I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for review.

During the school year, in Michigan with her lifestyle-blogger mom, stepdad, and younger half-sisters, she goes by AJ. AJ is a prim and responsible older sister. When she visits her dad in the summer, she's Della, who enjoys her relaxing, laid-back lifestyle in Florida with her dad and older half-brother and sister. But when her younger half-sister gets into trouble and is sent to Florida for the summer, her two worlds collide that she's tried desperately to keep separate. Plus, when did annoying Jude get so cute.

This book was said to be "perfect for fans of Jenna Evans Welch and Morgan Matson", which I am a fan of both authors. So that's why I picked it up.

This was an enjoyable read. I like how different AJ/Della's world's are from each other. Like her, I am the oldest of my mom's children, but almost youngest of my dad's (though youngest girl). But unlike AJ/Della, I've never went by separate names or felt I had to keep my two worlds separate.

I loved the blossiming romance between Jude and Della. Between him and Lex (AJ's Michigan boyfriend), I was totally on team Jude. He was WAY better than Lex.

I LOVED reading the parts in Florida. I'm not from there, but I enjoy the scenery that is descriptive in the book. I don't think it would have worked if it had been placed elsewhere.

YA Romance readers, you've gotta pick this up.

Adelaide spends her school years in Minnesota with her mom, stepdad, and two younger sisters and goes by AJ. She spends her summers being wild and free in Florida with her dad and two older siblings, going by Della. This story is totally bizarre. Her two lives never cross. Her friends don’t even know her Florida life exists. Her level of separation of her two lives is uncomfortable and unhealthy. It felt unbelievable that she could be two completely separate and unique people, including different names, for the majority of her life without anyone realizing. She seems detached and ingenuine with her Minnesota friends (The story fleshes this out a bit but that doesn’t negate how uncomfortable and unpleasant it was for the first 50% of the book). The author tried to convince me that both sides of AJ/Della’s life were equally precious and important but I wasn’t convinced. She is clearly miserable in Minnesota, but that’s where 80% of her life is lived. That broke my heart. Her mother is the most narcissistic, selfish, and controlling character I’ve read in a long while. She’s callous about encouraging AJ to forfeit her time with her dad and Florida family to pursue resume worthy extra curriculars. I was ABSOLUTELY planning to DNF this book until around 20%…and then I met Jude. 😍 This story is SO MUCH BETTER in Florida and I firmly believe AJ should have grown up in Florida. Every time the story flashed back to Minnesota I wanted to DNF, but then it would flip to Florida and I was invested again. If this was just the story of a girl who visits her dad each summer and gets to let loose and the sweet boy she meets there every summer, I think I would have LOVED that story! The last half of the story takes place almost exclusively in Florida so it was much much better. I’m giving this book a 2.5. The first 20-50% is a one-star but the last 50% is at least a 3.5-star so I’m splitting the difference. Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC.

I think this book is on the younger side of the YA audience for me. I am a huge YA fan even though I am not the target demographic for them, but this one was just a bit too young for me. It was also a bit too religious for me.

All of that being said, I loved the concept of living two lives with divorced parents. AJ/Della has one life with her mother, stepdad, and younger sisters in Michigan. But, in Florida she has a different life, with her dad and two older siblings.

I enjoyed the sisterhood in this book and the coming of age aspect as well. It also showed how we change ourselves in different settings, locations, and especially with different people. It also provides a look on how perfection looks (with social media) and how messy life can actually be.

Was a little confusing as it bounced back and forth a bit, but was a quick fun read.

I really liked this! When I picked it up, I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy it, but I'm glad I stuck with it. It felt fresh and summery, and was a really cute read.

I loved how almost every character was fleshed out. I also really enjoyed the romance were given in this book! By no means is this a romance, but the romance was a great addition. Della and Jude were adorable together, and I loved how healthy their relationship was. It was an understated enemies-to-lovers, which is something I always do enjoy.

This was a super enjoyable book! I felt like it dealt with split families super well, and I loved how realistic our characters felt. I'd definitely recommend this!

I am not a big YA reader but I heard wonderful things about this book so I requested it. It did not disappoint! This was such an enjoyable read and I definitely see more YA reads in my future.

Liz Reinhardt’s The Flipside of Perfect is a warm and authentic coming of age story
Here’s the quick and dirty
In The Flipside of Perfect, Adelaide Josephine Jepsen Beloise has two lives. In Michigan, she is the big sister, the perfectionist, the fixer, and the pleaser. Her family and friends know her as AJ, in that life. But since her parents’ divorce, she’s been spending summers with her dad and two older siblings in Florida, where she is laidback, careless, and messy Della.

Even though she has a good life in Michigan, AJ cherishes the few months every year she gets to be Della. In Florida, she is the baby sister, gets taken care of, and lives worry-free. But the last summer before she graduates high school, her perfectly distinct worlds start to crumble, and she is forced to confront the reality that her split life is no way to live.

Let’s talk about this a bit more
I disliked almost everything about AJ in Michigan. She had questionable friends, a crappy boyfriend, and an overplanned, stressful life. But, that part of her story is not hopeless. Her rebellious younger sister Marnie (one of my two favorite characters) and her talented and sweet baby sister Lilli really balance out AJ’s otherwise insipid Michigan life.

Della in Florida, with Dani, Duke, and her dad, is much more enjoyable and full of life. I love her commitment to the small town beach life. Most of all, I LOVE Jude (favorite character alert!), the only slightly older, witty, sweet, and gentle manager at her dad’s bait shop where she works. Jude has been harboring a massive crush on her for years, but Della so far has shown no interest. When Dani starts encouraging Della to give Jude a chance, she starts to understand that maybe she’s been missing out. But Jude’s insistence on being more than a summer fling puts Della in a tough spot. How would Jude fit into AJ’s life? Would Jude even like AJ?

Before she can find the answers to those questions, a family event forces her two lives to overlap. Soon, Della realizes she can no longer afford to keep being two distinct people. As you would expect from a young adult novel, in the end, AJ/Della/Adelaide finds her voice and a path to her authentic self. Although her multiple lives helped her cope with the trauma of her parent’s divorce, they no longer served her.

Final thoughts
The first half of this story is slow, but it wasn’t hard to push through it. Once I finished the book, I started seeing AJ/Della as the heroine that I would’ve loved to read about in high school when I was also struggling through the aftershocks of my parents’ divorce.

The only beef I had with this book is that at times, AJ/Della was almost too wise for her age. She was a bit too insightful, and a little too quick to understand the greater picture. This pulled me out of the story a few times. It was hard to reconcile that this character that began as childish and self-centered could mature from one paragraph to the next.

Although at first it seemed unrelatable, in the end, AJ/Della’s journey felt authentic and warm. It was refreshing to read a story about divorce where both parents are equally invested in their kid’s success for a change. Perhaps, the best part of this book is the message that children of divorced parents are not doomed.

Liz Reinhardt’s The Flipside of Perfect will be released on April 6, 2021.
Solid 3.5

I thought this book was great. I read it close to the death day and birthday of my sister and the family aspects of this book really got to me. I bawled like a baby when the mc and her siblings all got together, even writing this makes me tear up.

I found Adelaide's (A.J./Della) family in Michigan to be really annoying, the mom was super uptight and I would have hated growing up like that. I loved her family in Florida and the person Adelaide became when she was visiting them. I loved the ending for A.J. and how she managed to make it all work.

This book deals with the stresses of having divorced parents and feeling like you are two different people in each family. Highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a good read.

Unfortunately for this reader this one just didn't mesh with me. It felt weird that this girl was trying to be two different people. I mean I understand it and this story sounded really good and new. But the execution of it just fell flat for me. I didn't care about this girl and her issues etc. It was just lacking emotion of any kind of me.

The Flipside of Perfect is best read while pool side on a long vacation. This is a pretty hefty YA contemporary book that stretches belief a little bit. The main character is used to living a double life between her split up family and her plans come crashing down when the worlds collide. It's a little on the long side for the plot but it's a fun romp for anyone who wishes they could be someone else.

Adelaide has two lives. During the school year, AJ lives with her mother and younger sisters in Michigan, doing well in school and being as plain and perfect as possible.
The other half of herself: Della, lives and works on the beach at her dad's bait shop. They live a typical relaxed Florida lifestyle.
Each year split in half until this summer when her lives collide.
I think this is a very cool premise, and I enjoyed the story of how Adelaide eventually figures out who she really is.

I was so incredibly excited about the concept of this book. Unfortunately it was not what I was looking for. The characters felt very whiny and it was difficult to keep up with the timeline when every other chapter seemed to take place in a different season throughout the middle portion of the book.

3.5/5 stars! Many thanks to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the free e-arc. ❤️

The Flipside of Perfect had a very interesting concept, and the blurb was definitely what made me interested in the book in the first place. Adelaide's life was very fascinating to read about. The book started off as a bit confusing, due to the inclusion of many characters + the setting felt a bit vague to me. As the story continued, the storyline became more clear to me and I liked how things were turning out.

When it came to Adelaide's friendships, book felt short for me. I found her friends annoying, and skimmed through her POVs in Michigan. 🙄 The family dynamics surrounding Adelaide's life in Michigan got on my nerves too. I wanted to DNF it at times, but I kept reading ~ and I'm glad I did, because the last few chapters in the book were very well-written.

Everything got better when Adelaide's life in Florida came into the story. The sibling relationships were just 💯 Totally ADORBS. The romance was cute too and well executed, seeing it wasn't the central focus of The Flipside of Perfect. Adelaide's growth throughout the story was pretty remarkable as well. :')

I think I'd have enjoyed the book more if I was younger. 😅 Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable book. Recommended to readers who love books which explore complex family relationships!

AJ lives primarily with her mom in the north. When she visits her dad in Florida for the summers, she goes by Della. She lives two different lives. Up north, she’s the older sister who is expected to be near perfect. Down south, she is the baby who can skate by and have a good time. The summer before her senior year, she must confront the two different sides of herself and find her true identity.
Opinion
Initially, I was drawn to this book because of the idea of the perfect life. As I read the book, I saw how miserable it was for AJ. This book reinforces how it is easy to be jealous of other people’s lives when you don’t see the full truth.
Ultimately, I loved how the ending turned out. With Della finding herself, she was able to reflect and see what she truly wanted. This is a great coming of age story.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The synopsis and cover drew me to want to read this novel. It actually reminded me of the Simpsons episode where Lisa changes her clothes/personality and becomes popular while on vacation. Although there were some similarities (one more straight-laced and one more relaxed), the two stories had their differences. Another reason I picked up this story as I directly relate to the main character, who divides her time between her two separated parents and their families.

Adelaide is the main character of the story. She spends the school year in Michigan with her mom, stepdad, and two younger sisters. During these moments, she goes by AJ and her personality is more conservative and studious. Now during the summers, Adelaide spends her time in Florida with her dad and other siblings. Here she is known as Della and her personality is the more relaxed outgoing girl. This where my experience differed from the character’s as I did spend the school years in one state with one parent and summers in another state with the other. However, I did not change my personality, clothing style, or anything else as I was the same exact person no matter who I was spending my time with. The two lives concept was very relatable, though, as I talked to my friends from each place, but they never met as neither set had the resources to fly to the other place.

It takes some initial thought to remember that the two names (AJ and Della) are the same individual (Adelaide) as I found my mind would automatically consider them separate people while reading. Eventually, my brain caught up and it was not an issue. Everything in Adelaide’s two lives each seems perfect and in their place until the two worlds collide. One of Adelaide’s little sisters comes with her during her annual summer trip to Florida. It is interesting to read about Adelaide trying to navigate the newfound obstacles as she wants to have it all, but is not sure how quite to achieve it. I love Adelaide’s growth as she does live in a unique world where she is an older sister in one household and a younger sister in the other.

It is the extra addition of the different family dynamics that made me very curious as it would be interesting to be the youngest in one household and the oldest in the other. Adelaide is growing up with two different sets of expectations as both her mother and father’s households are run in generally different ways, as you would expect with any child splitting their time between divorced parents. I loved learning about her navigating between the two worlds, yet she also has the added pressure of getting older and wanting to also create her own expectations for herself. The story is more than just a singular story about Adelaide, as the reader learns about a lot of the other characters.

Overall, Adelaide was a likable character that you want to find happiness. It is very sweet and heart-warming with a lot of good life lessons about finding out what will make you happy and becoming comfortable with change as time moves forward. The story gives a good background into Adelaide and why she makes certain decisions. Like any person, she is not perfect, but she tries her best to learn and grow. There are times where the writing became a little confusing when it did some timeline changes, but, just like the main character’s name, I caught on fairly soon. The writing itself was written in a relatable way as it was easy to read and fit the characters. Although this book had hit or miss moments, for me, I can easily see how others would not mind most of these and would see everything as a positive. Based on my experience with this novel, I am now intrigued to read more by this author and would recommend this to others.

**I want to give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Inkyard Press, for a review copy of this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

4 stars = Great! Might re-read.

I might have rated this 5 stars if it weren't for the slow start. I almost quit reading because I was struggling to get into the flow of this one. I am glad I stuck with it because the book was supremely satisfying in the end.

I was expecting a worlds-collide, everything falls apart and must be rebuilt sort of story, but that wasn't really what happened here. AJ/Della is on a journey of self-discovery and dealing with an array of identity issues. The arrival of her sister is part of that journey, but she is already well on her way when that happens. And I liked THIS plot better than what I was expecting from the summary. Lots to love here - great characters, great messages about emotional health and maturity, communication, etc., humor, romance, and more. Worth pushing through the slow start for the great story in the last 2/3. (Language, LGBTQ+, sexual references, teen pregnancy, underage drinking)

I would recommend this to a younger reader, I think it could have been developed a bit more but it is a good story about a younger girl figuring out who she really is.

I really loved the cover and premise of this book however I think it ended up being just kinda average read for me. I struggled to connect with the characters and thought some of the plot was underdeveloped. An enjoyable read but not what I was expecting from the story- however I will recommend this to some of my students.

3.5 stars

Adelaide lives two separate lives. During the year, AJ lives a stressful upperclass life with her mother and younger sisters in Michigan, completely focused on school and her surface level friends. Summers in Florida, Della is carefree, working at her dad's bait shop and spending time with her two older siblings. Two separate lives, until the summer before senior year when a part of her Michigan life is all of a sudden in Florida, the family business is in trouble, and that obnoxious kid might be okay after all.

I'm pretty ambivalent when it comes to this book. AJ and her life in Michigan were the worst. Her so called friends, her asshole boyfriend, even her family were kind of terrible people. Even AJ was rude and unforgiving to her sister Marnie who was clearly going through something distressing. I did not look forward to the chapters that we spent in Michigan—leading me to have a hard time getting through the first third of the book.

Once we got to Florida and over the hump, I did enjoy the story. Adelaide and her sister Marnie are given this rare time to spend a lot of time together and she's able to share something that means so much to her—her other family—with her younger sister. the relationships between siblings were really special to explore. And Jude. JUDE! I wish I had my very own Jude. For a guy who was dealt a shitty hand in life with alcoholic parents, he was so understanding and respectful guy.

I think the author kind of cops out in the end. Instead of owning up to their mistakes once they return to Michigan, they are given a clean slate. I think I would have liked to had seen them have to work a little harder to better their already privileged life.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good story about a girl attempting to reconcile two parts of herself and figure out who she wants to be, despite pressures from those around her. Della’s very obvious differing personalities depending on her location provides a great example for teens who feel that sort of battle inside themselves. This is definitely a book I’ll pick up for my classroom.

A conceptually interesting if slightly implausible YA contemporary. Most of the characters and relationships were rendered well (although both boyfriend Jude and sister Lily came off a little overly perfect), both the Michigan and Florida settings were described realistically and with care, and the issue of self-identity is relatable even if the specifics of the narrative situation aren’t. Still, I wonder if the premise made it difficult to get a handle on who AJ/Dell truly is, and I wished that the discomfort regarding the mother’s blog had been faced in a more direct way at the conclusion. A decent read, but a supplementary choice.