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ejc123's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
inluvwheartwrenchingbooks's review against another edition
1.0
1.5
I thought I bought a cute sapphic summer romance with this book, but instead I got a straight "romance" lasting almost the entire book. The main characters' realisation that she might not be hetero literally happened 5 pages before the ending. Also, the main character was SO annoying and she made it her whole personality that she was plus-size and she could not understand how someone could simply talk to her and ignore her body type completely (which is best case scenario). She always made herself the victim in any situation she wasn't a fan of. And yeah it was great she tried protesting against these stupid posters but realising she was bi seemed so forced afterwards. Lastly, she was whining the whole book about not wanting to go to uni and feeling so pressured & then she just doesn't? OK, if that's what she wants to do, but the plot would've been way more interesting if she just left her comfort zone one single time. Overall don't read this book if you want to have a good time - just don't.
I thought I bought a cute sapphic summer romance with this book, but instead I got a straight "romance" lasting almost the entire book. The main characters' realisation that she might not be hetero literally happened 5 pages before the ending. Also, the main character was SO annoying and she made it her whole personality that she was plus-size and she could not understand how someone could simply talk to her and ignore her body type completely (which is best case scenario). She always made herself the victim in any situation she wasn't a fan of. And yeah it was great she tried protesting against these stupid posters but realising she was bi seemed so forced afterwards. Lastly, she was whining the whole book about not wanting to go to uni and feeling so pressured & then she just doesn't? OK, if that's what she wants to do, but the plot would've been way more interesting if she just left her comfort zone one single time. Overall don't read this book if you want to have a good time - just don't.
biblioberry's review against another edition
4.0
the book is a ten but its dumb british characters can't go two chapters without whining about 20°C being a heatwave smh
ANYWAY if you're into oblivious mutual pining in best friends to lovers and painful slowburns and fat girls loving themselves and each other and the general confusion of being a young adult with no fucking clue about what you want to do with your life this is the book for you <3
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hi goodreads users?? it's a small pet peeve and no one is probably going to see this but please please PLEASE for the love of god stop tagging every sapphic book with "lesbian" when the main characters are canonically mspec. this book actually uses the word bi!!! multiple times!!! it's not treated as a weird thing!!! I've grown so tired of seeing this everywhere EVEN on m/f books with sapphic protagonists. use your grey matter please. it's erasure, misleading and invalidating as fuck to both lesbians and bi/pan/multisexual people. also the word "sapphic" exists and is begging to be used you know
ANYWAY if you're into oblivious mutual pining in best friends to lovers and painful slowburns and fat girls loving themselves and each other and the general confusion of being a young adult with no fucking clue about what you want to do with your life this is the book for you <3
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hi goodreads users?? it's a small pet peeve and no one is probably going to see this but please please PLEASE for the love of god stop tagging every sapphic book with "lesbian" when the main characters are canonically mspec. this book actually uses the word bi!!! multiple times!!! it's not treated as a weird thing!!! I've grown so tired of seeing this everywhere EVEN on m/f books with sapphic protagonists. use your grey matter please. it's erasure, misleading and invalidating as fuck to both lesbians and bi/pan/multisexual people. also the word "sapphic" exists and is begging to be used you know
emmas_version's review against another edition
4.0
honestly this was one of the most wholesome book i read!!
Lily is just so realistic and adorable so are Cassie and Cal. I knew how was going to end the book, it was predictable BUT it didn't bother me because i enjoyed every pages of this book.
i totally recommend this book!!!
You can easily read it in one sitting and little advice if you eat an ice cream while reading this book it will feel like you are IN the book, thank me later ;) !!!
Lily is just so realistic and adorable so are Cassie and Cal. I knew how was going to end the book, it was predictable BUT it didn't bother me because i enjoyed every pages of this book.
i totally recommend this book!!!
You can easily read it in one sitting and little advice if you eat an ice cream while reading this book it will feel like you are IN the book, thank me later ;) !!!
sixofwoes's review against another edition
4.0
"Relentlessly believe in your right to look however you want to look."
3.5⭐️
This was a pretty short and sweet read. I related personally to a few of the issues Lily Rose had, so I really appreciated those being included. Reading about a fat main character whose whole story doesn't revolve around their weight and who's comfortable in their body was refreshing. The relationships - romantic and platonic - were cute, too!
I wished we could have delved deeper into the twin bond though; it would have been more impactful to see how close Lily and Daisy were before they began drifting apart. I also thought the random activism was kind of pointless - like it's important to talk about those things but they felt randomly placed and didn't amount to anything in the end.
Overally, it was a nice book, perfect for the summer (even if i did read it in winter).
CW: homophobia, biphobia, fatphobia
katielouise210's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/4 stars - couldn't decide to levelled it up in the end!
A soft and sweet, very slowburn, very character-focused romance/coming of age set in a seaside town in England. The story revolves around one Summer in which the protagonist, Lily Rose, deals with her impending future at university, a new relationship, intolerance from those around her, and coming to terms with being in love with her best friend.
This was a lovely read that brought me straight to days by the coast and was full of that feeling of the chaos inherent in this stage of life: being on the cusp of leaving home for the very first time - and all the accompanying anxieties. I adored Lily as a character - she felt very real, both sure of herself in some ways and desperately fearful in others in a very realistic way. I loved her evolving relationship with her Mum and her sister, Daisy, as well as how the book didn't shy away from exploring conflict within the family. At times the pace felt a little off, though, and I wish that more time had been given to exploring Lily and Cassie's relationship. Maybe another 50 or so pages to draw it out because yes, I am a sucker for extreme slowburn...... I wanted to know more about Cassie, more of Lily and Cassie's first meetings, those little moments between the pair. My only other gripe is that the relationship with Cal felt a little heteronormative?? Is that the right word? Cal was a sweet character but I wasn't convinced by Lily herself actually liking him - it felt like compulsory heteronormativity. I get it was part of Lily's journey and discovering her feelings for Cassie, but honestly I would rather have had more time spent on Lily and Cassie instead.
Anyway, this was short but sweet and also dealt with issues beyond the romance (fatphobia, biphobia and general bigotry) in a way that felt very authentic and fit in with the plot itself. I was just left wanting a little more.
A soft and sweet, very slowburn, very character-focused romance/coming of age set in a seaside town in England. The story revolves around one Summer in which the protagonist, Lily Rose, deals with her impending future at university, a new relationship, intolerance from those around her, and coming to terms with being in love with her best friend.
This was a lovely read that brought me straight to days by the coast and was full of that feeling of the chaos inherent in this stage of life: being on the cusp of leaving home for the very first time - and all the accompanying anxieties. I adored Lily as a character - she felt very real, both sure of herself in some ways and desperately fearful in others in a very realistic way. I loved her evolving relationship with her Mum and her sister, Daisy, as well as how the book didn't shy away from exploring conflict within the family. At times the pace felt a little off, though, and I wish that more time had been given to exploring Lily and Cassie's relationship. Maybe another 50 or so pages to draw it out because yes, I am a sucker for extreme slowburn...... I wanted to know more about Cassie, more of Lily and Cassie's first meetings, those little moments between the pair. My only other gripe is that the relationship with Cal felt a little heteronormative?? Is that the right word? Cal was a sweet character but I wasn't convinced by Lily herself actually liking him - it felt like compulsory heteronormativity. I get it was part of Lily's journey and discovering her feelings for Cassie, but honestly I would rather have had more time spent on Lily and Cassie instead.
Anyway, this was short but sweet and also dealt with issues beyond the romance (fatphobia, biphobia and general bigotry) in a way that felt very authentic and fit in with the plot itself. I was just left wanting a little more.
frillyprawn's review against another edition
4.0
Lily is trying to enjoy her last summer before going off to Leeds University, a decision she’s not entirely on board with yet. To get ready for this life changing event, she decides to try one new thing everyday with the help of her best friend, Cassie.
There were a few things I really enjoyed about this book- the first being the friendship between Lily and Cassie. I loved that Lily had friends before meeting Cassie, but they were never “good” friends- they didn’t support her or share the same ideals. I think the author including this was so important because it’s a universal feeling. You never truly know friendship until you meet people who you can be yourself with and who allow you to grow. Cassie was that friend for Lily and it was lush.
I loved the description of the seaside town and Lily’s family home. It felt really cosy and I was happy to be in that world, even if it was only brief. Although this may be a good summer read, it was just as good reading it curled up in bed whilst it was pouring outside. It was like a warm hug.
However, I do think the ending was a little rushed. The issues and challenges that had been arising throughout the book all came to head at the same point, and then were over and resolved almost straight away, moments before the book finished. This is a small issue in comparison to how much I enjoyed the other elements though.
Definitely recommend if you want a cutesy romance, some light self discovery, and strong familial relationships.
There were a few things I really enjoyed about this book- the first being the friendship between Lily and Cassie. I loved that Lily had friends before meeting Cassie, but they were never “good” friends- they didn’t support her or share the same ideals. I think the author including this was so important because it’s a universal feeling. You never truly know friendship until you meet people who you can be yourself with and who allow you to grow. Cassie was that friend for Lily and it was lush.
I loved the description of the seaside town and Lily’s family home. It felt really cosy and I was happy to be in that world, even if it was only brief. Although this may be a good summer read, it was just as good reading it curled up in bed whilst it was pouring outside. It was like a warm hug.
However, I do think the ending was a little rushed. The issues and challenges that had been arising throughout the book all came to head at the same point, and then were over and resolved almost straight away, moments before the book finished. This is a small issue in comparison to how much I enjoyed the other elements though.
Definitely recommend if you want a cutesy romance, some light self discovery, and strong familial relationships.
siuntoomey's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
opinionhaver69's review against another edition
3.0
frothy and cute and entirely unmemorable but frothy and cute and unmemorable with a fat main character which earns it a whole additional star bc that’s really all it takes for me - also i’m just way too old for ya romance which isn’t really the book’s fault. i found the social commentary in it to be deeply hammy and over-earnest in a very after-school-special way (a side character will say something obviously prejudiced and shitty just so the mc can go off for three paragraphs about how prejudiced and shitty it was) but this is ya and honestly i’d rather have over-earnest wokeness in a ya novel than none at all