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The Boyfriend Bracket
Putting a new spin on a classic trope, Kate Evangelista explores family bonds, changing relationships, and senior year as our heroine tries to get over her brother’s best friend in this young adult novel.
The only way to get over a hopeless crush is to find someone new. . . The Boyfriend Bracket!
Stella has had a hopeless crush on Will, her older brother's best friend FOREVER, but now that Cam and Will have graduated and are going off to college, this year is her chance to really strike out on her own. Without her overprotective brother and his sidekick around to distract her, she can focus on having all the typical high school experiences that she's always dreamed of―starting with finding a boyfriend! With the help of her best friend, Franklin, she comes up with the perfect plan to have a boyfriend by The Boyfriend Bracket.
Or it seems like the perfect plan . . . right up until Will starts showing up again. How is she supposed to find the perfect boyfriend when none of her dates measure up to the one boy she can never have?
Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan’s young adult imprint Swoon Reads, The Boyfriend Bracket puts a new spin on a classic genre in a fun, unforgettable way.
Praise for The Boyfriend Bracke
"I loved this book. . . a fabulous first love drama between a young fashion designer and her comic-book-creating childhood crush." ― NPR
The only way to get over a hopeless crush is to find someone new. . . The Boyfriend Bracket!
Stella has had a hopeless crush on Will, her older brother's best friend FOREVER, but now that Cam and Will have graduated and are going off to college, this year is her chance to really strike out on her own. Without her overprotective brother and his sidekick around to distract her, she can focus on having all the typical high school experiences that she's always dreamed of―starting with finding a boyfriend! With the help of her best friend, Franklin, she comes up with the perfect plan to have a boyfriend by The Boyfriend Bracket.
Or it seems like the perfect plan . . . right up until Will starts showing up again. How is she supposed to find the perfect boyfriend when none of her dates measure up to the one boy she can never have?
Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan’s young adult imprint Swoon Reads, The Boyfriend Bracket puts a new spin on a classic genre in a fun, unforgettable way.
Praise for The Boyfriend Bracke
"I loved this book. . . a fabulous first love drama between a young fashion designer and her comic-book-creating childhood crush." ― NPR
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 19, 2018
38 people are currently reading
1988 people want to read
About the author
Kate Evangelista
15 books876 followersKate Evangelista is a young adult writer, creative writing teacher, and a mother to six rambunctious cats. Born in the Philippines, she attended college in De La Salle University – Manila and holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Literature and a Master’s in Creative Writing. She got her start publishing with small presses like the now defunct Crescent Moon Press until she moved on to medium presses like Entangled Teen and eventually being selected as part of Swoon Reads’ third season of authors. Her debut novel, TASTE, even became an Amazon bestseller. Her latest novel, THE BOYFRIEND BRACKET (Swoon Reads, 2018), was well received by NPR and is now in the running for a movie adaptation with the A&E Network.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
July 4, 2018
Cute, charming, and sweetly romantic!
The Boyfriend Bracket is an engaging, heartwarming tale that takes us into the life of Stella, a young, Filipino senior who is determined that with the help of her best friend Franklin this is the year she will get over her longtime crush on her brother's best friend, Will and find herself the perfect boyfriend.
The writing is witty and light. The characters are diverse, supportive, loyal, and endearing. And the plot told from differing perspectives is a unique, uplifting, coming-of-age tale about overprotective brothers, teenage struggles, dreams, goals, Filipino culture and traditions, first love, and the power of friendship.
Overall, The Boyfriend Bracket is an entertaining, easy, enjoyable read and even though I would have liked the romance to be a little more gradual, the amusing characters, heartfelt moments, and happy-ever-after ending still left me completely satisfied.
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Kate Evangelista for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
The Boyfriend Bracket is an engaging, heartwarming tale that takes us into the life of Stella, a young, Filipino senior who is determined that with the help of her best friend Franklin this is the year she will get over her longtime crush on her brother's best friend, Will and find herself the perfect boyfriend.
The writing is witty and light. The characters are diverse, supportive, loyal, and endearing. And the plot told from differing perspectives is a unique, uplifting, coming-of-age tale about overprotective brothers, teenage struggles, dreams, goals, Filipino culture and traditions, first love, and the power of friendship.
Overall, The Boyfriend Bracket is an entertaining, easy, enjoyable read and even though I would have liked the romance to be a little more gradual, the amusing characters, heartfelt moments, and happy-ever-after ending still left me completely satisfied.
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Kate Evangelista for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
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May 9, 2020I've been really working through my romcom mood, and I was definitely looking forward to this being a fluffy, fun, lighthearted, cliché read. And in some ways, this lived up to the expectations, but in others, this really did not cut it.
I guess my biggest peeve is that the whole cutesy premise of a "Boyfriend Bracket" was basically abandoned by something like the 30% mark. The book is titled The Boyfriend Bracket and that's supposedly the big, overarching premise, but instead of fun shenanigans with brackets should probably not exist in writing, it was 30% of brackets and 70% Stella and Will having a blast and making out and fearing Stella's brother Cam's reaction.
This shouldn't be really called "The Boyfriend Bracket," it should be called "My Brother's Best Friend," because that's what this book is really about. And once we move past that, things aren't terrible.
I mean, there's a huge positive that there's a bunch of diversity--we get Filipino rep in Stella which is awesome & something we need more of--but I also felt like the rep of her gay best friend felt like too much of a stereotype. He was a fashion-loving gay best friend, and it just sounds so stereotypical and I wanted more to his character than him being a better fashion designer than Stella. Plus for racial diversity (he's also Asian), but meh for LGBTQ+ rep.
Also, I just felt like overall, despite it being a light and easy read, it ended up being too cliché with the focus being so much on her brother's best friend. There's a difference between overused cliché (brother's best friend) and quirky, fun premise (boyfriend bracket), and this ultimately is what killed my feelings for the book.
Overall, I didn't end up being super into this, but it was a light and fun read and something that I would definitely suggest to anyone who loves the brother's best friend romance trope!
I guess my biggest peeve is that the whole cutesy premise of a "Boyfriend Bracket" was basically abandoned by something like the 30% mark. The book is titled The Boyfriend Bracket and that's supposedly the big, overarching premise, but instead of fun shenanigans with brackets should probably not exist in writing, it was 30% of brackets and 70% Stella and Will having a blast and making out and fearing Stella's brother Cam's reaction.
This shouldn't be really called "The Boyfriend Bracket," it should be called "My Brother's Best Friend," because that's what this book is really about. And once we move past that, things aren't terrible.
I mean, there's a huge positive that there's a bunch of diversity--we get Filipino rep in Stella which is awesome & something we need more of--but I also felt like the rep of her gay best friend felt like too much of a stereotype. He was a fashion-loving gay best friend, and it just sounds so stereotypical and I wanted more to his character than him being a better fashion designer than Stella. Plus for racial diversity (he's also Asian), but meh for LGBTQ+ rep.
Also, I just felt like overall, despite it being a light and easy read, it ended up being too cliché with the focus being so much on her brother's best friend. There's a difference between overused cliché (brother's best friend) and quirky, fun premise (boyfriend bracket), and this ultimately is what killed my feelings for the book.
Overall, I didn't end up being super into this, but it was a light and fun read and something that I would definitely suggest to anyone who loves the brother's best friend romance trope!
December 26, 2022
— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Boyfriend Bracket
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Kate Evangelista
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: YA Romance
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 19th June 2018
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4/5
I genuinely enjoyed this much more than I thought I would! The Boyfriend Bracket provoked just as many cheesy grins as it did eye rolls.
It's full to brimming with the typical teen angst but I still found it easy to read, I could have easily finished it in one sitting. It was the sort of read that would stop me from falling into a deep slump after a particularly long or heavy read.
The main character was also a lot more fierce than I thought she would be. From what I remember of ya romance back in my teenagerhood, the female MC would always be completely besotted, downright soppy and incredibly focused on the male. Whereas Stella was more than happy to work on herself - William Montgomery was just an added bonus.
I also loved reading about Stella's fashion creations, it was beautifully creative and inspirational, and it was nice that Kate Evangelista didn't let her main character's life revolve around a man.
Unfortunately, I had one massive gripe. And I mean massive. So the story circles around the developing romance between Stella and her brother's best friend, Will. Will has a particular nickname for Stella that becomes an endearment after their relationship buds. The nickname is...
"Slappy."
Now, maybe it's just me, but if somebody called me Slappy, that's exactly the direction the conversation would be headed for - a slap. I just cannot see it as a sentimental term, it's a word that seems a little contemptuous to me and it's causing my semantics alarm bell to ring. It's not even given any context in the novel, it's just instigated and carried on. Of all the endearments in all the world to choose from... baby, babes, cupcake, sunshine, sweetheart, darling and the author settles on slappy. Puh.
🧚🏻♀️
♡ my bookstagram • my twitter ♡
↑ follow my socials for more bookish content. ↑
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Boyfriend Bracket
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Kate Evangelista
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: YA Romance
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 19th June 2018
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4/5
I genuinely enjoyed this much more than I thought I would! The Boyfriend Bracket provoked just as many cheesy grins as it did eye rolls.
It's full to brimming with the typical teen angst but I still found it easy to read, I could have easily finished it in one sitting. It was the sort of read that would stop me from falling into a deep slump after a particularly long or heavy read.
The main character was also a lot more fierce than I thought she would be. From what I remember of ya romance back in my teenagerhood, the female MC would always be completely besotted, downright soppy and incredibly focused on the male. Whereas Stella was more than happy to work on herself - William Montgomery was just an added bonus.
“‘You deserve someone who can give you the world.’You do you, girl!
Stella sat up and looked down at Will, her expression matching the seriousness of their conversation. 'For your information, I don’t need a guy to give me the world. I can get everything I want myself.’”
I also loved reading about Stella's fashion creations, it was beautifully creative and inspirational, and it was nice that Kate Evangelista didn't let her main character's life revolve around a man.
Unfortunately, I had one massive gripe. And I mean massive. So the story circles around the developing romance between Stella and her brother's best friend, Will. Will has a particular nickname for Stella that becomes an endearment after their relationship buds. The nickname is...
"Slappy."
Now, maybe it's just me, but if somebody called me Slappy, that's exactly the direction the conversation would be headed for - a slap. I just cannot see it as a sentimental term, it's a word that seems a little contemptuous to me and it's causing my semantics alarm bell to ring. It's not even given any context in the novel, it's just instigated and carried on. Of all the endearments in all the world to choose from... baby, babes, cupcake, sunshine, sweetheart, darling and the author settles on slappy. Puh.
🧚🏻♀️
♡ my bookstagram • my twitter ♡
↑ follow my socials for more bookish content. ↑
August 21, 2018
Three and half stars,,
This book is unique not in its idea but it left everything expected.It had the well known tropes but acted differently to them.
The characters were so nice. I liked Franklin from the beginning. His glitering options were wonderful =D.I loved the rating system of the guys,too 😂. I liked how strong Stella was.Will and his grandmother , they melted my heart ❤.. I really loved how Will was concerned about Stella and Cam 's relationship.I loved Cam actually. I could understand him and he was so kind toward the ending. Actually,I needed more parts where Cam and Will was talking.
I needed more of Stella's mom,too. I liked the mentioning of her culture.
JUST COMICS & FASHION ♥♥
This book is unique not in its idea but it left everything expected.It had the well known tropes but acted differently to them.
The characters were so nice. I liked Franklin from the beginning. His glitering options were wonderful =D.I loved the rating system of the guys,too 😂. I liked how strong Stella was.Will and his grandmother , they melted my heart ❤.. I really loved how Will was concerned about Stella and Cam 's relationship.I loved Cam actually. I could understand him and he was so kind toward the ending. Actually,I needed more parts where Cam and Will was talking.
I needed more of Stella's mom,too. I liked the mentioning of her culture.
JUST COMICS & FASHION ♥♥
May 2, 2018
HELL YES BROTHER'S BEST FRIEND TROPE!!! Also Filipino MC!!! Fashion and comics!!!
May 24, 2018
This is a cute contemporary about a girl who just wanted to have a boyfriend but her overprotective big brother made it difficult for her to do so. When her brother finally graduated from high school, the main character, Stella finally felt free. Stella along with her best friend used the boyfriend bracket as a method to find Stella the perfect boyfriend. While the premise of the story sounded interesting, I'm afraid the story sets up a relationship between Stella with her long-time crush and it wasn't subtle. The interesting part about this book was the change of perspective between Stella and Will. I didn't have to think to know that Will plays an important role in this book and what his role meant for the boyfriend bracket system. I just wished the development of their relationship had not been rushed. I wanted a slow burning romance but it didn't feel that way for me. Then again, it depends on the reader's interpretation.
I'd give an extra star for the description of the overprotective brother because it tends to be a common trope I rarely see in YA novels nowadays. However, I noticed this trope many times in multiple Filipino tv shows while growing up. Reading about a character that embodies the characteristics of a long-forgotten (in my opinion) trope was an interesting experience. I didn't think the 'overprotective brother' trope was overly done and I thought it was the only trope I can stand in this novel besides the "brother's best friend trope." And like other YA novels, this book had many clichés like the mean girls trope. Needless to say, this was a cute light-hearted contemporary read meant for entertainment. I'd recommend this book to teens who enjoy reading cute and fluffy contemporary reads.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for approving my request to read this book in exchange for an honest review!
I'd give an extra star for the description of the overprotective brother because it tends to be a common trope I rarely see in YA novels nowadays. However, I noticed this trope many times in multiple Filipino tv shows while growing up. Reading about a character that embodies the characteristics of a long-forgotten (in my opinion) trope was an interesting experience. I didn't think the 'overprotective brother' trope was overly done and I thought it was the only trope I can stand in this novel besides the "brother's best friend trope." And like other YA novels, this book had many clichés like the mean girls trope. Needless to say, this was a cute light-hearted contemporary read meant for entertainment. I'd recommend this book to teens who enjoy reading cute and fluffy contemporary reads.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for approving my request to read this book in exchange for an honest review!
April 16, 2019
Actual rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars
I am a super fan of brother’s best friend trope and probably my favorite trope in YA. You know, when the younger sister has a crush on her brother’s best friend but the brother has a number one rule that she is off-limits to his friends so, the hero fights his feelings out of respect for his best friend. The rest is history and the ending has always been the same.
Okay! that sounds like a negative way to start this review but I promise I didn’t mean it to be that way.
I found the relationship between Cam and Stella very usual but sweet. They may not see eye-to-eye most of the time but I felt how much they care for each other. I completely understand why Cam thought that there’s a need for him to protect his sister from every other guy but being the oldest and only remaining man in the family, Cam felt a deeper sense of responsibility to take care not just his sister but also his mother.
Considering that, the familial bond became one of the strong points of the story. Coming from a typical Filipino family who always find time for special occasions to gather and celebrate, Stella made sure that she visits Will’s Nana every Friday; Sundays are always for her family.
The friendship between both Stella/Franklin and Cam/Will was one of my most favorite highlight in the story. Stella and Franklin have been best friends since grade school. Ever since they met in sewing class and shared the same dreams, they have become inseparable. Their relationship was funny, ideal and like any other friendship, imperfect. They might argue or not talk to each other but at the end of the day, they are always going to be best friends.
And let me just tell how you will going to love to have a Korean best friend like Franklin. He’s vivacious, loyal and the most sensible character you will ever going to read in the story. Because there’s a lot of reference about fashion and Project Runway, I’m sure you’ll all the more love the relationship between him and Stella.
That same goes with Cam and Will. I totally get why Cam thought Will betrayed him. He treated him like his own brother. However, Will broke not only their bro code but also the trust and promise that there’s nothing romantically going to happen between him and Stella. After all, how awkward would it be for Cam to have his best friend and sister together right? But news flash, it’s real and anyone who experienced the same setup could attest to that.
Though I initially felt that the Boyfriend Bracket has something to do for Stella to get Will’s attention, I wish there were more actual scenes and conversations with the guys (yes! I knew the names but only because Stella and Franklin mentioned them) who were in the bracket that could reveal her dating experience or how it turned out, no one from any of them has worked out for her.
Instead, the Boyfriend Bracket became just an ordinary backdrop to the story, which ended up completely forgotten. After all, the title of the book and what went with it—8 boys. 16 dates. 1 perfect boyfriend—was what I expected. There’s also an undercurrent about the issue of bullying done by jealous, annoying mean girls that were merely discussed in the story.
Nonetheless, even how predictable it was, I actually had so much fun and “kilig” reading this besides the romance between Stella and Will or how they support and encourage each other’s dreams—Stella, being a fashion designer and Will being a comic book writer.
The Boyfriend Bracket is a breezy, entertaining read that certainly lives up to the hype of a classic romance trope. It is also a story about family, first love and friendship.
***Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillian Children’s Publishing Group – Swoon Reads, Xpresso Book Tours and Kate Evangelista for providing me an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!
Full Review at Tale Out Loud | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
I am a super fan of brother’s best friend trope and probably my favorite trope in YA. You know, when the younger sister has a crush on her brother’s best friend but the brother has a number one rule that she is off-limits to his friends so, the hero fights his feelings out of respect for his best friend. The rest is history and the ending has always been the same.
Okay! that sounds like a negative way to start this review but I promise I didn’t mean it to be that way.
I found the relationship between Cam and Stella very usual but sweet. They may not see eye-to-eye most of the time but I felt how much they care for each other. I completely understand why Cam thought that there’s a need for him to protect his sister from every other guy but being the oldest and only remaining man in the family, Cam felt a deeper sense of responsibility to take care not just his sister but also his mother.
Considering that, the familial bond became one of the strong points of the story. Coming from a typical Filipino family who always find time for special occasions to gather and celebrate, Stella made sure that she visits Will’s Nana every Friday; Sundays are always for her family.
The friendship between both Stella/Franklin and Cam/Will was one of my most favorite highlight in the story. Stella and Franklin have been best friends since grade school. Ever since they met in sewing class and shared the same dreams, they have become inseparable. Their relationship was funny, ideal and like any other friendship, imperfect. They might argue or not talk to each other but at the end of the day, they are always going to be best friends.
And let me just tell how you will going to love to have a Korean best friend like Franklin. He’s vivacious, loyal and the most sensible character you will ever going to read in the story. Because there’s a lot of reference about fashion and Project Runway, I’m sure you’ll all the more love the relationship between him and Stella.
That same goes with Cam and Will. I totally get why Cam thought Will betrayed him. He treated him like his own brother. However, Will broke not only their bro code but also the trust and promise that there’s nothing romantically going to happen between him and Stella. After all, how awkward would it be for Cam to have his best friend and sister together right? But news flash, it’s real and anyone who experienced the same setup could attest to that.
Though I initially felt that the Boyfriend Bracket has something to do for Stella to get Will’s attention, I wish there were more actual scenes and conversations with the guys (yes! I knew the names but only because Stella and Franklin mentioned them) who were in the bracket that could reveal her dating experience or how it turned out, no one from any of them has worked out for her.
Instead, the Boyfriend Bracket became just an ordinary backdrop to the story, which ended up completely forgotten. After all, the title of the book and what went with it—8 boys. 16 dates. 1 perfect boyfriend—was what I expected. There’s also an undercurrent about the issue of bullying done by jealous, annoying mean girls that were merely discussed in the story.
Nonetheless, even how predictable it was, I actually had so much fun and “kilig” reading this besides the romance between Stella and Will or how they support and encourage each other’s dreams—Stella, being a fashion designer and Will being a comic book writer.
The Boyfriend Bracket is a breezy, entertaining read that certainly lives up to the hype of a classic romance trope. It is also a story about family, first love and friendship.
***Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillian Children’s Publishing Group – Swoon Reads, Xpresso Book Tours and Kate Evangelista for providing me an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!
Full Review at Tale Out Loud | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
March 31, 2018
Intial Impressions 3/31/18: To be 100% honest, I made it about 30% - 35% of the way through and then skimmed the rest of the book because once it hit a certain point, there was no point in reading the rest.
Heads up, because we're gonna have some spoilers here -->
Heads up, because we're gonna have some spoilers here -->
May 21, 2018
2.5 stars
I wish I liked this book more than I did! The Boyfriend Bracket is all the fluff of a marshmallow, but nothing past the sugary-sweetness. The fact that it’s a bit over 200 pages doesn’t help either, giving only glimpses of character and relationship development. Over the course of these pages, Stella goes through almost her whole senior year of high school. It’s a huge time frame that passes by really quickly, making for a hastened pace that makes the glimpses mentioned above even more scarce. Nonetheless, it was an adorable read that romcom lovers should consider picking up!
Thank you Macmillan for the review copy!
I wish I liked this book more than I did! The Boyfriend Bracket is all the fluff of a marshmallow, but nothing past the sugary-sweetness. The fact that it’s a bit over 200 pages doesn’t help either, giving only glimpses of character and relationship development. Over the course of these pages, Stella goes through almost her whole senior year of high school. It’s a huge time frame that passes by really quickly, making for a hastened pace that makes the glimpses mentioned above even more scarce. Nonetheless, it was an adorable read that romcom lovers should consider picking up!
Thank you Macmillan for the review copy!
September 3, 2018
This book was sooooooo boring. What I wanted was a cute fluffy fun read but what I got was the story of a selfish, self centred, arrogant teen and her dull boyfriend who does not have any semblance of a personality.
The title and synopsis of this book make it seem as though this book is in fact about a boyfriend bracket and that the dates Stella goes on would be an integral part of the plot. Instead that part of the story is over in about the first 50 pages and we never even experience her going on the dates. The only thing the reader knows about them is the tiny useless details she tells to her friend.
By far the worse part of the story is the toxic, abusive older brother, Cam. He spends the whole story exhibiting the worst parts of masculinity, ‘protecting’ his sister from dating, threatening people, nearly punching his ‘best’ friend for having feelings for his sister. Although he is mildly scolded for some of these behaviours, in the end he is ultimately forgiven for being a horrible person simply because he we just trying to ‘protect’ Stella and ‘look after’ her in the place of their dad. Wow. What a just ending for one of the most horrible characters I’ve read about in a while.
All in all, if you want to read this book, go ahead. It’s your choice. I personally think it is absolute garbage but to each their own.
The title and synopsis of this book make it seem as though this book is in fact about a boyfriend bracket and that the dates Stella goes on would be an integral part of the plot. Instead that part of the story is over in about the first 50 pages and we never even experience her going on the dates. The only thing the reader knows about them is the tiny useless details she tells to her friend.
By far the worse part of the story is the toxic, abusive older brother, Cam. He spends the whole story exhibiting the worst parts of masculinity, ‘protecting’ his sister from dating, threatening people, nearly punching his ‘best’ friend for having feelings for his sister. Although he is mildly scolded for some of these behaviours, in the end he is ultimately forgiven for being a horrible person simply because he we just trying to ‘protect’ Stella and ‘look after’ her in the place of their dad. Wow. What a just ending for one of the most horrible characters I’ve read about in a while.
All in all, if you want to read this book, go ahead. It’s your choice. I personally think it is absolute garbage but to each their own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2018
I absolutely enjoyed reading this sweet, cute, and very light-hearted contemporary, but full review to come. For now, here's a short blurb:
"Incredibly sweet and cute, fast-paced, and filled with characters that remind me so much of Filipino culture and traditions, Kate Evangelista's The Boyfriend Bracket is a young adult contemporary that I would no doubt recommend to my friends, especially for those who are on the lookout for short, light-hearted, but impactful reads. Kate undoubtedly took my breath away by telling a story that might seem a little too common to others, but was absolutely perfect to me. In less than a couple of pages, I'm sure it'll grip your heart the same way it gripped mine."
Huge thanks to Ms. Kate Evangelista for sending me a review copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. This did not, in any way, affect my overall opinion of the book and/or the story.
"Incredibly sweet and cute, fast-paced, and filled with characters that remind me so much of Filipino culture and traditions, Kate Evangelista's The Boyfriend Bracket is a young adult contemporary that I would no doubt recommend to my friends, especially for those who are on the lookout for short, light-hearted, but impactful reads. Kate undoubtedly took my breath away by telling a story that might seem a little too common to others, but was absolutely perfect to me. In less than a couple of pages, I'm sure it'll grip your heart the same way it gripped mine."
Huge thanks to Ms. Kate Evangelista for sending me a review copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. This did not, in any way, affect my overall opinion of the book and/or the story.
June 4, 2018
(I received a free review copy from Xpresso book tours in exchange for an honest review)
“We don’t always see who we are, it’s only when those closest to us reflect who we are do we understand the truth.”
The boyfriend bracket by Kate Evangelista
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4.5 stars
(Review)
(DISCLAIMER: This review is based on my opinion only.)
Stella has had a crush on her older brother’s best friend, Will, for years. When both her older brother and Will are graduating this year, she can finally break away from her over-protective older brother and really go out to date. With the help of her best friend, Franklin, they create the boyfriend bracket. But Will keeps popping up everywhere as Stella is trying to get over him.
Franklin and Stella’s friendship is so cute and I would love to see more of these types of friendships in books! I also LOVED the asian representation in this book!
This book is really cute and pretty fast paced. It was addictive and I literally could not put it down and didn’t want this book to end. I really liked the ending and felt that Stella had a pretty good character arc.
I really enjoyed The boyfriend bracket as it was raw, realistic and a beautiful story.
“We don’t always see who we are, it’s only when those closest to us reflect who we are do we understand the truth.”
The boyfriend bracket by Kate Evangelista
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4.5 stars
(Review)
(DISCLAIMER: This review is based on my opinion only.)
Stella has had a crush on her older brother’s best friend, Will, for years. When both her older brother and Will are graduating this year, she can finally break away from her over-protective older brother and really go out to date. With the help of her best friend, Franklin, they create the boyfriend bracket. But Will keeps popping up everywhere as Stella is trying to get over him.
Franklin and Stella’s friendship is so cute and I would love to see more of these types of friendships in books! I also LOVED the asian representation in this book!
This book is really cute and pretty fast paced. It was addictive and I literally could not put it down and didn’t want this book to end. I really liked the ending and felt that Stella had a pretty good character arc.
I really enjoyed The boyfriend bracket as it was raw, realistic and a beautiful story.
July 5, 2018
3.5/5 stars
Love the touch of Filipino-American culture. It's totally like what I see in every Filipino-American family vlog on YouTube. It feels very homey for some reasons. :)
Read my full review HERE.
Love the touch of Filipino-American culture. It's totally like what I see in every Filipino-American family vlog on YouTube. It feels very homey for some reasons. :)
Read my full review HERE.
July 27, 2018
the most lovable and flattering read I’ve read of any YA next to Jenny Han’s TTBILB!!!
July 24, 2018
Rating 2.5 stars; DNF at 51%
I wanted to like this book, but it needs some major polishing. It reads like an author debut and I was really surprised to see how many other published works the author has. Still, the characters are so fun, and I love the idea of setting up a tournament style bracket to figure out which boy is most worthy of being Stella's date to the senior dances.
The rough spots come with the transitions between scenes, and how abrupt some of them are. This book reads more like watching a PowerPoint presentation, or maybe a YouTube playlist of clips of various scenes. One clip ends and abruptly you're launched into the next clip, rather than the smooth continuous flow of a full movie. Sometimes it feels like the author wrote a bunch of scenes, and then went back and sort of shuffled them into an order that sort of made sense to tell a story. Which is fine, don't get me wrong, but the next step would be to then go through and do some edits to put in smooth transitions and edit the scenes themselves so they flow together more. It also switches POV between Stella and Will really abruptly in a way that totally threw me off kilter and out of the story. I feel like the editing on this one just didn't get taken through all the steps it should have, and it reads a lot like a first or second draft, rather than a fully polished and edited book. Had this gone through some more thorough editing and rewrites, it would have definitely been a 4 star read for me.
Will and Franklin are by far and away my favorite characters. I went back and forth with Stella, sometimes liking her and sometimes thinking she needs to get over herself. Will's Nana is also really great, and someday I am going to be a cool grandma like Nana is - it's my life's goal! Stella's brother Cam was also really one dimensional for me. I wish there would have been more of a focus on the boyfriend bracket (especially since that's the title of the book…?) but it was kind of tossed to the side pretty quickly and only brought back as a plot device.
The Boyfriend Bracket is super predictable and tropey - you've got your overprotective big brother, the little sister with a crush on her big bro's best friend/guy with a crush on his best friend's little sister, the high school mean girls clique, the gay best friend who is super into glitter - but it's still a fun, quick, light-hearted read. This could be a great summer romance for a day the beach when you want to just disengage your brain and indulge in some cotton candy fluff.
DNF at 51% because I just could NOT take it anymore.
I wanted to like this book, but it needs some major polishing. It reads like an author debut and I was really surprised to see how many other published works the author has. Still, the characters are so fun, and I love the idea of setting up a tournament style bracket to figure out which boy is most worthy of being Stella's date to the senior dances.
The rough spots come with the transitions between scenes, and how abrupt some of them are. This book reads more like watching a PowerPoint presentation, or maybe a YouTube playlist of clips of various scenes. One clip ends and abruptly you're launched into the next clip, rather than the smooth continuous flow of a full movie. Sometimes it feels like the author wrote a bunch of scenes, and then went back and sort of shuffled them into an order that sort of made sense to tell a story. Which is fine, don't get me wrong, but the next step would be to then go through and do some edits to put in smooth transitions and edit the scenes themselves so they flow together more. It also switches POV between Stella and Will really abruptly in a way that totally threw me off kilter and out of the story. I feel like the editing on this one just didn't get taken through all the steps it should have, and it reads a lot like a first or second draft, rather than a fully polished and edited book. Had this gone through some more thorough editing and rewrites, it would have definitely been a 4 star read for me.
Will and Franklin are by far and away my favorite characters. I went back and forth with Stella, sometimes liking her and sometimes thinking she needs to get over herself. Will's Nana is also really great, and someday I am going to be a cool grandma like Nana is - it's my life's goal! Stella's brother Cam was also really one dimensional for me. I wish there would have been more of a focus on the boyfriend bracket (especially since that's the title of the book…?) but it was kind of tossed to the side pretty quickly and only brought back as a plot device.
The Boyfriend Bracket is super predictable and tropey - you've got your overprotective big brother, the little sister with a crush on her big bro's best friend/guy with a crush on his best friend's little sister, the high school mean girls clique, the gay best friend who is super into glitter - but it's still a fun, quick, light-hearted read. This could be a great summer romance for a day the beach when you want to just disengage your brain and indulge in some cotton candy fluff.
DNF at 51% because I just could NOT take it anymore.
August 25, 2020
1.5 stars
Well, that was a trainwreck and a half.
First off, the title is 100% a misnomer. This was giving me vibes of 10 Blind Dates at first, which I read last year and really enjoyed. The Boyfriend Bracket has a similar concept, where the main character Stella has made a list of the most popular guys in school and wants to go on various dates with each of them to see if one will be a good fit to be her boyfriend. However, all of the dates are told and not shown and the reader knows next to nothing about the guys on the list. This project is later abandoned entirely at around the 50% mark as Stella instead starts a secret relationship with her overprotective brother’s best friend Will.
Lackluster Characters
The book is told in dual perspective between Stella and Will. I absolutely hated Stella. She was selfish, self absorbed, and a complete brat. I was proud of Franklin for calling her out on it, but he forgave her like five minutes later. Will did not act like a college guy at all. Nothing he said or did seemed anything like what a college guy would say or do.
Unrealistic Plot
I don’t like books where the character has a makeover and is suddenly a hot girl. It worked in the late ‘90s with She’s All That and that’s about it. In the prologue, she’s awkward, unnoticed, etc, but she gets a haircut and gets her braces off and suddenly she’s Little Miss Popular. Not to mention the stereotypical mean girls are named Lemon, Romaine, and Parsley —what? And everyone calls them the Salad???? Speaking of unrealistic — Will. He’s in college, but manages to skip classes and do no work whatsoever because he’s got a comic book deal???? The depiction of college life weren’t very realistic.
Awkward Dialogue
A lot of the phrasing was weird and there were weird metaphors, like “he was the sun, and she was the sunflower needing his light.”
I really liked the character of Will’s nana, and I liked that both Will and Stella were so close to her. I wish the book had done more with the family aspects because those were interesting.
Well, that was a trainwreck and a half.
First off, the title is 100% a misnomer. This was giving me vibes of 10 Blind Dates at first, which I read last year and really enjoyed. The Boyfriend Bracket has a similar concept, where the main character Stella has made a list of the most popular guys in school and wants to go on various dates with each of them to see if one will be a good fit to be her boyfriend. However, all of the dates are told and not shown and the reader knows next to nothing about the guys on the list. This project is later abandoned entirely at around the 50% mark as Stella instead starts a secret relationship with her overprotective brother’s best friend Will.
Lackluster Characters
The book is told in dual perspective between Stella and Will. I absolutely hated Stella. She was selfish, self absorbed, and a complete brat. I was proud of Franklin for calling her out on it, but he forgave her like five minutes later. Will did not act like a college guy at all. Nothing he said or did seemed anything like what a college guy would say or do.
Unrealistic Plot
I don’t like books where the character has a makeover and is suddenly a hot girl. It worked in the late ‘90s with She’s All That and that’s about it. In the prologue, she’s awkward, unnoticed, etc, but she gets a haircut and gets her braces off and suddenly she’s Little Miss Popular. Not to mention the stereotypical mean girls are named Lemon, Romaine, and Parsley —what? And everyone calls them the Salad???? Speaking of unrealistic — Will. He’s in college, but manages to skip classes and do no work whatsoever because he’s got a comic book deal???? The depiction of college life weren’t very realistic.
Awkward Dialogue
A lot of the phrasing was weird and there were weird metaphors, like “he was the sun, and she was the sunflower needing his light.”
I really liked the character of Will’s nana, and I liked that both Will and Stella were so close to her. I wish the book had done more with the family aspects because those were interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2018
Stella has been head over heels for her brother's best friend Will since she was a kid and as he moves away to college she is hopeful to finally get over him and move on. A makeover and break from her older brother gives Stella the chance to engage in a whole lot of dating with a whole lot of different boys. With the help of her best friend who creates a boyfriend bracket, Stella begins a dating adventure. This adventure comes to a halt when Will catches wind of it and his jealousy flairs up for the girl he has been also secretly in love with since his junior year. Their romance blooms as Will decides to protect Stella from dating strangers. Keeping their new found relationship a secret from her big brother and Will's best friend is a tough situation and it tries the love connection. This was a cute story, had some swoony moments, but I felt like I wanted a little more of the side dating on the boyfriend bracket to really push Will. Overall this was a nice book and I will recommend it to my students. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 24, 2018
This is more of a strong 3.5. A review will be coming soon!
January 29, 2022
2/5⭐️ |
I found the story idea to be interesting: ✅ - I don’t read very much contemporary romance, but the premise seemed cute and fun.
There were few to no instances in which the writing or writing style detracted from my reading experience in a jarring way: ❌ - I’m not sure if the slang and mannerisms used in this book were realistic or not, because I’m not a fashion-obsessed teenager from California, but there were several moments where I couldn’t help but cringe and sigh and roll my eyes.
I found the plot to be well executed (little to no plot holes, appropriate pacing): ❌ - The plot itself wasn’t bad, because I didn’t expect too much depth from this book going in. However, I was under the impression that a Boyfriend Bracket would actually play a substantial role in the story (based off of, well, the title), and I did find that this book strayed from that in favor of an assertive and representation of the I-have-a-massive-crush-on-my-big-brother’s-best friend trope. That in itself is fine, but the way in which this book juggled those two concepts didn’t feel effortless to me. I guess, I don’t get why Stella needed to move on from Will so badly when she hadn’t even been rejected and she was only a high school senior and wasn’t even looking for a serious boyfriend anyway. Furthermore, I don’t see how the bracket itself was necessary to the storyline. I also felt that the stakes of “what if my brother/best friend finds out,” weren’t exactly high enough for me, which detracted from my investment in the plot’s progression.
I found the world building to be immersive and particularly well done: ✅ - The author managed to make me feel like I was in the world of - how did I describe Stella earlier? Ahh - a fashion-obsessed teenager from California. That’s a good thing, so I wanted to give credit there.
I liked the main character and felt personally connected to them: ✅ - I liked Stella and Will. Despite the cringe moments and corniness, they both were pretty likable and honest and earnest and passionate.
I adored the chemistry between the MC and the love interest/other significant characters: ❌ - Stella and Will certainly had cute moments. But what can I say? I didn’t care much. My lack of obsession might have had to do with the fact that the pining and longing didn’t go far beyond the fact that she both had major crushes on one another. But that’s what it all felt like, a crush. I also had an issue with the fact that as their POVs switched in the beginning, I felt a disconnect between the characters that were timid and embarrassed and shy and insecure when they were in their own perspectives, and bold and confident when they were in the other person’s perspective. It seemed that Stella was always staring at Will when we were in her head, but suddenly when we’re in Will’s head, she’s distracted and focused enough not to notice that he’s always staring at her.
This book made me reflect on some aspect of life in a meaningful way or socially productive way: ❌ - I personally did not like how Franklin’s character (the ever-supportive but nevertheless sidelined best friend) was portrayed. It felt to me like his Korean heritage was made into a character prop. Why was k-pop the only piece of Korean culture mentioned? Why was he referred to once as, “the neon haired Korean”? I don’t remember the author ever referring to Will with the words, “the grey eyed boy confirmed.”
I was moved emotionally at some point during my reading experience: ❌ - That simply didn’t happen.
I was satisfied with the ending: ✅ - I don’t want it to seem like I’m trashing this book. Like I said, it certainly had its cute moments. I thought that the ending was very sweet, and I happen to love sweet endings.
There is a page-turning, unputdownable element to this story, and I would re-read happily or recommend passionately: ❌ - It’s worth saying that I almost DNFed this book twice, but it’s such a light and quick read that I felt like a fool for giving up without finishing it. With that being said, I would not re-read. I might recommend if someone said that they’re a sucker for the aforementioned trope, or if they wanted to read a contemporary romance book with a Filipina or non-White female main character.
STAR Rating: [4/10 points] ➡️ 2⭐️
I found the story idea to be interesting: ✅ - I don’t read very much contemporary romance, but the premise seemed cute and fun.
There were few to no instances in which the writing or writing style detracted from my reading experience in a jarring way: ❌ - I’m not sure if the slang and mannerisms used in this book were realistic or not, because I’m not a fashion-obsessed teenager from California, but there were several moments where I couldn’t help but cringe and sigh and roll my eyes.
I found the plot to be well executed (little to no plot holes, appropriate pacing): ❌ - The plot itself wasn’t bad, because I didn’t expect too much depth from this book going in. However, I was under the impression that a Boyfriend Bracket would actually play a substantial role in the story (based off of, well, the title), and I did find that this book strayed from that in favor of an assertive and representation of the I-have-a-massive-crush-on-my-big-brother’s-best friend trope. That in itself is fine, but the way in which this book juggled those two concepts didn’t feel effortless to me. I guess, I don’t get why Stella needed to move on from Will so badly when she hadn’t even been rejected and she was only a high school senior and wasn’t even looking for a serious boyfriend anyway. Furthermore, I don’t see how the bracket itself was necessary to the storyline. I also felt that the stakes of “what if my brother/best friend finds out,” weren’t exactly high enough for me, which detracted from my investment in the plot’s progression.
I found the world building to be immersive and particularly well done: ✅ - The author managed to make me feel like I was in the world of - how did I describe Stella earlier? Ahh - a fashion-obsessed teenager from California. That’s a good thing, so I wanted to give credit there.
I liked the main character and felt personally connected to them: ✅ - I liked Stella and Will. Despite the cringe moments and corniness, they both were pretty likable and honest and earnest and passionate.
I adored the chemistry between the MC and the love interest/other significant characters: ❌ - Stella and Will certainly had cute moments. But what can I say? I didn’t care much. My lack of obsession might have had to do with the fact that the pining and longing didn’t go far beyond the fact that she both had major crushes on one another. But that’s what it all felt like, a crush. I also had an issue with the fact that as their POVs switched in the beginning, I felt a disconnect between the characters that were timid and embarrassed and shy and insecure when they were in their own perspectives, and bold and confident when they were in the other person’s perspective. It seemed that Stella was always staring at Will when we were in her head, but suddenly when we’re in Will’s head, she’s distracted and focused enough not to notice that he’s always staring at her.
This book made me reflect on some aspect of life in a meaningful way or socially productive way: ❌ - I personally did not like how Franklin’s character (the ever-supportive but nevertheless sidelined best friend) was portrayed. It felt to me like his Korean heritage was made into a character prop. Why was k-pop the only piece of Korean culture mentioned? Why was he referred to once as, “the neon haired Korean”? I don’t remember the author ever referring to Will with the words, “the grey eyed boy confirmed.”
I was moved emotionally at some point during my reading experience: ❌ - That simply didn’t happen.
I was satisfied with the ending: ✅ - I don’t want it to seem like I’m trashing this book. Like I said, it certainly had its cute moments. I thought that the ending was very sweet, and I happen to love sweet endings.
There is a page-turning, unputdownable element to this story, and I would re-read happily or recommend passionately: ❌ - It’s worth saying that I almost DNFed this book twice, but it’s such a light and quick read that I felt like a fool for giving up without finishing it. With that being said, I would not re-read. I might recommend if someone said that they’re a sucker for the aforementioned trope, or if they wanted to read a contemporary romance book with a Filipina or non-White female main character.
STAR Rating: [4/10 points] ➡️ 2⭐️
July 28, 2018
Stella has had a hopeless crush on Will, her older brother's best friend FOREVER, but now that Cam and Will have graduated and are going off to college, this year is her chance to really strike out on her own. Without her overprotective brother and his sidekick around to distract her, she can focus on having all the typical high school experiences that she's always dreamed of—starting with finding a boyfriend! With the help of her best friend Franklin, she comes up with the perfect plan to have a boyfriend by Christmas: The Boyfriend Bracket.
Or it seems like the perfect plan...right up until Will starts showing up again. How is she supposed to find the perfect boyfriend when none of her dates measure up to the one boy she can never have?
THE BOYFRIEND BRACKET was a such cute story. It was easy book to read, and also a book that will hook you. I liked the idea of Boyfriend Bracket and wondered if it would actually work where Stella would be able to find a boyfriend, that liked her as much as she liked him. Most of all I was curious if Stella would be able to get through it without Will or Cam finding out. I knew that if her brother found out, it wouldn’t end well. Every page had me wondering, what would happen? Would she be able to get through it all? There is part of me that is curious who Stella might ended up with if it wasn’t for Will. I wonder if it would been Joey, out of all that she managed to go on dates, before it got interrupted, she seemed to like him the most. I can’t help but wonder, What if?
Will and Stella, I thought that their relationship was cute. Of course it felt like it wasn’t really a relationship at first, considering how they had to keep it a secret in the beginning. I know for fact that I wouldn’t be able to do it like Stella did. I wish that Stella talked to her brother, way she did before she even dated Will and maybe all of the drama could been avoided. I knew that they wouldn’t be able to hide it forever, it was in matter of time until Cam found out. There was part of me that wondered that for once he would actually be happy for Stella. I didn’t think he would react way that he did. I should expected from him considering how overproctive he was over Stella, especially when it came to guys she dated. It was clear to me, that Stella wasn’t like other girls to him, and I am sure he did that just to get his mind of Stella. He cared about her. He loved her. Way he was there when she needed him, supported her. He made her happy. I was smiling at the end, how could I not?
One character I had mixed feelings about was Cam. I understand that he promised his dad that he look out for. I’m pretty sure that what Cam was doing was not what he had in mind. I feel like he might taken that role too seriously. At same time, I thought it was cute how he was trying to protect his sister, making sure that she wouldn’t get hurt. Though a broken heart is not something you can protect from, even if you try. THE BOYFRIEND BRACKET is the first novel that I read by KATE EVANGELISTA and now that I have, I am eager to find out what other adventures she came up with.
Or it seems like the perfect plan...right up until Will starts showing up again. How is she supposed to find the perfect boyfriend when none of her dates measure up to the one boy she can never have?
THE BOYFRIEND BRACKET was a such cute story. It was easy book to read, and also a book that will hook you. I liked the idea of Boyfriend Bracket and wondered if it would actually work where Stella would be able to find a boyfriend, that liked her as much as she liked him. Most of all I was curious if Stella would be able to get through it without Will or Cam finding out. I knew that if her brother found out, it wouldn’t end well. Every page had me wondering, what would happen? Would she be able to get through it all? There is part of me that is curious who Stella might ended up with if it wasn’t for Will. I wonder if it would been Joey, out of all that she managed to go on dates, before it got interrupted, she seemed to like him the most. I can’t help but wonder, What if?
Will and Stella, I thought that their relationship was cute. Of course it felt like it wasn’t really a relationship at first, considering how they had to keep it a secret in the beginning. I know for fact that I wouldn’t be able to do it like Stella did. I wish that Stella talked to her brother, way she did before she even dated Will and maybe all of the drama could been avoided. I knew that they wouldn’t be able to hide it forever, it was in matter of time until Cam found out. There was part of me that wondered that for once he would actually be happy for Stella. I didn’t think he would react way that he did. I should expected from him considering how overproctive he was over Stella, especially when it came to guys she dated. It was clear to me, that Stella wasn’t like other girls to him, and I am sure he did that just to get his mind of Stella. He cared about her. He loved her. Way he was there when she needed him, supported her. He made her happy. I was smiling at the end, how could I not?
One character I had mixed feelings about was Cam. I understand that he promised his dad that he look out for. I’m pretty sure that what Cam was doing was not what he had in mind. I feel like he might taken that role too seriously. At same time, I thought it was cute how he was trying to protect his sister, making sure that she wouldn’t get hurt. Though a broken heart is not something you can protect from, even if you try. THE BOYFRIEND BRACKET is the first novel that I read by KATE EVANGELISTA and now that I have, I am eager to find out what other adventures she came up with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2018
I have been excited about this book since the day I found out that Stella is Ms. Kate’s first Filipino MC. I knew that she’d be a relatable character, and I was right.
It was thrilling to follow Will and Stella’s secret relationship in the book and the consequences they had to face for choosing each other. After all, isn’t love about fighting for the people that mean the most to you?
Why I love this book:
Sibling love. Cam is not exactly the most lovable of characters, but I understand where he’s coming from. He just wanted the best for his sister, not realizing right away that his perception of best might be different from Stella’s. I love that Cam was able to acknowledge his mistakes and make up for them. I love that he learned to accept that his sister can decide on her own.
Stella’s determination. Years ago I saw an art print somewhere (I’m so sorry I don’t remember anymore) and I got instantly reminded of it when I read this book.
You see, Stella’s dream of being a fashion designer is not exactly the “most practical” of dreams according to the standards set by society. Her efforts in reaching her dream are commendable, and even if she encountered tough stuff along the way, I am proud of the decisions she made for herself.
Will and his comic! Will is just all kinds of awesome. Aside from the comic he made (which is super cool), he’s really sweet and patient and kind and I love him so much! A candidate for my YA Book Boyfriend of the Year. ❤
Other things I love:
-The references to Filipino culture. Seriously, this book made me crave for my mom’s adobo (11/10 would recommend). There’s also sinigang (a.k.a. the basis for Filipino identity according to a certain celebrity [I’m sorry, this has become a meme in my country and only Filipinos might be able to relate]) and buko pie (take me to Laguna!). Plus, I can totally relate to the fear one goes through whenever one gets called by their full name. (It’s serious when it’s your full name, I promise!)
-Franklin Park! Every girl needs a best friend like Franklin. He's a very supportive friend, but he will knock some sense of reality into you when needed. Just, amazing.
-All the kissing scenes, especially the first one. Can you blame me? IT’S SO CINEMATIC I CAN’T EVEN!!!
The Boyfriend Bracket is a story of what it means to follow your heart when it comes to reaching your dreams and falling in love. A quick, relatable read with the perfect dose of swoon. Five stars. ♥
Full review on my book blog: https://wp.me/p4gfJt-PR (Will be up on June 19, 6 a.m. EST!)
It was thrilling to follow Will and Stella’s secret relationship in the book and the consequences they had to face for choosing each other. After all, isn’t love about fighting for the people that mean the most to you?
Why I love this book:
Sibling love. Cam is not exactly the most lovable of characters, but I understand where he’s coming from. He just wanted the best for his sister, not realizing right away that his perception of best might be different from Stella’s. I love that Cam was able to acknowledge his mistakes and make up for them. I love that he learned to accept that his sister can decide on her own.
Stella’s determination. Years ago I saw an art print somewhere (I’m so sorry I don’t remember anymore) and I got instantly reminded of it when I read this book.
You see, Stella’s dream of being a fashion designer is not exactly the “most practical” of dreams according to the standards set by society. Her efforts in reaching her dream are commendable, and even if she encountered tough stuff along the way, I am proud of the decisions she made for herself.
Will and his comic! Will is just all kinds of awesome. Aside from the comic he made (which is super cool), he’s really sweet and patient and kind and I love him so much! A candidate for my YA Book Boyfriend of the Year. ❤
Other things I love:
-The references to Filipino culture. Seriously, this book made me crave for my mom’s adobo (11/10 would recommend). There’s also sinigang (a.k.a. the basis for Filipino identity according to a certain celebrity [I’m sorry, this has become a meme in my country and only Filipinos might be able to relate]) and buko pie (take me to Laguna!). Plus, I can totally relate to the fear one goes through whenever one gets called by their full name. (It’s serious when it’s your full name, I promise!)
-Franklin Park! Every girl needs a best friend like Franklin. He's a very supportive friend, but he will knock some sense of reality into you when needed. Just, amazing.
-All the kissing scenes, especially the first one. Can you blame me? IT’S SO CINEMATIC I CAN’T EVEN!!!
The Boyfriend Bracket is a story of what it means to follow your heart when it comes to reaching your dreams and falling in love. A quick, relatable read with the perfect dose of swoon. Five stars. ♥
Full review on my book blog: https://wp.me/p4gfJt-PR (Will be up on June 19, 6 a.m. EST!)
July 6, 2018
A lighthearted, delightfully sweet and charmingly cute story
This was such a delightfully sweet, super cute, and absolutely charming book. I smiled and swooned so much reading this and had such a great time.
The Boyfriend Bracket by Kate Evangelista is a wonderfully written story about love, family, friendship, and being brave enough to do what truly makes you happy. It’s fast-paced, hilarious, and entertaining. I thought the writing was really good — light and fluffy, but also genuinely heartwarming. The plot was well-written, engaging, and really fun. Being Filipina, I also loved the cultural references and could totally relate. Oh and be prepared to get hungry…cause I certainly did. Definitely craved some delicious home-cooked adobo and sinigang.
The characters were witty and lovable. Also, I just have to mention that it was incredibly refreshing to read a story with a strong, talented, and sassy Filipina MC. I truly admired Stella’s determination and passion. Will frustrated me a few times, but he did win me over. Not going to spoil anything, but I was definitely charmed by Will. Franklin was an awesome best friend and my absolute favorite. Cam was the annoyingly overprotective brother, but his intentions were good and as much as I would like to say I didn’t like him, I can’t fault him for trying to be the best big brother to Stella. And Nana… loveeeed her to pieces.
The romance, while a bit slow burn in the beginning and a little cheesy at times, was adorably cute and just swoontastic! There were many moments that gave me butterflies and even if the brother’s best friend trope has been done plenty of times, it’s still one of my favorite and this one did not disappoint. The romantic gestures, no matter how big or small, made me smile and melted my heart. Will and Stella just fit so well together and I totally shipped them!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, lighthearted and beautifully affecting. The unique and fun storyline, adorable characters, endearing relationships, and the heart-melting moments had me wanting more. And the ending… so pleasantly satisfying and left my heart full and bursting with so much happy. If you’re looking for a sweet and entertaining YA contemporary romance, then I recommend you check this out or add it on your TBR.
I recevied an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher, Xpresso Book Tours and Kate Evangelista via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. (Also, was really lucky to win a physical ARC from a Goodreads Giveaway hosted by Fierce Reads).
This was such a delightfully sweet, super cute, and absolutely charming book. I smiled and swooned so much reading this and had such a great time.
The Boyfriend Bracket by Kate Evangelista is a wonderfully written story about love, family, friendship, and being brave enough to do what truly makes you happy. It’s fast-paced, hilarious, and entertaining. I thought the writing was really good — light and fluffy, but also genuinely heartwarming. The plot was well-written, engaging, and really fun. Being Filipina, I also loved the cultural references and could totally relate. Oh and be prepared to get hungry…cause I certainly did. Definitely craved some delicious home-cooked adobo and sinigang.
The characters were witty and lovable. Also, I just have to mention that it was incredibly refreshing to read a story with a strong, talented, and sassy Filipina MC. I truly admired Stella’s determination and passion. Will frustrated me a few times, but he did win me over. Not going to spoil anything, but I was definitely charmed by Will. Franklin was an awesome best friend and my absolute favorite. Cam was the annoyingly overprotective brother, but his intentions were good and as much as I would like to say I didn’t like him, I can’t fault him for trying to be the best big brother to Stella. And Nana… loveeeed her to pieces.
The romance, while a bit slow burn in the beginning and a little cheesy at times, was adorably cute and just swoontastic! There were many moments that gave me butterflies and even if the brother’s best friend trope has been done plenty of times, it’s still one of my favorite and this one did not disappoint. The romantic gestures, no matter how big or small, made me smile and melted my heart. Will and Stella just fit so well together and I totally shipped them!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, lighthearted and beautifully affecting. The unique and fun storyline, adorable characters, endearing relationships, and the heart-melting moments had me wanting more. And the ending… so pleasantly satisfying and left my heart full and bursting with so much happy. If you’re looking for a sweet and entertaining YA contemporary romance, then I recommend you check this out or add it on your TBR.
I recevied an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher, Xpresso Book Tours and Kate Evangelista via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. (Also, was really lucky to win a physical ARC from a Goodreads Giveaway hosted by Fierce Reads).
June 12, 2018
Noteworthy experiences while reading this book: Well an oops is in order because I was not paying any attention when I posted this review. So let's get the right one on here.
Check out author's other books? Yes
Recommend this book? Yes
Notes and Opinions: I won a copy of this book a while ago and just got around to reading it and now I really need to check out this author's other books because this one was beyond amazing!! This one reminded me of the Kissing Booth without all the fighting and well all the sex. It was a lighter version that for me was much better. There was laughs and feels and just a great story all around.
I really loved Stella's BFF who don't worry is not the love interest in this one. However, I would love him to get his own glorious story!! This is about Stella and her life. It starts off with her brother graduating and Stella hoping that this will be the answer to her prayers because she hasn't been able to date anyone without her brother getting in the way and scaring people off. Little does she know that it just won't be that easy.
Stella's crush on her brothers best friend was great! I loved that everyone was a little older and that everyone seemed very real. I could see these people existing in real life with the issues that they had and I loved the diversity of the characters as well. It would have been great to have some of the food recipes that are mentioned in the back of the book also.
The story itself was very fast paced and I finished this one I think in just under 3 hours or just over. It was just that good. One of my favorite things about this one was the boyfriend bracket as well as all the fashions that Stella made! I wish this would have gone a little more into the future so we could have seen what was going with these characters. But I could also see another book in this story's future where everyone is in college. It would be a great book to transition over to New Adult.
Go Into This One Knowing: If you are looking for a book with all the feels, friends, fashion, and first loves then this is a book I totally recommend.
Check out author's other books? Yes
Recommend this book? Yes
Notes and Opinions: I won a copy of this book a while ago and just got around to reading it and now I really need to check out this author's other books because this one was beyond amazing!! This one reminded me of the Kissing Booth without all the fighting and well all the sex. It was a lighter version that for me was much better. There was laughs and feels and just a great story all around.
I really loved Stella's BFF who don't worry is not the love interest in this one. However, I would love him to get his own glorious story!! This is about Stella and her life. It starts off with her brother graduating and Stella hoping that this will be the answer to her prayers because she hasn't been able to date anyone without her brother getting in the way and scaring people off. Little does she know that it just won't be that easy.
Stella's crush on her brothers best friend was great! I loved that everyone was a little older and that everyone seemed very real. I could see these people existing in real life with the issues that they had and I loved the diversity of the characters as well. It would have been great to have some of the food recipes that are mentioned in the back of the book also.
The story itself was very fast paced and I finished this one I think in just under 3 hours or just over. It was just that good. One of my favorite things about this one was the boyfriend bracket as well as all the fashions that Stella made! I wish this would have gone a little more into the future so we could have seen what was going with these characters. But I could also see another book in this story's future where everyone is in college. It would be a great book to transition over to New Adult.
Go Into This One Knowing: If you are looking for a book with all the feels, friends, fashion, and first loves then this is a book I totally recommend.
July 20, 2018
A few things I liked about The Boyfriend Bracket:
Stella’s a Filipina, so that’s cool. I like the references here and there.
It’s nice seeing the different culture in play. Like how overprotective Cam is, Stella’s brother, of Stella – turned up a few more notches more than usual. And also how Stella doesn’t have to worry about paying for college because it’s common in the Philippines for parents to have planned for it.
I admire Stella’s passion for fashion. I like how she dreams big. She’s not just shooting for something good enough. She’s shooting for the big things. As Trump said, As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.
Franklin! I think I enjoyed Stella’s interactions with Franklin the most – their friendship is #GOALS. I love the Rapunzel scene at the tree house the best.
Franklin: Oh, Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb thy golden stair.
Stella: Ah, handsome prince, sadly I have cut my hair. You must make do with the rickety stairs.
-----
Other than those though, it's kind of cringe-worthy to read? I didn't really connect with either of the lead characters. I made the hard decision to DNF it even though it's a short read, I don't think I'll survive any more pages, esp. when I have so many books I want to read. I don't want to make reading into a chore. :(
Also, I really think there's a giant disconnect between the plot vs. the cover/the title. Pretty disappointing. But I've been warned plenty of times: Don't judge a book by its cover.
Stella’s a Filipina, so that’s cool. I like the references here and there.
It’s nice seeing the different culture in play. Like how overprotective Cam is, Stella’s brother, of Stella – turned up a few more notches more than usual. And also how Stella doesn’t have to worry about paying for college because it’s common in the Philippines for parents to have planned for it.
I admire Stella’s passion for fashion. I like how she dreams big. She’s not just shooting for something good enough. She’s shooting for the big things. As Trump said, As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.
Franklin! I think I enjoyed Stella’s interactions with Franklin the most – their friendship is #GOALS. I love the Rapunzel scene at the tree house the best.
Franklin: Oh, Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb thy golden stair.
Stella: Ah, handsome prince, sadly I have cut my hair. You must make do with the rickety stairs.
-----
Other than those though, it's kind of cringe-worthy to read? I didn't really connect with either of the lead characters. I made the hard decision to DNF it even though it's a short read, I don't think I'll survive any more pages, esp. when I have so many books I want to read. I don't want to make reading into a chore. :(
Also, I really think there's a giant disconnect between the plot vs. the cover/the title. Pretty disappointing. But I've been warned plenty of times: Don't judge a book by its cover.
July 29, 2018
More exciting than March Madness, this slam-dunk story is the perfect romantic read.
What I loved:
1. The characters. They were unique, diverse, and entirely teen. Franklin (Stella's BF) stole my heart and my sequins with his fabulous fashion and stellar support.
2. The Bracket Idea. Using a bracket to find the perfect boyfriend was original and charming.
3. The sense of family. Especially all of the Filipino words and food references, Stella's mom used.
4. The Fashion. Stella and Franklin both want to be fashion designers, so everything they wear and create is meant to stand out like their personalities. I would walk down the run way in any of their designs in a heart beat!
5. Friendship. Although romance is the name of the game, both Stella and Will, realize how important their best friends are and how much they mean to them.
Better than basketball, it's the kind of book you wish could go into overtime for extra pages.
What I loved:
1. The characters. They were unique, diverse, and entirely teen. Franklin (Stella's BF) stole my heart and my sequins with his fabulous fashion and stellar support.
2. The Bracket Idea. Using a bracket to find the perfect boyfriend was original and charming.
3. The sense of family. Especially all of the Filipino words and food references, Stella's mom used.
4. The Fashion. Stella and Franklin both want to be fashion designers, so everything they wear and create is meant to stand out like their personalities. I would walk down the run way in any of their designs in a heart beat!
5. Friendship. Although romance is the name of the game, both Stella and Will, realize how important their best friends are and how much they mean to them.
Better than basketball, it's the kind of book you wish could go into overtime for extra pages.
January 8, 2019
Really cure and short story. Was a little confused at why it is titled The Boyfriend Bracket when only about a third of the book really features this bracket. Most of the story revolves around Stella and a secret relationship with her brother's best friend.
I was slightly annoyed with Stella through parts of the story. Some of the interactions with her best friend, Franklin, really rubbed me the wrong way.
I wouldn't have minded if the romance was a little more gradual. Things seemed to move rather quickly and not completely believable.
Overall, super cute and easy read. A few things bugged me along the way, but I did enjoy reading it.
I was slightly annoyed with Stella through parts of the story. Some of the interactions with her best friend, Franklin, really rubbed me the wrong way.
I wouldn't have minded if the romance was a little more gradual. Things seemed to move rather quickly and not completely believable.
Overall, super cute and easy read. A few things bugged me along the way, but I did enjoy reading it.
July 2, 2018
DNF. I got halfway through before I just couldn’t keep going. The amount of eyerolls I completed during this would have given me a headache had I not been laughing at the truly predictable parts of this. Who the hell names characters Lemon and Parsley and they are known as the salads? Come on. Will and Stella are so annoyingly oblivious of their feelings and her brother is so stupidly protective of her that i could predict what was going to happen as soon as Stella runs into Wills arms for a kiss. Because he couldn’t leave without one after he had just rejected her, apparently.
July 29, 2018
While I did enjoy the story, it wasn't the story I set out to read. It had nothing to do with the Boyfriend Bracket and everything to do with her crush on Will. I disliked Cam, I didn't like Will much, Stella was so-so but annoying near the end. The only one I consistently liked was Franklin. Can I have more Franklin please?? I would have liked to see more of the actual Boyfriend Bracket and the dates to narrow the guys down. I'd also like a story about Franklin having a Boyfriend Bracket. Basically, I just need more Franklin.
February 12, 2019
This was a cute book, but very much predictable. As soon as they mentioned Will, I just knew how this was going to end.
I did, however, enjoy the overprotective big brother. I’m The youngest of myself and my brother, but I’m definitely the Cam of our dynamic. I was fiercely protective over my brother....I would have killed a brick and put a rock in the hospital for him.
Overall, not too bad, just saw the ending coming from a mile away.
I did, however, enjoy the overprotective big brother. I’m The youngest of myself and my brother, but I’m definitely the Cam of our dynamic. I was fiercely protective over my brother....I would have killed a brick and put a rock in the hospital for him.
Overall, not too bad, just saw the ending coming from a mile away.
June 25, 2018
I appreciated the Filipino love in this, all the references to our beautiful culture, but it wasn't enough for me to love the entire story. . . I wanted a little more from it all. The teenage angst that comes along with falling in love for the first time, finding out who you are, and all that good stuff.
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