marielleb19's reviews
323 reviews

This was a big miss for me. I had a lot higher expectations but I really didn’t enjoy this. I thought both MC’s were kinda insufferable. I debated DNF-ing it a few times but I was kind of interested to see how the ending played out and was more invested in a lot of the side characters. 

There were also a lot of text messages/emails that felt a little long and some weren’t really relevant to the plot. And the way the different sections were split up often didn’t make a lot of sense for me timeline-wise. 

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was such a cute, summer read. The summer camp setting gave such nostalgic vibes and I loved it.   

Clara was such a relatable character to me. I loved her overly competitive side, especially with Mack and she had so much character growth, dealing with her burnout and trying to be a better friend to Sam and the others. 

I loved Clara and Mack’s relationship, especially their competitiveness and teasing with each other. You could tell even before their first interaction how obsessed with each other they were. 

Sending each other the medal they fought over when they were 15???? I’m OBSESSED. I honestly couldn’t believe their friends didn’t try harder at getting them together years before. 

The only thing I wish this book had (or at least prior to it) was a little more drama, at least something between Clara and Mack to explain why they never got together before now. Literally from their first interaction and how they talked about their friendship as kids you could tell how they’ve been so down bad for each other the entire time. I think it just left me with a lot of questions about why they waited so long. 

Other than that I really enjoyed this. I loved all the characters (especially Lydia, she’s iconic). I highly recommend it, this was such a cute, comforting read. 

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! 

 This was such a cute little rom-com!! I adored Ashanti, she had so much determination and love, especially for her sisters, Duchess, and her business. I really admired her, she’s definitely a new favorite FMC! I also loved her friendship with Evie and Ridley, I loved how supportive they all were of each other's goals. Not sure if this will end up being an interconnected series like TBP, but I would love to see a book with Ridley and Von!!

I did have a hard time loving Thad at first (I agree with Ashanti, hating dogs is a huge red flag haha). But by the end he had won me over, especially his love and protectiveness of his sister and grandmother, especially after everything came out about his grandfather. 

This book perfectly intertwines love, grief, humor, and (lots of dogs!!) and I adored it!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! 

Overall, I did like it, but I felt that while their backgrounds were a little cliché, it felt like they were mentioned way too many times. I really enjoyed the mystery aspect with the letters and how they intertwined it with South Asian culture and what it was like for an interracial couple in the 1970s. I did love the inclusion of the actual letters mixed in the chapters! I did like how the ending of the mystery wrapped up, especially the epilogue!

The romance also felt a little rushed and a little too insta-love for me. This was definitely written for a younger audience so I feel like I would’ve loved it more if I read it at a younger age!

Thank you to Skyscape and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!