This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on May 13th, 2024. Links provided.

In Finally Fitz, seventeen year old content creator and designer Ava “Fitz” Fitzgerald’s meticulously crafted life hits a snag when her girlfriend, Danica, unexpectedly breaks up with her, claiming Fitz prioritizes her online persona over their relationship. Struggling with heartbreak and creative block, Fitz embarks on a journey of self-discovery. A chance reunion with childhood friend Levi Berkowitz sparks an unconventional plan: Fitz will help Levi with a fake online relationship to make his ex-girlfriend miss him if he poses as her boyfriend to make Danica jealous. What starts as a strategic ploy soon becomes a tangled web of genuine emotions and unexpected feelings. As Fitz grapples with real feelings and the allure of picture-perfect ideals, this story draws you into a captivating narrative of love, family, friendship, and the courage to embrace your authenticity. Finally Fitz is a heartfelt exploration into modern relationships and being true to yourself, where the pursuit of perfection gives way to the messy beauty of true connections.

While overall endearing, I felt this book was just ok. I really struggled with Fitz as the protagonist, finding it difficult to want to root for her. I honestly thought Fitz was annoying and not the most likable character. I am usually a pretty fast reader but I honestly had difficulty finding the motivation to read this book because of it. While I completely empathize with her desire for perfectionism and struggle with a sense of belonging as the youngest sibling, I just couldn’t look past her whiny and somewhat self-centered nature. Levi, on the other-hand, has my entire heart and is the main reason I gave this book 3 stars. I absolutely loved Levi from the moment he was introduced and appreciated his authenticity. Fitz definitely shows personal growth by the end of the story, but I really spent the entire book rooting for Levi and his happiness.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Finally Fitz in return for my honest review.

Contemporary, Romance, Coming of Age, Young Adult

YA, NYC setting, fake dating, childhood friend to more, queer/bi, sister drama

“Fitz” is a IG influencer known for her repurposed fashion and has been accepted into a summer fashion mentorship program in NYC. Her girlfriend, Dani, is in college and her summer in NYC is a trial run for them but they breakup not too far into the summer. Fitz then runs into her long lost childhood best friend (twice!) and they decide to fake date to make both of their exes jealous

Messy and real, a bit far fetched and mature for YA, overall OK but need more books in this genre for YA

Fitz is an absolute delight, we loved spending the summer with her, and we think your students will, too.

Fitz and her girlfriend Dani are in New York for the summer: Fitz to attend an eight-week program with her role model at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and Dani to an internship at the Public Theater. Fitz has risen to influencer status with her Instagram account If the Shoe Fitz, posting her upcycled and transformed thrift finds for her thousands of followers, and she’s eager to take her passion for fashion a step further.

But the summer has barely begun when Dani breaks up with Fitz, accusing her of being too obsessed with her social media account, and the dream turns sour when a heartbroken Fitz has to figure out how to live with her ex (they’re summer roommates, after all) but also win her back.

She decides to go on hiatus from her Instagram account to prove to Dani that she cares about much more than social media, and after a chance encounter on the subway with her childhood best friend Levi, she suggests the pair engage in a fake dating scheme to win back both their exes.

It’s no surprise that Fitz and Levi develop feelings for one another (and that miscommunication awaits), but the novel is about so much more. Fitz’s personal drama leads to a massive creative block, threatening to derail her fashion program, and as a perfectionist, this is not okay. Fitz has to learn how to do things for herself rather than always for other people (including her three older sisters who play a central role in Fitz’s story) and to accept that life is usually quite a bit messier than she’d prefer. As recovering perfectionists ourselves, we could relate!

There is some profanity in the novel and the age of the characters will probably appeal more to older students, but we’d feel comfortable recommending it in class.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

Will be posted at https://threeheads.works/category/blog/ya-books/ on June 3, 2024.

3.5 rounded up thank you netgalley and the publisher for letting me read about fitz who is insane i’m in love
alsoooo baby bi bi bi? oh wait this is the it’s gonna be me month😭
anyway this was so much fun it had fun themes and was enjoyable as a bulk! excited to read more like this i love fake dating real love pipelines my poor baby levi i feel for you!

Fake dating!!!!! I will never get tired of the faking dating trope so I was so excited for this one as we follow a bisexual teen trying to win by her ex by fake dating an old, childhood friend that she recently reconnected with. The feelings start of fake but as we follow the main characters, those fake feelings start to develop into something more...

A delightful story of self-discovery as Fitz explores all NYC has to offer during a summer fashion internship. When Fitz initially follows her high school girlfriend to NYC for a summer of fun and pretty quickly gets dumped, she crafts the perfect fake romance with her childhood best friend and plant influencer who she just so happens to bump into on the subway in an effort to win her back.

While it’s pretty easy to see where the story is going, the story also includes sister relationships, fashion school drama, plantscapades, an excessive obsession with Instagram, and honestly some good mental health discussions. I was pleasantly surprised with the way the ending turned out.

Definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for a fun NYC fake dating LGBTQ+ YA romance.

Finally Fitz follows Ava "Fitz" Fitzgerald, a teen fashion influencer following her dreams - and her girlfriend, Dani - to New York City for a competitive summer fashion program.

But shortly after arrives, her picture-perfect summer falls apart when Dani breaks up with her, taking Fitz's confidence and inspiration along with her.

After a chance run-in with her long-long childhood best friend Levi, also going through his own breakup, Fitz concocts the perfect solution: fake dating to make both of their exes jealous enough to want them back. What could possibly go wrong?

Admittedly it took me a while to really get into this one, but after sticking with it, I ended up really enjoying it!!

Fitz is messy and complicated and real. She is someone simply trying to figure out her place in the world, in a way that I think we can all relate to. (Anyone who can't handle second-hand embarrassment from books? Consider yourself warned.)

I absolutely fell in love with Levi and all of his plant-rescuing, tour guiding dorkiness. If anything, I felt like we didn't get enough of Levi. Understandably so; Fitz deals with lots of challenges during her time in New York, challenges that are equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. Still, I would ve loved to see even more depth to Levi outside of his relationship with Fitz.

This was the first YA novel I've read that has made me feel old - apparently Paramore is considered "retro" now? - but I also felt it went a little too heavy on the pop culture references for my taste. (Even as someone living through the social media age, SIX references to TikTok felt like overkill.)

Other than that, I greatly enjoyed Marisa Kanter's writing style. The dialogue (especially the banter!!) was delightful and natural. And boy, does she know how to set a scene! Even as someone who has never been the biggest NYC fan, I left this book feeling a little bit in love with the place.

Highly recommend to anyone looking for a YA romcom with some deeper themes.

Endless thanks to Netgalley and SimonTeen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

Even though I’ve spent the past several years as a high school librarian and have read and purchased countless YA books (including Kanter’s What Like About You which I thoroughly enjoyed), I don’t feel like I’m the right audience for this book. It’s very focused on social media influencers, of which I know little and care even less. I also don’t like the fake romance premise when it’s used to make their exes jealous. As Levi says, it sounds manipulative, but Fitz manages to convince him to go along with the charade.

My biggest problem is that I don’t find Fitz a likable protagonist. She seems very self-absorbed, is very surface level emotionally, and doesn’t fully commit to the FIT summer fashion program that so many other young people would kill to be invited to. In all honesty, I stopped reading at Chapter 16 (after putting it down a few times) because I just got really annoyed. Fitz just seems like one of those teens whose whole life plays out on social media and even when she puts her account on hiatus in the hopes of winning back her girlfriend, she uses an old friend to create a new account (ostensibly for him) to make their exes jealous. So, after not seeing her best friend Levi for almost 10 years, she’s still all about getting the best photos and writing catchy captions instead of having deeper conversations about what he’s been up to since he moved away and why he ghosted (and hurt) her afterwards. It’s a pass for me.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Simon & Schuster BYR through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

4.5⭐️

This was PRECIOUS! In Finally Fitz, Kanter dives into important conversations about imposter syndrome, mental health, challenging family dynamics, sustainable fashion, and social media. Books like this are so important for not only for YA readers, especially those on the verge of adulthood, but they’re also beneficial for adults to read and be reminded of what young adults are navigating. None of us have life figured out and extending grace, being vulnerable with others, and a listening ear to others makes a tremendous impact!

The thoughtful conversation around social media being a highlight reel and the need to step away and create boundaries through a digital detox was incredibly important and relevant. In a world where new content has become supreme, this story is a reminder to slow down, to step away from the camera and make memories and chase after joy, and to live authentically and not be afraid to show your filter free, perfectly imperfect self. I appreciated how Kanter wove this thread together with a conversation about mental health, anxiety, and perfectionism. Fitz’s journey to understanding herself and needs was so relatable and I wanted to wrap her in a giant hug seeing her growth and how she chose and made herself a priority.

I loved so much how sustainable fashion was a major theme through this book, especially in relation to social media and all the waste that comes from fast fashion. Fitz was so conscious of her fashion footprint and I admired her diligence and commitment to repurposing her thrifting finds and creating new textiles. Not only was it her mission to educate her followers and advocate for upcycling, but she used these pieces, especially the hand me downs from her sisters, to create connection and to tell a story.

There is just so much goodness and beautiful layers in this story and it is going to leave an imprint on so many readers’ hearts. These characters and their stories were timely, deeply human, and filled with so much hope and healing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

Marisa Kanter’s Finally Fitz follows Ava Fitzgerald to New York City where her whole world gets turned upside down. Her girlfriend, Dani, decides they need to call it quits right before Fitz starts her summer fashion program, claiming Fitz cares more about her social media platform than their relationship. To make things even more awkward, they’re rooming together for the summer! Fitz reconnects with a long lost bestie, Levi Berkowitz while on a hiatus to prove Dani wrong. The two hatch a plan to create a “fauxmance” to try & win back their exes, but feelings get complicated for Fitz. Will she end up with back with Dani or start anew with Levi? This book is filled with Jewish rep, lgbtq rep, mental health awareness, family drama, & more.

I love love loved Finally Fitz! Immediately I was sucked in. Her friendship with Levi was fun to explore & so cute! I adored their “plantscapades” and it was wonderful to see a M/F romance (well, “fauxmance”) where both characters are bisexual!
Being an older sibling myself, Fitz’s sibling drama was fascinating to explore. Fitz felt real. She has real life problems & feelings a lot of people struggle to understand & deal with. It’s always a breath of fresh air when stories dive into the mess instead of dance around it to keep everything fluffy. One thing I adored about the ending was Fitz’s decision to focus on her mental health before diving into a relationship— not many romances have that healthy tidbit in there! There’s plenty of comedy & happy carefree moments as well, but Finally Fitz does a great job balancing it all out.

If you’re looking for a sweet YA romance that’s just a little on the messy side, this is the book for you 🤍

I honestly don't have many feelings about this other than it's fine.

There are a lot of important/relevant themes for YA readers, such as mental health, identity (personal, queer, or otherwise), navigating friendships and family, all things that should have resonated with me but didn't. I was half-way checked out by the halfway mark because my care for this story began to severely wane.

This bled into my investment into Fitz and all the other characters. It felt like Kanter was trying to make the whole cast much more interesting than they were. Levi's mom, for example, is shown to be this badass mom with tattoos and ~life experience~, but she only shows up two or three(?) times throughout the story and I never felt anything about her beyond what's told to us. It seems like all the characters have one main thing, and that's all there is. Levi's a plant dad, Dani's an actress, Em is the distant roommate, I just could not find a reason to care about any depth when I really wasn't finding any.

Despite my thoughts, I'm sure this would make a fine, maybe impactful, read to any teen who happens to pick it up. It still has good queer rep, and the discussions of perfectionism and mental health are done really well.

Overall, this wasn't for me, but I believe this book will have its audience when it releases.

Finally Fitz is a charming queer rom-com and I enjoyed it so much. I recommend this book if you like books with childhood friends to lovers, fake dating, queer characters, and a fun storyline while still having some angst and messy moments.

First read from this author and overall thought it was cute. As I finished the last page, I even said “Awww” out loud.
Book is about reconnected childhood friends turn lovers through fake dating. Main character Ava Fitzgerald tries to make her ex jealous to win her back by fake dating her childhood friend, Levi Berkowitz.
The story takes place in New York City where Ava is also attending a fashion program for the summer. Right before she begins the program, her ex breaks up with her. Ava feels lost and believes if she wins her ex back, she can focus on her craft. Through fake dating, Levi takes Ava around New York for fake dates of course, but also to see if it brings back her spark, especially at a Brookyln flea market. Oh, let’s not forget the love of plants that Levi has is just adorable. Through the midst of it all, Ava and Levi end up falling for each other.

I absolutely loved the author’s writing style and bringing banter to the two main characters is definitely my jam. I really enjoyed seeing a young character blossom into her authentic self.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finally Fitz follows Ava Fitzgerald to New York City where her whole world gets turned upside down. Her girlfriend, Dani, decides they need to call it quits right before Fitz starts her summer fashion program claiming Fitz cares more about her social media platform than their relationship. Fitz reconnects with a long lost bestie, Levi Berkowitz while on a hiatus to prove Dani wrong. The two hatch a plan to create a fauxmance to try & win back their exes, but feelings get complicated for Fitz. Will she end up with Dani or Levi? This book is filled with Jewish rep, lgbtq rep, mental health awareness, family drama, & more.

I love love loved Finally Fitz! Immediately I was sucked in. Her friendship with Levi was fun to explore & so cute! Her sibling drama was very relatable being the youngest sibling myself. I felt her pain feeling excluded from her older sister’s lives. Fitz felt real. She has real life problems & feelings a lot of people struggle to understand & deal with. It’s always a breath of fresh air when stories dive into the mess instead of dance around it to keep everything fluffy. There’s plenty of comedy & happy carefree moments as well, but Finally Fitz does a great job balancing it all out.

I got this book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion via NetGalley.

Ava ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald is a teen Instagram fashion influencer. Thanks to her trendy up cycling and large fan base, she is able to be in New York for the summer completing a program at FIT, learning how to scale up her brand. The issue with this is that Fitz’s girlfriend and summer roommate, dumps her right before the program starts. A heartbroken Fitz can barely think let alone create. It isn’t until she runs into her long lost best friend Levi, that Fitz devises a plan of them fake dating.

My heat! I. AM. SOBBING. This is just too pure of words! This was my first ever Marisa Kanter book, and she’s quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. One of my favourite parts about this book, was the banter between the characters. Marisa has a knack for storytelling, I’ve never been to New York, but I felt like I’ve lived there. I really liked the growth of characters. There isn’t any spicy scenes, nothing more than kissing, so it’s perfect for a reader who enjoys a good romance without the spiciness.

All in all, it’s a really good read. If you’re into swoony young adult romance, this is for you!

Thank you, NetGalley and Marisa Kanter for allowing me to review! As always, my review is my own opinion and thoughts. This review will be shared to my Instagram @fictionluxblog shortly.

A bisexual teen fashion influencer finds herself trying to win back her ex girlfriend by fake dating her old best friend... only she's beginning to fall for him too. Ava "Fitz" Fitzgerald is picture perfect on her Instagram, she's a bit of an influencer and wants to use her platform to further her career in fashion. Ava spends every second of her free time with with her girlfriend Danica, and assumed they were ready to say "I love you" to each other... only they end up in a fight and Danica dumps her. Fitz is desperate to win back Dani and on her first day of attending her prestigious summer fashion program in New York she runs into Levi Berkowitz. Levi was her best friend and someone she lost contact with after he ghosted her with no explanation. Levi is struggling with a heartbreak of his own, his girlfriend Sophie and him are on a break. Fitz and Levi decide to fake date to make their perspective ex significant others jealous and win them back, yet the more time they spend "fake dating" and actually hanging out and being together, the more the lines between real and fake blur and some very real feelings begin to grow. Can Fitz figure out what she wants before it all slips past her fingers, or will she crash and burn under the pressure of trying to not only find herself and her brand, but in trying to understand her own mental health. This was definitely an interesting messy romance drama, it features two characters who are both bisexual and they do live up to the bi disaster haha. Fitz is trying to win back her ex yet she's not finding herself and trying to sort out what her future means to her. I did enjoy seeing her grow by the end and this book did something not many books do, having the character focus on their own mental health and growth before getting into a new relationship. Levi was a sweet romantic interest and I did love the "plantscapades " they went on. Overall it's a cute young adult book with messy romance drama and I think that fans of To All the Bows I've Loved Before and She Gets the Girl will really enjoy it.

*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I really didn't know what I was getting into reading this story about a social media influencer FMC. But I was quickly taken in by Fitz's personality and character growth. Levi is a doll. Marisa Kanter should be extremely proud of her writing skills and storytelling ability. Its difficult to write teenage characters who feel like full bodied individuals. I absolutely adored the ending of this book. Overwhelming enjoyed.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.

Thank you, Net Galley and publicist, for the advanced copy of the book.
Fitz as the main character was great, it represents how complex it is to be a teenager and make decisions, the relationship with his parents and sisters and the feeling of having a big family and still feeling lonely in it, the bi portrayal was very well written and Levi as fake boyfriend just wow.

I loved Finally Fitz by Marisa Kanter. It had a wonderful characters—Levi and his plants were adorable—and seemingly great queer and Jewish representation. I thought Fitz went through a great character arc over her summer in the city especially in coming to terms that she maybe lacked a sense of self and needed to figure out who she was separate from her relationships. This felt a lot like Emma Lord's The Getaway List that came out earlier this year—another YA that I loved.

Finally Fitz by Marisa Kanter is straight up delightful. It is full of fun, interesting, and well-developed characters. The story is engaging and uses tropes well. It is one of those books that is guaranteed to leave you smiling.

I am a huge fan of both second chance romance and friends to lovers as tropes, and Finally Fitz uses both so well. Levi and Fitz were separated as kids by circumstance (Levi and his family moved away and then Fitz’s family moved). It may seem improbable that they end up running into each other on the NYC subway, but my husband ran into my brother in Central Park last weekend randomly. (New York can be a small city sometimes). I was immediately invested in Levi and Fitz’s relationship from the moment they reconnected.

Their arrangement to help each other win back their exes by pretending to date hooked me. It’s not only a fun concept and so classic romcom, but it also feels deeply rooted in the fact that they care about one another and want each other to be happy. The dates they take each other on just make that even more clear (like when Levi takes Fitz to a flea market in Brooklyn, which he knows she’ll love).

You know I love good Jewish representation, and Kanter does it so well here. Levi takes Fitz to a Shabbat service, and Fitz feels out of place. She worries that she is not Jewish enough because she doesn’t get a Fiddler on the Roof reference. When she tells her sister, Tessa, about this feeling, Tessa tells her that it is part of being Jewish to either feel too Jewish or not Jewish enough. This absolutely resonated with me. I work in a synagogue, and I still have times when I don’t feel Jewish enough.

I love when authors create their own universes that connect their novels. I loved Kanter’s As If On Cue, and I was so excited for the appearance of Reid, the main character of that book, in Finally Fitz. There is even a reference to Melted, the spoof of Disney’s Frozen, that Reid works on in As if On Cue.

My little musical theater nerd heart loved all of the musical theater references in this book as well. New York City is synonymous with Broadway in my heart (yes, even as someone who has lived in this area for nearly 10 years). It felt so right to me that the teens spending the summer in New York in Finally Fitz are geeking out about musical theater. Levi shares photos of sets he worked on while watching Shrek the Musical with Fitz and her friends. This is also the second book in a row I read that throws loving shade at the Dear Evan Hansen movie, which makes me laugh.

I love Kanter’s work, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a feel good read. I’m already looking forward to her next book.