Sweet Valley High 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 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 and several new characters are introduced. Like the Sweet Valley Junior High series, the chapters are interspersed with "handwritten" diary pages, e-mail entries and similar that explore the characters thoughts "off screen".
The series ends when the twins graduate from high school and their story is continued in the Sweet Valley University series, where they go to university.
Characters Returning characters Elizabeth Wakefield Elizabeth became more outgoing as the series progressed out her desire to take risks, believing that her studious attitude has prevented her from trying things she may never have to chance to experience again, especially in aftermath of the earthquake. Though still a member of The Oracle, she experimented with drinking and moved out of her parents' home for a while. After meeting Conner McDermott in her creative writing class, they quickly develop a strong attraction to one another, despite their initial scorn for one another. Elizabeth's life becomes increasingly tumultuous as she and Conner fall in love with one another. She dated Evan Plummer briefly after her breakup with Conner, and then Jeff French. After she breaks up with Jeff on Prom Night, Elizabeth and Conner reconcile, but ultimately decide they should not be together. She would later reconcile with Todd during their coffee date and remain together prior to the Sweet Valley University.
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. However, she had a few friends who stayed by her side: notably in Annie Whitman and Jade Wu. 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. Jessica and Lila would later reconcile when she admits that she only sided with Melissa because she was jealous of the popularity Jessica has. She felt like a nobody and Melissa offered Lila a chance to get even with Jessica by joining her clique. However, her friendship with Amy remains over and that she is happy to follow Melissa's Anti-Jessica campaign. She would later gain more friends in the form of Cherie Reese and Gina Cho who felt guilty over how they treated her.
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 slightly 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.
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. Throughout the series, he struggles with his father's expectations for Ken to become a professional athlete after high school.
Jade Wu Jade appeared in an early edition of Sweet Valley High as a sophomore, a timid Chinese girl who was terrified of defying her traditional father. In Senior Year she was significantly changed, and was depicted as a senior. She has become an extroverted, flirtatious cheerleader turned basketball player who lived with her single mother. Her affluent father and stepmother lived in Oregon; at one stage, Mr Wu attempted to make Jade move to Oregon with him, and even attend the University of Oregon to take up business administration. However, with encouragement from her friends, Jade is able to stand up to her father in letting her decide her own future. She dated Jeremy Aames briefly before beginning a relationship with Evan Plummer. Along with Annie Whitman, she does not side with Melissa Fox in the conflict against Jessica. Jade later becomes close friends with Elizabeth and Jessica and doesn't like Melissa and her friends. 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.
Other The following characters from the original series appear in minor capacity. 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. At the beginning of the series, the Wakefields (save Elizabeth, who is staying with Conner McDermott and Megan Sandborn) stay at the Fowlers' mansion while the former's house is being rebuilt after the earthquake. Aaron Dallas was part of the football team's clique and dated Cherie Reese. Melissa Fox tried to seduce Aaron in revenge for Cherie's perceived disloyalty. When Will confronts him for supposedly coming onto Melissa, Aaron is able to expose to Will and Cherie that it had been Melissa trying to seduce him, not vice versa. Annie Whitman was on the cheerleading squad with Jessica. She does not take Melissa's side in the Jessica/Melissa conflict. Annie was the only one aside Jade whom Jessica remained friends with. Annie had often come to her defense by calling Melissa, Lila and Amy out for being selfish around her. In turn, Jessica realizes how loyal of a friend she is to her. Annie became Melissa's enemy and attempted to ruin her reputation. However, Tia defends her and Jessica and threatens to have Melissa kicked out of the cheerleading squad if she doesn't behave herself. Amy Sutton also took Melissa's side. Unlike Lila, she and Jessica's friendship remained over. She tried to reconcile with Amy, but she rejected the efforts. She went as far as telling Jessica off that she felt like she was too much in her shadow and believed Melissa was the better friend to her. Amy was basically the only one who remained friends with Melissa after Gina and Cherie abandons her and Lila reconciled with Jessica. Jeffrey French, formerly a soccer star from Sweet Valley High became funky DJ Jeff in Senior Year. After revealing himself as the writer of Elizabeth's secret Valentine's Day letters, the two began dating. They broke up after Jeff lied about his university plans and maintain an awkward friendship. Enid Rollins is mentioned as attending the same creative writing class as Elizabeth, Conner, and Andy. She and Elizabeth drifted apart; Elizabeth later remarked that she has turned goth. Winston Egbert was mentioned and appears briefly in the final book in the series. Bruce Patman was mentioned briefly and did not appear. 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. He dated Megan, Conner's half sister.
New characters Conner McDermott One of many El Carro students who transferred to Sweet Valley High, 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 second grade, lived behind him, and his other close friends included Andy Marsden and Evan Plummer. When he and Elizabeth Wakefield first meet in their creative writing class, Conner's cynical expectations of who she appears to be are quickly overturned and they develop an attraction to one another despite their initial antagonism. At the beginning of the series, Conner's friends constantly remarked that he never stayed with a girl for long. After a brief fling with Maria, Conner fell for Elizabeth. 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. While he intended to resume his relationship with Elizabeth, he broke up with her after learning she and Evan were in a brief relationship while he was in rehab. He dates Alanna instead, but broke up because of the strain the relationship had on his friendship with Tia, and the fact that Alanna kept lying to Conner. Conner and Elizabeth reconciled briefly on Prom Night but decided not to get back together. After the series, he is mentioned as planning to attend Belmont University after being accepted into the institution's music department.
Melissa Fox Melissa was Will's manipulative, insecure and possessive girlfriend. She was cheerleading captain for the El Carro squad, but lost captaincy of the Sweet Valley squad to Tia Ramirez and of whom she developed a bitter rivalry. When Melissa 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. Melissa was able to turn Lila Fowler and Amy Sutton against Jessica. However, Annie and Jade weren't swayed and called her out for hurting Jessica. Melissa was devastated when Will broke up with her for Jessica and attempted suicide. During her breakup from Will, following his football injury, she dated Ken Matthews. She and Will maintain an on-and-off relationship through the series, though they are together at the end of the series. Melissa's antagonism towards Jessica came back to haunt her when Tia and Annie informed the school about her behavior and she was kicked off the cheerleading squad. Her close friends were Cherie Reese and Gina Cho until they abandoned Melissa after feeling guilty for how they treated Jessica. The only friend who remains at Melissa's side is Amy as Lila reconciled her friendship with Jessica. However, when forced to plan a high school dance, Melissa shows Jessica respect after seeing that she refuses a date with Will since Jessica cares about Jeremy.
Will Simmons Will was one of many El Carro High students 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, and he remained attracted to Jessica, though she repeatedly turned him down after briefly dating him. 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.
Tia Ramirez