taylorsimon's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a very cute YA book. I love the representation of mental health struggles, LGBTQ, and Jewish and Muslim communities. The lead female character, Quinn, makes a few very frustrating decisions, but it accurately depicts a person her age.
_daisy87's review against another edition
lighthearted
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
3.75
loveleighreads_'s review against another edition
3.0
“When you’re in love, whether that love is platonic or romantic, you get to be the fullest version of yourself, uncertainties and mistakes and all.”
Quinn is a Jewish, wedding harpist who doesn’t believe in love. Tarek is a Muslim, cater waiter who’s also a hopeless romantic. They were close friends until last summer happened. Quinn hurt his feelings and then confessed her feelings for Tarek in a long email, but then he left for college without a word. After a year, he’s finally back, and they have to navigate what’s left of their old friendship. Tarek loves grand gestures - the bigger the better while Quinn thinks they’re fake. As the summer progresses, she can’t deny she still has feelings for him especially after she learns the truth behind his sudden silence after last summer.
-
I thought this was such a cute story about discovering yourself, finding your passion, navigating family expectations, and love. I liked that this book had a majority of POC characters and the representation in the book was very important. I’m not an expert on either religion, so I can’t speak to the accuracy of their culture in the book. It was just refreshing to read a story about different backgrounds than mine. The characters also dealt with OCD & depression. I think the author did a great job of breaking down how those challenges started and the steps they’re taking to get better. I’m not a big fan of miscommunication tropes at all, and this book had a lot of miscommunication lol. I had to keep constantly reminding myself of their age and maturity level so that I wouldn’t get too frustrated. Overall, I enjoyed the book and thought it was a cute story.
Quinn is a Jewish, wedding harpist who doesn’t believe in love. Tarek is a Muslim, cater waiter who’s also a hopeless romantic. They were close friends until last summer happened. Quinn hurt his feelings and then confessed her feelings for Tarek in a long email, but then he left for college without a word. After a year, he’s finally back, and they have to navigate what’s left of their old friendship. Tarek loves grand gestures - the bigger the better while Quinn thinks they’re fake. As the summer progresses, she can’t deny she still has feelings for him especially after she learns the truth behind his sudden silence after last summer.
-
I thought this was such a cute story about discovering yourself, finding your passion, navigating family expectations, and love. I liked that this book had a majority of POC characters and the representation in the book was very important. I’m not an expert on either religion, so I can’t speak to the accuracy of their culture in the book. It was just refreshing to read a story about different backgrounds than mine. The characters also dealt with OCD & depression. I think the author did a great job of breaking down how those challenges started and the steps they’re taking to get better. I’m not a big fan of miscommunication tropes at all, and this book had a lot of miscommunication lol. I had to keep constantly reminding myself of their age and maturity level so that I wouldn’t get too frustrated. Overall, I enjoyed the book and thought it was a cute story.
anastasiacarrow's review against another edition
2.0
quinn was so incredibly unlikable and it was never, NOT ONCE endearing!! boohoo she’s so sad about LITERALLY NOTHING OF CONSEQUENCE!!!!
also what the HELL did the title mean
also what the HELL did the title mean
freddie_no_weasley's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
mackshill's review against another edition
4.0
so so good. i hope to have a romantic relationship like this sometime in my life🥲
manu71005's review against another edition
4.0
I'm now a fan of Rachel Lynn Solomon and she is quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors!
I love how her YA books deal with a ton of important things that arent mention nearly as often as they should, especially in YA.
And with that said I loved the romantic development of this book, though I must admit I went through many frustrating emotions while reading it, Tarek and Quinn had a very on and off relationship that really crushes your heart every time.
I really loved Tarek and Quinn. Tarek is Muslim and has eczema, and though I'm not Muslim I do have eczema, and I'm not lying when I say I've never read any character ever who has it and I really loved everything and felt identified with him a lot more, especially because we both are romantics at heart that love rom-com movies! Quinn's struggles with her family and her own identity connected with me, and her overall development through the book was so great! I felt really proud of all characters overall plus Quinn suffers from OCD and Solomon's writing style makes it all more real plus the amazing Jewish representation.
And as an extra, I really loved reading about all the weddings happening!
I love how her YA books deal with a ton of important things that arent mention nearly as often as they should, especially in YA.
And with that said I loved the romantic development of this book, though I must admit I went through many frustrating emotions while reading it, Tarek and Quinn had a very on and off relationship that really crushes your heart every time.
I really loved Tarek and Quinn. Tarek is Muslim and has eczema, and though I'm not Muslim I do have eczema, and I'm not lying when I say I've never read any character ever who has it and I really loved everything and felt identified with him a lot more, especially because we both are romantics at heart that love rom-com movies! Quinn's struggles with her family and her own identity connected with me, and her overall development through the book was so great! I felt really proud of all characters overall plus Quinn suffers from OCD and Solomon's writing style makes it all more real plus the amazing Jewish representation.
And as an extra, I really loved reading about all the weddings happening!
bbq_1473's review against another edition
4.0
This book is so good but I didn’t like that they ignored each other for a whole summer
marmar_16's review against another edition
3.0
3 or 3.5 ⭐️
The main character annoyed me at times, but the story also had some cute moments.
The main character annoyed me at times, but the story also had some cute moments.
caitlinxx05's review against another edition
3.0
I’ll start short; I had high hopes for this book after absolutely loving another book by this author and sadly, I got disappointed.
I doubted between a 2 and 3 ⭐️ but let the 3 win due to the book still being a cute read, I suppose.
The thing with this book is, that most if not basically all of the summary already happens in the first 100 pages and it feels unclear on what else will happen in the book.
Not to mention that their friendship pre feelings confessing-email is also confusing, because on the one side it feels like they’re made out to be best friends who did sooo much together and knew a lot about the other, but apparently they’re not and they only really saw each other at weddings with barely any conversations? Maybe if I’d read the book in one day these things wouldn’t have been as unclear, but I don’t know
Oh and that “rambling email”, in which she confesses her feelings? Spoiler: there is no rambling??
If I’d write a rambling email it would be at LEAST a whole page, not this meager thing..
I’ve been struggling since page 80 or so and it wasn’t getting any better. The last something pages picked up a bit I suppose, but if I hadn’t been as stubborn in finishing books I start, I would’ve quit there.
It’s a cute read, don’t get me wrong, but there’s so much that’s also just.. not it.
I did like the way there’s some of inclusivity through depression, OCD, anxiety, that did save the book for me I think. But there’s also stuff that feels off and overall, not the book I thought it would be.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I guess I can’t argue with that,
About wanting something to make the world feel less heavy.”
I doubted between a 2 and 3 ⭐️ but let the 3 win due to the book still being a cute read, I suppose.
The thing with this book is, that most if not basically all of the summary already happens in the first 100 pages and it feels unclear on what else will happen in the book.
Not to mention that their friendship pre feelings confessing-email is also confusing, because on the one side it feels like they’re made out to be best friends who did sooo much together and knew a lot about the other, but apparently they’re not and they only really saw each other at weddings with barely any conversations? Maybe if I’d read the book in one day these things wouldn’t have been as unclear, but I don’t know
Oh and that “rambling email”, in which she confesses her feelings? Spoiler: there is no rambling??
If I’d write a rambling email it would be at LEAST a whole page, not this meager thing..
I’ve been struggling since page 80 or so and it wasn’t getting any better. The last something pages picked up a bit I suppose, but if I hadn’t been as stubborn in finishing books I start, I would’ve quit there.
It’s a cute read, don’t get me wrong, but there’s so much that’s also just.. not it.
I did like the way there’s some of inclusivity through depression, OCD, anxiety, that did save the book for me I think. But there’s also stuff that feels off and overall, not the book I thought it would be.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I guess I can’t argue with that,
About wanting something to make the world feel less heavy.”