Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty

In Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty (2008), American author Jody Gehrman updates William Shakespeare's classic Much Ado About Nothing. Set in modern-day Sonoma, California, the novel chronicles the fateful summer of a group of young teenage friends, largely centering on the goings-on at the Triple Shot Betty, a local coffee shop where Geena is working for the summer with her carefree gal-pal Amber and stuffy, boarding-school-educated cousin, Hero. However, as is common in Shakespeare's comedies, one can expect the unexpected, with all sorts of mix-ups, underhanded shenanigans, and plans gone wrong upending the girls' summer.

Gehrman tells the story through Geena's diary entries. As the book opens, Geena laments that her best-laid summer plans are in shambles. She had hoped that introducing Hero and Amber would lead to an instant friendship, but the two girls don't hit it off in the ways Geena had hoped. Hero is wealthy, spoiled, and uber feminine, while Amber and Geena are middle class, down to earth, and tomboyish. Geena is used to Hero because they're cousins, but Amber is not. Already, Hero has just arrived in town from boarding school, and the boys are falling over themselves to get to know her. Claudio flirts openly with her, and she responds in kind; John, however, is quickly shot down, and PJ pines from afar.

By contrast, Geena and Amber barely register on the boys' radar. Hero's parents decide that Geena must go along with Hero if Hero goes on a date. They see it as a protective measure for Hero and a way for Geena to experience a date without technically being on a date.



This suits Geena fine, as she is a skater girl through and through, and she would rather skate and work at Triple Shot Betty than get involved with boys. Nevertheless, the cute, intellectual Ben Battaglia crosses paths with Geena when she least expects it. He hardly registers, so focused is she on skating, working, and getting through what is sure to be a miserable summer.

Meanwhile, Hero falls head over heels for Claudio. She becomes laser-focused on him, even spying on him at one point. Claudio asks her out on a date, but in order to say yes, Geena must say yes and go along too, per Hero's parents' wishes. But Geena's mother has told her horror stories about boys, and Geena would rather steer clear of them. Case in point: Ben, who, it becomes clear, is quite taken with Geena, and she repeatedly brushes him off, unaware of his feelings.

One night, the kids attend a fireworks show. The summer is proceeding bumpily, at best, and working at Triple Shot Betty is a chore for all three girls. Hero announces plans for her upcoming birthday party, and the group looks forward to this big event that will close out their summer together.



During a slow day at the coffee shop, Geena and Amber discuss a slew of topics, including Ben. Amber informs Geena of Ben's feelings, shocking Geena. After work that day, the three girls go to John and PJ's house for a pool party. Because the girls didn't bring their suits, the group skinny-dips instead. At one point, Geena goes inside to use the restroom, and she overhears the boys talking: They were playing a joke on her. Ben was never interested in her.

Not long after, John throws another party, this one with a theme of "pimps and hos." But when Geena, Amber, and Hero show up, they see that the boys have played another joke. There is no theme, leaving the girls embarrassed by their dress. Hero, humiliated, drinks to excess and disappears for most of the night, but Geena and Amber find her as they are leaving.

The next day, Hero, ashamed of her behavior at the party, learns that after she had left, Geena and Amber were having a decent time until the boys started spreading rumors. That's when Geena and Amber devised a plan to get back at them, and, now, they fill Hero in on the details. She lets them know that she is with them on this.



The boys try to apologize to the girls, but they refuse to budge. Hero's dad gives the boys his approval for a group date between the boys and girls, and Geena, Amber, and Hero see this as the perfect opportunity to enact their vengeance. They arrange for John to think this is his big chance to date Hero, but after sharing their plans with Ben, Claudio, and PJ, they all leave John stranded. They videotape John's abandonment and broadcast it to the other kids in town, much to his humiliation.

Shortly thereafter is Hero's birthday party. The group again goes out, this time to dinner and to the movies. John, still smarting from his earlier disgrace, leaves before the night is over. Hero and Claudio finally have a chance to be together, and Geena learns that Ben really does have feelings for her. The next day, Hero leaves to return to Connecticut, and the others prepare to return to school.