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mysteriesofmar's review against another edition
2.0
this is not a love story, and for that i love it
madison_gleason's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at 25% the romantic scenes that he has with Brit are just making me so uncomfortable. And Franks character feels very forced of I’m awkward and is just plain weird.
k8lynn's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
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
4.5
love triangle, fake dating, friends to lovers
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Vomit, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
lakenberryauthor's review against another edition
3.0
https://lakenberryauthor.wordpress.com/2023/03/18/review-frankly-in-love-by-david-yoon/
Frankly, I had mixed feelings about Frankly in Love. I thought for sure it would be a five-star read, but it wasn't. Join me on my spoiler-free quest to decipher my feelings!
WHAT I LIKED
Character Voice:
Frank thinks and acts like a teenage boy, which can be tricky to get right, especially for adult authors. Props to David Yoon for that! I'm fairly certain I laughed out loud multiple times. Definitely one of the funniest main characters I've ever read. Even when the plot took a weird turn (we'll get to that later), Frank kept it afloat by being awesome.
Romance:
Brit and Joy were such fun characters. The tropes were fun, too. I had a great time watching Frank and Joy fake-date each other. I even ended up liking the love triangle! (Who am I??) It added drama and stakes to the story, but it wasn't overwhelmingly angsty like many other love triangles. This one felt natural, especially considering Frank's circumstances. Most importantly, it was a joy to read. (Pun most definitely intended.)
Complex Parental Relationships:
Frank has a strained relationship with his parents. He's not as close to them as the people around him are with their parents. They don't hug, they don't say "I love you," and they will only approve of him dating a Korean girl. Also, they're pretty racist. I enjoyed reading about Frank's journey of learning more about his parents and himself.
WHAT I DISLIKED
The Second Half:
The first half of the book was fantastic. I was rooting for everyone, I was laughing, and I was wondering where the story was going to go. Then the midpoint came, and it seemed like things were happening too fast. More than that, it was almost like a different book. That's not to say that it was bad, but I would've liked a bit more cohesion.
Ending of Romance:
This goes back to my last point. It's not that I didn't love who Frank ended up with. I totally did. It's that Frank chooses too quickly, and the other girl peaces out for the rest of the book. I needed build-up. I needed to see why he chose one girl over the other, and it wasn't explained well. I liked the idea, but David Yoon needed to flesh it out more.
Conclusion:
The ending was too fast for me. I didn't like the weird Third-Act Break Up (who does?), and it ended more solemnly than I expected from such a funny book. Not that books always have to have a 100% happy ending, but the tone felt off.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I actually gave this four stars, although I might knock that down to three. I enjoyed reading it, but certain things could be improved (like in all books!). David Yoon is obviously a talented author, and I would be willing to give his other YA book, Super Fake Love Song, a shot.
Frankly, I had mixed feelings about Frankly in Love. I thought for sure it would be a five-star read, but it wasn't. Join me on my spoiler-free quest to decipher my feelings!
WHAT I LIKED
Character Voice:
Frank thinks and acts like a teenage boy, which can be tricky to get right, especially for adult authors. Props to David Yoon for that! I'm fairly certain I laughed out loud multiple times. Definitely one of the funniest main characters I've ever read. Even when the plot took a weird turn (we'll get to that later), Frank kept it afloat by being awesome.
Romance:
Brit and Joy were such fun characters. The tropes were fun, too. I had a great time watching Frank and Joy fake-date each other. I even ended up liking the love triangle! (Who am I??) It added drama and stakes to the story, but it wasn't overwhelmingly angsty like many other love triangles. This one felt natural, especially considering Frank's circumstances. Most importantly, it was a joy to read. (Pun most definitely intended.)
Complex Parental Relationships:
Frank has a strained relationship with his parents. He's not as close to them as the people around him are with their parents. They don't hug, they don't say "I love you," and they will only approve of him dating a Korean girl. Also, they're pretty racist. I enjoyed reading about Frank's journey of learning more about his parents and himself.
WHAT I DISLIKED
The Second Half:
The first half of the book was fantastic. I was rooting for everyone, I was laughing, and I was wondering where the story was going to go. Then the midpoint came, and it seemed like things were happening too fast. More than that, it was almost like a different book. That's not to say that it was bad, but I would've liked a bit more cohesion.
Ending of Romance:
This goes back to my last point. It's not that I didn't love who Frank ended up with. I totally did. It's that Frank chooses too quickly, and the other girl peaces out for the rest of the book. I needed build-up. I needed to see why he chose one girl over the other, and it wasn't explained well. I liked the idea, but David Yoon needed to flesh it out more.
Conclusion:
The ending was too fast for me. I didn't like the weird Third-Act Break Up (who does?), and it ended more solemnly than I expected from such a funny book. Not that books always have to have a 100% happy ending, but the tone felt off.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I actually gave this four stars, although I might knock that down to three. I enjoyed reading it, but certain things could be improved (like in all books!). David Yoon is obviously a talented author, and I would be willing to give his other YA book, Super Fake Love Song, a shot.
thenovelcourt's review against another edition
3.0
I like what this book brings to the table, I like the conversations on culture. But the staccato, unemotional writing is not for me.
eclipsen_night's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
4.75
mizzlroy's review
4.0
3.5 Stars. I really enjoyed this once I got into it, but it took me a little bit to get hooked. Some of the sarcastic bits made me laugh out loud and there were parts that had me balling my eyes out. Very well written and an interesting look into what it means to be split between nationalities. I have kids that will definitely love this.
isabelbrieler's review against another edition
2.0
Y'all I am so glad I got this from my library before buying it (which I almost, almost did). I was sucked in, like most, I assume, by the hype. This book had a v cute trailer. It has a nice cover. Those sprayed edges though! Fake dating trope? We stan!
In actuality, the love story felt very surface level and I was incredibly uncomfortable during Frank's entire relationship with Brit Means. I had so much trouble just getting through this book. I probably should have DNFed it, but here we are. It's fine.
Two stars instead of one just because I didn't hate the parts about Frank's relationship with his parents.
In actuality, the love story felt very surface level and I was incredibly uncomfortable during Frank's entire relationship with Brit Means. I had so much trouble just getting through this book. I probably should have DNFed it, but here we are. It's fine.
Two stars instead of one just because I didn't hate the parts about Frank's relationship with his parents.
literaturefaerie's review
4.0
4.5 stars. This book was soooo much better than I thought it was going to be. I laughed out loud more times than I remember which I rarely do while reading. This book is so well rounded with happy moments, sad moments, and hilarious moments. I never got bored once while reading it even though it’s 400 pages. So so good. TW: racism, sick parent