Sharing Sam

Sleek writing (``Sam rode a motorcycle, no helmet. In the sea of entry-level Chevy sedans and sober parentmobiles, the big Harley in Student Lot B commanded attention'') and a highly specific Florida setting are among the many strengths of this romance-cum-tearjerker, second in the Love Stories series. On the very same day that Allison begins getting to know Sam, the mysterious new guy in school, she learns that Izzy's been diagnosed with brain cancer and has only a few months to live. Allison just can't find the right time to tell her best friend about her burgeoning romance, especially when Izzy develops a crush on Sam herself. Then Allison decides to make her best friend's last days truly unforgettable by convincing Sam to become Izzy's boyfriend instead of her own. This hokey plot gains some substance from the thoughtful characterizations and the logical, not entirely strife-free way in which the premise is developed, while Allison's tart, energetic first-person narration keeps the story from dissolving into an outright sobfest. A subplot involving Sam's beloved, eccentric grandfather balances the central romance and echoes its theme of letting go. Applegate's (Boyfriends and Girlfriends) effort is a cut above most entries in the genre. Ages 12-up. (Feb.)q