I received an ARC of She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen thanks to the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning: bullying

Review:
She Drives Me Crazy is a sapphiric sporty story that revolves around Scottie, with Irene playing a large part (so does Tally, but from the background). I loved the banter between Scottie and Irene, but there was a very clear moment that caused a switch in the banter. The plot was clear, and provided a (fairly obvious) path through the story with the characters, which make it easy to follow. However, it also seems to over simplify a situation that could have contained more conflict. This is a preference thing (I love messy), and I believe there are going to be many readers that appreciate this style.

I also want to complain about the characters a bit. There is so little open communication, even when the topics were directly brought up. This was very bothersome when it was a situation that would have solved so many issues within the relationship with a simple "but well.... it didn't happen like that". It was also pretty clear early on what this conflict was, which made the 'big reveal' very lack luster.

All these complaints being said, I did still enjoy the story. There was never a part were I wondering if I should stop reading because the prose was well done. I liked the emotional connection and the physical actions within and between the characters. The side characters were fantastic (I love Honey-Belle and Danielle) and they were present throughout the story providing support to the characters.

Overall, I liked the story. I wish it was more unique, but it is a structure that does well in YA contemporary romances.

I was really enjoying this book until one chick PAYS another chick to “date” her to become popular. (Cue the theme song to Can’t Buy Me Love!) 🎶 Hmmm I wanted to see where it would go. So I continue on. Then the deal they make forces one of them to come out before she’s ready? I was not impressed!
There were some very cute moments and some very forward thinking that I really loved. But ultimately, I figured an enemies-to-lovers and fake dating concept would have worked a lot better than it did. The full review will be on my blog this weekend!

This was such a cute and feel good YA Sapphic novel and I can not stop recommending it to everyone right now! I absolutely loved Kelly Quindlen's writing style and the story she created with Scottie and Irene. Though this is a romance I would like to say it is so much more than that. Kelly imbedded so many different and IMPORTANT topics that are great for young readers to take in and apply to their own lives and relationships. I absolutely loved this book and urge others to pick it up.

She Drives Me Crazy is a little bit ridiculous in the best way possible. Quindlen expertly balances creating three dimensional characters and exploring the impact of toxic relationships with all the campy trappings of a 90’s rom com. With a fake dating scheme for the ages between two sworn enemies, the only one bed trope and a Christmas town setting, She Drives Me Crazy is the most unapologetically fun book I’ve read in ages.

My first ever Kelly Quindlen book is a success! I’d heard that the strength in Quindlen’s books lay in her characters and this could not be more accurate. She Drives Me Crazy is a masterclass on creating messy, hurt and angry characters; characters that aren’t in a good place and act accordingly and then giving them space to heal and develop in the most natural way. Scottie, our main character, isn’t always likeable. In fact, she can be a downright bitch at times. She makes mistakes, lashes out and hurts people but she has an amazing support network who want what’s best for her and help her begin to find herself again and heal from the aftermath of a toxic relationship. Additionally, her behaviour is not excused just because she was hurting and I loved seeing her accept responsibility for her actions.

Now, this could all make the book sound heavy and not exactly like rom com material but that’s where the brilliance of She Drives Me Crazy lies. Scottie’s difficult and messy character development and relationships are juxtaposed over the most lighthearted and fun setting and tropes, creating a perfect balance. Set in a small town named for its year long Christmas emporium, this book is merry and over the top and so much fun! This really shines through the side characters, particularly Honey Belle who I adored! She’s just sugary sweet and soft and exactly what you’d expect from a family running a Christmas emporium. The characters of this book were all so loveable and I particularly loved Danielle, Scottie’s best friend, and Scottie’s family. They weren’t always perfect and had some of their own issues but I loved seeing their relationships with Scottie and the way they all came through for and supported each other. I could speak about how cleverly written the characters and relationships were in this book endlessly but I’ll let you experience that for yourself.

And this finally brings us to Irene, our love interest. I absolutely adored her character and found her so easy to relate to and sympathise with. I loved the way this book, and particularly Irene, handled assumptions and stereotypes surrounding the popular mean girl cheerleader figure and turned them on their head, creating a character with depth and nuance. This also played into a great conversation about the lack of recognition cheerleaders receive, and how they’re not regarded as ‘real’ athletes. Scottie and Irene’s relationship was so fun to read, although not always easy in the beginning as these girls knew exactly how to hurt each other. I also appreciated the development of their relationship once things began getting real, and the acknowledgement that Scottie wasn’t in a good place at this time.

The writing of this book was incredible. I read this in two sittings and absolutely flew through it – in fact, it could have been one sitting if I hadn't started it so late at night. The story and Scottie’s voice just immediately gripped me and I couldn’t put it down. With a fast pace, great dialogue and just so much fun, reading She Drives Me Crazy was a joy.

Unfortunately, I did have a couple of concerns with this book. Primarily, the fake relationship itself, and its rules. I wasn’t completely comfortable with the idea that Scottie essentially was paying Irene to date her, and that this wasn’t really addressed again once they developed real feelings. I also felt that Scottie, in her desperation to get back at her ex, pressured Irene to accept (and therefore come out to everyone) which wasn’t entirely fair, though it was ultimately Irene’s decision and she did not make it lightly. I would also say that they spent quite a long time being enemies and I’d have liked to spend more time developing their relationship once they developed feelings. I’d have also appreciated the word ‘lesbian’ being used as both of our main characters were written as lesbians and there is an unfortunate lack of the owrd ‘lesbian’ in YA.

She Drives Me Crazy is cheesy and campy and angsty in the absolute best way possible. With brilliant character development and dynamics, an exploration of heartbreak, the effects of a toxic relationship and the importance of looking past preconceptions, Kelly Quindlen has created a story that will resonate with lots of teens, especially queer ones. The characters of She Drives Me Crazy are messy and flawed which just makes them all the more real. With nods to classic rom coms and expert trope usage, this book is perfect for anyone looking for some good teen fun, a lovely sapphic romance and expertly written characters.

Kelly Quindlen just did That again, wow.
She Drives Me Crazy was such a cute, funny and heart warming book! Everything about it was amazing, from the town where it is located to every single character and I am not surprised at all because this author always manages to write the best stories so I will always be all here for them!!
This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021 and it lived up to the hype that I had created about it in my head, which not many books do, so...
I love this book. There is no other thing to add. If you want to read a book about queer people just existing and getting in and out of relationships and having cute family moments and growing and evolving then this book is for you! But if you are not looking for that then this is also for you because She Drives Me Crazy was a 5 star read and you really don't want to miss it.

This book was filled with tropes that I don’t like. I’m happy it’s sapphic, and there’s character development, but it follows every contemporary convention there is, so it got boring as I could guess everything that happens.

I received an advanced copy of She Drives Me Crazy from the publisher so I could share my review with you!

Distractions have a way of ruining Scottie Zajac’s life. First, she was distracted by her ex-girlfriend during a basketball game (who happened to be playing on the opposing team), costing her the match. Then, while in the parking lot, Scottie gets into a fender-bender because she was analyzing the details of her team’s loss. Now Scottie’s distractedness has given her nemesis, Irene Abraham, yet another reason to hate her. Irene, the beautiful yet cruel captain of the cheerleading squad exists on a different social stratum than Scottie, among the top-tier elites of the school. Their lives have rarely intersected, but when they do, things always end messily. But, when their well-intending mothers concoct a scheme for the two girls to carpool to school until Irene’s car is repaired, Scottie realizes that she will be spending far more time than she would like with Irene. After spending more time together, the two concoct a mutually beneficial scheme to pretend to date, even though they have little in common. If Scottie wants to make it through the school year unscathed, she will have to learn to get along with Irene, who may be more complicated than she would’ve ever guessed.

You can get your copy of She Drives Me Crazy on April 20th from Roaring Brook Press!

She Drives Me Crazy is the first book I have read this year that I would like to give a six-star rating! Since the majority of book-rating scales don’t allow me to give actual bonus stars, I will have to settle for giving this book a glowing five-star recommendation. This story was easily one of the sweetest sapphic stories I have read in years. Scottie and Irene both felt extremely real to me, pulling me into the narrative instantly! Their quick banter and interactions kept me laughing to the very last page. Kelly Quindlen brought new life into well-worn romance tropes, combining enemies-to-lovers and fake-dating into one compulsively readable story!

My Recommendation-
If you need a swoon-worthy rom-com to brighten your day, you absolutely need to pick up a copy of She Drives Me Crazy! I was in a bit of a reading slump when I picked this book up, but Scottie and Irene banished my reading woes. She Drives Me Crazy would be perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Sophie Gonzales!

This was a very odd read. Everything about it: the setting, the tone, the character names, felt like a Hallmark Christmas special or a 2020 DCOM. Except there was a lot of cursing.

I enjoyed that it was hate-to-love and fake dating combined, but make it sapphic. It was great to see a strong female athlete on page.

But everything else about it just felt slightly off-kilter.

rating : 3.5 stars

there were many elements I loved, and a few I didn't, overall, the enemies to lovers trope(IT'S A YES FROM ME) just steals my heart each time, and this was no exception. As an athlete, I truly truly truly wish there were more sports books, sports romances, etc. And the fact that She Drives Me Crazy is a sports romance just really made me feel like this the entire time: 🥰 🥰 🥰.🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰


full review will be up on my bookstagram next week! thank you to Pride Tours and the publisher for the copy.

I was so unprepared for how cute this book was! And even in the first like 15% of the book, I was skeptical of if I was going to actually really enjoy it… but oh did I ever! Is it full of tropes? Yes. Are bits of the story predictable? Yes. Was I so consumed & delighted by it that I read it in one sitting? Also yes.

This book, while full of tropes, managed to go really in depth about some topics that most young adult books don’t, especially ya rom-coms. There was a lot of maturity in both the characters themselves and the writing that was believable and relatable and made the predictable plot points/story beats make sense. Scottie and Irene are young, and therefore making mistakes and figuring themselves out and tend towards drama. But they are also smart girls who are open-minded and learn to face their fears. The amount of growth they grow through, both together and individuals, is so refreshing. And their banter! The absolute sharp wit of these girls is enviable, I wish I was that quick when I was in high school.

Behind all of the tropes, this book has absolutely excellent commentary on toxicity of female rivalries, the unfairness of boys vs girls sports, not being afraid of confrontation, learning how to show up for the people you care about, and how to love yourself. It’s an absolute gem and I highly recommend it.

It definitely reads young as somebody a couple of years out of high school, but fun fact about me! There are a ton of jock lesbians from my graduating year who have since come out, and the book just reminds me of them. Really charming.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for exchanging this book for an honest review.

omg this book was so good! This book started as a fake dating book to make the ex girlfriend jealous and it just got better every page I turned. I loved the characters, they just felt so real as if I was talking to them myself. The humor in this really did make me laugh out loud and I loved the basketball/ cheerleader romance with a twist. Both of these characters were so supportive with one and other and I loved the open communication in this story, I also loved the vibes and the setting of this story. The vibes were so fluffy and campy and I just could not wait for these two characters to fall in love. I cannot wait to read more by Kelly Quindlen.

Thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy to review! As a lover of the enemies to lovers trope, I knew that this was going to be right up my alley. It’s the gay fake-dating scheme that everyone needs!

We start off running in this book, jumping right into Scottie and her girlfriend drama. Quindlen does an excellent job of pulling the reader into this fictional world without being too info-dumpy. Right from the start, Scottie is a likeable character, even if she seems to be caught up in her toxic ex-girlfriend. And is a bit oblivious.

The relationship between Irene and Scottie also felt nature, even if the two are incredibly snarky toward each other in the beginning. It’s great banter though, and you can tell there are sparks almost from the beginning. They also have incredible best friends, and Scottie has a great family. I love seeing a family who is totally accepting and willing to help Scottie through her drama.

The only thing I would have improved in this was the pacing. By the end, some of the pacing felt off, particularly with the competition for Student Athlete of the Year. I wanted the events to go together more seamlessly, but instead the end felt a little jumpy.

All in all, this is a great rom-com featuring two girls who weren’t meant to fall in love. With lots of great, diverse representation and a fantastic cover, this one should be on every teen shelf!

This was such a fun read. I loved all the characters and their relationships. However, I don't think that the book was necessarily for me. I enjoyed a lot of this book, but, there were still some things that I was unable to connect with. Quindlen is an incredible writer and I found this to be a fun read but, I don't think I would pick it up again. I am very impressed by how Quindlen was able to make me fall for these characters so quickly. This is something I would recommend to my friends for a quick and fun read. I can't wait to read more books by Kelly Quindlen.

Was a bit skeptical on if I would like this book at first but quickly got engaged. The book captures your attention as you wait to see if the two will get together, what the next move in the plan will be. Wonderful job.

Okay. Okay. Okay. THIS book? This book right here? Phenomenal. Just spectacular.

I don’t think I have read a single sapphic rom-com before that I have loved THIS much. It is something so fun and special.
This book is a rom-com, but it is probably the most realistic view of a relationship I’ve seen in one with all its struggles and heartaches. It shows these girls being messy, making mistakes, and growing from them. It is just everything I’ve ever wanted from a romance book and I am just so glad that it exists. I blew through it in less than 24 hours and it made me smile the entire time. This is NOT a book to miss.

She Drives Me Crazy, by Kelly Quindlen is a book I so wish had existed when I was in high school. I completely love fake dating, and this lived up to all the fake dating trope and cliche I wanted it to be.

Scottie is fresh off getting her butt kicked by her ex-girlfriend when she gets in a fender bender with her least favorite queen bee. In a hasty lie to avoid parental arguing, the girls lie about being friends and find themselves stuck in an awkward carpool situation. They decide to take advantage of this situation to fix both financial issues and hopefully make the ex jealous.

The best word to describe this book is fun. It was such a fast paced read, and for me it didn’t have any lull moments to pull it down. Both main characters were solidly written and had very strong but opposing personalities that made them fit so well together.

I really enjoyed Quindlen’s Late to the Party, so I was eager to dive into her new offering and let me tell you: between the rivals to romance, the fake dating, and the Christmas themed setting, get yourself ready for some rom-com/Hallmark level tropes. The characters and dialogue felt authentic, and I appreciated Scottie’s family dynamics especially (although her sisters fell a bit into narrow roles). Honey-Belle and Danielle were great side characters, and I liked that Danielle had her own side plot too. I enjoyed the build of the romance between Irene and Scottie, even if there were some time jumps which seemed to rob the momentum a bit. I also really liked the way the book discussed moving on from past relationships as a form of grieving, and how confusing and non-linear that process can be. That said, I wished there had been more backstory on the relationships with Tally and Charlotte to help understand what the initial draw was. Overall, a very cute story for fans of Happiest Season, or match with Leah on the Offbeat and Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit for a WLW Georgia trio.

Allow me to be upfront about this: Sports stories are probably the lowest on my list of YA fiction books I’d willingly read. I think it mostly has to do with me never having had an interest in sports, along with really having a hard time grasping sports jargon. Plus, I don’t like watching sports, why would I ever enjoy reading about sports? So, to say I was a little apprehensive about diving into “She Drives Me Crazy,” would be an understatement.

BUT! Thank the heavens, this was not simply a “sports story.” Yes it did include sports scenes and plenty of talk about it because basketball is very important to our main character, but it didn’t spend endless pages focusing on basketball. Instead, it focused on a beautiful, funny, young adult romance.

“She Drives Me Crazy” follows one of my favorite romance tropes: enemies-to-lovers. It’s the sapphic fake-dating rom-com I have been craving. I even found myself invested in the school sports rivalry–yes, me, a sports story pessimist.

In all honesty, I’ve spent the past 24 hours trying to find something that turned me off about this book, but I truly loved it so, so much. The main characters are perfectly snarky without coming off unreadable. Our side characters are just as lovable and have fully fleshed out personalities. The town our story is set in is small, but full of personality. The drama isn’t over the top, it’s perfect and real, and doesn’t come at the expense of the fact that someone is gay–something that was so refreshing. We need more books about LGBTQ+ folks just being. Stories that showcase difficult LGBTQ+ journeys are extremely important and valuable, but so are the fun, fluffy, romance books where our characters face problems not only tied to their sexuality.

My heart was so full throughout the entirety of this story. I immediately loved Scottie and Irene. I loved Scottie’s sisters and parents. Danielle was an amazing character and best friend to Scottie, and I would love an entire story just about her. I even sorta liked Tally and Charlotte in a “I hate your guts” kind of way. They were both the “villains” of the story, but they were written really well.

What more can I say about this book other than it was the sapphic fake dating rom-com of my dreams? Amazing characters, compelling writing, and sweet romance. I know we’re only four months into 2021, but I think this is easily in my top three books of the year. It was phenomenal.

I loved this book. This is the queer YA content we need more of! The focus is on relationships and goals, not trauma or coming out (though it does touch on these topics they are minor and well supported). I loved our two fierce, soft, and genuine main characters, and their wide group of friends. I enjoyed the high school dynamics of sports, friends, and figuring out the future for what comes next. I laughed, I hurt for them, I cheered, I gasped, and overall thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience. The nemesis to lovers troupe is one of my favorite and this is one of the best ones I've read. I wish I had this book to read when I was in high school!