What do you think?
Rate this book
The Trial Period
This contemporary romance from a debut author is perfect for fans of LGBTQ+ YA and fake-dating, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance about opposites who do not attract. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Dugan and Becky Albertalli.
Ashley Marie Parker and Lizzie Hernandez have exactly three things in neither have been in a relationship for more than two weeks; they share the same best friend, Camille; and they cannot stand one another. Parker is a boundary-pushing fashionista and Lizzie is an introverted musician with stage fright. When an epic Parker-Lizzie bickering match goes way too far, Camille finally snaps and challenges them to date each other for one month.
So Parker and Lizzie spend a month going on dates, and opening up to one another. But as they start to fall in like, the other parts of their lives start to crumble. Facing their own separate hurdles, Parker and Lizzie need to understand if their relationship is strong enough to combat their old habits, and if you can truly fall in love after only 30 days.
This contemporary romance from a debut author is perfect for fans of LGBTQ+ YA and fake-dating, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance about opposites who do not attract. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Dugan and Becky Albertalli.
Ashley Marie Parker and Lizzie Hernandez have exactly three things in neither have been in a relationship for more than two weeks; they share the same best friend, Camille; and they cannot stand one another. Parker is a boundary-pushing fashionista and Lizzie is an introverted musician with stage fright. When an epic Parker-Lizzie bickering match goes way too far, Camille finally snaps and challenges them to date each other for one month.
So Parker and Lizzie spend a month going on dates, and opening up to one another. But as they start to fall in like, the other parts of their lives start to crumble. Facing their own separate hurdles, Parker and Lizzie need to understand if their relationship is strong enough to combat their old habits, and if you can truly fall in love after only 30 days.
This contemporary romance from a debut author is perfect for fans of LGBTQ+ YA and fake-dating, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance about opposites who do not attract. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Dugan and Becky Albertalli.
368 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2025
14 people are currently reading
3683 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
September 17, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sometimes all you need is a really sweet YA queer romcom. 4.5 stars rounded up. Parker and Lizzie share the same beat friend, Camille. Neither of them can keep a relation going for more than a couple of weeks. Then starts the fake dating for 30 days trial in which they will date from October 1-30. Parker has to deal with stalking her ex, Emily’s instagram. Lizzie loves music but has stage fright. I don’t know how they were ever enemies as they are really cute together. I was really rooting for them to fall for each other. They had great banter, loved the fresh dialogue and sense of humor throughout. Camille is caught in the middle although this is not a love triangle situation. I really appreciated that Parker identified as bi but there was no rival boy thrown in just to make that part of the character. I think it’s important to show bi characters who aren’t portrayed as being indecisive or sexually promiscuous. As this is a YA romance, it was really clean, which I like, spicy scenes in romance I find cringy. I would like to see a sequel where Camille is the main character.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @wattpadbooks for the ARC. Book to be released February 4, 2025.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @wattpadbooks for the ARC. Book to be released February 4, 2025.
November 25, 2025
3.5 stars 🌟🌟🌟✨️(rounded up)
Thank you to Wattpad for my copy!
I feel like this was one of those books that came around at the right time and place, just when I needed it. I really enjoyed the overall story and concept, I found myself connecting with the characters right away, and I loved the small town vibes.
I struggled with some of the sexuality components, simply because these characters are underage and I found myself skimming over any of those scenes. I also had a difficult time with some of the ending scenes as I found them to be a bit unrealistic.
But, overall I found the story to be a lot of fun, a quick, easy, fast paced read and relatable in all the points that count.
You get:
💙YA Romance
🎭High School
💙LGBT+ Representation
🎭Fake Dating
💙Enemies To More
🎭Forced Proximity
💙Coming Of Age
If you enjoy YA romance, this could be the one for you! Available on ebook and paperback.
Thank you to Wattpad for my copy!
I feel like this was one of those books that came around at the right time and place, just when I needed it. I really enjoyed the overall story and concept, I found myself connecting with the characters right away, and I loved the small town vibes.
I struggled with some of the sexuality components, simply because these characters are underage and I found myself skimming over any of those scenes. I also had a difficult time with some of the ending scenes as I found them to be a bit unrealistic.
But, overall I found the story to be a lot of fun, a quick, easy, fast paced read and relatable in all the points that count.
You get:
💙YA Romance
🎭High School
💙LGBT+ Representation
🎭Fake Dating
💙Enemies To More
🎭Forced Proximity
💙Coming Of Age
If you enjoy YA romance, this could be the one for you! Available on ebook and paperback.
October 22, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
(rounded down from 2.25)
When I started reading this book, it seemed incredibly familiar and it took me a little while to realise it was the publishable version of the same book on Wattpad that I had DNF'd previously. This new iteration is more polished up and improves upon several form choices from the original version and I settled in to enjoy it.
By the time I finished, I could see glimmers of really cool ideas incorporated into this book, such as the idea of a store that mysteriously changes its displays without anyone knowing and a kid forced to go to live with her dad in a small town with his new family after being caught skipping school to work in a NYC theatre. Despite these, some of the fundamental problems still persist in this story. The primary issue I have with this book is that premise feels very much like plot-service and extremely inorganic.Who among us hasn't told two squabbling friends completely out of the blue that they should date each other for a month for absolutely no reason when we're pissed with them fighting all the time? This came completely out of left field and left me absolutely baffled, despite me giving leeway to romances because the emotions and setting up the situation is often more important than realism.
The second problematic part of this book is that the characters are intended to be older teens but behave like fourteen to fifteen-year-olds. The emotional maturity just does not track (because there is absolutely none) for kids who are on the cusp of adulthood.
The third and absolutely crucial problem with this was that while it's advertised as an enemies-to-lovers slow-burn romance, it is not convincing at being either of these things. The two main characters absolutely hate each other until they start fake dating, in which they do complete one eighties on their attitudes towards each other. There is no lead-up to this, no internal monologue about pretending to be caring and considerate to each other to win this bet, but sudden and complete attitude reveals that are completely unexplained and hard to believe. Thanks to the sudden change in attitude, I can't call this a slow burn either by definition.
Finally, I believe this is Auburn Morrow's first book so I cut some slack for this, but the amount of telling and not showing is a massive turn-off. If the character has to explicitly think that they want someone to choose them first multiple times, you are not being shown character and asked to draw your conclusions about what they truly want, but being told, which is rather annoying (particularly when it happens for every point of view character repeatedly).
All of the above being said, this was otherwise a decent read and, as I said before, there are some nuggets that would make a really fun and special romance if the issues were ironed out.
(rounded down from 2.25)
When I started reading this book, it seemed incredibly familiar and it took me a little while to realise it was the publishable version of the same book on Wattpad that I had DNF'd previously. This new iteration is more polished up and improves upon several form choices from the original version and I settled in to enjoy it.
By the time I finished, I could see glimmers of really cool ideas incorporated into this book, such as the idea of a store that mysteriously changes its displays without anyone knowing and a kid forced to go to live with her dad in a small town with his new family after being caught skipping school to work in a NYC theatre. Despite these, some of the fundamental problems still persist in this story. The primary issue I have with this book is that premise feels very much like plot-service and extremely inorganic.Who among us hasn't told two squabbling friends completely out of the blue that they should date each other for a month for absolutely no reason when we're pissed with them fighting all the time? This came completely out of left field and left me absolutely baffled, despite me giving leeway to romances because the emotions and setting up the situation is often more important than realism.
The second problematic part of this book is that the characters are intended to be older teens but behave like fourteen to fifteen-year-olds. The emotional maturity just does not track (because there is absolutely none) for kids who are on the cusp of adulthood.
The third and absolutely crucial problem with this was that while it's advertised as an enemies-to-lovers slow-burn romance, it is not convincing at being either of these things. The two main characters absolutely hate each other until they start fake dating, in which they do complete one eighties on their attitudes towards each other. There is no lead-up to this, no internal monologue about pretending to be caring and considerate to each other to win this bet, but sudden and complete attitude reveals that are completely unexplained and hard to believe. Thanks to the sudden change in attitude, I can't call this a slow burn either by definition.
Finally, I believe this is Auburn Morrow's first book so I cut some slack for this, but the amount of telling and not showing is a massive turn-off. If the character has to explicitly think that they want someone to choose them first multiple times, you are not being shown character and asked to draw your conclusions about what they truly want, but being told, which is rather annoying (particularly when it happens for every point of view character repeatedly).
All of the above being said, this was otherwise a decent read and, as I said before, there are some nuggets that would make a really fun and special romance if the issues were ironed out.
October 27, 2024
So thanks to the publisher and Author for the Arc. So this is YA enemies to lovers book and if when you start reading this book you get a ew feeling and want to quit?..continue it gets better. I had this feeling and I read some others that had as well. Some of them in fact quit the book. I really did not like either of the mains at the start of the book. In fact it took maybe a third of the book to grow on me. They did grow on me though and that's more than I can say for some books that I completer. This book has several other characters that could make for spin offs and have the fleshed out more. Overall this is a good book. It got better as it moved along and made you want to see what happened rather than ugh..I have read this far I may as well finish it. If you like PG rated YA Lesbian fiction then you will enjoy this. 4 out of 5 stars
Read
January 9, 2025I personally struggled with these main characters and their romance. But just because this book may not be for me, doesn’t mean it won’t be for you! If you’re interested in enemies to lovers who fake date, check this one out!
Pub Date: February 4th, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for a copy of this eARC.
Pub Date: February 4th, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for a copy of this eARC.
August 5, 2025
3.5
They were really cute, but all the drama was too much :/ I kind of really did not like Camille, she watches people make fun of her friend, treat her passion and the entire play like it's just a game/a joke, and tells her they're not that bad? And laughs along with them when they make fun of her? (Also one of the girls turns out to be nice and says Parker can't judge her off of that first impression, but if the first impression I have is you making fun of me to a whole group of people absolutely I'm going to judge you on that!!)
She says Parker isn't changing, but talks over her, presumes that she knows her without letting her talk, and gets mad when she wants to do any of the changing herself for the better part. She wants Parker and Lizzie to get along, but is mad when they hang out. She feels like Parker is abandoning her to spend time with her girlfriend, but she's doing the same with her girlfriend, who's the girl who made fun of Parker!!! I was so sick of Camille. And then at the end she's death glaring her constantly and then is like "why won't you come near me" like seriously??? I did not like her at. All.
They were really cute, but all the drama was too much :/ I kind of really did not like Camille, she watches people make fun of her friend, treat her passion and the entire play like it's just a game/a joke, and tells her they're not that bad? And laughs along with them when they make fun of her? (Also one of the girls turns out to be nice and says Parker can't judge her off of that first impression, but if the first impression I have is you making fun of me to a whole group of people absolutely I'm going to judge you on that!!)
She says Parker isn't changing, but talks over her, presumes that she knows her without letting her talk, and gets mad when she wants to do any of the changing herself for the better part. She wants Parker and Lizzie to get along, but is mad when they hang out. She feels like Parker is abandoning her to spend time with her girlfriend, but she's doing the same with her girlfriend, who's the girl who made fun of Parker!!! I was so sick of Camille. And then at the end she's death glaring her constantly and then is like "why won't you come near me" like seriously??? I did not like her at. All.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2024
First review? I don’t know why this makes me feel good but it does.
This was 4 or 5 stars, hard to decide, and in the end I rounded down. I enjoyed this novel a lot while reading it. It was very entertaining and that is the most important part in the end isn't it? That is my main takeaway: this novel was a lot of fun and very enjoyable. At the same time, a few parts felt somewhat forced (mostly at the start) and some parts didn't fully make sense, or weren't as good as they could have been in an objective sense. Considering that it is short, easy to read, and very enjoyable, I would absolutely recommend it to readers.
My Rating: "B+"
GoodReads: 4-Stars
Highlights:
-This was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The writing was well done, and had some well timed humour worked into it. There were a handful of truly spectacular scenes that were a lot of fun to experience. Great banter between protagonists.
-They were adorable together. The chemistry worked very well. They were sweet. The characters were all well developed and felt real, particularly the protagonists. Great use of side characters too.
-Excellent job of subtly showing non-narrator characters feelings and thoughts prior to them coming out for real. The protagonists resonated before they got together, the third friend having issues before they became obvious, etc there are lots of examples.
Nitpicks and criticisms:
-I found 3 or 4 errors or mistakes in continuity/timeline/wrong name used. This wasn’t terrible and they would all be easy fixes, but it was surprising that they got through editing and it makes the novel look bad. They were not major details but it distracted and confused me as a reader.
-The beginning section of the trial seemed forced, rushed, and inorganic, like the author was trying to force the plot line that they had decided on instead or it occurring naturally. I think there needed to be more conversation at this point. I wasn’t clear on the “rules and expectations” and neither were the characters. Like was it a secret and why, because there didn’t seem to be any reason to lie to friends/family/bystanders considering the point was just to give each other feedback.
-People found out they were faking and proceeded to throw up? Really? Slightly dramatic.
At the beginning I wasn’t loving this, it just wasn’t doing it for me and I was worried I wouldn’t like it. By the middle and end though it got me and overall I really enjoyed this novel!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was 4 or 5 stars, hard to decide, and in the end I rounded down. I enjoyed this novel a lot while reading it. It was very entertaining and that is the most important part in the end isn't it? That is my main takeaway: this novel was a lot of fun and very enjoyable. At the same time, a few parts felt somewhat forced (mostly at the start) and some parts didn't fully make sense, or weren't as good as they could have been in an objective sense. Considering that it is short, easy to read, and very enjoyable, I would absolutely recommend it to readers.
My Rating: "B+"
GoodReads: 4-Stars
Highlights:
-This was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The writing was well done, and had some well timed humour worked into it. There were a handful of truly spectacular scenes that were a lot of fun to experience. Great banter between protagonists.
-They were adorable together. The chemistry worked very well. They were sweet. The characters were all well developed and felt real, particularly the protagonists. Great use of side characters too.
-Excellent job of subtly showing non-narrator characters feelings and thoughts prior to them coming out for real. The protagonists resonated before they got together, the third friend having issues before they became obvious, etc there are lots of examples.
Nitpicks and criticisms:
-I found 3 or 4 errors or mistakes in continuity/timeline/wrong name used. This wasn’t terrible and they would all be easy fixes, but it was surprising that they got through editing and it makes the novel look bad. They were not major details but it distracted and confused me as a reader.
-The beginning section of the trial seemed forced, rushed, and inorganic, like the author was trying to force the plot line that they had decided on instead or it occurring naturally. I think there needed to be more conversation at this point. I wasn’t clear on the “rules and expectations” and neither were the characters. Like was it a secret and why, because there didn’t seem to be any reason to lie to friends/family/bystanders considering the point was just to give each other feedback.
-People found out they were faking and proceeded to throw up? Really? Slightly dramatic.
At the beginning I wasn’t loving this, it just wasn’t doing it for me and I was worried I wouldn’t like it. By the middle and end though it got me and overall I really enjoyed this novel!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2025
I had some trouble getting into this book and it's mostly because I didn't really like the main characters but as the story moved along and I started to get to know them better I started to enjoy it! The characters are complete opposites so I can definitely see how they bumped heads but once they actually started to open up to each other the chemistry and the bond that eventually forms between the characters is sweet and charming! There were a lot of interesting side characters that I would love to hear about especially Camille so maybe we will get a series! Overall I thought it was an entertaining, slow burn, enemies to lovers, ya romance! Thank you Wattpad Books and Auburn Morrow for sharing this book with me!
January 30, 2025
Thank you to the author, publishing company, and NetGalley for this earc!
This was a great fake dating trope in the YA category. There was such great LGBTQIA+ representation and was just an overall adorable and pleasant read. We can see the slow change of the protagonists into overall better people and there were some defining funny and endearing moments. I recommend if you’re looking for an easy and fun read.
This was a great fake dating trope in the YA category. There was such great LGBTQIA+ representation and was just an overall adorable and pleasant read. We can see the slow change of the protagonists into overall better people and there were some defining funny and endearing moments. I recommend if you’re looking for an easy and fun read.
June 9, 2025
I would have eaten this up in middle school. It gets points for being silly and nostalgic and VERY 2016 tumblr coded, down to the humor, extremely far-fetched scenarios, and the playlist at the end. I didn’t love most aspects of this book, but I had fun with it and I think that’s good enough. 3/5
February 12, 2025
“you bring out a lot of the good in me that i didn't even know i had.”
❤️🩹
❤️🩹
April 6, 2025
"i'm tired of all the confusion and the mixed messages. i wanna be real with you. i want to be honest."
January 16, 2025
Ashley Marie Parker and Lizzie Hernandez cannot stand each other. But for the sake of their mutual best friend Camille, they try to tolerate one another. Which usually lasts about a minute until they are at each other’s throats. But the one thing they have in common is, neither has ever been in a relationship for very long. While Parker is a flirty, extroverted, fashionista, Lizzie is painfully shy, introverted, and committed to pursuing music even though she has extreme stage fright. In that sense, the two could not be more different. So when a bickering match goes too far, Camille has finally had enough, and challenges the two to a 30 day trial period of dating. If one of them breaks it off before the 30 days, they have to go to all of their ex’s and apologize by confessing that they were a bad girlfriend and that may never change. Because PArker never backs away from a challenge, and Lizzie desperately wants to become a better girlfriend and thinks that Parker can help her, they agree. What becomes a hesitant relationship, eventually turns into something much more serious than either ever expected.
Lizzie definitely grew on me faster than Parker did. Once you understand the reasoning behind her personality and how she struggles to form relationships, you can’t help but feel for her. Which is all the more devastating when she puts in so much effort and gains so much confidence just to be continually crushed by Parker. Watching her development was definitely a highlight for me. I also really loved her playlists! Parker, on the other hand, continues to be frustrating throughout the entirety of the story. Once you think she has changed, she goes right back to being frustrating again. Her on again off again relationship with Emily is extremely worrisome and a definite red flag. She has a huge personality and doesn’t know how to channel it. Once she does figure out that it is okay to let other people in and get to know the real you, it is almost too late in my opinion. It would have been beneficial for a deeper dive into why Parker was acting out so much in NYC and her struggling transition to a smaller town. Maybe her dad should have realized sooner that Parker probably would have benefited from seeing a school counselor or therapist. I wish more of her story revolved around her passion of making costumes though rather than focused on her pushing people away and frustratingly setting aside her emotions and passion without much of an explanation.
I’m still not sure how I feel about their overall chemistry. At times it was definitely there, and some of the dates were super adorable, but then its like something always seems to get in the way of solidifying their relationship. They could have used more time to actually get to know each other on a deeper level rather than either surface level conversation or making out. I did enjoy their banter and humor and how Parker brought out a more playful side to Lizzie and how Lizzie brought about a softer more sensitive side to Parker. Even if I truly don’t believe in their relationship, they did help each other out and bring out different sides to their personality that probably wouldn’t have happened if not for the trial period. I think with a bit more emotional maturity, they would have worked better.
I honestly might have enjoyed some of the side characters more at times than the main characters. I would definitely be on board to read a sequel with Camille and Norah as the main characters. Also I absolutely loved and adored the siblings at the hot chocolate booth who gave very bad advice and of course all the drag queens. I thought the family dynamics were very interesting as well. I thought Parker was most vulnerable when it came to how she felt about not fitting in with her dad’s family and holding out for a mom that never truly cared about her. Lizzie has a stricter family, but I felt like towards the end when they all really came together to support her, it would have been nice to see her finally come out to her family. My biggest complaint though is that the whole fake dating trial period scheme did come out of nowhere and could have used more build up and a list of actual rules or expectations so that Lizzie and Parker could have been more clear on the parameters. Because this plan by Camille seemingly came out of nowhere, it made Lizzie and Parker’s relationship feel organic because it felt more like they absolutely hated each other one minute, and then the next they were holding hands in the hallway making plans to go on a date. I understand they only had 30 days, but like more definitely needed to be said and understood before they dove head first into the challenge. My favorite bits though involved the drag queens and the mystery behind the display changes, especially how Parker really lit up about all the costumes.
Overall, besides the sense of a forced, inorganic plot line, I enjoyed the humor and banter, the setting, and the intention behind the fake dating, but wish the execution could have been better, with more emotional maturity, deeper/more revealing conversations, and more build up to make the relationship feel more real and believable.
Thank you to NetGally for the advance digital copy for review!
Lizzie definitely grew on me faster than Parker did. Once you understand the reasoning behind her personality and how she struggles to form relationships, you can’t help but feel for her. Which is all the more devastating when she puts in so much effort and gains so much confidence just to be continually crushed by Parker. Watching her development was definitely a highlight for me. I also really loved her playlists! Parker, on the other hand, continues to be frustrating throughout the entirety of the story. Once you think she has changed, she goes right back to being frustrating again. Her on again off again relationship with Emily is extremely worrisome and a definite red flag. She has a huge personality and doesn’t know how to channel it. Once she does figure out that it is okay to let other people in and get to know the real you, it is almost too late in my opinion. It would have been beneficial for a deeper dive into why Parker was acting out so much in NYC and her struggling transition to a smaller town. Maybe her dad should have realized sooner that Parker probably would have benefited from seeing a school counselor or therapist. I wish more of her story revolved around her passion of making costumes though rather than focused on her pushing people away and frustratingly setting aside her emotions and passion without much of an explanation.
I’m still not sure how I feel about their overall chemistry. At times it was definitely there, and some of the dates were super adorable, but then its like something always seems to get in the way of solidifying their relationship. They could have used more time to actually get to know each other on a deeper level rather than either surface level conversation or making out. I did enjoy their banter and humor and how Parker brought out a more playful side to Lizzie and how Lizzie brought about a softer more sensitive side to Parker. Even if I truly don’t believe in their relationship, they did help each other out and bring out different sides to their personality that probably wouldn’t have happened if not for the trial period. I think with a bit more emotional maturity, they would have worked better.
I honestly might have enjoyed some of the side characters more at times than the main characters. I would definitely be on board to read a sequel with Camille and Norah as the main characters. Also I absolutely loved and adored the siblings at the hot chocolate booth who gave very bad advice and of course all the drag queens. I thought the family dynamics were very interesting as well. I thought Parker was most vulnerable when it came to how she felt about not fitting in with her dad’s family and holding out for a mom that never truly cared about her. Lizzie has a stricter family, but I felt like towards the end when they all really came together to support her, it would have been nice to see her finally come out to her family. My biggest complaint though is that the whole fake dating trial period scheme did come out of nowhere and could have used more build up and a list of actual rules or expectations so that Lizzie and Parker could have been more clear on the parameters. Because this plan by Camille seemingly came out of nowhere, it made Lizzie and Parker’s relationship feel organic because it felt more like they absolutely hated each other one minute, and then the next they were holding hands in the hallway making plans to go on a date. I understand they only had 30 days, but like more definitely needed to be said and understood before they dove head first into the challenge. My favorite bits though involved the drag queens and the mystery behind the display changes, especially how Parker really lit up about all the costumes.
Overall, besides the sense of a forced, inorganic plot line, I enjoyed the humor and banter, the setting, and the intention behind the fake dating, but wish the execution could have been better, with more emotional maturity, deeper/more revealing conversations, and more build up to make the relationship feel more real and believable.
Thank you to NetGally for the advance digital copy for review!
January 22, 2025
When their mutual best friend Camille gets fed up with their constant arguments, free-spirited troublemaker Parker and socially awkward musician Lizzie are challenged to fake date each other for a month. What follows is an experiment in forced romance that neither of them takes seriously - at first. As the spend time together, begrudging tolerance gives way to reluctant understanding, and feelings they never expected begin to surface. But as their personal issues threaten to derail them, the question remains: can a one-month dare overcome years of bad habits and disdain, or was this doomed from the start?
I have to be honest in saying that I really struggled with this book. The characters were frustratingly immature, with Parker, Lizzie, and Camille behaving in ways that felt inconsistent and baffling. Despite being portrayed as older teens, their over-the-top drama and emotional responses were more suited to young teens, making it hard to believe in their journeys or take their problems seriously. The romance, which claimed to be a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers arc, did not live up to the expectations. Parker and Lizzie’s sudden shift from constant bickering to acting like a real couple (ie holding hands and making out when it’s just the two of them: usually when fake dating you do that kind of stuff in front of other people to sell the whole relationship thing, not when you’re alone) had no natural progression - it just happened, leaving the tension feeling artificial. Instead of feeling charmed or invested, I was left rolling my eyes (and not in a good way like Lizzie’s constant eye rolls throughout the entire book) at the forced drama and excessive emotional turns. Ultimately, it felt like an exaggerated portrayal of teenage relationships rather than a genuine romance. It is possible that I am the one who is out of touch since my high school years were some time ago, but if that’s how high schoolers act these days, then I am very glad to not be back there. Hopefully there are readers out there who will feel more connected to Parker and Lizzie’s story than I was, but I sadly would not necessarily recommend this book.
Thank you to Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of The Trial Period in return for my honest review.
I have to be honest in saying that I really struggled with this book. The characters were frustratingly immature, with Parker, Lizzie, and Camille behaving in ways that felt inconsistent and baffling. Despite being portrayed as older teens, their over-the-top drama and emotional responses were more suited to young teens, making it hard to believe in their journeys or take their problems seriously. The romance, which claimed to be a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers arc, did not live up to the expectations. Parker and Lizzie’s sudden shift from constant bickering to acting like a real couple (ie holding hands and making out when it’s just the two of them: usually when fake dating you do that kind of stuff in front of other people to sell the whole relationship thing, not when you’re alone) had no natural progression - it just happened, leaving the tension feeling artificial. Instead of feeling charmed or invested, I was left rolling my eyes (and not in a good way like Lizzie’s constant eye rolls throughout the entire book) at the forced drama and excessive emotional turns. Ultimately, it felt like an exaggerated portrayal of teenage relationships rather than a genuine romance. It is possible that I am the one who is out of touch since my high school years were some time ago, but if that’s how high schoolers act these days, then I am very glad to not be back there. Hopefully there are readers out there who will feel more connected to Parker and Lizzie’s story than I was, but I sadly would not necessarily recommend this book.
Thank you to Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of The Trial Period in return for my honest review.
January 30, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Parker and Lizzie are complete opposites and share very little in common, mainly their mutual dislike. But when their mutual friend Camille suggests they fake date each other to learn how to be in relationships longer than two weeks, they start to spend a lot more time together. Over one month, the girls learn more about each other and themselves than they ever expected to.
I have mixed feelings on this book. The second half of the story was much stronger, and I'm glad I stuck it out to read it all, but the first half is just poorly written. The characters start out flat and annoying, with their personalities coming out more as the story progresses, which didn't make sense to me with the alternating first-person POVs. The bet itself also doesn't make sense fully. Camille gets frustrated way too quickly and throws it out as a joke, but it reads as hurtful. It seemed she was really saying, "Since you both suck at relationships and also hate each other, wouldn't it be fun to see how you mess up a relationship together?" All of the characters were also extremely immature, and I know they're teenagers, and that's to be expected to some degree, but this went past what is expected for the age group. They all hurt each other through active choices of ignoring, excluding, and insulting. While the second half was better, the ending was just odd. I think the book could benefit from an epilogue taking place a few months to a year later where storylines could be properly wrapped up, such as Parker's relationship with her mother and Lizzie's coming out to her family.
I did love the family dynamics in this book. The scenes that hit the hardest for me were Parker and Lizzie each becoming closer to their respective families and opening up to them about their lives. The later romance scenes between the two girls were so sweet and fun. My favorite aspect was Miss Patty's store. I love how inclusive and accepting this entire town was (from the girls' perspectives) and how this little store defined so much of who they were, both as individuals and together.
Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable, quick read that would mean a lot to someone of the intended audience age.
Parker and Lizzie are complete opposites and share very little in common, mainly their mutual dislike. But when their mutual friend Camille suggests they fake date each other to learn how to be in relationships longer than two weeks, they start to spend a lot more time together. Over one month, the girls learn more about each other and themselves than they ever expected to.
I have mixed feelings on this book. The second half of the story was much stronger, and I'm glad I stuck it out to read it all, but the first half is just poorly written. The characters start out flat and annoying, with their personalities coming out more as the story progresses, which didn't make sense to me with the alternating first-person POVs. The bet itself also doesn't make sense fully. Camille gets frustrated way too quickly and throws it out as a joke, but it reads as hurtful. It seemed she was really saying, "Since you both suck at relationships and also hate each other, wouldn't it be fun to see how you mess up a relationship together?" All of the characters were also extremely immature, and I know they're teenagers, and that's to be expected to some degree, but this went past what is expected for the age group. They all hurt each other through active choices of ignoring, excluding, and insulting. While the second half was better, the ending was just odd. I think the book could benefit from an epilogue taking place a few months to a year later where storylines could be properly wrapped up, such as Parker's relationship with her mother and Lizzie's coming out to her family.
I did love the family dynamics in this book. The scenes that hit the hardest for me were Parker and Lizzie each becoming closer to their respective families and opening up to them about their lives. The later romance scenes between the two girls were so sweet and fun. My favorite aspect was Miss Patty's store. I love how inclusive and accepting this entire town was (from the girls' perspectives) and how this little store defined so much of who they were, both as individuals and together.
Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable, quick read that would mean a lot to someone of the intended audience age.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2025
Parker is a high school student who loves fashion and is helping create the costumes for her school’s play, Cinderella. Lizzie is a high school student who loves music and is a part of her school’s orchestra that is providing music for the school’s play. Their common factor is Camille. Camille is Parker’s best friend and Lizzie’s cousin. All Camille wants is for them to get along so they could all hang out together. Not only do they get along worse than cats and dogs, they both have horrible dating records. Camille makes a bet with them that they have to date each other a month to help with their issues in dating.
In my opinion, I feel like this story captures queer dating / love in high school pretty accurately. Sometimes it can be exciting when you have friends and you get pulled in different directions. Unfortunately, Parker might have a touch of the ADHD because she has a tendency to forget about her girlfriends and that leads to her breakups. The fear of your best friend becoming friends with someone else and that you’ll lose them forever. So many high school feelings came back when reading this.
I’m not a big YA fan but the premise of this book drew me in and the story didn’t disappoint. This is a slow burn story but it didn’t feel like it. The progress of the story moved along very well. Also…. Drag Queens!!! You can never go wrong with drag queens. I’ve seen this story get not so great reviews and I’m not sure why because it’s a fun messy high school love story. I highly recommend picking this one up and giving it a read.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the author Auburn Morrow for my truthful review.
In my opinion, I feel like this story captures queer dating / love in high school pretty accurately. Sometimes it can be exciting when you have friends and you get pulled in different directions. Unfortunately, Parker might have a touch of the ADHD because she has a tendency to forget about her girlfriends and that leads to her breakups. The fear of your best friend becoming friends with someone else and that you’ll lose them forever. So many high school feelings came back when reading this.
I’m not a big YA fan but the premise of this book drew me in and the story didn’t disappoint. This is a slow burn story but it didn’t feel like it. The progress of the story moved along very well. Also…. Drag Queens!!! You can never go wrong with drag queens. I’ve seen this story get not so great reviews and I’m not sure why because it’s a fun messy high school love story. I highly recommend picking this one up and giving it a read.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the author Auburn Morrow for my truthful review.
January 26, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!
I thought this was cute, I definitely liked Parker and Lizzie while they were fake dating, but everything else just kind of fell flat for me. The “enemies” part of “enemies to lovers” is over as soon as they start fake dating, which I was disappointed by. I was looking forward to the banter and tension that came with fake dating while being enemies, but they become close like, right away. Parker really annoyed me. She was just very immature about everything. She’s a horrible gf to her ex, Emily, and then treats Lizzie like shit, leading Lizzie to break up with her and she still doesn’t understand her attitude. THEN, at the end, Parker agrees to go to a party with Emily after she gives Parker the jacket that Lizzie was supposed to give her. Like, wtf?? Even if Parker didn’t know the jacket was originally from Lizzie, she literally agreed to go with her to a party. Lizzie deserves a lot better imo.
Lizzie was my fave lol. I liked seeing her growth throughout the book alone, and I think she shouldn’t have taken Parker back 😭
Camille was also an issue. While I understand why she’s upset with Parker and Lizzie ignoring her and not hanging out with her, she completely talks shit about Parker to Lizzie when she’s telling Camille about how she thinks their relationship could be real. She continuously puts her down, saying she’s a horrible gf, she can’t keep a gf for more than a week, she can’t change, she’s selfish, etc etc.
Parker didn’t grovel enough. She barely even apologized to Lizzie when she broke up with her, and Lizzie still wanted to get her to be real gfs. Again, Lizzie deserves so much better.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!
I thought this was cute, I definitely liked Parker and Lizzie while they were fake dating, but everything else just kind of fell flat for me. The “enemies” part of “enemies to lovers” is over as soon as they start fake dating, which I was disappointed by. I was looking forward to the banter and tension that came with fake dating while being enemies, but they become close like, right away. Parker really annoyed me. She was just very immature about everything. She’s a horrible gf to her ex, Emily, and then treats Lizzie like shit, leading Lizzie to break up with her and she still doesn’t understand her attitude. THEN, at the end, Parker agrees to go to a party with Emily after she gives Parker the jacket that Lizzie was supposed to give her. Like, wtf?? Even if Parker didn’t know the jacket was originally from Lizzie, she literally agreed to go with her to a party. Lizzie deserves a lot better imo.
Lizzie was my fave lol. I liked seeing her growth throughout the book alone, and I think she shouldn’t have taken Parker back 😭
Camille was also an issue. While I understand why she’s upset with Parker and Lizzie ignoring her and not hanging out with her, she completely talks shit about Parker to Lizzie when she’s telling Camille about how she thinks their relationship could be real. She continuously puts her down, saying she’s a horrible gf, she can’t keep a gf for more than a week, she can’t change, she’s selfish, etc etc.
Parker didn’t grovel enough. She barely even apologized to Lizzie when she broke up with her, and Lizzie still wanted to get her to be real gfs. Again, Lizzie deserves so much better.
January 27, 2025
The Trial Period is a fun take on the fake dating trope, with outgoing Parker and shy introvert Lizzie, who are constantly bickering, being dared by their mutual best friend Camille to “date” for a month to try to work out their issues. The two immediately shut it down, but the more they think about it, the more they’re intrigued by the idea.
Parker is a bit self-centered, not really thinking about the people around her and how her actions and behaviors affect them, but she’s also a bit insecure. Lizzie has some serious anxiety issues and struggles to get out of her shell. As the two of them spend more time together they start to bring out better qualities in the other, and the bickering turns into banter. I do wish we got to see a bit more of Camille, but there are some fun side characters, like the kids who run a hot chocolate/bad advice booth downtown and some of the other students involved in the school musical, and there are even some drag queens.
This is definitely a YA book. They’re in high school, and some of the actions and decisions they make are ones that make sense for a teenager but wouldn’t be something I would expect from an adult. I did really enjoy the characters and the plot, it made sense and flowed well. If you’re into YA, The Trial Period is one I’d recommend. I debated on my rating, I’d place it more like 4.5 stars, but I’m rounding up.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
Parker is a bit self-centered, not really thinking about the people around her and how her actions and behaviors affect them, but she’s also a bit insecure. Lizzie has some serious anxiety issues and struggles to get out of her shell. As the two of them spend more time together they start to bring out better qualities in the other, and the bickering turns into banter. I do wish we got to see a bit more of Camille, but there are some fun side characters, like the kids who run a hot chocolate/bad advice booth downtown and some of the other students involved in the school musical, and there are even some drag queens.
This is definitely a YA book. They’re in high school, and some of the actions and decisions they make are ones that make sense for a teenager but wouldn’t be something I would expect from an adult. I did really enjoy the characters and the plot, it made sense and flowed well. If you’re into YA, The Trial Period is one I’d recommend. I debated on my rating, I’d place it more like 4.5 stars, but I’m rounding up.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
November 12, 2024
ARC REVIEW
I absolutely adore Parker and Lizzie!! My heart is happy because of them. I loved the characters in this book, I love their chemistry. I loved Camille’s character so much.
I really love how Parker got Lizzie out of her shell. I would have loved to see Lizzie and her a music a bit more like how we see a lot to do with Parker and her costumes.
What I especially loved about Lizzie is her ability to create playlists and speak through music. It reminded me very much of a good friend I have who is very similar to Lizzie in that way and it made me super happy. I wish we could see exactly what songs are on Lizzie’s playlists!!
Parker is definitely a unique character and definitely in a good way- I get how it may seem to the people around Parker that she keeps messing up but I felt for Parker because she’s still young and tryna figure stuff out- it’s tough and I think Parker learns a lot from being with Lizzie. They learn a lot from each other.
I think this book is a great read- it’s fun, it’s funny, it’s spontaneous! I think it’s a great YA read. Reading this book, it feels like you’re in life with these characters.
I absolutely adore Parker and Lizzie!! My heart is happy because of them. I loved the characters in this book, I love their chemistry. I loved Camille’s character so much.
I really love how Parker got Lizzie out of her shell. I would have loved to see Lizzie and her a music a bit more like how we see a lot to do with Parker and her costumes.
What I especially loved about Lizzie is her ability to create playlists and speak through music. It reminded me very much of a good friend I have who is very similar to Lizzie in that way and it made me super happy. I wish we could see exactly what songs are on Lizzie’s playlists!!
Parker is definitely a unique character and definitely in a good way- I get how it may seem to the people around Parker that she keeps messing up but I felt for Parker because she’s still young and tryna figure stuff out- it’s tough and I think Parker learns a lot from being with Lizzie. They learn a lot from each other.
I think this book is a great read- it’s fun, it’s funny, it’s spontaneous! I think it’s a great YA read. Reading this book, it feels like you’re in life with these characters.
January 29, 2025
The Trial Period follows Parker and Lizzie who have a few things in common they both have never been in a relationship longer than two weeks, share the same best friend Camille, and can't stand each other. But when things with Parker and Lizzie go too far Camille challenges Park and Lizzie to date each other for one month. So they agree. On the dates the two open up to each other. Soon they start to really understand each other and realize they might not be so different. After 30 days, they realize that they might want to be together longer than that.
I thought this book was very cute. I liked the relationship between Parker and Lizzie. I really liked seeing their relationship change throughout the book. I will say that this book was a bit confusing at times. It was told in three different POV's and books with more than two are confusing me. Sometimes I couldn't remember who was who. I think this was a great YA book. But reading this as an adult I did feel like some of the drama was a bit unnecessary. But overall I did enjoy this one.
Thank you Wattpad Books for the free copy of this one. This book comes out on February 4th.
I thought this book was very cute. I liked the relationship between Parker and Lizzie. I really liked seeing their relationship change throughout the book. I will say that this book was a bit confusing at times. It was told in three different POV's and books with more than two are confusing me. Sometimes I couldn't remember who was who. I think this was a great YA book. But reading this as an adult I did feel like some of the drama was a bit unnecessary. But overall I did enjoy this one.
Thank you Wattpad Books for the free copy of this one. This book comes out on February 4th.
February 8, 2025
Lizzie and Parker really grew on me. At the start, the book seemed very juvenile, even for YA, and I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy it, but that changed when I saw the amount of chemistry they had, and how much they loved each other. By the end of the book I was completely rooting for them.
Lizzie and Parker are both such standout teenage characters, that actually act like teens. They're dynamic with each other and friends was so fun to read about.
I have to say though, I really hated the third act breakup. It felt completely unnecessary, and they acted completely venomous and out of character to how they treated each other previously. I would have liked them to have a bit more emotional maturity than that.
On the other hand, I absolutely adored the make-up scene. It was everything a rom-com should be: cheesy in the best way possible. One thing I would have loved to see would be Lizzie coming out to her mom, but that's just a personal preference.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a lighthearted rom-com with loveable characters.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Wattpad Books for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Lizzie and Parker are both such standout teenage characters, that actually act like teens. They're dynamic with each other and friends was so fun to read about.
I have to say though, I really hated the third act breakup. It felt completely unnecessary, and they acted completely venomous and out of character to how they treated each other previously. I would have liked them to have a bit more emotional maturity than that.
On the other hand, I absolutely adored the make-up scene. It was everything a rom-com should be: cheesy in the best way possible. One thing I would have loved to see would be Lizzie coming out to her mom, but that's just a personal preference.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a lighthearted rom-com with loveable characters.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Wattpad Books for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 11, 2025
GREAT YA ROMANCE!
Let me start by saying that I signed up for this ARC through netgalley because I thought it sounded like an interesting premise. When I read some of the reviews, I worried if I would enjoy it because of some complaints about the characters. I LOVED these characters. I thought their love story was sweet and believable. Are the characters perfect? Of course not. They’re teenagers. They are still learning about who they are. I think that was one of the things I liked most about this book. The two MCs helped each other grow so much. In the beginning, they assumed they were opposites, but really they were very similar in what they were looking for, but opposite in how they went about trying to get it. They were able to help each other become who they wanted to be (even if they didn’t realize it was who they wanted to be).
This book made me laugh, and I’ll admit, at times, it even made me cry. The author has a way with words and I’m excited to see what she puts out next.
Let me start by saying that I signed up for this ARC through netgalley because I thought it sounded like an interesting premise. When I read some of the reviews, I worried if I would enjoy it because of some complaints about the characters. I LOVED these characters. I thought their love story was sweet and believable. Are the characters perfect? Of course not. They’re teenagers. They are still learning about who they are. I think that was one of the things I liked most about this book. The two MCs helped each other grow so much. In the beginning, they assumed they were opposites, but really they were very similar in what they were looking for, but opposite in how they went about trying to get it. They were able to help each other become who they wanted to be (even if they didn’t realize it was who they wanted to be).
This book made me laugh, and I’ll admit, at times, it even made me cry. The author has a way with words and I’m excited to see what she puts out next.
September 6, 2024
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is such a sweet YA novel. I love Parker and Lizzie together, their banter and chemistry is adorable, and I enjoyed seeing them fall for each other for real. There is also some great character development for our two mains, with both making more mature decisions and finding confidence by the end of the book. I particularly enjoy Parker's development, learning to appreciate her dad and Hayden, and taking ownership of her actions. The book wasn't without some issues, however. Mainly, Parker is frustrating at times because she is self-centered and oblivious to the way she treats people. Her biggest fear is being abandoned, and yet she can't stop pushing people away with her actions. Luckily, she comes to her senses throughout the book and starts appreciating those around her. Overall, this is the perfect YA romance filled with sweet moments and fun characters. 4.5/5 stars rounded up.
This is such a sweet YA novel. I love Parker and Lizzie together, their banter and chemistry is adorable, and I enjoyed seeing them fall for each other for real. There is also some great character development for our two mains, with both making more mature decisions and finding confidence by the end of the book. I particularly enjoy Parker's development, learning to appreciate her dad and Hayden, and taking ownership of her actions. The book wasn't without some issues, however. Mainly, Parker is frustrating at times because she is self-centered and oblivious to the way she treats people. Her biggest fear is being abandoned, and yet she can't stop pushing people away with her actions. Luckily, she comes to her senses throughout the book and starts appreciating those around her. Overall, this is the perfect YA romance filled with sweet moments and fun characters. 4.5/5 stars rounded up.
April 1, 2025
The Trial Period is a date-on-a-dare YA romance with some angst, and many moments of pure melodrama. Camille’s best friend Ashley Parker and her cousin Lizzie Hernandez have a mutually antagonistic relationship. They are not exactly enemies, but they can’t stop sniping at each other. Camille’s goal is to force Parker and Lizzie to coexist peacefully, especially around her. The young women are surrounded by a large and very busy supporting cast leading to several story threads. There are some minor inconsistencies in the plot, but nothing terribly serious.
This reader especially appreciated the author’s dry wit and turn of phrase. The story is filled with single sentences and even paragraphs that are simply fun to read. Many of these can stand on their own when read aloud to bystanders who ask what’s so amusing. Overall, this is an entertaining tale with a satisfying conclusion.
This reader especially appreciated the author’s dry wit and turn of phrase. The story is filled with single sentences and even paragraphs that are simply fun to read. Many of these can stand on their own when read aloud to bystanders who ask what’s so amusing. Overall, this is an entertaining tale with a satisfying conclusion.
October 23, 2024
This was a truly heart-warming YA romcom. I am not a fan all the time for romances but, I cannot resist a great YA romance!
We start out with Lizzie, who lets her doubts and insecurities always get the best of her in whatever relationship she is currently in. Then we have Parker who, is self-centered to the max and can’t keep a relationship because of it. And then we have the mutual best friend of the two, Camille.
Camillie tried of Lizzie and Parker’s constant fighting, proposes a trial dating period.
They have 30 days to fake date the other and learn how to change their ways, the loser must do the tour of exes and say sorry to every ex they have had!!
I loved the high school romance and watching the main characters grow and mature. The story was relatable and was a quick read for me that only took a couple days to read
We start out with Lizzie, who lets her doubts and insecurities always get the best of her in whatever relationship she is currently in. Then we have Parker who, is self-centered to the max and can’t keep a relationship because of it. And then we have the mutual best friend of the two, Camille.
Camillie tried of Lizzie and Parker’s constant fighting, proposes a trial dating period.
They have 30 days to fake date the other and learn how to change their ways, the loser must do the tour of exes and say sorry to every ex they have had!!
I loved the high school romance and watching the main characters grow and mature. The story was relatable and was a quick read for me that only took a couple days to read
November 21, 2024
*ARC provided for my honest review*
A cute WLW Teen read about two "enemies" dared into dating for a month to get over their bad habits. This definitely required some suspended belief, but still cute and a story I wanted to keep reading.
Initially I didn't like any of the characters but really grew to as the story progressed. This book also captured the insecurities of female friendship as you begin navigating romantic relationships and I loved that piece of it even though it stressed me out at times.
One of the characters isn't out at home and though it was discussed minimally it never became a coming out book or a book focused solely on that, which was nice because for me as a queer person that can get exhausting to only focus on that.
Nothing groundbreaking but still a good read and would recommend
as a palette cleanser.
A cute WLW Teen read about two "enemies" dared into dating for a month to get over their bad habits. This definitely required some suspended belief, but still cute and a story I wanted to keep reading.
Initially I didn't like any of the characters but really grew to as the story progressed. This book also captured the insecurities of female friendship as you begin navigating romantic relationships and I loved that piece of it even though it stressed me out at times.
One of the characters isn't out at home and though it was discussed minimally it never became a coming out book or a book focused solely on that, which was nice because for me as a queer person that can get exhausting to only focus on that.
Nothing groundbreaking but still a good read and would recommend
as a palette cleanser.
May 24, 2025
this book made me miss high school theater LOL. such a cute sapphic, ya novel with plenty of heartwarming characters and moments set amongst a picturesque town during the best month of the year - october.
this book did enemies to lovers very well, and had me sad, mad and smiling throughout it. i could 100% see this book turned into a movie! (i’d like to make this book into a movie lol)
that being said there were a few moments that i felt could have been stronger. like i wish camille and parker had a formal apology scene, or that parker explained to lizzie that emily made it seem like the jacket was from emily when lizzie caught them hugging backstage. or norah appearing out of nowhere to stop parker from burning the costumes... moments like those i felt could have been written better :/
other than that, miss patty was my fave, love her sm 🩷 and icon and legend!
this book did enemies to lovers very well, and had me sad, mad and smiling throughout it. i could 100% see this book turned into a movie! (i’d like to make this book into a movie lol)
that being said there were a few moments that i felt could have been stronger. like i wish camille and parker had a formal apology scene, or that parker explained to lizzie that emily made it seem like the jacket was from emily when lizzie caught them hugging backstage. or norah appearing out of nowhere to stop parker from burning the costumes... moments like those i felt could have been written better :/
other than that, miss patty was my fave, love her sm 🩷 and icon and legend!
October 8, 2024
Parker is too self centered to keep a relationship and Lizzie lets her insecurities and doubts get the best of her to keep a relationship. Camille, their mutual bff is tired of their bickering and proposes a trial period. Thirty days fake dating to learn to change their ways. Loser has to take the tour de exes and apologize to every ex they’ve ever had.
This is a heartwarming YA romcom read. I truly enjoyed the growth of all of the characters in Morrow’s “The Trial Period”. The high school romance and banter between friends was very relatable.
This was a quick read that only took me two sittings to complete. I found myself rooting for Lizzie and Parker and feeling all the feels right along with them!
This is a heartwarming YA romcom read. I truly enjoyed the growth of all of the characters in Morrow’s “The Trial Period”. The high school romance and banter between friends was very relatable.
This was a quick read that only took me two sittings to complete. I found myself rooting for Lizzie and Parker and feeling all the feels right along with them!
January 20, 2025
This book was so adorable! Lizzie and Parker are super funny even when they're supposed to be arguing. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times while reading this book. There is your typical third act break up of sorts, but it's actually interestingly done in my opinion. A bit of a different spin to it at least. There are a plethora of LGBTQ+ representation in this one and I definitely love Miss Patty! If you're in the mood for something light hearted and lower stakes, this is a great YA book to pick up.
----Thank you to NetGalley & Wattpad Books for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!----
----Thank you to NetGalley & Wattpad Books for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!----
February 26, 2025
The Trial Period by Auburn Morrow was such a fun, heartfelt YA LGBTQ rom-com. A solid four stars! If you love YA, fake dating and enemies-to-lovers, this one delivers with charming characters who actually learn and grow throughout the story.
The dynamic between the main characters was really enjoyable—witty, sarcastic, sometimes messy, but always engaging. And the drag queen Miss Patty and Cinderella performance subplot? Absolutely a highlight. It added so much personality and fun to the story.
Overall, it’s an adorable read with well-written characters and just the right balance of humor and heart.
The dynamic between the main characters was really enjoyable—witty, sarcastic, sometimes messy, but always engaging. And the drag queen Miss Patty and Cinderella performance subplot? Absolutely a highlight. It added so much personality and fun to the story.
Overall, it’s an adorable read with well-written characters and just the right balance of humor and heart.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews