thank you so much for the approval- i cannot wait to dive in, this is one of my most anticipated reads of the year! i will be sure to leave a review on GR/retailers to come! 💞

This was absolutely delightful! 💖

Marisol Acts the Part is basically Legally Blonde but if Elle fell for Vivian—and honestly, what more could you want? It’s funny, flirty, and full of heart. Marisol is chaotic in the most lovable way, trying to prove she’s a “serious actress” while accidentally falling for her beautiful, talented co-star Jamila.

There’s drama on and off set, a terrible director you’ll love to hate, and so many adorable moments that made me smile. The sapphic romance is sweet and genuine, and the whole thing feels like a warm hug with a side of behind-the-scenes Hollywood chaos.

So, so cute and fun. Highly recommend if you’re into messy girls, queer romance, or just want something that’ll make your heart happy.

This was such a cute story! A sapphic spin on the Legally Blonde archetype, it follows 18-year-old Marisol, a successful young actress who decides to audition for the same TV drama series her ex-boyfriend is joining — who also happens to be her former on-screen love interest. After he breaks up with her and tells her she’s “not serious enough,” she sets out to prove she is.

Marisol loves pink, has a dog named Bruiser, and is all about fashion — but this isn’t just a surface-level makeover story. What I love is that while it nods to a classic, it fully stands on its own. Marisol’s voice feels so authentically 18 — emotional, bold, a little messy —but even at 27, I still found myself relating to her journey.

One of my favorite elements was watching her reconnect with her Puerto Rican roots. While staying with her father in New York to work on the show, she gets to explore a side of herself she hadn’t really known — trying tostones and other dishes her white mom never quite managed to make. Still, both sides of her family show up for her in meaningful ways. The representation was joyful and layered: her gay father, her drag queen stepfather and cousin, her cultural rediscovery — I loved every moment of it.

Marisol acts the part
📚Marisol Polly-Rodriguez is a teen actress who lands a role on a drama show that her ex-boyfriend is on. Miles, the ex who dump her being “ unserious.” Not only does she have to prove to her ex and the tabloid that she can take her job seriously, but she also has to deal with a director who is making the work environment toxic. Marisol is slowly falling for one of the cast, Jamila, but she is trying hard to ignore it because she doesn’t want to be in a relationship again. She is still healing from her last breakup. Ignoring it is going to be hard when Marisol helps Jamila learn how to deal with her newfound frame and Jamila helps Marisol unlock her full potential to be an actress.

💭 Even though I enjoy this one I kinda found bored. I wish was more moments with Marisol and Jamila. I found Miles annoying but besides I like how she wrote the story. My favorite chapter is 23. To be honest I wish this book was a little bit longer.

I could not finish the book, but that happens from time-to-time with books with teen characters. Just like I cannot watch some television series with teens being teens. I do think I will have readers in my library who will enjoy the book and I will purchase it.

This was super cute! I really loved the characters and references to legally blonde in this.

After Marisol is dumped by her boyfriend (quite publicly, may I add), she sets out to land a role on the same show he's in to prove that she is just as serious an actress and he is, and everyone else is on the show.

"What, like it's hard?" I got so excited when i saw this line. What a cute way to tie it into the movie.

Jamila and Marisol are super cute! I love love loved them together. I really enjoyed the family dynamics in this as well.

There were a few points while reading where it felt like it slowed down, and I wasn't fully interested in what was going on.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC!

I love books set in Hollywood and this one hit the mark for me. The characters were well developed and while the writing was a little redundant towards the middle, this was still a good read and easy to get through.

This book had everything I want from a YA novel! I wish I had books like this while I was in high school.

18-year-old Marisol decides to audition for the same tv show as her ex-boyfriend to prove that she is a serious actress who can play complicated roles. To film the show in NYC, she moves in with her dad and his long-term boyfriend.

Marisol was primarily raised by her mom and feels disconnected from her dad, his extended family, and their Puerto Rican heritage. Throughout the story, she reconnects with her dad and her heritage in a really lovely way. Marisol doesn’t have the perfect parents, but they are loving and well-intentioned and very sweet to read about.

Marisol’s romantic relationship with Jamila is adorable and the author did a great job of capturing the experience of a new crush. There is a subplot about Jamila coming out publicly as lesbian, but it is not central to the story or a great source of stress.

I appreciated Marisol’s relationship with Miles, her ex-boyfriend. I’m glad they were able to repair their friendship. I thought it was a nuanced exploration of how people who care about each other can harm each other, take space from each other, and then find their way back together.
I found the end of the novel to be satisfying, and it fit the expectations I have for a YA novel.

Highlights:
- exploring her Puerto Rican heritage
- set in NYC
- sapphic YA romance
- Legally Blonde homage
- Bi x Lesbian

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book!

Thank you Joy Revolution and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I adored this book! Marisol’s career has been up in the air since her popular teen drama ended, but at least she has her boyfriend Miles. The two met on the show and have been together for 4 years. Miles just got a part in a show called The Limit that is super hush hush. Only problem is that it’s in New York. She thinks they can handle long distance, that is until he dumps her, saying she’s not serious about her career. She’s upset but determined to prove him wrong. And she’ll get to do just that when she’s also cast on The Limit. At the audition she met Jamila, who’s unbelievably beautiful. Jamila gets cast as the leading lady on the show opposite Miles. Marisol might be jealous of she wants to busy being awestruck by Jamila. As they show gets underway and Marisol had a difficult time adjusting she’ll find the only good thing is Jamila, but does she feel the same about Marisol? Also would it be worth it when dating could end their careers? And for Marisol could this be her chance to prove to everyone she’s got what it takes? I consumed this! I think Elle Gonzalez Rose does a fantastic job capturing the anxiety and stress of working in difficult situations and the story has that realistic feel of stories you hear about how hard Hollywood can be! Sweet, charming, and heartwarming! If you enjoy sapphic rom-coms that have you in all your feels, I highly recommend!

I was hooked from the cover and description and was engaged with the actor element to this storyline. I enjoyed how good everything worked together with the romantic comedy element that I was looking for and enjoyed about this type of book. I was invested in the characters and how they worked with the concept. I'm glad I was able to read this as Elle Gonzalez Rose wrote this perfectly.

What a wonderful YA romance! Loved the look into Hollywood and the life of a teen actress. I loved Marisol's journey and her character arc and the lesson that being yourself is the best! I was so happy with how all the teen relationships panned out in the end. This was just really good & fun!

I really enjoyed this book! I’m a huge Legally Blonde fan, and I had always loved Elle and Vivi together. This book translates that story onto a movie set really well.

The amount of nods towards the original film was so fun to see, and I loved it. This was a beautiful sapphic romance that also dealt with other issues quite beautifully. I loved seeing Marisol grow into herself and work to stay true to herself within an industry that often asks for the opposite.

Marisol and Jamila were so cute together, and I loved them dearly. I also loved how Miles became a friend, which was a nice change in this! Understanding and remembering that they were just kids who were navigating a complicated landscape like Hollywood was something I loved in this.

Overall, I liked this book, and I definitely think I would reread this when it comes out. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's and Joy Revolution for this E-Arc. All opinions are my own.

I think my favorite part of this whole book is that Marisol is 18 and acts likes shes 18. Her decisions, actions/reactions feel organic and like shes an actual 18 year old (albeit a famous actress) which makes her character growth both believable and satisfying.

In the book we meet Marisol an older teen/new adult who just wrapped production on the series that made her famous. She struggling to find her new direction when her longtime boyfriend breaks up with her. Emboldened by the situation and wanting to show that shes just as serious of an actor- she Elle Woods her way into the same series as he is. Along the way we Marisol fumble, reconnect with her roots and ultimately blossom. I particularly find her ending thoughts on in the book to be a wonderful wrap up of her change and self acceptance. This was a pleasure to read and I highly recommend it for both teen/YA readers and those who want a feel good story.

I really did not like this book. The story was not paced well and there was no chemistry between the main characters.

SUCH A GOOD BOOK. i absolutely loved this and the ending!!! YEPPPP!!!! marisol I ABSOLUTELY will fight for you!!!! you definitely can’t go wrong with a good sapphic romance! read this when it comes out in august!

This book was such a delightful read! From the very first page, I found myself completely immersed in the story. The writing was so approachable and warm, making it easy to connect with the characters and the plot. I loved how the book felt both inviting and engaging, without ever being too complex or hard to follow. It was just the right mix of comfort and intrigue, and I truly enjoyed every moment of it. It’s a wonderful read that I’d happily recommend to anyone looking for a heartwarming escape!

i liked this book so muchhhh!! the romance was adorable and i loved the way marisol re-found her confidence and stood up for herself. i had plans for my evening but they all went ka-boom when i couldn’t put this down. and you know what? that’s ok, i’ve had a great time - no regrets.

i definitely recommend marisol acts the part if you’re looking for a sweet, sapphic, y/a romance. marisol was such a likable character, and i can defo see the elle woods inspiration! i thought the acting aspect of the story was all super interesting too, and also liked the scenes with the various member’s of marisol’s family. i’m actually a bit sad this wasn’t slightly longer as i’d liked to have read more about her reconnecting with them but we move. this was truly such a quick and enjoyable read that made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

This was such a fun, romantic, and fresh take on Legally Blonde—we love a revenge romcom, and Gonzalez Rose's voice lends itself prefectly to the hijinks and emotion of the story.

5 out of 5 stars

Rep: Bi Puerto Rican MC, lesbian Moroccan Muslim LI, Chinese side character, Puerto Rican SCs (including one who's gay and one who does drag), queer Panamanian SC who does drag, trans woman SC, Moroccan SC, nonbinary minor character

Content warnings: Misogyny, forced outing, toxic workplace, panic attack, claustrophobia, allusions to homophobia and transphobia, brief mention of a car accident

"Legally Blonde" is one of my favorite movies and I've always shipped Elle and Vivian. So hearing about a Latine sapphic romance inspired by it felt like it was meant especially for me!

I love all the nods to "Legally Blonde," from a dog named Bruiser to lines from the actual movie! Gonzalez Rose does a fantastic job infusing Marisol with Elle Woods vibes while still leaving her a distinct character in her own right. Like Elle, Marisol loves pink, beauty, and shopping without coming across as shallow or selfish. Both characters are kind and passionate and talented, and changing the setting from law school to a movie set worked surprisingly well!

Full of Puerto Rican joy, celebrations of queer community, and feminist messages that don't come across as preachy, "Marisol Acts the Part" will be one that I buy myself and recommend to all my friends!

**HUGE thank you to Joy Revolution for granting me an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!**

**Book Review: *Marisol Acts the Part* by Elle Gonzalez Rose**

*Marisol Acts the Part* begins as a light-hearted romp through the dramatic life of a young actress navigating fame, breakups, and career ambitions. At first, the story feels reminiscent of *Legally Blonde*, with Marisol Polly-Rodriguez determined to prove her worth after being dismissed as “unserious” by her ex. However, as the narrative unfolds, it blossoms into a deeply rewarding exploration of self-discovery and identity.

Marisol’s journey is equal parts glitzy and heartfelt. The early chapters revel in the chaos of Hollywood—tabloid scandals, difficult directors, and competitive castmates—setting the stage for Marisol’s transformation. While her initial motivation to one-up her ex may seem shallow, the story gradually uncovers layers of complexity as Marisol begins to learn about her family history and embrace her identity. These moments of introspection add emotional weight to the narrative and elevate it beyond its surface-level glitz.

The budding romance between Marisol and Jamila is both tender and empowering. Jamila helps Marisol unlock her potential as an actress, while Marisol supports Jamila in finding her confidence amidst newfound fame. Their relationship is a shining example of how love and partnership can foster mutual growth.

Ultimately, *Marisol Acts the Part* is an uplifting story about carving your own path, embracing who you are, and finding a sense of belonging. While the book may start off with a familiar premise, it evolves into a richly satisfying tale that celebrates resilience, identity, and love. It’s a must-read for fans of character-driven stories with heart and humor.