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_brebre_'s review against another edition
1.0
Spoiler
Wtf was that ending! I really tried to like this but it was a struggled to get through it. My issues with this is with the main character, Tessa. Oh boy, she was one of the most insufferable characters I ever read.Here are my issues with the book:
1. I found her to be very self-centred and there is nothing wrong with being a little self centred, but she only cared about herself and didn’t care shout how her actions harm other ppl. She was also a shitty friend to Caroline and her new friends. Caroline was totally valid when she called about being self-centred and only talked to her when she needed Caroline’s help which was true. Tessa only called Caroline when she wanted to talk about her boy drama and barely tried to listen to what’s going on Caroline life . She ditched eating with Lenore ,Theadore and Sam at lunch for Nico and his friends when Nico gave a little attention.
2. I do agree that Poppy is a mean, but Poppy was also valid for how she felt about Tessa. Tessa literally tried to steal her man. Why Tessa thought it was okay to go after someone else boyfriend because Poppy was pretty and she is type of girl that get the boys and they have an on and off relationship.
3. Tessa also treated Sam like shit and he deserved better.
writtenechoes's review against another edition
5.0
More of a 4.5 but I rounded up because 4 starts felt mean for this novel.
Sam deserved better! I would’ve been all over him from the start. But also I just hated how the author described him as having a soft belly? I just don’t think you need to say that about him and then note nico’s hipbones. Readers can draw their own conclusions for that sort of thing. Especially since Sam was just so absolutely lovely. From the start!!!!! Miles was also perfect. The heroine tho, meh. She figured herself out in the end I guess. Glad Caroline told her what was what tho!
ANYWAY, good novel worth a read.
Sam deserved better! I would’ve been all over him from the start. But also I just hated how the author described him as having a soft belly? I just don’t think you need to say that about him and then note nico’s hipbones. Readers can draw their own conclusions for that sort of thing. Especially since Sam was just so absolutely lovely. From the start!!!!! Miles was also perfect. The heroine tho, meh. She figured herself out in the end I guess. Glad Caroline told her what was what tho!
ANYWAY, good novel worth a read.
jackiepenn18's review against another edition
5.0
To say that I loved this book is an understatement! Elise delivers a heartwarming, beautiful story about a young Black girl finding her voice and falling in love at the same time. You will fall in love with these characters immediately and want more of them once you finish. As a Black woman this is the type of story I’ve always dreamed of reading. If you loved to All The Boys I Loved Before and Jane The Virgin, you will love this!
briannethebookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Synopsis: Tessa’s family is new to the neighborhood (again), but this time starting at a new school will be different. She got into a selective art school, one that will allow her to focus on writing. When she arrives at her writing class, she is intimidated by the teacher and the talent of the other students. When given time to write, she gets the worst case of writer’s block ever, and ends up spending weeks of class time pretending like she’s busy writing her story when really she hasn’t written anything. Meanwhile, she’s distracted by the most attractive boy she’s ever seen, who is also a writer in her writing class. In order to keep writing her love stories, Tessa’s best friend says she needs to experience it. Together they create a plan for Tessa to get Nico to fall in love with her, in the hopes that it will cure her writer’s block.
I heard such good things about this book, and I’m glad I finally picked it up! It was a cute story, and I became really fond of all of the characters. Elise Bryant accurately represented the universal cliques and conflicts that any high schooler will come across. Tessa finds herself in a love triangle in the midst of her writer’s block, and I loved the process of her figuring out who and what she wanted. Tessa’s brother has disabilities, and I also loved the representation and the way that Bryant incorporated the highs and lows of living with a loved one who has disabilities.
I heard such good things about this book, and I’m glad I finally picked it up! It was a cute story, and I became really fond of all of the characters. Elise Bryant accurately represented the universal cliques and conflicts that any high schooler will come across. Tessa finds herself in a love triangle in the midst of her writer’s block, and I loved the process of her figuring out who and what she wanted. Tessa’s brother has disabilities, and I also loved the representation and the way that Bryant incorporated the highs and lows of living with a loved one who has disabilities.
the_argumentative_bong's review against another edition
4.0
"I thought I needed a real-life love story of my own to start writing again. And I did find love with ..... —I know that now. But what I really needed, to find my words and my voice again, was to love myself. And I do.
I just have to trust that like I found my way back to myself, I’ll get back to ...... too. And if I don’t, well, I’ll also be okay."
And that about sums it all up.
I just have to trust that like I found my way back to myself, I’ll get back to ...... too. And if I don’t, well, I’ll also be okay."
And that about sums it all up.
sammireads7's review against another edition
3.0
Okay so I officially DNF’d this book. I would overall rate what I read 3/5 but some things in the book kind of rubbed me the wrong way so I wont continue for now. Eventually I probably will go back and finish the audiobook though.
lesbrary's review against another edition
4.0
I accidentally stayed up all night reading this.
This follows and celebrates a lot of romance novel tropes, and as Tessa points out, there aren’t a lot of cute romances with a Black girl main character. It’s also just as much about her family, her friendship with Caroline, and her writing, though.
I haven’t read a lot of romance novels, which I think added to this being an emotional rollercoaster of a read for me. They really break down the heroine in that third act, hey? I wasn’t sure how she could come back: everything seemed to be spiraling out of control.
This has some really cute moments--I mean, the kind boy next door baker? Can’t go wrong there. But it also talks about microaggressions and the realities of being Black--and specifically, mixed race: Tessa’s mom is white and her dad is Black.
If you want a sweet romance, but with some gut punches and social commentary, pick this one up.
(I talk about this more on Jan 5th's episode of All the Books.)
This follows and celebrates a lot of romance novel tropes, and as Tessa points out, there aren’t a lot of cute romances with a Black girl main character. It’s also just as much about her family, her friendship with Caroline, and her writing, though.
I haven’t read a lot of romance novels, which I think added to this being an emotional rollercoaster of a read for me. They really break down the heroine in that third act, hey? I wasn’t sure how she could come back: everything seemed to be spiraling out of control.
This has some really cute moments--I mean, the kind boy next door baker? Can’t go wrong there. But it also talks about microaggressions and the realities of being Black--and specifically, mixed race: Tessa’s mom is white and her dad is Black.
If you want a sweet romance, but with some gut punches and social commentary, pick this one up.
(I talk about this more on Jan 5th's episode of All the Books.)
rosie_p_burke's review against another edition
4.0
I read this as part of a weeklong buddy read. I had not heard about it until a friend mentioned a few people were going to read this entire book in a week.
Tessa Johnson is a 16 year old girl starting new at her dream school: a school catered to those dedicated to the creative arts. As an aspiring author it seems like a match made in heaven! But heaven quickly turns into Hades when she can't write. Not a word! She's a wordless writer! A Phony! Follow Tessa through the year that went unwritten.
I love that my friends make me read books I didn't know about. I wouldn't have heard of this author before and now I am on the hunt for some more of their works. It was a fun and quick read-- very easy to get through in the 5 days we gave ourselves.
A true Teen romance, I felt it was very age appropriate.
Tessa Johnson is a 16 year old girl starting new at her dream school: a school catered to those dedicated to the creative arts. As an aspiring author it seems like a match made in heaven! But heaven quickly turns into Hades when she can't write. Not a word! She's a wordless writer! A Phony! Follow Tessa through the year that went unwritten.
I love that my friends make me read books I didn't know about. I wouldn't have heard of this author before and now I am on the hunt for some more of their works. It was a fun and quick read-- very easy to get through in the 5 days we gave ourselves.
A true Teen romance, I felt it was very age appropriate.