Heart Throbs #39

In "I Drove Away the Boy I Loved," radio singer Sally struggles with her heart as her careless treatment of her steady boyfriend, Ray, leaves her unfulfilled. When she turns to the flashy sports announcer Don, her jealousy and selfishness push him away—only to make her realize too late that she truly loves him.

When Lois Nesbit spots a chance to help Andy Bryce win the school track competition against rival Joe Cushings, she hatches a scheme to keep Joe exhausted before the big race—one that involves a late night at the dance pier and some calculated flirtation. But when Andy discovers how she engineered his victory, he's forced to confront a harder truth about winning, honor, and what love really means. This 1956 romance explores the bitter lesson that good intentions can't excuse dishonest shortcuts, and that sometimes the person you hurt most is the one you're trying to help.

Vivian Hale has built an impossible standard for the perfect man—one who mirrors her beloved father—and she's been cycling through suitors who each fall short in different ways. When Wally Pearson loses his fortune, Gordon Seeley proves controlling, and Frank Kendall abandons her for a wealthier match, Vivian finds herself at a crossroads, forced to reconsider what she really needs in a partner. With her father's guidance, she begins to understand that her ideal may have blinded her to genuine love all along.

Carol Moore thought going steady with Marty Haines would make her feel important, but she soon discovers that giving up her freedom for one boy means losing control of her own life—especially when she meets Paul Wyman, the playground supervisor who captures her heart at first sight. As Carol struggles between her commitment to Marty and her growing feelings for Paul, she learns a hard lesson about what it really means to belong to someone. This 1956 Heart Throbs story asks the question every girl of the era faced: can you have love without losing yourself?