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Hallie’s Rules for a Recovering Romantic
Not yet published
Expected 7 Jul 26Perfect for fans of Erin Baldwin and Elise Bryant, this sapphic rom-com—a companion novel to Nav’s Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love—stars a girl determined to reinvent herself, in life and in love.
Hallie loves romance, but it doesn’t seem to love her back. Her six-time broken heart can attest to that.
So when Hallie has the chance to attend a prestigious academic summer camp, she sees an opportunity not just to better herself, but to reinvent herself. Into a new Hallie who will succeed where the old one failed—in school, friends, and especially love.
First, a fresh start—which means no romance, all summer. If Hallie’s fortitude is immediately tested by Julia, her gorgeous camp roommate with an uncrackable icy shell, then all the better! Reinvention is never easy!
Yet as Hallie and Julia get closer, Hallie’s heart is in more danger than ever. With the prospect of real love on the line, can Hallie trust that New Hallie won’t make the mistakes that she did? Or is Julia looking for someone else—the unfiltered, unaltered, real Hallie?
Wish You Weren’t Here meets I Think I Love You in this sweet, summer rom-com, where plans go wonderfully astray, the best rules are broken ones, and love might actually be just around the corner.
Hallie loves romance, but it doesn’t seem to love her back. Her six-time broken heart can attest to that.
So when Hallie has the chance to attend a prestigious academic summer camp, she sees an opportunity not just to better herself, but to reinvent herself. Into a new Hallie who will succeed where the old one failed—in school, friends, and especially love.
First, a fresh start—which means no romance, all summer. If Hallie’s fortitude is immediately tested by Julia, her gorgeous camp roommate with an uncrackable icy shell, then all the better! Reinvention is never easy!
Yet as Hallie and Julia get closer, Hallie’s heart is in more danger than ever. With the prospect of real love on the line, can Hallie trust that New Hallie won’t make the mistakes that she did? Or is Julia looking for someone else—the unfiltered, unaltered, real Hallie?
Wish You Weren’t Here meets I Think I Love You in this sweet, summer rom-com, where plans go wonderfully astray, the best rules are broken ones, and love might actually be just around the corner.
352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 7, 2026
394 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 8, 2026
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.
I’ve loved Jessica Lewis’s books since her debut, Bad Witch Burning, and each new release just further cements how much I love her books and stories. After Nav’s book last year, I knew I needed to and could not wait to get my hands on Hallie’s book, and this was so good!!
Hallie feels like she’s a failure and not good enough, especially after a few of her exes have treated her poorly or denigrated her, plus the pressure from her parents to be The Best in all things and shaming her for not doing better the first time she took SAT. But this summer she’s determined to change and be better, starting by swearing off romance and planning to be the best at Carnegie Camp for Young Scholars.
It was so amusing seeing Hallie develop small crushes on everyone initially, but then as she settles in and makes friends, things start feeling a lot smoother. But things with her cabinmate, Julia, aren’t as easy to move past because the more she sees and gets to know her, the deeper her feelings grow until Hallie is playing a constant tug-of-war inside herself because she really likes Julia, but she wants to change and that’s change means no romance.
This was such an excellent YA and I really loved the ways Gia’s mom, Ms Flores who is the sponsor for this year’s camp, is trying to get the kids to realize they don’t have to study to the exclusion of all else and pushing them to learn new skills, especially with the life skills she brings into the curriculum. I also loved how she was there to listen and help each of the campers, and how we see so many different types of growth among the characters.
I spent so much of the book wanting to hug Hallie super tight because it hurt to see how she believed she needed to earn the chocolate bar and criticizing herself for not getting and being “better.” There is so much emotional stuff happening, but I love the friendships and the way Hallie and the others are able to be kids and learn how to back off on some of the pressure.
This was just so sweet and perfect and a delight of a book. I loved Hallie and Julia becoming closer and the ways Julia respected Hallie’s rules, but also kept trying to get her to see that she didn’t need to change and all the things Hallie saw as flaws weren’t always bad traits. I love seeing Nav and Gia, and seeing more of Nav’w dynamic with Hallie and just how close their friendship is. There’s really just so many good elements, and I cannot wait to see what we’ll get next from Jessica Lewis.
I’ve loved Jessica Lewis’s books since her debut, Bad Witch Burning, and each new release just further cements how much I love her books and stories. After Nav’s book last year, I knew I needed to and could not wait to get my hands on Hallie’s book, and this was so good!!
Hallie feels like she’s a failure and not good enough, especially after a few of her exes have treated her poorly or denigrated her, plus the pressure from her parents to be The Best in all things and shaming her for not doing better the first time she took SAT. But this summer she’s determined to change and be better, starting by swearing off romance and planning to be the best at Carnegie Camp for Young Scholars.
It was so amusing seeing Hallie develop small crushes on everyone initially, but then as she settles in and makes friends, things start feeling a lot smoother. But things with her cabinmate, Julia, aren’t as easy to move past because the more she sees and gets to know her, the deeper her feelings grow until Hallie is playing a constant tug-of-war inside herself because she really likes Julia, but she wants to change and that’s change means no romance.
This was such an excellent YA and I really loved the ways Gia’s mom, Ms Flores who is the sponsor for this year’s camp, is trying to get the kids to realize they don’t have to study to the exclusion of all else and pushing them to learn new skills, especially with the life skills she brings into the curriculum. I also loved how she was there to listen and help each of the campers, and how we see so many different types of growth among the characters.
I spent so much of the book wanting to hug Hallie super tight because it hurt to see how she believed she needed to earn the chocolate bar and criticizing herself for not getting and being “better.” There is so much emotional stuff happening, but I love the friendships and the way Hallie and the others are able to be kids and learn how to back off on some of the pressure.
This was just so sweet and perfect and a delight of a book. I loved Hallie and Julia becoming closer and the ways Julia respected Hallie’s rules, but also kept trying to get her to see that she didn’t need to change and all the things Hallie saw as flaws weren’t always bad traits. I love seeing Nav and Gia, and seeing more of Nav’w dynamic with Hallie and just how close their friendship is. There’s really just so many good elements, and I cannot wait to see what we’ll get next from Jessica Lewis.
April 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is more a story of personal growth, acceptance, and finding one’s voice than it is a YA romance. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It was very delightful. I won’t lie, it took me a while to truly feel invested in the story. But once I did, I didn’t want to stop reading. I enjoyed both main characters a lot. It was just very sweet and wholesome.
This is more a story of personal growth, acceptance, and finding one’s voice than it is a YA romance. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It was very delightful. I won’t lie, it took me a while to truly feel invested in the story. But once I did, I didn’t want to stop reading. I enjoyed both main characters a lot. It was just very sweet and wholesome.
February 25, 2026
I wish I enjoyed this more than I did. Hallie is a likable protagonist, but her friends at camp are all so one-dimensional that I didn't care about any of them. It kind of felt like the author was just trying to represent different queer identities- Cam is nonbinary, Teddy is aro/ace, and Caroline is trans- but didn't bother to develop them beyond that. Julia's character is only fleshed out more because she's the love interest.
There is also a lot of repetition in Hallie's internal monologue that it became grating to read. She's had so many terrible relationships that she's wary of falling for anyone else, she wants to focus on her academics, she likes Julia, but Julia is stand-offish most of the time. And so on.
There is also a lot of repetition in Hallie's internal monologue that it became grating to read. She's had so many terrible relationships that she's wary of falling for anyone else, she wants to focus on her academics, she likes Julia, but Julia is stand-offish most of the time. And so on.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
After string of failed relationships, Hallie's last breakup hit her hard enough to tank her SATs. Now she's heading off to summer camp for a retake, and she's determined to reinvent herself. New Hallie doesn't watch horror movies, doesn't listen to Kpop, and is completely focused on her studies - and that means absolutely no romance!
If you're looking for a sweet, slow-burn sapphic romance full of good feels and laughs, Hallie's Rules for a Recovering Romantic should be next on your reading list. This is grumpy/sunshine done right: unlike so many romances where the trope reads as a selling point grafted onto the story, here it feels organic and earned. Hallie is cute as hell, the kind of person who always sees the best in everyone and gets genuinely stressed out at the thought of not helping someone in need, yet struggles to voice her own opinions out of fear of rocking the boat. I found her deeply relatable and very easy to root for. Julia, meanwhile, is cautious and slow to warm up to others, but her guardedness feels entirely justified - and discovering the quiet loyalty and steadfast support beneath her prickly exterior is deeply satisfying. They're absolutely adorable together, and watching their romance slowly blossom as they push each other to face their own challenges makes for a genuinely heartwarming read. I highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an ARC.
After string of failed relationships, Hallie's last breakup hit her hard enough to tank her SATs. Now she's heading off to summer camp for a retake, and she's determined to reinvent herself. New Hallie doesn't watch horror movies, doesn't listen to Kpop, and is completely focused on her studies - and that means absolutely no romance!
If you're looking for a sweet, slow-burn sapphic romance full of good feels and laughs, Hallie's Rules for a Recovering Romantic should be next on your reading list. This is grumpy/sunshine done right: unlike so many romances where the trope reads as a selling point grafted onto the story, here it feels organic and earned. Hallie is cute as hell, the kind of person who always sees the best in everyone and gets genuinely stressed out at the thought of not helping someone in need, yet struggles to voice her own opinions out of fear of rocking the boat. I found her deeply relatable and very easy to root for. Julia, meanwhile, is cautious and slow to warm up to others, but her guardedness feels entirely justified - and discovering the quiet loyalty and steadfast support beneath her prickly exterior is deeply satisfying. They're absolutely adorable together, and watching their romance slowly blossom as they push each other to face their own challenges makes for a genuinely heartwarming read. I highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an ARC.
October 14, 2025
I was able to read an early copy of Jessica Lewis’ second rom-com, Hallie’s Rules for a Recovering Romantic, and I’m STILL floating from it. I loved Nav and Hallie’s dynamic in the first book, and Hallie’s stand-alone story holds up with just as much sweetness. This story dove a lot deeper into the hardship of queer love in unwelcoming spaces, and reminded me why finding your people and not jumping to conclusions is so important. This was a book I wish I had when I was 16.
And I know you’re all wondering, so let me put your worry to rest: the dog in this book is another very, very good boy ❤️
And I know you’re all wondering, so let me put your worry to rest: the dog in this book is another very, very good boy ❤️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*Possible Spoilers*
I’d liken Hallie’s Rules for a Recovering Romantic to a decent DCOM. The characters are a little annoying but still likeable, and the plot fixes itself almost too perfectly. I was kind of bored by the competitive scholastic summer camp, but prizes with point systems just aren’t for me. I didn’t like how everyone was introduced either with their queerness or ethnicity. Showing diversity is great, but not when a person’s minority status is their first defining feature. Also, using terms like “mankind” and “...known to man” is outdated and sexist.
I think I like Hallie. She has a big heart, and just wants to be liked (both by herself and other people). I thought it interesting how a lot of her hobbies originate from different exes. She likes Kpop because of one, and is introduced to horror movies because of another. In an attempt to reinvent herself, Hallie tries to un-like her interests, except for acing the SATs. She later figures out that toxic people don’t get to claim credit for your happiness.
I found her insecurity a bit annoying. We all have our perceived weaknesses, but she spends the entire book seething and choking back jealousy for her friend. Said friend was apparently the dictionary definition of “mommy issues cause attachment issues” until she fell for her girlfriend. Hallie envies that a perfect love life didn’t get conjured up for her. Instead she’s the victim of one too many broken hearts. Because of her jealousy she’s passive aggressive and a bit selfish. I guess being happy but unhappy for your best friend’s successes doesn't quite compute to me.
I loved Hallie’s girlfriend, Julia. Julia is cold and standoffish due to emotionally abusive parents. However, once she trusts somebody, no one will go up to bat faster than her. I liked that even when she had a crush on Hallie, she didn’t act on it right away, out of respect for her teammate’s “no romance” rule.
The idea of Julia and Hallie together is complicated for me. Hallie constantly laments how hard and fast she falls for people. Julia is no different. She sees a pretty girl, and is enamoured with her broodiness. It turns out that Julia isn’t a jerk, but it could have easily been another mishap. The author was trying to show that cycles can be broken, but to me it read like falling for the same potential red flags.
I love the two as friends though. When Julia’s parents manipulate her to come home (they don’t want an intellectually focused daughter), Hallie drops everything, and risks getting in trouble, to help her move out. Later, I couldn’t excuse Hallie’s jealousy, however Julia validates where the emotions are coming from, and helps her see past the blindfold of toxic exes. I respect that. When a competitive campmate discredits Hallie and Julia’s effort, the two confront the person, and keep focusing on trying their best. They pay attention to what brings the other joy, and that’s lovely.
Everything works out in the end, hurray! Julia moves in with caring people, the mean competitive person apologizes, and Hallie’s mom realizes that projecting unattainable dreams onto her daughter isn’t cool. Hallie doesn’t win first place, but the camp's millionaire sponsor awards her twenty grand anyway. If you’re interested in a competitive summer camp romance, with a lovable guard dog, and reasonably cute banter, this is a great “don’t think, just vibe” book.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I’d liken Hallie’s Rules for a Recovering Romantic to a decent DCOM. The characters are a little annoying but still likeable, and the plot fixes itself almost too perfectly. I was kind of bored by the competitive scholastic summer camp, but prizes with point systems just aren’t for me. I didn’t like how everyone was introduced either with their queerness or ethnicity. Showing diversity is great, but not when a person’s minority status is their first defining feature. Also, using terms like “mankind” and “...known to man” is outdated and sexist.
I think I like Hallie. She has a big heart, and just wants to be liked (both by herself and other people). I thought it interesting how a lot of her hobbies originate from different exes. She likes Kpop because of one, and is introduced to horror movies because of another. In an attempt to reinvent herself, Hallie tries to un-like her interests, except for acing the SATs. She later figures out that toxic people don’t get to claim credit for your happiness.
I found her insecurity a bit annoying. We all have our perceived weaknesses, but she spends the entire book seething and choking back jealousy for her friend. Said friend was apparently the dictionary definition of “mommy issues cause attachment issues” until she fell for her girlfriend. Hallie envies that a perfect love life didn’t get conjured up for her. Instead she’s the victim of one too many broken hearts. Because of her jealousy she’s passive aggressive and a bit selfish. I guess being happy but unhappy for your best friend’s successes doesn't quite compute to me.
I loved Hallie’s girlfriend, Julia. Julia is cold and standoffish due to emotionally abusive parents. However, once she trusts somebody, no one will go up to bat faster than her. I liked that even when she had a crush on Hallie, she didn’t act on it right away, out of respect for her teammate’s “no romance” rule.
The idea of Julia and Hallie together is complicated for me. Hallie constantly laments how hard and fast she falls for people. Julia is no different. She sees a pretty girl, and is enamoured with her broodiness. It turns out that Julia isn’t a jerk, but it could have easily been another mishap. The author was trying to show that cycles can be broken, but to me it read like falling for the same potential red flags.
I love the two as friends though. When Julia’s parents manipulate her to come home (they don’t want an intellectually focused daughter), Hallie drops everything, and risks getting in trouble, to help her move out. Later, I couldn’t excuse Hallie’s jealousy, however Julia validates where the emotions are coming from, and helps her see past the blindfold of toxic exes. I respect that. When a competitive campmate discredits Hallie and Julia’s effort, the two confront the person, and keep focusing on trying their best. They pay attention to what brings the other joy, and that’s lovely.
Everything works out in the end, hurray! Julia moves in with caring people, the mean competitive person apologizes, and Hallie’s mom realizes that projecting unattainable dreams onto her daughter isn’t cool. Hallie doesn’t win first place, but the camp's millionaire sponsor awards her twenty grand anyway. If you’re interested in a competitive summer camp romance, with a lovable guard dog, and reasonably cute banter, this is a great “don’t think, just vibe” book.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Books with lessons to learn are so important, and this one? It truly hit me in the heart. This story teaches how to love yourself for who you are, that you are enough, that everyone has imperfections and that’s okay, that you don’t need to change yourself for others.
Self Love. In my opinion self love is such an important lesson, because if we don’t love ourself how can we love anybody else? Trusting that you are enough is so important and something I make sure everyone around me knows, but I do majorly struggle to practice what I preach, so this book did catch me in my feelings.
Hallie is a beautiful character inside and out. She’s like a vacuum, she sucks out information from everyone she’s ever known, and retains it. She knows a little on astrology, she likes horror movies, she knows how to change a tire, how to play basketball and please ask her about bonsai trees. But Hallie has learned all of this from her exes, aka her failed relationships, these are their interests and not Hallie’s. So when she gets to spend her summer at a prestigious camp to study for her SAT resit, she decides to also use the time at camp reinventing herself, no romance, no horror movies, no impulsivity, no jungkook. Of course this goes extremely well and Hallie definitely does not have a huge crush on her roommate Julia. Definitely not.
Julia has her walls up, she has no interest in making friends at camp, she is here to win, get herself a new laptop and ace the SATs. Julia also is extremely bad at waking up in time every morning, extremely bad at life skills, but basically Mozart when it comes to music. Hallie wants to be ‘best friends’ with Julia, to break her icy exterior, to help her wake up on time in the morning, to help her learn how to boil an egg, and then maybe Julia could help Hallie with music! It’s a solid plan. They can help each other!
People who love Smash Or Pass by Birdie Schae will love this book. Carnegie Camp is an academic focused camp but also mainly known for its crazy parties, this year however, everything changes. Actively sponsored by Ms Flores, the camp now runs on a schedule of life skills classes and sat prep classes, with pop up sessions and smores. There is a SOLID No Participation Trophies rule and a point system. Camp just became competitive. Julia is competitive. Julia has to win. Hallie has to win. They can help each other with their weaknesses. Working as a team will benefit both of them. They definitely aren’t friends though, that’s against who Julia is, so just two people who hang out and help each other, and definitely not in love either, because that’s against Hallie’s rules. This is so going to work out. This story is BRILLIANT. Room mates, to team mates, to friends, to lovers, it’s perfect, it’s beautiful.
Self Love. In my opinion self love is such an important lesson, because if we don’t love ourself how can we love anybody else? Trusting that you are enough is so important and something I make sure everyone around me knows, but I do majorly struggle to practice what I preach, so this book did catch me in my feelings.
Hallie is a beautiful character inside and out. She’s like a vacuum, she sucks out information from everyone she’s ever known, and retains it. She knows a little on astrology, she likes horror movies, she knows how to change a tire, how to play basketball and please ask her about bonsai trees. But Hallie has learned all of this from her exes, aka her failed relationships, these are their interests and not Hallie’s. So when she gets to spend her summer at a prestigious camp to study for her SAT resit, she decides to also use the time at camp reinventing herself, no romance, no horror movies, no impulsivity, no jungkook. Of course this goes extremely well and Hallie definitely does not have a huge crush on her roommate Julia. Definitely not.
Julia has her walls up, she has no interest in making friends at camp, she is here to win, get herself a new laptop and ace the SATs. Julia also is extremely bad at waking up in time every morning, extremely bad at life skills, but basically Mozart when it comes to music. Hallie wants to be ‘best friends’ with Julia, to break her icy exterior, to help her wake up on time in the morning, to help her learn how to boil an egg, and then maybe Julia could help Hallie with music! It’s a solid plan. They can help each other!
People who love Smash Or Pass by Birdie Schae will love this book. Carnegie Camp is an academic focused camp but also mainly known for its crazy parties, this year however, everything changes. Actively sponsored by Ms Flores, the camp now runs on a schedule of life skills classes and sat prep classes, with pop up sessions and smores. There is a SOLID No Participation Trophies rule and a point system. Camp just became competitive. Julia is competitive. Julia has to win. Hallie has to win. They can help each other with their weaknesses. Working as a team will benefit both of them. They definitely aren’t friends though, that’s against who Julia is, so just two people who hang out and help each other, and definitely not in love either, because that’s against Hallie’s rules. This is so going to work out. This story is BRILLIANT. Room mates, to team mates, to friends, to lovers, it’s perfect, it’s beautiful.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early.
Hallie's Rules for a Recovering Romantic follows Hallie, a teenager at an academic achievement summer camp who wants to reinvent herself and be solely academic minded but finds herself falling for her roommate.
I really enjoyed this book! Hallie’s point of view was very energetic and entertaining, almost too much so, but Julia’s quiet intensity was a perfect balance to her chaos. I thought the romance was super sweet and I really loved how slowly and believably it developed. I also liked seeing the camp activities and how both girls were able to grow and change throughout the book.
I did feel like Hallie was a bit too much “all or nothing” in her plans for Hallie 2.0 and that Cam was a very unlikable character for most of the book. But Hallie’s plans did fit her personality and the pressure she received from her family and I was very excited to see a non binary character in Cam, especially one whose pronouns and identity were woven seamlessly into the story.
Thank you again to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this early.
4.5 stars rounded down to 4 stars.
Hallie's Rules for a Recovering Romantic follows Hallie, a teenager at an academic achievement summer camp who wants to reinvent herself and be solely academic minded but finds herself falling for her roommate.
I really enjoyed this book! Hallie’s point of view was very energetic and entertaining, almost too much so, but Julia’s quiet intensity was a perfect balance to her chaos. I thought the romance was super sweet and I really loved how slowly and believably it developed. I also liked seeing the camp activities and how both girls were able to grow and change throughout the book.
I did feel like Hallie was a bit too much “all or nothing” in her plans for Hallie 2.0 and that Cam was a very unlikable character for most of the book. But Hallie’s plans did fit her personality and the pressure she received from her family and I was very excited to see a non binary character in Cam, especially one whose pronouns and identity were woven seamlessly into the story.
Thank you again to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this early.
4.5 stars rounded down to 4 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
(3.25)
This was a cute read and I'm so happy that young readers have books like this one to pick up and see themselves in!
Took me a bit to properly get into this, but I found myself getting immersed once Hallie settled into her camp routine. This is a rom com but most of the focus is on Hallie's inner struggles with perfectionism and self-doubt rather than the romance. Due to this, Hallie's inner dialogue did get bit repetitive, but I get it because that is an aspect of how ongoing struggles manifest. The romance, however, was really sweet! I enjoyed the tension and buildup between the romantic protagonists and how they both encouraged and brought out the best in each other without sacrificing their camp goals and boundaries. There were lots of interesting side characters, but we didn't get to know them much. I do wish they were a bit more fleshed out.
Thank you to the author, Harper Collins, and NetGalley team for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for a review.
(3.25)
This was a cute read and I'm so happy that young readers have books like this one to pick up and see themselves in!
Took me a bit to properly get into this, but I found myself getting immersed once Hallie settled into her camp routine. This is a rom com but most of the focus is on Hallie's inner struggles with perfectionism and self-doubt rather than the romance. Due to this, Hallie's inner dialogue did get bit repetitive, but I get it because that is an aspect of how ongoing struggles manifest. The romance, however, was really sweet! I enjoyed the tension and buildup between the romantic protagonists and how they both encouraged and brought out the best in each other without sacrificing their camp goals and boundaries. There were lots of interesting side characters, but we didn't get to know them much. I do wish they were a bit more fleshed out.
Thank you to the author, Harper Collins, and NetGalley team for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I adored this book! Nav's Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love was one of my favorite ARC's I received last year, and I'm pleased to say the sequel is just as good.
I highly enjoyed Hallie's journey of self discovery, with the book focusing heavily on her doubts, and attempts to improve herself. With the help of her queer cabin, some helpful mentors, and Julia, she's able to grow towards her goal and also realize that her list of rules might not be necessary after all.
The relationship with Julia was perfectly done. Seeing Julia's prickly attitude slowly thaw towards Hallie was super cute, and I loved how much she stood up for her. The pining in this book is next level for a YA novel, and I greatly appreciated any scenes they were in together.
Overall, this book is a super sweet sapphic YA romance, featuring self discovery and some found family dynamics. 5/5 stars.
I adored this book! Nav's Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love was one of my favorite ARC's I received last year, and I'm pleased to say the sequel is just as good.
I highly enjoyed Hallie's journey of self discovery, with the book focusing heavily on her doubts, and attempts to improve herself. With the help of her queer cabin, some helpful mentors, and Julia, she's able to grow towards her goal and also realize that her list of rules might not be necessary after all.
The relationship with Julia was perfectly done. Seeing Julia's prickly attitude slowly thaw towards Hallie was super cute, and I loved how much she stood up for her. The pining in this book is next level for a YA novel, and I greatly appreciated any scenes they were in together.
Overall, this book is a super sweet sapphic YA romance, featuring self discovery and some found family dynamics. 5/5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
This book was SO cute. I’m very old but love reading queer YA as it wasn’t available when I was a kid, but this was my first by Jessica Lewis- important because this is a companion novel/sort of sequel to Nav’s Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love, which I didn’t realize until I was nearly done with the story. I will seek out the first book as soon as I can because this one was great- Lewis really captures teen angst in Hallie, our MC who seems to have the weight of the world on her shoulders. And honestly, I read a ton of sapphic romance and this book has one of the most romantic scenes I’ve ever read (the fireflies!). Very sweet, definitely recommend.
This book was SO cute. I’m very old but love reading queer YA as it wasn’t available when I was a kid, but this was my first by Jessica Lewis- important because this is a companion novel/sort of sequel to Nav’s Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love, which I didn’t realize until I was nearly done with the story. I will seek out the first book as soon as I can because this one was great- Lewis really captures teen angst in Hallie, our MC who seems to have the weight of the world on her shoulders. And honestly, I read a ton of sapphic romance and this book has one of the most romantic scenes I’ve ever read (the fireflies!). Very sweet, definitely recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After getting her heart broken yet again, MC Hallie figures she must be the problem. Hallie decides to spend her summer reinventing herself and breaking old habits while at an academic summer camp. Those plans are tested when meets her roommate Julia.
While I’m too old to be the target demographic for this book, but I enjoyed reading it. I felt like Lewis did a great job capturing teenaged angst and the stress they felt themselves to be under. I wish these types of books had been available when I was younger. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.
While I’m too old to be the target demographic for this book, but I enjoyed reading it. I felt like Lewis did a great job capturing teenaged angst and the stress they felt themselves to be under. I wish these types of books had been available when I was younger. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.
October 10, 2025
I had the pleasure of beta-reading this manuscript and Jessica Lewis has once again proved herself a master of depth, heart, romance and fun. Hallie is such a delightful main character- so determined to be better even to the detriment of her own happy-after. Throw in summer camp shenanigans, some very real family dramas, a camp sponsor I would die for and you have a story as beautiful as its cover (I know, how is that even possible?)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Such a cute story! Even tho listed as a sapphic romance it’s mostly about Hallie, the FMC who wants to improve herself and grow. One of my favorite quotes was when she was feeling overwhelmed with tasks and feelings came up bringing her to “Sad Girl Hours”. So relatable and her take made it charming.
There were a lot of sweet and funny moments in this read - grateful for the ARC from HarperCollins Publishing and NetGalley.
There were a lot of sweet and funny moments in this read - grateful for the ARC from HarperCollins Publishing and NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC.
I absolutely loved this novel. I found it both endearing and so relatable it’s not even funny. Hallie’s way of thinking I relate to so much especially when it comes to romance/love and trying to do better while fighting back old habits. The novel was enjoyed and i appreciate the representation the author had in the novel with race and sexual orientation. I definitely look forward to whatever the author has next!
I absolutely loved this novel. I found it both endearing and so relatable it’s not even funny. Hallie’s way of thinking I relate to so much especially when it comes to romance/love and trying to do better while fighting back old habits. The novel was enjoyed and i appreciate the representation the author had in the novel with race and sexual orientation. I definitely look forward to whatever the author has next!
October 13, 2025
This book is a delight! Warm and funny, full of memorable characters that are easy to root for, it's the best kind of trip to summer camp (without experiencing any of the mosquito bites!) It's pretty amazing how Jessica Lewis can go from horror to rom-com with such skill and heart.
Want to Read
March 4, 2026omg a companion book!!
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