3.5 rounded up thank you netgalley and the publisher for letting me read about fitz who is insane i’m in love
alsoooo baby bi bi bi? oh wait this is the it’s gonna be me month😭
anyway this was so much fun it had fun themes and was enjoyable as a bulk! excited to read more like this i love fake dating real love pipelines my poor baby levi i feel for you!

Fake dating!!!!! I will never get tired of the faking dating trope so I was so excited for this one as we follow a bisexual teen trying to win by her ex by fake dating an old, childhood friend that she recently reconnected with. The feelings start of fake but as we follow the main characters, those fake feelings start to develop into something more...

A delightful story of self-discovery as Fitz explores all NYC has to offer during a summer fashion internship. When Fitz initially follows her high school girlfriend to NYC for a summer of fun and pretty quickly gets dumped, she crafts the perfect fake romance with her childhood best friend and plant influencer who she just so happens to bump into on the subway in an effort to win her back.

While it’s pretty easy to see where the story is going, the story also includes sister relationships, fashion school drama, plantscapades, an excessive obsession with Instagram, and honestly some good mental health discussions. I was pleasantly surprised with the way the ending turned out.

Definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for a fun NYC fake dating LGBTQ+ YA romance.

Finally Fitz follows Ava "Fitz" Fitzgerald, a teen fashion influencer following her dreams - and her girlfriend, Dani - to New York City for a competitive summer fashion program.

But shortly after arrives, her picture-perfect summer falls apart when Dani breaks up with her, taking Fitz's confidence and inspiration along with her.

After a chance run-in with her long-long childhood best friend Levi, also going through his own breakup, Fitz concocts the perfect solution: fake dating to make both of their exes jealous enough to want them back. What could possibly go wrong?

Admittedly it took me a while to really get into this one, but after sticking with it, I ended up really enjoying it!!

Fitz is messy and complicated and real. She is someone simply trying to figure out her place in the world, in a way that I think we can all relate to. (Anyone who can't handle second-hand embarrassment from books? Consider yourself warned.)

I absolutely fell in love with Levi and all of his plant-rescuing, tour guiding dorkiness. If anything, I felt like we didn't get enough of Levi. Understandably so; Fitz deals with lots of challenges during her time in New York, challenges that are equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. Still, I would ve loved to see even more depth to Levi outside of his relationship with Fitz.

This was the first YA novel I've read that has made me feel old - apparently Paramore is considered "retro" now? - but I also felt it went a little too heavy on the pop culture references for my taste. (Even as someone living through the social media age, SIX references to TikTok felt like overkill.)

Other than that, I greatly enjoyed Marisa Kanter's writing style. The dialogue (especially the banter!!) was delightful and natural. And boy, does she know how to set a scene! Even as someone who has never been the biggest NYC fan, I left this book feeling a little bit in love with the place.

Highly recommend to anyone looking for a YA romcom with some deeper themes.

Endless thanks to Netgalley and SimonTeen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

Even though I’ve spent the past several years as a high school librarian and have read and purchased countless YA books (including Kanter’s What Like About You which I thoroughly enjoyed), I don’t feel like I’m the right audience for this book. It’s very focused on social media influencers, of which I know little and care even less. I also don’t like the fake romance premise when it’s used to make their exes jealous. As Levi says, it sounds manipulative, but Fitz manages to convince him to go along with the charade.

My biggest problem is that I don’t find Fitz a likable protagonist. She seems very self-absorbed, is very surface level emotionally, and doesn’t fully commit to the FIT summer fashion program that so many other young people would kill to be invited to. In all honesty, I stopped reading at Chapter 16 (after putting it down a few times) because I just got really annoyed. Fitz just seems like one of those teens whose whole life plays out on social media and even when she puts her account on hiatus in the hopes of winning back her girlfriend, she uses an old friend to create a new account (ostensibly for him) to make their exes jealous. So, after not seeing her best friend Levi for almost 10 years, she’s still all about getting the best photos and writing catchy captions instead of having deeper conversations about what he’s been up to since he moved away and why he ghosted (and hurt) her afterwards. It’s a pass for me.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Simon & Schuster BYR through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

4.5⭐️

This was PRECIOUS! In Finally Fitz, Kanter dives into important conversations about imposter syndrome, mental health, challenging family dynamics, sustainable fashion, and social media. Books like this are so important for not only for YA readers, especially those on the verge of adulthood, but they’re also beneficial for adults to read and be reminded of what young adults are navigating. None of us have life figured out and extending grace, being vulnerable with others, and a listening ear to others makes a tremendous impact!

The thoughtful conversation around social media being a highlight reel and the need to step away and create boundaries through a digital detox was incredibly important and relevant. In a world where new content has become supreme, this story is a reminder to slow down, to step away from the camera and make memories and chase after joy, and to live authentically and not be afraid to show your filter free, perfectly imperfect self. I appreciated how Kanter wove this thread together with a conversation about mental health, anxiety, and perfectionism. Fitz’s journey to understanding herself and needs was so relatable and I wanted to wrap her in a giant hug seeing her growth and how she chose and made herself a priority.

I loved so much how sustainable fashion was a major theme through this book, especially in relation to social media and all the waste that comes from fast fashion. Fitz was so conscious of her fashion footprint and I admired her diligence and commitment to repurposing her thrifting finds and creating new textiles. Not only was it her mission to educate her followers and advocate for upcycling, but she used these pieces, especially the hand me downs from her sisters, to create connection and to tell a story.

There is just so much goodness and beautiful layers in this story and it is going to leave an imprint on so many readers’ hearts. These characters and their stories were timely, deeply human, and filled with so much hope and healing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

Marisa Kanter’s Finally Fitz follows Ava Fitzgerald to New York City where her whole world gets turned upside down. Her girlfriend, Dani, decides they need to call it quits right before Fitz starts her summer fashion program, claiming Fitz cares more about her social media platform than their relationship. To make things even more awkward, they’re rooming together for the summer! Fitz reconnects with a long lost bestie, Levi Berkowitz while on a hiatus to prove Dani wrong. The two hatch a plan to create a “fauxmance” to try & win back their exes, but feelings get complicated for Fitz. Will she end up with back with Dani or start anew with Levi? This book is filled with Jewish rep, lgbtq rep, mental health awareness, family drama, & more.

I love love loved Finally Fitz! Immediately I was sucked in. Her friendship with Levi was fun to explore & so cute! I adored their “plantscapades” and it was wonderful to see a M/F romance (well, “fauxmance”) where both characters are bisexual!
Being an older sibling myself, Fitz’s sibling drama was fascinating to explore. Fitz felt real. She has real life problems & feelings a lot of people struggle to understand & deal with. It’s always a breath of fresh air when stories dive into the mess instead of dance around it to keep everything fluffy. One thing I adored about the ending was Fitz’s decision to focus on her mental health before diving into a relationship— not many romances have that healthy tidbit in there! There’s plenty of comedy & happy carefree moments as well, but Finally Fitz does a great job balancing it all out.

If you’re looking for a sweet YA romance that’s just a little on the messy side, this is the book for you 🤍

I honestly don't have many feelings about this other than it's fine.

There are a lot of important/relevant themes for YA readers, such as mental health, identity (personal, queer, or otherwise), navigating friendships and family, all things that should have resonated with me but didn't. I was half-way checked out by the halfway mark because my care for this story began to severely wane.

This bled into my investment into Fitz and all the other characters. It felt like Kanter was trying to make the whole cast much more interesting than they were. Levi's mom, for example, is shown to be this badass mom with tattoos and ~life experience~, but she only shows up two or three(?) times throughout the story and I never felt anything about her beyond what's told to us. It seems like all the characters have one main thing, and that's all there is. Levi's a plant dad, Dani's an actress, Em is the distant roommate, I just could not find a reason to care about any depth when I really wasn't finding any.

Despite my thoughts, I'm sure this would make a fine, maybe impactful, read to any teen who happens to pick it up. It still has good queer rep, and the discussions of perfectionism and mental health are done really well.

Overall, this wasn't for me, but I believe this book will have its audience when it releases.

Finally Fitz is a charming queer rom-com and I enjoyed it so much. I recommend this book if you like books with childhood friends to lovers, fake dating, queer characters, and a fun storyline while still having some angst and messy moments.

First read from this author and overall thought it was cute. As I finished the last page, I even said “Awww” out loud.
Book is about reconnected childhood friends turn lovers through fake dating. Main character Ava Fitzgerald tries to make her ex jealous to win her back by fake dating her childhood friend, Levi Berkowitz.
The story takes place in New York City where Ava is also attending a fashion program for the summer. Right before she begins the program, her ex breaks up with her. Ava feels lost and believes if she wins her ex back, she can focus on her craft. Through fake dating, Levi takes Ava around New York for fake dates of course, but also to see if it brings back her spark, especially at a Brookyln flea market. Oh, let’s not forget the love of plants that Levi has is just adorable. Through the midst of it all, Ava and Levi end up falling for each other.

I absolutely loved the author’s writing style and bringing banter to the two main characters is definitely my jam. I really enjoyed seeing a young character blossom into her authentic self.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finally Fitz follows Ava Fitzgerald to New York City where her whole world gets turned upside down. Her girlfriend, Dani, decides they need to call it quits right before Fitz starts her summer fashion program claiming Fitz cares more about her social media platform than their relationship. Fitz reconnects with a long lost bestie, Levi Berkowitz while on a hiatus to prove Dani wrong. The two hatch a plan to create a fauxmance to try & win back their exes, but feelings get complicated for Fitz. Will she end up with Dani or Levi? This book is filled with Jewish rep, lgbtq rep, mental health awareness, family drama, & more.

I love love loved Finally Fitz! Immediately I was sucked in. Her friendship with Levi was fun to explore & so cute! Her sibling drama was very relatable being the youngest sibling myself. I felt her pain feeling excluded from her older sister’s lives. Fitz felt real. She has real life problems & feelings a lot of people struggle to understand & deal with. It’s always a breath of fresh air when stories dive into the mess instead of dance around it to keep everything fluffy. There’s plenty of comedy & happy carefree moments as well, but Finally Fitz does a great job balancing it all out.

I got this book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion via NetGalley.

Ava ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald is a teen Instagram fashion influencer. Thanks to her trendy up cycling and large fan base, she is able to be in New York for the summer completing a program at FIT, learning how to scale up her brand. The issue with this is that Fitz’s girlfriend and summer roommate, dumps her right before the program starts. A heartbroken Fitz can barely think let alone create. It isn’t until she runs into her long lost best friend Levi, that Fitz devises a plan of them fake dating.

My heat! I. AM. SOBBING. This is just too pure of words! This was my first ever Marisa Kanter book, and she’s quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. One of my favourite parts about this book, was the banter between the characters. Marisa has a knack for storytelling, I’ve never been to New York, but I felt like I’ve lived there. I really liked the growth of characters. There isn’t any spicy scenes, nothing more than kissing, so it’s perfect for a reader who enjoys a good romance without the spiciness.

All in all, it’s a really good read. If you’re into swoony young adult romance, this is for you!

Thank you, NetGalley and Marisa Kanter for allowing me to review! As always, my review is my own opinion and thoughts. This review will be shared to my Instagram @fictionluxblog shortly.

A bisexual teen fashion influencer finds herself trying to win back her ex girlfriend by fake dating her old best friend... only she's beginning to fall for him too. Ava "Fitz" Fitzgerald is picture perfect on her Instagram, she's a bit of an influencer and wants to use her platform to further her career in fashion. Ava spends every second of her free time with with her girlfriend Danica, and assumed they were ready to say "I love you" to each other... only they end up in a fight and Danica dumps her. Fitz is desperate to win back Dani and on her first day of attending her prestigious summer fashion program in New York she runs into Levi Berkowitz. Levi was her best friend and someone she lost contact with after he ghosted her with no explanation. Levi is struggling with a heartbreak of his own, his girlfriend Sophie and him are on a break. Fitz and Levi decide to fake date to make their perspective ex significant others jealous and win them back, yet the more time they spend "fake dating" and actually hanging out and being together, the more the lines between real and fake blur and some very real feelings begin to grow. Can Fitz figure out what she wants before it all slips past her fingers, or will she crash and burn under the pressure of trying to not only find herself and her brand, but in trying to understand her own mental health. This was definitely an interesting messy romance drama, it features two characters who are both bisexual and they do live up to the bi disaster haha. Fitz is trying to win back her ex yet she's not finding herself and trying to sort out what her future means to her. I did enjoy seeing her grow by the end and this book did something not many books do, having the character focus on their own mental health and growth before getting into a new relationship. Levi was a sweet romantic interest and I did love the "plantscapades " they went on. Overall it's a cute young adult book with messy romance drama and I think that fans of To All the Bows I've Loved Before and She Gets the Girl will really enjoy it.

*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I really didn't know what I was getting into reading this story about a social media influencer FMC. But I was quickly taken in by Fitz's personality and character growth. Levi is a doll. Marisa Kanter should be extremely proud of her writing skills and storytelling ability. Its difficult to write teenage characters who feel like full bodied individuals. I absolutely adored the ending of this book. Overwhelming enjoyed.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.

Thank you, Net Galley and publicist, for the advanced copy of the book.
Fitz as the main character was great, it represents how complex it is to be a teenager and make decisions, the relationship with his parents and sisters and the feeling of having a big family and still feeling lonely in it, the bi portrayal was very well written and Levi as fake boyfriend just wow.

I loved Finally Fitz by Marisa Kanter. It had a wonderful characters—Levi and his plants were adorable—and seemingly great queer and Jewish representation. I thought Fitz went through a great character arc over her summer in the city especially in coming to terms that she maybe lacked a sense of self and needed to figure out who she was separate from her relationships. This felt a lot like Emma Lord's The Getaway List that came out earlier this year—another YA that I loved.

Finally Fitz by Marisa Kanter is straight up delightful. It is full of fun, interesting, and well-developed characters. The story is engaging and uses tropes well. It is one of those books that is guaranteed to leave you smiling.

I am a huge fan of both second chance romance and friends to lovers as tropes, and Finally Fitz uses both so well. Levi and Fitz were separated as kids by circumstance (Levi and his family moved away and then Fitz’s family moved). It may seem improbable that they end up running into each other on the NYC subway, but my husband ran into my brother in Central Park last weekend randomly. (New York can be a small city sometimes). I was immediately invested in Levi and Fitz’s relationship from the moment they reconnected.

Their arrangement to help each other win back their exes by pretending to date hooked me. It’s not only a fun concept and so classic romcom, but it also feels deeply rooted in the fact that they care about one another and want each other to be happy. The dates they take each other on just make that even more clear (like when Levi takes Fitz to a flea market in Brooklyn, which he knows she’ll love).

You know I love good Jewish representation, and Kanter does it so well here. Levi takes Fitz to a Shabbat service, and Fitz feels out of place. She worries that she is not Jewish enough because she doesn’t get a Fiddler on the Roof reference. When she tells her sister, Tessa, about this feeling, Tessa tells her that it is part of being Jewish to either feel too Jewish or not Jewish enough. This absolutely resonated with me. I work in a synagogue, and I still have times when I don’t feel Jewish enough.

I love when authors create their own universes that connect their novels. I loved Kanter’s As If On Cue, and I was so excited for the appearance of Reid, the main character of that book, in Finally Fitz. There is even a reference to Melted, the spoof of Disney’s Frozen, that Reid works on in As if On Cue.

My little musical theater nerd heart loved all of the musical theater references in this book as well. New York City is synonymous with Broadway in my heart (yes, even as someone who has lived in this area for nearly 10 years). It felt so right to me that the teens spending the summer in New York in Finally Fitz are geeking out about musical theater. Levi shares photos of sets he worked on while watching Shrek the Musical with Fitz and her friends. This is also the second book in a row I read that throws loving shade at the Dear Evan Hansen movie, which makes me laugh.

I love Kanter’s work, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a feel good read. I’m already looking forward to her next book.

Talented teen designer and Instagram influencer, Ava “Fitz” Fitzgerald knows this is going to be the best summer of her life! Not only does she get to spend the summer attending a prestigious FIT program in New York City, she also gets to do it while living with her girlfriend Dani. Then Dani dumps Fitz, citing her obsession with her Instagram page, If the Shoe Fitz and a devastated Fitz makes a disastrous first impression at her program. With her creativity MIA and her relationship in pieces, Fitz’s fantastic summer has imploded. But Fitz is determined to win Dani back, so she goes on an Instagram hiatus to prove she can make Dani a priority. In the midst of her life melting down, Fitz reconnects with her childhood best friend, Levi Berkowitz, who she hasn’t communicated with in years. He’s the one bright spot in her otherwise bleak life. When it seems like Dani might be moving on, Fitz concocts a new plan. Since she and Levi will be spending time catching up, they should pretend to date to make Dani and Levi’s ex jealous. What could possibly go wrong?

Marissa Kanter’s Finally Fitz is phenomenal! Outgoing, emotional Fitz has made herself small to make others comfortable. She filters herself around her parents, sisters, friends, and even Dani. But quiet, thoughtful Levi has always seen and accepted Fitz just the way she is, messy emotions and all. Watching them relearn each other and reminisce as Levi shares the magic of New York City with Fitz, one adventure at a time, was so heartwarming. It made me long for time with my childhood friends. The more time they spent together, the more they helped heal each others wounds. They have such a truly sweet bond. Kanter is amazing at digging into the teen psyche. The need to belong, the feelings of not fitting in, the hurts, the heartbreaks, the joys, the jealousies, and the acceptances. She writes relatable and realistic teen experiences and characters. A beautifully authentic book.

It’s been a while since I truly whipped through a book without taking a moment to stop and think on the craft that went into creating it. That’s a consequence of doing this job plus being a writer. I see a lot of plot "surprises" coming from a mile away, and I'm often so distracted by examining the bones of a book I forget to enjoy how the writer has fleshed them out. So it’s saying something pretty significant when I tell you that I binged Marisa Kanter's new YA romance Finally Fitz faster that a new Netflix drop. I would have finished it in a single sitting, but I do have other responsibilities, and they rudely interrupted me several times. 

The title character Of Finally Fitz is Ava Fitzgetald, a teen Instagram fashion influencer, who goes by the name of Fitz. Thanks to her trendy up cycling and large fan base, she is in NYC for the summer completing an intense program at FIT, learning how to sustainably scale up her brand. The main problem in this idyllic scenario is that her girlfriend, and also roommate for the summer, unceremoniously dumps her right before the program starts. In the most awkward living situation ever, the now ex-girlfriend also starts dating their mutual third roommate. A heartbroken Fitz can barely think, yet alone create, so when she fortuitously runs into her long lost best friend Levi Berkowitz on the 1 train he seems to be the solution to all her problems. Fitz quickly hatches a fake dating plot to make both their respective exes jealous and Levi, who is mostly in this for the help he will receive on rescuing plants, reluctantly agrees. 

The chance meet cute on the subway reminded me of how Finally Fitz came into my possession. I actually emailed the publisher, explaining the concept of BookishlyJewish, and asked for a different title. They very kindly provided that title (a review of it is forthcoming) and inquired if I might like to try Finally Fitz too. Indeed thoughtful publicist, I would. 

The thing is - not every book is on my radar. I’m small enough that most big five publishers are not exactly sending me their catalogues to peruse, and even if they did, I usually have no way to know which ones have Jewish content unless someone, ANYONE, tells me. This is why I rely so heavily on the suggest a book form and my fellow bloggers, writers, and readers who often share this information about their favorite reads with me. Still books can slip through the cracks- like this one almost did. 

Which is actually pretty ironic, because Fitz’s perfectionism and anxiety have her worrying on the page about whether she’s Jewish enough to attend a reform Shabbat service with Levi. I bet she'd be worried her book didn't belong on the website. It’s a reflection of what I have often noted- Judaism can sometimes magnify our internal mental struggles to the point where some people stop engaging with it, rather than worry about if they are doing it right. Those people need a Levi in their lives. He shows Fitz such kind and caring compassion that she can’t help but find herself developing some more than friendly feelings towards him. 

The romance is low heat, nothing more than kissing, so it’s perfect for those YA readers that enjoy a good swoon but don’t want sex on the page. This adult reader enjoyed it quite a bit too. The focus was on Fitz reconciling with herself rather than someone else magically fixing her with their love. As someone intimately familiar with how mental health can block a person from creating, I really appreciated the message and thought it was relevant for all ages of reader. 

Teenagerhood clearly looks a lot different now than when I went through it. We had no phones to build “platforms” on, and my parents were nervous to let me ride the train into Manhattan let alone spend an entire summer there unsupervised, but Kanter gives a realistic picture of what growing up this way might do to a person. The realities of being a social media personality are universal and cross age borders - and I don’t even post photos or have a huge following. Finally Fitz is also quintessentially a NYC book, with many familiar locations and outings. Locals will enjoy the references. 

I sank into this book for so many reasons, and I didn’t pause to think over how I would frame it, or what angle I needed to take in the review. Much like Fitz, I learned to just enjoy the ride. I’m still struggling with waiting for the other part of my art and creativity to return, it’ll take as long as it takes I guess, but this post was easy to write. That is no small gift from a novel.

An utterly charming and sweet story of 17-year-old Ava 'Fitz' Fitzgerald, an aspiring fashion designer and budding influencer fake dating her childhood best friend Levi to win back her girlfriend Dani who dumps her after they arrive in New York for summer internships. I breezed right through this heartwarming tale, tearing up during many moments as Fitz struggles to find her way; always feeling not good enough, not Jewish enough, or not fitting in.

Melissa Kanter sensitively handles mental health, slowly weaving in a portrait of a teenager struggling with with perfectionism, burnout. I also appreciated the realistic way family issues were handled, with some of my favourite scenes being between Fitz and her sisters not realising their 'baby' sister felt excluded instead of protected.

I adored the calm, assured way Levi is always there for Fitz, even when she's clueless to his feelings for her, and struggling to come to terms with her feelings for him. What is refreshing is the way miscommunication is deftly addressed and handled. These *are* teenagers after all, yet I found them far more mature than some mature people!

Thanks to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.