*Francine's Spectacular Crash and Burn* by Renée Swindle is a heartwarming and humorous exploration of unexpected connections and self-discovery. After the sudden death of her mother, Francine Stevenson finds herself reluctantly stepping into the role of protector when she rescues ten-year-old Davie from a group of bullies. This chance encounter blossoms into an endearing friendship marked by Pixar movie nights and Davie’s quirky insights, which help Francine navigate her grief and loneliness. Their relationship becomes a source of comfort for both, showing how unlikely friendships can blossom in times of sorrow.

However, the story takes an unexpected turn when Francine learns that Davie is in foster care and decides to meet his foster parents, leading to a surprising reunion with her high school crush, Jeannette. This encounter forces Francine to confront her feelings and unresolved issues, especially as she grapples with her dating app misadventures and her attraction to a married woman. As Francine becomes more entangled in a tumultuous relationship with Jeannette, her priorities begin to shift, putting her budding friendship with Davie at risk.

Swindle skillfully weaves moments of humor and emotional depth, creating a compelling narrative filled with surprising twists. Francine’s journey is marked by self-reflection and growth, as she learns the importance of prioritizing her relationships and embracing the concept of found family. *Francine's Spectacular Crash and Burn* is a delightful tale that will resonate with readers, inviting them to reflect on love, loss, and the messy but rewarding journey of self-discovery.

This was really great. I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started - the title drew me in. the author does a great job of balancing different topics in personalities in this book about trauma, mental illness, personal growth, and hope. There is a lot going on - you've got a big focus on neuro-divergent personalities (from obvious to subtle) and on being bullied because of your differences. Queerness is part of the plot too, but in an every day matter of fact way. It's not some big revelation, just part of who they are. I just loved how Francine worked through (and is still working through) all the things in her life leading up to that point in time. She learns that she is not responsible for other people's reactions. She learns to identify what is most important to her. Everything mostly flowed well all together even with all the different subplots going on. The only thing the author didn't blend in well was Francine's starting therapy. About halfway through the book she started having Francine refer to her therapist Pamela and how she was learning to process what was going on using tools that Pamela gave her. My reaction was, wait, what? She's in therapy? I think it could have been written to be more obvious that she made the decision to go into therapy and what led up to that. From what you learn about Francine in the start of the book it doesn't seem like it would be an easy decision for her to start seeing a therapist but the author just kind of slipped it in. It was like the point of view changed halfway through - suddenly her choices and reactions related to what she was learning wtih Pamela. Which is great but it happened so suddenly.

Other than that disjointness, this was an excellent book! Loved how it represented neurodivergent folks and how the author handled trauma and queerness. Highly recommend.

I appreciate Swindle's unique style of writing. I found it to be refreshing and intriguing. The pace of this story was excellent and I couldn't put it down. The beginning was a good keep you hooked. Lots of authentic dialogue and building of rich characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Well, the title prepares you but Francine truly does crash and burn in the most spectacular of ways. In her defense, she is mourning the death of her mother, confronting the lasting impact of childhood trauma, and navigating toxic and codependent relationships. She is on a hard and messy journey. The entire time I was thinking, “Girl, what are you doing?” and anxiously waiting for her to get into therapy, make some positive changes and turn it all around. She had no place to go but up. While the plot did go a bit too off the rails for me, I enjoyed the way her relationship develops with Davie, a little boy on the spectrum who enters her life when she is at rock bottom. He is what made this story endearing and worth the read.

Ratings
Quality of Writing 4/5
Pacing 4/5
Plot Development 3/5
Character Development 4/5
Overall Enjoyability 4/5

This book was a fun read with silly moments and hijinks. I enjoyed the theme of "finding yourself" and learning to be who you want to be.

Just the title alone gives you an idea how much fun you are in for. Pick up Francine's Spectacular Crash and Burn for an enjoyable read.