Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still couldn’t put this down!
[REVIEW]
*Trigger/content warnings in this book for anxiety and panic attacks*
I was worried On Tour would suffer from second-book syndrome, but I was pleasantly surprised! The first book, Girl Online, was a mostly light and fluffy read with some cheesy lines, but still enjoyable. While On Tour still had many happy and light moments, the book also focuses on other things like anxiety, first love, and following your heart. I definitely enjoyed this more than the first book!
CRITIQUES:
•Megan becoming friends with Penny again was a little random. Like, one moment, Megan was acting all full of herself and hating Penny, and then ten pages later she apologized. And sure, Penny doesn’t get on board with being friends IMMEDIATELY, but they start getting along a lot faster than I expected. I was practically waiting for Megan to backstab Penny in some way.
•How many parents would be so easygoing with their kid going to Europe with their kid’s boyfriend of less than a year? Not many. I get that there wouldn’t be much of story without Penny going, but I still found it hard to believe that her parents would allow her to go, especially when Penny had a panic attack during Noah’s first concert.
•Blake. THIS GUY GOT ON MY NERVES. That wasn’t what I was confused or upset about, though. I was just surprised Blake apologized SO QUICKLY for trying to sabotage Penny and Noah’s relationship near the end of the book. It would’ve been more sense if he hadn’t felt remorse, OR something happened to make him feel bad, OR if Noah had caught him in his lie. That whole situation felt too rushed (although I do think Noah and Penny not forgiving him immediately was realistic).
WHAT I LIKED:
•Sometimes in stories, the protagonist(s) will say they have a certain hobby, but rarely talk about it or do it, whether that be painting, dancing, running, etc. Penny, however, talked and used photography constantly throughout the story. AND it even carried some of the plot points. I could tell how much photography meant to her, and I loved that she went from being hesitant about it, to embracing it as something she might do more of in the future.
•Eliot and Penny. These two are THE BEST. I loved their banter, and how they supported each other as best friends. Everyone deserves a friendship like theirs.
•In the first book, I remember not liking that Noah and Penny’s relationship originated from insta-love. The only time I like insta-love is if it shows the consequences of it—and that’s exactly what On Tour did. Even though Noah and Penny’s relationship was all rainbows and butterflies in the beginning, seeing how Noah’s climb to fame was affecting him and Penny (as a couple AND as individuals) added reality to the situation. From Penny’s struggle to keep smiling, to her constantly saying “It’s fine”, to her frustrations with the fact that they weren’t getting time together in Europe...her reactions were pretty spot-on to me. Penny and Noah should’ve been touring the sites and being together, but Noah’s fame kept getting in the way. This type of conflict brought a deeper element to the story that wasn’t seen in the first book.
•Penny’s reaction of the breakup was felt very realistic. She was constantly checking her phone, feeling numb to everything except sadness, and couldn’t find her usual motivation and thrill to do photography. I know it might look like she’s being whiny and overdramatic, BUT I GET IT. You need to understand that people deal with breakups differently. Some may wallow and sit with their feelings instead of moving on quickly. That doesn’t mean they are weak and whiny, though. Sometimes, people around us say we need to snap out of it, and that the relationship wasn’t worth it in the first place. More people need to realize that the loss of a relationship can be just as difficult as losing a loved one to death. Both situations can bring up the five stages of grief, and were all go through grief differently. Therefore, I don’t think Penny was being overdramatic. She had every right to feel the way she did.
•THAT PLOT TWIST. I thought for sure it was going to be Blake, but it ended up being DEAN?!?! The villain monologue was a tad bit cliche, and Noah overhearing it was VERY convenient. But I was still surprised about the reveal! I would’ve liked to see how it affected Noah’s career a little while after the reveal, but props to Sugg for surprising me like that!
•THAT LAST SCENE WITH ALEX AND ELIOT MELTED MY HEART!!! That whole dance and party was so sweet of Alex, and I’m so happy for him and Eliot! I love them so much!!!
•The last scene gave me La La Land vibes. The couple in both movies have dreams they wish to fulfill, and are also in love with each other. However, if they let their relationship get in the way, they’ll never reach their dreams. Unlike La La Land, though, I don’t think the the Penny and Noah breaking up will be permanent.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Was the story cliche and predictable at times? Absolutely. But in the end, I thought this book was cute, easy, and consisted some raw and real moments! I’m looking forward to reading the last book, and hope everything works out for all of the characters!