I read this after hearing a suggestion that it might be more appropriately shelved in the Adult section. Much like Judy Blume's "Forever," this book deals with two teens' all-consuming first love and sexual experience, the details of which are quite frank. However, although teens are probably asking for this book in the same way that they read "Forever" while standing in the aisle (i.e. just looking for the juicy parts), it's important as a complete novel. 
 Besides the physical "first time," you also have what often happens to love at the end of high school (or any life transition when you're young): the emotional fallout of a consuming relationship. I found it annoying but uncomfortably understandable to read how Dominique lost interest in her own passions once she met Wes: to become closer to him, she went vegetarian, took up running, and even secretly applied to the same college. She did everything in her power to keep his attention when he became indifferent and distant after they enrolled at different schools, and you could see the breakup coming a mile away, but that didn't make it any less painful. 
 The importance played by Dominique's best friend was spot-on, as was her confusion of obsession with love. In fact, I wished that the book would have offered a little more conclusion in this department: was it really love? Should she have waited? Is there a point at which you can tell the difference? 
 I did appreciate the normal, functional relationship between her parents and how open she was with them, and I also liked the modern-day touches (Dom and Wes break up over IM; she tells her friend, "I'll have to change my MySpace status to Single now"). Still, on this topic I'd recommend "Forever," then Kate Cann's trilogy "Ready, Sex, Go," then this one. And I think it has a legitimate place in the teen section with those other titles.