A review by jessyhayward
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

emotional funny hopeful 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? No

3.75

“Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it's melting Jacob's frosty exterior.”

Rep: Black and autistic mc, another autistic mc, diverse background characters.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Thalia Hibbert is a light-hearted and warm contemporary romance about a family outcast who must find her path in life. 

Though that sounds cheesy - and it is, a little - it’s an adorable and well-written story that’s perfect for summer vacations. 

I don’t relate much to Eve, but I can certainly empathise with her lack of direction and critical family, as well as feeling like an outcast in your own household. Sure, Eve is wealthy and much older, but the story is, at its core, about finding yourself. She’s a fun and bubbly character who definitely fulfils the ‘sunshine’ part of the sunshine x grumpy trope. 

Jacob, on the other hand, fulfils the latter. An uptight and slightly rude worker, Jacob is quite frustrating at times. Despite this, he is a loveable character who made me laugh through the entire story. Their romance is cute, spicy, and mature all in one and I truly believe in their relationship. 

I also really appreciate the diversity in this story. As you can see above, it features a Black main character, not one but two autistic main characters (in a romance, no less), and minor characters from all backgrounds and paths (shoutout to my fave sapphic grandmothers). This is so, so needed in books, and even more so in romance.

The reason I’ve rated this 3.75 stars instead of 5 is simply because it could’ve been more. However, I haven’t read the other books in this series which may be why I feel this way, so take this with a grain of salt. Overall, it’s short and sweet and a great addition to the genre! 
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