safbecca's review
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Eating disorder
heavenk's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a ya contemporary romancish if I ever read one. I would actually say the romance was a bit more of a subplot. It wasn’t the main thing but it was quite sufficient. I mean I was getting butterflies (esp at the start). Towards the end the romance was lacking. This book isn’t a very great book but I enjoyed reading it very much.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder
belleden's review against another edition
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Ughhhhhh. So much bad about this book, but so much good too. The storyline had potential but the characters were insufferably bland. And the ending was so bad it made me doubt that Cotugno knows anything about her own characters. I almost DNF’d but I had nothing else to read. The romance was just fine, nothing to sneeze at. The 90’s setting is just nostalgia bait and barely even alluded to.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder and Vomit
s0phiedublin's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
2.5
to be quite honest, i was a little more excited to read this book because i had read top ten, another cotugno book, previously and adored the main characters (wholesome best friends to lovers! if you're interested). plus, the synopsis of this one totally had me hooked - giving major wattpad vibes w/o an actual celebrity to centre it around.
-possible spoilers-
for the most part, i just found the biggest weakness to be the characters. i wanted to like the main characters and ultimately, i want to see female friendship thrive (especially in the context of this book: two hometown friends being catapulted to stardom, I WANT TO SEE THAT SISTERHOOD)! in the end, i just found that there were too many characters introduced and therefore, there wasn't much room to elaborate on the separate development/history of everyone. if i got to know more context of dana's home life even more, as well as olivia's, even showing more instances on why their friendship is so strong, i'd be more invested in the book. there were too many instances in which i wanted to like and root for the characters but i just couldn't due to lack of storytelling.
also hated the ending. overall, unrealistic.
-possible spoilers-
for the most part, i just found the biggest weakness to be the characters. i wanted to like the main characters and ultimately, i want to see female friendship thrive (especially in the context of this book: two hometown friends being catapulted to stardom, I WANT TO SEE THAT SISTERHOOD)! in the end, i just found that there were too many characters introduced and therefore, there wasn't much room to elaborate on the separate development/history of everyone. if i got to know more context of dana's home life even more, as well as olivia's, even showing more instances on why their friendship is so strong, i'd be more invested in the book.
Spoiler
also, idk if anyone else found this, but i get that at surface level alex (main love interest) is attractive w/the whole southern blonde theatre kid trope going for him HOWEVER, i didn't get to know him enough so was he really worth throwing away a whole friendship for ??? just because he's pretty ???also hated the ending. overall, unrealistic.
Content Warnings
Minor: Eating disorder
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