Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews: “10 Things I Hate About Prom” by Elle Gonzalez Rose

Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.

It's Prom Season, and tensions will be scorching!

Ivelisse can care less about the chaotic, clique-like chaos that is Prom Season. She just wants to spend the rest of Senior Year with her best friend, Joaquin! When Joaquin wants to ask Tessa, the most popular girl at their school, to Prom, Ivelisse reluctantly agrees to help him come up with a Promposal! Will Ivelisse succeed in helping Joaquin, or will her best friend realize that what we wanted was in front of him the whole time!

This is truly an exciting YA Romance reminiscent of 1990's and 2000's Rom-Coms! From the comedic will-they-won't-they dynamic between Ivelisse and Joaquin to the Prom hijinx, Elle Gonzalez Rose does an excellent job of telling a Coming-Of-Age tale of the changes that come with relationships as we grow up. Through Rose’s writing, the commentary conveyed is that when changes appear to be on the horizon, one shouldn't let fear and doubt dictate or get in the way of the family, friends, and loved ones in their lives or the here and now. As an Afro-Caribbean/African American woman, it also means the world to me as a reader to see strong Puerto Rican representation portrayed in the form of the main character and love interest! If you’re looking for a captivating read that's reminiscent of “10 Things I Hate About You”, then don't miss out on this book when it hits online shelves on May 14, 2024!

Rating: 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

-Tropes to Expect: Friends-to-Lovers, Pining, Promposal Hijinx, Coming-of-Age Narrative, Slow Burn Romance, and Self Discovery Narrative.
-Trigger Warnings: Family Conflict, Relationship Anxiety, and Implied Divorce.

This was a fun and modern take on how to tell your friend that you love them while poking fun at the insanity that has become proposals. It is also a sweet homage to "10 things I hate about you."

There was a lot in this book, not just the budding romance between friends. Elle Gonzalez Rose managed to bring in a lot of heart about what it is like to be a high school senior, trying to balance wanting to move away for school and yet being tied to home. Ivelisse and Joaquin have been best friends and neighbors for years. Ivelisse is being raised by a single mom who has just started dating like crazy and Joaquin is living with his grandmother after his sister has gone off to college and his mother moved back to Puerto Rico. Joaquin comes back from spring break and has decided he wants to invite Tessa Hernandez to prom via a big promposal. Tessa is the ultimate "it" girl and Ivelisse is still resentful over her involvement in a freshman year breakup. Ive starts to help, but at each effort, something goes wrong, accidentally at first, but then on purpose. Along the way, she realizes that she has feelings for him as well. All of this is happening while she is waiting desperately to get off of the waitlist at Sarah Lawrence rather than head to Rutgers with the rest of her class. It was a fun read that I could see a lot of teens enjoying.

I enjoyed that this had 10 things I hate about you vibes. I think the author does a great job with the friendship between our characters and how they have grown and changed in that friendship over the years.
I liked the look at prom-posals, even though I think they are totally blown out of proportion. But it was a good way to bring these friends closer. There are so many cute moments in this book. And I loved the look into the theater and how much it means to Ive.
The relationship between Ive and Joaquin is great and I liked seeing it grow and change. I felt like I was there with these characters.
I think a lot of teens will like this one and find it relatable.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

I couldn't even get through the first chapter of this book. I'm sorry to say that I disliked the character fight from the get go. So I am not a very good person to rivew this book.

See other reviewer for information purposes. Excellent book will be acquired for YA dept.
Review is on other approval.

10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT PROM is exactly what I love about teen romcoms! Just like Elle Gonzalez Rose's debut novel, this had me giggling over the chaotic jokes and swooning at every romantic moment. More of this energy, please!