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Finding Her: A YA Sweet Romance
Levi grumpy hockey player, my new class partner, and the guy I’m apparently supposed to get to go on a date with me.
Why? Because my best friend thought it’d be funny to tell the whole school I could.
I cannot.
Because not only is he moody, mysterious, and allergic to small talk, he has also never dated anyone. Ever.
Good thing my friends have no shortage of plans to win him over—even if each one is more ridiculous than the last.
The only problem? Somewhere in all the fake flirting and scheming… I’ve started to fall for him for real.
Finding Her is a sweet & wholesome grumpy/sunshine romance, set at boarding school. Pre-order your copy today!
Why? Because my best friend thought it’d be funny to tell the whole school I could.
I cannot.
Because not only is he moody, mysterious, and allergic to small talk, he has also never dated anyone. Ever.
Good thing my friends have no shortage of plans to win him over—even if each one is more ridiculous than the last.
The only problem? Somewhere in all the fake flirting and scheming… I’ve started to fall for him for real.
Finding Her is a sweet & wholesome grumpy/sunshine romance, set at boarding school. Pre-order your copy today!
280 pages, Paperback
Published January 31, 2025
About the author
Clara Nielsen
22 books337 followersClara Nielsen writes sweet & swoony YA romances set in high school, all about shy girls and the boys who are head-over-heels for them. When she’s not busy writing, you’ll probably find her out on the lake, putting together the perfect playlist, or sipping on a chai latte while daydreaming about her next story.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
January 23, 2026
It’s 2:30 in the morning. And I read this in one sitting THIS BOOK WAS SO ADDICTIVE! WHAT WERE IN THE PAGES OF THIS BOOKS!!!????
Plot 5/5
Characters 5/5
Vibes 5/5
Cover 5/5
Cringe 0/5
🌶️0/5
⚔️0/5
🤬 1/5
😘2.5/5
⭐️5/5
I loved this book So SO much! I swear there was something in the pages of this book. I couldn’t stop reading it and I read it in one sitting. My sleep schedule did not like this book because I was up until 2:30 AM reading this!
I loved the characters Lilah was my favorite side character she seemed like the perfect friend for Poppy. I liked how Saylor kept to herself most often, she’s polar opposite from the rest and it felt like good balance for the story instead of everyone being the same. Bear is mine I claim him and no one can stop me. He surprised me first 50 pages he was iffy for me but after continuing the
story it all started to make sense.
This story is so beautiful written, props to the author for making this MASTERPIECE of a book. I am very hard to please when it comes to books but this exceeded my expectations!
I can’t wait to continue with the story and follow along side Saylor and her adventures!
The ONLY thing I can say that was a bit confusing was, Poppy described a scrunchy as purple and when Bear asked what color it was she said it was pink and white. And bear is described as 6’0 and poppy is described as 5’0 then later in the book Bear said she’s normally under his chin and under his nose with heels. This isn’t really a big deal but I am 5 foot myself and my brother is 6 foot and I definitely do not reach his chin not even in heels! 😂this isn’t a big deal at all but I just wanted to put it out there!
*content review*
Bad parents, a couple kisses here and there but nothing to bad. I’m pretty sure there were a couple of swear words but I honestly don’t notice one mention of sending the middle finger emoji and flipping people off.
12+
Plot 5/5
Characters 5/5
Vibes 5/5
Cover 5/5
Cringe 0/5
🌶️0/5
⚔️0/5
🤬 1/5
😘2.5/5
⭐️5/5
I loved this book So SO much! I swear there was something in the pages of this book. I couldn’t stop reading it and I read it in one sitting. My sleep schedule did not like this book because I was up until 2:30 AM reading this!
I loved the characters Lilah was my favorite side character she seemed like the perfect friend for Poppy. I liked how Saylor kept to herself most often, she’s polar opposite from the rest and it felt like good balance for the story instead of everyone being the same. Bear is mine I claim him and no one can stop me. He surprised me first 50 pages he was iffy for me but after continuing the
story it all started to make sense.
This story is so beautiful written, props to the author for making this MASTERPIECE of a book. I am very hard to please when it comes to books but this exceeded my expectations!
I can’t wait to continue with the story and follow along side Saylor and her adventures!
The ONLY thing I can say that was a bit confusing was, Poppy described a scrunchy as purple and when Bear asked what color it was she said it was pink and white. And bear is described as 6’0 and poppy is described as 5’0 then later in the book Bear said she’s normally under his chin and under his nose with heels. This isn’t really a big deal but I am 5 foot myself and my brother is 6 foot and I definitely do not reach his chin not even in heels! 😂this isn’t a big deal at all but I just wanted to put it out there!
*content review*
Bad parents, a couple kisses here and there but nothing to bad. I’m pretty sure there were a couple of swear words but I honestly don’t notice one mention of sending the middle finger emoji and flipping people off.
12+
February 9, 2025
✮⋆˙ 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 ✮⋆˙ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✮⋆˙𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 ✮⋆˙ ⛸️☀️
Maybe I’m being biased with these books but idc. I LOVE how Clara writes her characters to make them so relatable (might just be bc there high schoolers and I’m a high schooler 💀) but like Poppy’s thought process was actually so real throughout the book and I love her for it sm. Bear was relatable to with the parents always thinking they know what’s good for you. I LOVED WHAT HE DID IN THE ENDING. LIKE YEAHHH MAN YEAHHHHH!!!!!!
✮⋆˙𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 ✮⋆˙ 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
THE SLOW BURN WAS BURNING. I love how she included hints about Bear liking her throughout the book without being direct about it. PLUS ITS GRUMPY X SUNSHINE. Who doesn’t love a grumpy X sunshine book? Bear and Poppy had no right being that cute at the end fr.
✮⋆˙𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 ✮⋆˙ ⛸️☀️
Maybe I’m being biased with these books but idc. I LOVE how Clara writes her characters to make them so relatable (might just be bc there high schoolers and I’m a high schooler 💀) but like Poppy’s thought process was actually so real throughout the book and I love her for it sm. Bear was relatable to with the parents always thinking they know what’s good for you. I LOVED WHAT HE DID IN THE ENDING. LIKE YEAHHH MAN YEAHHHHH!!!!!!
✮⋆˙𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 ✮⋆˙ 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
THE SLOW BURN WAS BURNING. I love how she included hints about Bear liking her throughout the book without being direct about it. PLUS ITS GRUMPY X SUNSHINE. Who doesn’t love a grumpy X sunshine book? Bear and Poppy had no right being that cute at the end fr.
February 15, 2025
This book was definitely not for me. The writing was good and the plot had potential, but still the book fell through.
I found Poppy too sunny, to the point of irritating and Bear way too grumpy. More than that, I could not understand how and when they fell in love except the fact that the author told us that they fell in love.
Side characters were ok, except I am not a fan of Lilah. Why did she want Poppy to be her roommate? Why was she so adamant that Poppy get together with Bear? And somehow it felt weird that she wanted Poppy to basically wear the shortest clothes possible to seduce Bear more than anything else.
I found Poppy too sunny, to the point of irritating and Bear way too grumpy. More than that, I could not understand how and when they fell in love except the fact that the author told us that they fell in love.
Side characters were ok, except I am not a fan of Lilah. Why did she want Poppy to be her roommate? Why was she so adamant that Poppy get together with Bear? And somehow it felt weird that she wanted Poppy to basically wear the shortest clothes possible to seduce Bear more than anything else.
April 19, 2026
━━━ઇଓㅤ⤸
꒰ 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 + 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ꒱
𝟐.𝟐𝟓 ✩
“𝓗𝓸𝔀 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓸 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮?”
“𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒹𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓂𝑒𝒶𝓃?”
“𝓘 𝓶𝓮𝓪𝓷… 𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂. 𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻
𝓾𝓹𝓼𝓮𝓽 𝓸𝓻 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓘’𝓶 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮
𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓫𝓸𝓭𝔂, 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮, 𝓶𝓾𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓽 𝓸𝓯
𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶. 𝓢𝓸, 𝔀𝓱𝔂 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽?”
“𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉’𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝑜𝒾𝓃𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓊𝓅𝓈𝑒𝓉?”
꒰ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: ꒱
Nooo, why am I allergic to love? I so badly wanted to enjoy this, but it just.. was not it.
The synopsis sounded decent–a cute little love story and nice palette cleanser from the cringey books that have traumatised my poor eyes recently. But inside? I am so sorry, but no. I did not like Claire and Mia because they were whiny, bratty bullies that would winge when they didn’t get their way. I did not like Lilah, who was supposed to be Poppy’s friend, because of how forceful she was towards wearing a bikini to catch Levi’s attention, or changing her wardrobe to be more ‘seductive.’ She was a slightly more bearable, kinder version of Claire, but I very much hated how bossy and annoyingly persistent she was in getting Levi and Poppy together when Poppy herself didn’t really want to be involved in the bet at the start. Speaking of which, the fmc was okay until she went through her best friend’s dorm because she wanted to know more of something clearly private. That, I fear, is a line crossed. Honestly, the only person I truly cared for was the mmc–the poor dude was either running from fangirls or struggling to keep up with his dictating father and all he demanded of him. The only downside to him was that his nickname was ‘Bear.’ I–no.
I think I may be getting to the age where young adult romance books just aren’t my thing anymore. A couple I’ve read in the last few months have had the main characters falling in love within the span of a few short weeks. And, unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened in this one. Within days of being in the same gym class, Poppy and Levi start to get jealous of things like another boy talking to her or other girls admiring him. I couldn’t handle it. And then to make things worse, they’re confessing their love after maybe a month? Please stop writing insta-love, I’m begging you! The plot itself felt too quick and like there were many gaps between each chapter and almost no information where there needed to be. Things such as where Levi’s mother was (did she die or just isn’t in the picture?), maybe some of the classes they took other than gym, even what activities they did when they went on the camping trip instead of having two chapters of the bus ride there, fourteen-year old girls drinking and partying (where’s the supervision and how did they get alcohol?), and then the bus ride back to school. You see what I mean–simple, basic things that could’ve been added but instead the author time skipped wayyy too many times. I was also very confused with the last chapter and epilogue. Apparently Poppy and Levi had been dating for 6 months, and then the epilogue, which was from her best friend’s perspective, mentioned it only being a month into the new school year but Levi and Poppy were all happy-sappy, lovey-dovey? Am I dumb for not understanding, or does it not make sense to other people as well? I read to escape reality, but I don’t like when books make things so unrealistic or rushed that I can’t enjoy it.
Anyways, I’m so sorry for the rant, but everything kind of pissed me off and I needed to get my thoughts out. No hate to the author whatsoever, all of this is just my opinion and how I felt reading. I’m sure many other readers will adore this, but Finding Her just wasn’t for me.
꒰ 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: ꒱
Did this girl ever stop smiling?
“Nobody has sworn off dating completely. They’re just waiting for the right person to come along.”
“For what it’s worth, I’ll never forget you.”
What a privilege it would be to have someone in my life who could understand me so well.
If he left me right now, I would break.
“I’ve had to say goodbye to hundreds of friends in my life and not one of them has ever held a place in my mind like you. If we say goodbye… I won’t just be losing you, I’ll be losing half of my heart too.”
━━━
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝: 17/4/2026
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 19/4/2026
-𝓖
꒰ 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 + 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ꒱
𝟐.𝟐𝟓 ✩
“𝓗𝓸𝔀 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓸 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮?”
“𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒹𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓂𝑒𝒶𝓃?”
“𝓘 𝓶𝓮𝓪𝓷… 𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂. 𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻
𝓾𝓹𝓼𝓮𝓽 𝓸𝓻 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓘’𝓶 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮
𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓫𝓸𝓭𝔂, 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮, 𝓶𝓾𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓽 𝓸𝓯
𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶. 𝓢𝓸, 𝔀𝓱𝔂 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽?”
“𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉’𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝑜𝒾𝓃𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓊𝓅𝓈𝑒𝓉?”
꒰ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: ꒱
Nooo, why am I allergic to love? I so badly wanted to enjoy this, but it just.. was not it.
The synopsis sounded decent–a cute little love story and nice palette cleanser from the cringey books that have traumatised my poor eyes recently. But inside? I am so sorry, but no. I did not like Claire and Mia because they were whiny, bratty bullies that would winge when they didn’t get their way. I did not like Lilah, who was supposed to be Poppy’s friend, because of how forceful she was towards wearing a bikini to catch Levi’s attention, or changing her wardrobe to be more ‘seductive.’ She was a slightly more bearable, kinder version of Claire, but I very much hated how bossy and annoyingly persistent she was in getting Levi and Poppy together when Poppy herself didn’t really want to be involved in the bet at the start. Speaking of which, the fmc was okay until she went through her best friend’s dorm because she wanted to know more of something clearly private. That, I fear, is a line crossed. Honestly, the only person I truly cared for was the mmc–the poor dude was either running from fangirls or struggling to keep up with his dictating father and all he demanded of him. The only downside to him was that his nickname was ‘Bear.’ I–no.
I think I may be getting to the age where young adult romance books just aren’t my thing anymore. A couple I’ve read in the last few months have had the main characters falling in love within the span of a few short weeks. And, unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened in this one. Within days of being in the same gym class, Poppy and Levi start to get jealous of things like another boy talking to her or other girls admiring him. I couldn’t handle it. And then to make things worse, they’re confessing their love after maybe a month? Please stop writing insta-love, I’m begging you! The plot itself felt too quick and like there were many gaps between each chapter and almost no information where there needed to be. Things such as where Levi’s mother was (did she die or just isn’t in the picture?), maybe some of the classes they took other than gym, even what activities they did when they went on the camping trip instead of having two chapters of the bus ride there, fourteen-year old girls drinking and partying (where’s the supervision and how did they get alcohol?), and then the bus ride back to school. You see what I mean–simple, basic things that could’ve been added but instead the author time skipped wayyy too many times. I was also very confused with the last chapter and epilogue. Apparently Poppy and Levi had been dating for 6 months, and then the epilogue, which was from her best friend’s perspective, mentioned it only being a month into the new school year but Levi and Poppy were all happy-sappy, lovey-dovey? Am I dumb for not understanding, or does it not make sense to other people as well? I read to escape reality, but I don’t like when books make things so unrealistic or rushed that I can’t enjoy it.
Anyways, I’m so sorry for the rant, but everything kind of pissed me off and I needed to get my thoughts out. No hate to the author whatsoever, all of this is just my opinion and how I felt reading. I’m sure many other readers will adore this, but Finding Her just wasn’t for me.
꒰ 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: ꒱
Did this girl ever stop smiling?
“Nobody has sworn off dating completely. They’re just waiting for the right person to come along.”
“For what it’s worth, I’ll never forget you.”
What a privilege it would be to have someone in my life who could understand me so well.
If he left me right now, I would break.
“I’ve had to say goodbye to hundreds of friends in my life and not one of them has ever held a place in my mind like you. If we say goodbye… I won’t just be losing you, I’ll be losing half of my heart too.”
━━━
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝: 17/4/2026
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 19/4/2026
-𝓖
April 9, 2026
I actually did not expect this to be this good! I was thinking a 4 star read—maybe even 3, but I actually cannot stop thinking about this—and stayed up to 1am just to see how it ended!
Characters!
Bear= ughahahahahhahahahyeyysyahahahh. This man bro 😭 At first I didn’t like him, but then *melts*. Oh and I thought his real name was Bear and at first it threw me off.
Poppy= at first I didn’t really care for her either—mostly because she was really cringy (I mean it’s the Grumpy x Sunshine trope what do you expect?) but I ended up loving her!
Lilah=I thought I was going to love her-especially since she has the same name as me just spelled different—but, i didn’t care too much for her, she was funny tho!
Saylor= love her so much!
Claire= *vomits* GET OUT IF HERE YOU STUPID PICK ME
Mia: GET OUT OF YOUR SISTERS BUSINESS LIL KID!
*❌SPOILERS AHEAD! PLEASE SKIP DOWN TO THE REST OF THE SPOILER FREE REVIEW!❌*
Oh my goodness when Claire showed the picture to bear 😫 I was freaking out! I was scared the Author was going to make it a slow burn and just make me be in pain for like, 50 pages—but luckily she didn’t, Poppy apologized and all is well.
✅SPOILERS DONE!✅
Age rating: Mature 11+. Only a few cases of the D word and H word towards the end and romance was just kisses.
Overall, this was an amazing quick, fun, cute read and I’m excited to continue reading the rest of the series!
Characters!
Bear= ughahahahahhahahahyeyysyahahahh. This man bro 😭 At first I didn’t like him, but then *melts*. Oh and I thought his real name was Bear and at first it threw me off.
Poppy= at first I didn’t really care for her either—mostly because she was really cringy (I mean it’s the Grumpy x Sunshine trope what do you expect?) but I ended up loving her!
Lilah=I thought I was going to love her-especially since she has the same name as me just spelled different—but, i didn’t care too much for her, she was funny tho!
Saylor= love her so much!
Claire= *vomits* GET OUT IF HERE YOU STUPID PICK ME
Mia: GET OUT OF YOUR SISTERS BUSINESS LIL KID!
*❌SPOILERS AHEAD! PLEASE SKIP DOWN TO THE REST OF THE SPOILER FREE REVIEW!❌*
Oh my goodness when Claire showed the picture to bear 😫 I was freaking out! I was scared the Author was going to make it a slow burn and just make me be in pain for like, 50 pages—but luckily she didn’t, Poppy apologized and all is well.
✅SPOILERS DONE!✅
Age rating: Mature 11+. Only a few cases of the D word and H word towards the end and romance was just kisses.
Overall, this was an amazing quick, fun, cute read and I’m excited to continue reading the rest of the series!
February 3, 2025
Book: Finding Her
Author: Clara Nielsen
ARC Review: ⭐⭐⭐.75
Spice: N/A
Tropes:
- Grumpy × Sunshine
- Boarding School
- Hockey Romance
- Hates everyone but Her
- Young Adult
- Rom-com
Finding Her is a story of two teenagers, Poppy Wade who has been changing schools throughout her life and grumpy Levi "Bear" Barrett who is focused on nothing but Hockey.
When Poppy has to take freshman gym class to make up for the lost credit in GPA, she meets a grumpy cute senior in her gym class who also happens to be a hockey player at school team. Did I tell you he also wants nothing to do with her let alone any girl????
Poppy is determined to make Levi open to her, courtesy of her best friend who not only bets but also announces to the whole school that she's gonna date Levi.
What started as a bet for Poppy and Levi to make her hate him just so he could escape the freshman gym class ends up with them falling in love for each other.
Poppy is everything Levi did not want in a girl, sunshine, talkative, too much happy and always smiling. While Levi seems grumpy he sure has a overprotective bear energy when it comes to Poppy.
The book is fairly clean with little to no spice but that doesn't mean it doesn't have the slow burn. It's cute to them fall in love with each other despite claiming there's nothing between them. Apart from rom-com, the book also touches the topics of controlling parent and separation.
So if you love a cute, relaxing, fun romcom with a touch of coming of age topics, pick this book!
Author: Clara Nielsen
ARC Review: ⭐⭐⭐.75
Spice: N/A
Tropes:
- Grumpy × Sunshine
- Boarding School
- Hockey Romance
- Hates everyone but Her
- Young Adult
- Rom-com
Finding Her is a story of two teenagers, Poppy Wade who has been changing schools throughout her life and grumpy Levi "Bear" Barrett who is focused on nothing but Hockey.
When Poppy has to take freshman gym class to make up for the lost credit in GPA, she meets a grumpy cute senior in her gym class who also happens to be a hockey player at school team. Did I tell you he also wants nothing to do with her let alone any girl????
Poppy is determined to make Levi open to her, courtesy of her best friend who not only bets but also announces to the whole school that she's gonna date Levi.
What started as a bet for Poppy and Levi to make her hate him just so he could escape the freshman gym class ends up with them falling in love for each other.
Poppy is everything Levi did not want in a girl, sunshine, talkative, too much happy and always smiling. While Levi seems grumpy he sure has a overprotective bear energy when it comes to Poppy.
The book is fairly clean with little to no spice but that doesn't mean it doesn't have the slow burn. It's cute to them fall in love with each other despite claiming there's nothing between them. Apart from rom-com, the book also touches the topics of controlling parent and separation.
So if you love a cute, relaxing, fun romcom with a touch of coming of age topics, pick this book!
January 30, 2025
4 🌟
Before I begin I want to thank the author, Clara Nielsen , for giving me this ARC.
"A bear for bear, and yellow for the sunshine girl."
This is my first time reading one of Clara Nielsen's books but I'll definitely will be reading more (next one will be Ivy's book "Heartthrobs don't date Wallflowers"). This was a fast and fun read, a cute little pallet cleanser. I had fun reading this. I really liked that they didn't immediately get together and that there was some build up. The KitKat, the scrunchie, and the teddy bear scene were definitely my favorite.
Before I begin I want to thank the author, Clara Nielsen , for giving me this ARC.
"A bear for bear, and yellow for the sunshine girl."
This is my first time reading one of Clara Nielsen's books but I'll definitely will be reading more (next one will be Ivy's book "Heartthrobs don't date Wallflowers"). This was a fast and fun read, a cute little pallet cleanser. I had fun reading this. I really liked that they didn't immediately get together and that there was some build up. The KitKat, the scrunchie, and the teddy bear scene were definitely my favorite.
April 17, 2025
Cute lowkey don't remember what happened only read it bc it was on kindle unlimited and a hockey romance
Also poppy annoyed me
More in depth review to come but I've been staying off gr until I finished fearless 😭
Also poppy annoyed me
More in depth review to come but I've been staying off gr until I finished fearless 😭
March 18, 2025
rating: 3.4✨
January 13, 2026
it felt really rushed, which is the case in a lot of these types of romances, but otherwise it would've been five stars.
April 11, 2026
3.75 ⭐️s
January 12, 2026
A fun cute romance book to keep me happy nothing special!
July 1, 2025
There's a kernel of a good story here, but I kept wishing the author had a strong editor. The h was all over the place. She apparently talks nonstop, to an annoying degree, in her first few encounters with the H, but then not really ever again and not with her friends, and this is never acknowledged, not even as a nervous thing? She gets out of breath trying to keep up with her roommate on a fast walk and says she lies in bed and eats chips as her athletic activity, but then she's able to keep up - while smiling! - with the brutally fast running pace set by a hockey player who skates constantly? (Has the author ever skated as fast and as long as hockey players do in a game? It's exhausting.) Also, she's a doormat who lets some girl she just met railroad her into becoming roommates (WTH?), buy clothes she doesn't want to war, and publicly agree to a bet to date the H, even while bemoaning that this isn't what she wants, blah blah.
In spite of all this, I found both characters likeable. They just didn't quite make sense.
In spite of all this, I found both characters likeable. They just didn't quite make sense.
February 17, 2025
This had a promising premise set in a boarding school with this hockey player who ends up put in an all girl gym class and how he tries to get out of it. Sounds like a fun story with these teens getting into shenanigans. However I was expecting YA level writing. This was not that. This read like a middle grade novel about kids in a middle school talking about how girls are gross and clingy and a girl who isn't like other girls because she is just herself and she is always happy go lucky. The third act kind of break up was so laughably clingy I almost just completely skipped it. There was so much repetitive writing in this that it needs really throughout editing. However it did keep me reading so the author has a good voice I was just hoping for something a little different. Probably better for a middle school audience with more revision.
February 14, 2025
I know this review is extremely late but I can't help it! Time really got in the way of me.
Anyhow, Poppy's story was both what I had hoped for and more. There was drama, there was humor, and there was Bear.
Levi Frickin Barrett.
I've never loved a POV more than i loved reading his. Clara shaped Bear in such a lovable way to where I could see he's a teenager. I feel like this is something people neglect when reading YA. The characters are literally UNDER 18!
Anyway, I love the characters too and I can't wait for book 2 in the Hartwell Academy series!
Anyhow, Poppy's story was both what I had hoped for and more. There was drama, there was humor, and there was Bear.
Levi Frickin Barrett.
I've never loved a POV more than i loved reading his. Clara shaped Bear in such a lovable way to where I could see he's a teenager. I feel like this is something people neglect when reading YA. The characters are literally UNDER 18!
Anyway, I love the characters too and I can't wait for book 2 in the Hartwell Academy series!
September 22, 2025
4,2/5⭐️
April 17, 2026
Easiest five star ever but I actually love this book I cannot😭 I’m usually very strict with my ratings but this was just so cute and well written and sooo easy to fly through. So yeah… FIVE STARS EVERYBODY⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I LOVED LEVI omggg. He’s so grumpy and so cute and AHHHHHH. And Poppy may just be my spirit animal. Because whatever internal dialogue she had I was just like “Ya know what, same.” She’s so funny and cute and I honestly don’t think I’ll be able to forget her.
THIS is how you write a grumpy x sunshine. (My first book ever with that trope btw hehehehe)
Anyway. If you’re looking for a cutesy, quick read. With LOTS of giggles and one moment where I physically wanted to kill Claire…THIS is the book y’all.
BEAR AND POPPY ENDGAME👹
I LOVED LEVI omggg. He’s so grumpy and so cute and AHHHHHH. And Poppy may just be my spirit animal. Because whatever internal dialogue she had I was just like “Ya know what, same.” She’s so funny and cute and I honestly don’t think I’ll be able to forget her.
THIS is how you write a grumpy x sunshine. (My first book ever with that trope btw hehehehe)
Anyway. If you’re looking for a cutesy, quick read. With LOTS of giggles and one moment where I physically wanted to kill Claire…THIS is the book y’all.
BEAR AND POPPY ENDGAME👹
February 26, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
this was really cute! very short and not much plot but cute! it was also kinda like they flipped and switch and suddenly liked each other, which was kinda weird, but oh well 🤷♀️ i still enjoyed it!
this was really cute! very short and not much plot but cute! it was also kinda like they flipped and switch and suddenly liked each other, which was kinda weird, but oh well 🤷♀️ i still enjoyed it!
March 16, 2026
not another one… 😭😭 i’m sooo fed up with myself i can’t even. this was fine, high school melodramatics and surface level very basic plot. his mom’s dead but this is never addressed? her sister has a famous bf for no reason? okay whatever pack it up go back to studying 🤦🏻♀️ (me to myself)
December 23, 2025
Holy crap that was amazing
March 1, 2026
3.8 but im rounding it up.
i should stop saying its bad because it keeps getting better in the end.
I just really hated the characters and that stupid nickname bear but it got better i guess.
i should stop saying its bad because it keeps getting better in the end.
I just really hated the characters and that stupid nickname bear but it got better i guess.
March 1, 2026
I felt as though this book needed something more, because the plot was just urgh. I needed that bit in the book for something to make the book real. Although, I did like it and I’d probably read it again, so, more to come xx…
March 6, 2025
"Finding Her" by Clara Nielsen is a fun addition to the Hartwell Series, giving readers a lovely and wholesome young adult romance. The story follows Levi Barrett, a grumpy yet fascinating hockey player, and his unexpected bond with his new class partner. What starts off as a playful bet from their friends turns into a heartfelt journey of self-discovery and real emotions.
The book does a great job capturing the ups and downs of high school life, mixing in humor, awkward moments, and sweet feelings. The author's writing stands out as she shows how the characters' relationship develops, making it relatable and super cute. The "grumpy/sunshine" dynamic is really well done, and the boarding school vibes add a nice cozy touch to the whole story.
In "Finding Her," the relationship between Levi Barrett and his class partner kicks off with some fun tension and playful teasing. Levi, with his grumpy and reserved nature, stands in stark contrast to his partner's cheerful and outgoing vibe. At first, their connection feels pretty superficial, fueled by curiosity and a bit of friendly competition.
As the story goes on, we get to see more layers of their personalities. Levi starts to drop his defenses, revealing a more vulnerable and softer side. Through shared experiences, challenges, and heartfelt talks, their bond slowly transforms into one of trust and understanding. What began as a casual friendship evolves into a meaningful romantic connection, built on genuine care and emotional growth.
If you love lighthearted romances with a bit of depth, "Finding Her" is definitely a must-read. Clara Nielsen beautifully captures this gradual change, making it feel both realistic and heartwarming. The way Levi and Poppy's relationship develops emphasizes themes of personal growth, acceptance, and the magic of unexpected connections. It’s a delightful journey that readers will definitely root for!
The book does a great job capturing the ups and downs of high school life, mixing in humor, awkward moments, and sweet feelings. The author's writing stands out as she shows how the characters' relationship develops, making it relatable and super cute. The "grumpy/sunshine" dynamic is really well done, and the boarding school vibes add a nice cozy touch to the whole story.
In "Finding Her," the relationship between Levi Barrett and his class partner kicks off with some fun tension and playful teasing. Levi, with his grumpy and reserved nature, stands in stark contrast to his partner's cheerful and outgoing vibe. At first, their connection feels pretty superficial, fueled by curiosity and a bit of friendly competition.
As the story goes on, we get to see more layers of their personalities. Levi starts to drop his defenses, revealing a more vulnerable and softer side. Through shared experiences, challenges, and heartfelt talks, their bond slowly transforms into one of trust and understanding. What began as a casual friendship evolves into a meaningful romantic connection, built on genuine care and emotional growth.
If you love lighthearted romances with a bit of depth, "Finding Her" is definitely a must-read. Clara Nielsen beautifully captures this gradual change, making it feel both realistic and heartwarming. The way Levi and Poppy's relationship develops emphasizes themes of personal growth, acceptance, and the magic of unexpected connections. It’s a delightful journey that readers will definitely root for!
June 20, 2025
2.5 🌟 Easily the best Clara Nielsen book I’ve read.
Both lead characters were very likeable and I was enjoying watching their friendship develop.
There wasn’t really any romance / attraction though, so even though I knew it was coming, it felt out of place.
The conflict was stupid as was the hockey drama with his dad which felt tacked on to hit a trope, and a lot of what happened was extremely unrealistic (single older boy forced on a female gym class camping trip).
I’m not sure I could recommend it when there are better books out there, but if you’re new to Clara’s books, start here, just brace yourself for typos since she doesn’t bother with an editor.
Both lead characters were very likeable and I was enjoying watching their friendship develop.
There wasn’t really any romance / attraction though, so even though I knew it was coming, it felt out of place.
The conflict was stupid as was the hockey drama with his dad which felt tacked on to hit a trope, and a lot of what happened was extremely unrealistic (single older boy forced on a female gym class camping trip).
I’m not sure I could recommend it when there are better books out there, but if you’re new to Clara’s books, start here, just brace yourself for typos since she doesn’t bother with an editor.
January 30, 2025
Reading this book felt like watching a classic high school romcom. While it was sometimes cringey or overly dramatic, that only added to its authenticity—it truly captured the kinds of problems that feel monumental to sixteen-year-olds. Overall, it was a lighthearted and easy read. Despite some pacing issues and grammatical mistakes, I still enjoyed it and would recommend for tweens/teens.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 20, 2025
This is a sweet, funny, cute, loving, and entertaining YA read. Poppy is adorable and Bear was broody, but in a loving way. Just like any young adult relationship, this has high school drama, family issues, and a happily ever after. I would definitely read other books from this author after reading this one. Loved the story all around.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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May 12, 2025
Just a light-hearted romance read. I don’t usually read high school romance books so some parts were undeniably cringe but they made me laugh anyways.
It’s a good pasttime breather from serious books or books with heavy topics.
It’s a good pasttime breather from serious books or books with heavy topics.
January 31, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Was a really cute and easy to read romance!
Thank you to the author for the arc 🥹🤍
𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
📚𝖦𝗋𝗎𝗆𝗉𝗒 𝖷 𝖲𝗎𝗇𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝖾
🏒𝖸𝖠 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾
📚𝖡𝗈𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖲𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗈𝗅
🏒𝖧𝗈𝖼𝗄𝖾𝗒 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾
Was a really cute and easy to read romance!
Thank you to the author for the arc 🥹🤍
𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
📚𝖦𝗋𝗎𝗆𝗉𝗒 𝖷 𝖲𝗎𝗇𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝖾
🏒𝖸𝖠 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾
📚𝖡𝗈𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖲𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗈𝗅
🏒𝖧𝗈𝖼𝗄𝖾𝗒 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾
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