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Not Your #LoveStory
#PlaneBae meets Gilmore Girls in this hilarious and heartfelt story about the addictiveness of Internet fame and the harsh realities of going viral.
Macy Evans dreams of earning enough income from her YouTube channel, R3ntal Wor1d, to leave her small, Midwestern town. But when she meets a boy named Eric at a baseball game, and accidently dumps her hotdog in his lap, her disastrous “meet-cute” becomes the topic of a viral thread. Now it’s not loyal subscribers flocking to her channel, it’s Internet trolls. And they aren’t interested in her reviews of VHS tapes—they only care about her relationship with Eric.
Eric is overly eager to stretch out his fifteen minutes of fame, but Macy fears this unwanted attention could sabotage her “real-life” relationships—namely with the shy boy-next-door, Paxton, who she’s actually developing feelings for. Macy knows she should shut the lie down, though she can’t ignore the advertising money, or the spark she gets in her chest whenever someone clicks on her videos. Eric shouldn’t be the only one allowed to reap the viral benefits. But is faking a relationship for clicks and subscribers worth hurting actual people?
Macy Evans dreams of earning enough income from her YouTube channel, R3ntal Wor1d, to leave her small, Midwestern town. But when she meets a boy named Eric at a baseball game, and accidently dumps her hotdog in his lap, her disastrous “meet-cute” becomes the topic of a viral thread. Now it’s not loyal subscribers flocking to her channel, it’s Internet trolls. And they aren’t interested in her reviews of VHS tapes—they only care about her relationship with Eric.
Eric is overly eager to stretch out his fifteen minutes of fame, but Macy fears this unwanted attention could sabotage her “real-life” relationships—namely with the shy boy-next-door, Paxton, who she’s actually developing feelings for. Macy knows she should shut the lie down, though she can’t ignore the advertising money, or the spark she gets in her chest whenever someone clicks on her videos. Eric shouldn’t be the only one allowed to reap the viral benefits. But is faking a relationship for clicks and subscribers worth hurting actual people?
Hardcover
First published September 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
August 11, 2020
Might be more of a 2.5. I was SO charmed by Hartl's debut,
Have a Little Faith in Me
, that I couldn't help but to request this one for review when I saw it available on NetGalley. Unfortunately, this didn't pull me in nearly as much as her previous book and I am big sad about it. I loved her previous book because I felt like it really captured an authentic and fun teenage experience, but this one didn't really feel that way at all to me. This book revolves really heavily around social media, but all of the actual tweets that were in the book felt like they were written by someone who has never actually seen twitter before (#think #lots #and #lots #of #hashtags). With all that being said, this book wasn't terrible, it just.. didn't deliver the way that I was hoping it would after loving Hartl's debut and I am so bummed about it.
TW: slut shaming, domestic violence, violating a restraining order, child abuse, death of a child, severe guilt, suicidal thoughts
TW: slut shaming, domestic violence, violating a restraining order, child abuse, death of a child, severe guilt, suicidal thoughts
August 30, 2020
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I loved Sonia Hartl's debut, Have a Little Faith in Me , and was so excited to read her sophomore follow up. And it was awesome. Like, I probably won't be able to put into words how completely I fell in love with this thing, but I'll go ahead and give it a shot.
►Gotta admit, I was in love with the characters from the actual first chapter. No lie, first note I made on my phone. That is remarkable, frankly, because usually it takes me a hot second to warm up. But nope. And while I absolutely adore Macy, the whole gang was perfect. From Macy's friends to her family, they were just *chef's kiss*.
►Speaking of family, can we talk about how awesome Macy's was? It's a three-generational household full of the best, feistiest, badassiest women ever. Macy's mom had her very young (and fine, maybe I had a wee mental breakdown over the fact that a parent in a YA book was younger than me, but shh), but the book totally shatters "teen mom" stereotypes because Macy's mom is the best. And yeah sometimes she's worried that Macy will repeat her mistakes, but that feels only natural! And don't even get me started on my love for Macy's grandma! She has a quilting group and they are an absolute riot. She reminded me of my grandma, also my mom's mom (who incidentally was also a teen mom and rocked it), and I miss her so much, this just warmed my heart.
►It's super sex-positive, and full of feminist messages. I mean, what else is there to say, it's perfect!
►The romance owned me. Truly, the love interest was kind of awesome. I am a complete sucker for the nice guy (who is an actual nice guy) and this whole romance was awesome.
►Macy's friends were fabulous too. Like I want to hang out with them too! And frankly, I was so glad that Macy had so, so many amazing people in her corner, because she deserved it.
►The whole "viral meet-cute" was a complete comedy of errors, in the best way. I cackled, not going to lie, because it was just so.... honest. This is absolutely the kind of absurdity you'd find on the internet, especially social media, and I think that it's also a good message about the perils of getting too caught up in views and followers and such.
Bottom Line: I truly don't have the words to express how much this book owns my heart. But it does, so you should give it a go.
I loved Sonia Hartl's debut, Have a Little Faith in Me , and was so excited to read her sophomore follow up. And it was awesome. Like, I probably won't be able to put into words how completely I fell in love with this thing, but I'll go ahead and give it a shot.
►Gotta admit, I was in love with the characters from the actual first chapter. No lie, first note I made on my phone. That is remarkable, frankly, because usually it takes me a hot second to warm up. But nope. And while I absolutely adore Macy, the whole gang was perfect. From Macy's friends to her family, they were just *chef's kiss*.
►Speaking of family, can we talk about how awesome Macy's was? It's a three-generational household full of the best, feistiest, badassiest women ever. Macy's mom had her very young (and fine, maybe I had a wee mental breakdown over the fact that a parent in a YA book was younger than me, but shh), but the book totally shatters "teen mom" stereotypes because Macy's mom is the best. And yeah sometimes she's worried that Macy will repeat her mistakes, but that feels only natural! And don't even get me started on my love for Macy's grandma! She has a quilting group and they are an absolute riot. She reminded me of my grandma, also my mom's mom (who incidentally was also a teen mom and rocked it), and I miss her so much, this just warmed my heart.
►It's super sex-positive, and full of feminist messages. I mean, what else is there to say, it's perfect!
►The romance owned me. Truly, the love interest was kind of awesome. I am a complete sucker for the nice guy (who is an actual nice guy) and this whole romance was awesome.
►Macy's friends were fabulous too. Like I want to hang out with them too! And frankly, I was so glad that Macy had so, so many amazing people in her corner, because she deserved it.
►The whole "viral meet-cute" was a complete comedy of errors, in the best way. I cackled, not going to lie, because it was just so.... honest. This is absolutely the kind of absurdity you'd find on the internet, especially social media, and I think that it's also a good message about the perils of getting too caught up in views and followers and such.
Bottom Line: I truly don't have the words to express how much this book owns my heart. But it does, so you should give it a go.
July 10, 2019
Brilliant, heartfelt, incisive, romantic, and full of empathy. Sonia Hartl's writing is EVERYTHING. Longer review close to pub!
April 28, 2020
I wrote this book! It’s got all my favorite things, friends to lovers, enemies to friends, complicated family feelings, a small town setting, quilting bee full of sassy Golden Girls-esque ladies, ‘oh, no, there’s only one tent’, and bunnies! At the heart, this is a story about privacy and consent and how people are so much more complex than they are often boiled down to be on social media.
Some trigger warnings to be aware of:
Death of a child (discussed between characters, not on-page)
Suicide ideation (discussed between characters, not on-page)
Light drug use (on-page)
Alcohol use (on-page)
Intimidation with the threat of assault
Poverty shaming (called out)
Slut shaming (called out)
Anxiety related to going viral on social media
Please take care while reading ❤️
Some trigger warnings to be aware of:
Death of a child (discussed between characters, not on-page)
Suicide ideation (discussed between characters, not on-page)
Light drug use (on-page)
Alcohol use (on-page)
Intimidation with the threat of assault
Poverty shaming (called out)
Slut shaming (called out)
Anxiety related to going viral on social media
Please take care while reading ❤️
September 6, 2020
1.5 Stars
"I felt like a runway model wearing six-inch heels. Sure, the shoes were great, but everyone was really just waiting for me to fall on my ass."
*ARC received from Page Street, all thoughts and opinions are my own*
This was not the #Lovestory for me...
SUMMARY
Macy Evens has YouTube channel where she reviews old movies in cosplay. The monetisation from the videos isn't much, but those savings are her only chance at a future. When her "meet-cute" with a boy at a baseball game is splashed all over Twitter, her channel grows ten fold. The only issue is that people are more interested in her love story than her actual content. The trolls begin slut shaming her, the potential relationship she was building with a fellow coworker is on the rocks, and her "meet-cute Boy" is desperate to flesh out his fifteen minutes of fame. Macy needs to decide what matters more, her fame or herself.
REVIEW
I don't really want to spend a lot of time talking about why I didn't like this book because... why dwell? Allow me to start with how it was an utterly juvenile novel with characters acting in unbelievable ways for a contemporary.
I have a YouTube channel, and I found that they way it was talked about to be unrealistic. Also the way she handled her channel in the end seemed lack luster and made the whole story feel pointless.
The characters were flat and acted way too juvenile. You can tell the author was trying to make each person super unique, but it just gave you a mish-mosh of one-dimensional character. Paxton, the love interest, was cute but his dark/tragic backstory felt too forced and unnatural. I felt bad for him and do check out Trigger Warnings.
Also... this book had one of the worst sex scenes I have ever read. This book is a YA novel trying to be NA, but drowned in the process.
On a positive note, I liked the f/f rep and Macy's family dynamic. It was really sweet and she had such a wonderful support system.
Overall, I don't think I will check out anything else by this author. However, a lot of the reviews for this book are glowing, so make your own choice.
"I felt like a runway model wearing six-inch heels. Sure, the shoes were great, but everyone was really just waiting for me to fall on my ass."
*ARC received from Page Street, all thoughts and opinions are my own*
This was not the #Lovestory for me...
SUMMARY
Macy Evens has YouTube channel where she reviews old movies in cosplay. The monetisation from the videos isn't much, but those savings are her only chance at a future. When her "meet-cute" with a boy at a baseball game is splashed all over Twitter, her channel grows ten fold. The only issue is that people are more interested in her love story than her actual content. The trolls begin slut shaming her, the potential relationship she was building with a fellow coworker is on the rocks, and her "meet-cute Boy" is desperate to flesh out his fifteen minutes of fame. Macy needs to decide what matters more, her fame or herself.
REVIEW
I don't really want to spend a lot of time talking about why I didn't like this book because... why dwell? Allow me to start with how it was an utterly juvenile novel with characters acting in unbelievable ways for a contemporary.
I have a YouTube channel, and I found that they way it was talked about to be unrealistic. Also the way she handled her channel in the end seemed lack luster and made the whole story feel pointless.
The characters were flat and acted way too juvenile. You can tell the author was trying to make each person super unique, but it just gave you a mish-mosh of one-dimensional character. Paxton, the love interest, was cute but his dark/tragic backstory felt too forced and unnatural. I felt bad for him and do check out Trigger Warnings.
Also... this book had one of the worst sex scenes I have ever read. This book is a YA novel trying to be NA, but drowned in the process.
On a positive note, I liked the f/f rep and Macy's family dynamic. It was really sweet and she had such a wonderful support system.
Overall, I don't think I will check out anything else by this author. However, a lot of the reviews for this book are glowing, so make your own choice.
July 15, 2021
Minu arvates väga südamlik noorteraamat.
Päris palju erinevaid tegelasi, kes olid kõik oma moodi huvitavad.
Mõnus lugemine ja kerge, et ei ole raske seedida ja ei vaja liiga hoolikat keskendumist :)
Päris palju erinevaid tegelasi, kes olid kõik oma moodi huvitavad.
Mõnus lugemine ja kerge, et ei ole raske seedida ja ei vaja liiga hoolikat keskendumist :)
July 19, 2021
Konarlikult algav raamat, mis kohe kindlasti on #armastuslugu.
Mõningad asjad ei vaja tõlkimist.
Ega iga originaalkeeles lugeja ei tea ka igat filmi, millest raamatus räägitakse ja neile ei seleta keegi midagi eraldi lahti seega ei ole vaja ka eesti lugejale filme lahti seletada.
Cis-mees on võib-olla täiskasvanute jaoks võõras mõiste, kuid mitte noorte jaoks. Pigem oleks võinud allmärkus olemata olla, kes aru ei saa ja keda huvitab see googeldab.
Raamatu alguses tundus, et tõlkija (või kirjanik) ei saanud ennast kuidagi käima. Tekst oli kohmakas ja koperdas iseenese otsa - ebamugav oli lugeda. Õnneks juba peale esimest veerandit läks asi paremaks ja jutt hakkas jooksma, enam ei pidanud mõtlema tekstile vaid sai sukelduda loosse.
Tohutult meeldis raamatus olev armastuslugu. See vast mind lugemas hoidiski.
Mõnusalt nunnu ja parajalt kirglikku tülitsemist.
Mul on väga hea meel, et kirjutatakse noortekatesse sisse rohkem sotsiaalmeediaga seotud hobisid ning on väga oluline, et räägitakse küberkiusamise jõust, aga siin raamatus ei tehtud seda hästi. Okei küberkiusamist ja selle mõju näidati väga ehedalt, aga sellest ainuke väljapääs ei ole kogu sotsiaalmeedia välja lülitamine ja enda hobide lõpetamine! Raamat jättis mitmelt poolt mulje nagu see oleks ainuvõimalik lahendus ja nagu kogu sotsiaalmeedia olekski kurjast. Lisaks jäi mulje nagu võiks youtube'is edukaks saada ainult läbi valetamise ja teesklemise.
Mõningad asjad ei vaja tõlkimist.
Ega iga originaalkeeles lugeja ei tea ka igat filmi, millest raamatus räägitakse ja neile ei seleta keegi midagi eraldi lahti seega ei ole vaja ka eesti lugejale filme lahti seletada.
Cis-mees on võib-olla täiskasvanute jaoks võõras mõiste, kuid mitte noorte jaoks. Pigem oleks võinud allmärkus olemata olla, kes aru ei saa ja keda huvitab see googeldab.
Raamatu alguses tundus, et tõlkija (või kirjanik) ei saanud ennast kuidagi käima. Tekst oli kohmakas ja koperdas iseenese otsa - ebamugav oli lugeda. Õnneks juba peale esimest veerandit läks asi paremaks ja jutt hakkas jooksma, enam ei pidanud mõtlema tekstile vaid sai sukelduda loosse.
Tohutult meeldis raamatus olev armastuslugu. See vast mind lugemas hoidiski.
Mõnusalt nunnu ja parajalt kirglikku tülitsemist.
Mul on väga hea meel, et kirjutatakse noortekatesse sisse rohkem sotsiaalmeediaga seotud hobisid ning on väga oluline, et räägitakse küberkiusamise jõust, aga siin raamatus ei tehtud seda hästi. Okei küberkiusamist ja selle mõju näidati väga ehedalt, aga sellest ainuke väljapääs ei ole kogu sotsiaalmeedia välja lülitamine ja enda hobide lõpetamine! Raamat jättis mitmelt poolt mulje nagu see oleks ainuvõimalik lahendus ja nagu kogu sotsiaalmeedia olekski kurjast. Lisaks jäi mulje nagu võiks youtube'is edukaks saada ainult läbi valetamise ja teesklemise.
July 2, 2019
I am completely in love with this book!
In Hartl's follow-up to her hilarious and moving debut, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH IN ME, she takes on the messy and double-edged reality of social media viral fame.
Macy's dreams of creating a future for herself outside her tiny, rural town nearly come true when a bystander creates (and live-tweets) a fake romance between Macy and a stranger at a baseball game. But fame turns ugly, and Macy has to decide if she's giving up more than she's getting.
Hartl deftly portrays the benefits and drawbacks of viral fame, while taking a deep look into the darker side of social media and its very real impact on the people behind the screen names. Mix in a beautiful portrayal of Macy's relationship with her mom and grandma, a nuanced and complicated depiction of rural poverty, a bit of heartbreak, a friends-to-lovers romance, and a cast of layered side characters, and this book is definitely one to add to your pre-order list.
PS: There are bunnies.
In Hartl's follow-up to her hilarious and moving debut, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH IN ME, she takes on the messy and double-edged reality of social media viral fame.
Macy's dreams of creating a future for herself outside her tiny, rural town nearly come true when a bystander creates (and live-tweets) a fake romance between Macy and a stranger at a baseball game. But fame turns ugly, and Macy has to decide if she's giving up more than she's getting.
Hartl deftly portrays the benefits and drawbacks of viral fame, while taking a deep look into the darker side of social media and its very real impact on the people behind the screen names. Mix in a beautiful portrayal of Macy's relationship with her mom and grandma, a nuanced and complicated depiction of rural poverty, a bit of heartbreak, a friends-to-lovers romance, and a cast of layered side characters, and this book is definitely one to add to your pre-order list.
PS: There are bunnies.
July 9, 2021
Lugesin üsna väikese osa raamatu "See ei ole #armastuslugu" käsikirjast, et kiirelt mõista, et just seda raamatut tahan kirjastada.
Esiteks on teemaks valitud väga aktuaalne teema- noore juutuuberi soov oma kanaliga nii palju teenida, et saaks väikelinnast ära kolida. No ja sealt edasi ka. See Youtube´is töökoha loomine on ju paljude noorte unistus. Paljude jaoks ka reaalsus.Seega väga aktuaalne teema, millest rääkida.
Kui pidevalt on juttu, et noortekad on väga sünged, siis see on väga naljakas raamat. Just selline eluterve enda üle nalja tegemine. Mitte püüdlik koomilisus, vaid lihtsalt eluterve irooniaga endasse ja ümbritsevasse suhtumine.
Pikemalt kirjutan blogis: https://midaheliluges.blogspot.com/20...
Esiteks on teemaks valitud väga aktuaalne teema- noore juutuuberi soov oma kanaliga nii palju teenida, et saaks väikelinnast ära kolida. No ja sealt edasi ka. See Youtube´is töökoha loomine on ju paljude noorte unistus. Paljude jaoks ka reaalsus.Seega väga aktuaalne teema, millest rääkida.
Kui pidevalt on juttu, et noortekad on väga sünged, siis see on väga naljakas raamat. Just selline eluterve enda üle nalja tegemine. Mitte püüdlik koomilisus, vaid lihtsalt eluterve irooniaga endasse ja ümbritsevasse suhtumine.
Pikemalt kirjutan blogis: https://midaheliluges.blogspot.com/20...
May 28, 2019
This book has my heart. The characters are nuanced, messy, and lovable badasses. The story (revolving around the dark side of going viral) is timely.
Sonia Hartl's books are some of my favourites. She makes me laugh and cry--often on the same page.
Sonia Hartl's books are some of my favourites. She makes me laugh and cry--often on the same page.
October 29, 2021
Noorteraamat tüdrukust Macy Evansist, kes unistab saada nii kuulsaks juutuuberiks, et sellega ka teenida. Ühe pesapallimängu ajal kukub Macy hotdog kõrvalistuva sarmika noormehe Ericu sülle ja sellest saab alguse (armastus)lugu. Kuna pildid Macyst ja Ericust jõuavad sotsiaalmeediasse, siis muidugi saab noortest kuum paar ja Macy YouTube'i kanal kogub populaarsust. Kõik kuulsusega kaasnevad ebameeldivused panevad aga Macy aru saama, mida ta tegelikult elult ootab.
Taas üks tänapäevane noortekas, mis sobib hästi teismelistele tüdrukutele.
Taas üks tänapäevane noortekas, mis sobib hästi teismelistele tüdrukutele.
November 14, 2023
Read this in one day, I really adore Sonia Hartl's wit and writing style
Content warning: sexism, death of a sibling (past), domestic violence (not main pairing), classism, (brief) sexual scene, drug and alcohol use
Content warning: sexism, death of a sibling (past), domestic violence (not main pairing), classism, (brief) sexual scene, drug and alcohol use
July 12, 2020
Not your #LoveStory was a genuinely lovely read.
This is a story about a girl who grows up with social media. All positive and negative sides included. This is also a girl who feels trapped in her tiny hometown where everyone knows everything about everybody else. She is constantly subjected to her mother's own fears for her and her grandma and her friends. So there are opinions and advice coming from all directions. The lovely thing about that though, is that it is so very obvious how much everyone cares for each other.
I loved Macy and her love for old movies. I loved her group of friends, who were as chaotic and odd as she was and at a first glance, they didn't even necessarily fit together. But it worked. Paxton was charming through and through and I was just happy whenever he came on. Her mum and grandma and the entire sewing club were just a delight, honestly. The whole town (with a few exceptions) just felt like a community and I loved it.
The thing is this. As positive and amazing the internet is (I mean, I honestly love it for being able to share my love for books alone), it has it's dark patches. One of those is that we're all able to take pictures of anyone at anytime and for some reason it's become acceptable to post these on the internet. Publically. Without consent. (Remember Alex from Target? Imagine having someone take a picture of you at your work and posting it online. For whatever reason. #nightmare).
So I was all for this premise. I was all for being mad and being furious and I loved how this was dealt with. That it's deeply problematic how we as a society get roped into discussing the lives, actions and looks of people who have been photographed without their consent. Our ability to cyberstalk so well that someone will always find their house and their work and their school. It's deeply unsettling and this book dealt with it beautifully.
Because a false claim leads to turning this online love story into a tirade of slut shaming for Macy and it becomes very obvious how deeply she is affected. As she should be. As we all should be.
I think this is a very important book to read. Not only for the adorable love story which I enjoyed very much, but because it makes you think about our online culture in general.
I literally urge everyone to read this. And to have a think about how you personally behave online. It's what I did and I had to face some truths that were a little uncomfortable. So a huge thank you to Sonia Hartl for this unapologetically honest book. What a great read.
This is a story about a girl who grows up with social media. All positive and negative sides included. This is also a girl who feels trapped in her tiny hometown where everyone knows everything about everybody else. She is constantly subjected to her mother's own fears for her and her grandma and her friends. So there are opinions and advice coming from all directions. The lovely thing about that though, is that it is so very obvious how much everyone cares for each other.
I loved Macy and her love for old movies. I loved her group of friends, who were as chaotic and odd as she was and at a first glance, they didn't even necessarily fit together. But it worked. Paxton was charming through and through and I was just happy whenever he came on. Her mum and grandma and the entire sewing club were just a delight, honestly. The whole town (with a few exceptions) just felt like a community and I loved it.
The thing is this. As positive and amazing the internet is (I mean, I honestly love it for being able to share my love for books alone), it has it's dark patches. One of those is that we're all able to take pictures of anyone at anytime and for some reason it's become acceptable to post these on the internet. Publically. Without consent. (Remember Alex from Target? Imagine having someone take a picture of you at your work and posting it online. For whatever reason. #nightmare).
So I was all for this premise. I was all for being mad and being furious and I loved how this was dealt with. That it's deeply problematic how we as a society get roped into discussing the lives, actions and looks of people who have been photographed without their consent. Our ability to cyberstalk so well that someone will always find their house and their work and their school. It's deeply unsettling and this book dealt with it beautifully.
Because a false claim leads to turning this online love story into a tirade of slut shaming for Macy and it becomes very obvious how deeply she is affected. As she should be. As we all should be.
I think this is a very important book to read. Not only for the adorable love story which I enjoyed very much, but because it makes you think about our online culture in general.
I literally urge everyone to read this. And to have a think about how you personally behave online. It's what I did and I had to face some truths that were a little uncomfortable. So a huge thank you to Sonia Hartl for this unapologetically honest book. What a great read.
August 31, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for a copy to review. All opinions are my own.
The blurb for this one sounded really interesting and I was lucky enough to get an arc. YA Contemporary Romance can be a hit or miss but this one landed right in the middle.
I really liked that this book starts off talking about baseball. As a big baseball fan it really stuck out to me. The rest of the setting mostly takes place in a smaller town that still has a VHS store. It was nice to see the main character, Macy, be from a place like that because I think it really played into her struggles of wanting to play a role in wanting to reap the viral benefits. She saw it as a ticket out.
Macy doesn’t live an extravagant life and as mentioned above, she would like to leave her small town eventually. There are struggles that her grandma, mom, and even her face. Obviously the book focuses on Macy but I liked that the others were mentioned so we get a sense of her family life and what it’s like living in a small town. She definitely knows what she wants and even when she thinks things are too good to be true, she still goes along with it even if it could potentially blow up in her face. It made her feel realistic and I always look for that in characters.
*Spoilers Maybe? Read at Your Own Risk!*
I think that there are a lot of good messages inside this book: consent, safe sex, the toxic internet, and the price of fame. It was a good reminder as to why I don’t have a twitter and why I don’t use my facebook much either. People have too much time on their hands and will do anything for their 15 minutes of fame.
Overall, it was a good read and I think that this will appeal to a lot of teens.
The blurb for this one sounded really interesting and I was lucky enough to get an arc. YA Contemporary Romance can be a hit or miss but this one landed right in the middle.
I really liked that this book starts off talking about baseball. As a big baseball fan it really stuck out to me. The rest of the setting mostly takes place in a smaller town that still has a VHS store. It was nice to see the main character, Macy, be from a place like that because I think it really played into her struggles of wanting to play a role in wanting to reap the viral benefits. She saw it as a ticket out.
Macy doesn’t live an extravagant life and as mentioned above, she would like to leave her small town eventually. There are struggles that her grandma, mom, and even her face. Obviously the book focuses on Macy but I liked that the others were mentioned so we get a sense of her family life and what it’s like living in a small town. She definitely knows what she wants and even when she thinks things are too good to be true, she still goes along with it even if it could potentially blow up in her face. It made her feel realistic and I always look for that in characters.
*Spoilers Maybe? Read at Your Own Risk!*
I think that there are a lot of good messages inside this book: consent, safe sex, the toxic internet, and the price of fame. It was a good reminder as to why I don’t have a twitter and why I don’t use my facebook much either. People have too much time on their hands and will do anything for their 15 minutes of fame.
Overall, it was a good read and I think that this will appeal to a lot of teens.
October 5, 2020
Lots of things about this story are so much fun. Macy is spunky and surrounded by fierce and loyal friends and family members. I liked the circle of quilters her grandmother was part of best of all, I think.
NOT YOUR #LOVESTORY doesn’t shy away from the gross awfulness that the internet can be. Macy becomes obsessed with her social media feeds and the need to boost her income from her YouTube channel even further. As her story with Eric goes viral, the trolls come out in droves, insulting her clothes, her looks, and shaming her for things they assume she did.
Her friends rally around her, but it’s clear they’re not fans of the fake dating relationship with Eric. Like it or not, though, her internet fame has changed things between them, and Macy has to figure out how much of her real life she’s willing to give up for her YouTube stardom.
Underneath the explorations of the cost of social media fame and the pressure of growing up poor in a small town, this is a simple story about a girl falling in love with her best friend.
I think readers who enjoyed WILD AND CROOKED by Leah Thomas will enjoy the small town setting and exploration of harmful assumptions. Fans of Hartl’s first book, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH IN ME, will find another sex-positive, spicy romance layered with social issues.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
NOT YOUR #LOVESTORY doesn’t shy away from the gross awfulness that the internet can be. Macy becomes obsessed with her social media feeds and the need to boost her income from her YouTube channel even further. As her story with Eric goes viral, the trolls come out in droves, insulting her clothes, her looks, and shaming her for things they assume she did.
Her friends rally around her, but it’s clear they’re not fans of the fake dating relationship with Eric. Like it or not, though, her internet fame has changed things between them, and Macy has to figure out how much of her real life she’s willing to give up for her YouTube stardom.
Underneath the explorations of the cost of social media fame and the pressure of growing up poor in a small town, this is a simple story about a girl falling in love with her best friend.
I think readers who enjoyed WILD AND CROOKED by Leah Thomas will enjoy the small town setting and exploration of harmful assumptions. Fans of Hartl’s first book, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH IN ME, will find another sex-positive, spicy romance layered with social issues.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 26, 2020
I loved Macy’s unapologetic way of speaking her mind and being very direct. She cares so much about her friends and family and goes out of her way to make them happy. The story is told entirely in the first person from her perspective and she’s just so endearing and kind. I also loved Paxton, her sweet friend who clearly is in love with her. He raises rabbits for the county fair and is so unbelievably wholesome and genuine. I rooted for him the entire time.
If you are a fan of YA that deals with feminist issues in a smart way, Not Your #Lovestory is for you!
If you are a fan of YA that deals with feminist issues in a smart way, Not Your #Lovestory is for you!
July 7, 2020
The voice! It's everything.
I just finished Alisha Rai's Girl Gone Viral before reading this and some of the high-level themes are similar, but the author takes it in a different direction.
Hartl's book is fresh and funny— if you love contemporary voicey stories, definitely pick this up.
Oh, and the VHS store— hilarious.
I just finished Alisha Rai's Girl Gone Viral before reading this and some of the high-level themes are similar, but the author takes it in a different direction.
Hartl's book is fresh and funny— if you love contemporary voicey stories, definitely pick this up.
Oh, and the VHS store— hilarious.
August 31, 2020
*ARC received from Netgalley in return for an honest review*
video review: https://youtu.be/NAdhDAOuSFg
This is the story of Macy, who runs her own youtube channel that does reviews of videos. She decides to take her mother on a birthday trip to a Royals game where she accidentally spills her hot dog and drinks on a very cute boy. During this baseball game, a complete stranger decides to document their "meet cute" and it goes viral. As this meet cute goes viral, her youtube channel starts to take off and Eric, the boy from the game, proposes that the two of them play it up for social media so that they continue to get the clicks and the views. At the same time, Macy is starting to develop feelings for a local boy and questioning everything that she's doing for clicks.
Now at first, I thought I was just going to get a simple romance read where a girl likes a boy, and things kind of fall out in a tumbling fashion with a little bit of tension thrown in. Yet still, something that is sweet, quick, and very easy to dive into. What I got was a lot deeper than that and I very much appreciated that. I will note that there is talk of suicide and other mental disorders, in case that is triggering for anyone. It dives into a lot of deeper commentary on social media and how we can judge people on something that complete strangers may post and how that will affect other people's lives.
The character development of Macy and her family is absolutely amazing. I love the dynamic between her and her mother and her grandmother and just the look at the town in general. She comes from a small town and because of that, it affects the way that people interact with each other. This book could have easily had cookie-cutter characters but each of the characters seems to hold up on their own and they each have a deeper backstory. A lot of it takes some very deep look into a lot of social issues. This book has a lot to say and I think it says it very well. It makes you stop and think about what the internet is doing to us mentally and how crazy we can get for that validation of complete strangers' likes. It also looks a what those negative comments from complete strangers can do to us mentally.
Now the writing in this book can get a little repetitive at some points, we were given a lot of detail that didn't feel like it had a lot of relevance. It was mostly filler. But it was very easy to get into and latch on to what the book was saying about social media.
There is a little bit of romance as well. This is what I would call a new adult read because the main character is 18 and it takes a deep look into her relationships.
Overall I really did enjoy this book. I think it had a lot of good commentary on social media and just relationships in general. So if you are looking for a read that dives into social media and has a little bit of romance on the side, I highly recommend this read.
video review: https://youtu.be/NAdhDAOuSFg
This is the story of Macy, who runs her own youtube channel that does reviews of videos. She decides to take her mother on a birthday trip to a Royals game where she accidentally spills her hot dog and drinks on a very cute boy. During this baseball game, a complete stranger decides to document their "meet cute" and it goes viral. As this meet cute goes viral, her youtube channel starts to take off and Eric, the boy from the game, proposes that the two of them play it up for social media so that they continue to get the clicks and the views. At the same time, Macy is starting to develop feelings for a local boy and questioning everything that she's doing for clicks.
Now at first, I thought I was just going to get a simple romance read where a girl likes a boy, and things kind of fall out in a tumbling fashion with a little bit of tension thrown in. Yet still, something that is sweet, quick, and very easy to dive into. What I got was a lot deeper than that and I very much appreciated that. I will note that there is talk of suicide and other mental disorders, in case that is triggering for anyone. It dives into a lot of deeper commentary on social media and how we can judge people on something that complete strangers may post and how that will affect other people's lives.
The character development of Macy and her family is absolutely amazing. I love the dynamic between her and her mother and her grandmother and just the look at the town in general. She comes from a small town and because of that, it affects the way that people interact with each other. This book could have easily had cookie-cutter characters but each of the characters seems to hold up on their own and they each have a deeper backstory. A lot of it takes some very deep look into a lot of social issues. This book has a lot to say and I think it says it very well. It makes you stop and think about what the internet is doing to us mentally and how crazy we can get for that validation of complete strangers' likes. It also looks a what those negative comments from complete strangers can do to us mentally.
Now the writing in this book can get a little repetitive at some points, we were given a lot of detail that didn't feel like it had a lot of relevance. It was mostly filler. But it was very easy to get into and latch on to what the book was saying about social media.
There is a little bit of romance as well. This is what I would call a new adult read because the main character is 18 and it takes a deep look into her relationships.
Overall I really did enjoy this book. I think it had a lot of good commentary on social media and just relationships in general. So if you are looking for a read that dives into social media and has a little bit of romance on the side, I highly recommend this read.
August 5, 2021
Macy dreamed of escaping her small town life and was working hard to finance it. In addition to her job at the last video store on Earth, she was building her YouTube following to increase her earnings. After a day at the ballpark, Macy found herself in a Twitter love story. The only problem was that there was no love story. This left Macy to decide how far she was willing to go for those likes and clicks.
Hartl’s books are alway so much fun, and I really enjoyed getting to be part of Macy’s world for a while. I was very drawn to the premise of this book. We have all seen this play out online before. Remember that airplane couple? People was eager to see this budding romance bloom, but I can’t help thinking how invasive the online world can be. That was part of this story, and I appreciated the way Macy navigated that. It also examined how much we are willing to do for that bit of online fame. How much of yourself are you willing to give up to the masses? I think because I am older and didn’t live my whole life online, I am often baffled by some of the things that happen in the online world. With that said, I felt Hartl looked at it from multiple angles, presenting me with the good and bad parts of going viral.
Hartl wrapped all that business up in wit and humor, and there were quite a few things I adored as I read this book.
• The meet-cute was all sorts of rom-com fun. I loved watching it in all play out in real-time.
• I am a sucker for wacky workplace dynamics. Many scenes took place at a combination video rental/repair shop. It was fun to revisit the world of be-kind-rewind, and it was made even better by its quirky staff. This group had that Empire Records vibe I love, and I swear, each employee deserves their own story.
• Family played a big role in this story as well. Macy’s home was inhabited by three generations of strong women, who loved and supported each other. I was especially fond of Bizzy, Macy’s grandmother. She was one of those gruff old ladies, but man, she had a heart of gold.
• Can we talk about Bizzy’s Bees? Bizzy had a quilting group called the Bees. They were comedic gold.
• I was such a fan of the romance too. Those soft boys never get old. He was a gem.
• Everyone who knows me knows I am total trash for 80s movies too. I was definitely in my happy place with the movie selection in this book.
Overall: Another solid book from Hartl. She brilliantly wove multiple issues into a story that was amusing and touching. (And the cover makes so much sense to me now)
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Hartl’s books are alway so much fun, and I really enjoyed getting to be part of Macy’s world for a while. I was very drawn to the premise of this book. We have all seen this play out online before. Remember that airplane couple? People was eager to see this budding romance bloom, but I can’t help thinking how invasive the online world can be. That was part of this story, and I appreciated the way Macy navigated that. It also examined how much we are willing to do for that bit of online fame. How much of yourself are you willing to give up to the masses? I think because I am older and didn’t live my whole life online, I am often baffled by some of the things that happen in the online world. With that said, I felt Hartl looked at it from multiple angles, presenting me with the good and bad parts of going viral.
Hartl wrapped all that business up in wit and humor, and there were quite a few things I adored as I read this book.
• The meet-cute was all sorts of rom-com fun. I loved watching it in all play out in real-time.
• I am a sucker for wacky workplace dynamics. Many scenes took place at a combination video rental/repair shop. It was fun to revisit the world of be-kind-rewind, and it was made even better by its quirky staff. This group had that Empire Records vibe I love, and I swear, each employee deserves their own story.
• Family played a big role in this story as well. Macy’s home was inhabited by three generations of strong women, who loved and supported each other. I was especially fond of Bizzy, Macy’s grandmother. She was one of those gruff old ladies, but man, she had a heart of gold.
• Can we talk about Bizzy’s Bees? Bizzy had a quilting group called the Bees. They were comedic gold.
• I was such a fan of the romance too. Those soft boys never get old. He was a gem.
• Everyone who knows me knows I am total trash for 80s movies too. I was definitely in my happy place with the movie selection in this book.
Overall: Another solid book from Hartl. She brilliantly wove multiple issues into a story that was amusing and touching. (And the cover makes so much sense to me now)
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
September 8, 2020
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
4 ⭐️
Trigger warning: mentions of violence, mentions of abusive behaviour/child abuse, PTSD, cyberbullying, doxxing, slut-shaming, misogyny
A love story rooted in today's obsession with social media.
I have to admit, I wasn't in the right frame of mind when I started reading this book. The beginning, with the trolling and doxxing, gave me some major anxiety. But once the story started rolling and Macy's life became more than social media, I did enjoy the rest of the story.
It's a bit exaggerated on some levels. The tweets are over the top with the amount of hashtags, and the dynamics felt off once in a while. Some jokes didn't land as well as the author wanted them to, but there were some gems in there. Notably Macy's family calling their backyard "the Hamptons", Macy imagining her mom going through the streets in search of her lost virginity and the light-hearted trolling between coworkers at the video store.
I did love the fact that Macy wasn't a virgin and her having sex wasn't the be-all-end-all of her relationship. And the scene itself had clear consent and included foreplay, which we rarely see in YA. It's one of the few non-graphic sex scenes I've read that sounded truly realistic for a young couple.
I wish Jessica and Eric got the full blow they deserved, but this ending was good enough and put Macy on a higher moral step, which still gave some closure.
It's not the book of the year, but it follows a refreshing twist on YA romances I've seen this year. Those stories are more and more about fighting back against the patriarchy and how women are seen by society. I, for one, love that.
4 ⭐️
Trigger warning: mentions of violence, mentions of abusive behaviour/child abuse, PTSD, cyberbullying, doxxing, slut-shaming, misogyny
A love story rooted in today's obsession with social media.
I have to admit, I wasn't in the right frame of mind when I started reading this book. The beginning, with the trolling and doxxing, gave me some major anxiety. But once the story started rolling and Macy's life became more than social media, I did enjoy the rest of the story.
It's a bit exaggerated on some levels. The tweets are over the top with the amount of hashtags, and the dynamics felt off once in a while. Some jokes didn't land as well as the author wanted them to, but there were some gems in there. Notably Macy's family calling their backyard "the Hamptons", Macy imagining her mom going through the streets in search of her lost virginity and the light-hearted trolling between coworkers at the video store.
I did love the fact that Macy wasn't a virgin and her having sex wasn't the be-all-end-all of her relationship. And the scene itself had clear consent and included foreplay, which we rarely see in YA. It's one of the few non-graphic sex scenes I've read that sounded truly realistic for a young couple.
I wish Jessica and Eric got the full blow they deserved, but this ending was good enough and put Macy on a higher moral step, which still gave some closure.
It's not the book of the year, but it follows a refreshing twist on YA romances I've seen this year. Those stories are more and more about fighting back against the patriarchy and how women are seen by society. I, for one, love that.
January 16, 2022
Macy Evans tahab saada internetis kuulsaks ja rikkaks. Ja saabki, aga mitte nii nagu ta tahtis. Ja Macy ei tahtnud armuda oma töökaaslasesse, aga ta tegi seda. Rohkem ma edasi ei tea, sest mul on selline reegel endale, et ma annan igale raamatule 100 lk (on küllalt raamatuid, millel on „valestart“, aga muidu väga head), kuid kui lugu pole suutnud mind selleks hetkeks endast huvituma panna, siis on aeg hüvasti jätta.
Ja mulle ei läinud Macy karvavõrdki korda. Sorry, not sorry. Mul ei ole Twitterit, võibolla seepärast ka ei kõnetanud. Ma olen vanakool – Facebook. Mulle jäi arusaamatuks, miks tüdrukut, keda huvitasid vanad filmid ja nende arvustamine, läks kaasa totaka suhtedraama promomisse. Ta tahtis klikkide eest raha, et väikelinnast minema pääseda, et teha mida?? Või tegelikult ma ei saanud ka aru, miks see „suvaline tüüp + suvaline tüdruk (kes püüdis pesapalli kinni, aga selle au anti ka suvalisele poisile) = lähevad WC ke**ima“ üldse nii kuulsaks said, kellele see korda üldse läks? Miks seda peaks üldse televisioonis arutama? Nad isegi ei teinud seda.
Njah. Polnud minu maitse. Juhtub.
Thank you. Next!
Ja mulle ei läinud Macy karvavõrdki korda. Sorry, not sorry. Mul ei ole Twitterit, võibolla seepärast ka ei kõnetanud. Ma olen vanakool – Facebook. Mulle jäi arusaamatuks, miks tüdrukut, keda huvitasid vanad filmid ja nende arvustamine, läks kaasa totaka suhtedraama promomisse. Ta tahtis klikkide eest raha, et väikelinnast minema pääseda, et teha mida?? Või tegelikult ma ei saanud ka aru, miks see „suvaline tüüp + suvaline tüdruk (kes püüdis pesapalli kinni, aga selle au anti ka suvalisele poisile) = lähevad WC ke**ima“ üldse nii kuulsaks said, kellele see korda üldse läks? Miks seda peaks üldse televisioonis arutama? Nad isegi ei teinud seda.
Njah. Polnud minu maitse. Juhtub.
Thank you. Next!
January 13, 2024
Macy elab oma ema ja vanaemaga väikelinnas, töötab videolaenutuses ja loodab oma videoarvustuste YouTube'i kanaliga jõuda võimalikult paljude inimesteni, et sellega piisavalt raha teenida, et Chicagosse kolida. Ootamatu juhuse tõttu saab selle otsitud internetikuulsuse kätte, aga selle reaalsus on hoopis midagi muud tema ootustest ning pöörab ta rahuliku elu ja suhted täiesti peapeale.
See oli selline tore noorteraamat, mille paari õhtuga läbi jõuab lugeda ja kui välja arvata üks veidi kirjeldav intiimstseen, siis loo poolest sobiks varateismelistele. Lugu ise on kergesti jälgitav, tegelased olid enamik kõik hilisteismelised ja käitusid ka sarnaselt ning õhkkonnaks on veidi veider väikelinn koos oma veel veidramate kõrvaltegelastega. Juba algusest oli üsna selge, et keda tegelastest autor tahaks, et lugejale meeldiks ja kes kohe kindlasti mitte.
Raamat puudutas tegelikult päris mitmeid tõsisemaid teemasid ka, nagu koduvägivald, kuid küll üsna pinnapealselt. Ma arvan, et see oli hea sissevaade internetikuulsuse pahupoolele, kuigi Macy lugu üsna leebe võrreldes sellega, mis päriselt juhtuda võiks. Hinnanguks on päriselt 3.5*, aga täna ümardasin seda ülespoole 4ni.
See oli selline tore noorteraamat, mille paari õhtuga läbi jõuab lugeda ja kui välja arvata üks veidi kirjeldav intiimstseen, siis loo poolest sobiks varateismelistele. Lugu ise on kergesti jälgitav, tegelased olid enamik kõik hilisteismelised ja käitusid ka sarnaselt ning õhkkonnaks on veidi veider väikelinn koos oma veel veidramate kõrvaltegelastega. Juba algusest oli üsna selge, et keda tegelastest autor tahaks, et lugejale meeldiks ja kes kohe kindlasti mitte.
Raamat puudutas tegelikult päris mitmeid tõsisemaid teemasid ka, nagu koduvägivald, kuid küll üsna pinnapealselt. Ma arvan, et see oli hea sissevaade internetikuulsuse pahupoolele, kuigi Macy lugu üsna leebe võrreldes sellega, mis päriselt juhtuda võiks. Hinnanguks on päriselt 3.5*, aga täna ümardasin seda ülespoole 4ni.
November 15, 2020
3.5 stars
Not your #lovestory is indeed a sweet love story about meet cute and how social media can influence the lives of the ones implicated in it.
There are much more deep feelings and discussions in here, much more than one is expecting and while the cover and blurb is setting up for an easy read, this is not the case.
The characters are well described and i enjoyed it overall but maybe i wanted a bit more from the actual romance and how that develops into something more steady and beautiful for the future.
Not your #lovestory is indeed a sweet love story about meet cute and how social media can influence the lives of the ones implicated in it.
There are much more deep feelings and discussions in here, much more than one is expecting and while the cover and blurb is setting up for an easy read, this is not the case.
The characters are well described and i enjoyed it overall but maybe i wanted a bit more from the actual romance and how that develops into something more steady and beautiful for the future.
February 1, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! It was a fun and easy reading style and the characters were well written. The social media aspect was a little weird at times, like someone who didn’t really use social media wrote it (lots of weird hashtags) so that made it a little cringey at moments, but that’s really the only “negative” aspect of this book for me. Great story, loved the drama, the romance, and the ending was perfect!
August 9, 2020
In theory this sounded like a me kind of book. Sadly we didn’t mesh well. There were things in it that just didn’t work for me personally. I did really like Paxton and some parts of Macy. But overall it just wasn’t a book for me. It’s a me thing not a book thing so I recommend making up your own mind. I will say it is a quick read.
August 19, 2020
I tore through this one. I loved every moment of it! Well, I loved reading it, but I was defintiely feeling emotions and frustration at the main characters during several parts, haha! It was a perfect blend of romantic comedy, warnings against viral online presences, as well as family and small town dramas. Highly recommend to anyone who needs a good read with a slight bit of fluff.
Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy!
Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy!
September 9, 2020
4.5
Not Your #Lovestory was a great read and if you enjoy YA, I highly recommend it. The pitfalls of social media. Abusive relationships. Slut shaming. Internet fame. This book was that perfect mix of funny and serious that I look for in a good YA.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my review.
Not Your #Lovestory was a great read and if you enjoy YA, I highly recommend it. The pitfalls of social media. Abusive relationships. Slut shaming. Internet fame. This book was that perfect mix of funny and serious that I look for in a good YA.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my review.
September 2, 2021
Üle pika aja sai noortekat lugeda, vaja ju noortele uudiskirjandust tutvustada. Olin isegi üllatunud, et selline täitsa südamlik lugu. Põnev oli isegi lugeda mis tehakse Youtubes, et kuulsaks saada, täitsa uskumatu. Eks see nii vast käibki, ei teagi, mis on päris või mida või keda uskuda. Päris lahe lugemine.
December 6, 2020
I think the lesson of the story here is very clear: Don't talk to strangers. (And don't enter into fake social media relationships too.) The plot was predictable, but I liked Paxton so I got through it.
May 13, 2020
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy!
Maybe 2.5 in reality. Honestly, this is a disappointment :( it wasn’t a bad book, but it feels like a sophomore slump in comparison to Have a Little Faith in Me. The pacing was a little disjointed and the characters didn’t feel as fleshed out as they could have been.
I liked the portrayal of being poor. The scene was set super well and felt realistic to small town life. The family dynamic was sweet and there was decent f/f romance rep. Now that I think of it, I don’t remember any POC being mentioned, but I don’t always remember descriptions very well.
The romance was sweet, and even though the romance seemed decently paced, the I love yous seemed to come way too soon and we didn’t see enough of them before their first date to know what kind of chemistry they had.
The Twitter drama commentary was pretty realistic. Just the issues with going viral and the morality of posting about strangers’ lives and what you do to them by doing so. The different viewpoints people on the internet take when stuff like that happens. The media headlining it for a day then never bringing it up again. It felt pretty genuine.
Also Macy’s YouTube career felt pretty believable numbers wise. Often views and followers/subscribers on social media in books are either overshot or undershot, but Macy talked about how much money she made with certain amounts of views and it felt like good research had been done.
The love interest had a tragic backstory that seemed WAY too heavy for the tone of the book, and it didn’t play a big enough part in the story to warrant being so intense. I really didn’t like that addition.
I can tell there was a lot of heart put into the story but it just wasn’t all there for me. The old ladies that hung out in the main character’s kitchen had more personality than the love interest. He was very sweet but he felt so flat. The best friend also just felt like a placeholder, with her girlfriend being more prevalent in the story.
Overall, I just found a lot to pick apart in this one, and it makes me sad because it was highly anticipated. Oh well!!
Maybe 2.5 in reality. Honestly, this is a disappointment :( it wasn’t a bad book, but it feels like a sophomore slump in comparison to Have a Little Faith in Me. The pacing was a little disjointed and the characters didn’t feel as fleshed out as they could have been.
I liked the portrayal of being poor. The scene was set super well and felt realistic to small town life. The family dynamic was sweet and there was decent f/f romance rep. Now that I think of it, I don’t remember any POC being mentioned, but I don’t always remember descriptions very well.
The romance was sweet, and even though the romance seemed decently paced, the I love yous seemed to come way too soon and we didn’t see enough of them before their first date to know what kind of chemistry they had.
The Twitter drama commentary was pretty realistic. Just the issues with going viral and the morality of posting about strangers’ lives and what you do to them by doing so. The different viewpoints people on the internet take when stuff like that happens. The media headlining it for a day then never bringing it up again. It felt pretty genuine.
Also Macy’s YouTube career felt pretty believable numbers wise. Often views and followers/subscribers on social media in books are either overshot or undershot, but Macy talked about how much money she made with certain amounts of views and it felt like good research had been done.
The love interest had a tragic backstory that seemed WAY too heavy for the tone of the book, and it didn’t play a big enough part in the story to warrant being so intense. I really didn’t like that addition.
I can tell there was a lot of heart put into the story but it just wasn’t all there for me. The old ladies that hung out in the main character’s kitchen had more personality than the love interest. He was very sweet but he felt so flat. The best friend also just felt like a placeholder, with her girlfriend being more prevalent in the story.
Overall, I just found a lot to pick apart in this one, and it makes me sad because it was highly anticipated. Oh well!!
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