The title grabbed me right away, as did the synopsis. Worst dates to try and quit having a crush? Yes, please. Thanks, NetGalley.

Mai knows Anthony isn't good for her, even if she has a crush on him. She's valedictorian, he's a surf bum. She's a planner, he makes sculptures. Good thing he's got the perfect plan: two weeks to prove they're not good together. Whoever can come up with the worst date wins? His idea: taking Snake-phobia Mai to the Reptile House. Her idea: a cooking class where they don't get to eat the food. It's meant to help them crush their crushes. But it wasn't supposed to be so hot. Or so fun. And when Mai's future becomes at stake, will she be able to do the right thing and quit Anthony forever?

I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, but I really enjoyed the dates (which were the best part of the book). The title is perfect for this. I could see why Mai and Anthony were attracted to each other, and why they had a hard time trying to, literally, quit their crush. Everything about the book, from the characters to the scenery and the synopsis was great.

I would have liked to see more of their past, though, before the setting of the book. That’s the only part I would’ve added…peeks into the past. Like how they first met. It felt like I was jumping in the middle of something and wished I had the whole story.

All in all, this was a good light read, one that is surprisingly enjoyable. For fans of teen romance and will-they-or-won’t-they couples.

I just loved getting to enter this world. It was just so easy to get lost in and I just had so much fun with these characters. I look forward to reading more wonderful stories in this series.

My Thoughts:

The Cover:

MMM, what a yummy cover. A handsome guy lies on the grass, headphones in his ears, hair messy and a smug smile. I didn't picture Anthony like that at all, but he is still good looking.

The Plot:

The story was very good, a little adventure with the romance and drama. I really did think this was going to be a light hearted read, but then the tears started. The book had everything I needed at this time. It was a wonderful read during these dramatic times.

The Characters:

I really enjoyed the characters; all of them. I love Mai and Anthony. He was trying so hard to keep everything contained, while she was trying so hard to please everyone else. As a mother, I even understood Mai's parents only wanting what was best for her.

Was It Worth Reading?:

Yes! How to Quit Your Crush is an easy, light read full of laughs, drama, and fun adventure. It is about coming to terms with loss and being strong enough to take control of your life. I highly recommend How to Quit Your Crush to readers of drama and romance and give it 4 out of 5 crossbows.

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and Entangled: Crushg for approving my request and sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


Real rating: 3,5 stars.


Mai Senn and Anthony Adams could not be more different: Mai loves to plan everything in detail, she has her future already clear in mind and she doesn't allow for distractions or deviations from the path already mapped out; Anthony doesn't seem to be planning on going to college, he lives day-by-day and the future is something he doesn't want to contemplate.

They couldn't be more different, yet they can't seem able to stay apart from each other.

After a fling during spring break and hanging out for a while without anyone knowing it, Mai was done with Anthony.
But after graduation, at the umpteenth party of those who have now become mutual friends, they both couldn't help but fall back into each other's arms.
And the thing is not good: Mai has two weeks in Phoenix before leaving for college in California and her every single day is punctuated by something she has to do, Anthony - even if he will never admit it - is planning something too, but they know that until the attraction between them has fizzled out, they won't be able to do anything.

How to kill an attraction before it becomes something else - something deeper?
Simple: you show the sides of yourself that will get on the other's nerves and involve the other person in activities that they will surely end up loathing.

Two weeks should be enough, right?
Maybe.

Or maybe not.


I admit I was expecting something funnier, descriptions of "dates" so horrible that they would have gotten you a laugh out loud
Instead, even though the irony isn't lacking, the reader - as well as Mai and Anthony themselves - will find that those activities only bring them closer together.

I definitely preferred Anthony because he is a Paper Boyfriend with all caps: handsome, protective, funny, sweet ... and alas, non-existent in reality.
His living day-by-day without making plans is due to the loss of his father three years ago - to the loss of that future together that was taken for granted and then denied. That's why, aside from his art, Anthony has put aside any dreams he once had and is determined to see the world and the places his father wanted to go.

Mai... it's not that I found her unpleasant, because after all I could also understand her way of thinking: abandoned by her natural parents and adopted as a child by the Senns, Mai had always been a bit restless and "wanderer". But after a bad scare at the age of seven when, on a hike with her parents, she got lost and feared the worst, Mai swore to herself that she would never go off the track again - and she didn't. Knowing that she doesn't look like her parents and her brother, Mai is determined to be a full-fledged Senn in all the aspects that she can - even if that means being stiffer than a broomstick.
She felt as lucky as Cinderella, but only after her meeting with Anthony did she realize the enormous pressures and expectations that everyone - including her - put on her shoulders and that she did what she could to indulge them so as not to be again abandoned.

Mai and Anthony often say they are the wrong person for each other, but instead they complement each other very well: Mai makes Anthony want to look beyond the next day, Anthony allows her not to really be herself - not exactly - but to be other parts of her person that don't usually come out.

Although I understand where Mai came from with her thoughts and her fears, every time she rejected Anthony I felt like yelling at her.
And so if I found Mai stiff as a pole, I just couldn't stand her parents and her brother - people who think they are the only smart ones, who look down on everyone, who don't think you are up to it if you don't aim or you come from the Ivy League, who want Mai to follow their planned path otherwise they make their disappointment weigh on you. Elitists, pedantic, snobbish - good people, sure, but snobbish nonetheless.

Somehow it reminded me of Katie McGarry's "Crash Into You": she is a good girl from a wealthy family, he is a "delinquent" in the eyes of her parents - the difference is that Rachel was already a "rebel" before she even met Isaiah and that Anthony has an immaculate criminal record and is not a criminal just because he has long hair.

Mai and Anthony's teasing and their exchanges are really nice, but - also given the double point of view - all the "we shouldn't be together, but we can't stay apart" that goes on for most of the book becomes a little repetitive afterwards.

In short, I expected it to be more fun, but I liked it anyway - because the perfect person on paper or who meets our expectations (or those of others) is not necessarily good for us. Sometimes you have to make a mistake, sometimes you have to choose the risk, sometimes you have to choose the person who makes you feel alive and who is perhaps "wrong" in many ways, but is not wrong for you.

I loved this book!

Think of your favourite YA romance book that gives you warm fuzzies at the end… right, have you got it? Now pair it with To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. What do you get? Amy Fellner Dominy’s How to Quit Your Crush!

View my full review on my blog using the link below.

I might have been on a contemporary romance kick...Anyway I thought this one would be a funny and possible angsty read, and was all for it! I enjoyed it!

How to Quit Your Crush is Mai and Anthony's story--yes, the Mai who dragged Josie to the baseball game that kicked off the events in her book, Announcing Trouble . If you read that one and wanted to know what was going on with that Mai girl and her crazy he's-not-in-my-future-but-he's-so-hot-I-can't-help-myself crush? Then this is definitely the book for you.

Haven't read Josie and Garrett's book yet? Not a major problem, you could totally start here. But I think you'll appreciate Mai and Anthony's story that much more, having seen it at least partially from someone else's view first.

I had a heck of a lot of fun reading Mai and Anthony's book. Even when I wanted to clunk one or both of them upside the head for acting like dolts, I still really enjoyed myself. It helped that they were both equally ridiculous about things, that they both were at fault when it came to breaking up (or at least, they took turns), and that they both realized that they each had work to do on themselves if they wanted to get to their HEA together.

In between the what are they thinking? bits, I LOLed a heck of a lot. And made plenty of highlights in my ecopy. And then Anthony's mom gave him that talking to toward the end (spoiler alert: I loved Anthony's om!) and I was in tears. Tears! I might have a tiny girl crush... Anyway, the exasperating parts were more than made up for by the sigh-worthy ones. I honestly had to make myself stop reading a few times, because I didn't want to get to the end too quickly. I had that much fun reading it.

Plus--bonus! We get POVs from both Mai and Anthony this time! Woot!

If Ms Dominy wants to give any of the rest of Garrett and Anthony's friends HEAs, I'm here for it. If she wants to try her hand at making Mai's priggish and elitist brother seem more human (losing it for a girl would probably help) I'd show up for that too. Though she'd have a lot of work to do with that one, because whoa, is he a piece of work... ;)

Rating: 4 stars /B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

How To Quit Your Crush is probably the most realistic Entangled Publishing book I’ve read so far (and I’ve read a lot). That’s not to say that the fun, feel-good, fluffy factor wasn’t present in this book, it was… In spades even but it was also realistic (and it had the right balance of both).



What’s even more surprising is that both characters know how incompatible they are from the get-go (or so they think ;)]. Usually you don’t get that (in books with similar storylines).



I’ll admit, at the start of the book – and for a good chunk of it afterwards – I wasn’t a fan of either character (and I just couldn’t picture them together) but as I read on I realised maybe that’s exactly how the author intended them to be? And as the book goes on you really see both characters evolve and start rooting for their happily-ever-after. Some strong character development right there if you ask me ;).



I will say this though, I spent the majority of the book wondering what Mai (who’s actual name is Maya) looks like, only because the reader isn’t clearly told – in descriptions or otherwise - what she looks like. And with Mai mentioning that “she doesn’t really look like a Senn” every couple of chapters or so, the fact that us readers aren’t even told (at least not until the very end of the book) really stood out to me but it’s worth mentioning that I read a review copy of the book so maybe that info was did make it into the finished version (a lot earlier than it was mentioned in the review copy).



Another thing I have to mention in this review because we hardly see it happen (in Entangled’s books at least), DISAPPROVING PARENTS. Okay so we do see it happen but not like this and usually the hero/heroine manage to convince their parents and everything ends with a neat little bow tied around it but How To Quit Your Crush didn’t and honestly? I liked that the author went in a different direction with Mai’s parents. Although, having said that, I do wish that Mai’s confrontation with her parents hadn’t been so… Underwhelming I guess you could call it?



I’m trying to think of anything else I didn’t like in this book but honestly, other than the two points above? That’s it. It really was a feel-good read most of the time and it left me with a smile on my face whenever I put it down (and when I finished it) so what’s left to say? Other than this was a genuine surprise of a book (in a good way) and if you’re looking for some cuteness to fill your hours then this book is the one for you.

The novel tells the story of two teenagers who are complete opposites in how they see life and their futures. But opposites attract and that's exactly what's happening. Trying to get over their feelings, they make a deal to take turn in taking each other on most awful dates.

The book had a rocky start which made me feel as if I picked up the second book in aseries instead of the first. It got better as it went on. The characters were rather likable.

It was a lovely read! Right at the beginning of the book, I was not very fond of one of the main characters - Mai. Her attitude, arrogance even. But this was one of those books where you could very clearly feel the change and growth of emotions and emotional side of characters overall. Mai and Anthony - both very different, complete opposites, but the chemistry between them is what sticks them together, even when they try to do everything to break it off.

Sometimes u just needa shut off ur mind and get lost in a book u know?? I would say How to Quit Your Crush is more a fun and spunky middle grade read than YA and I enjoyed it all the same.
Mai Senn has just graduated high school as Valedictorian and has her 4 yr plan in place. The only thing that can thwart her plans is Anthony Adams, her high school crush and opposite from her in every way. She's going to college he's road tripping, she's going to grad school he's working in a surf shop. They kinda hung out for a few weeks there, unofficially, but she ended it before it could begin. He's not parent-approved bf material and doesn't fit into her perfectly planned future. But neither of them can deny the lingering chemistry between them so Anthony hatches a plan. For the 2 weeks before she leaves for college they secretly date (with a no kissing rule in place!)- every night they alternate planning the perfect date, one that the other will HATE. Foolproof right?? I had so much fun reading this! I loved their witty, sarcastic, thick-with-chemistry banter. It's hard to find a non-juvenile sounding, language appropriate read which is why I found this so refreshing, a book I can finally recommend to my niece!

I really enjoyed this book, this was a nice clean romance similar to how to lose a guy in 90 days. A nice opposite attract romance

I really enjoyed this sweet romance. The characters were adorable and such a perfect set of opposites to create a struggle to find a balance in their attraction to one another. With both of them focused on separate goals for after high school, they are drawn to each other because of what they each bring out of the other.
YA romances tend to focus more on the story and plot and less on physical interaction, but I think this one balanced a nice focus on the physical attraction between the characters that it felt more like an adult romance without the actual sex scenes. I've recommended this book to several people already and am looking forward to reading more from Amy.

The timing of this book’s release cannot be ignored, at least by me. I may have graduated over a decade ago myself (Class of ’09!), but I know a lot of young people missing out on a “proper” graduation. My cousin officially finished her American undergraduate degree from South Africa, where she (like me) is stuck in lockdown with some of our family. I volunteer as a biology tutor, and my student lost her chance to do her A-levels as things stand.

All this is to say…the experience of reading a book that kicks off at a graduation after-party is…odd. It seems surreal given the current world we find ourselves in. Not good or bad, and I wouldn’t have opted to postpone the publication of the book, but I also think we need to take this moment to recognise how education has been disrupted, along with the traditions that go with it, and how young people must be feeling right now.

Now that that’s over… I already knew the stars of How to Quit Your Crush from Announcing Trouble, a book that delighted me more than I expected it to. As you can imagine, I went in both nervous and with high expectations. It’s genuinely nerve-racking to read a second book by an author you’ve enjoyed before. (Not Amy’s actual second book, mind you.)

While this book didn’t catch my attention right from the first sentence like Announcing Trouble did, once I’d eased my way in and refreshed my memory on some of the details I’d forgotten since August 2019, it became clear that earlier book wasn’t a fluke. Amy has a style of writing that’s at once engaging and very accessible. Even though it took me a while to finish the book because I’ve been generally struggling to concentrate on things, Amy made it a little easier.

The Opposites Attract trope is a great one. It inherently introduces tension between characters and adds to the satisfaction of the moment they realise they do belong with each other. On top of that, it also makes you question your own prejudices, and whether you should give people outside of your immediate sphere a chance. (Spoiler: you should.) I loved seeing how Mai and Anthony bounced off each other with their banter, complemented each others’ natures, and helped each other grow. That’s what great relationships are made of!

And just like with Announcing Trouble, this book had an extra dose of depth to it that I didn’t expect. For example, Mai’s journey involves family expectations compounded by the fact she was adopted, along with coping with a phobia. So while you’re treated to banter and swoons, you also learn about different experiences.

Overall, I had fun with this one. Maybe not as much as I did with Announcing Trouble, but that could just be because of all the weirdness going on right now. It was a welcome break into a world where we’re not all in lockdown.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Maya "Mai" Senn is the valedictorian of her Phoenix-area high school. She was adopted by two high-flying parents, people who are highly educated and want their children to be highly educated as well. Mai's older brother was also a valedictorian and attends an ivy league college out east. Mai is accepted to a prestigious college in California, and has a great summer research internship all lined up to being in a few weeks. First, she's going to spend two weeks grooming a trail in the Phoenix area as part of her parents' philanthropy. Oh, and she's also going to get over the baseball jock that she inexplicably connected with during spring break. To Mai's mixed feelings Grant, a family friend she's had feelings for off and on, has joined her work crew. Grant is getting over the break up of a long-term relationship, but he and his girlfriend are going in different directions. It's smart to break up now, right?

Anthony Adams watched his dad die of cancer in his sophomore year. Since then, he's stopped trying to really connect with people, or plan out his future. Why, when that future could easily be dashed by illness or injury. Better to go with the flow. He has friendships, especially with his teammates, so it's really odd how drawn he was to Mai back in spring break. Their connection was short-lived though. Mai broke it off, knowing that Anthony was not the kind o boy her parents would accept. And now, with the end of school Anthony's only mission is to make a biking pilgrimage to the campsites his dad had wanted make in the years prior to his death. Anthony is planning to take his bike, and his dad's ashes, and find the right place to leave the ashes. Instead of heading right out, though, Anthony makes the impetuous decision to join Mai's work crew just to spend some time with her. And, Mai's mad.

Mai is a girl who has planned out her whole life based on her family's high expectations. She lives in fear of getting lost, and being left behind--in part due to a traumatic experience as a child, and in part because of insecurity due to being an adopted child. Anthony refused to plan much beyond the next few days or weeks. He's an artist, using recycled and reclaimed bits and turning them into sculpture is one way to pass his time. It's not like it's a lucrative skill, right. They are complete opposites, so why does stepping away feel so hard? Mai decides they need a plan to get over one another. Over the course of the two weeks they remain in the area they will meet at the library parking lot--because Mai's parents think she's going to study in advance of her summer research internship--and go on dates that are sure to be terrible. They won't tell anyone, and they surely won't kiss. They should be over one another in no time...

Except they aren't. And their perfectly planned "terrible dates" get them deeper into one another than before. Mai's parents keep pushing her to connect with Grant, and don't understand why she won't. Anthony is a force of his own, and instead of pulling away, he wants to pull Mai closer. Two weeks might not be enough time for Mai and Anthony to quit this crush.

I really liked this romance. It's sweet and sassy. Neither Mai nor Anthony can figure out why they can't move on, but they can't. They get jealous, and they make impetuous choices. Like sneaking around and confessing their deepest secrets. Their bond strengthens and soon enough they are changing plans, or <em>making</em> plans to keep seeing one another. The vulnerability they both show, plus the hard conversations they make with their parents. Mai especially had a lot of difficult conversations that she floundered through, In the end, she made things right--but not before she made things bad between herself and Anthony. This story is a bit coming-of-age, and I liked how Mai finally got past her fears of abandonment, which fed her untenable perfection complex. Anthony learned that not thinking about his future was a way of closing off his life, not living it. Anthony was an easier character to like straightaway, but Mai was definitely sympathetic under her prickly exterior.

This YA contemporary romance is full of laughs and sweet moments. Although you know exactly how the book is going to end from the very start, it's still a fun read and a unique take on a teen romance. Mia knows that Anthony is trouble. Anthony knows that Mia is too good for him. And yet they can't seem to stay away from each other. So they concoct a plan to spend two weeks together and plan dates they know the other will hate. From a trip to the zoo to visit the reptile house (Mia's biggest fear is snacks), to a cooking class that breaks down the "magic" of cooking into science (which Anthony is appalled by), the dates should be the breaking point. And yet...

This was such a cute, fun and refreshing young adult read! I loved the witty dialogue and emotional intelligence of the characters. I was pulled in from the start and really enjoyed every minute of it. I really liked the flow of the story and the authors writing style and definitely look forward to reading more from Amy Fellner Dominy.

I always enjoy a good romance and I think the author delivered a good teen romance. The character's personalities and goals in life are opposite but in a good way. I enjoyed the push and pull of attraction the two leads had together. I liked that the male lead wasn't a jerk, sometimes I've read books where the guy is mean to the girl but this lead was kind a majority of the time. Well, except when she broke it off....and she deserved it. lol

I was absolutely charmed by the 'bad dates' idea and enjoyed those quite a bit and kind of wanted to see more of those. It was clever and fun. I found myself gushing along with the two on their dates.

The writing and prose is good. I like how the author took time to put depth into the issues the leads go through and actually discuss them. Sometimes I feel like some contemporaries gloss over those moments and I feel the author did a good job tackling those problems. I especially loved the moment the male lead had with his mom. There aren't enough of those moments in books that I've read.

There were a few scenes where I did skim through some text because the pacing, while is good, I tended to want to get to the juicier parts. That wasn't too often, no more than a few paragraphs. Still it happened but wasn't a big issue for me. If you like incredibly fast pace, you won't find it here, I'd probably consider it more a of a leisurely pace which is fine. It also could have been because I just finished a fast paced book prior to this book so it might have changed my expectations when I started this book.

Overall, this is a charming teen romance. Pick it up if you love the push and pull of attraction between the characters.


3.4 out of 5 rating for me!

My expectations of teen romances are pretty low so one pushes the boundaries at all I tend to be pleasantly surprised. While the relationships in this book and their complications are entirely expected, the side elements, the affects of trauma on their relationships are more intriguing.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.

This was such an adorable story that intrigued me from the very start. The amusing synopsis is what hooked me but I stayed for the wonderful characters and excellent storytelling.

I was really a fan of the author's writing style. It was easy to follow and felt very natural. The plot of the story was intriguing from the start and worked itself out quite well.

I enjoyed these characters so much. Mai is a character that travels the straight and narrow, always has a plan, and meets the perfect expectations set by her parents. Anthony is a character that is still reeling from the loss of his father three years ago, struggling to let anyone in. Both of them really had such different and distinct personalities. I loved how much depth the characters had as well as their incredible character growth. I liked that while this was a romance book, the main characters still had things that they had to overcome as individuals in the story.

Mai and Anthony couldn't be more different but they chemistry that they have together just worked. I loved how they both really brought out the best parts of the other without even trying. Their relationship had a lot of ups and downs but the fact that they both cared about the other was ever-present in the story. Mai and Anthony had this pull towards each other that they couldn't get away from. They had the cutest banter and such a strong connection.

The fast-paced flow worked well for this story but I wish that the book had been a little bit longer. I felt that the ending was a little rushed. I honestly didn't feel like I got enough closure.

Overall, this is an entertaining opposites-attract story that was packed with plenty of emotion. This was a sweet YA romance with humor, insightful moments, and a romance that will put a smile on your face. I'm excited to read more from this author.