A review by vasha
She Gets the Girl by Alyson Derrick, Rachael Lippincott

emotional lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A high-concept book, and the premise hooked me: Molly's a shy and awkward college freshman who's been pining after Cora for years, and Alex needs to prove to her sort-of-ex-girlfriend Natalie that she's not a heartless flirt, so Alex gets the idea to use her seduction skills selflessly: coach Molly in how to get her girl. We can all see where that's going...

The romance is solid in this book. I suppose it can't hurt that the authors are a married couple -- they claim in an afterword that they put something of themselves into the story. Molly and Alex shine when it's just the two of them interacting, starting out by butting heads but finding that they've startled each other into being "real"; the moments when they "click" and the slow growth of strong feelings are quite natural.  Check out the very pretty cover: it appropriately depicts one of the warmest moments in the book, Molly and Alex roller skating with Molly holding out her hands to keep the inexpert Alex on her feet. 

Both women have a fraught relationship with their mothers, for different reasons, and this provides some additional emotional heft, although those strands of the story were wrapped up rather too neatly, especially the one about Alex's mother's alcoholism.

If this was a gentler sort of book I might have loved it. Unfortunately, it aims to be a comedy, and the comedy hijinks grated on me. Awkward Molly is put through WAY too many humiliations. (Gotta say, though, the thing with the bananas was the one genuinely funny bit in the book--perhaps because it ended well for Molly, with her unexpectedly making a friendly connection with someone.) The authors even had her fall flat on her face when about to talk to someone significant -- c'mon guys, be more imaginative than that. I cringed, too, at Alex flirtatiously winning over people she knew she wasn't going to follow up with. 

All in all, I rate this book a solid "so-so." 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings