A review by thebiasedbibliophile
The Boy You Always Wanted by Michelle Quach

5.0

In the past couple years, I’ve read multiple YA contemporary romance novels that incorporated feminist elements; that’s why I loved them so much! This year, I read three of these authors’ second books, two of which were flops for me. So, THANK YOU, Michelle Quach for breaking this trend! How often does a debut author follow up with a second book that is just as phenomenal? Not often, but The Boy You Always Wanted was somehow just as wonderful as Not Here to Be Liked!

The story follows Francine, who wants to grant her dying grandfather his last wish: to have a male heir who will continue honoring the family. The problem is, he doesn’t have a male heir, but this small detail won’t stop the determined Francine. She ropes her childhood friend, Ollie, into playing the part, but The Plan comes with more emotional baggage than either of them anticipated.

First off, I was moved by the personal tie Quach had to the story. She wrote the story partially based on her own life experiences, and that connection is evident in the emotion throughout the novel. Although Quach and I have different cultural backgrounds, I have had similar experiences that she describes in the book.

It was absolutely gut-wrenching to watch Francine put her grandfather’s dying wishes over her personal comfort. I mean, yes, we all knew that she was doing it for herself to a certain extent, but some of the scenes where it appeared as though her grandfather valued Ollie more than her were heartbreaking. Not that it takes much, but I did cry at multiple points throughout the book.

Additionally, FEMINISM!!! I know I’m the odd one out here, but feminism and romance are a classic pairing, like peanut butter and jelly, ice cream and french fries, bacon and eggs. Almost all of the romance novels I’ve enjoyed incorporate feminism to some extent, so I literally couldn’t have asked for more from Quach. She is such a talented writer that the theme of feminism is both subtle yet strong. It’s there for readers who want it, but it won’t distract for readers who prefer their romance plain, their PB&J without peanut butter so to speak (and peanut butter, like feminism, is really the best part!).

Aside from the feminism, the romance was cute. I thought Ollie and Francine had an interesting dynamic. The decision to tell the story from both of their POVs was perfect, as I loved seeing how their feelings evolved throughout the novel. Ollie went from strongly disliking Francine to appreciating her eccentricity and Francine went from hesitantly distrusting Ollie to falling head over heels. 

Finally, I can’t say for certain, but Francine definitely reads as neurodivergent. I’m not sure if this was intentional on Quach’s part, but I could certainly see Francine having autism. I really appreciated this aspect of the novel because I saw a lot of myself in Francine. Ollie’s misperception of her reflects the way many neurodivergent people are misperceived, and it was endearing to watch his opinion of her change without her personality changing. 

So, how many books does an author have to write for you to consider them one of your favorite authors? I’m unofficially proclaiming the answer is two, and officially announcing Michelle Quach as one of my favorites (possibly even my favorite romance author)!