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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
The Girl Most Likely To by Julie Tieu really drew my attention because it follows our fmc Rachel, who has just lost her job, going back for her 20th High School Reunion. The story gives second chance romance and 90’s rom com vibes. We also have two Asian main characters Rachel and Danny, which I personally think I don’t see enough of in the romance book space. I liked seeing the relationship between our main characters develop and redevelop throughout the book. There was good banter, and I felt at points that I was invested the relationship. There were just some areas where it was quite slow in my opinion and that took me away from the story a bit, but I would still recommend people give this book a chance!
The Girl Most Likely To by Julie Tieu (e-ARC)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a very sweet story about two childhood best friends who reconnect after being estranged following some major miscommunications.
I loved Rachel and Danny’s chemistry!! Danny was so so sweet, and he really won me over in the end.
My biggest gripe with this one is that the entire plot centers around the miscommunication trope. Most of the book is just two people figuring out where things went wrong in the past. Very much character driven, not much plot to be followed.
That being said, Julie really managed to create a heartfelt relationship between Rachel and Danny that felt entirely genuine and very real.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a very sweet story about two childhood best friends who reconnect after being estranged following some major miscommunications.
I loved Rachel and Danny’s chemistry!! Danny was so so sweet, and he really won me over in the end.
My biggest gripe with this one is that the entire plot centers around the miscommunication trope. Most of the book is just two people figuring out where things went wrong in the past. Very much character driven, not much plot to be followed.
That being said, Julie really managed to create a heartfelt relationship between Rachel and Danny that felt entirely genuine and very real.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this book, with my honest review below.
The Girl Most Likely To was a great romance, just nostalgic enough for me with a great plot. Rachel and Danny were friends on AIM and then in person in high school before Rachel’s cutthroat ambition put distance between them. Now at their high school reunion (with Rachel at a disadvantage in her work life compared to Danny) they have a crazy night that brings them back together, with some realizations for Rachel about life to boot.
Incredibly sweet, this one went just beyond the surface enough to keep engaging but was easy to follow. If you lived in the height of AIM you’ll especially appreciate some of the references.
The Girl Most Likely To was a great romance, just nostalgic enough for me with a great plot. Rachel and Danny were friends on AIM and then in person in high school before Rachel’s cutthroat ambition put distance between them. Now at their high school reunion (with Rachel at a disadvantage in her work life compared to Danny) they have a crazy night that brings them back together, with some realizations for Rachel about life to boot.
Incredibly sweet, this one went just beyond the surface enough to keep engaging but was easy to follow. If you lived in the height of AIM you’ll especially appreciate some of the references.
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
✨ARC Review✨
Rachel Dang is a Type A go-getter who has just been let go from her job of ten years. Just in time for her 20 year high school reunion. She really only wants to go so she can reconnect with Danny Phan.
When they were 14, they found each other anonymously in an AIM chat group. When they were 18 and in their senior year, they met IRL and realized they knew each other and went to the same high school. They had bared their souls to each other for four years and then had to reconcile their true selves and the front they put on for school. They became closer until being young and immature brought an end to their friendship.
Twenty years later, Rachel wants to re-establish their friendship or maybe more. Does Danny?
You’ll find out as they navigate the night of the reunion which you may guess does not go according to plan.
Definitely put this book on your radar. It’s a slow burn, tender, funny story of young people who don’t know how to navigate their feelings and the grown people they become who are moderately better at it.
I received the eARC via #netgalley @AvonBooks and @HarperVoyagerUS. All thoughts are mine alone.
#romance #contemporaryromance #romcom #romancebooks #thegirlmostlikelyto #juliettieu #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram
Rachel Dang is a Type A go-getter who has just been let go from her job of ten years. Just in time for her 20 year high school reunion. She really only wants to go so she can reconnect with Danny Phan.
When they were 14, they found each other anonymously in an AIM chat group. When they were 18 and in their senior year, they met IRL and realized they knew each other and went to the same high school. They had bared their souls to each other for four years and then had to reconcile their true selves and the front they put on for school. They became closer until being young and immature brought an end to their friendship.
Twenty years later, Rachel wants to re-establish their friendship or maybe more. Does Danny?
You’ll find out as they navigate the night of the reunion which you may guess does not go according to plan.
Definitely put this book on your radar. It’s a slow burn, tender, funny story of young people who don’t know how to navigate their feelings and the grown people they become who are moderately better at it.
I received the eARC via #netgalley @AvonBooks and @HarperVoyagerUS. All thoughts are mine alone.
#romance #contemporaryromance #romcom #romancebooks #thegirlmostlikelyto #juliettieu #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram
I’ve always been a sucker for a high school reunion book. Main character Rachel is laid off from her job, sending her into a bit of a spiral. While that’s happening, she realizes her 20 year high reunion is beckoning and leading her back to Danny. We also get flashbacks to when they were in high school and everything they got up to back then.
I enjoyed this book for the most part. Rachel was a relatable character and I was rooting for her and Danny.
Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.
I enjoyed this book for the most part. Rachel was a relatable character and I was rooting for her and Danny.
Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.
The Girl Most Likely To by Julie Tieu is a nostalgic 90’s romcom with an Asian-American twist that I thoroughly enjoyed. Rachel and Danny's second-chance, friends-to-lovers journey felt refreshingly real, with mature, honest communication that made their reconnection all the more satisfying. While I wish their childhood fallout had been explored more, the book’s blend of women’s fiction and romance kept me engaged, especially with the swoon-worthy banter and just the right amount of spice. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!
This book is about Rachel who is an obsessive perfectionist and who hasn’t seemed to grow since high school which is concerning since she’s nearly 40. I connected with how Rachel acted in high school but I couldn’t deal with how her character didn’t seem to mature twenty years later. I just found her incredibly unlikable and immature. The issues between the FMC and MMC could have been resolved in minutes if they just had an honest conversation. In the end, I DNF at 50%.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I'm between 3.5 and 4 stars.
I'm not sure how to rate this book because some things were four stars for me (the cultural representation), but some things, were ehhhhhhhh.... (pacing, story building).
warning: ramble-y review ahead.
Plot
The Girl Most Likely To centers around Rachel Dang, a girl who was voted the superlative of "Most Likely To Succeed" in high school; however, the story starts with her getting laid off from her job despite how hard she worked to build her career. She had her whole life planned out since high school: get good grades, get into an Ivy League, get her dream job, get married, have children... and yet, her life is quite the opposite.
She is then reunited with her high school crush, Danny Pham, at her 20th high school reunion. Danny, who was really her opposite in high school, is now a successful life coach. At the reunion they reconnect and then begins a night of CRAZY (seriously...) adventures and an old flame is reignited...
What I loved
Honestly, this book was so, so relatable! I loved the Asian representation in this book - from actual Chinese phrases (I believe the author is Chinese-Cambodian American) to the expectations we create for ourselves from being second generation from immigrant parents. I could see parts of myself in Rachel, for sure. The book was also amusing and comedic at points.
What I didn't like
The pacing was weird - when I felt there was romantic tension building between Rachel and Danny, it would just, stop. And then jump to the next scene :\ The cut scenes from present day to their old convo's via AIM weren't confusing but I think they could have been leveraged in a better way? Like the banter & chemistry between the two wasn't quite.. there.
Overall, it was a really fun story but I do think I liked it more since I could relate as an Asian-American; however, as a rom-com novel, I thought it was ok. If you like second chance romance with light steam, as a quick read this may be for you!
Huge thanks to NetGalley & the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I'm not sure how to rate this book because some things were four stars for me (the cultural representation), but some things, were ehhhhhhhh.... (pacing, story building).
warning: ramble-y review ahead.
Plot
The Girl Most Likely To centers around Rachel Dang, a girl who was voted the superlative of "Most Likely To Succeed" in high school; however, the story starts with her getting laid off from her job despite how hard she worked to build her career. She had her whole life planned out since high school: get good grades, get into an Ivy League, get her dream job, get married, have children... and yet, her life is quite the opposite.
She is then reunited with her high school crush, Danny Pham, at her 20th high school reunion. Danny, who was really her opposite in high school, is now a successful life coach. At the reunion they reconnect and then begins a night of CRAZY (seriously...) adventures and an old flame is reignited...
What I loved
Honestly, this book was so, so relatable! I loved the Asian representation in this book - from actual Chinese phrases (I believe the author is Chinese-Cambodian American) to the expectations we create for ourselves from being second generation from immigrant parents. I could see parts of myself in Rachel, for sure. The book was also amusing and comedic at points.
What I didn't like
The pacing was weird - when I felt there was romantic tension building between Rachel and Danny, it would just, stop. And then jump to the next scene :\ The cut scenes from present day to their old convo's via AIM weren't confusing but I think they could have been leveraged in a better way? Like the banter & chemistry between the two wasn't quite.. there.
Overall, it was a really fun story but I do think I liked it more since I could relate as an Asian-American; however, as a rom-com novel, I thought it was ok. If you like second chance romance with light steam, as a quick read this may be for you!
Huge thanks to NetGalley & the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Sadly, I was unable to fully finish this book due to a death in the family. That said, the parts I read I enjoyed, I just wish I'd been able to finish it and fully enjoy it. I will say that as a GenX-er, I always enjoy when main characters in a romance are a bit older (they're both 38 years old here). The background between the two characters was intriguing, as was the modern-day storyline that was presented. This was a new-to=me author, but I found her writing style enjoyable and I would read her again. I will be picking up this book in the future once it publishes, as I very much want to finish it when I'm better able to.