Thank you NetGalley for my ARC!
‘Her Good Side’ was a conflicting read for me. Parts of it were great, but parts were also very frustrating. I can totally see the appeal of this book though, as it’s inclusive and could peak interest for those in that age group. I, however, feel as though I am slightly just out of the desired bracket. There is possibility that a second read would increase the rating.

3/5 stars.

I can definitely see the appeal for this one, I think fans of "Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute" or "Ophelia After All" will really like this one. Unfortunately, Bethany was too boy crazy for me, so I did not enjoy it as much.

Could this book me any more adorable? I want everyone--especially adolescents and young adults--to read this book because I think it's possible to read without identifying with at least one of these characters. Bethany is so many things: Black, daughter of two moms, basketball player who secretly hates playing basketball, inexperienced with dating and boys, and a good friend, She describes herself as fat, and has respect for her body, and expects others to as well. Her best friends, Saylor and Tatum, support her in everything. Seriously, these girls show up for each other, and I love that this book is as much about friendship as it is about romance, Jacob is an Asian skateboarding, film-making, long hair wearing, all around good guy. He's an introvert who sees himself more as skinny and awkward than the hot guy that his classmates all view him as. He gets dumped twice for being too nice and quiet. He's also a virgin who isn't afraid to tell people he's not ready to have sex yet. When Jacob and Bethany make a deal to help each other out by fake-dating, they think all they are doing is giving Bethany more experience with guys, and helping each other's reputation. What they don't count on his their very real friendship turning into their first loves. This book is so so so sweet and hilarious. It means so much to see these two navigate their relationship with such kindness to each other. I couldn't have loved this book more.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.

Bethany is 16 and has now been turned down by TWO guys for homecoming. The first stating he was worried she’s still “cry baby Bethany” who would struggle to do more than hold hands with him, and the second sighting similar reasons. So Bethany’s best friend Saylor gets her boyfriend Jacob to go to homecoming with Bethany as Saylor had a date already before becoming Jacob’s girlfriend. Too bad for Jacob before homecoming Jacob gets dumped by Saylor, the second girl within a month. To build confidence in dating for each of them, Jacob and Bethany come up with a fake dating scheme… until fake feelings become… real?

This is such a cute YA novel! Full of cute, supportive friends and cute guests in a relationship, this book gave me all the feels and squealing joy! With some fab fat rep and other diversity sprinkled through this book shows how a straight romance can still have plenty of diversity thrown around. If you’re looking for your next fave YA here it is! 😍😍

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC.

4.5 stars

Such a cute rom com for the YA audience. I loved how Bethany and Jacob wanted to do things their own way, at their own pace! A message to be learned…

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was sooooo cute! In this YA romcom, Bethany and Jacob start to fake date to practice how to be better boy- and girlfriends.

Bethany is a basketball star and was once caught crying over the thought of having sex. Jacob loves photography and was dumped twice in two months for being too shy. They agree to practice dating together, so that Bethany can get less anxious around boys and Jacob can get more comfortable in talking to girls.

I liked the relationship between Bethany and Jacob. They were so cute together, even when they were still just friends. The fake dating aspect was well executed, it got me rooting for them!
I also liked that both Bethany and Jacob wanted to wait for the right person, and until they were ready, to have sex. They didn't bulge under the peer pressure, and they just took it slow.
The writing style of Rebekah Weatherspoon is great. It's easy to read and got me giggling from time to time.

The book was pretty diverse. There were black, asian and white characters, and there were queer side characters. I liked how the characters being queer wasn't a big thing in this book, but that it was treated as a normal thing (as it should be!).

Trigger warning: fatphobia/body shaming (minor).

*Thanks to NetGalley and PenguinTeen for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Já começo a resenha admitindo que o livro me atraiu primeiro e logo pela capa mesmo. Amo ilustração, não é segredo para quem me conhece, e foi assim que Her Good Side captou minha atenção à princípio. O fato do casal na capa ser interracial também colaborou, e somado à sinopse enfim, embarquei na leitura.

Posso dizer que, mesmo não tendo sido nenhum 5 estrelas, a leitura ainda foi bem sólida e gostosa. Depois que se pega o embalo da narrativa, que acontece em primeira pessoa tanto pela Bethany quanto pelo Jacob, o livro é facilmente devorável pela leveza da trama, sem grandes dramas ou desentendimentos desnecessários para gerar confusão.

É um misto de strangers-to-friends-to-lovers e fake-dating que funcionou muito principalmente pela forma como os protagonistas vão se conhecendo aos poucos, em meio à um arranjo inusitado para um baile escolar, e logo a amizade vai surgindo e abrindo porta para o romance mesmo. Bethany e Jacob são fofos juntos, além de dialogarem fácil, sem joguinhos entre si, nos fazendo conhecê-los e ao mesmo tempo ser convencido da relação a ser estabelecida entre eles, com ou sem o namoro falso.

Só senti que o final, em comparação à isso e mais à abordagem do mundo do basquete na família da protagonista e seu dilema nisso, que foi bem trabalhado também, foi um pouco apressado. Acho que a autora poderia ter desenvolvido um pouco mais pausadamente os três últimos capítulos, de forma a fechar bem as pontas e não passar a sensação de conclusão abrupta dos últimos parágrafos, mas ainda assim é uma boa leitura Menção honrosa aos personagens secundários, em especial o grupo de amigos dos protagonistas, que diferente de outros livros não soou amizade forçada ou engessada, foi natural e inclusive cativantes em alguns momentos também, no caso de personagens como a Saylor.

Enfim, recomendo a leitura para quem procura um YA leve, sem grandes dramas, com um casal que antes disso constrói uma amizade bacana, e cujo romance não tem cenas hots (apenas insinuações aqui e ali, mas nada excessivo).

So fun, so sweet. If you love teenage fake dating, this is where it's at. I laughed, I yelled, I cried. This was such a sweet YA romcom. The side characters were fun and enjoyable. From these first few chapters I knew I'd enjoy the way these characters were portrayed, I loved how we were introduced to the main characters, their personalities and friendships. And while I did think the end kind of was rushed and wrapped up a little too nice, I will still recommend this book! I can't wait to read more!

Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, for this read. This was fun and funny. I found that it read very YA but I still enjoyed it. The book did not have much plot to it but it included fake dating with supportive friends and that made it an easy read.

A cute and nice story but didn't catch much of my attention and It took a while to finish because not much was happening.

This book is so cute and sweet and I didn't have the fun high school experience, so I loved living through them and laughing and crying because it's the adorable relationships between them that had all my heart.
Queer, fat-positive, supportive family and friends, fake dating and heart pounding moments, it's everything I didn't have and I loved every single moment of Bethany and Jacob.
I wouldn't want to relive my school years, but if I had to, I'd choose Bethany's life. I was and still am fat and loved/love food and I gushed everytime she was positive about herself, I felt like she was hugging me, I love that I share these with her.
Fake dating was done so well and I was rooting for them throughout the whole book.
I do sometimes enjoy reading YA romance and I'm glad I picked this up because it made me happy and I was grinning the whole time.

I'm a sucker for a cute fake dating story, especially one where the friends are supportive and the characters have good banter. This was an intriguing story that had characters with great chemistry--both friendly and romantic!

This was the first ever book I have ever read by Rebekah and I can’t wait to read more of her stuff. This such a cute story and fake dating `I am a sucker for. Everyone go read this book now.

🦇 Her Good Side Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

❝ "I like food 'cause good food tastes delicious. Did that cause me to gain weight? Sure did, but I'm pretty sure it didn't turn me into a bad person." ❞

❓ #QOTD What high school superlative bests describe you now? ❓

🦇 Bethany's reputation feels set in stone: Crybaby Bethany who tears up at everything, three-point shooter superstar, daughter of two moms with prominent careers in professional basketball. Unfortunately, that rep leads to getting turned down twice when she tries to find a date for homecoming. When her bestie Saylor pairs her up with the guy she's currently dating but can't attend homecoming with, Bethany agrees to go with Jacob as friends. Jacob's earning his own rep, after getting dumbed twice in the same month. After Saylor breaks up with Jacob, he and Bethany decide to start faking dating with the hopes of fixing their shattered reputations. What happens when they catch feelings in the process?

💜 Rebekah Weatherspoon provided us with an adorable YA that brings attention to so many topics we're prone to shrugging off. Bethany Greene is a plus-sized high school basketball player who has a family legacy putting unnecessary stress on her shoulders. Here's the secret: she doesn't actually WANT to play basketball. Bethany's real passion is cooking, but there's no way she can tell her moms. Guys seem wary about asking her out, too, especially when they find out Bethany cried after hearing her friend lost her virginity. Jacob, on the other hand, got dumped because he wasn't comfortable doing more than kissing; they're both perceived as "less" for wanting to experience a relationship at their own, comfortable pace. Though Bethany knows she's beautiful inside and out, it doesn't always feel like the world sees her plus-sized body that way. From dress shopping to feeling like people saw my weight as an infliction they could catch, I empathized with everything Bethany felt about her weight and then some. The high school emotions Bethany and Jacob felt were real, honest, and self-aware. Their goal of communicating through their fake relationship, to ensure the other's comfort while prioritizing consent, was sweet and far more mature than most high schoolers have the capacity for.

🦇 While I did think the story was cute, the pacing felt a bit off. The events leading up to the homecoming are too slow, when that's not the story's main conflict. Once we do reach that supposed stress point, there's a lull again. Though I'm happy Bethany gets her HEA, it also felt a bit too easy (the reveal about one of her moms certainly felt misplaced, especially given her few interactions with Bethany throughout the book). While Bethany does get her HEA, I wish we'd gotten more for Jacob's ending.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Nicola Yoon or the fuzzy feelings of a cute and fluffy YA. If you have a weak spot for fake dating, diverse casts, and supportive friendships, give this book a read!

💜 Have you read this book yet? Let me know in the comments!

✨ The Vibes ✨
💖 Fake Dating
🪞 Body Positivity
💬 Dual POV
🏳️‍🌈 Diverse Characters
💕 YA Romance

🦇 Major thanks to the author @rebekahweatherspoon and publisher @penguinteen for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #HerGoodSide #NetGalley #RebekahWeatherspoon

3.5/5 🏀 🛹

I am not a YA person anymore. I have very much aged out but I read this anyway because I love Rebekah Weatherspoon. It’s very sweet and very PG and I think teen me would have loved the heck out of it. Bethany Greene is a plus sized high school junior who excels at basketball (no choice but to with her two basketball phenom moms) and is absolutely failing at getting a date for homecoming or being noticed by guys at all. Jacob Yeun is a skateboarding hottie who has been dumped twice in two months. So Bethany and Jacob team up to practice dating and figure out how to be better or more likable. They are plenty likable already though and especially to each other! So we can see where this goes. It was really sweet and I loved loved that it wasn’t a crazy spicy book about high schoolers. It was in fact PG (there’s kissing and one under the shirt brief moment) and that sort of need to be slow and not super sexed up is really respected here. I would hand this to any romance reading teen. I think all the characters were a delight and I enjoyed the two friend groups. Had a good time but will promptly be going back to my adult reading, thank you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Her Good Side is out May 30, 2023.

After being turned down by her crush for the homecoming dance, Bethany attends with one of her best friends’ boyfriend, Jacob. With basketball, pressure from her mom to play basketball, pressure on herself to actually date, she and Jacob come to an agreement to practice dating together. With each other. The shy turned hot Jacob starts to develop feelings though and those feelings might just be mutual.

This was very sweet! Bethany had a lot going on—two moms, pressure to like and play basketball though cooking was something she enjoyed a lot. Jacob was the tall, shy, but cute gentleman who hid behind a camera almost always. And he just captured all of Bethany’s good sides. There was LGBT rep, body positivity, and the lovely fake dating trope that is always hit in the YA genre.

I really wanted to like it!
Unfortunately, this was not a fun read for me. The premise is fun and interesting but the execution is not. I was bored by both Jacob and Bethany and the eventual romance between them fell flat. I did enjoy the side characters and they often provided comedic relief.

{3,5}

Her Good Side is a very cute and fun book! Unfortunately, I don't think it goes beyond that, I had fun reading it, I really liked how it's very body positive and diverse, but I missed a little more emotion, I didn't really enjoy the final conflict, it was too fast, maybe it happened a little earlier, it would have been more emotional, but maybe it was a bad time to read it, I believe many people will love this book! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a cute story. I almost always love fake dating. I loved how all the friends were so supportive of each other and how there was absolutely zero animosity. Love to see amazing friends! You could tell Bethany and Jake clicked from almost the very beginning. They understood each other and listened to what the other had to say. This had some of the healthiest relationships I’ve seen written in a book set in high school!

An issue I had, and maybe it’s just because of the way the arc was formatted, was that it wasn’t always easy to figure out who was speaking. Sometimes it would switch from one person to the other in the same line on the page with no indication that the other person was the one saying that line.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Bethany Greene is a basketball star. She's also a notorious crybaby (to the point that it's literally a nickname she's been given). Worse, she's just been rejected by TWO guys for the homecoming dance. So when her best friend Saylor suggests Bethany go to homecoming with Saylor's new boyfriend, Jacob, she agrees. It has to be better than going alone, right?
But then Saylor and Jacob break up. And Jacob, reeling from his second breakup this month, suggests that he and Bethany fake-date. It's a perfect solution to both of their problems: Bethany can prove that she is, in fact, dateable, and Jacob can practice being more present for his future relationships.
So they go to homecoming. Then they tell everyone they're dating. And as Jacob helps Bethany create a video to tell her moms that she'd like to quit basketball, they both begin to realize they're feeling things for each other that they're not supposed to.

I freaking adored this book every second of the way. I was a little hesitant based on the premise of the MC dating her best friend's recent ex, but the way that all went down was really great, and supportive.
I also really like the 2-3 nods to the pandemic--quick acknowledgements that it had happened, but was in the past. I've read a few other books that acknowledged the pandemic, and this was definitely one of the ones that did it in a way that worked for me.

Her Good Side is fun, and sweet, and a lovely look at first love. I am thoroughly obsessed.