It was ok but just didn't seem to hit the mark for me. Seemed to be a lot of the same old tropes to rehash over and over. Didn't connect with the characters as well as I would have liked to either. Just an OK read for me.

I was a little disappointed in this book after the first one. I thought we would get to explore the tentative relationship between Arthur and Finley... Except we get Arthur backtracking from it. They spend most of the first part ignoring each other and then trying to get to being just friends and just up and down that way throughout.

There are mean girls (Bronwyn) and bullying. I was glad when she especially was FINALLY called out! I enjoyed Petra as a new character who even though a bit odd meant to some (maybe) unintentional loud out loud moments.

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I received an ARC of the first book in this series and like that as well. This second book was no different.

It's such a cute little YA Christmas romance that follows Finley and Arthur as an actual couple trying to acclimate back in school with their new dynamic. It was a fun sequel to a good first book and wrapped up their story well!

Before starting this, I didn’t realize it was the sequel in a duology, so I was a bit confused at the beginning. Aside from that, I thought this was a cute holiday-themed romance, but it was a bit boring since the couple already got together in the first book and were basically together all of this book.
If you enjoy happily ever after with little plot and more just character focusing than you’ll probably enjoy this sweet duology, but to me I felt like it was lacking something.
I’ll definitely read other titles from this author, though

I really loved the first book in this duet, but the follow-up was not for me. There was a lot of drama, a lot of miscommunication, and just a lot going on. The hero and heroine rarely interacted and were broken up with each other, but were apparently in love. This book is YA and it will more than likely land with a younger audience, but this one just fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this DRC.
Fin;ey and Arthur fell in love during the holidays in Christmas, Oklahoma. What will their relationship be when they return to Barrington Academy? Will they fall into old habits of ignoring each other, will the eyes of their schoolmates change how they act, will too many misunderstandings get in their way to happiness?
Yes, but it’s a sweet rom-com for Valentines.
#SoThisIsLove #NetGalley

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

This was sweet but I don’t know that a sequel was needed to the story. I enjoyed catching up with the characters but there wasn’t any additional romance or anything to really make me love the sequel.

So, This is Love is a cute YA romance, perfect for your Valentine’s Day reading.

Finley and Arthur are back at Barrington Boarding School for their spring semester but after their Christmas break together, neither one really knows the status of their relationship.

So, This is Love is the sequel to So, This is Christmas. While we got a bit of backstory about Finley and Arthur, and this could probably be read on its own, I’d definitely suggest reading the first book before diving into this one.

There’s was lots of teenage love angst and found friendships to make a super cute story. Petra was one of my favorite characters, a woman of mystery. The story slowed down a bit for me in the middle but overall a fun, quick read.
Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinteen for the e-arc.

So, This Love is a cute romance book perfect for the winter season. Tracy Andreen is a wonderful writer!

A sequel to the hit YA holiday book So, This Is Christmas.
❤️
Finley and Arthur are back at their boarding school in New England after a very romantic Christmas in Oklahoma, but neither knows where they stand: are they friends with benefits? A couple? When Finley feels Arthur pulling away, she confronts him only to have it blow up in her face. Now the two are at odds as Finley throws herself into planning the Valentine’s Day dance. As mean-girl Bronwyn sets her sights on ruining the dance and Finley’s growing friendship with Arthur, Finley is also going up against Arthur’s dad and the plans he has for his son’s life. As February 14 approaches Finley and Arthur must decide what they want for their future.
❤️
I honestly might have loved this one even more than I loved the first one! I need more from these girls from Christmas, OK! This is a great novel to read for valentines day.

CW: cyberbullying, bullying, cheating, alcohol

In her debut novel, So, This Is Christmas, readers fell in love with Finley and Arthur, but what happens once Christmas break ends? In Tracy Andreen’s sequel, So, This Is Love, we see this new couple navigate their new relationship, as well as high school drama, during the most romantic time of year.

Just like its predecessor, this book was adorable! This YA romance novel follows Finley and Arthur after they return to school from Christmas Break and how they navigate their new feelings for one another.

I was at first surprised to hear that this sequel was coming out, but I’m ultimately so glad it did that I have my fingers crossed that a third book might be in the works! It was everyone you could want from a coming of age novel: romance, high school drama, new friendships, and forging your own path in life.

Plus this book is set around Valentine’s Day which is just adorable! So I definitely recommend adding this book to your 2023 TBR (or squeeze it in before the end of 2022 since it came out on December 20th)!

*I received an ARC from Penguin Teen in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you’re looking for a light YA read, this sweet sequel might do just the trick!

**Thank you PenguinTeen for an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

While So, This is Christmas was set around the holiday season, So, This is Love is set a few weeks after, thereby perfect for any time of year!

Finley hasn’t seen or heard from Arthur since they connected over Christmas break in Christmas, Oklahoma. Now school has started up and Finley is anxious to hear from Arthur and pick up where they left off. School and family will put unexpected pressure on their relationship, do they have what it takes to see it through?

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into the sequel but it was just as fun, quirky, and easy to read as book 1! Finley makes new friends, navigates tough situations, and it’s sweet seeing her and Arthur as friends outside of their relationship.
Arthur’s dad has a lot of expectations on Arthur that impose on his relationship with Finley, the big question is can they make it work or will they sacrifice romance to stay friends?

3.5 stars, very sweet

So This is Love
Tracy Andreen
Published 2022
By: Penguin Teen
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @penguinteen and @netgalley for my digital copy of the book. Opinions are my own.

Synopsis: "Finley and Arthur are back at boarding school and neither quite knows where the other stands—are they couple? Are they not a couple? What does one magical Christmas Eve kiss in Oklahoma mean for their relationship status? This confusion isn't helped by the re-entry of old enemies into their school lives, especially ones that may or may not be crushing on Arthur. Finley is at a loss when navigating the complexities of her new (maybe) relationship, which could very well turn into love. . . if she doesn't blow it."

This story was super cute and easy to read. I enjoyed the sweet romance between Finlay and Arthur. It was a fresh and easy read, perfect for Valentine's Day. Lighthearted and fun, this would be great for teens or just lovers of YA fiction.

(While technically a sequel to So This is Christmas, I read this book as a standalone and had no trouble knowing what was going on.)

#ya #yareview #sothisislove #tracyandreen #Penguin #penguinteen #penguinrep #review #Reviewer #reviewbooks #netgalley #netgalleyreview #cute #hearts #younglove #valentinesread

DNF at 28%

It was going fine (ngl didn’t see the breakup coming) but it lost me with the Harry Potter mention. This book pubbed in December of 2022, literally no reason for an HP shoutout, at least in a non-derogatory way.

I’ll spend my time elsewhere.

SO, THIS IS LOVE is such a sweet young adult read that I absolutely adored. This is the sequel to Tracy Andreen’s SO, THIS IS CHRISTMAS, so I recommend reading that one first, before diving into the second book. (Spoiler alert: I love that one as well!)

The story picks up after Finley and Arthur return from their magical trip to Christmas, Oklahoma, where their relationship has definitely taken a turn towards love. Finley is excited to explore what this next step looks like, but Arthur (and his family) has other plans. Over the course of a few eventful weeks, Finley and Arthur have their fair-share of run-ins and shenanigans, heart-to-hearts and disagreements, and I loved being along for the ride.

I was reminded of how much I enjoy reading young adult with this book! The joys of first loves, the thrills of adventures with friends, the drama of high school—this story had it all! Finely was such a fun and relatable character and I was chuckling along with some of her internal dialogue. It even reminded me of my days in school, way back when. I loved it when Arthur, usually so stoic and serious, let his guard down around Finley. A grump and his sunshine at its best! The secondary characters are also wonderful—Ayisha, Petra, Grandma Jo, Auntie Esha—and it was great to see everyone, both old and new. There’s no shortage of drama, but there’s also family, friendships, and finding yourself along the way. Finley and Arthur’s journey to each other was heartfelt and charming and everything you’d want if you were in high school, falling in love for the first time.

SO, THIS IS LOVE is the perfect Valentine’s Day read, and perfect for those who love a charming rom-com. (Don’t we all?) Huge thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Viking Books for a review copy of this delightful story. Be sure to get your hands on it—out now!

So, This is Love continues the story of Finley and Arthur right after So, This is Christmas. The time frame is after New Year when they return to school, leading up to Valentine's Day. The romance is a little different in this story and didn't feel like the central plot to the story. For being a book set around Valentine's Day with the couple on the cover, that was a little disappointing. To me, the main theme was friendship and defeating the mean girl. I will say though that I really enjoyed the friendship element and for a YA book, it seems especially relatable.
Thank you to PRHAudio for a free audiobook and to Penguin Teen for the digital ARC. Personally, I struggled with the voice of Arthur in both audiobooks because he just didn't sound young enough, so I would recommend reading it versus listening.

So, This Is Love by Tracy Andreen is a sequel to So, This Is Christmas. This story is set after the events of the first book. It takes place at boarding school in Connecticut instead of Christmas, Oklahoma. Finley and Arthur have not had the define the relationship talk so their relationship or situationship whatever it is happens to be a state of limbo. Finnley is also dealing with Queen Bee Bronwyn who seems to be into Arthur. Plus a roommate who she isn't sure is friend or foe. Oh and Finley gets drafted into helping plan the school's Valentine's day formal. Things get dramatic and riveting in this sequel.

If you aren't into the miscommunication trope, So, This Is Christmas is probably not for you. I personally thought this was a good ease out of holiday books and into other books type of read. It was an easy to follow palate cleanser with likable characters. I enjoyed Finley's growth as well as getting more time with one of the side characters from So, This Is Christmas. Also the ending came together really well with teamwork -- which is a theme I tend to love. The audiobook is well narrated by Helen Laser. It is 9 hours and 29 minutes with solid narration that never slides into melodramatic. Andreen's follow up was an ideal listen for me.

I haven't read "So, This is Christmas" but I still somewhat enjoyed this book! It's a cute coming of age rom-com with family drama, mean girls, and a lot of humour. I feel like I probably should have read the first book to understand the characters better but overall, it was a nice palette cleanser from all the fantasy books I've been reading!

After a Christmas filled with the excitement of a new love, Finley Brown is looking forward to returning to school and seeing where things go with her maybe-boyfriend Aurthur. But their reunion is not what Finley was expecting, and she finds herself feeling the sting of rejection harder than she ever has before. Luckily, her newest friend Ayisha has just the right solution for Finley, and as Finley dives into preparations for the upcoming Valentine’s Day dance, she begins to put the pieces of her broken heart back together again. This teenage romantic comedy is a sequel to So, This is Christmas, where Finley and Arthur’s story begins. Enough detail is provided in this novel to remind readers of what happened in the previous installment, and it also gives readers who are new to the series a foundation from which to start. With an easy flow to the narrative, this book reads quickly and is entertaining from the first moments. Finley is a junior in high school, but she attends a private boarding school, so many of the interactions feel more like a college campus than a high school one. In addition, underage drinking is mentioned even within the first pages, which likewise enhances the apparent age of the characters in the story. Told from Finley’s perspective, readers get a clear sense of her feelings as she faces different experiences, and there are both moments that will make readers cringe and those that will make readers cheer for Finley as she matures. Fans of romantic comedies will appreciate this story, perhaps even because of the predictable tropes it incorporates. This is a light and entertaining, cotton candy-esque romantic comedy that is a perfect escape, and it will appeal to young adults and older readers alike.