This book was fun and an easy read. It has intrigue and fun relatable characters. I can see my students really enjoying this book so I will pick up a copy for my classroom library.

A cute love story. It contains all your typical teen drama. Great for fans of Jenny Han. Some good advice about friendships and dating.

While Perfect on Paper admittedly did not live up to my expectations due to my dislike of the main character's tendencies towards secrecy and blaming, it was an entertaining read with fantastic bisexual representation that the YA genre needs. I also loved the way that Darcy's family played into the narrative, providing an outsider perspective that was understanding and supportive, while also causing her to question her sources and make sure that she was treating those who entrusted her fairly. More than anything though, I loved the way that Sophie Gonzales brings in commentary around YouTubers and how truly influential they can be in shaping the mindset of teenagers.

PERFECT ON PAPER is a delightful YA romantic comedy. Darcy has been operating Locker 89 at her school for years. Students leave notes and money with their email address, and Darcy takes the time to reply to their notes with an anonymous email of relationship advice. There is a money back guarantee that if her advice does not work, she will refund the money. Her anonymity is put into jeopardy when she is confronted by a senior, Alexander Brougham.

Brougham wants Darcy to help him get his ex-girlfriend back with personal counseling sessions. Out of fear for others finding out the secret that she is behind Locker 89, Darcy begins to help him. At the same time, she sees advice relating to her BFF and secret mega-crush, Brooke, that makes her act out of jealousy rather than the usual whole-hearted advice her secret agony aunt program gives. As time goes on and she spends more time with Brougham, she realizes that there is more to him than she would have expected, and maybe getting him back with his ex is not as high on her priorities. What could go wrong?

What I loved: This plot had me completely hooked to see how everything came together. I also really adore unexpected romance with some enemies-to-romantic flair, and this book delivered in a big way. The characters are unbelievably well-written and highly compelling. Aside from Darcy, who grows a lot as a character in the book, and Brougham, who is totally swoon-worthy, Ainsley is a character whose book I would happily devour. She's funny, clever, and makes her own clothes- plus gives her sister Darcy great advice. She was definitely one of my favorites in the book, and she had me literally laughing out loud with her antics at the end big friendship-related gesture. Ainsley was *chef's kiss.* I also had much love for Finn, who has his own conspiracy theories about High School Musical, and even Darcy's mother, who is doing her best and also evolving during the story.

Another great part of the book is all the representation of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the discussions around how different identities can be perceived (particularly bi, as per the main character) and related challenges. This was a really strong part of the story, and I also appreciated the importance of having safe spaces (like the Q + Q Club) demonstrated in a positive way.

I also really loved the inclusion of the letters and the advice Darcy gives sprinkled throughout the book. These sorts of additions just made the book even more fun. The writing style and pacing are really perfect in this book, and I never felt like there was a dull moment.

I would add some warnings for drug and alcohol use/abuse, parental neglect and abuse, and internalized biphobia.

Final verdict: With fantastic representation, strong love interests, and a bunch of personal growth, PERFECT ON PAPER was a compelling and charming read. Highly recommend for fans of ASK ME ANYTHING and FOLLOW YOUR ARROW.

This book is cute, funny and has all of the angst you could want in a YA romance. I liked the characters, especially Darcy's sister, and enjoyed reading the book. It's a quick read and I like the author's writing style. She does a great job writing conversations, and the sarcasm is witty without sounding too mean. I recommend

This was SO. GOOD. The queer, Sex Education vibes in this were immaculate and I can easily say that Sophie Gonzales has become a new favorite YA author for me and I will absolutely read anything she publishes in the future. I loved the messiness of the romance in this and how authentically teenage all of the hijinks in this felt. This was just so fun!!! Definitely recommend if you're looking for a new YA contemporary to dive into this summer

CW: biphobia

This book was so adorable. Perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve loved before. I’m not always a big fan of YA, but this book was more of a mature YA? I really enjoyed the bi representation as I think that’s something a lot of HS students can relate too.

I'm going to be honest here, my brain some how took the premise of this book and REALLY distorted it until I thought it was going to be completely different from what it was. That's not necessarily a bad thing though, because it was kind of fun to be surprised by what the story actually was. I'm pickier with my contemporary novels, but I loved Perfect on Paper for really capturing what it's like to be a bi teen, albeit with a bit more drama than you'd get in real life (which was awesome btw, it'd have been boring otherwise).

I loved Darcy, she felt really genuine as a character, from the way she wanted to help people to her annoyance at Brougham and her selfishness and jealousy. Which sounds like I'm putting a bunch of negative traits down for her, but what I'm trying to say is that Darcy felt very real, to the point where I could easily imagine having known someone like her in high school. The relationships she has with her sister, her best friend and even Brougham were all so realistic and touching to me because the characters really came across as caring about one another, both big picture wise and down to the little details of their interactions.

If you're looking for a fun, queer rom-com definitely pick this up! I loved Gonzales' use of tropes, the romance she built and the sheer amount of queerness (especially bi pride) in Perfect on Paper.

This was a super fun read that tugged at my heartstrings several times. I enjoyed the plot and really loved the characters!

Darcy thinks she knows exactly what she wants and believes that she is comfortable in her skin, but she is forced to really question her identity, as well, as her choices, as the story progresses. In the whole, Darcy is a likeable character and has good intentions, but she tends to make snap judgements about people (especially Brougham and Ray) and doesn’t always take other people’s feelings into account.

At first glance, Brougham appears to be egotistical, aloof and rather conceited. But as you dig deeper, there is a whole lot more to Alexander Brougham than meets the eye. He is incredibly loyal to his friends, open-minded, supportive, and really sweet. And he’s been hurt a lot by those that are supposed to care for him, so he hides behind walls you have to scale to find the real Brougham.

Brooke is Darcy’s best friend, she is sweet and flirty, super smart, but also a little shy. Until she learns something that Darcy has done behind her back that could ruin their friendship forever.

Darcy’s sister Ainsley always has her back and is really there for her no matter what. That have an exceptionally close sister-bond that I really almost envied. Ainsley is quirky and sweet and would really do just about anything for Darcy.

While Finn isn’t a main character, I decided to include him here because I felt he played a big role in both Darcy & Brougham’s lives. He’s Brougham’s best friend, but also moves in Darcy’s world as a friend as well. And he is incredibly supportive to both of them. When Darcy’s world collapses, he is one of the people who is there for her.

Ray, aka Reina, is somewhat Darcy’s nemesis, and through Darcy’s actions, she becomes more of a nemesis. On the surface she appears conceited, brash, and as though she thinks she’s better than everyone else. But, like everyone, Ray has her own insecurities and soft spots too.

This book covers some important LGBTQ issues, including Bi-erasure. All of the lead characters listed above, except for Brougham, are queer, and that plays a big role in the story line. I liked how the storyline progressed, touching on issues without making it feel like the author was trying to highlight it with big neon lights. That is to say, it fit the story perfectly.

I loved, loved, loved this story and can’t wait for the next Sophie Gonzales book!

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley and the publisher {St. Martin’s Press} in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Maybe "perfect in my head, mediocre on paper" would be a better title for this one?

This is one of those YAs that weren't really written for me. I loved how it tackled biphobia, had an extremely inclusive cast of characters, and the unique emails with advice at the beginning of each chapter, but the plot didn't interest me at all. There was (yet another) basic love triangle and a whole lot of conflict easily resolved with some basic communication. The romance wasn't particularly compelling either.

I ended up finishing the story via audio, which I enjoyed much more. I'm going to blame the pacing for making the ebook a slog. Very sad that this one fell flat for me compared to my absolute devotion to Only Mostly Devastated.

TW: biphobia (mostly internalized), implied child abuse

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I recently read Perfect on Paper as an ARC, and it was everything I could have ever wanted from a contemporary! It was light, fluffy, and included some of my favourite tropes – (hate-to-love and the grumpy x sunshine dynamic). Each of the characters were entirely different, and the stark contrast, and difference in personalities made their dynamics so much more interesting.

Each of the character relationships had so much depth to them, and all of them felt so three-dimensional and realistic. What I loved the most was how natural each of the interactions felt, because in so many books, you just get awkward conversation, but seeing supportive friends, who had realistic interactions helped make this book resonant.

Although the storyline was super fluffy, and cute, I loved seeing how it was balanced with heavy themes of internal biphobia, and finding yourself, even when you feel you’ve lost everything, and everyone around you.

The relationships that weren’t the center of attention, and ones featuring minor side characters were also given so much depth, and attention, which is something I would love to see so much more in the books I read. All of the relationships, whether they were parental, romantic, or friendly, had a certain past to them, and were never perfect. They all had their own unique flaws, much like relationships we have in real life, making this exemplary contemporary even better.

In this YA contemporary story, Darcy Phillips, a bisexual high schooler who gives anonymous relationship advice, is enrolled to help senior Alexander Brougham get his ex-girlfriend back after he finds out her secret. Darcy is willing to do anything to keep her secret from getting out, because if it did, her best friend and long-time crush, Brooke, would, without a doubt, hate her for something she did last year regarding advice she gave. As Darcy navigates her feelings for Brooke and her slowly budding friendship with Brougham, she works through feelings of internalized biphobia, because she is afraid she may be developing feelings for a certain boy and doesn't know what to do.

I don't read a lot of YA anymore, but I do tend to enjoy the books I do pick up from that genre. Perfect on Paper was a great summer read that left me smiling. I loved the LGBTQ+ rep and the discussions that happened in the Q&Q Club. I liked getting to see so many characters and the growth that several of them went through, especially Darcy. She was a really entertaining protagonist, and I was so happy to see her work through her mistakes and follow her heart. Perfect on Paper was a great read that I would absolutely recommend! And can we please appreciate how pretty the cover is for a moment?

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales!

Darcy Phillips has been giving anonymous advice to students who submit letters to locker 89. Not even her best friends know that she's responsible for the locker. But one afternoon she gets caught by Brougham who asks her to become his personal dating coach in exchange for keeping her secret.

I loved this story. Darcy is such a likeable character, and I loved watching her relationships with the other characters grow.

Darcy secretly runs locker 89. Her classmates pay her for relationship advice now if only she can get her own love life in order. Darcy has been in love with her best friend Brooke forever but a new guy Brougham asks for advice which leads Darcy to reflect on her true feelings. I liked the lgbtqia talk. Such a great open space of discussions which most of us never had in high school. Where the book fell short for me was the actual relationships. Never believed Darcy and Brougham were feeling it for each other.

This was such a good book! I really enjoyed the relationship advice letters because the advice was sound and just made the story a lot of fun with how Darcy had to navigate knowing the people she was giving advice to. I love the Q&Q club and that whole gang of characters were great.

The writing, the overall conflict, the romance, Darcy’s mistakes… everything about this story was perfect and I enjoyed it so much.

FUCK I loved this book so much?? I’m actually mad I waited so long to read it after managing to snag the ARC on Netgalley.

I picked it up after a recommendation from someone talking about how the story discussed biphobia, and I’m so glad I did. I read it all in one day; I couldn’t put it down. This story did so much! The characters were SO FUNNY and made me literally laugh out loud multiple times. Darcy and Ainsley together were the absolute best. Darcy and Broaughm (sp?? I had to keep saying it as Bro-uhm in my mind the whole time) together were so adorable and so dumb and oblivious I WANTED TO SHAKE THEM but also it was perfect. It takes a lot for a book to get my grinch heart to truly root for a couple and I DID. A LOT.

I appreciated that this book touched on lots of topics through both Darcy’s advice business and her life, as well. For example, a letter writer talking about not wanting to have sex with her bf but loving him, and Darcy telling her how valid and normal that is, despite what larger society/media/pop culture tries to tell us, and touching on asexuality and the difference between sexual and romantic attraction. There was also discussion about friendships being just as important—and friend breakups just as hard, if not harder—than romantic relationships. And, as I mentioned before, the story discusses biphobia when Darcy realized how scared she is to date a guy and not be queer anymore. It’s MESSED UP that the queer community and straights alike have made bi people feel invalidated or like their queerness depends on who they’re dating/having sex with.

This book caught me by surprise in the best way, and I’m so happy to have read it!

Locker 89... erm, I mean Darcy Phillips runs an "advice service" at school. It does come at a small fee but is she doing the students a disservice?

Darcy is bi and in love with her best friend, Brooke. As she's trying to sort her feelings for Brooke, Brougham comes along and needs Darcy's help to win his ex-girlfriend back.

Darcy seems to overstep a lot but also a little on the defensive side. I was able to relate and picture some of the tougher scenes throughout the book. The characters are likeable and the storyline was cute. I'd definitely reread this again.

Thanks Netgalley for letting me this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Darcy Phillips is great at giving love advice, but not so great at making it work for her own relationships. Darcy is bi-sexual and in love with her best friend Brooke. Brooke is not aware of Darcy’s feelings, and she is in love with someone else. Students in Darcy’s high school leave letters in locker 89 asking for relationship advice, and Darcy responds anonymously typically giving spot on advice, but sometimes using her anonymity to her advantage.

When the star of the swim team, Alexander Brougham catches Darcy taking the letters out of locker 89, he makes a deal with her. He will keep her secret if she helps him get his ex-girlfriend back. There are things that Darcy doesn’t want to come to light if people find out she’s behind locker 89 so she agrees to help Brougham. How hard can it be to make someone fall in love with someone they’ve already broken up with?

I really enjoyed this contemporary young adult romance. I thought the premise was original and liked that the main character was bi-sexual. It brought a diverse aspect to the story. Darcy was relatable because although she was trying to help people she also wanted to find happiness herself. Sometimes she didn’t make the best decisions when it came to her own happiness, and while she makes mistakes, she learns from them. I enjoyed Brougham’s story as well and liked reading as his business deal with Darcy progressed into friendship.

I really enjoyed everything about this story – the friendships, the romance, and the familial bonds particularly the relationship between Darcy and her sister Ainsley. Sophie Gonzalez has a way of writing rom-coms where they are funny, but not over the top.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved the bi rep in this and thought the plot line was compelling and well done. I guess the only hang up I had is I just didn’t really connect with the male love interest so I wasn’t really rooting for him? But otherwise I thought this was well done!

“The only thing that’s universally agreed on is this: if you’re having relationship issues and you slide a letter through the vents of locker eighty-nine, you will receive an email from an anonymous sender within the week, giving you advice.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 stars!

This amazing sophomore novel from Sophie Gonzalez is asking the real questions about relationship advise, bi-phobia, internalized bi-phobia, Australian accents, and makeup samples.

This book is about Darcy, a self-employed love advisor operating out of an abandoned locker, when she’s caught, she’s hired to help Brougham get his ex-girlfriend back. But after time with Darcy, he may not want her back…

So I really like Sophie Gonzales’ style of have a really cute, diverse cast of characters that are so fun to follow. It made this book really fun to read. Every side character felt like they could their own story and felt really developed.

The part I most appreciated reading was the honest discussions between the different lgbtq characters. It honestly means so much to see a young bisexual girl receiving support from the other members of her community.

This felt like a book that really cared about the bisexual experience, both in and out of context from the queer community. And it’s amazing to think about books like this in the hands of teens who need it most.

The plot also has so much fun to offer, the trip to Disneyland was particularly exciting and even amidst this pandemic, makes me long to go. But just the cute antics of teens making mistakes, learning from them, and trying their best to make up for them. I don’t want to say too much, but yeah this book is full of drama, plenty of misunderstandings, hilarity, and heartwarming moments.

I don’t usually like love triangles, in fact, I would call them one of my least favorite tropes in all of romance, however! I did feel like this book toed an acceptable line. Brooke and Brougham represent very different things for her so it was something I could get behind, but still probably my least favorite aspect of the book.

TL;DR: A dazzling sophomore novel with the same level of amazing characters, sincere story, and adorable romance. Whether a new or returning fan, you’ll definitely enjoy.

E-galley provided by Wednesday Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions based off an uncorrected proof.