A review by alexsbookishadventures
The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-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

3.75

This book felt like a good YA-LGBTQ romance. It read smoothly, with funny interactions and in-depth characters. I absolutely loved the little hints at all the rom-coms.

STORY
It was a romance novel, but it also discussed emotional, profound themes in a nice way. I felt really bad for Saoirse and her mother. The storyline with Beth actually felt realistic and the bond between Beth and Saoirse developed in a beautiful, loving way.
Ruby and Saoirse are truly soulmates to each other and at no point did the love between them feel forced. They understood each other and were able to talk about all their problems in a beautiful way.

Normally I am not a fan of break-ups, but here it fitted into the story and was handled so beautifully. And it was necessary for Saoirse to have her head in the right place and process her traumas and problems

CHARACTERS
Saoirse - I think I kept mispronouncing her name in my head. She was a funny, tough girl with a lot of emotions and felt like a real teenager. I would have loved to be friends with her. The break-up with Hannah is also told realistically from her perspective. And I am so glad she and Oliver became friends

Ruby - Ruby is also a tough free-spirit, yet also has her traumas. She always took good care of Saoirse and was always there for her. She was sweet and understanding. And she is really obsessed with the good rom-coms, which makes me like her even better. Ruby is the ideal match for Saoirse and I am happy for them that they found each other.