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sophia_she1's review against another edition
5.0
Technically, was this all that good? Maybe not. Will’s mom’s character arc was very sudden. The miscommunication was strong. The priya scandal was ridiculous. But emotionally? This book was incredible. It starts off as a cute, leg-kicking romance. Then, about a quarter of the way in, it takes a sharp turn as jocelyn becomes depressed. It becomes really hard to read as they both spiral & hurt themselves & each other (not physically though). As hard it was, it was also painstakingly realistic - I could see so many of my friendships & relationships portrayed in these characters & could pinpoint conversations or interactions that I swear I’ve had word for word. Ultimately though, the authors warning at the beginning isn’t lying. It’s heart wrenching & sob-worthy but in the last 25 pages, it becomes a happy ending. Everyone should read this, Just be prepared to be in a bad mood for the middle stretch. Also, the chapter titles make more & more sense as you go on (or maybe I’m just done)
90sinmyheart's review against another edition
5.0
I loved all of this, esp the wonderful explanations of mental illness. The part at the end with the really hit me in the feels. Also really great .
Spoiler
momSpoiler
kissinglisathepoetlibrarian's review against another edition
This book wonderfully captures the experiences of anxiety with in a compelling story of two complexly developed, authentically, diverse characters. Even for students who do not struggle with anxiety, the courage of these characters to go outside their comfort zone to tackle problems -- both personal and societal -- in inspiring. A must have for high school library collections.
rosielovests's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Mental illness
jwinchell's review against another edition
4.0
This is a super tame romance about serious topics like mental health with real characters who are complex in their intersectionality. I know that sentence won't woo teenage readers, so let's try this. Jocelyn Wu is worried her family's Chinese restaurant is going to go under, so her dad lets her put out an ad for a part-time summer employee who can help revitalize and modernize their business approach. Will Domenici just learned that he didn't make editor on his school newspaper, so he sets out to find some real-life experience that maybe he can write about. He's used to tying himself into mental knots about this, so he decides to be decisive and call about the business job at the Chinese restaurant. Will, who is Nigerian-Italian American, and Jocelyn, who is Chinese American, quickly fall into like but their relationship gets put on lockdown by Jocelyn's dad, who wants to see the business thrive before he allows them to date. They go into serious business mode, reaching out to local universities and improving their social media presence and website with the help of Jocelyn's bff. The story and the characters get weighed down by mental health issues, both recognized and unrecognized. Gregorio has a great end note about depression, anxiety and mental health, including the stigma that even she, as a medical doctor, experienced, and that exists in the Asian community. I felt like this book was about 100 pages too long, but I appreciate it as a romance to sell to readers of Eleanor and Park and Everything, Everything.
breathehopebooks's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 so rounding up.
Fantastic mental health rep.
Fantastic mental health rep.
entry_level's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ahpotts's review against another edition
4.0
Great writing & strong story. The narrators actually sound different and each is convincing. Will’s description of his anxiety feels very real. I did wonder at Jocelyn & Will’s commitment to each other through some pretty serious downs given that the timeline is pretty short, but other than that, this was really good.