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A review by amandamyers
She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I've been so excited to read this, and it definitely met my expectations. I loved all the Pittsburgh/PA references! I also really enjoy the way every character is comfortable with the main characters being queer, there's no angst or questioning about that. Sometimes I just want to read about people in my community existing and getting their happy endings!
Molly is trying to do a 180 from high school as she begins college, but she finds it difficult due to a variety of things, like her lack of a roommate, her mom, and her lack of confidence. She's been crushing on the same girl all through high school and she wants to finally reach out and try and get with her. Her lack of experience paralyzes her, and it takes lessons/teasing from Alex for her to start trying.
Alex is also trying to escape her past, in the form of her alcoholic mother and inability to commit to a relationship. College is supposed to be a fresh start that she can use to put her past behind her and allow her to gain some sense of stability for the first time in her life. She has a complicated relationship with a musician girlfriend who doesn't think Alex is committed to her.
I really liked the exploration of the two MCs relationships with their moms. They kind of have opposite issues and it was interesting to see the way that impacts both of them. Molly is smothered by her mom who is constantly checking on her, and Alex is basically the parent for her mom, paying bills and providing groceries and having a neighbor regularly check in. Molly also has a difficult time with the way her mom views their Korean heritage and how it impacts the way she interacts with the world.
This book just really hit a lot of my soft spots and I loved it. Finding out it was written by a couple made it even sweeter. You could not pay me to have to experience freshman year of college again, but this book made me so nostalgic for the weird transitional period between teenager and adult.
I would recommend if you like: antagonists to lovers, pining, introvert/extrovert, college romances
I would not recommend if you don't like: love triangle(s)
Molly is trying to do a 180 from high school as she begins college, but she finds it difficult due to a variety of things, like her lack of a roommate, her mom, and her lack of confidence. She's been crushing on the same girl all through high school and she wants to finally reach out and try and get with her. Her lack of experience paralyzes her, and it takes lessons/teasing from Alex for her to start trying.
Alex is also trying to escape her past, in the form of her alcoholic mother and inability to commit to a relationship. College is supposed to be a fresh start that she can use to put her past behind her and allow her to gain some sense of stability for the first time in her life. She has a complicated relationship with a musician girlfriend who doesn't think Alex is committed to her.
I really liked the exploration of the two MCs relationships with their moms. They kind of have opposite issues and it was interesting to see the way that impacts both of them. Molly is smothered by her mom who is constantly checking on her, and Alex is basically the parent for her mom, paying bills and providing groceries and having a neighbor regularly check in. Molly also has a difficult time with the way her mom views their Korean heritage and how it impacts the way she interacts with the world.
This book just really hit a lot of my soft spots and I loved it. Finding out it was written by a couple made it even sweeter. You could not pay me to have to experience freshman year of college again, but this book made me so nostalgic for the weird transitional period between teenager and adult.
I would recommend if you like: antagonists to lovers, pining, introvert/extrovert, college romances
I would not recommend if you don't like: love triangle(s)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Alcoholism
Moderate: Racism
alcoholism: Alex's mom is an alcoholic, and her boss is a recovering alcoholic/drug addict. Her mom's addiction is discussed pretty graphicly, including a DUI and a trip to rehab so proceed with caution if that's a sensitive topic.
abandonment: I'm not sure if abandonment is the right word, but essentially Alex has had to raise herself and provide for her mother who has essentially abandoned her due to her alcoholism/boyfriend(?).
internalized racism: Molly's mom is Korean and was adopted into an all white family in what sounds like an all white community and was bullied for it growing up and as such regularly embarrasses/hurts Molly with her comments. This includes an interaction at a Korean restaurant where she's pretty rude to a worker over it.