This book was cute and literary, just as described. Very young YA in my opinion. Pleasant and well written.

Britt has always dreamed of playing soccer in college and then going pro…that is until an injury sidelines her permanently. Now, her future is unclear. She jumps at the opportunity to participate in a scavenger hunt across the United Kingdom where the winner will win $100,000. Britt needs the money for college now that she’s lost her soccer scholarship. The scavenger hunt take she’s across the UK and highlights famous literary works and authors. Along the way, she meets the cute and bookish Luke who joins her on her journey. He can’t help her with the clues, but something about having him along for the ride (even though they just met) comforts her. If she wants to win, she will have to outwit her three fellow competitors/classmates.

I really enjoyed this book. The cover caught my eye initially, but it was the literary scavenger hunt that really pulled me in. This book has a really great balance of humor, mystery, and romance. There is a romance plot, but it’s not the primary focus which I really enjoyed. It’s not all about getting the guy. Rather, the main focus of this book is Britt’s character development. She learns so much about herself and what she is capable of during this trip. I loved all of the literary allusions and activities, but I really enjoyed that Britt wasn’t the same at the end as she was at the beginning. This book is fun, cute, and bookish. There is some PDA, but I personally still find it okay for middle grade readers and would feel comfortable adding it to my classroom library.

Thank you to Random House Children’s and #NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital ARC. This book will be released in June 2022. All opinions are my own.

This is a great book for readers looking for a cute travel book about self-discovery and growth. It’s got fun literary references and interesting characters confronting multi-layered conflicts that really keep the book moving.

Britt was a very compelling main character and I found her to be relatable in a number of ways. I loved the explorations into her emotions, her future, and her mindset. The author did a great job of making Britt’s pain over losing soccer feel so tangible and big. It really helped me feel closer to Britt and made me fall into the book even more. Luke was a great complementing character to Britt. He was more reserved while she was very extroverted, he was more bookish and academic whereas she was more in-the-moment and creative. I appreciated that the author took the time to make him his own person instead of just a foil to Britt. He had his own conflicts and journey throughout the book and I equally loved to see him grow as the story progressed. I really liked how these two related to one another and helped each other grow throughout their short time together in England.

I loved the stories within the story in this book. Britt went on such a personal journey as the book progressed and I loved to see it, but I also loved to see her see it. I know that sounds confusing but I’m trying to explain it without giving too much away. The ultimate point of the international scavenger hunt was for the characters to journal their experiences and growth to win the money. Britt’s growth was so profound throughout the book and I really liked seeing her face some real difficulties and develop from that.

The book moves along quickly and I loved the literary-themes scavenger hunt that had the characters going from one amazing setting to the next. If this book doesn’t make you want to travel even just a little bit I don’t think anything will! I thought I would like the scavenger hunt aspect of this book the most but I really loved the relationships and the character growth the most. The heavier topics were balanced nicely with humor and imaginative storylines in these amazing towns and cities.

I’d say the only real downside to this book for me was that I don’t realistically think that this much deep, profound growth could happen over the course of what, a week? This book takes place in a relatively short period of time and while I do like to often and easily suspend my disbelief I just couldn’t fully commit to that with this book. I think it would have felt a little more grounded in reality by the end if there wasn’t the feeling that the majority of the really “hard” things were completely resolved. There was a bit of an open ended aspect to the last chapter but the heavy-hitting topics felt resolved and it seemed like the characters were ready to move on.

Forgiveness was a word I saw in this book pretty frequently by the end and, while I liked the sentiment, it seemed like it was used pretty easily. I do agree that it’s better to forgive someone or a situation than stay mad for the rest of your life but I do think that there are more steps in the middle of those two spaces than let onto in the book. Britt, for example, was dealing with long held feelings of abandonment and I would have liked to see something more along the lines of her recognizing the issue and seeking actual help for it rather than healing herself within the span of 7-10 days. I get that the scavenger hunt provided the space for her to reflect and work on herself but with everything else going on with her it seems like a little more should have been left partially unresolved. I don’t know, maybe I’m reading too much into it, but I just didn’t like the “tidy bow” feeling I had by the last page.

Other than that I did really enjoy this book. I loved the characters, the concept and execution of the plot, and the settings. The romance was adorable and the writing was great at drawing me into the emotional aspects of the book while also remaining light and funny. I’d recommend this to readers looking for a relatively quick character-driven read with a wanderlust cherry on top!

This was a cute tour through England with a fun adventure. Overall, I found this to be an upbeat and enjoyable escape.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Modern 13 Little Blue Envelopes. Britt, a high school senior who's dreams of playing collegiate soccer are shattered by an injury and diagnosis, is invited by her high school English teacher to participate in a British literature- inspired adventure challenge throughout the UK for a grand prize of $100,000. Britt makes friends and learns about herself along the way.

This is a cute, fun romp through the UK that many of my young patrons will love. This story is much more about Britt coming to terms with her new situation and not being afraid of emotion than romance, but the romance is cute and ties in with her emotional journey.

The perfect read if you love classic lit or if you’re in need of a little adventure.

This was such a charming story with a likeable cast of characters. Dean has a lovely writing style and I know I’ll pick up more books by this author in the future.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I was hesitant at first with the way Dean threw the audience into the middle of everything but in the end, I grew to love her story and her characters. Love & Other Great Expectations is fun read with a cute romance, enjoyable literacy references, and heartwarming plot. I’ll definitely be rereading in the years to come.

This was such a cute YA read. The MC's were highly likeable, the settings were lovely, and the ties to classic literature just added a unique twist to this book. A perfect summer read for a bookish teen!

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for an ARC of this title.

✨Book Review: Love and Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean✨

📖: Six months before the story begins, Britt Hanson would have said that she was going to play soccer at UCLA and become a professional athlete. However after an accident and a terrifying diagnosis, those dreams are crushed like a tea biscuit. When she receives an invitation to a scavenger hunt in the United Kingdom with a hefty amount of prize money, she decided it’s worth the risk. Is the scavenger hunt based on classic British literature? Yes. Was Britt paying attention during the Brit Lit class discussions? Not so much.
She meets the handsome and bookish Luke Jackson and suddenly the trip is ten times more interesting. Even though he can’t *technically* help her with the clues, his company definitely changes the experience! From exploring London to camping on the moors, Britt discovers much more about friendship, love, literature, and herself than she originally bargained for.

🎭: I throughly enjoyed this novel! Everything about it was wonderful. There was just enough romance and mystery to keep me guessing and turning the pages, but I also loved the humor and heart in the story.
One thing that made me shake my head was that Britt doesn’t even look at the guidelines for the competition until the last today! That stressed me out, not gonna lie. One the other characters comments on it, but Britt doesn’t seem to be at all bothered by it. I was really worried for her disqualification during most of the novel.
That said, I really enjoyed the character development that happened in this book! I really saw significant growth for Britt during the course of her adventure, and I applaud the author for that!
This is definitely a book that I would recommend to teen readers!

⭐️: 4.75/5 stars

Thanks to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for this ARC! I really enjoyed this book

I kind of wish this book had come out last year. I can definitely relate to the "what do you do when your dreams dies because of something outside of your control". You do get kind of lost and wonder what all that work was for and wonder who you even are without that dream. But I digress.
This book was cute and I enjoyed all of the travel around the UK and the learning about one's self while traveling. Because it is impossible not to find yourself in the UK.
I especially liked figuring out the clues by myself and being able to get them all (minus the first one) before Britt did.
I think it is important to note though that Wales is not located across the channel. A fun geography fact. Cute fun Definitely would recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the early copy! All opinions are my own.

I was originally drawn to this book because it was about a literary adventure in Europe (the United Kingdom specifically). All factors for a really interesting and engaging book. It fell slightly short for me, but that isn't to say I didn't enjoy it. It was cute and offered an escape to a world where there is no pandemic. I did have problems connecting with Britt, but that might be because I hadn't experienced anything she had.

I would definitely recommend this book to younger YA audiences who are looking for a fun read about puzzles and literature. I wasn't a huge fan of British literature (or classics in general), so I wasn't able to figure out the clues until the story told what they were.

High-school soccer star Britt has been sidelined by a life-changing medical diagnosis, so when she's offered a chance to participate in a scavenger hunt competition, she jumps at the chance. It seems like a great way to pay for college now that she can no longer count on a soccer scholarship. Unfortunately, the scavenger hunt is all about classic British literature, not Britt's best subject.

As a big fan of Brit lit, I was excited by the premise of the story. However, I think I would recommend it more to fans of YA travel romances than fans of Brit lit. The story definitely focuses more on Britt's struggles with the changes in her life since her medical diagnosis and her fears of starting a long-distance romance. It's a fun read, especially for summer, but you won't find a heroine who will share your love of the classics.

This was such a fulfilling read with amazing set up and great word building. I really enjoyed it. The MCs were so fun, entertaining and engaging; I was hooked on to the story since the beginning!! Overall, it’s a perfect 5 stars reads for me

This was the cutest read! I didn't realize it was YA when I started it, but I think the story can be enjoyed by all ages. As a former English major and current librarian, I loved traveling through literary England with Britt, Luke, and Al, and puzzling out the clues alongside Britt. It felt a little bit like coming home for me and gave me a chance to revisit some wonderful memories of my own travels around the UK. I also got some great inspiration for my next trip! This was a delightful and quick read and kept me engaged from start to finish. I'd love to read more by this author!

This was a delightful YA book, especially for bookish people. Although it might actually turn less than bookish people into bookish people with all of the literary references. I thought it was clever and interesting with great characters and a sweet little romance. Terrific YA.

This was a great YA book. I loved the premise of the story. This is a great book for teen readers that need to be hooked into a new genre! Thanks for letting me read an advanced copy!

Brittany’s world has been turned upside down. She is having a hard time coming to terms with a new medical diagnosis. After, discovering a mystery envelope in her locker she is airplane bound to Lo don. There she is going to partake in a literary scavenger hunt for the chance to win 100,000 dollars and hopefully learn more about herself in the process.

This book was wonderful! It hit all the the right notes for me. Sweet romance, great character development, and a fun journey along the way.

I received an ARC copy of this novel courtesy of NetGalley.

What an adorable read! I loved getting transported into the world of Brittish Literature, especially through the eyes of a teenager. While somewhat predictable, it was an enjoyable read and I definitely would recommend to any literature fan!

4 stars. If I read this book when I was 17, I would have made it my entire personality and forced my parents to take me a literary scavenger hunt around England. Brittany Hanson has her soccer dreams dashed due to an injury, but now has an opportunity to still make her dreams come true if she can win a scholarship through competing in a literary journey across the UK. She makes lots of friends, including a cute British boy ;), and learns so much about herself along the way. Definitely recommend to teen girls who love reading, adventure and cute British boys.

A little bit Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes, a little bit Survey of British Literature, Becky Dean has crafted a travel story of self discovery with the potential for a $100,00 prize to the winner of a chance of a lifetime contest. Britt Hanson is about to graduate from HS but her college plans are derailed with she blows out her knee, loses her scholarship to UCLA, and learns there's more to her injury that a torn ACL. But a mysterious note finds its way into her locker. She and three students from her school have been selected to follow in the footsteps of British authors to solve clues and win a prize. This is Britt's chance to fund her future without the scholarship, but one problem - Britt isn't much of a scholar.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Britt takes full advantage of the opportunity, making friends along the way. But when it comes to friendship, Britt is the kind of person who skims the surface, never investing in much so it doesn't hurt when people leave. But Luke, the cute British boy who is coming along for the ride, sees more in Britt and she finds that maybe once you crack the surface, what's below is so much better than skating along the top.
Perfect book for middle school readers breaking into YA.