Heart Check by Emily Charlotte

“Luke Dawson and Harper Braedon could have been friends. They trade shifts at the same diner, share classes at school, and are driven by their greatest passions: hockey for Dawson and jewelry-making for Harper. But some things aren't meant to be. Dawson thinks Harper is stuck-up, too good for anything resembling school spirit. Harper thinks Dawson is a self-centered jock, a perfect fit for a hockey team that seems to absorb all the budget away from the arts departments.

When his beloved hockey coach gets fired for misallocation of funds, Dawson is terrified that all his plans for impressing scouts are vanishing before his eyes. A rumor goes around that Harper was the one who got him fired, and suddenly she’s public enemy number one.

But even with their mutual dislike at an all-time high, Harper and Dawson can’t escape splitting shifts forever. Can forced proximity help them find some common ground, or will long-held grudges finally succeed in bringing them both down?” - taken from Goodreads.

Hockey rules at Hamilton lakes High School to the detriment of other extracurricular programs. Luke Dawson hopes to play in the NHL while Harper Braden wants to succeed at her jewelry making business. Co-workers at Luke's parents' diner, they are colleagues but not necessarily friends. They both see their hopes and dreams begin to vanish when the hockey coach is fired over the mismanagement of funds and Harper is falsely accused of blowing the whistle. Soon the two begin to take notice and see that each other's goals are as valid as their own.

This book is perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Kasie West.

Visit Emily Charlotte’s website.

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

 

“When Springville residents—at least the ones still alive—are questioned about what happened on prom night, they all have the same explanation... Maddy did it.

An outcast at her small-town Georgia high school, Madison Washington has always been a teasing target for bullies. And she's dealt with it because she has more pressing problems to manage. Until the morning a surprise rainstorm reveals her most closely kept secret: Maddy is biracial. She has been passing for white her entire life at the behest of her fanatical white father, Thomas Washington.

After a viral bullying video pulls back the curtain on Springville High's racist roots, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school's first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date, leaving Maddy wondering if it's possible to have a normal life.

But some of her classmates aren't done with her just yet. And what they don't know is that Maddy still has another secret... one that will cost them all their lives.” - taken from Goodreads.

I knew going in that this story loosely follows Stephen King's Carrie but throws in some social justice that is relevant to our current times. Maddy Washington is a girl who's tortured life will pull at your heartstrings. Bullied on a daily basis at school, the situation takes a horrible turn when Maddy's racial identity is uncovered. As tensions rise in small town Springville, Georgia, readers will be eagerly waiting to see what happens on prom night. 

I loved listening to this book with its multiple narrator format.

Visit Tiffany D. Jackson’s website.

One Of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus (One Of Us is Lying book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, One Of Us is Lying and One Of Us is Next, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher of the first two books.

“Ever since Simon died in detention, life hasn't been easy for the Bayview Crew. First the Bayview Four had to prove they weren't killers. Then a new generation had to outwit a vengeful copycat. Now, it's beginning again.

At first the mysterious billboard seems like a bad joke: Time for a new game, Bayview. But when a member of the crew disappears, it's clear this 'game' just got serious - and no one understands the rules.

Everyone's a target. And now that someone unexpected has returned to Bayview, things are starting to get deadly.

Simon was right about secrets - they all come out in the end.

The thing is, Simon was right about secrets-they all come out, eventually. And Bayview has a lot it's still hiding.” - taken from Goodreads.

OK Bayview, Simon is back. This final book in the trilogy ties up all of the loose ends from the previous two books. Fans of the series will not be disappointed as all of our favorite characters make a return and a new mystery is solved. 

Visit Karen M. McManus’ website.

Don’t Hate the Player by Alexis Nedd

 

“By day, Emilia is a field hockey star with a popular boyfriend and a mother obsessed with her academic future. But by night, she’s kicking virtual ass as the only female member of a highly competitive eSports team. Emilia has mastered the art of keeping her two worlds thriving, which hinges on them staying completely separate.

When a major eSports tournament comes to her city, Emilia is determined to prove herself to the male-dominated gaming community. But her perfectly balanced life is thrown for a loop when a member of a rival team—Jake—recognizes her . . .” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was a super cute romance between the shy guy who discovers that the smart, popular girl he has crushed on for years is also a gamer. Pushed by her parents to academically succeed, no one knows Emilia plays GLO. When her team is tapped to play in a tournament, she is shocked to discover that Jake, the boy she met at a birthday party years ago at an arcade, is on a rival team. What happens when Emilia’s cover is blown is a surprise that she never expected. 

Slay by Brittany Morris

“By day, seventeen-year-old Kiera Johnson is an honors student, a math tutor, and one of the only Black kids at Jefferson Academy. But at home, she joins hundreds of thousands of Black gamers who duel worldwide as Nubian personas in the secret multiplayer online role-playing card game, SLAY. No one knows Kiera is the game developer, not her friends, her family, not even her boyfriend, Malcolm, who believes video games are partially responsible for the "downfall of the Black man."

But when a teen in Kansas City is murdered over a dispute in the SLAY world, news of the game reaches mainstream media, and SLAY is labeled a racist, exclusionist, violent hub for thugs and criminals. Even worse, an anonymous troll infiltrates the game, threatening to sue Kiera for "anti-white discrimination."

Driven to save the only world in which she can be herself, Kiera must preserve her secret identity and harness what it means to be unapologetically Black in a world intimidated by Blackness. But can she protect her game without losing herself in the process?”

I picked up the audio version of this book on a whim completely unprepared for what the story entailed. Kiera Johnson is one of the few Black students at her high school, along with her sister Stephanie and her boyfriend Malcolm. Outside of school, Kiera has created an online gaming universe where Blacks from around the world can play without facing discrimination that is sometimes found in other role-playing games. No one knows about Keira's role in the creation of SLAY.

When a teenager is murdered in his own home over SLAY, the world begins to take notice of the game. Faced with the fact that her identity may be revealed and possible repercussions for the murder, Kiera has no one to turn to, especially when a new player to SLAY is determined to destroy the game.

This book hit me with all the feels and the identity of Dred Scott blew me away. An excellent read!

Visit Brittany Morris’ website.

 

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

 

“Liz Buxbaum has always known that Wes Bennett was not boyfriend material. You would think that her next-door neighbor would be a prince candidate for her romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only proven himself to be a pain in the butt, ever since they were little. Wes was the kid who put a frog in her Barbie Dreamhouse, the monster who hid a lawn gnome's severed head in her little homemade neighborhood book exchange.

Flash forward ten years from the Great Gnome Decapitation. It's Liz's senior year, a time meant to be rife with milestones perfect for any big screen, and she needs Wes's help. See, Liz's forever crush, Michael, has just moved back to town, and—horribly, annoyingly—he's hitting it off with Wes. Meaning that if Liz wants Michael to finally notice her, and hopefully be her prom date, she needs Wes. He's her in.

But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz her magical prom moment, she's shocked to discover that she actually likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love—and rethink her own perception of what Happily Ever After should really look like.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Liz Buxbaum is looking for her happily ever after. When her childhood crush, Michael Young, moves back into town, Liz sets her sights on him. When she finds out that her next door neighbor and childhood tormentor, Wes Bennett, is speaking to Michael, she asks Wes for his help in securing a date. With a parking space on the line, Wes agrees. What Liz doesn't expect is to fall in love with someone who is not Michael.

Visit Lynn Painter’s website. 

Frankly in Love by David Yoon

 

“High school senior Frank Li is a Limbo--his term for Korean-American kids who find themselves caught between their parents’ traditional expectations and their own Southern California upbringing. His parents have one rule when it comes to romance--“Date Korean”--which proves complicated when Frank falls for Brit Means, who is smart, beautiful--and white. Fellow Limbo Joy Song is in a similar predicament, and so they make a pact: they’ll pretend to date each other in order to gain their freedom. Frank thinks it’s the perfect plan, but in the end, Frank and Joy’s fake-dating maneuver leaves him wondering if he ever really understood love--or himself--at all.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Frank Li (Frankly, pun intended) is a first-generation Korean-American. His parents are racist, having disowned his older sister for marrying a black man and believing that Frank should only date fellow Korean teenagers. He knows that his parents will never tolerate him dating his white girlfriend. So when the opportunity arises to fake date a friend in the same situation that he's in, it seems like the perfect plan.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading a Korean-American male POV, especially after reading I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee. This was a heartwarming story about trying to be true to oneself while still upholding your parents’ beliefs.

Visit David Yoon’s website.

The Assignment by Liza Wiemer

“SENIOR YEAR. When an assignment given by a favorite teacher instructs a group of students to argue for the Final Solution, a euphemism used to describe the Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people, Logan March and Cade Crawford are horrified. Their teacher cannot seriously expect anyone to complete an assignment that fuels intolerance and discrimination. Logan and Cade decide they must take a stand.

As the school administration addressed the teens' refusal to participate in the appalling debate, the student body, their parents, and the larger community are forced to face the issue as well. The situation explodes, and acrimony and anger result. What does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail?” - taken from Goodreads.com

Could you stand up for something you believe in, even if you have to do it alone? Logan and Cade take offense when their teacher, Mr. Bartley, assigns a debate on Hitler’s Final Solution, the extermination of the Jewish race. When Mr. Bartley refuses to change the assignment, Logan and Cade don’t back down. Soon, the class and the community become divided as true colors and closely kept secrets are revealed. Based on a real-life event, this book explores what it means to stand up for what you believe in.

Visit Liza Wiemer’s website.

This Is Not the Jess Show by Anna Banks (Jess Show book 1)

 

“Like any other teenager, Jess Flynn is just trying to get through her junior year without drama ... but drama seems to keep finding her. Between a new crush on her childhood best friend, overprotective parents cramping her social life, and her younger sister's worsening health, the only constant is change--and her hometown of Swickley, which feels smaller by the day.

Swickley is getting weirder by the day, too. Half the population has been struck down by a mysterious flu. Conversations end awkwardly when Jess enters the room. And then one day, a tiny, sleek black device--with an apple logo on it--falls out of her best friend's backpack and lands at Jess's feet.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book started off slow for me and I was trying to figure out what was going on along with Jessica Flynn herself. Without giving away too many details, unbeknownst to her Jess is the star of a reality television show about her life. As things start to come apart at the seams, can Jess escape from her own life? Be prepared, Jess’s story will be continued in a second book. 

Visit Anna Banks’ website.

If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

“High school senior Cameron Bright’s reputation can be summed up in one word: bitch. It’s no surprise she’s queen bee at her private L.A. high school—she’s beautiful, talented, and notorious for her cutting and brutal honesty. So when she puts her foot in her mouth in front of her crush, Andrew, she fears she may have lost him for good.

In an attempt to win him over, Cameron resolves to “tame” herself, much like Katherine in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. First, she’ll have to make amends with those she’s wronged, which leads her to Brendan, the guy she labeled with an unfortunate nickname back in the sixth grade. At first, Brendan isn’t all that receptive to Cameron’s ploy. But slowly, he warms up to her when they connect over the computer game he’s developing. Now if only Andrew would notice…

But the closer Cameron gets to Brendan, the more she sees he appreciates her personality—honesty and all—and wonders if she’s compromising who she is for the guy she doesn’t even want.” - taken from Goodreads.

When I came to enjoy about this book was Cameron Bright's journey of self-acceptance and her attempts to right past wrongs. Loosely based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, Cameron gets the idea to “tame” her personality to win over a boy. In working through her list of amends, Cameron makes new friends and soon realizes that what she thought her future would bring is not what she expected. 

Visit Emily & Austin’s website.

 

Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

 

“Today, she hates him.

It’s the last day of senior year. Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school, clashing on test scores, student council elections, and even gym class pull-up contests. While Rowan, who secretly wants to write romance novels, is anxious about the future, she’d love to beat her infuriating nemesis one last time.

Tonight, she puts up with him.

When Neil is named valedictorian, Rowan has only one chance at victory: Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle, a farewell tour of the city she loves. But after learning a group of seniors is out to get them, she and Neil reluctantly decide to team up until they’re the last players left—and then they’ll destroy each other.

As Rowan spends more time with Neil, she realizes he’s much more than the awkward linguistics nerd she’s sparred with for the past four years. And, perhaps, this boy she claims to despise might actually be the boy of her dreams.

Tomorrow…maybe she’s already fallen for him.” - taken from Goodreads.com

A lovely story about coming to terms with the end of high school and realizing what happens to be right in front of you. Told over the period of one day, Rowan Roth sees the senior class game as her last opportunity to best her rival Neil McNair. When they unexpectedly partner up to play the game, Rowan begins to see that Neil isn't the person she thought he was. A great enemies to lovers story.

Visit Rachel Lynn Solomon’s website. 

By the Book by Amanda Sellett

“As a devotee of classic novels, Mary Porter-Malcolm knows all about Mistakes That Have Been Made, especially by impressionable young women. So when a girl at her new high school nearly succumbs to the wiles of a notorious cad, Mary starts compiling the Scoundrel Survival Guide, a rundown of literary types to be avoided at all costs.

Unfortunately, Mary is better at dishing out advice than taking it—and the number one bad boy on her list is terribly debonair. As her best intentions go up in flames, Mary discovers life doesn’t follow the same rules as fiction. If she wants a happy ending IRL, she’ll have to write it herself.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book started off a little slow for me. It took a while for Mary Porter-Malcolm to meet her new friends at her new school. With English professors as parents, it's no wonder that Mary is a fan of classic novels, Jane Austen. Soon she helps her newfound friends navigate the dateable boys of Millville by creating the Scoundrel Survival Guide. When Mary finds herself falling for the number one scoundrel, Alex Ritter, this is where the book really picked up for me. So everyone knows that first impressions/appearances are not always what they seem and this is true for Mary. Another sweet rom-com that involves books.

Visit Amanda Sellett’s website.

 

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

"Two misfits. One extraordinary love."

“Eleanor is the new girl in town, and with her chaotic family life, her mismatched clothes and unruly red hair, she couldn't stick out more if she tried.

Park is the boy at the back of the bus. Black T-shirts, headphones, head in a book - he thinks he's made himself invisible. But not to Eleanor... never to Eleanor.

Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall for each other. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're young, and you feel as if you have nothing and everything to lose.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book has probably been on my TBR pile since it was first published but I have just gotten around to finally listening to the audio version. I love this book since reminded me of my own high school experiences since it does take place in 1986. It's a sweet story of first love but it's a nightmare when you learn the horrors of one character's life. The end literally broke my heart into pieces but did offer hope. I just wish the story could have continued on for years to come.

Visit Rainbow Rowell’s website.



Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali

“A marvel: something you find amazing. Even ordinary-amazing. Like potatoes—because they make French fries happen. Like the perfect fries Adam and his mom used to make together.

An oddity: whatever gives you pause. Like the fact that there are hateful people in the world. Like Zayneb’s teacher, who won’t stop reminding the class how “bad” Muslims are.

But Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, isn’t bad. She’s angry.

When she gets suspended for confronting her teacher, and he begins investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt’s house in Doha, Qatar, for an early start to spring break.

Fueled by the guilt of getting her friends in trouble, she resolves to try out a newer, “nicer” version of herself in a place where no one knows her.

Then her path crosses with Adam’s.

Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November, Adam’s stopped going to classes, intent, instead, on perfecting the making of things. Intent on keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister.

Adam’s also intent on keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father.

Alone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals.

Until a marvel and an oddity occurs…

Marvel: Adam and Zayneb meeting.

Oddity: Adam and Zayneb meeting.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This is a love story and the personal journeys of two teens that begin with a chance meeting on a flight. When their paths continue to cross over the next two weeks, Adam and Zayneb soon realize that they cannot fight their mutual attraction even as they each work to overcome personal struggles. I loved how the author wrote this in a diary-style from the two main characters while providing a satisfying ending.

Visit S.K. Ali’s website.

The Upside of Falling by Alex Light

“It’s been years since seventeen-year-old Becca Hart believed in true love. But when her former best friend teases her for not having a boyfriend, Becca impulsively pretends she’s been secretly seeing someone.

Brett Wells has it all. Being captain of the football team and one of the most popular guys in school, he should have no problem finding someone to date, but he’s always been more focused on his future than who to bring to prom. When he overhears Becca’s lie, Brett decides to step in and be her mystery guy. It’s the perfect solution: he gets people off his back for not dating and she can keep up the ruse.

Acting like the perfect couple isn’t easy though, especially when you barely know the other person. But with Becca still picking up the pieces from when her world was blown apart years ago and Brett just barely holding his together now, they begin to realize they have more in common than they ever could have imagined. When the line between real and pretend begins to blur, they are forced to answer the question: is this fake romance the realest thing in either of their lives?” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was a cute rom com about Becca Hart and Brett Wells who begin a fake relationship to make other people happy. As the fake parts start to become real, both Becca and Brett must face both past and present betrayals in order to see if the fake can move into a real relationship that they both deserve.

Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally

"A new swoon-worthy romance following a couple's love story on the same date over four years. 

Every May 7, the students at Coffee County High School take a class trip. And every year, Lulu’s relationship with Alex Rouvelis gets a little more complicated. Freshman year, they went from sworn enemies to more than friends after a close encounter in an escape room. It’s been hard for Lulu to quit Alex ever since.

Through breakups, make ups, and dating other people, each year’s class trip brings the pair back together and forces them to confront their undeniable connection. From the science museum to an amusement park, from New York City to London, Lulu learns one thing is for sure: love is the biggest trip of all." - taken from Goodreads.com

I have adored the author's Hundred Oaks series and was a bit nervous that this book wouldn't live up to my expectations. Boy, I'm so glad how wrong I was. Lulu and Alex's complicated love story is told over four years of high school but only on May 7th, the day of their annual field trip. Besides the present day, readers are given flashbacks to important events in their lives that occurred during the year.

I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed but it was the end of the day. I really hope the author writes an epilogue for everyone taking place on May 7th a few years in the future.

 

One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus (Bayview High book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, One of Us is Lying, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you. Lots of characters from the first book make appearances and play important roles in the new story.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher of the first book.

“Come on, Bayview, you know you've missed this.

A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one's been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts.

Until now.

This time it's not an app, though—it's a game.

Truth or Dare.

Phoebe's the first target. If you choose not to play, it's a truth. And hers is dark.

Then comes Maeve and she should know better—always choose the dare.

But by the time Knox is about to be tagged, things have gotten dangerous. The dares have become deadly, and if Maeve learned anything from Bronwyn last year, it's that they can't count on the police for help. Or protection.

Simon's gone, but someone's determined to keep his legacy at Bayview High alive. And this time, there's a whole new set of rules.” - taken from Goodreads.com

A year has passed since Simon tried to frame the Bayview Four. Now someone wants to utilize Simon’s plans for their own unknown purpose. Bronwyn Rojas’ younger sister Maeve, who played an integral part in solving Simon’s death in the first book, is front and center this time around. Along with her ex-boyfriend, Knox Meyers and Phoebe Lawton. The trio soon finds themselves at the center of a truth or dare game that sweeps the student body at Bayview High.

I figured out part of the mystery towards the second half but those last couple of chapters and the ending left me floored.

Visit Karen M. McManus’ website.

Throw Like a Girl by Sarah Henning

“When softball star Liv Rodinsky throws one ill-advised punch during the most important game of the year, she loses her scholarship to her fancy private school, her boyfriend, and her teammates all in one fell swoop. With no other options, Liv is forced to transfer to the nearest public school, Northland, where she'll have to convince their coach she deserves a spot on the softball team, all while facing both her ex and the teammates of the girl she punched... Every. Single. Day.

Enter Grey, the injured star quarterback with amazing hair and a foolproof plan: if Liv joins the football team as his temporary replacement, he'll make sure she gets a spot on the softball team in the Spring. But it will take more than the perfect spiral for Liv to find acceptance in Northland's halls, and behind that charming smile, Grey may not be so perfect after all.” taken from Goodreads.com

I am so glad that I picked up this book when I did. Needless to say, I found it to be magical as well as sports authentic. Liv’s family is supportive but tough and Grey is a phenomenal guy. I didn't feel like their relationship imploded in an attempt to bring drama to the story but that also maybe because I couldn't put this book down. I cannot wait to read some more from this author. 

Visit Sarah Henning’s website.

There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon (Dimple and Rishi book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! This is a companion story that takes place after When Dimple Met Rishi. While it’s not necessary to read the previous book first, I wouldn’t want to spoil any of the details for you. 

“Ashish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After he’s dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up.

The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl—under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he’ll be taking his date on “fun” excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work?

Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death.

Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.

Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there’s an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?” - taken from Goodreads.com

This companion book centers around Rishi's younger brother Ashish after his breakup with Celia that began in the first book. Not only does the author continue to focus on Indian American culture but body image and self-esteem as well. Down in the dumps over his break up, Ash decides that if his parents’ arranged relationship for his older brother has worked out, then he is willing to try it as well. When Sweetie’s mother turns down Ash’s parents’ request to date, Sweetie decided to take matters into her own hands and goes against her parents’ wishes. Once again, another sweet romance that also centers on the main characters coming into their own.

Visit Sandhya Menon’s website.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo

“Desi Lee believes anything is possible if you have a plan. That’s how she became student body president. Varsity soccer star. And it’s how she’ll get into Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds guidance in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It’s a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Steps to True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and staged car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This wasn't my favorite Maurene Goo novel but granted, I did read her newer stuff first. I love how Desi Lee believes that with the best-laid plans, anything is possible, including love. What I couldn't believe are the absolute lengths that Desi went to in order to make Luca fall for her. At times, I wanted to scream at her to stop her foolishness because it kept turning into a disaster. The best part of this story was the fact at the end that Desi learns that sometimes the best things in life don’t go according to plan.

Visit Maurene Goo’s website.