As everyone at her Brooklyn high school announces their summer adventures, Olivia harbors a dirty secret: Her plan is to binge-watch horror movies and chat with her online friend, Elm. Olivia and Elm have never shared personal details, apart from their ages and the fact that Elm’s aunt is a low-budget horror filmmaker. Then Elm pushes Olivia to share her identity and sends her a selfie of his own. Olivia is shocked by how cute he is! In a moment of panic, assuming she and Elm will never meet in real life, she sends a photo of her gorgeous friend Katie. But things are about to get even more complicated when Olivia’s parents send her to the Catskills, and she runs into the one person she never thought she would see. This sweet and funny summertime romance is perfect for fans of Love and Gelato and The Unexpected Everything.
Disclaimer: This review MAY contain spoilers. I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. The opinions in my review are my own.
What an adorable book this was. When I read the synopsis and found out that the main character and her love interest are horror movie aficionados, I knew I had to read this! I mean, how cool is that? Definitely up my alley to say the least.
I liked Olivia and her character growth. She went from being a procrastinating, self-conscious horror movie nerd to being a confident, go-getter screenwriter. I liked that she learned from her mistakes and didn't let them stand in her way in the end. She learned more about herself and her friendships throughout the story. I liked Jake's character a lot but his character was not as developed at Olivia's character. I wanted to get to know him a little more deeply. Katie's character was refreshing. I liked her friendship with Olivia and how she was willing to be there for her friend despite her own problems. I liked that Olivia's family was supportive and down to earth. I also thought that Olivia's coworkers were great. Every character had their place and purpose.
The plot of the story was cute and in the end, it touched upon some deeper things. The story flowed really well. I admit that the book was rather short, but the plot didn't suffer for it. There could have been some more scenes or things added into the story to thicken things up, but overall I enjoyed the plot and the way that things played out.
The romance was sweet but it also felt too juvenile to me at times. Yes, I understand that this is a YA book so the romance can land in many places on the romantic spectrum. And yes, this is a slow-burn romance in a way, but even slow-burn romances have a little more action. I am not saying that I expected or even wanted Olivia and Jake to get hot and heavy, but I think that I just expected a little more than what I got. They definitely had the chemistry down as well as the playful banter.
Overall, this is a fun and quick read that focuses on honesty, with oneself and with others, and the challenges that one can face when dissecting their self-image. There are wonderful representations of family and friendship. This is a lovely story with wonderful storytelling and an adorable premise.
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Leah Konen is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied journalism and creative writing. She’s the author of the forthcoming HAPPY MESSY SCARY LOVE, LOVE AND OTHER TRAIN WRECKS, THE ROMANTICS, THE LAST TIME WE WERE US and THE AFTER GIRLS. She lives in Brooklyn and Saugerties, NY, with her husband and their dog, Farley.
My name is Vanessa a.k.a. Queen Alchemy. I am a 30-something-year-old mother of four nerdy, fantastic children. We live in the Midwest. I have a reading addiction, and I hope that I never recover! I'm the hugest nerd you can find with interests not limited to the following: comics (Batman and Captain America for the win!), science, computers, zombies, unicorns, Harry Potter, cartoons from the 80's & 90's, Frankenstein, history, crafting, cooking & baking, Star Wars, digital scrapbooking, D&D, Minecraft, Hello Kitty, horror, metalcore, royalty, tattoos & piercings, bright colors, and so much more!
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