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by Jacqueline Firkins
Clarion Books, 2021. 329 pages. Young Adult Fiction
Harper works in her mom's wedding shop, altering
dresses for petulant and picky brides who are more focused on hemlines than
love. After years of watching squabbles break out over wedding plans, Harper
thinks romance is a marketing tool. Nothing more. Her best friend Theo is her
opposite. One date and he's already dreaming of happily-ever-afters. He also
plays the accordion, makes chain mail for Ren Festers, hangs out in a
windmill-shaped tree house, cries over rom-coms, and takes his word-of-the-day
calendar very seriously. When Theo's shocked to find himself nursing his
umpteenth heartbreak, Harper offers to teach him how not to fall in love. Theo
agrees to the lessons, as long as Harper proves she can date without falling in
love. As the lessons progress and Theo takes them to heart, Harper has a harder
time upholding her end of the bargain. She's also checking out her window to
see if Theo's home from his latest date yet. She's even watching rom-coms. If
she confesses her feelings, she'll undermine everything she's taught him. Or
was he the one teaching her?
This was a fresh take on the old “will they or won’t
they” rom-com. I really enjoyed not only the storyline, but the writing. The
characters have depth and change believably through the story. This book also
tackles some big issues like consent and the emotional repercussions of
intimacy. There are some steamy scenes, but nothing explicit. Those scenes
become the springboard for the characters to have important conversations about
what they really want and if going all the way will actually fulfill those wants. This book walks that fine line between using an issue to add depth to the
story and being preachy. I think it is successful in finding that balance. Overall, this is a fun romp in YA rom-com that left me
delighted and really made me think.
If you
like How Not to Fall in Love, you might like:
by Alex Light
HarperTeen, 2020. 281 pages.
When her former best friend teases her for not having had a boyfriend,
Becca impulsively pretends she's been secretly seeing someone. As captain of
the football team and one of the most popular guys in his school, Brett Wells
should have no problem finding someone to date, but he's always been more
focused on his future than who to bring to prom. When he overhears Becca's lie,
Brett decides to step in and be the mystery guy.
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by Sandhya Menon
Ashish Patel didn't know love could be so...sucky. After being dumped by
his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly,
smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of
weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up. The Patels insist that Ashish date
an Indian-American girl-- under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he'll be taking
his date on "fun" excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his
eccentric Gita Auntie. How is this ever going to work? Sweetie Nair is many
things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a
loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she's also fat. To Sweetie's
traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death. Sweetie loves her
parents, but she's so tired of being told she's lacking because she's fat. She
decides it's time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she'll show the
world (and herself) what she's really made of. Ashish and Sweetie both have
something to prove. But with each date they realize there's an unexpected magic
growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each
other?
AG
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