Deja Vu

by Liz Leiby

Jessie Matthews is well on her way to being the first person in her family to graduate from college. She follows all the rules, completes her work study hours, and avoids parties. (Well, except for that one Halloween party with the masked stranger...) But when she loses half her funding for senior year, Jessie faces the daunting task of finding a way to cover the remaining tuition costs.

Determined to stay in school, Jessie sets her sights on winning the coveted Walden Senior Scholarship. The only problem is her academic rival, Mackenzie Baldwin is gunning for the scholarship too.

As the youngest of four exceptional brothers, Mac has something to prove and winning the Walden Senior Scholarship will finally show his family he's worthy of the family name. But when Mac starts to see his life through a different lens, hell need to decide between his family's expectations and what he truly wants.

Though Jessie is eager to avoid Mac, fate seems to thrust them together at every opportunity. The more time they spend together, the more their initial animosity begins to morph into something more like flirtation, with just one the masked stranger from that Halloween party. Fueled by the chemistry they shared, Jessie can't seem to see what's right in front of her. But Mac has a secret that may just destroy all of Jessie's carefully laid plans.

Genres: Romance

Audible Audio

Published November 6, 2024

Reviews

[Erin Larson-Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a sneaky little charmer.

My goodness, I fell in love with the characters from the very first page.

I immediately connected with sweet, socially anxious Jessie and felt deeply for her as she struggled with a financial plight over which she had very little control. I fell a little bit in love with brazen, bubbly Jade and hung on her every sassy word. And MAC. What to even say about Mac? He is too good for this world.

I could not help but root for Jessie & Mac — both individually and as a nerdy lil unit. Their rivalry, their chemistry, their goofiness, and even their realistic flaws and failures. The way everything played out felt so real, and I loved every second. (I’m also stealing the album-listen date idea because wow, magical.)

As a die-hard SFF lover who has high standards for anything non-SFF, this college romance blew it out of the water and exceeded my expectations. I cannot wait to read more of Leiby’s stories (particularly if Jade is involved lololol I’m obsessed)!

[Jessica Dixon Parkhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so proud of my friend!

I tore through this rivals to lovers rom-com in 2 days. Deja Vu transported me right back to college and made me luxuriate in my time there (as well as trigger my anxiety about failing classes). I loved the banter between Mac and Jessie-it was Emily Henry level *chefs kiss*. I cannot wait to read about Jade because she was actually my favorite character.

Great writing, plenty of swoon worthy moments, incredibly authentic to the college experience, and just a blast to read!

[Julie Wyngaert · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is not my usual genre, I loved it. Rom com from 2 extremely well written viewpoints, laugh out loud moments (the conversations/banter is everything) and moments that were so sweet. I love well written characters that make me forget they aren’t real people with a real relationship and I was transported easily to a world where they existed. I was sad to get to the last page.

[Straw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had this book when I was in college! The characters are so real and felt like comforting companions at a pivotal time when life gets so complicated. Liz's writing made me feel like I was navigating those tender years all over again. I loved the way she captured the inner-most thoughts, outer-most voices and passionate hearts of this band of schoolmates. What a joy to witness such spunk and pluck!
Perfectly timed release for Fall. It is the perfect gift to give for any young adult who is heading back to campus.

[Amiee Stickells · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so sweet! It was most definitely a feel good read and I loved Jessie so much! Mac was definitely a charmer too! This was quite a closed door romance but I loved it all the same!

[Camille Arroyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so I love love loved this book. I’m a total sucker for a good Enemies to Lovers trope. This one was adorable and I absolutely fell in love with Jessie and Mac. I found myself rooting for them the entire time and any time something good happened for them, I was literally cheering out loud. Mac may be the sweetest MMC I’ve read in a long time. Something he does in the book literally made me cry. There needs to be more men out there like this guy. I think Jade might be my favourite character though. She just does what she wants, whenever she wants and makes no apologies, and I loved that about her. She’s unapologetically Jade. All I know is, I need MORE of these characters. I’m praying there will be a sequel because I’ll drop whatever I’m doing to read it. I already miss them.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives Cinderella Story vibes SO hard and 2004 me quoting Jennifer Coolidge nonstop is here for it.

Jessie is stubborn, driven, and a massive perfectionist. She is top of her class and graduating with no student debt is nearly within her grasp. That is…until her promised scholarship is ripped out from under her and she must battle her academic nemesis, Mac, for whatever remaining funding is left.

Meanwhile, Jessie is reeling from an unexpected meet-cute at a Halloween party. (No, don’t worry, it’s not Terry standing precisely in the middle of the dance floor.)

Will she ever discover the identity of her prince charming (see also: 16th century playwright)? The course of true love never did run smooth…

[Hailey Gard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute college romance. I love a good rivals/enemies to lovers story. I thought the MMC and FMC were MADE for each other. I also really enjoyed seeing the MMC’s character growth (I don’t want to explain because I don’t want to add any spoilers). This book was such a refresh compared to the smut filled books I typically read.

[Kathy Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance is not my go to genre, but this book I loved! “Does he not hold a grudge? I keep mine like pets” 😂. The character development and inner struggles of both Mac and Jessie felt genuine. And Jade….wow

[Camille Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I enjoyed the way Liz writes romance novels when I devoured her first novel, Love Again, in one afternoon. Her sophomore novel not only met my expectations, it far exceeded them. I found myself relating to both of the main characters. I am one of 4 siblings, which naturally creates a dynamic of performance and competition, connecting me to Mac’s plight of unique acknowledgment by his family. I also grew up in a home that had what we needed, but very budget-minded (4 kids, y’all). I couldn’t afford to go to a big college, was absolutely terrified of loans and debt, and had to work 2 jobs and apply endlessly to scholarships just to make it through a technical college- so reading about Jessie’s stress and financial worry cut right to my core.

By the end of it, I was just as confused as Jessie about who I wanted to get the Walden Senior Scholarship! Which just goes to show how well Liz used words to emotionally connect me with two very different people who had very different problems.

I have to say though, my favorite part of the entire novel was the honest (almost cutthroat) conversation between Jessie and Jade, regarding Jessie’s next steps after finding out the truth about Sexy Shakespeare.
“Plenty of people do well in school without being an absolute ass to themselves.”
A simple yet profound statement, that I believe I will now apply to my life by replacing the word “school” whenever I need to.

Plenty of people do well in their life, their job, their friendships, their relationships, their dreams, their triumphs, and their potential failures WITHOUT being an absolute ass to themselves.

Thank you Liz, for this cozy read that let me escape and live vicariously on a college campus I never got to experience and yet was somehow full of relatable moments. I cannot wait to read Jade’s story next!

[Lyndsay Durbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5!

Thank you to the author for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Jessie and Mac are college juniors that have had a semi-rival relationship within their classes at school. When Jessie learns she’ll need to find a new way to cover her senior year tuition, she goes up against Mac for a coveted scholastic scholarship. Mac has his own reasons for wanting the scholarship and after a steamy (and masked) kiss at Halloween, will they form a new type of relationship? And who will win the scholarship?


I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve read a romance that solely takes place in college but I really enjoyed this! Not my immediate typical setting but I thought the characters and plot were really well thought out!

I identified a lot with Jessie and her panic over her scholastic affairs. I had a stressful freshman year after a little too much partying, as well as the issue of almost losing scholarship money. Jessie’s struggles with her self were super well-written and definitely match a college student.

I think I would have liked to see a little bit more of Mac’s POVs. He had some of his own struggles which weren’t as “make or break” as some of Jessie’s but were still important to his character and maybe could have wrapped a bit better!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deja Vu was a super fun, fast-paced college romance. I couldn’t put it down! I don’t usually read college romances, just not my sub-genre, but I am so glad I read this one. It was heart felt, the characters were relatable and felt “real” and the banter was fantastic! The supporting characters were top notch - hope we get to know them more in future books!

[C.B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

So it started off cute enough. Little school rivalry/romance and then about half way we start seeing the parents of those kids doing some shitty stuff that makes no sense and then we get into the miscommunication trope which I absolutely hate with a passion and the last hour (audiobook) was just so dumb and made me cringe. Maybe I’m just way too old for books about 21 yo uni students.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was darling. A collegiate academic rivals to lovers with depth, humor, and sensitive moments. There's one bed, dual POV, pining, secret identity, grumpy/sunshine tropes and they are done so well. Our FMC is from a hard-working family that couldn't afford the extras in life and is on full scholarship at school only to discover that it is not available next year and her academic competition is also applying for the scholarship that could save her ability to go to college. Our MMC is trying to find his place after quitting soccer and living up to the family name, pining for the girl who's always pushing him to be more. One fateful Halloween night they make out but she never discovers who he really is...All I can say is I would die if someone did the truck bed scene for me. There is implied closed-door spice but nothing more than make-out on page. The miscommunication trope does come into play but I think it is resolved very well and healthily. If you like strong female friendships, college-aged stories, and a sweet romance, this one is for you!

[Katie Vogel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genuine, heartfelt, a great feel-good read! Such lovable characters that you really want to root for (especially the MMC 🤩) and also smack on the head (especially the MMC 😆🙈). I loved their banter! So many moments that made me literally LOL. Perfect book for a fall break. 💕🍁

[Rebecca Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a fun read! Mac and Jessie’s story has just the right amount of slow-burn romance while also being realistic enough to be relatable. The cast of funny and caring side characters honestly could (and should!) have their own books, I want to know more about them all! The plot drew me in while also feeling low-stakes enough not to make me anxious about it. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a palate cleanser/beach read!

[Elisha Muhleka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a little nervous when I started this book because I didn’t know if I would connect with college characters. Wrong! This book is so well written and make you feel all the feels just like her first book. Definitely felt myself rooting for all the characters at one point or another - would absolutely love to follow them through graduation! (More please!)

[Rebecca Ricchiuti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t figure out the words to not give away the book, but wow!! So incredible, I want to see the hallmark movie it could inspire. Although, maybe not hallmark appropriate…!

[Jenice Dalcan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Release day!!

🌸College Romance
🌸Slow burn
🌸Rivals to lovers
🌸Grumpy/sunshine
🌸Secret Identity
🌸One bed trope
🌸Strong female friendships
🌸Dual POV

You guys!! I FLEW THROUGH THIS BOOK!! It's fast-paced and it completely sucks you in from the beginining.

I love the rivals to lovers trope in this book. It was done so well! The chemistry between both the MCs was top tier 💅 the slow burn was burningggg 🔥 The friendship shown in the book is so amazing as well 😍

I love the fact that this was a Dual POV (dual povs are my fav thing in the world!) Liz Leiby did a great job with her book and I'm so incredibly proud of her ❤

If you like the tropes mentioned above, give this book a chance!! 100% recommend 🌷

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good! I laughed so much and fell in love with Mac from the first time I read his POV. He is awesome, he is perfect.
So, let me tell you one thing: Read This Book!
It's a wonderful romcom and had me giggeling at family events having the best time ever.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🫑

Audiobook ALC Review

𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒊𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒅? 𝑫𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒖𝒅𝒈𝒆? 𝑰 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒔.

When I read Off Book, I knew I needed to go back and read Deja Vu so I could have not only Jesse and Mac's story, but also Jesse and Jade's. I didn't get to it as fast as I would have liked, which turned out to be exactly what needed to happen because then the audiobook was announced! So I waited a little longer and it was so worth the wait!!!

This book is fantastic! And the narrators did an outstanding job! They were the perfect Jesse and Mac. They conveyed all of the emotions and humor so well, it really elevated the book. And also, Devon Chandler did an INCREDIBLE job with the voice and energy of Jade. She made me love a character I already loved, even more.

𝑶𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒄 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.

Jesse and Mac are sweet baby angels and I adore them. I absolutely LOVED the secret identity aspect of this story. It had me squealing and kicking my feet and also had my tummy hurting just a bit.

As much as Jesse and Mac may be meant for each other, Jesse and Jade are soulmates. I absolutely loved seeing more of their friendship than we got in Off Book. Jade is hysterical and I loved seeing her personality from a new perspective. And she is a female friendship QUEEN. I loved all of their interactions.

And of course, Liz masterfully weaves absolutely devastating and infuriating themes into this story. No characters will inspire as much rage in me as bad and/or apathetic parents and let me just tell you that I was fuming at parts of this book. Consider yourself warned.

𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝑱𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒘𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑰’𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕.

Read November 18, 2024

[Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5: Was this book cheesy? Yes. Was this book predictable? Yes. Was this book the equivalent of watching a hallmark movie where you literally already know the ending but still have a good time? Also, yes.

[cynda house · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this story… but it annoyed me! I loved the middle of the story, it was when things finally started to pick up, but then it was ruined by the truth coming out. And pretty much from 76% to about 94% I was annoyed as hell with the story, Jessie was being stupid and dumb for being mad at Mac for so freaking long about a really dumb thing he did. And then Mac’s Dad for just being a grade A asshole of a Dad, like what a freaking jerk wad!

Jessie is incredibly uptight and very hard on herself, which I understand, she grew up pretty poor and her family didn’t have money to send her to college, but luckily her grades were stellar and she got a full ride for academics. But then she finds out that the college she attends will be ending that scholarship program and will only pay for half of tuition for her senior year, so she’s applying to any scholarship she finds, and she also applies for a school scholarship that will cover her full ride of senior year.

Mac is amazing, I freaking loved this dude from the beginning of the book. He’s smart and funny and is just all around really nice guy. He and Jessie have pretty much been competing for the same things all 3 years of college, going out for the same scholarships and programs and seeing who can get the better grade in all their classes together. He even applies for the same scholarship as Jessie because his 3 other brothers have all had the same scholarship and became valedictorian as well and he really wants his father’s approval!

Mac and Jessie end up making out at a Halloween party, but the problem is that Jessie didn’t know it was Mac. But her and Mac seem to get closer after the party and she is realizing that she really doesn’t care for the Halloween guy anymore, she just wants to be with Mac! Well she finds out from Mac that it was indeed him who kissed her at the Halloween party after they have been seeing each other for a month, and she freaks out, I mean like over the top freaks the heck out. And they end up not talking for a month! ALSO, he won the scholarship they were going for but he ends up declining it and she ends up winning it instead!!!!!!! He just did a really amazing thing for you! Like it’s too much, she is annoying as hell for being mad at him for so long and it’s really not that big of a deal. Like let him apologize and move on!

Also, Jade was a really great friend, I loved her, she was so open and honest with her feelings and she really pushed both Jessie and Mac out of their comfort zones and pushed them back towards each other! Love her!

The end of the story was boring, I mean I’m happy they are together but BORING! The writing was a bit juvenile as well, but I at least stuck with it and finished the book.

I kinda want to read Jades story, but I don’t know if I want to sit through the torture of the writing again. lol

[Leigh McGrory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cute college romance was such a fun read. I loved following Jessie and Mac’s story. 


The characters were so relatable, especially Jessie and the impact that her social anxiety had on her.


I really enjoyed seeing Jessie and Mac’s relationship build over time. I feel like it was an accurate representation of a relationship moving from rivals to friends to lovers. 


The writing was so immersive that I binge read the whole book in one sitting. 


I’d definitely recommend this to any romance lovers and I can’t wait to read the next installment. 

[Ollie Amauri · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, I began reading this book with no expectations. I had been in an off-and-on reading slump that had lasted for months and truly wasn’t sure if this would be another one of those books that left me craving better books, or if this would be one of those better books that I had no idea I needed. And let me just say, it was most definitely the latter of the two. When I say this book—this lovely fine piece of work that is a modern day romantic masterpiece—dragged me out of my slump and had me squirming in my seat, jaw dropped to the floor for 80% of the book, clutching my Kindle to the point where I couldn’t BREATHE- it was such a rollercoaster of a read. Even when the path forward seemed clear and you simply KNEW what had to happen next, the way that Liz carried the story along made the journey all the more thrilling and unexpected. The usage of exciting romance tropes, the blend of character perspectives, and the clear expression of emotions and thoughts made this book one of the very few that I HAVE to rate as a 5-star. Not only because of how well it was written but because once it snatched me in its grasp, IT 👏 WOULD 👏 NOT 👏 LET 👏 ME 👏 GO 👏 . I started the book on a Thursday, got about half way through with it, and wasn’t able to finish get back to it until Saturday. And that wait nearly KILLED ME. Seeing my Kindle poke at me, reminding me that I had to finish the story, to see what would happen next, tore away at me to the point where I simply had to put all other work aside to finish this joy of a read. And let me tell you, the amount of ups and downs that occur in the last 50% of the book- I was REELING. If you enjoyed the first part of the book, you will find by the second part of the book that it has your heart in its hands and slowly squeezes it to the point of no return and without mercy. You truly are now fully submerged and along for the ride, right alongside Jessie and Mac. Their wins and losses are also your wins and losses, and just when you thought it couldn’t get any better—it does. I cannot recommend this read enough and anticipate another stellar work from Liz Leiby in the next book she has upcoming going over Jade’s story. Don’t leave us in suspense for too long!! I look forward to reading more ✨

[Lucy Appadoo]

I absolutely loved this cute romance between Jessie and Mack, as well as a mysterious masked stranger at a Halloween party.

When Jessie loses half of her college funding as part of a scholarship for the following year, she resents Mack who applies for the same type of scholarship, given he comes from a comfortable family background. They compete in tests, exams, and assignments, and have hated each other for years.

Mack and Jessie develop a close connection when their teacher asks them to be her research assistants temporarily. Jessie never would have thought they could have a civil conversation when they’re always putting each other down with nonstop competition between them.

She and her friend, Jade, go to a Halloween Party when Jessie gets swept up by a masked stranger, dressed like William Shakespeare. They connect deeply, and the chemistry after their kiss is undeniable for Jessie. But by the end of the night, she loses sight of him.

Over the next month, Jessie and Jade search high and low for this masked stranger as she is smitten. But when her feelings for Mack grow, she gets confused as she finds their chemistry too is real. She still wants to know who her masked stranger is, and this complicates her life even more than it currently is.

Jessie and Mack form a strong bond resulting in a relationship until a secret he holds threatens her trust in him.

Can they find their way back to each other?

I love these gentle and quirky characters, especially Jade, who is boisterous yet wise. Mack is a gentle soul and knows everything, and Jessie is a strong woman who needs to manage financial constraints, an ill father, and a mother who works too hard to make ends meet. This is such a beautiful story, and so highly recommended.

[Adaobi Opene · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I think I’ve seen this book before and I really liked the ending”
** non spoiler review
Deja Vu is about two people who have this undeniable chemistry but one doesn’t know who the other is. (It’s giving another Cinderella story with Hillary duff) and trust me the chemistry is palpable. Liz writes Jessie and Mac’s love story seemlessly you don’t even realize how much their own personal stories interweave in the dynamic with each other. I genuinely did not hate either of theses characters which is hard to find in a romance book now a days they are both very human people experiencing real life stresses. Mac wants to please his family while putting his own wants on the back burner and Jessie who struggles to trust people and wants to control every aspect of her life. Also the real life implications when it comes to financial stress in college. This book tackles real life hardships while leaving you feel hopeful. By the end it feels like the story unfolds perfectly. As the reader patiently waits for them to find out, in each little interaction with each other, how much they are meant for one another. The best book I’ve read in 2023 by a long shot and I’ve been a reading slump for a year now.

I’ll leave you with this quote from Jaden Jessie’s best friend and my favorite character

“Because this is what we do to each other. We hold each other’s hearts and sometimes we squeeze too hard. And sometimes we accidentally drop them. No one is one hundred percent safe, Jessie. Someone will always hurt you. But the good ones are the ones who apologize.”

[Katie P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is such a sweet unexpected surprise.

You immediately get hooked into our main character Jessie and her anxiety at going to a college party. Her character is grounded in real life worries including about anxiety being surrounded by people she doesn’t know, striving for the best grades and money concerns (I felt awkward like Jessie during those moments and felt anxious when she did). During this party she meets and kisses her mystery ‘Sexy Shakespeare’ and off we go with Jessie trying to find him versus dealing with her growing feelings for her rival classmate Mac.

I loved the dual POV (which is something we don’t get enough in romance books) that just adds so much to the overall story and motivations by our lead characters. The spice level in this book: cute kisses and make out scenes.

For someone not looking for spice but wanting a really sweet college romance - highly recommend.

[Isabelle Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up Déjà Vu after falling head over heels for Off Book (book 2 in the series), and this book 1 wrecked me in the best way. Jessie and Mac’s story is warm, witty, emotionally rich, and filled with slow-burn tension that had me flipping pages late into the night.

Jessie is the kind of heroine I wish I could grab coffee with—sharp, funny, and deeply relatable. Mac is quietly magnetic and heartbreakingly patient, and together? Their chemistry sizzles. But what really pushed this book to the next level for me was the external conflict. It’s not just romantic tension or miscommunication—it’s real-world stakes, and it had my heart breaking for both of them. Expertly done. Brilliant. Chef’s kiss.

(Also? Having read Book 2 first, this one REALLY helped me better understand Jade. Seeing Jade through Jessie's eyes gave me such a richer understanding of her journey.)

Highly recommended.

Liz Leiby is officially on my auto-buy list. Keep ‘em coming!

[Aisling]

DNF 13%

I just couldn’t get into it. Every time something happened she was suddenly having flashbacks to middle school or thinking about her childhood friend’s pool, and it was just jarring.

She was the typical coming of age, ugly duckling character, if that makes sense, but it was laid out a little too much. Like “oh my friend is so hot but I’m not” but constantly. There was no showing, only telling. The best way I can describe it is that it was written more like a movie than a book.

I also find the premise a little hard to buy into. Like it’s so obvious that Mac, her rival, will end up being the guy from the Halloween party and I am seriously struggling to believe she couldn’t recognise him or figure it out.

When I started writing this review I actually marked this as a soft dnf, as in I might come back to it, but I think I talked my self out of it. Oops. I don’t think her writing style is for me, and this is now officially just a DNF.