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bekahgroop's review
3.0
As a fellow Renaissance Faire nerd, this book grabbed me immediately. Maddie and Arthur’s budding relationship is sweet and reminiscent of those awkwardly wonderful teenage years. Some of the writing was messy at points- conversations that don’t flow and run-on sentences that make you reread them twice to be sure you understood what the author was trying to say- but it doesn’t take away from the story. A 3.5⭐️ for me!
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
2.0
2.5/5
I found it to be really cute with a really bittersweet ending and the characters were great.
I found it to be really cute with a really bittersweet ending and the characters were great.
kmsmith1776's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved this sweet, renaissance fair romance! I loved the characters and felt like the main character showed a lot of growth by the end. I only took half a star off because I felt like getting to the resolution dragged a bit for my taste.
annamickreads's review
4.0
This YA contemporary romance is sweeter than all the funnel cakes at any Renaissance Faire I've been to before. The premise is truly unique which is what initially drew me in, but I think anyone could relate to Maddie's insecurities and the way she deals with grief.
Madeline Hathaway leads an unusual life. With her dad and her mom, she travels in an RV called the Britomart to the Ren Faire circuit, selling hand-made jewelry and journals to attendees. But after her mother dies, Maddie feels adrift, especially when her mother's favorite stop on the circuit has been totally re-vamped by a new family. When the owners' son, Arthur, catches her sneaking into the faire at night, they strike up an unlikely friendship — mostly because Maddie is so guarded, she's not sure if she wants friends outside of her one friend, Fatima.
There is a lot to appreciate about this book; namely, I think, the conversations about grief and anxiety (Maddie keeps a journal of 'observations' so that she doesn't forget any important moments in her life, because she's worried about forgetting her mom) as well as what it's like to live as a plus size teen in an era that's still extremely fat phobic, will be beneficial to the next generation and the next. I'm also really glad that this book features a main character who learns to feel confident in herself without validation from men (even though Arthur does pretty regularly tell Maddie that she's beautiful which is also frankly appreciated).
Madeline Hathaway leads an unusual life. With her dad and her mom, she travels in an RV called the Britomart to the Ren Faire circuit, selling hand-made jewelry and journals to attendees. But after her mother dies, Maddie feels adrift, especially when her mother's favorite stop on the circuit has been totally re-vamped by a new family. When the owners' son, Arthur, catches her sneaking into the faire at night, they strike up an unlikely friendship — mostly because Maddie is so guarded, she's not sure if she wants friends outside of her one friend, Fatima.
There is a lot to appreciate about this book; namely, I think, the conversations about grief and anxiety (Maddie keeps a journal of 'observations' so that she doesn't forget any important moments in her life, because she's worried about forgetting her mom) as well as what it's like to live as a plus size teen in an era that's still extremely fat phobic, will be beneficial to the next generation and the next. I'm also really glad that this book features a main character who learns to feel confident in herself without validation from men (even though Arthur does pretty regularly tell Maddie that she's beautiful which is also frankly appreciated).
tmvetter's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mgaylereads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
kleonard's review
1.0
The story is presented as a slow-burn romance, with a summer-long wooing of one character by another. But there's just too much that rubbed me the wrong way in how this premise is handled--girls and women who have never been stalked or harassed might initially think Arthur's persistent presence and insistence on Madeleine doing things with him all summer is cute or devoted, but for those of us who know what controlling relationships look like, this will set off major red flags. The very premise that a young woman in mourning for her mother needs to get over it through a relationship with a guy is problematic at its core, so no matter how nice Arthur's dads were to Maddy (although not so much to each other; abuse is not banter) or how pathetic Arthur could be, this book isn't one I could recommend to anyone.
jcmbank's review
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
itclouie's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0