Wu, and Melissa started a rumour that Jessica slept with Matt. The pair hated Ken until Will reunited the football team.

[edit] Angel Desmond

Angel was Tia's longtime boyfriend. He began college a semester late, as he gambled away his tuition and had to come up with more money. He broke up with Tia after catching her with Trent and later dated a girl at his college.

[edit] Alanna Feldman

Alanna was a girl Conner met when they are both in rehab. She came from an affluent family, but turned to drinking because she disliked the social expectations her parents placed on her. She and Conner began dating, even when counselors at the rehab clinic disapproved of their relationship. After they were released from rehab, however, Alanna and Conner's relationship did not last.

[edit] Titles

1. Can't Stay Away
2. Say It To My Face
3. So Cool
4. I've Got A Secret
5. If You Only Knew
6. Your Basic Nightmare
7. Boy Meets Girl
8. Maria Who?
9. The One That Got Away
10. Broken Angel
11. Take Me On
12. Bad Girl
13. All About Love
14. Split Decision
15. On My Own
16. Three Girls And A Guy
17. Backstabber
18. As If I Care
19. It's My Life
20. Nothing Is Forever
21. The It Guy
22. So Not Me
23. Falling Apart
24. Never Let Go
25. Straight Up
26. Too Late
27. Playing Dirty
28. Meant To Be
29. Where We Belong
30. Close To You
31. Stay Or Go
32. Road Trip
33. Me, Me, Me
34. Troublemaker
35. Control Freak
36. Tearing Me Apart
37. Be Mine
38. Get A Clue
39. Best Of Enemies
40. Never Give Up
41. He's Back
42. Touch And Go
43. It Takes Two
44. Cruise Control
45. Tia In The Middle
46. Prom Night
47. Senior Cut Day
48. Sweet 18