Yes. Yes. YES!

So much yes for Tilly and Ollie and this magical YA novel with neurodiverse characters!

This was an utterly charming read that not only captivates your heart but also opens your mind to a storyline with a girl with ADHD and a boy with Autism. The way that their brains work may be different than some other people, but having honest discussions about it makes them realize how much they actually have in common.

Tilly's mom was a difficult character to read about since she had a very difficult time listening to what Tilly truly wanted and needed out of life. However, I think that having an antagonistic character like that in a book can open the eyes of many parents and help them reflect on how to speak more encouragingly to their children, whether or not they have ADHD.

I really loved this one and the fact that they hop around Europe throughout the book makes it even more fun!

Thank you so much #netgalley for this ARC of #tillyintechnicolor

Tilly, an aspiring writer is interning at her sister’s nail polish company in Europe for the summer, where she meets Oliver. Oliver, a photographer with a deep love for all things colour, is also neurodivergent.

Things I enjoyed:
- The representation of two neurodivergent main characters (ADHD and Austism)
- The descriptions of the European countries they visited
- The dual POV

4 stars!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved A Brush of Love & Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings. So getting an e-arc of Tilly in Technicolor, I was so excited, but also unsure what to expect as this is Mazey’s first YA (rom-com still), and I wasn’t sure how it would compare to her other books. But I LOVED it, and I cannot say I am surprised by that, Mazey has yet to let me down with anything I have read by her.

Mazey’s representation of neurodiversity is so good. I really enjoy how she brings it into all her books genuinely, and in Tilly in Technicolor, it was written so well.

Tilly and Ollie are wonderful. I adored watching Tilly find herself and thrive, and Ollie is now one of my favourite mmcs. As a rom-com, it was great, but Mazey is good at showing how the main characters grow and thrive through her novels, not just showcasing a romance.

Tilly in Technicolor was phenomenal. Mazey Eddings is phenomenal!

Mazey Eddings does it again. I absolutely couldn't put this book down. I love the beautiful way she writes the thought process of her neurodivergent characters with such care and respect.

Tilly was a beautiful character. I loved seeing the world through her eyes. Her joy, her anxiety and her sadness were all so clear through Mazey's writing. I felt every emotion she had, both laughing and crying with her. Her passion for writing and her fight for independence was fantastic. She deserves every bit of happiness.

Oliver was wonderful. I could feel his frustration at trying to understand the world around him and loved that we got his POV to really see his thought process. The friends and family that surround him are what every person deserves. Their unwavering love and support are shown in the confidence Oliver has to pursue his goals.

Tilly and Oliver together was a beautiful progression. I loved seeing them slowly open up to each other and realize their commonalities. Through their vulnerability with each other they both gained so much strength. It was so amazing to read.

I can't say enough good things about this book and am so beyond grateful I was able to read it. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a beautiful YA romance.

Thank you @netgalley and @Stmartinspress for the opportunity to read this amazing book.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ / 5
🌶 /5

The two neurodivergent characters, the romance, the ever-changing European setting, the positive sibling relationships *chef’s kiss*
I felt so connected to the characters. In less than 300 pages, they became my best book friends. The writing is so strong. The story sucked me in so quick. I couldn't put this book down.
It's only March. But I can already tell that this will be one of my favorite 2023 YA romance releases, if not one of the best books I have read in my entire life. I absolutely loved it!

ARC review

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I can appreciate some of the critiques of the writing telling rather than showing what is happening with the two neurodivergent main characters. That said I think using the first person narrative is to have us walk through the story in their brains and it requires a certain amount of telling. If you didn’t know what was going on in Tilly’s head you would think she is a manic pixie dream girl. I thought it was well handled especially for the target audience.

I do have to agree that I hate her mom, and early Mona, so much. As a parent of two neurodivergent children I want to scream at her every time she needles Tilly and makes her feel small. I think that’s also something that is probably pretty common so I don’t know that it is a false portrayal. I think her resolution is a bit less believable considering how hideous she is in the rest of the book.

All this to say I thought it was a great story and wonderful writing. I enjoyed the awkwardness and the charm of seeing these two characters grow together!

I'm busy from classes starting this past week, so this is going to be kind of brief. But please do not let that deter you from picking this book up, because I absolutely loved it!

Tilly in Technicolor was so, so cute. Tilly was such a bright, optimistic character, even when she was dealing with all of the problems her family was giving her. Oliver wasn't as blindingly optimistic, but his practicality and love of details really made him the perfect match for Tilly. The two of them complimented each other so well, and watching them fall for one another was so much fun. I do wish we had gotten to see the side characters developed a little more, but since the story is focused specifically on Tilly and Oliver it wasn't a big deal. Having two neurodivergent MCs was so refreshing too, I loved getting to see their perspectives on the world.

If you're looking for a story about how people connect with one another, a cute romance, or just a fun contemporary, definitely pick Tilly in Technicolor up!

Whatever it was about Tilly in Technicolor that captivated so many reviewers honestly didn't land for me. For one thing, Tilly and Oliver spent so much time educating the reader about ADHD and autism that it felt more like I was being educated on these conditions than that I was reading a romance novel. Don't get me wrong, that will be GREAT for plenty of readers, but for me was too much. And it's like the book focused so much on their neurodiversity (I think mainly Tilly) that I didn't get a great sense of who they were as people aside it. There also wasn't a compelling plot and I never felt totally hooked by it. Like, it was more vibes than plot (and there really weren't that many vibes, actually).

At the end of my list of gripes...for a book that takes place during a trip across Europe, I feel like the European settings should have really enhanced the plot and brought the book to life, but they did not. A romance across Europe is a premise with a ton of potential, and for me the book really didn't meet it. It did more or less sell me on the romance though and I could feel Tilly and Oliver's feelings for one another the whole time. The way their feelings for one another were depicted was very sweet and innocent and I loved their interactions.

There's no way I can review this without mentioning the things I did like, and I did enjoy certain aspects of the book. I LOVED the chapter titles and this book nailed the use of Gen Z slang. I've seen plenty of authors use young people slang in a very "how do you do, fellow kids?" kind of way, but Tilly in Technicolor integrated it seamlessly. I also have to give kudos to the author for the diversity in the book. There are its neurodiverse MCs, of course, of which the YA lit genre is sorely lacking. Tilly in Technicolor will help many young readers to better understand and accept autism and ADHD, which is wonderful. It also has various LGBTQ side characters, including Oliver's two mums and Tilly's lesbian sister. A book portraying and normalizing love and acceptance within families is always, always an excellent thing. You can never have too much of that.

Despite its mediocre reception from me, I have no doubt that this book will resonate with many neurodiverse folks and that many readers will find the romance captivating! For me it just didn't hit the mark.

Thank you to Mazey Eddings and St. Martin's Press for the eARC, which I received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mazey Eddings has written a wonderful young adult novel in Tilly in Technicolor. I was hooked from the first chapter. This is the story of Tilly and Oliver, two neurodivergent teens who have an exceedingly awkward meet up and then find each other again in the circumstance of a shared summer internship.
The story is told in alternating in Tilly and Oliver's alternating POVs and both characters are well written, engaging, interesting and made my heart ache.
I appreciated the details that both POVs provided--insight into Tilly and Oliver as truly three dimensional, well-created characters, but also into their own unique experiences with neurodivergence and where their experiences connected and diverged.
The way their relationship evolved felt very realistic and natural and organic. They recognize something in each other and find a connection, even as their outward personas seem so dissimilar, they understand and appreciate each other in such a boundless and supportive way. You can feel how much they cherish each other and how much they appreciate the qualities that make them who they are, qualities that perhaps others have not appreciated,
I think having the narration be first person made it so immediate, so immersive, so personal.
The story had interesting side characters and plot but really what this story centered on was Tilly and Oliver and their relationship and it was perfectly structured for that.
There were parts that made me laugh, others where I was anxious for the MCs, and parts that gave me some very thought-provoking moments to think about parenting and how we speak and react to our kids. And then there were wonderful moments of a budding teen romance.
Misunderstanding happen but they felt very organic and real here, not plot contrived but more based on how the characters interpret interactions and how they react to those interpretations.
This book was well-conceived, well-written, and definitely something that is an appealing read for teens and adults. Representation of kids with neuroatypia is needed and lacking in general YA and this book did an excellent job providing not only representation but a nuanced and complex examination of it.
Highly recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This is my unbiased review.

This was the cutest most wholesome romance I have read in a while!

I was gripped by this book from page one and had difficulty putting it down. I think I devoured it in two days.

I am diagnosed with ADHD and found myself relating so much to Tilly and many of the ways she navigates her ADHD, as well as the obstacles she faces in her day to day life. Oddly enough - I also related to Oliver & some of his autistic traits even though I am not known to have autism. This is showcased in the novel as well, with these two young adults realizing that they have a lot in common and can understand each other better once they communicate. Speaking of, I loved the topic and overall theme of encouraging communication of your feelings, even if it may be challenging. The only way for people to understand how you’re feeling is to be open and vulnerable.

It was also incredibly refreshing reading about these neurodivergent young adults. I strongly feel this book will be validating to those who either have autism & ADHD, or maybe those who might think they have one or the other. I self diagnosed myself before I was clinically diagnosed and I feel we as people are very good at knowing ourselves and our minds.

I will forever be recommending this book. It made me laugh, it made me tear up, it made me smile with glee. Tilly and Oliver - and all of the side characters are full of color (pun intended). This story needs to be up there with the best rom coms of 2023!!

This is only my second book by Mazey Eddings but truly she's already one of my favorite authors. Two 5 stars already. And this is even her YA debut. This story is so wonderfully fantastic, following two characters who seem so wildly different but really have so much in common. We have a main character with ADHD and an autistic love interest, and both of those are own voices! The way these two characters fit with each other makes me so wildly happy and I'm already planning on picking up everything Mazey writes!!

Things I loved:
👏 Neurodivergent representation👏
👏LGBTQ representation👏
✨ European travels
✨Romance
✨Dual perspectives

Such a delightful YA read 📚

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was witty and hilarious, Tilly and Oliver were magnetic and I couldn’t help loving them together! The first half of the book hooked me in and the second half was even better, i mean is there anything better than a romance set in Europe?💕
also, the way Oliver and Tilly let it each other in and talked about their autism and ADHD (respectively) was *chefs kiss*!
although A Brish With Love is still my favourite Mazey Eddings book, this might be close second!

thanks @netgalley for the arc!

I loved this. I’ve never read a book with nuerodivergence so at the forefront. I thought it was well done. There was an authenticity about it. And the romance and honestly all the relationships were very heartwarming and well paced. I’m so glad books like this exist now and I thought it was well done.

title: Tilly in Technicolor

author: Mazey Eddings

publisher: Wednesday Books

publication date: August 15, 2023

pages: 320

peppers: 2

warnings: puke

summary: After her high school graduation, Tilly's parents send her on a European trip as intern to her successful sister, who's starting an environmentally friendly nail polish line. While her parents want Tilly to understand the importance of a college degree and a corporate job, Tilly wants to write. The other intern hired by the fledgling startup is Oliver, who sees the world through his Pantone palette lens. Both neurodivergent main characters can't seem to get things right with each other or with the world.

tropes:

one bed
neurodivergence
twin sister


what I liked:

great humor
fun side characters
food around Europe
good interior monologues

what I didn’t like:

really, nothing to put here

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

For those of you who've been waiting for a 5-star review to see if you would like to read a romance novel, try this one. It gave me all the feels and the sex scenes won't be too embarrassing to read if you're not used to the hot peppers.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I am convinced Mazey puts something in her books because I am addicted! They’re just so good! I flew through this and I can’t even get over how good it was! Another phenomenal book from Mazey! And to think, this is her YA debut. I loved it so much I already have it pre-ordered. You won’t want to miss this!

Tilly in Technicolor 🤍
Pub date: 08/15/23

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Being around you— seeing the way you shine— is like discovering a new color of the rainbow every single day.”

I absolutely loved this book. Tilly and Oliver are two of the loveliest characters I have ever fallen in love with. both radiate so much love and kindness and sunshine and happiness. they show their love for each other in their most true and authentic ways that are lovely testaments to the multitude of ways people can love one another.

the neurodiverse representation was so special to read. I love stories that showcase the beautifully honest and unique way people live and love. this story was so special, full of love and understanding between Oliver and Tilly, as well as their friends and family.

the familial love here was so abundant and everchanging— showing how love doesn’t always mean we fully understand, but that we will always show up and keep learning 🤍

thank you for the ARC!!!! :)

I've read all of Mazey Edding's books that have been released and Tilly in Technicolor is my favorite. I loved everything about it. It was so full of life and emotion. I know it's categorized as a YA, but it was almost NA with the characters recently having graduated from high school, being over 18, and moving forward in life past that high school experience.

Tilly gave this book a special energy. Learning how her ADHD affected her life and her relationships with people was fascinating. I couldn't help feeling sad for her over her relationship with her parents. They didn't get her, and it actually inspired me to look at my relationship with my daughter. I loved how her relationship with her sister changed throughout the book and how Tilly was able to blossom under her experiences with Mona's company. My favorite relationship was her ever changing relationship with Oliver.

Oliver had his own point of view in this book, and I couldn't have been happier about that. His voice was so important to understanding him and his relationship with Tilly. How his autism affected him was just as interesting as how ADHD had an impact on Tilly. I loved seeing Oliver's world of color. I was just as fascinated by his character as I was by Tilly's. His friendships and relationships with his sister added some extra fun to the book.

Tilly and Oliver were such a great pairing. They had a hilarious, disastrous first meeting that I'm unlikely to forget. I loved how their annoyance with each other turned to understanding. The things they learned and understood about each other were so important and precious. The moments they spent together gave me so much to smile about.

Everything about this book was just so good. I am not doing my best getting across how I feel about it or what it was about because I am still so wrapped up in the emotion of it all. This was one of those books that I loved from the first to the last page. It's such a special read. I highly recommend it.

First loves can be quite challenging - how do you know they like you back if not ripping petals off of daisies or asking them straight out if the feelings are being reciprocated?
A crush can be even more challenging if the person finds themselves on the spectrum or with other neurological challenges.
Tilly has ADHD and, after graduating, is being sent to Europe to intern for her sister. Her parents are hoping that this trip will knock some sense into her and that Tilly will decide that she wants to attend college, after all.
All Tilly wants is to write and to navigate the world and how she sees it the best she can.
On her flight to London she is seated next to Oliver, who has autism and finds Tilly loud and challenging.
The plane ride is anything but smooth and at the end Tilly and Oliver are happy to never see each other again - that is until he shows up in Tilly’s sister’s hotel room and is being introduced as the other summer intern.

The story follows Tilly and Oliver in changing POVs around Europe and does a great job at educating the reader about the challenges people on the spectrum may face.
Tilly in Technicolor is a great YA read with no spice and definitely made me want to visit all the cool sights our main characters visited

I really enjoyed Tilly in Technicolor. One, I love the title. Two, great cover! It is an adorable YA novel that includes two teens with challenges interpreting signals from others and/or ADHD.

One thing bothers me about the book; in a nutshell ... the sleeping arrangements. I will include in the notes to publisher. But besides that, I adored Tilly in Technicolor!

Thank you to NetGalley ... for yet once again ... introducing me to a "new to me" author! Mazey Eddings did a great job bringing this book into Technicolor for me. Loved the imagery of Oliver's blog/website linking specific colors from different photos.

Really wonderful how the author captures unique talents from these young folks.

Thank you to the author Mazey Eddings and the publisher St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review Tilly in Technicolor in exchange for an honest review.