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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Just couldn't connect and all the millenialisms got too much
4.5 stars!
I went in thinking that this was going to be one of those cliché stories and almost gave this book a pass but I was hooked from the beginning. I really liked how the characters were bizzare and perfectly imperfect in their own little ways. I expected this to be light and cute, and it was cute but it was most definitely not light.
I really adore Sam and Penny's quirky exchanges and their gradual relationship as the story progresses, and of how real their experiences felt. I admired the humor, the family-oriented and friendship aspects, the recognition of mental instabilities, and also their life aspirations in general.
I felt like I could somewhat relate to Sam and his struggles, and I think that's one of the reasons why I like this book so much. Not to mention I have a thing for broody, mysterious, tattooed guys who are fantastic in the kitchen (where can I get my own Sam, seriously?).
Penny was very interesting as a character because she is such a ball of nerdy sunshine and she is also an aspiring writer!
All in all, this was such a sweet and amazing read. Definitely will be going to reread and bawl my eyes out again.
I went in thinking that this was going to be one of those cliché stories and almost gave this book a pass but I was hooked from the beginning. I really liked how the characters were bizzare and perfectly imperfect in their own little ways. I expected this to be light and cute, and it was cute but it was most definitely not light.
I really adore Sam and Penny's quirky exchanges and their gradual relationship as the story progresses, and of how real their experiences felt. I admired the humor, the family-oriented and friendship aspects, the recognition of mental instabilities, and also their life aspirations in general.
I felt like I could somewhat relate to Sam and his struggles, and I think that's one of the reasons why I like this book so much. Not to mention I have a thing for broody, mysterious, tattooed guys who are fantastic in the kitchen (where can I get my own Sam, seriously?).
Penny was very interesting as a character because she is such a ball of nerdy sunshine and she is also an aspiring writer!
All in all, this was such a sweet and amazing read. Definitely will be going to reread and bawl my eyes out again.
Very slow paced. The concept of third person but titling the chapters with who you’re following made for a weird format.
Characters were just meh. And the writing was a little too over the top.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
This was a cute, fun read! Slow burn friends to lovers and was quite sweet.
A lot of emotions and the resolutions are all really in the last 20 pages, but it was a nice read.
A lot of emotions and the resolutions are all really in the last 20 pages, but it was a nice read.
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
That being said, I understand and relate to Penny's personality. I don't mind her being judgemental, which seems to be a common complaint. The one thing that I dislike that doesn't seem to change throughout the novel is her inability to confront people. However, I acknowledge that this is an extremely common personality flaw. I wish that it had been resolved by the time Penny has her final confrontation with her mother though. Because it wasn't and the argument was somehow resolved, it was not cathartic. As the reader, I don't believe that either party understands each other any more than they did before.
Although I found the story and format interesting, more things bothered me than satisfied me when it came to this novel. A major recurring thought of mine was that this would be a better novel if Penny weren't fresh out of high school. This book could have been set in Penny's sophomore year and nothing would have changed.
Penny's rape seemed shoehorned into the story. It was well-described and made sense, but it's never related to any other quirks Penny might have in the present, so what's the point? Somewhat tangentially, I found it funny that Jude's therapist was mentioned so often when it was Penny who really needed therapy. No one ever suggests that she gets some even though it's often available at college campuses for free or at a low cost.
Sam was a likeable character, but I wish he had a better story arc. Is it crazy that I picked this up because I thought he was going to have multiple panic attacks, not just one? He seemed to get over the situation with his ex fairly easily after relapsing with alcohol. That would have been a good time for another spiral that took the story in a different direction. Ultimately, I don't think Penny and Sam are a good match - the story would have been more impactful if they remained friends and continued working on themselves.
I could not have cared less about the story Penny was writing for class or the film Sam was making. Actually, scratch that - I am annoyed that it seems Sam just threw away everything after running into a hurdle. The logical course of action would have been to film a documentary about his mom or someone else and leave the other material on the back burner, right? This thread is left completely unresolved and it seems careless.
As a final note that has led me to reduce my rating to a "hate-read this if you'd like" designation: The writing is bad. The author clearly has some good ideas, but none of them land. The dialogue sounds like an adult trying to be hip and trendy. This is not how teenagers talked in 2018. Just write without trying to match the current slang. Also, the constant breaking up of texts into one liners that made it look like poetry (unintentionally?) pissed me off. People really do write blocks of text as messages sometimes. It's okay.
Overall, just not a good story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape
I would like everyone who is giving this book less then a four star review to get their heads out of their asses. First off, I need everyone to be reminded this is a YOUNG ADULT novel. Do you know how many of these I’ve read that don’t *exactly* paint the true experience of being a teen?? (Hint: SO MANY) I think the point of so many of these books are to create a light hearted experience that is reminiscent of being a teenager with all the angst and over emotions. This book I couldn’t put down! I loved the main characters, especially Penny. And better yet it touched on some real issues that I know tons of teens DO personally face, myself included. If you’re looking for light hearted romance and a quick read this is a great one!