A review by betsyrisen
Much Ado About You by Samantha Young

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"Maybe some people think my life is pathetic, but my life would be a dream to some people. What right do I have to whine about wanting more from life, when what I have is more than some people can ever imagine having? I‘m privileged in a way that doesn‘t have to do with great wealth. I‘m privileged by comforts we take for granted, like education, having food in the refrigerator, a roof over my head, heat, clean water, and easy access to books."

You had me at Shakespeare-adjacent. I ended 2024 having read way more romance novels than I ever have before, and it had me feeling some kind of (not great) way, but the premise of this book was just too much to resist. 

The author did a great job if building the anticipation, where I was 2/3 of the way through the book and everything seemed to be going great, so I knew some trouble was brewing. This could have easily become super campy, but I really enjoyed the twist(s) and the way they were handled.