
Member Reviews

I’ve never written a book review before.
I don’t know if I’ve been too shy or scared or lazy, but in the years since I’ve started reading like my life depends on it, I’ve been a mere lurker on here. But halfway through this book, I knew that, for this one, I had to write something. Anything.
First and foremost, dear author, Miss RaeChell Garrett (if you’re even reading this which I totally get it if you aren’t), this book was fantastic. Like, I can’t express to you how much I loved every single line of this book.
As a (new) lover of YA, someone who isn’t too far from my high school years, and a black girl with too many emotions not often voiced for fear of being too much, this book was everything and more to me.
I loved Dru and Winston in ways that I haven’t loved any characters in a LONG time. You know when you have to force yourself to put down a book so you can actually sleep only to have a dream starring characters of said book?? Well, this book had that exact effect on me. And do you also know when you can’t put down a book because you just need to know what will happen next yet you also sort of dread reading more because you never ever want it to end? Well, this book also had that effect on me.
Okay. Now that I’ve gotten all that out, let me list the three things I loved most about this book:
1. The characters, the characters, the characters — everyone was soooo freaking likeable and just so…real? I don’t know how to explain it. I never doubted for once that Dru was who she said she was and was feeling the things she was feeling. And the complex relationship with her sisters was built so well??? And the way Winston and Dru expressed their emotions to each other????? This takes me to point number two.
2. THE WRITING WAS JUST SO PERFECT — I just love when authors can convey meaning and feeling in a way that is witty and perfectly shows what each character is feeling. Ugh, I’m explaining this wrong, but I know that if I was our dear author RaeChell Garrett I would have the perfect words because she’s just good like that.
3. The story was so… fresh?? And mature???? But also still YA-ish?? — Once again, not sure how much sense this makes to people not in my brain, but I think my favorite thing about YA is how we get to see the inner workings of a young person’s mind and how, even though, yes they are young and make dumb mistakes and say very stupid things sometimes, but in YA their thoughts matter and are treated as such. BUT some YA can feel unnecessarily kiddish and dare I say cringey. So when a YA - especially a YA romance - manages to be about a young person and their dilemmas while still highlighting very important interpersonal issues that the main character is struggling with? Yeah, that will always do it for me!
Well. This is my first review and I’m not sure if I’m ever going to do this again LOL. But, for some final thoughts: I NEED TO SEE THIS BOOK AS A MOVIE. I’m not only saying this because I loved the novel but because I recently received a whole degree in Film (and business) and currently working in the industry, so I *legally* know what I’m talking about when I say that this book is very adaptable with the right screenwriter and cast.
Much thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown for the e-ARC!! And the most thanks to our dear author Miss RaeChell. I had the pleasure of reading this book and you don’t know just how much I needed this right now. Please, please never stop writing.
Now off to read Promposal I go…🏃🏿♀️