This book was really fun! It's a classic plot that's been redone for queer characters and it works really well. I had such a good time reading it.

4.5 Stars. This was a warm and fuzzy read, with characters that actually behaved like real humans do. Irene and Scottie have great chemistry and I was rooting for them through all of the ups and downs. I loved the supporting characters - Scottie's family was amazing and I am eagerly hoping and expecting for a spin-off all about Honey-Belle. While there wasn't anything groundbreaking about it, it serves for a perfect literary pick-me-up in the form of a sweet queer romance.

This story is a quintessential ya rom-com but make it queer. Had all the best tropes (fake dating, rivals to lovers) and while this is a pretty lighthearted read it had enough substance to make it feel worth wild. One of the best things is when queer stories aren't just about coming out, but actually shares the lived experience of being a queer teen- and the heartache, and joy, and confusion that comes with that.

This rating does not come as a shock to anyone. I knew I was going to love this book when I first read the synopsis and seen the cover. And It was everything it said it was going to be and then some.
'She Drives Me Crazy' is a book about first love, friendship and healing from heartbreak.
There's a quote in the book; "Before you can worry about who's in your passenger seat, you have to learn to drive yourself." That quote really rounded out what I felt like this book was about. It was so silly and so much fun but it also felt like an incredibly heart felt love letter to being young and learning what it is to be in love and to love yourself. Kelly Quindlen has this way of writing queer YA books that makes me feel incredibly seen even now as an adult. If you're looking for a sappy YA sports romance, this book is literally perfect for you.

This was a fun and cheesy romp of a book, very much like the 80’s movies that inspired it. Think a more modern and queer Say Anything or Breakfast Club. Scottie, a high school basketball player on a mediocre team, is struggling to regain her confidence after her ex girlfriend dumped her. The last person she expects to help is Irene, a queen bee cheerleader who bullied her last year. But when the two collide, literally, in the school parking lot, a carpool arrangement turns into a fake dating scheme. In exchange for covering Irene’s car insurance deductible, Scottie and Irene will pretend to date, both to make Scottie’s ex jealous and to keep the cheerleaders coming to the girl’s basketball games. Hijinks ensue.

I was very nearly deterred by how sporty this book was. I am not a sports person in any way, shape, or form, and the basketball scenes went over my head throughout the book. However, I’m really glad I stuck it out. Quindlen has written a girl-powered modern romcom about female athletes, both the players on the court and the dancers cheering them on. It was nice to see Scottie grow to appreciate and respect more traditionally feminine forms of athletics. Indeed, Scottie starts the book with a lot of prejudices about girly girls that get dismantled throughout the book.

But more important than the girl-power was the charming sense of humor that carried each scene. This book is snarky and fun, brimming with fresh and oft-insulting jokes that felt true to life. The cast of characters—and there were a lot—all had their own quirks and voices that made this book a pleasure to read. I appreciated that the author included so many diverse characters in her book, since we absolutely need more queer POC represented in teen literature. It was all very cutesy and mushy and fun; again, total 80’s movie inspo.

If I had one gripe at the end, it’s that some of the interactions between Scottie and her family felt... forced. I was not raised in a big family with sisters, but I found some of the key scenes with the protagonist and her family a little too saccharine to fit in with the snarky tone of the rest of the book. It took me out of the moment here and there. Still, I enjoyed this read over all. It’s always a joy to see fun, trope-y media in a queer fashion.

This book is the perfect romcom ya during the pandemic. The characters are great! None of the friends were forgettable as they all stood out as individuals. I loved the enemies to lovers plot between Scottie and Irene. It's definitely a book that features underdogs and it's so endearingly quirky.

Full of campy goodness. Very fun and quick read. I like that this book gave dialogue and structure to help with break ups. I will definitely use "how does your heart feel" as a conversation starter.

Disclaimer: I got this from Net Galley in exchange for an. honest review. This is an enemies to lovers and fake dating trope. Perfect for fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue and To All the Boys I've Loved Before. I adored this book and I think if you like reading books about revenge, first love, moving on, and forgiveness then this is for you!

An adorable, campy rom com with characters who just happen to be gay. It totally has the same vibe as the Dirty Dancing and 16 Candles movies the characters love: light angst, over the top declarations of love, and awesome best friends. Add in a generous dose of subverting high school stereotypes as the protagonist overcomes her own assumptions about the hot, popular cheerleader she is fake-dating, and this book is a delight.

Definitely agree with the blurb that this is great for fans of Love, Simon...with the bonus that unlike in LS there is only passing homophobia, with the majority of the conflicts focusing on interpersonal drama and general high school tropes.

My only objection is that they never really address the ethics of bribing someone to go out with you — it never really blows up in their faces, which I had expected — but for the genre, I was okay with that.

This fun romance seems like a twist on the classic Shakespeare "mistaken identity" love story, but it's full of high school twists and modern day humor. Scottie can't let go of her old flame, and she doesn't realize a good thing when she has one. There are sports, college drama, sisters, and high school dramatics in play here, but it's all in good fun.

This was a fun read. It has a lot of the high school rom-com tropes but gay! It also has a little more depth then you might except from a rom-com. It made me glad to not have been in high school with social media.

A basketball rivalry, a Christmas-themed town, and the ol' enemies who fall for each other story come together to make She Drives Me Crazy a great YA romance!

The twist on the cheerleader/ athlete love story is that both of our fated lovebirds are girls. Quindlen does what so many have been calling for in the LGBTQ+ genre-- writes a romcom that is NOT about coming out. Both girls are out to their families, and that does not play a huge role in the plot itself. We do get another classic high-school romance trope-- the two pretend to be dating to make some other person jealous/ gain something else.

Overall, I thought it was a fun, breezy read that paints young women in a complex and positive light. Your LGBTQ+ students will be thrilled to see themselves in these characters, and anyone can enjoy the story who likes basketball and romance!

This was a story of love, hurt, revenge, loss, moving on, and forgiveness. This was a story of giving of yourself so freely and expecting the other person to return in kind. This was a story of getting over those first loves, but unfortunately, having to do so in the exposed environment of a high school setting where drama reigned supreme. This was the story of high school seniors, Scottie, one of the stars of the women’s basketball team, and Irene, the very popular captain of the cheerleaders. This was a story of young adults finding themselves-owning their truths-with the help of supportive and loving family and friends.

Scottie and Irene were each other’s worst enemy. Everyone in the senior class knew it, especially after Irene had Scottie’s car towed and humiliated her just for the fun of it. Or so she thought. After they got into a minor car accident in their high school parking lot, they had no choice but to carpool with each other. When they arrived together at school the next day, the gossip mill was in overdrive. Scottie took this opportunity to hatch a plan. She wanted to get back at her ex, Tally, for breaking her heart and the pain it still caused her. So she paid Irene the money she needed to fix her car and in return be her fake girlfriend. Irene was out to her family and best friend, Honey-Belle, but not the rest of the school. Yet she committed to playing the role of girlfriend, and she confidently took on that role, as she did with everything else in her life.

I loved the diversity of the high school students and their interactions with each other, which were both friendly and combative. There was also high drama and many angst moments within this setting, as expected. The characters were all likable except the bullies who acted accordingly. But the best part of this storyline was how the author allowed one of her characters to express all the pain and hurt she was going through for all to see. Irene also went through a similar situation but no one saw that pain beneath her cool confident façade. She was hurting from a love that was never openly acknowledged by that person, and firmly kept all that pain simmering beneath the surface until she released it and moved on. Scottie, however, has trouble moving past her pain.

The secondary characters added a nice mix of playful banter and emotional support. The same was true of Scottie’s family, especially with her older and younger sister, and some of their scenes were very heartwarming.

The title was very appropriately named since throughout the story they drove each other crazy in a hate/love kind of way. But when hate gave way to love it was expressed in a grand gesture.

Similar to the author’s other books for a YA audience, I think teenagers will embrace the sometimes silliness, sometimes too good to be true characters, and always dramatic life of high school students. Most importantly, I hope they take the storyline’s message to heart: to never let anyone make you feel less…less secure, less worthy, less of yourself.

Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press for the eArc in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book was amazing, fun, and enthralling. “She Drives Me Crazy” can evoke a sense of watching a late 1990s-early-2000s teen flick without all the “drama”. One of the best aspects of the book, aside from Kelly Quindlen’s writing as a whole, is the book’s cinematic quality, as the author can describe every aspect as if watching a picture. “She Drives Me Crazy” is a visual experience that leaves you wanting more while rooting for the book’s “nemesis” (Irene). In terms of film I would describe it as “Never Been Kissed” and “Easy A” meets “Bring it On”, with a diverse and inclusive cast.

Even if the book draws upon the “opposites attract” trope, the way the characters are constructed makes you reconsider who exactly should you root for. As Scottie Zajac is surviving her first heartbreak, she blackmails the school’s head cheerleader (Irene) in a plot to make her ex jealous. Little did she know, that her life would drastically change.
"She Drives Me Crazy" is an amazing book that shows the pain of heartbreak, giving people a second chance, and not judging a book by its cover.

Did I see this beautiful cover art (by Steffi Walthall, @just___steffi) and immediately request this book without knowing anything else about it? Yes. Was it just as cute and queer as the cover promised? Also yes! Sometimes it pays to judge a book by its cover, just saying.

This sapphic sports rom-com by Kelly Quindlen was everything I needed and always wanted in a YA book when I was in high school. I don’t often read books with female athletes (which is weird because I was the biggest jock in high school), but I’m definitely going to seek them out from now on! “She Drives Me Crazy” follows Scottie, a basketball player who has recently gone through a brutal breakup. On a not-so-great night when Scottie has just lost a basketball game to her ex, the night only gets worse when she gets into a fender-bender with her nemesis, mean-girl, and cheerleader, Irene. The two girls are forced to carpool by their well-meaning mothers, and their mutual animosity only grows. However, one carpool leads to another, and when an opportunity arises to make her ex jealous, Scottie ropes Irene into a fake-dating scheme to benefit them both.

This was such a fun premise! Enemies-to-lovers AND fake dating? AND make it queer with a South Asian love interest?? I was sold. Quindlen really delivered on the sweet sweet banter between Scottie and Irene, and their playful animosity was one my favorite things about the book. While I loved their relationship, the thing I loved the most about the story was the focus on self-discovery and self-love. The most satisfying relationship was the one that Scottie fostered with herself in healing from her toxic relationship. This was one of my favorite quotes: “Because before you can worry about who‘s in your passenger seat, you have to learn to drive yourself”.

“She Drives Me Crazy” gave me such cozy feelings, and I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for something fluffy, queer, and funny. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for access to this ARC!

I can always count on Kelly Quindlen to write characters I root for and who have wonderful chemistry together. This was a delight to read.

This book was such a fun read! Enemies fake-dating, ex-girlfriend drama, basketball championships... All with a backdrop of 80s teen movies as inspiration for the main character's actions. I appreciated that this wasn't a typical coming out story, but instead that the main characters were out, some more than others, and all of that angst wasn't a major part of the story. And even though the reader totally knows where the story is headed, there was still enough tension and "I can't believe she's making that mistake" to keep us interested. Definitely worth reading, and then reading again.

I loved this! I won’t lie, the cover snatched me first... then the synopsis.. then the book itself.

Irene (Indian American queer whip smart matter of fact cheerleader!) is one of my favorite characters in YA in a while. She’s my favorite part hands down of this whole book. I actually don’t think I have to say anything else - read it for Irene! Also there’s basketball. AND sweet modeling of healthy/supportive friendships and families. And did I mention Irene??

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

More like this in YA please publishers !!

I will admit, I wasn't entirely sold on this book when I started. The female lead character, Scottie, wasn't very engaging, and the other two parts of the semi-complete love triangle seemed to just be two sides of the "b****" coin. However, as the story developed, so too did Irene's characterization, as we the readers learn about her alongside Scottie. There were moments in the book where I felt really frustrated with the lead, as she leapt to the wrong conclusions and made mistakes. But, this is a YA book, and she is a teenaged high school student, even if she is only one year from college when the book starts. Of course, everything feels overly dramatic and emotions seem to rule in ways we don't expect them to for adults.

The main LGBT characters in this book are all athletes, and I very much appreciate that the author wrote the characters to be themselves. I did not feel that any stereotypes were really being pushed, either about the female characters as athletes or as gay athletes. When there was stereotyping, we see it mainly from Scottie's perspective on Irene at the beginning, and Irene very rightfully pushes back against those biased views, whether they involve her academic skills or that she is a cheerleader. This book portrays Scottie's growth as a character very well, but it also does not treat Irene as simply a means for that growth to happen.

I was surprised by the writing style. It isn't very often that I find authors who can actually write narration well in first person, present tense. It felt very natural in this book, even though I personally prefer the third person limited. As this is an ARC, there were some copyedit errors, including what looks like at least one full conversation turn missing towards the end of the book. There was also a weird usage of "thermos" instead of "travel mug" or "reusable coffee cup" or just "coffee." Perhaps it is a Southern American English usage, but everytime I read "thermos," I pictured my own dad's 5 cup, insulated thermos that he'd take to work every day, not something that would readily spill when Scottie jerked the car into reverse.

Overall, as a YA book, this was a refreshing romance. It is very nice to read a teen LGBT romance where the "drama" does not revolve around a traumatic coming out or extensive homophobia. Not that some of the characters aren't jerks, they are, but one of the things that I, an adult lesbian who remembers well the LGBT books I read as a teen, very much appreciate is that this book portrays what is becoming the new reality for many LGBT teens, and also what should be, when it comes to sexuality and gender identity. Just because there are homophobic and transphobic people, doesn't mean that we should just accept it and not portray in our fiction the world we would like to see.

Once this book is published, I wouldn't mind picking up a copy of it. I hope to have a collection of recommended books for LGBT teens; I think this book would fit in.

I really enjoyed this book! Scottie Zajac is a basketball player still trying to get over an ex. Unfortunately she loses to her ex's basketball team in the first game of the season. Things get worse when Scottie gets into a car accident with the head cheerleader Irene Abraham, which forces the two of them to carpool to school every morning. They bicker and argue, but circumstances have them coming to an agreement to fake dating to help each other out. What they don't expect is that the other person makes them feel seen and understood.

Quindlen takes the tropes we associate with high school and turns them into something fresh. I like how she delved into Scottie's insecurities. We see her navigate her hurt feelings after her former girlfriend broke her heart. Irene was so well-written! She puts on a tough exterior, but we see how she is funny, loyal, and relatable she actually. The two girls make mistakes and inspire each other to face them. My favorite part was when Scottie bares her feelings to Irene in a heartfelt conversation. If you read this book through, you'll know which one I'm talking about!

The book also pays homage to some classic teen films which I think worked really well. The secondary characters area also multi-dimensional and were well developed. Quindlen has written a fantastic story and I really hope as many people read this as possible!