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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
The ending was the only thing that got me... I had to push myself to keep reading in the beginning because it was just not that interesting, but it definitely improved towards the end. I can see why my sisters high school students like this book.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐ 3.25/5
A Cute, Sweet, and Addictive YA Romance
This book was exactly what I needed after a streak of reads that just weren’t hitting the mark. It was light, fun, and full of heart—everything I crave in a contemporary YA romance. While it wasn’t amazing, it delivered exactly what it promised: a sweet, feel-good story with an addictive quality that made it impossible to put down.
What Made This Book Stand Out?
First and foremost, I adored the Abbott family. Their home felt warm, chaotic, and full of personality. Every quirky sibling added texture to the story, making Lily’s interactions with them both hilarious and heartwarming. Her parents—embarrassing yet endearing—were the perfect touch, and I loved their ridiculous competitions. Also, the rescued pet rabbit? A+ addition.
Then there’s Lily herself, an incredibly relatable and lovable main character. She’s awkward yet cool, dreamy yet grounded. Her passion for music and songwriting was a highlight, and I found myself completely immersed in her emotions and experiences. She’s the kind of teenage protagonist who feels real—someone who makes mistakes but learns from them.
And of course, there’s the letters. The entire premise of passing secret notes on a school desk was just perfection. I love love love the idea of anonymous pen pals, and this book executed it beautifully. The back-and-forth exchanges felt nostalgic and refreshing, especially in a world where texting is the norm. It even reminded me of a similar experience I had in school (sorry, Mr. Leach), which made it all the more delightful. The mystery of discovering who Lily’s pen pal was kept me engaged, and I found myself analyzing every clue.
Favorite Moments & Highlights
✔ The Letters – Especially the ones in the final chapters. They had me swooning. Seriously, why didn’t this happen to me in high school? 😍
✔ Lily’s Family – They were chaotic in the best way. The constant family contests and voting had me laughing out loud.
✔ The Romance – It was sweet, a little trope-y, but still adorable. Kasie West threw in a few mild twists I wasn’t expecting, which kept things interesting.
✔ The Lyrics – Lily’s songwriting added so much depth to her character. Some of my favorite lines:
❝ If I tell you my secrets, will you just tell me lies?
If I say I believe you, does that make it all right?
It's hard to place my trust in someone new. ❞
❝ I've turned waiting into a form of art
Tied twisted lines around my broken heart
To keep me hanging on for one more day
I've painted on a crooked smile
Hung the tears to dry awhile
Because I knew that you'd come back to stay. ❞
What I Wished Was Different
➖ An Epilogue – I needed more! What happened with the contest? Where was that extra chapter tying everything together? I wanted just a little bit more closure.
➖ Sasha’s Character – Ugh. She was so toxic. A mean girl just for the sake of being mean. I would have loved a little more complexity in her character instead of the one-dimensional cruelty.
Final Thoughts
This book was fresh, fun, and charming, with just the right amount of romance and family dynamics. While it had some clichés, I didn’t mind—I was too busy enjoying the ride. It’s the perfect read when you want something light, sweet, and impossible to put down.
Will I read more Kasie West books? Absolutely. I need more cute, wholesome YA books in my life!
❝ P.S.❞ He brushed a piece of hair off my cheek. ❝I like you. A lot.❞
A Cute, Sweet, and Addictive YA Romance
This book was exactly what I needed after a streak of reads that just weren’t hitting the mark. It was light, fun, and full of heart—everything I crave in a contemporary YA romance. While it wasn’t amazing, it delivered exactly what it promised: a sweet, feel-good story with an addictive quality that made it impossible to put down.
What Made This Book Stand Out?
First and foremost, I adored the Abbott family. Their home felt warm, chaotic, and full of personality. Every quirky sibling added texture to the story, making Lily’s interactions with them both hilarious and heartwarming. Her parents—embarrassing yet endearing—were the perfect touch, and I loved their ridiculous competitions. Also, the rescued pet rabbit? A+ addition.
Then there’s Lily herself, an incredibly relatable and lovable main character. She’s awkward yet cool, dreamy yet grounded. Her passion for music and songwriting was a highlight, and I found myself completely immersed in her emotions and experiences. She’s the kind of teenage protagonist who feels real—someone who makes mistakes but learns from them.
And of course, there’s the letters. The entire premise of passing secret notes on a school desk was just perfection. I love love love the idea of anonymous pen pals, and this book executed it beautifully. The back-and-forth exchanges felt nostalgic and refreshing, especially in a world where texting is the norm. It even reminded me of a similar experience I had in school (sorry, Mr. Leach), which made it all the more delightful. The mystery of discovering who Lily’s pen pal was kept me engaged, and I found myself analyzing every clue.
Favorite Moments & Highlights
✔ The Letters – Especially the ones in the final chapters. They had me swooning. Seriously, why didn’t this happen to me in high school? 😍
✔ Lily’s Family – They were chaotic in the best way. The constant family contests and voting had me laughing out loud.
✔ The Romance – It was sweet, a little trope-y, but still adorable. Kasie West threw in a few mild twists I wasn’t expecting, which kept things interesting.
✔ The Lyrics – Lily’s songwriting added so much depth to her character. Some of my favorite lines:
❝ If I tell you my secrets, will you just tell me lies?
If I say I believe you, does that make it all right?
It's hard to place my trust in someone new. ❞
❝ I've turned waiting into a form of art
Tied twisted lines around my broken heart
To keep me hanging on for one more day
I've painted on a crooked smile
Hung the tears to dry awhile
Because I knew that you'd come back to stay. ❞
What I Wished Was Different
➖ An Epilogue – I needed more! What happened with the contest? Where was that extra chapter tying everything together? I wanted just a little bit more closure.
➖ Sasha’s Character – Ugh. She was so toxic. A mean girl just for the sake of being mean. I would have loved a little more complexity in her character instead of the one-dimensional cruelty.
Final Thoughts
This book was fresh, fun, and charming, with just the right amount of romance and family dynamics. While it had some clichés, I didn’t mind—I was too busy enjoying the ride. It’s the perfect read when you want something light, sweet, and impossible to put down.
Will I read more Kasie West books? Absolutely. I need more cute, wholesome YA books in my life!
❝ P.S.❞ He brushed a piece of hair off my cheek. ❝I like you. A lot.❞
medium-paced
this is that book.
the one that leaves a lump in your throat.
the one that makes you take deep breaths.
the one that feels like a warm hug
and also a cold murder
the one that leaves you with a hollow feeling
and a stomach so knotted that you feel like puking for hours
or is that last one just me??
4.5 stars
“Words brought us together though they almost kept us apart.
You trusted me with your secrets and then you stole my heart.”
i finished this book within 12 hours and it was totally worth it. i really loved the theme of it, and somehow it was the right amount of light and heavy combined. idk if i can call it feel good rn tho. bc i'm still feeling the nausea, the anxiety, the fear-
it was simple but captured my heart completely. i loved the characters and felt like they were so real and relatable and i loveeed lily and her personality (all of it). somehow every letter, every conversation and every lyric was more than i thought it would be
it all hit you different
it was genuine
the story with cade. the letters.
if the book wasn't so good i would actually make fun of the typicality of it. how the male love interest is the the same jerk who turns out to be a sweetheart and what not, but if i'm gonna be real honest- none of it bothered me. this is one of the books that plays it all perfectly, not over doing it and keeping it the right amount of romantic and tragic
now yk i dont like many books in the romance genre cuz they're all stupid and sickening and the tropes are so overused that i could recite them in my sleep. i wish i could say that this wasn't a romance novel but i think that's the whole point of (i mean, have you read the title?) but this felt like the letters to the lost kind of romance novel- one where liking someone is SO MUCH deeper than physical attraction and high school drama. tbh i might add this to my favourites shelf.
might just
also it's a quick read... but kinda heavy. u have no idea how many lumps in my throat i had to swallow, how many take a break bc i can't breathe pauses i had to take and how much it pained me to stop reading even for a few minutes. i kept texting my friend to send me an ambulance and that's probably just me being overdramatic but i reallyy reallyyyy liked it (bet you didn't know that)
the humour.
these are my kind of people i'm telling you. i loved the way they joked in their letters. i love the comparison between the on-paper personalities and real-life 'misunderstood' personalities of both the characters.
lily's family was just-
REALLY RELATABLE
it was so fun reading about that, and the fact that i really could understand what lily was going through sooo well bc i know what wanting SPACE feels like and reading about someone who understands how important space is for sanity and inspiration and thoughts and sanity. writing incomplete lyrics is something i have such a legit relationship with that i just felt it, her frustration.
AND OKAY I'LL ADMIT IT
their interactions were so adorable and i can't believe im saying this but i actually felt butterflies
the one that leaves a lump in your throat.
the one that makes you take deep breaths.
the one that feels like a warm hug
and also a cold murder
the one that leaves you with a hollow feeling
and a stomach so knotted that you feel like puking for hours
or is that last one just me??
4.5 stars
“Words brought us together though they almost kept us apart.
You trusted me with your secrets and then you stole my heart.”
i finished this book within 12 hours and it was totally worth it. i really loved the theme of it, and somehow it was the right amount of light and heavy combined. idk if i can call it feel good rn tho. bc i'm still feeling the nausea, the anxiety, the fear-
it was simple but captured my heart completely. i loved the characters and felt like they were so real and relatable and i loveeed lily and her personality (all of it). somehow every letter, every conversation and every lyric was more than i thought it would be
it all hit you different
it was genuine
the story with cade. the letters.
if the book wasn't so good i would actually make fun of the typicality of it. how the male love interest is the the same jerk who turns out to be a sweetheart and what not, but if i'm gonna be real honest- none of it bothered me. this is one of the books that plays it all perfectly, not over doing it and keeping it the right amount of romantic and tragic
now yk i dont like many books in the romance genre cuz they're all stupid and sickening and the tropes are so overused that i could recite them in my sleep. i wish i could say that this wasn't a romance novel but i think that's the whole point of (i mean, have you read the title?) but this felt like the letters to the lost kind of romance novel- one where liking someone is SO MUCH deeper than physical attraction and high school drama. tbh i might add this to my favourites shelf.
might just
also it's a quick read... but kinda heavy. u have no idea how many lumps in my throat i had to swallow, how many take a break bc i can't breathe pauses i had to take and how much it pained me to stop reading even for a few minutes. i kept texting my friend to send me an ambulance and that's probably just me being overdramatic but i reallyy reallyyyy liked it (bet you didn't know that)
the humour.
these are my kind of people i'm telling you. i loved the way they joked in their letters. i love the comparison between the on-paper personalities and real-life 'misunderstood' personalities of both the characters.
lily's family was just-
REALLY RELATABLE
it was so fun reading about that, and the fact that i really could understand what lily was going through sooo well bc i know what wanting SPACE feels like and reading about someone who understands how important space is for sanity and inspiration and thoughts and sanity. writing incomplete lyrics is something i have such a legit relationship with that i just felt it, her frustration.
AND OKAY I'LL ADMIT IT
their interactions were so adorable and i can't believe im saying this but i actually felt butterflies
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my first time reading Kasie West's book and this is so sweet! I always like a simple nice love story like this. Easy to read and it also makes my heart flutter.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A