Okay, so I picked this up thinking it would be a typical YA rom-com, but wow, Lynn Painter really said, "Let me serve you cliché, but make it self-aware, swoony, and actually hilarious."
This book is a love letter to every hopeless romantic who grew up on 2000s rom-coms and still believes in “grand gestures” and “the boy next door” phenomenon (literally, in this case). Liz, the female lead, is quirky and dramatic (read: me on a bad day), and Wes... (the male lead) Wes is that guy you think is annoying until he starts doing all the things that make your heart go thump thump and suddenly you're like, "Do I have a new book crush?"
It’s packed with banter that made me snort-laugh, moments that felt like warm popcorn on a rainy day, and there's emotional depth too, especially around Liz’s grief and memories of her mom. It’s got that perfect blend of funny and feels.
The book is sprinkled with a heavy dose of romantic references from books and movies. And some which I may have made references in my conversations at some point. So you can imagine how I was melting while reading.
Was it a predictable read? A little.
Did I care? Absolutely not.
Did I read the last 100 pages in one sitting with a stupid grin on my face? Yes. Yes, I did.
If you’re a rom-com lover, this book is like watching "10 Things I Hate About You" while eating cake in your PJs. Pure serotonin. Now I am egged to pick up some of the other rom-coms that are lying on my bookshelf.
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