Lara spent the summer with her family in the Philippines and cannot wait to get back to her three best friends. It’s senior year, and they promised to always be there for each other. Lara did not expect that everything would change when they all got boyfriends. To make matters worse, her frenemy James is now in her classes and she has to tutor him. This was supposed to be her year, but everything’s changing and Lara’s not ready for it.

Lara is such a relatable character. I can remember how jarring it was senior year and feeling like everyone and everything around you was changing. I loved the moments when Lara stuck up for herself. This book also captures how fickle high school relationships are, and sometimes I just did not care for Lara’s friends. James really grew on me in the end. Overall, I feel like this book is great for a younger population. The cover really intrigued me, but the story ended up being a letdown and a little juvenile.

Thank you to Net Galley and Wattpad Books for the ARC!

I love it! This book is definitely a good one, I really enjoy reading, very comfy and lovely story 💕

This was a super quick and quirky fun read. I did have a little bit of a hard time fully connecting to the material as I feel I was this is definitely for YA, but for the targeted audience I think this will be really enjoyable. I think maybe the story could have been a little longer so the ending didn’t feel rushed, but overall this was a good book. I would recommend this for those looking for a YA romance with some teenage drama.

I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wattpad Books, and Loridee De Villa for this ARC!

This book...was great. A perfect, cheesy, romantic and anti-romantic simultaneously, young adult fiction book for young readers and anyone else who is interested in the cheesy romance genre.

This book is satirical, heavily trope-y, diverse, and in general a feel-good summer romance to read in three hours because you can't put it down. In some sections of this book, there was the usage of the language Tagalog, which I enjoyed thoroughly to have this represented in this book. I am not one who knows or uses Tagalog but felt much included with the translations at the end of each sentence.

The family dimensions and relationships stood out in this book as well, showing different dynamics with each family member and their relationship with each other and the people around them is inspirational.

This had many very poetic and hilarious quotes at the same time. Our narrator takes us along this story with her and acts as if we are their closest friends, sharing with us their internal thoughts and memories while we are enveloped in this story.

Our narrator was also able to connect with the readers, including many popular culture references and using colloquial language throughout the entire book—making this novel extremely accessible.

Although this book included many great facets to it, the novel also included some major problems that felt at times highly unrealistic. For example, the character's friends were beyond toxic and the main character was oblivious of it and forgave them almost instantly. This obliviousness also applies towards the end of the story, where the main character forgives a certain character extremely quickly in the span of about five pages. It would have been much more interesting if they had dragged that certain point a little longer to emphasize it and show some distance.

Some parts of this felt like middle school drama, which in a sense it was. Some parts felt like it came straight out of a soap opera yet re-enacted by high schoolers. Some of the characters felt much more immature than they should be at that age. Many moments felt highly unrealistic. Of course, this is respectable with a Young Adult romance novel, but it felt a bit excessive at times.

The ending also felt a bit rushed, trying to get to the point so it can be wrapped up. New characters were introduced far too late in the story and had arcs that went far too quickly. It would have been more enjoyable tenfold if it was spread out more. I wouldn't even mind more pages if it meant better character arcs.

This book had its ups and downs but was still undeniably good. It would be great for any cheesy romance lover.

All in all: good but still flawed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It’s Lara’s senior year of highschool and anything goes. All her friends are pairing off leaving her the last one standing. Lara’s long term frenemy James seems to be everywhere she doesn’t want him to be. Between her chaotic family and school life, she’s just trying to make it to the end of term.

How To Be the Best Third Wheel is a cute romcom. It is a little angsty and whiny at some points but the book is about highschoolers. All highschoolers can be a little angsty sometimes. I do feel like the storyline was too long and in some places repetitive. It could easily have been condensed into a short story.

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This book earned a 4/5 from me. It was fairly juvenile writing, with unrealistic reactions and underdeveloped side characters with some scenes that could use reworking for clarity, but with that being said, I did truly enjoy this read. The way that Filipino culture and language was integrated was informative without messing with the pace, and I feel as though I learned a lot about their culture. James and Lara's relationship was trope-y and sweet, and the ending (which I won't spoil) was well-done and left me to think about what could come next for them. This book was a great pick-me-up!

What I liked about the book:
1. I liked the diversity, however, I felt it really could have been talked about a lot more. Lara and Jasmine are both second generation immigrants (Lara from the Philippines and Jasmine from Beijing, China). Carol is a first generation immigrant from Goa, India. There are references to different upbringings between the friends, but it's not really touched on a whole lot. It was like the diversity box was checked and then nothing more was done about it. I feel the audience was owed more.

2. I really liked the use of the Tagalog language followed by the English translation. I definitely felt the importance of the language from the grandmothers' perspectives through this, but I wasn't left in the dark because I don't speak Tagalog.

3. Lara did have some good zingers throughout the book that I appreciated:

"Unfortunately, that class is physical education, and the only 'education' I'm getting from this is that sports like basketball have complicated rules that I don't care about and my fitness declines exponentially with each year." - Same girl, same.

"I don't know, maybe it's because I don't like you and people tend to avoid things they don't like. It's like, an evolutionary trait." - I mean, I can definitely relate to this being the anti-socialite that I am.

What I didn't like about the book:
1. Lara's friends are terrible. They totally just drop her once they get boyfriends, and in my opinion, they never really make up for that.

2. This book had a lot of tropes. I love tropes, but this was a little much.

3. Some of it feels very elementary school while other parts feel right for high school. How can she be a romance expert and hate the idea of kissing?

4. There were too many problems near the end of the book and none of them were solved. I like things wrapped up nicely, and I didn't feel we got that.

requested off netgalley, both cover and description got me curious and interested bc it sounded like a cute read. i liked the main character and her friends, they gave me vibes of the characters in the babysitters club show which i like too. i liked their personalities, they felt like different characters from each other. they re all funny too so the book had me laughin at times and rolling my eyes at the come backs specially between lara and james. the were the best friends to enemies to lovers trope. her friends all getting boyfriends at the same time and the guys all already being friends with each other and knowing james too was funny and it was a surprise to lara. she and james were the third wheels. their friends were havin less time for them and were lying and comin up with excuses not to hang. lara and james start to have that in common and they start spendin a bit more time together specially bc lara has to be him study. their families are really cute and funny too, and laras mom and james mom are both best friends too. sometimes we had flashbacks from laras life back to when she and james were friends and when he started datin her cousin (who i dont really like ). i felt like the book couldve been shorter and certain times it was dragging and i was getting bored but at least we didnt have idk instant reomance etc. im glad things end up workin out with her and her friends. and i related to lara on the not knowing what to pursue after school. also havin that last summer to be with friends when it seemed that every friend was leaving. to the end of the book, i was surprised with the ending it wasnt a bad ending but i wish we wouldve gotten a epilogue. overall i enjoyed this easy to read cute romance contemporary book about friendships/family and being young.

This follows a girl that has a close friend group of four. Our main character goes away for the summer and is blindsided that all of her friends now have boy friends. She struggles to find her place as the new third wheel of the group. She also has an on going battle with a boy that has been considered a “frienemy” for years.
You can guess what happens next…somewhat predictable but still a fun ride.

when i saw this book on netgalley, the cover immediately caught my eye (it’s so cute)! and being a perpetual third wheel in high school, i was really excited about the concept behind this story. how to be the best third wheel follows lara, a student who has just returned from a family trip, and is starting her final year of high school. however, lara is met with some seemingly unfortunate news upon her arrival home — all of her friends have gotten into relationships since she last saw them. on top of this, lara is essentially forced to spend time with her life long enemy, james. what unravels is a chaotic and passionate journey as lara attempts to balance every sphere of her life.

like i said above, the concept of this book really intrigued me. much of what lara goes through was relatable to things i have experienced myself (especially the gravity of her feelings). however, i think the delivery of the story could have been a lot better. it is important to acknowledge that this book came from wattpad, and it really reads as such. there were moments in which i couldn’t stop myself from cringing, which was ultimately distracting and made it hard for me to finish reading this story. coming from an older perspective, i can’t really say that i enjoyed reading this (despite relating to lara in numerous ways). however, seeing as some wattpad books are intended and cherished among younger audiences, i think younger groups of people will receive this book better. 2/5 stars.

thank you so much to netgalley and wattpad books for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The author warns you that this is going to be cringy. I know my younger self would have absolutely loved this!! This book is intended for a younger audience and that’s especially important to keep in mind while reading. It does not have spice - it is a very clean romance!

It sounds like a good read. I have seen that it fake from Wattpad and it’s great that Wattpad authors can get the chance to publish their books!
Then again I will say that it looks like an amazing read!

How to Be the Best Third Wheel follows Lara, who is looking forward to starting her senior year with her three best friends. Lara realizes that things may not be going according to plan: all three of her friends now have boyfriends and she becomes the perpetual third wheel. Lara soon finds herself spending more and more time with James, a fellow third wheel in a similar situation.

How to Be the Best Third Wheel is a fun YA book that seems geared towards the slightly younger YA audience. I liked the layout of the book, with the chapters presented as a list of tips for third wheels. Lara was a good lead for the book and I enjoyed reading about all of the different relationships in her life. There are lots of different emotions going on throughout the book, which is definitely on point for YA. How to Be the Best Third Wheel is a good pick for the younger YA reader. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. "How to Be the Best Third Wheel" is a lighthearted young adult novel about Lara, who spent her entire summer vacation in the Philippines without any wi-fi and int he beginning of the school year she was surprised by the fact that all her best friends are now in relationships. That is how her journey as a Third Wheel begins. Quite frankly, this girl is everything but the Best Third Wheel. I found the main character and actually all the characters to be completely insufferable. The plot was rather predictable. The main character did not act her age, she actually did not even act as a teenager at times. I like how all the chapters had these tip titles, it was a nice touch. The ending was rather surprising, which surely made the book better in my eyes, but as I read it, I was constantly on the verge of DNF-ing it.

This book releases May 3

Reader’s Notes:

– there are 10 curse words

– there is innuendo

Review:

I removed a star because I did not enjoy the beginning on the story (it didn’t really flow in my opinion) and (if I read it correctly the two times I read the end) it appears that the main character does not get a romantic happily ever after like I expected.

However, once I got past a certain point in the beginning, I did enjoy most of the story! I liked the family dynamics, the pranks, and the friendship between the main character’s family and the family of the guy she is with in the book. I liked that both families hoped for Lara and James to date, despite them not getting along. I liked how the author took a different realistic approach on Lara and her friends’ relationship with each other and how they fixed it and made it strong again.

This story follows Lara who just returned from summer vacation away to find that her best friend’s all got themselves boyfriends while she was gone…and didn’t tell her. Unfortunately for her, those boyfriends are all friends with James, her childhood friend turned enemy. And then her mother signs her up to tutor James, making her time with him exponentially higher than she wanted it.

With Lara and James’s friends infatuated with their new relationships, they slowly neglect their friendships and both are left behind. As they spend more time together, Lara notices things about James that she hadn’t before. Could she be falling for the enemy?

**I received a free arc through NetGallery and Wattpad Books for my honest review of this book**
Oh boy, this book ruined me in three days, and I am not okay. I plan to purchase and preorder as soon as I can because Loridee, you now can take all my money, I do not need it, as you now own me and my heart over this characters.
Now, when I requested this book through Netgallery, I expected just a cute highschool rom-com that I needed to make it through the miserable months of winter, because y'know, after the holidays are done, winter can rightly go away. I needed some of that serotonin to make it through this dreadful winter.
Now, that book is not what it gave me. Through 300+ pages of this brilliant book, I ended up weeping a little bit over my tablet as I was reading about Lara and her problems, and it honestly kept sewing me apart for maybe like a few paragraphs - but soon after, it ripped me apart again and I was upset again.
Now, I do say I was crying and upset over this book, and I am rightly so, but it was brilliant. I am so glad I was given the choice to read this book as an ARC, and cannot wait to read more from this author when she announces more books.
I truly enjoyed this book and so glad I was able to have the chance to read it. I cannot give you any spoilers or content because you're going to want to read this book without knowing anything more about it then the synopsis can give you. Give it a shot. You won't regret it.
You can say some of Lara and her friends attitudes were a bit childish, but you have to remind yourself that it is a YA book, and honestly, they're teenagers. I did some of the same thing these characters did in highschool. So, don't rate it lower because of those reasons. If you do, then you know YA books are not meant for you, and maybe you should read NA or Adult books instead? Just my opinion.

To me, this book read more like the main character was in middle school instead of being a high school senior. The writing was so juvenile. This book did make me laugh a few times but overall it felt like it dragged on a bit. I didn't really love it but I didn't really hate it either. I do think a younger audience than seniors in high school might enjoy this more. It just didn't really do it for me. It was just an okay read. All views and opinions stated in this review are wholly my own. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

LOVE! my first word when reading this book! it was such a cute book full of super swoony moments and LOTS of cute banter! the main character was so relatable and it was so fun reading and being able to put myself in her shoes. such a cute read and definitely one you’ve got to pick up when it comes out on may 3rd.

Admittedly I'm not the target audience for this book but I do read and enjoy a lot of middle grade to young adult stories on a regular basis. Sadly I found this a little *too* young for my liking and ended up not finishing it.

Thanks @netgalley for the arc!

After spending summer vacation in the Philippines with family, Lara is eager to catch up with her close friends. However, she learns that all three of them are now in relationships that blossomed over the summer. And to make matters worse, Lara’s long time frenemy, James, won’t stop bugging her in class and eventually forces her into tutoring him everyday after school. Lara tries to juggle everything, while trying to figure out her own place in the chaos.

This book really protrayed being a third wheel really well. The scenarios were very realistic. This book had a fun concept and I enjoyed the banter and teasing between Lara and James. Lara's friends's boyfriends were a fun group. I liked how Lara later talked with her friends and they were honest with each other. It helped them grow closer together. However, I found the ending disappointing.

Overall, this was a light and easy read.