Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This was very very deep. It dove into trauma from sexual assault, and while it was lighthearted, i’d recommend checking out the trigger warnings first. It’s definitely a book i would recommend reading though, it’s interesting and SO so so insightful!

A growing up story is always great to dive into, a lot of what Libby goes through reminds me a lot of me at that age. This is a great book for kids to grasp and learn about the different scenarios lived by others. Loved the character development and the flow of the story.

This book was pretty good. I enjoyed reading it and it was just as i expected. I also really like the cover design as well.

I expected to like this book but I'm not sure I expected to like it as much as I did. While it is fun and lighthearted at times, this book handles some really heavy topics. It covers how we process and deal with sexual assault, harassment, mental illness, and more. I recommend the book highly but go into it knowing your limits and what you're comfortable reading. Content warnings are important for this novel, for sure. Themes like victim shaming, bullying, racism, depression, gaslighting, and toxic parental relationships can be really hard to read about, but I thought they were handled well in this novel.

Was not sure what to expect from this book and wow I really loved it! While the tone is light-hearted, the book delves into sexual assault, harassment, mental health, consent, victim blaming, and rape culture and how difficult it is to process and work through the trauma caused from it. Highly recommend!

I had a grimace on my face for the entire book. It was like a really bad after school special, incredibly dialogue heavy, lacking in depth and nuance, but with a very troubling handling of the father’s obvious mental illness, rape and sexual harassment, and a crowbarred in dose of racism at the end to cover all the bases. Two stars feels generous, do not recommend.

HE MUST LIKE YOU
By Danielle Younge-Ullman

He Must Like You follows Libby, a high schooler whose life is falling apart and spiraling in a fast pace. Imagine getting asked to move out so that your room can be rented out for AirBNB by your dad, you have a waitressing job and you are getting sexually assaulted as you are saving up for college, and a hook up with a co-worker, oh my – what more can happen for Libby.
In this hilarious and lighthearted approach to serious topics, I thought that Younge-Ullman wrote the character of Libby incredibly well making this book such a delight to read, and I really enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I am really a fan of Younge-Ullman’s smart and relatable characters.
I highly recommend for you to check out this book!

I’m on a YA kick at the moment and this was another great read. HE MUST LIKE YOU is a contemporary YA book featuring Libby, a senior in high school, whose life is falling apart. Her parents have recently informed her that she has to move out once she graduates and that the college fund they’d saved for her is gone. On top of that, she has a pretty confusing sexual experience with one of her coworkers, and at work she has to deal with an influential local businessman who harrasses all of the female servers. You can’t really blame her when she’s pushed over the edge one night and dumps a pitcher of sangria all over said businessman, but then she’s forced to manage the fallout of her actions in a small town where people like to gossip.

I thought this was a really interesting and engaging read. The author explores family relationships, rape culture, and consent and discusses how confusing sexual experiences can be, especially when you’re a teenager. I certainly didn’t learn about this stuff in high school and I really wish I had. We see Libby learn that sexual assault and harrassment can take many different forms and it’s a painful realization.

What I loved most about Libby is that she really comes into her own throughout this story. She breaks down, but then she seeks help to confront her problems, and that’s such a brave thing to do. I thought Libby was really believable as a character thanks to the writing. I felt like the author was able to capture that teenager essence.

This book deals with difficult subjects, but I thought the author handled the discussion around consent with care and nuance. I imagine reading about Libby’s experiences could help someone who’s in a similar situation, and I’m glad this book exists.

Please go read this book it was amazing. I started bawlin near the end of it. This goes through what is considered consent and what is not, which was very educational. This also shows how servers are harassed. It was an amazing book

TW: mistreatment/harassment of servers, r*pe, s3xual assau1t, s3xual harassm3nt, PTSD, abusiv3 family, d3pression

Libby is in her senior year of highschool, trying to earn enough money through her waitressing job to make it to college next year. Her father is threatening to kick her out to start his own Air BnB after her brother abandoned the fmaily to bartend in Greece and to make things even more complicated, she hooked up with one of her coworkers, Kyle. Then when she loses her temper after a particularly handsy customer won't stop badgering her, she has to re-evaluate her plans and hopes of leaving her small town.

I liked this a lot more than I originally thought I would! It dives into some pretty serious topics such as mental health, sexual harrassment and assault, consent, victim blaming, and rape culture in a very lighthearted way that isn't too heavy. I loved how the writing didn't come off as preachy in any way, as I often find many books on these topics do. I really liked Libby as a main character and found her to be extremely relatable. I loved her humour and I was definitely cheering her on and wishing the best for her the entire time I was reading her story. I absolutely adored the side characters of Libby's friend group. They were so supportive of her and everything she was going through. I also really enjoyed the side story of her father's declining mental health, but do wish we got to see the outcome of what happened with that.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and I'm definitely intrigued to read more of this author's work in the future!

What a difficult yet powerful read!

Libby has found herself in hard situations, and is forced to grow up much faster, which just pulled at my heartstrings so much.

Trauma from sexual assault is at the base of this book and yet is told in an approachable way.

Loved it so much!

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the free copy. All opinions are my own

This book was infuriating! I have to recognize that the way Daniella Younge-Ullman wrote this story was clearly on purpose. It's meant to piss off the reader from the various situations our main character Libby is thrown into. It was very well done. I also absolutely loved all of the restaurant talk. Being a server is fun and insane and comes with having to learn how to set boundaries with strangers and knowing that you have back up from your coworkers and management if things go downhill. Again, very well done.

The one thing I wish we could have had more clarity on is what is going on with the father in the story. I felt like there was not enough closure for the family in regards to the situation that we read about from the various anger isues to the spoilery situation that I won't go into detail on.

Trigger Warnings:
sexual assault
sexual harrassment
emotional abuse
undiagnosed mental health issues

DNF
I couldn’t get into this one. I personally had a difficult time connecting with the main character. It just wasn’t for me.

If you feel like your life is a dumpster fire, please read about Libby and feel like you’re not alone. After her parents declare they’re going to rent out her room when she graduates high school AND that they’re no longer paying for college after her brother dropped out and moved to Greece, Libby gets a job at a local restaurant to start making a dent in the money that she’ll need for living expenses and school. One epically terrible and suggestive customer later (read: blatant sexual assault) and Libby has a viral video circulating of her dumping a pitcher of sangria on the town’s beloved hero.

This book is honestly a PSA about sexual harassment wrapped in contemporary fiction, but it’s done SO WELL! There were a lot of cringeworthy moments and Libby’s dad is the worst, but it was all so PURPOSEFUL and at the same time didn’t feel like the author’s agenda detracted from the entertainment value of the book. I definitely recommend this book to girls & boys, women & men of ALL ages; it’s information you SHOULD learn in school, but probably didn’t.

He Must Like You is equal parts a book about feminine rage and a love letter to every girl who has ever been forced to work in the service industry. Seventeen-year-old Libby is having a bad senior year–she’s just learned that she’ll have to put herself through college because her parents are afraid of spoiling her, and she faces eviction upon graduation so that her parents can rent out her bedroom via Air B&B to pay off their unjustifiable debts. He Must Like You is a bit over-the-top and there were definitely times where I wanted to shake Libby’s parents and ask them what the hell they’re doing with their lives, but Libby herself is such a fun character. She’s snarky, a bit cynical, and brutally honest, so her narration was entertaining to read. Libby secures a job at a local restaurant so that she can start saving up for college and an apartment, and as someone who was also forced to get an entry-level service job in high school, I felt so seen. My parents forced me to start working in grocery at age 16 because heaven forbid I became a “spoiled millennial” (I’m actually an old gen Z, but I digress), and like Libby, I soon faced low-level sexual harassment. In He Must Like You, Libby and the other waitresses at her workplace have to deal with harassment from regular customer Perry, who also happens to be a local hero and Libby’s mom’s boss.

When I was in high school, I always wondered why teen books, movies, and shows rarely, if ever, portrayed characters in a part-time, unskilled labor job setting. I soon learned that it was because I was in the minority there, but still I appreciate that Younge-Ullman decided to spotlight the realities of being a young woman working in the service industry. Even if our well-meaning parents make us take up those jobs because they “build character”, facing low-grade sexual harassment isn’t “character building”; it’s a problem and it needs to stop. I hope that He Must Like You can help people understand the struggles of young women in the service industry, and resonate with people like me who have experienced it and never seen it reflected in fiction.

As always, a copy of this book was provided by the author or publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.

There's something to be said about books that, like He Must Like You, have sharpened wit, rage for days, and tackle serious topics and laughter all at once. Life itself has a tendency to switch between the weight of all things heavier and lightness, so it's always a plus to see that reflected in fiction. With the tone that 2020 has taken on, books like He Must Like You--refreshingly honest and quickly devoured in solitude--are essential.

The title alone caught my attention based on the sheer amount of times we've all heard its phrase. He is only bothering you because he likes you. He pulled your hair? He. Must. Like. You. From a young age, we are programmed to view it as such. The second I read it, I was like, "Oh, yes. He Must Like You is totally going to go there."

And it did.

In so many ways, the first description I can think of when it comes to He Must Like You is simple: it's a balancing act of youthful rage and frustration that any young woman can relate to. It's not just one thing and that's something we can all appreciate. Because, let's be honest: isn't that life in so few words?

Ultimately, Danielle Younge-Ullman's prose is honest in its portrayals of life while still feeling light enough to hold onto. He Must Like You is one of those books that women of any age will read, nod along to, and savor for a lifetime. It's fun, blunt, and so much more than just a fluffy read for the summer.

3.5 stars
HE MUST LIKE YOU is a very important, relevant book telling the story of Libby, who has been sexually assaulted and is working her way to justice and healing. While this is an extremely heavy topic and very relevant today, the author handled it with care and was able to also throw in supportive friends and coworkers who helped Libby through her journey, as well as provided humor and lighthearted times throughout the book. Libby was a strong, realistic main character, and I really liked her narration style, but I didn’t feel too attached to her as a main character, though her story was one I really appreciated. I haven’t been in a similar position and therefore cannot discuss the accuracy of events in the book or information given, but from an outsider’s perspective it seemed to be handled realistically and with care. I did think the author had a lot of things going on in Libby’s life, regarding family drama, the assault case, and a romance, and some of it took a backseat to the point where I almost thought some of the lesser elements could have been left out since they weren’t developed as well. For example, I would have liked to have seen more time spent with a racial event that happened toward the end of the book, because it was there and gone almost immediately. The ending was also a little more abrupt than I would have liked, but overall this was an enjoyable and important book.

Wow. As a mom of two teen daughters this was difficult yet powerful to read.

Libby has had some rough changes in her life recently being forced to grow up quickly. To top it off, she has been sexually assaulted. She struggles with trying to decide if that is really what happened and how she deals with the overwhelming feelings she now has and how to deal with them.

You can’t help to root for Libby in this book and support her to the end.

I was really excited to read this one when I heard it was tackling the important discussion of consent and while I do think that Younge-Ullman creates a space for these lessons to be learned, I had a hard time connecting to the writing and the overall plot.

Libby, a high school senior is struggling with making ends meet for her college fund and longs to escape her town, especially from multiple male acquaintances she is consistently surrounded by. Because of these issues, Libby finds herself lost and conflicted on the right actions against these men and for herself as a young woman.

I really appreciated the discussion of consent and the importance of “no meaning no” and that Libby finally has the ability to come to terms with her past traumas (i.e. finally having the ability to recognize and verbalize that she was raped), yet I found there to be too many subplots to follow for this novel to be as impactful as it seems to want to be. The romanced seemed to be a bit lackluster and Libby’s issues and relationship with her father could have made up an entirely different novel in itself. Overall though, I think there needs to be a bigger space in books, especially those geared towards young adult readers on the conversation of consent and I appreciate Younge-Ullman’s decision to do so.