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A review by triflesandvanities
Her Good Side by Rebekah Weatherspoon
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
5.0 Stars
Summary
Bethany is rejected by her crush after asking him to Homecoming, leaving her dateless and painfully aware that her late bloomer reputation is to blame. Her best friend, Saylor, steps in with a solution: take her boyfriend, Jacob, for a platonic night with friends. The pair agree to the awkward arrangement, which gets more complicated when Saylor dumps Jacob. Now Jacob has been dumped twice and is wondering what he keeps doing wrong.
Bethany and Jacob make a deal to fake date as practice for when the real deal comes along. But... could this be the real deal?
My Thoughts
It is so rare for me to enjoy a YA romance, so this took me by surprise. This story felt real to me, which is a testament to the character work done in the novel. Rebekah Weatherspoon took great care in crafting these characters, and the love, both platonic and romantic, was in the details. There were queer characters of all ages represented, and Jacob's Korean background was respected in the novel, which was beautiful to see.
Bethany and Jacob's individual storylines also added to my enjoyment of the book. Bethany was scared to tell her family she wanted to pursue cooking over basketball, and Jacob was struggling in his film class, though he aimed for film school after graduation. I loved how their friendship became the foundation for more and how their commitment to caring for one another came through even while they were strictly in a fake dating arrangement. I giggled as they grew closer and experienced many "firsts" together. I do wish we had a bit more depth to Jacob's story, but I understand that in comparison to everything Bethany was juggling, he had less to worry about.
I highly recommend the audiobook as the story is told from two perspectives and features talented voice actors for Bethany and Jacob, who contribute to the overall atmosphere of the novel.
Summary
Bethany is rejected by her crush after asking him to Homecoming, leaving her dateless and painfully aware that her late bloomer reputation is to blame. Her best friend, Saylor, steps in with a solution: take her boyfriend, Jacob, for a platonic night with friends. The pair agree to the awkward arrangement, which gets more complicated when Saylor dumps Jacob. Now Jacob has been dumped twice and is wondering what he keeps doing wrong.
Bethany and Jacob make a deal to fake date as practice for when the real deal comes along. But... could this be the real deal?
My Thoughts
It is so rare for me to enjoy a YA romance, so this took me by surprise. This story felt real to me, which is a testament to the character work done in the novel. Rebekah Weatherspoon took great care in crafting these characters, and the love, both platonic and romantic, was in the details. There were queer characters of all ages represented, and Jacob's Korean background was respected in the novel, which was beautiful to see.
Bethany and Jacob's individual storylines also added to my enjoyment of the book. Bethany was scared to tell her family she wanted to pursue cooking over basketball, and Jacob was struggling in his film class, though he aimed for film school after graduation. I loved how their friendship became the foundation for more and how their commitment to caring for one another came through even while they were strictly in a fake dating arrangement. I giggled as they grew closer and experienced many "firsts" together. I do wish we had a bit more depth to Jacob's story, but I understand that in comparison to everything Bethany was juggling, he had less to worry about.
I highly recommend the audiobook as the story is told from two perspectives and features talented voice actors for Bethany and Jacob, who contribute to the overall atmosphere of the novel.