Reviews with content warning for Drug use - Perfect on Paper

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Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales

60 reviews

this_momma_is_booked's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.0

This was such a cute and quick YA romance listen. I loved the premise of it because it felt very 90s, in a way. In a world that is so technologically driven, I appreciate the fact that people were handwriting letters and dropping them off in a mysterious locker. I also felt that the conflicts in this book were not only age appropriate but also entirely reasonable - unlike so many other YA books, the characters were average teens and reacted as such. I loved the secondary plot point of Darcy learning to express her fears (not having her sexuality taking seriously if she dates men) and realizing that, ultimately, others' opinions of her don't matter as much as her opinion of herself.

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tuliptohru's review

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

5.0

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dlrosebyh's review

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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

3.75

For a charge, Darcy Phillips may provide you with the answer to any of your relationship problems. She uses her influence wisely (most of the time), passionately detests Alexander Brougham. Whenever it comes to her best friend Brooke, who is in love with someone else, may not have the finest judgment. And lastly, she does not appreciate being blackmailed.

But that's precisely what happens when Brougham discovers her in the act of retrieving letters from locker 89, where she's been operating her dubious legal, anonymous relationship advising service. At least at a generous hourly rate, Darcy reluctantly agrees to serve as his personal dating coach in exchange for keeping her identity a secret. Exactly what was the intention? assist him in getting his ex-girlfriend back.

Darcy has a valid reason for hiding her identity. Some things she's ashamed of will come to light if word gets out that she's hiding behind the locker, and there's a high chance Brooke won't ever talk to her again. So all she needs to do is assist a bratty, entitled, annoyingly, and attractive guy in winning over a woman who has already fallen for him? What might possibly fail?

To sum up this book in one word? Heartwarming. I believe this is one of the first novels I've read with a bisexual female character ending up with a man— and I guess that's due of the biphobia. it's so lovely to read about a bisexual female heroine adoring a man. When bisexuals like someone who is the opposite gender from them, society will accuse them of not being "bisexual enough," and this book extensively addresses that issue.

I suppose there was a period where I was annoyed with Darcy because, God, she can be toxic at times. I do, however, understand her viewpoint. Despite being predictable and cliche (it reads like a Netflix movie), this book is nevertheless beautiful if you can get beyond those.

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deadgirlwalking23's review against another edition

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Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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ylienna's review against another edition

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emotional 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

3.0

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callmeluh's review against another edition

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funny inspiring 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

3.75

Un grand merci aux éditions Slalom pour l'envoi de ce livre !

Ce livre me fait de l'œil depuis des mois et des mois (probablement depuis sa sortie VO en fait), donc j'avais très hâte de me plonger dedans.
Je l'avoue, j'ai eu un peu de mal à rentrer dans l'histoire. J'ai trouvé que l'intrigue a mis un peu de temps à se mettre en place, ce que je trouve dommage. Et comme les chapitres font tous environs 20 pages, ça n'a pas aidé non plus.
Je n'ai aussi clairement plus l'habitude de lire des traductions, donc je pense que j'ai été un peu déstabilisé.e au début.

Néanmoins, ça ne m'a pas empêché d'apprécier ma lecture. Darcy est un personnage est tellement attachant, et je me suis beaucoup retrouvé en elle, notamment dans les passages où elle parle de sa sexualité.
Maintenant, j'aurai aimé qu'il y est un peu plus de "show" et moins de "tell". Je m'explique : on nous dit très rapidement dans le livre que Darcy est amoureuse de Brooke, sa meilleure amie. Et même si c'est très clairement un crush à sens unique, je n'ai pas vraiment ressenti les sentiment qu'elle éprouve pour Brooke au cours de ma lecture. On nous le dit plus qu'on nous le montre.
D'ailleurs on ne peut pas dire que j'ai porté Brooke dans mon cœur. Je n'ai pas trouvé qu'elle était une bonne amie envers Darcy, qui est quand même censée être sa MEILLEURE amie. Bref, passons.

J'ai adoré le personnage de Brougham. C'est vraiment le genre de personne incomprise, aux premiers abords ils semble hautain et hyper sûr de lui, alors qu'il s'est simplement érigé une barrière pour se protéger des autres, principalement à cause de ses parents.
J'ai tellement aimé sa relation avec Darcy. Elle ne démarre pas sur un bon pied, certes (vive le chantage), mais ils apprennent petit à petit à se connaître, et j'ai trouvé que leur amitié était l'une des plus belles relations du livre (en plus de celle que Darcy entretien avec sa sœur).

Est-ce que j'aurai aimé une intrigue légèrement différente ? Oui. Mais en même temps, j'ai aimé la direction que l'autrice a pris ici (surtout que je n'ai pas vraiment apprécié le personnage de Brooke).

Perfect on Paper est une lecture toute douce, qui m'a néanmoins donné la larme à l'œil à certains passages (la discussion sur la biphobie internalisée m'a détruite). C'est exactement le genre de roman que j'aurai adoré lire à l'âge des personnages, et punaise je ne peux que vous conseiller de le lire.

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caitlin_doggos's review

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hopeful inspiring reflective 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

3.75

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lqvekanej's review

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hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I won’t lie, when a friend recommended this to me a few months ago and mentioned that a large topic of the book was internalized biphobia & bi erasure, I was nervous to read it. So few books get into this subject, so to immediately fall in love with Darcy’s character from the moment we as the readers met her and explore her story. It’s so similar to my story, working through internalized biphobia after only having dated one person, a cishet guy, in my life — years ago — but still knowing in my heart that I’m bisexual. Such a fantastic book, and I’m so excited to read more of Sophie Gonzales’ works!!

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babsi_222's review

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funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book has me chuckling and screaming of adorement. It’s so cute (in the end mostly)

I didn’t think that Darcy‘s gonna be with Alex but I immediately recognised all the signs that pointed to them liking each other and in the end getting together.
I still don’t forgive Brooke for what she did and I don’t like her an Ray tbh. She was such a cool character but went so downhill (my opinion)

Darcy is such a vibe tbh and I really like the Self-/Character Analysis that she does. I wanna do that too.
The whole thing with the Locker is a super cool concept and I’m really glad of how it ends (in the book) too because she seems so happy!

Darcy was 100% in the right in the argument with her mom where she said that her mom doesn’t really „know“ her and doesn’t listen/pay attention to her.
But i love how they grow from that and how their relationship gets better and more open

My fav scenes:

Finn on drugs, the whole Alex-is-super-wasted-and-gone-and-Ainsley-and-Darcy-have-to-rescue-him Scene, the pool scene in the end ;) and the „You’re queer“ scene (especially this one!!!!)

Ainsley is such a vibe tbh and she’s in general so cool and her hobbys to ykkk ahhhrh
Many important topics being talked about in this book>>>>

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nicole_zx's review

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funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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