Josh Hotz loves Ralph Lauren, the New York Yankees, and gossip, like Alicia. He is a part of the Briarwood soccer team, the Tomahawks. After getting expelled from his old school, Hotchkiss, for possibly pulling the fire alarm, Josh transfers to Briarwood in Invasion of the Boy Snatchers. After kissing Claire Lyons at the end of Invasion of the Boy Snatchers, he develops a crush on her, however he begins to crush back on Alicia during Dial L for Loser. He has a sister, whom he blackmails into cleaning his room for him. While all of his friends dump their dates at Skye Hamilton's end-of-the-year costume party, Josh still has a crush on Alicia and doesn't dump her. During eighth grade, in Bratfest at Tiffany's, he gives Alicia a pink New York Yankees hat, and persuades her to help Alicia ditch her friends to hang out with him, showing a manipulative side to him.
Appearance[]
When Massie first saw him, she said he looked like a lankier version of Josh Hartnett. Josh is described as having olive skin, red lips, thick eyelashes, dark brown eyes, and black hair. Claire thinks Alicia likes him because she thinks they look much alike, which would make sense, since their appearances are very similar. He loves wearing his New York Yankees baseball cap, and also wears Ralph Lauren polos. His lips always look like they are wearing a new gloss for men.
Love Life[]
In Invasion of the Boy Snatchers, Alicia Rivera develops a crush on him. When Nina Callas, her D-Cup-Spanish-exchange-student cousin, seems to steal him, Alicia tells Claire that she can go after Josh. Josh develops a crush on Claire.
In The Pretty Committee Strikes Back, Josh continues to have a crush on Claire. He tries to give her a flower, but Layne Abeley takes it. During the trip to Lake Placid, he unsuccessfully attempts to talk to her multiple times. Claire notices, but hides it.
In Dial L for Loser, Josh finally gets over Claire and begins to like Alicia. During the not-so-surprise welcome back from Los Angeles party, Josh gives Alicia a bouquet of daisies.
In It's Not Easy Being Mean Alicia finds out that Josh kissed Skye Hamilton. Despite being annoyed with this fact, she overlooks it, as she can't do anything but suck up to Skye. While searching his room for the key to the bomb shelter, she discovers that his room is super-clean. She secretly dumps him, because she does not want to date a boy that is that is overtly, femininely clean and tidy.
In Sealed With a Diss, Alicia finds out through ESP that the reason Josh's room was so clean was that he blackmailed his sister into cleaning it for him. Delighted, she un-breaks up with him, and invites him to be her date to Skye Hamilton's party. They go as Ralph Lauren and his wife, Ricky.
Alicia pretends to dump Josh in Bratfest at Tiffany's because of Massie Block's new boyfast rule. She secretly meets up with Josh, and he gives her a Yankees baseball cap. With his help, Alicia switches the Pretty Committee to the Josh's usual table, so that the PC will have to go out to the trailers, and so she can stay with Josh. While watching a news segment on the trailers, Massie finds out that Alicia and Josh were dating, and kicks Alicia out of the Pretty Committee. At the end of the book, Alicia throws her Yankees hat into the bushes.
In P.S. I Loathe You, Josh still seems to have a crush on Alicia, however they don't really talk throughout the book.
In Boys R Us, Josh and Alicia are still dating. Josh joins Alicia's boy-girl clique, the Soul-M8s. As the Briarwood boys are going back to Briarwood, Alicia tries to impress him. They continue dating, even though they will no longer be attending the same school.
In These Boots Are Made for Stalking, Josh has to borrow one of Alicia's dresses for his Halloween costume, but it's too big for him. After Massie declares the upgrade, Alicia breaks up with Josh. He still has a crush on her, however.