5*
Wes is the boy-next-door who has taken pleasure in annoying Liz since they were children. It’s pretty obvious from the start that he’s using the tried and true method of all little boys who want to get a girl’s attention. However, it isn’t until Michael (her girlhood crush) moves back to town and Liz bribes Wes to help her get Michael to ask her to prom that she begins to see Wes in a new light. When they decide to fake a relationship to get Michael to notice her, it’s inevitable that real feelings will surface. Is it possible that Wes was the right one all along?
This is a sweet, sweet enemies-to-lovers YA romance that deals with Liz’s prolonged grief over losing her mother at a young age and the unconscious way she dresses like her mom and imagines life and love to be like the rom-coms they enjoyed together. (This same relationship mirrors the adult one in Waiting for Tom Hanks.) It’s also about friendship and the pleasure of discovering someone who sees and admires the real you. There’s so much to recommend this debut novel, and Painter’s sophomore effort will be hotly anticipated by teens who love romances. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Simon & Schuster BYR through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
No comments:
Post a Comment