No one does awkward teenage moments as good as Becky Albertalli. She makes me want to live in her novels and be one of her characters. The Upside to Unrequited is one of her earlier novels that I have left far too long on my bookshelf. It is a gorgeous story about finding your place and knowing that growing up isn't a race.

Our protagonist, Molly, struggles with the burgeoning changes going on around her - mainly the relationship that her twin sister Cassie has found herself in. Molly feels like she can't keep up and with the added pressure of Cassie trying to set her up with a boy just for the sake of it Molly is rightly feeling discombobulated. However, when she meets Reid she may have just found the ying to her yang. But will her socially awkward self be able to follow this through?

Albertalli deals with so many conscientious issues such as LGBTQIA+ rights, mental health, relationships in such a beautiful way. She curates the stories which both seamlessly weave these issues into the plot and makes them seem completely unremarkable which highlights how remarkable and important they are. I, for one, am here for that kind of story telling. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli is available now.

For more information regarding Becky Albertalli (@beckyalbertalli) please visit www.beckyalbertalli.com

For more information regarding Penguin Random House UK Children's (@penguinrandom) please visit www.penguinrandomhouse.com.

Really liked Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, but just didn’t warm to this one as much, and feel like maybe the world didn’t need to be expanded upon this much.

This is the cutest easy read I've had in my hands for a long time. I LOVED it! I could barely stop myself from reading even at 2 am.

Cute and representative perfection: fat-positive and with varied LGBT characters. This is a cheery read with some uplifting yet serious messages.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

I have such mixed feelings about The Upside of Unrequited. I like Becky's writing so cant fault that one little bit. However, even though I went in knowing it was romance/contemporary, I still found that I just couldn't connect with any character or the plot line. Maybe I just read this book in the wrong time in my life, and younger Allison would have enjoyed it much more. I have read other reviews online and it seems there are very mixed views so I think this book hugely appeals to those who enjoy this genre a little more.

The author writes authentically about what it’s like being a teen, all self-centred and constantly with crushes on unobtainable boys, but I found myself seriously disliking Molly’s twin sister. She is just horrible! I didn’t really find anything to like about Mina or Will and Max either. There is a lot of diversity, and that’s great, but this didn’t grab my interest quite the way it seems to have many other readers. I haven’t read Albertalli’s earlier book, which is apparently much better, so I will give that a try.

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

My rating: 4/5

Albertalli never disappoints! She makes me love everything she writes and I love her characters & getting the experience their journeys. Loved this story would definitely recommend

I only read Simon Vs. a short while ago but I loved Becky’s writing. I’m ashamed to admit that The Upside of Unrequited has been on my Kindle for well over a year and I’ve only just read it but I am SO glad that I did. I adored this book. Molly is such a fantastic protagonist and it was refreshing to read a story about a fat character whose story is not about the fact she is fat. In fact this is very much a love story for Molly and I loved every moment of it. There were certainly parts that made my heart ache, especially between Molly and Cassie but the majority of the time my little heart was singing with joy. Becky Albertalli is definitely on my list of ‘auto-buy authors’ now!

It's taken me quite a while to read The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli, despite thinking it sounded really good. This is mainly because I was a little disappointed with her debut novel, Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda. So I dithered, until recently. And now I wish I had picked it up much sooner, because this book is perfect. I have a hell of a lot to say about this book, so be warned: this review is likely to be pretty long.

Molly has had 26 crushes in her life, and nothing came of any of them, because she never did anything about it. Why? Because she's fat, and fat girls always get rejected, so what's the point? But when her twin sister ends up falling head over heels for Mina, Molly feels like they're drifting apart. They're so close, but now Molly feels like she's being forgotten. So when it seems like there's a faint possibility Mina's cute friend Will may like Molly, too, she decides not to be careful any more. It looks like it might be possible this time, so why not go for it? And as he's best friends with Mina, it'll mean not losing Cassie so much. But Molly is getting on really well with her co-worker, geeky, sweet Reid. It's so easy with him, and he's cute - even if he does where a lot of Game of Thrones and Tolkien t-shirts. Molly suddenly realises she's crushing on Reid, too. And there's more than a faint possibility that he might like her back. But Reid won't help her get her sister back.

This book is absolutely wonderful. Yes, it's a sweet, funny, cute romance, and just so adorable, but it's also a lot more than that. At least it is so for me. I related to Molly so much more than I ever expected to. Molly has issues about her weight. Or rather, other people have issues about her weight. All her life she has had people comment and insult her. Her Grandma Betty tells her she should go on a diet, a random boy tells her she's gorgeous for a heavy girl, and when she was younger, she was picked on for it. Some people, especially her Grandma, are well-meaning, but they don't realise just how much their words hurt. And I really got that. Some context: I look nothing like Molly. Instead, from the age of 14 to 28, I was the other end of the scale; due to a fast metabolism, I was underweight - super skinny. Gaining weight was a struggle, losing weight was super easy, so I had to be very careful when it came to eating. And, like with Molly, people always felt the need to comment. Random old ladies on the street loud-whispering "She's so skinny!" with disgust in their voice. Random guy in the pub saying, "You need to put on some weight, girl!" At a publishing event, where we're discussing the cover of a book, and the girl on the cover's skinniness is brought up - a girl who looks exactly like me, frame and size-wise, and the woman sitting right next to me says, "She's doesn't even look attractive." An older family member telling me they wouldn't be surprised if I died before they did. So I knew exactly what Molly was feeling - even though I fully acknowledge that, even with all the grief I got, my size was still more socially acceptable than being fat*, which is such crap.

I've read a number of books where the main characters were fat, and they also got grief for it, but there's a difference with The Upside of Unrequited. And the other books, most of the main characters had negative body image, so the focus was specifically on what they looked like, and how they felt about it. But with The Upside of Unrequited, it's not Molly's body that's the problem, it's what other people think about her size, and how they seem to think it's ok to comment on her body. Sure, what's said affects how she sees herself, but she doesn't actually hate herself because of her size; it's other people's comments that truly sting. And I cannot tell you how much I related to her. Reading this book brought back some painful memories, and my heart broke for Molly and for teenage me, but I also felt like I could cry in relief, because someone actually gets it. Someone knows how that feels, and there's validation in that.

And then there's the romance side of things, which actually relates. People's comments affect the way Molly sees herself, and how she sees herself affects how she's unable to comprehend the idea that a guy could find her attractive. And I got this, too. I never had a boyfriend when I was a teenager, and I feared one of the reasons why was because of how I looked. I just wasn't what was attractive. Curvy is what is attractive, and I have never been curvy. I more resembled a pencil. I completely understood why Molly found it really hard to imagine that anyone could find her attractive. And how hard it was for her to see other people coupling up - and seeming to drift away from her - when they seem to find it so easy, when people always fancy them, when it seems like the same for her is a complete impossibility. There's such great sadness and loneliness in that. So when it seems like there are two guys who are into her? As she is? Without changing? She can't quite believe it. And it was so, so wonderful to see her slowly come to realise that maybe she isn't unattractive, that guys might actually like her. Seriously, it made me so blood happy, it brought tears to my eyes. And I was rooting for one of those guys so much! Oh, it was just completely, completely beautiful. And it just made me feel so hopeful, for those teens who felt like I did, like Molly does that they'll realise you don't have to fit ridiculous, impossible beauty standards to be beautiful. That they are already enough as they are. And there are those who will fancy them, even if they think there won't be - not that that's anywhere near as important as them realising that they are enough already, without a girl/boyfriend telling them so, but just to believe that it's possible... I know this book would have meant the world to me, and I believe it will do for teens today.

I want to talk about mental illness for a moment. Molly has anxiety, but this isn't a story that is about Molly having anxiety. She just happens to have anxiety. I know there are some people who don't like the idea of characters who "just happen to be X minority", because your marginalisations are a massive part of who you are. And I get that. I, too, have anxiety, and though it doesn't define who I am, it is a huge part of my life, even when I'm doing ok; even if months go by where I'm not anxious, there's still the part of me, who thinks of myself as a ticking time bomb, who is quietly scared of when I will next go off. But the point is, there are times when people with mental illness do ok. You can't cure a mental illness, but you can get better. Most of books that feature mental illness are during a time when the main character is in the grips of their mental illness, and they mostly end on a hopeful note, that they can get better. The Upside of Unrequited actually shows a character while they are better. Molly has to take medication every day, there are mentions of past panic attacks, and decisions whether she should drink alcohol or not, as she's not supposed to with her medication, but she's mostly pretty much fine throughout the book. Taking her medication is like brushing her teeth, it's so normal, and something she doesn't even really think about. And it's so refreshing to see a character with mental illness who is doing ok, and so important! Because it shows those with mental illness that you can be ok, and also shows those who don't have it that people with mental illness are not really any different from them, that we're not crazy or unstable, we just have an illness, and it doesn't have to/always rule our lives. And I love that!

And while we're on the subject of marginalised groups, The Upside of Unrequited is so diverse! Molly has anxiety, as we know, and is Jewish, as is most of her family. Her sister, Cassie is gay, and they have two mums; Patty is bisexual, and Nadine is gay, and also black - and so Molly's extended family on Nadine;s side are also black, and her little brother, Xavier, is biracial. Cassie's girlfriend, Mina, is pansexual and Korean American. And Reid is also Jewish. There are probably other characters who I am forgetting, too. And at first, it seemed rather odd. I questioned why I thought it was so odd, because it's obviously not unrealistic, and then I started to panic, "Do I only know people like me?!" But when I thought about it, I remembered that in my family alone, there are people with mental illnesses, there are people of colour, and people from the LGBTQ* community. I could list a number of people I know from different marginalised groups. So it wasn't my privilege or my social circle. And I realised the reason why it seemed so odd is because I'm not used to seeing this much diversity in a young adult novel. When reading diverse novels, there's maybe one marginalised group that is focused on, and maybe one or two secondary characters from other marginalised groups. I can't really think of many other novels that have such a diverse cast of characters, like The Upside of Unrequited. And I think that's a problem, because it quite clearly is realistic to have a range of different people in your social circle, so why aren't our books just as diverse?

I've probably gone on enough, but The Upside of Unrequited is such an fantastic novel! And it affected me so much more than I could possibly say. I went to bed after finishing it, and just laid there for ages thinking about this book, how it's just so wonderful, and I must admit I did have a little happy cry. I so wish The Upside of Unrequited was out when I was a teenager, because it would have made all the difference to me. But I'm so, so happy it's out now, that it will hopefully find it's way into the hands of a teenager who needs it. The Upside of Unrequited is such an incredible novel, and I am so excited to read Leah on the Offbeat, when it comes out in May.

*I'm using "fat" here as a descriptor, like Molly does, not an insult. "Fat" itself is not derogatory, it's the way it's used that's derogatory.

Thank you to Puffin via NetGalley for the eProof.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. This may take a while, cause there are so many! Firstly, I love the fat rep, okay? Okay. It is important to me as a person who is fat herself. We’re always made to feel less about ourselves everywhere. About how maybe we should eat less or give up desserts or maybe start exercising. Ever think of the fact that maybe we’re doing all that and we’re still fat? Or the fact that we don’t want to do that stuff cause we’re happy just the way we are? And, not just outsiders, our own family members do this so many times. I loved how it was handled in this story. Molly’s grandma has issues with the fact that she is fat and she’s always telling her to get thin. That scene was where I felt the most represented. Those 5 minutes of reading that one scene made me tear up because then, it wasn’t Molly who was being spoken to. It was me. Like, being thin was so much more important than being a nice human being, a person with hopes and dreams and wishes. Everything about me was just reduced to the fact that I’m fat and my grandma thought that that wouldn’t do. I actually have no words to describe how much that one scene meant to me. Thank you, Becky, for writing this.

Okay. Moving on, now that I have blabbered about my love for fat rep in this book, the next thing I adored was the friendships! There’s sibling friendship and long distance friendship and just friendship in general and I adored it. One of my best friends stays in another city, so I totally get the struggle. And, of course, there’s my hoard of internet friends who actually live across the world in America. Don’t get me started on how difficult it is juggling different time zones. Anywho, Molly is such a good friend. I love that despite whatever is going on in her life, she’s always there for her friends and listening to them. It’s important. All these YAs where the main leads just forget about their friends after they meet each other make me so mad. I mean, I would never forget my friends because of one boy (or girl) who might not even be in my life next month. So, I loved the portrayal of friendships in this. So good. I need to thank Becky again for writing such beautiful friendships!

Okay. Now the characters. Molly is just so amazing. I really identify with her on a lot of levels. Apart from the fat rep that I talked about earlier, there are so many other things. She’s had so many crushes but she hasn’t ever been in a relationship or even been kissed. She’s sweet and cute and really awkward. I love that. She’s happy in the happiness of those around her and that is really commendable. It is one of the things that I love most about her. And that she’s a Pinterest Queen. I aspire to achieve Molly Peskin – Suso level of amaze when it comes to Pinterest. One day, I shall achieve it.

Then, there’s Reed. GOD! The love I have for that boy. He is so cute! And with his fandom tees and his white sneakers, he just stole my heart. I love him! He’s a great, great love interest. I love how he’s always making Molly laugh and how he always tries his best to make her comfortable, right from the first time they meet. That’s a good thing. And, he’s obsessed with chocolate. Lots of brownie points for this guy for everything he does. He’s so sweet. And he’s this insecure cinnamon roll at times but I love how Molly is always there to reassure him. That’s what friends are for!

Will. He was a good character and he made me laugh plenty, but I didn’t really like him as a love interest for Molly, mainly because I thought they had zero chemistry. It might have been because so much of their interaction was forced, because their best friends were dating and they were thrown together in the hopes that if they started dating too, things would be awesome for said best friends. It was handled really delicately throughout the book and I loved how the whole thing was brought to it’s conclusion.

And, Cassie. Okay, let me tell you that for the longest time, I hated Cassie. Her and Molly were so good in the beginning, but the minute Cassie started dating Mina, it was like she changed. Molly had such a hard time adjusting after that because her twin didn’t seem to care about her anymore. Cassie pushed Will on Molly at every chance she got without even asking Molly if Molly liked him. She seemed to have decided that being with Will would be great for Molly and she thought that Will was someone who was actually a good match for her. She didn’t spend much time with Molly after that happened either and I didn’t like that at all. But, in the end when Molly and Cassie finally had the heart to heart and apologized for a fight which had happened days before, I understood Cassie a lot better and it was just great.

The moms were so awesome. I absolutely adored them! They’re so cool and just amaze! I want parents like that. Gosh, they’re the best! <33333

Okay, so yes. Bottom line. Awesome story, awesome writing and awesome characters. Go read this ASAP because you need this in your life!

I reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.

Book Review:

After reading Simon Vs the Homosapien Agenda, I was eagerly awaiting the release of Becky Albertalli's newest release which did not disappoint. The Upside of Unrequited was a cute and diverse read that everyone should read especially this summer.

The fact that Simon Vs was so good, questions were raised about how good this one would be especially after the rave reviews but obviously, I loved this book. The characters were so diverse and I loved Molly to pieces and really related to her especially seeing an overweight character being respected so well. The unrequited crushes aspect of the book also intrigued me and kept me hooked and made me eager to see if Molly would finally get a break. The fact that there were also cameos from Simon Vs character also added to the story for me and I really liked it.

The Verdict:

The Upside of Unrequited was a really great contemporary read that was diverse and I highly recommend it.

Molly has had 26 crushes. 26 Crushes but no boyfriends. When twin sister, Cassie, gets a girlfriend with a new set of friends, Molly meets Will. At the same time, Molly also meets co-worker Reid. The Upside of Unrequited follows Molly as she decides to be less careful around boys and we see her develop a brand new crush.

One of the big points is that the characters are so diverse. Molly and her family are Jewish. She has two Moms. Her twin sister, Cassie, is dating a pan-sexual, Korean-American. Molly and siblings are sperm donor babies. Molly is fat, but this book doesn't make her change that or make her ill. There's probably a couple of other diverse factors as well.

I wanted to read The Upside of Unrequited because it was being hyped up by a lot of people. I hadn't fully looked into when I requested but I soon realised it was a YA Romance book. As the romance was the main plot point throughout the book, this didn't annoy me as romance as a subplot does. The romance was also written slowly and realistically. It was quite sweet and didn't have any annoying tropes that some writers use.

I personally didn't think it lived up to the hype. I enjoyed it, it was a decent book. The diversity was definitely a selling point. But the actually story and premise wasn't life-changingly fantastic. Some of the 'Crushes' that Molly previously had seemed strange. It was more of a 'Molly found a guy attractive and Cassie wont let her forget it' kind of thing for a couple of them.

It did have a lot of good points within though. There were discussions about sex between characters where really good points were made. The grandmother is shown to be stereotypically less understanding, but does learn throughout the book that some of the things she says aren't politically correct or are hurtful.

The Upside of Unrequited is a very quick book to read. I read it over two sittings and it's a very enjoyable book. I did find that I wasn't particularly routing for certain things to happen. I just wasn't emotionally invested in the characters. I also felt like there wasn't a big 'thing' that happened within the book. The book led to a big event but it wasn't very climactic in how it was set out. This kind of made the book less exciting.  

A problem I had was with the texts within the book. It could just be my copy - but it wasn't clear who was sending the text and sometimes I had to reread because I didn't even realise it was a text. Can someone let me know if the paperback/hardback makes it clearer when and who is texting?

Set in Washington, D.C., THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED follows the summer story of 17-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso, who has had 26 unrequited crushes (and counting!). Molly considers herself the opposite of her fraternal twin sister, Cassie. But things begin to change when Cassie gets a new girlfriend who comes with a new possible boyfriend for Molly. But Molly might have co-worker, Reid, in her mind instead.

I think if I had to sum up this one book in one word it would be cute. The Upside is the second book from Simon vs. author Becky Albertalli and it's just as fun and adorable as its predecessor. If you loved the humor and pace of Simon vs., you'll definitely get the same feeling from The Upside. Similar to Simon Vs., Becky's writing is simple and easy, everything is kept light and hilarious.

Unrequited is about different relationships, while focused on romance, it also includes familial ones and Molly is, easily, a relatable lead. She's super cute and witty, I found myself rooting her from the very beginning. Becky Albertalli knows how to write awkward moments and happy scenes that create true-to-life scenarios that make this cast of characters feel so real.

Speaking of the cast of characters, rarely do I read a book where I would happily read a novel of each separate characters. From Molly's mothers, who are strict and loving while they might not get it all the time, they're clearly caring parents who will do anything for their children to dorky Reid, short stories of just him working in his parents' store would make me happy. Looking back at the story now, I've realised how much Becky has packed into this novel but it never once felt overwhelming. It all felt natural following Molly's story, but also her sister's and her friends and family.

I think what got me the most was the fat representation in this book. I loved it and I saw myself in it. While I didn't personally relate 100% when Molly spoke about her crushes but when it came to her body image, I could relate so much.

Overall, The Upside of Unrequited is a fun and enjoyable read, dealing with multiple issues faced by teenagers and portrays them in such a positive way.

A gorgeous story of dorks in love, with Becky's trademark humour, relatability and deepfelt emotion. I loved Reid and Molly's connection and nervous approaches. Plus the family relationships which build a complex and real sense of belonging and companionship.

I should start off by saying I did not read “Simon Vs. the Homosapien Agenda” before I read this book. I feel as though because of this I did miss out on the cameos from “Simon Vs.” that are included in this book. I would highly recommend that you do read “Simon Vs.” before going into this book, you will be able to spot the cameos and understand them a lot more. I will certainly be re-reading once I have read “Simon Vs.”

I now understand why a lot of people adore Becky Albertalli’s work. Her writing feels very authentic and genuine. “The Upside of Unrequited” is an extremely diverse book. I feel that a lot younger adult books are diverse now-a-days. But still a lot of young adult books aren’t diverse. This isn’t the case when it comes to this book. The main character Molly is Jewish and from a mixed-raced family, there is a Korean-American side character. This book also includes underrepresented body types. Molly is fat and has anxiety which she takes medication for. Molly’s twin sister Cassie is a lesbian and likes a Korean-American pansexual. Molly and Cassie are sperm-donor babies and have two mums. I adored the fact that Molly holds her relationship with her family so highly. It was lovely to read a story when the main character was so concerned about her relationship with her family, specifically with her sister.

Molly is a lovely character to read about. She might get self-conscious but she loves herself for who she is. Cassie just seems like an awesome sister. Their mums are extremely funny but also amazing parents and I loved that the family dynamic is a huge part of the story. Their Grandma, although she says some hurtful things, has good intentions. There are a lot of other awesome characters such as Oliva who has blue-streaked hair and her horrible dating experience with Evan Schulmeister brings up some interesting feminist conversations. Also, Reid the nerd that Molly works with who is a huge Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones fan.

This book also had an incredibly realistic portrayal of teenagers. They lie to their parents, they talk about relationships, they over-exaggerate and get jealous. They panic over your typical teenage things, they underage drink. It didn’t make being a teenager seem like the perfect walk in the park. The teenagers in this book are shown in a way that is very true to real-life which I enjoyed.

The story itself has quite a basic plot of finding your place in the world and new relationships. But Molly’s hilarious narration and how realistic the book felt made this book an incredible read.

I didn’t feel completely emotionally invested in the story. This has absolutely nothing to do with the plot, characters, messages expressed or Becky Albertalli’s writing as I did enjoy every aspect of the book. I feel it is just one of those books that you read extremely quickly because of how much you enjoy it and leave the story entertained. So, not being fully emotionally invented isn’t a bad thing.

Overall, I highly recommend “The Upside of Unrequited”. It is a fast read for sure. The book contains a lot of positive and wonderful messages which is why I cannot recommend it enough. I feel as though this book will speak to a variety of readers so I am recommending it to everyone. I’m sure that this book is going to be one of my favourites of 2017!

Thank you to Becky Albertalli, Penguin Random House UK Children’s and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book tells the story of the 16 y/o Molly. She's 'big' and doesn't like that about herself. She introvert and will not ever be seen dancing on a table at a party - or at a party in general. I have to admit that I found Molly hard to understand at first. She was super insecure, doubted literally everything and doubter everything forever. Her thoughts were a bit depressive and her stream of thoughts never stopped. I gave me a bad feeling: Becky, please, I was so hopeful about this book! You now may wonder why I gave this title four stars while I really struggled with the first couple of pages. Well... let me explain this.

In the beginning of the book I had a really hard time identifying with Molly. I'm super tall (5"11) and 'skinny', I'm always do before I think (except from when I have to choose a chocolate flavor) and I do like dancing on tables (even when I'm sober). So no, I couldn't really identify with Molly, but I now know that that's okay. I just have to get over it and open up my mind to the book. And that worked. I tried seeing the world through Molly's eyes and started to understand why she's so doubtful and why some things weren't as easy for her as they were for other people. Yes, I wanted to kick her in the butt sometimes, but I started to appreciate her more. I noticed a strong character development as well, so that's a good thing. Molly grew and she got more confident on the go.

So even though I couldn't identify with Molly which caused me to struggle through the first few chapters, Becky's writing style was still very well done. I've been a fan of her since Simon and now even more. She's grown as well. Her writing style is even better than in the first book. Combine that with me finally understanding Molly, and there you have it: a book to binge!

The storyline was one of the stronger points of the books. Even though the story isn't very original (girl and two crushes), it was still written from an interesting POV and I was looking forward to what would happen next all the time while reading it. Everything seemed logical, except for a few 'coincidental' things, but that is a characteristic for YA books. In the beginning it seemed like Molly's driving through life by the people around her, but that took a term at the end of the book and Molly came out a stronger person. I liked that. I cheered for Molly!

On social media, Becky explained that The Upside is a story she wrote from her own experiences and noted that that could be different for every person. Everybody has their own experiences and handles them differently. I thought it was great for Becky to post that on social media. I feel like she has a great point. Becky has always been good at discussing issues, and she did that in The Upside as well. Ze introduces her readers to subject they may have never really thought of.

The Upside of Unrequited is a surprising fresh story. It took some time to get into it, but it was worth it. Becky is getting better at writing and the book made me laugh out loud a thousand times. It reminded me of my own high school classes. The Upside is a MUST READ and it will stay with you for a while.

I really enjoyed reading this book, but I do struggle to give it five, or even four, stars for a few reasons. However, let's start on some positives.

I really liked all the characters, they were diverse and I loved all of the relationships between them. The book may have a focus on romance, but there is also a heavy focus on the value of family which I really appreciated. I also liked the writing a lot, it kept me interested and I just wanted to keep reading, even when I had to put it down.

On the other hand, the characters were actually why I cannot rate this book five stars. They felt kind of flat. Molly is our main character and we get to know her really well, but it felt very repetitive because it seemed that we were constantly being reminded of all these crushes and how she longs for a boyfriend and I found it pretty boring.

With the rest of the characters, we don't see much about them really aside from their relationship status. E.g. Cassie, Molly's twin sister, we hear about her and Mina and her relationship with her sister, but we don't really see much of her interests and it's similar for other characters like Abby and for a long time it was the same for Olivia. It felt a bit like the only thing significant about these characters was that they were in relationships. Even with Reid, what we know about him seemed like a way just to differentiate him from Molly's other crushes, rather than a way to show us who he is.

I did enjoy reading this book, but I also cannot ignore that it didn't consistently keep me interested for the above reasons and as a result I rate this 3/5.

I loved everything about this book. Molly is so much like me it made me think the book was written about me. The characters are widely diverse and they each had their own personality and were so well written it made the story feel even more alive. The love story was so adorable and it just made me feel so happy inside.