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moonsmistress's review against another edition
4.0
cute gay enemies to lovers romance, super easy light read and i like that it gave chapters from both of their perspectives
restless's review against another edition
5.0
Jennifer Dugan writes characters that frustrate the hell out of me. I wanted to slap Fallon in Melt with You and there were times that I could have strangled Morgan for her high-and-mightiness as well.
What it's about: Morgan is an elite track star whose been "removed" from her previous school for being gay. She's lost her friends, her team, and her license to compete. Determined to take a stand, Morgan breaks out of the closet and sues her old school with help from her parents. Whatever happens, she's never going to let another person silence her again.
That is, until she meets Ruby.
What I thought: I think it's safe to say that my rating is 2 parts book and 3 parts Ruby.
Ruby is the product of a teenage pregnancy. She doesn't have much. A phone, a car, a bad reputation and her mother's resentment. Ruby is a beautiful mess. She's literally Maeve Wiley meets Quinn Fabray all rolled up into one:
For Ruby, appearances are survival - and she's gotten very good at performing.
So when Morgan runs into her life, touches her car and cusses her out, she's literally meeting the one person who is everything (herself, out, proud, loved) that Ruby wants and definitely can't have. How do you even process this? How can you stay away from it?
The attraction feels inevitable.
But wanting and having are two separate verbs. And if Ruby's life is a door, then Morgan is a wedge. Dangerous, irresistible and definitely trouble.
There is nothing easy about these two.
TL;DR: this is a gorgeous, troubling book about privilege, found family, being brave and standing up for yourself. The romance is messy, sometimes infuriating, and possibly not forever. The supporting cast doesn't get anywhere near enough page time.
I loved it because Morgan's insecurities made sense to me and Ruby's bravery was fierce. I can also see why others would hate it. 5/5 would read again.
What it's about: Morgan is an elite track star whose been "removed" from her previous school for being gay. She's lost her friends, her team, and her license to compete. Determined to take a stand, Morgan breaks out of the closet and sues her old school with help from her parents. Whatever happens, she's never going to let another person silence her again.
That is, until she meets Ruby.
What I thought: I think it's safe to say that my rating is 2 parts book and 3 parts Ruby.
Ruby is the product of a teenage pregnancy. She doesn't have much. A phone, a car, a bad reputation and her mother's resentment. Ruby is a beautiful mess. She's literally Maeve Wiley meets Quinn Fabray all rolled up into one:
And now I’m eighteen, older than my mom was when she had me, and I’m still trying to make it up to her. Deep down, I’m scared I never will. That every breath I take for the rest of my life will belong to her. That I’ll never be anything more than a brain stuck inside a body more my mother’s than my own. Forced to live out the life I stole from her forever.
For Ruby, appearances are survival - and she's gotten very good at performing.
So when Morgan runs into her life, touches her car and cusses her out, she's literally meeting the one person who is everything (herself, out, proud, loved) that Ruby wants and definitely can't have. How do you even process this? How can you stay away from it?
The attraction feels inevitable.
But wanting and having are two separate verbs. And if Ruby's life is a door, then Morgan is a wedge. Dangerous, irresistible and definitely trouble.
There is nothing easy about these two.
TL;DR: this is a gorgeous, troubling book about privilege, found family, being brave and standing up for yourself. The romance is messy, sometimes infuriating, and possibly not forever. The supporting cast doesn't get anywhere near enough page time.
I loved it because Morgan's insecurities made sense to me and Ruby's bravery was fierce. I can also see why others would hate it. 5/5 would read again.
lady_wallflower_reads's review against another edition
3.0
This was a cute YA romance that reminded me just how hard it was to be a teenager. The emotions run wild and everything is harder which I think was captured well in the book. YA is such a spectrum and I think this one ran a little too young for me.
hadesdaughter's review against another edition
2.0
I really wish I had loved this book, but I couldn't. It's not that it's awful, it just has so many issues that I couldn't fully enjoy the good parts.
As a romance, the focus is on the relationship between Ruby and Morgan. And it is ALL wrong. There are so many complications throughout the book, things that would be easily resolved with a simple conversation, you know. Lots of silly games, immaturity (and I know it's a YA, but both characters are almost adults), selfishness, lack of empathy.
I understand the frustration of being out and wanting a girlfriend like that too, the freedom and confidence to be able to tell the world she's your girlfriend and being cute and lovebirds around. But everyone has a different situation, a different right time. Morgan never really tried to understand why Ruby couldn't do that, and I felt she always looked down on her motives.
Morgan was also impulsive in 99% of the book, without even considering the consequences of what she said and did. She acted like she was right all the time and that was the only thing that mattered.
Overall, I think the idea was good (it's not a innovative book, it's supposed to be a sweet novel, easy and quick to read and leave us with a warm heart), but as I said at the beginning, I couldn't enjoy the good parts.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC with a beautiful cover in exchange for an honest review.
As a romance, the focus is on the relationship between Ruby and Morgan. And it is ALL wrong. There are so many complications throughout the book, things that would be easily resolved with a simple conversation, you know. Lots of silly games, immaturity (and I know it's a YA, but both characters are almost adults), selfishness, lack of empathy.
I understand the frustration of being out and wanting a girlfriend like that too, the freedom and confidence to be able to tell the world she's your girlfriend and being cute and lovebirds around. But everyone has a different situation, a different right time. Morgan never really tried to understand why Ruby couldn't do that, and I felt she always looked down on her motives.
Morgan was also impulsive in 99% of the book, without even considering the consequences of what she said and did. She acted like she was right all the time and that was the only thing that mattered.
Overall, I think the idea was good (it's not a innovative book, it's supposed to be a sweet novel, easy and quick to read and leave us with a warm heart), but as I said at the beginning, I couldn't enjoy the good parts.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC with a beautiful cover in exchange for an honest review.
skullcandi3z's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
this was really fun to read! every time i picked it up i thought of my girlfriend and it kind of helped me through my fear of commitment.
clancyhudson's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
therecoveringbookworm's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
lilgriff's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
siiig's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0