I didn’t expect a cute little YA romance book about two teens’ twitter feud over competing grilled cheeses to hit me in the feels like it did but the depth of the relationship between Pepper and her sister, the complex feelings of Jack towards his identical twin brother, and the weight of parental expectations from both families made this book so much more.

Following the various texting and Weazel conversations was a little tough but that’s really the only criticism I have for a book that totally caught me off guard.

4.5 stars and a perfect first book for February.

Tweet Cute was such an unexpected delight from start to finish. The premise was so good, and the story actually delivered on that excellent concept (which is extra impressive for a debut!). I loved all the food references, the NYC setting, the usage of and commentary on social media, and, of course, the chemistry between the two MCs. I've already recommended this one to so many people, and it's one I think is a must-read for lovers of YA contemporary.

Oh. My. <I>Word.</I> I am officially head over heels in love with this book! I might as well end my review here because I have not a single negative thing to say, and whatever follows the next period is going to be a gushing, squeeing tirade.

Alright, you've been warned.

It's rare for me to pick up a contemporary rom-com and love it so quickly, and so fiercely, from the first page. This was an entire page length of perfect adjectives all on its own. Smart. Adorable. Real. Funny. Fresh. I have never before highlighted as many lines in an e-ARC as I have this one. All of them laugh out loud lines that make me smile just thinking of them. For example:

<I>Jack blanches. "We're on Tumblr tags?"
I lower my voice. "I've seen things I can never unsee."
"God, I wish this were not my legacy."</I>

And did I mention fresh? Emma Lord has her finger on the veritable pulse of the internet, and it showed with ease and perfect timing in her writing. From Twitter to personal WordPress blogs, to Instagram and Tumblr. Even the fantastic meme usage and pop culture references in every chapter. The use of all of them is natural and entertaining and <b>spot-on</b>. Even if you put all that aside, Lord has the tone of the characters exactly right. There is no trying overly hard to be relatable. No pulling up slang from when she was in high school that no one touches with a ten-foot pole anymore. Absolutely zero cringing on my part and I am absolutely 100% delighted.

What would this review be if I didn't spend a paragraph fawning over the perfection that was the two main characters? Pepper, and Jack. <I>PepperJack.</I> Oh my lord, it should be so stupid but it's the ideal amount of quirk that brings this book home. I adored these two so very much, and like the internet, I shipped them. Pepper and Jack have a very interesting relationship dynamic. Really, it grows on several different levels that make their arcs intriguing.

One: Twitter
This book centres around their Twitter war, and for the first little while they don't know who they're tweeting at. As we know from the start, Pepper for her family's fast food restaurant, and Jack for his family's small deli. And punches are not withheld.

Two: In person
Le gasp! Face-to-face! Sacre bleu! But also so stinking' cute how the two of them jive with the other. Their constant teasing was part of what made me enjoy this so much. But their quiet moments, of when they rise above what's going on in the backgrounds of their lives and just spend time with each other was really sweet.

Three: Weazel
The anonymous chat app that Jack designed and has had the two of them paired up and talking for weeks before all of this goes down. They're just as humorous and vulnerable here as they are in person and it tied in well to the rest of the book.

This book started with a war, and it ended in an adorable way that I know will have me coming back to read it again soon.

I loved this book!!! I loved reading about the desserts and the fun banter between the characters. I liked that the dialogue was realistic and not cheesy like some YA books. A great read!

This book was absolutely everything I was looking for in a sweet, fun, YA romance! I went in not knowing much about this title, but instantly found myself in love with all these characters!

Imagine a twitter war between two competing restaurants over a recipe that the small deli is claiming is a copycat of a sandwich they have had on their menu since they were founded years and years ago. Imagine that the twitter accounts are unknowingly being manned by two high school students who both go to the same private school. Imagine those tweets going viral and the public is commenting and taking sides.

When Big League Burger creates a sandwich that is a bit of a copy of one that is served at Jack’s family deli he can’t let his grandmother’s legacy be tainted and he sends a tweet that will change his life in a lot of positive ways!

I absolutely loved how this story evolved and played out.

The chemistry between these two was just wonderfully done and ugh just thinking about it makes me want more and more. There was a bit of a twist that I wasn’t really expecting if I’m honest, but I liked it. I really liked that despite the rocky start and the anger when they initially find out each others roles in the twitter comments, they were able to talk it out and set some guidelines and not let it get too personal even if others around them really pushed for the personal.

Of course, there is some drama, but nothing completely crazy and heavy. I basically read this book with a smile pasted on my face the whole time. I loved that Pepper had her own passion even if she wasn’t entirely sure she could identify what to do with it – where is this Monster Cake recipe btw?

If you are a fan of Kasie West, Jessica Pennington or Emma Mills this book is absolutely for you! Grab it as soon as you can!

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my thoughts!

My Thoughts:

Tweet Cute was a delightful and charming read! If you are looking for a light-hearted, feel-good romance, look no further. Pepper and Jack had me smiling and giggling, like I was back in high school.

Pepper misses small town living and the family deli, where she grew up in Nashville. As the family business, Big League Burger grew, her parents grew apart and divorced. Now living in New York alone with her mom, Pepper demands perfection from herself. She gets straight A's, is in all A.P. classes, and is captain of her private school swim team. However, Pepper is lonely. She misses her older sister Paige, who is estranged from her mother, her dad who still lives in Nashville, and the life she use to have. Living in the big city is vastly different from the comforts of small town living, everyone knowing each other, and the ease of built in friendships.

Jack works hard in his family's deli, Girl Cheesing. He is tired of living in the shadow of his identical twin Ethan, who is very popular, successful in school, and expected to leave high school and do big things; while it is expected that
Jack will run the family business one day. Jack is resentful and has secret ambitions of developing apps. He anonymously develops Weazel an app where the teens from his school are paired up with another person, but identities are kept secret.

When Big League Burger steals Grandma Belly's grilled cheese sandwich recipe and posts it on twitter, Jack is outraged. He tweets a comment that ends up sparking a twitter war between him and Pepper. Pepper is pressured by her mother to post tweets on the corporate page, because she has quick and witty comebacks, while Jack, and at times Ethan, post tweets on their family business' page.

As secret pen pals on Weazel, and anonymous comments on twitter pile up, these two interact with one another all day long, and don't even know it! However, in real life Pepper and Jack start getting closer due to participating in swim captain duties for their high school.

I loved all of the interaction between Jack and pepper. It was fun, sarcastic and witty at times, sweet at times, and all around such a great time. I love #pepperjack! These two connected with one another on such a deep level, and filled emotional needs in one another. They became best friends, each other's biggest support, and I was rooting for them to figure everything out and be together!

If your looking for a super sweet, cute, fun, feel-good story, pick up Tweet Cute! It was such a delightful treat!!!

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

I don't read a lot of YA contemporary romance anymore, but this one just had a cute synopsis and a cover that caught my eye. And you know what? It was fun and totally worth the read.

Pepper attends a private school in New York where she chats with a boy she calls "Wolf" on a schoolwide phone chat app. She doesn't know that "Wolf" is actually Jack. She also doesn't know that Jack is behind the Twitter account for his family's small deli, which becomes embroiled in a social media war with Pepper's family's franchised restaurant (while Pepper is at the Twitter helm).

The story starts a little slow and awkward and it took me a hot minute to get involved in the plot. Part of that was the writing, part of that was my unfamiliarity with the genre after such a long hiatus. Once I got my sea legs, the narrative took off. The writing was light and fun and the book read quickly. Both Pepper and Jack felt realistic and I did get Gossip Girl vibes from the atmosphere, which was somewhat tongue in cheek referred to a couple of times in the narrative. I thought that was cute and clever. The supporting characters are a bit flat, but this bounces along like a good rom-com should and I enjoyed how dedicated to their families both teens were.

I did take issues with Pepper's mom and felt that she was unrealistic in her expectations for Pepper. That irritated me and maybe added a little bit of unbelievability to the plot, but I gave it a pass for the most part anyway.

There were quite a few moments that will definitely date this book in the future, as the narrative frequently references specific slang and pop culture. But I enjoyed it. It was fun to read, had a cute plot, and a good ending. It's a well-written teen romance with good family vibes and characters that were highly likable with realistic flaws.

I stan a good enemies to lover novel and this one takes the cake for the year in the young adult department! Tweet cute is a story about Pepper, a perfectionist who is the secret weapon behind the sassy twitter account of Big Burger Leagues, and Jack, a goof-ball who will do nearly anything for his family. When Jack accuses Big Burger Leagues of stealing their family recipe on Twitter, chaos ensues.

This story was more enjoyable than I had anticipated going into it! I love how easy it was to get consumed in the lives of both Jack and Pepper. I instantly connected to both our main characters in ways that I never realized I would. Their love for their family, and determination to not only see them succeed but also their own success was something that instantly connected me with them and kept me hooked to the story as it unfolded.

Lord does a great job of keeping things light all the while tackling topics relevant for the target audience, such as the super dreaded: what are you going to do after high school? I loved how we got to see the pressure that teens put on themselves to try and have that answer, and the subtle nod Lord gives on how its okay to not know.

Family is a huge portion of this novel, and I absolutely loved how Lord interweaves the family dynamic on both Pepper and Jack’s lives. I do have to mention my distaste for Pepper’s mother. In my honest opinion, that woman could choke on her burgers and I wouldn’t shed a tear. I felt like she always put the company before her kids and their needs were always a second thought, even though she claims they come first. Her interactions with Pepper and her sister Paige was aggravating as she never saw the amount of pressure she was putting on her daughters--specifically Pepper. It felt like Pepper was just another body in the company--there to make the company great, rather than being her daughter.

Like I said, the woman can choke.

All in all though, I was hooked on this love story, and I found myself on multiple occasions rooting for Pepper and Jack. Their individual and relationship development was stunning and kept me flipping the page like a mad lady to see what was happening next.

If you are looking for a fun, fluffy, enemies to lovers contemporary, I highly recommend giving this a go. It has just the right amount of romance and angst to keep things both sweet and spicy at the same time.

I really liked this. This is my favorite kind of contemporary with romance, parental conflicts and friend groups. I will admit it was a little cheesy especially at the end which I think is why it’s getting 4 stars instead of 5. I will read anything Emma Lord writes though the writing was amazing.

Tweet Cute by début author Emma Lord is one of the sweetest teen romances I have had the privilege to read in recent months. With sharp bursts of self-deprecating humor and rapid-fire bantering and turns-of-phrase, this is a book destined to rise to the top of the lists of 2020 YA novels. This is a superb début book that does not read like a first novel, but rather like something from an experienced writer. Emma Lord has a talent with words and is a persuasive storyteller. She is an author to watch.

My review: https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-tweet-cute-by-emma-lord/

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh, if you haven’t read this book yet, you absolutely need to! This was such a cute YA rom com! This book was so fun, sassy, and funny!

Two teens Pepper and Jack are stuck in a twitter war. This all happens when the fast food restaurant, Big League Burger, announces a new grilled cheese sandwich. The sandwich happens to be the exact recipe that Jack’s grandmother created years ago for their family deli.

Jack does not originally know Pepper is behind the tweeting of Big League Burger. But, when he finds out, it turns into a big twitter war! These two are typical Frenemies at first, and unfortunately are stuck sitting next to one another at class. You know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

As they start spending more time together these two start to fall for each other. They can’t help it, since they are stuck together a lot of the time due to school activities. Will they be able to put the twitter war behind them and move on?

This book was told in dual POV between Pepper and Jack, which I absolutely loved. I loved seeing the connection between these two, as time went on. This book was so cute, and had so many layers to it. If you’re a fan of YA rom coms I highly suggest this one!!

This is a strong and multilayered story with tight and lively dialogue that makes it stand out from other debut novels. Lord weaves together various arcs seamlessly: Pepper's relationship with her sister, and their relationship with their parents post-divorce; Pepper's adjustment to her new school and its competitiveness; Jack and Ethan's ambitions and relationships with each other, and with their parents -- and of course, Pepper and Jack's relationship with each other. Everything fits together so well that reading "Tweet Cute" felt like a caper and a romance all rolled into one. Perhaps what I loved most about it was how beautifully the romance plotline is integrated with Pepper and Jack's own questions about their own futures, and how it builds in who they are (social media managers, bakers, swimmers, divers, etc.)

Highly, highly recommended, and I can't wait to see more from Emma Lord in the future.

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own


It’s a sweet book, quick read. Really liked it. Fun and easy to read. Disgustingly cute and I suspect it will be one of the book on goodreads best romance/YA poll this year

I really did love this book. Once I finished reading it I had to take some time to get all of my thoughts and feeling together. I loved seeing the way that our leads teased each other while still keeping up a friendship. It was also good to see different types of families played out in this novel as well.

Overall, it was a sweet romance that I loved seeing play out in this novel.

Well, that was tons of fun! Stolen recipes and a Twitter war? I was so game for it. This was a book I totally enjoyed from start to finish. It’s something I wouldn’t hesitate recommending to any real YA (age-wise) and YA-book fan (like me, who is a 44yr stay at home mom).

* WARNING *: Tweet Cute is nothing if not completely, entirely addictive. If you have any prior commitments, including, but not limited, to schoolwork, projects, clubs, sports, and basically just life in general, DO NOT pick up this book until either 1) you choose to ignore them all like, um, I did 😂 or 2) you have 3+ hours to just sit around and enjoy the perfection that is Tweet Cute 💛

What I enjoyed:

1. The refreshing (and accurate!) use of social media. I have never read a YA book that has mastered this so well. All the banter between Girl Cheesing (the local family-run deli) and Big League Burger (a chain in line with Wendy’s & Burger King) was not only hysterical, but also really, well, believable. Furthermore, Weazel (an app Jack created which allowed teens to communicate anonymously until a random point in which their true identities are revealed to each other à la Pop Goes the Weasel), was also really unique (where can I get this app for myself???)

2. ALL THE FOOOOOOOOODDDD!!! Omg, this book made me ~so~ hungry while reading it! All of the recipes that Pepper blogged about with her big sister sounded delicious, especially MonsterCake™, which I’ve so generously included the recipe for below (and omg, I cannot *wait* for the moment in which I have the time to try this recipe out for myself! 😁)

3. The focus on family. I know a LOT of YA books (especially romance books) tend to only focus on the relationship between the two teens, and family seems to get cast off to the side. But in Tweet Cute, I would go as far as saying that it was actually more family than romance. Both Pepper and Jack were fiercely loyal to their families, and we even get a little bit of insight into the history of the feud between the two restaurants. This added depth to the storyline, and (IMHO) turned what usually would’ve been a cliché YA romance into something truly special.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book. Definitely be sure to check this one out ASAP!

*I received this book for free from Wednesday Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for asking me to be part of the blog tour!* 

As a giant fan of rom-coms, I would be lying if I said that the concept behind this book wasn't immediately appealing. I am a huge fan of You've Got Mail, so knowing that this was a take on the movie got me so excited. I am happy to tell you that my excitement was amply rewarded! This is such a cute read (I will just go ahead and apologize for how many times I will say the word cute in this review, but, I mean, what did you expect? ;) ) 

First, I enjoyed the fact that this book is based only loosely on the concept of You've Got Mail. It is its own story. I was glad that it could stand on its own, rather than basically being a replica of the movie. The fact that it is based on a twitter war, to me, made it make sense that the main characters would be teens. I really loved the fact that Pepper and Jack's lives intertwined so much, but that they largely remained ignorant to just how much. 

Speaking of Pepper and Jack, oh my goodness I loved them!! They were so darn cute, and had me squealing with joy throughout. I love a love story that has me rooting for both of the main characters equally. I really enjoyed the fact that they both had a full life aside from the slow-burn romance. The other relationships in the book provided great supporting storylines. Also, I liked the pacing of the romance. I never once felt like knocking their heads together because they were taking so long to realize how they felt...that can be difficult to achieve. Kudos to Emma Lord! (and this is her debut novel!!) 

Can we talk about the descriptions of the food in this novel?! I have never been so hungry while reading a book in my whole life! I blame this book for the vast quantities of desserts I have consumed in the past couple of weeks ;) 

If you are a fan of rom-coms, a good slow-burn romance, and cute, well-written YA contemporaries, then this is definitely the book for you! I loved it, and I hope you will too! 

(Oh, and side note: all of the descriptions of Nashville were perfection! I love seeing my city represented well in fiction :) ) 




My Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I gave Tweet Cute 5 STARS!

This was such a cute read.  It is the story of Pepper and Jack and their lives as high school seniors helping their parents with their major businesses on twitter.  This is a classic frenemy tale (and I hope one day is optioned for a movie...someone let Netflix know this would be a GREAT movie for them) and I love how it all plays out.

Not only do Pepper and Jack end up getting wound in to a twitter war on behalf of their parents, they are also navigating their senior year of high school and all that goes with it.  Mind you, they both to go a private elite high school; however, this book is not written in a snotty manner, no, they are actually real, down to earth kids.  Thank you Emma Lord!  For me, there was nothing unrealistic about this book.  I guess you could argue that these kids are all talking about the colleges they're applying to and they're all Ivy League, but that's it.

This was just such a cute and innocent story...WITH AN EPILOGUE!  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!  We see where all the characters involved in the book end up after a year.  Would I call this a romance novel as well?  No.  There is some slight romance, more flirting than anything.  It really just was an all around great, well written novel you could sink your teeth into and read in a day.  This book was like opening a can of pringles...one you start, you can't stop.

5 stars.  What?  5 stars.  This is probably one of the BEST young adult novels I have read in a long time.  Without giving too much away there is just so much you want to know and how things unfold in their lives...who wins the twitter war?  What happens with Pepper and Jack?  What is all about this crazy app that a high school student made?  I know...you're curious now aren't you.  Don't let the young adult genre fool you, this was a great book and you won't regret reading it!

I LOVED this book. Pepper and Jack were such great characters. Normally I struggle to read YA, but Emma Lord does such a great job of reminding you what it’s like to come into your own and beginning to think like an adult while still dealing with the struggles of being a teenager.

This book was sooo cute! I have to say, I really enjoyed the relationship between Pepper and Jack, and how both Twitter and the Weazel app played an important part in the development of their relationship. I loved the scenes where they start to battle through Twitter, and the chemestry these two characters had was perfection. However, the one thing I didn't like was the parental unit of both the main characters, Pepper's mom attitude was so infuriating that it made dislike parts of the book. Overall, this is a great/cute love story that I would highly recommend.