big thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

hmm, this was somehow not what i expected it to be! i liked the way that the narrative jumped between the two timelines. it really succeeded in creating tension, and made me want to find out what happened. but now that i've finished, i think the reveals at the end were just a bit of a letdown. i don't know, there's something about danielle's narrative voice that creates too much distance, at least for me: nothing seemed to truly have an impact. that being said, i'm not sure if im the target audience for this one, and i'm sure it's going to be really effective for some!

I really enjoyed the writing of this book. I think that the author is a fantastic writer and especially as far as young adult books go, this is so well written. I didn’t care as much for the story, but I feel that’s personal preference. I wish the story was longer and more developed in places as I was keen to know more about the characters, the back story, the intentions behind why some characters acted the way they did. I wanted more insight into the motive of Danielle’s mum in doing what she did. I wanted to know more about why Danielle was so obsessed with Benji, their age gap weirded me out so I needed to know more about why it happened in the first place. Everything just moved a bit too fast, but also a bit too slow at the same time.

I did ultimately enjoy the writing though and I would look to read more by this writer in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't love this book. The writing style wasn't something I enjoyed and the pages felt like they went on and on. I prefer less of a slow burn and something more fast paced. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

This book was slightly enjoyable though I am not enticed to read anything else from this author or reccommend this to others, I personally did not enjoy the authors writing style and felt the book was too dragged out. The character development was promisng but I wasn't the biggest fan of Danielle the main character. Overall I was invested enough in the bookm to finish it but it wouldnt be classified in my 'favorite book' category.

This story was definitely a slow burn. I didn’t really like the main character, Danielle, but by the end I was invested in what happened to her and her story. I feel like her character was developed well. I thought that the mother was quirky and a little bit funny at times. Pressville reminded me of other small towns in Georgia and I feel like the reactions of the people were pretty much on point. This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed the writing style. I would check out other books by this author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I discovered Lo Patrick not long ago and she has become one of my favorites. Her writing is impeccable and her stories are just about perfect. Highly recommend

Review may contain spoilers.
My actual rating is 2.75
Book was okay but not necessarily my cup of tea or something I'd read again.


Fast Boys and Pretty girls is a story about a girl, Danielle; from a small town in Georgia that becomes a semi popular model in NYC. Upon returning home for a visit she falls hard and fast for Benji a bad boy from her hone town. In my opinion she becomes quite obsessed with keeping him at all cost to the point where you almost want to shake some sense into her but hey we've all been teens in love. Danielle lies to her parents and keeps Benji a secret which is cringy because he's under age. She talks him into coming up to NYC where he starts hanging out with another model from her agency, he goes back home, she follows, typical teenage "love" but with a missing person and a loss of a 1st love with an unexpected twist.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve read a book this lovely! The author has a way with words and a turn of phrase that is missing in most novels today. I found myself thinking about the book when I wasn’t reading it and was eager to get back to it. The relationship between the mother and daughter was relayed precisely and even poetically through dialog between them. Also, the family dynamic between the dad and his daughters and between the sisters was very on point, direct and true. The time shift between then and now had me a bit confused in the beginning and I had to go back and reread a little to clarify some things but once I figured out who was who and what was what it made sense to me and was easy to follow. The confession near the end of the book appeared abruptly and caught me off guard but the very end was both satisfying and complete. Well done and highly recommended! I want to thank the author and NetGalley for my ARC and in return I’ve given my honest review.

This book gave me goosebumps, The writing is evocative and deeply atmospheric, pulling you into Danielle’s messy, guilt-ridden world with stunning precision. Themes of first love, loss, and the inescapable pull of the past are woven into every twist, making the story as emotionally devastating as it is gripping. This is a beautifully written tale of memory and morality that leaves a lasting impression.