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Love Frankie
GROWING UP. FALLING IN LOVE. COMING OUT.
Frankie is nearly fourteen and teenage life certainly comes with its ups and downs. Her mum is seriously ill with MS and Frankie can feel herself growing up quickly, no thanks to Sally and her gang of bullies at school.
When Sally turns out to be not-so-mean after all, they strike up a friendship and are suddenly spending all of their time together.
But Frankie starts to wonder whether these feelings she has for Sally are stronger than her other friendships. Might she really be in love?
Frankie doesn't want Sally to just be her friend. She wants her to be her girlfriend. But does Sally feel the same?
The must-have new novel about falling in love for the first time from bestselling, much-loved children's author, Jacqueline Wilson.
Frankie is nearly fourteen and teenage life certainly comes with its ups and downs. Her mum is seriously ill with MS and Frankie can feel herself growing up quickly, no thanks to Sally and her gang of bullies at school.
When Sally turns out to be not-so-mean after all, they strike up a friendship and are suddenly spending all of their time together.
But Frankie starts to wonder whether these feelings she has for Sally are stronger than her other friendships. Might she really be in love?
Frankie doesn't want Sally to just be her friend. She wants her to be her girlfriend. But does Sally feel the same?
The must-have new novel about falling in love for the first time from bestselling, much-loved children's author, Jacqueline Wilson.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2020
123 people are currently reading
2325 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Wilson
399 books5,699 followersJacqueline Wilson was born in Bath in 1945, but spent most of her childhood in Kingston-on-Thames. She always wanted to be a writer and wrote her first ‘novel’ when she was nine, filling in countless Woolworths’ exercise books as she grew up. As a teenager she started work for a magazine publishing company and then went on to work as a journalist on Jackie magazine (which she was told was named after her!) before turning to writing novels full-time.
One of Jacqueline’s most successful and enduring creations has been the famous Tracy Beaker, who first appeared in 1991 in The Story of Tracy Beaker. This was also the first of her books to be illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Since then Jacqueline has been on countless awards shortlists and has gone on to win many awards. The Illustrated Mum won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award, the 1999 Children’s Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and was also shortlisted for the 1999 Whitbread Children’s Book Award.
Double Act won the prestigious Smarties Medal and the Children’s Book Award as well as being highly commended for the Carnegie Medal. The Story of Tracy Beaker won the 2002 Blue Peter People’s Choice Award.
Jacqueline is one of the nation’s favourite authors, and her books are loved and cherished by young readers not only in the UK but all over the world. She has sold millions of books and in the UK alone the total now stands at over 35 million!
In 2002 Jacqueline was awarded the OBE for services to literacy in schools and from 2005 to 2007 she was the Children’s Laureate. In 2008 she became Dame Jacqueline Wilson.
One of Jacqueline’s most successful and enduring creations has been the famous Tracy Beaker, who first appeared in 1991 in The Story of Tracy Beaker. This was also the first of her books to be illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Since then Jacqueline has been on countless awards shortlists and has gone on to win many awards. The Illustrated Mum won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award, the 1999 Children’s Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and was also shortlisted for the 1999 Whitbread Children’s Book Award.
Double Act won the prestigious Smarties Medal and the Children’s Book Award as well as being highly commended for the Carnegie Medal. The Story of Tracy Beaker won the 2002 Blue Peter People’s Choice Award.
Jacqueline is one of the nation’s favourite authors, and her books are loved and cherished by young readers not only in the UK but all over the world. She has sold millions of books and in the UK alone the total now stands at over 35 million!
In 2002 Jacqueline was awarded the OBE for services to literacy in schools and from 2005 to 2007 she was the Children’s Laureate. In 2008 she became Dame Jacqueline Wilson.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 434 reviews
November 22, 2020
is it corny of me to say that this book brought tears to my eyes??? the fact that kids today have a book like love, frankie to read is fucking phenomenal. this was everything I wanted and more. I'm super emotional about this book, honestly please read this if you grew up reading jw's books, this is nostalgic yet fresh and just simply gorgeous for a middle grade read. and to top it off, there's a lovely little surprise on the inside covers too!!
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you're telling me, the lesbian writer icon that defined not only my early childhood, but arguably my adolescence entire, jacqueline wilson, has released a whole-ass lesbian children's novel, and i didn't realise immediately? the shame. i have been waiting my whole life for this.
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you're telling me, the lesbian writer icon that defined not only my early childhood, but arguably my adolescence entire, jacqueline wilson, has released a whole-ass lesbian children's novel, and i didn't realise immediately? the shame. i have been waiting my whole life for this.
December 7, 2020
Jacqueline Wilson has been one of my favourite authors for the longest time and I have loved every book I have read by her. Her characters are usually going through some challenging times, and though there is never a magical "and they all lived happily ever after" tone to them, they always cheer me up. Maybe because as an author she doesn't make false promises, but she does make it clear that situations can improve.
I absolutely adored Frankie, her family, her friends. I was less taken with Sally, but I was able to understand her appeal. I liked that both Frankie and her sister Zara were in a similar situations with their infatuations on rather self-involved people who treat others pretty poorly. Zara's points about Sally are all absolutely correct, but they also apply to the boy she likes. Frankie's disdain for this boy is fair, but she doesn't want to see that Sally presents the same issues.
I loved Frankie's friendship with Sammy, her younger sister, her dog called Bear.🐻 I thought the plot dealing with her mother's MS was really well done too.
I can't help feeling that Sally wasn't quite worthy of Frankie's devotion, but I appreciated that she wasn't a villain, and had some redeeming qualities. I felt the ending was appropriate. I did love that the drama wasn't really about Frankie's sexuality, just the general stuff that comes along with first, unexpected love, especially when the object of your affections isn't the kindest person.
As ever Jacqueline Wilson's writing is lovely to read and I valued every moment. And Nick Sharratt's illustrations were perfect, as usual. I cherished them even more this time as I have just read that their upcoming book, The Runaway Girls will be their final collaboration together, after thirty years. I look forward to seeing what both of them do individually in the future, but I will miss the pairing. I have always loved seeing his take on her characters, the chapter headings, and the wonderful covers. 💘
I absolutely adored Frankie, her family, her friends. I was less taken with Sally, but I was able to understand her appeal. I liked that both Frankie and her sister Zara were in a similar situations with their infatuations on rather self-involved people who treat others pretty poorly. Zara's points about Sally are all absolutely correct, but they also apply to the boy she likes. Frankie's disdain for this boy is fair, but she doesn't want to see that Sally presents the same issues.
I loved Frankie's friendship with Sammy, her younger sister, her dog called Bear.🐻 I thought the plot dealing with her mother's MS was really well done too.
I can't help feeling that Sally wasn't quite worthy of Frankie's devotion, but I appreciated that she wasn't a villain, and had some redeeming qualities. I felt the ending was appropriate. I did love that the drama wasn't really about Frankie's sexuality, just the general stuff that comes along with first, unexpected love, especially when the object of your affections isn't the kindest person.
As ever Jacqueline Wilson's writing is lovely to read and I valued every moment. And Nick Sharratt's illustrations were perfect, as usual. I cherished them even more this time as I have just read that their upcoming book, The Runaway Girls will be their final collaboration together, after thirty years. I look forward to seeing what both of them do individually in the future, but I will miss the pairing. I have always loved seeing his take on her characters, the chapter headings, and the wonderful covers. 💘
June 19, 2020
A touching, realistic, coming-of-age story of first love, and the joy and pain it encompasses. Review to follow.
March 16, 2020
Love Frankie is a weird book for me to review, because it's essentially Jacqueline Wilson writing a novel that foregrounds a relationship between two teenage girls, and I think it would have meant a great deal to me when I was the age of its protagonists. While LGBT+ narratives have proliferated in young adult fiction (a welcome change from when I was a teenager and the only LGBT+ character I encountered was Andy in Sweet Valley Senior Year!), I still think it's important that someone of Wilson's stature is writing this kind of narrative. And she handles it well, sustaining her light touch while dealing with serious issues such as homophobic taunts and the persistent narrative that same-sex attraction in adolescence is 'just a phase'. While I found the attitude of the central character to her sexuality a little unrealistically optimistic, Wilson has a tendency to write naive, unworldly protagonists, and so this is in keeping with her usual style, even if, for me, it plays troublingly into the myth that LGBT+ teenagers no longer face any major issues (for evidence on the persistence of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia today, see https://www.britishlgbtawards.com/lgb...) And Wilson's instinctive understanding of the emotional intensity of teenage female friendships, and how, here, that bleeds confusingly into romantic attraction, is spot on.
However, although I've loved some of Wilson's more recent fiction (Katy is my favourite) I wasn't sure that Love Frankie really works as a novel. Most obviously, it's very long, and it doesn't really justify its length; there's a great deal of repetition. Interestingly, while the central character is fourteen, it doesn't really feel like YA fiction; I'm no expert, but I can imagine that this will be read by people who are rather younger that the protagonist. I don't see this as a problem - in fact, this is the sort of book that I'd like to see being read by confident Y5 or Y6 readers as it will hopefully act as a positive introduction to certain issues before they have to face the brunt of them themselves. As I say, the protagonist is pretty innocent and the worst she gets up to is a bit of underage drinking (I was struck by how different Wilson's portrayal of Y9 girls was in her much older Girls trilogy - this is not nearly as hard-hitting). However, given this, the length feels even more unnecessary. Ultimately, this is a book for pre-teens and teenagers, and so they will be the best judge of whether it works, not me. However, despite the promising subject-matter, as an adult reader, I got much less out of this than some of Wilson's other books, regardless of the age group they're aimed at.
I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
However, although I've loved some of Wilson's more recent fiction (Katy is my favourite) I wasn't sure that Love Frankie really works as a novel. Most obviously, it's very long, and it doesn't really justify its length; there's a great deal of repetition. Interestingly, while the central character is fourteen, it doesn't really feel like YA fiction; I'm no expert, but I can imagine that this will be read by people who are rather younger that the protagonist. I don't see this as a problem - in fact, this is the sort of book that I'd like to see being read by confident Y5 or Y6 readers as it will hopefully act as a positive introduction to certain issues before they have to face the brunt of them themselves. As I say, the protagonist is pretty innocent and the worst she gets up to is a bit of underage drinking (I was struck by how different Wilson's portrayal of Y9 girls was in her much older Girls trilogy - this is not nearly as hard-hitting). However, given this, the length feels even more unnecessary. Ultimately, this is a book for pre-teens and teenagers, and so they will be the best judge of whether it works, not me. However, despite the promising subject-matter, as an adult reader, I got much less out of this than some of Wilson's other books, regardless of the age group they're aimed at.
I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
June 7, 2020
This is very typical Jacqueline Wilson - characters dealing with family issues. She always writes realistically and doesn’t hide the hard stuff because her readers are young people.
Frankie’s parents are divorced, her mum is sick and they are struggling as a family. On top of that, Frankie has fallen in love with her friend, Sally. I liked the way that Wilson depicts teenage love in all its drama without making it seem silly.
The story is a bit simplistic in places and I didn’t love the ending but I think it deals with first, gay love sensitively and would make an excellent addition to a school library.
Frankie’s parents are divorced, her mum is sick and they are struggling as a family. On top of that, Frankie has fallen in love with her friend, Sally. I liked the way that Wilson depicts teenage love in all its drama without making it seem silly.
The story is a bit simplistic in places and I didn’t love the ending but I think it deals with first, gay love sensitively and would make an excellent addition to a school library.
February 8, 2021
I really wanted to like this book, but was really disappointed. I picked this book up mostly since I figured I was the target demographic and it seemed ok. Anyways:
Frankie was amazingly dislikeable! She was immature, naive, selfish and generally not a very nice person to many people. She reminded me of a 7 year old especially how she seemed to think she was much older than she actually was (I'm Frankie's age and I know I am obviously just a kid, do people my age really think this????!). In fact, I'd say that all the characters in the book were quite immature for their age especially all the petty friendship drama etc. One time Frankie even said "I'm not a little girl anymore dad, I'm nearly 14. And don't assume I can't understand about falling in love, I know all about it". I mean, seriously??? She is clearly not at all self-aware. She kept lashing out at her dad and making things difficult for everyone even though her sisters were managing to at least make a bit of an effort. Her relationship with sally was extremely toxic and she was incredibly naive about how "in love" she was with Sally. On top of all this, the portrayal of Frankie coming to terms with her sexuality was frankly unrealistic. One moment she was an ordinary girl and overnight she decided she was gay and in love with sally. Do people seriously do this? I certainly didn't, and this really disappointed me because I figured this would be the book's main strong point but instead it just made it seem like coming to terms with one's sexuality is easy. Frankie herself started out as kind of a stereotype and the only Asian character was also ahuge stereotype and Frankie herself was stereotyping verging on racist towards her friend (who, by the way, would always be there for her but there never seemed to be any reciprocal emotional support). I also found the ending to be extremely unsatisfying and would've much preferred her to have found more confidence in herself with or without Sally. I am usually quite generous with my book reviews and rate almost all 4/5 stars but this book was truly painful to read. The parts I did really enjoy were some of the sibling relationships and her dealing with her mother's illness, though it wasn't what I came to the book for.
Frankie was amazingly dislikeable! She was immature, naive, selfish and generally not a very nice person to many people. She reminded me of a 7 year old especially how she seemed to think she was much older than she actually was (I'm Frankie's age and I know I am obviously just a kid, do people my age really think this????!). In fact, I'd say that all the characters in the book were quite immature for their age especially all the petty friendship drama etc. One time Frankie even said "I'm not a little girl anymore dad, I'm nearly 14. And don't assume I can't understand about falling in love, I know all about it". I mean, seriously??? She is clearly not at all self-aware. She kept lashing out at her dad and making things difficult for everyone even though her sisters were managing to at least make a bit of an effort. Her relationship with sally was extremely toxic and she was incredibly naive about how "in love" she was with Sally. On top of all this, the portrayal of Frankie coming to terms with her sexuality was frankly unrealistic. One moment she was an ordinary girl and overnight she decided she was gay and in love with sally. Do people seriously do this? I certainly didn't, and this really disappointed me because I figured this would be the book's main strong point but instead it just made it seem like coming to terms with one's sexuality is easy. Frankie herself started out as kind of a stereotype and the only Asian character was also ahuge stereotype and Frankie herself was stereotyping verging on racist towards her friend (who, by the way, would always be there for her but there never seemed to be any reciprocal emotional support). I also found the ending to be extremely unsatisfying and would've much preferred her to have found more confidence in herself with or without Sally. I am usually quite generous with my book reviews and rate almost all 4/5 stars but this book was truly painful to read. The parts I did really enjoy were some of the sibling relationships and her dealing with her mother's illness, though it wasn't what I came to the book for.
December 27, 2020
As a lifetime fan of Jacqueline Wilson who was incredibly excited about this book, I was so bitterly disappointed in the one-sided, borderline toxic relationship of the two girls.
It should say a lot that in a story about queer teens, I hoped the story would end with Frankie realising she was better off without Sally.
It would have been a much happier ending to just have Frankie find confidence in herself as a gay 'almost' 14yo with her loving and supportive family, mentors, wonderfully strong friendships and a promising (and embracingly gay) future than to have her fall back to a manipulative girl she wasn't even sure she still loved.
I really really hope there are better books for young queer people put there because this is not one I would recommend.
It should say a lot that in a story about queer teens, I hoped the story would end with Frankie realising she was better off without Sally.
It would have been a much happier ending to just have Frankie find confidence in herself as a gay 'almost' 14yo with her loving and supportive family, mentors, wonderfully strong friendships and a promising (and embracingly gay) future than to have her fall back to a manipulative girl she wasn't even sure she still loved.
I really really hope there are better books for young queer people put there because this is not one I would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2020
I have only been waiting for Jacqueline Wilson to openly write a lesbian protagonist for what, about 20 years? And despite the rating I wasn't disappointed. I looked forward to reading this book at any opportunity. The characters' responses to Frankie coming out as gay were nuanced and seemed mostly realistic. The romance here and the love interest weren't straightforward, and I did appreciate this too. The depiction of turmoil and confusion felt accurate for a coming-of-age story.
I'm trying to understand why it felt like a 3 star read; one reason might be the language used by the young characters, which felt inconsistent to me. The words and sayings that the 13 year olds used didn't always suit their age or the time in which it is set (now). Jacqueline Wilson has a very specific dialogue style that cropped up at times then went away. I found it more jarring in this book set in the current day than the newer historical fiction books or even the contemporary novels written in the 90s.
It also annoyed me a bit that her main character kept being sick; a common response in JW books. This has jarred for me less in her previous novels where it seemed more warranted to me. The traumatic situations in those stories were even more extreme...some of JWs past characters have faced things that most people are lucky enough to only imagine, whereas this story is more likely to be relatable for many. I get that some people do throw up suddenly at confusing emotional times but when it happened more than once here I felt a bit distanced from the story. Knowing that this is a 'classic JW character response', I especially couldn't take it seriously. If I hadn't read JW before, I'd be unlikely to make this judgement thinking it just applied to this particular protagonist.
This book seemed a little less plot heavy than any other JW novel I've read. I wouldn't usually be bothered by this, and I think my response comes again from having read most of JWs many existing books in the past. Knowing that previously a lot of her minor plot points have added up to major dramas, I was expecting more to happen. It seemed like there was unnecessarily unnerving tension and that many threads were not picked up later in the story. In a way, I like that there wasn't too much going on to detract from the story of Frankie's first love, but there were definitely some seeds of expectation sewn that possible didn't need to be.
Finally I think the age group it is aimed at is ambiguous. We have this in the teen section of our bookshop, and the protagonist is a teenager, but I found it a little young...more something that would be read by the 9-12 age bracket. I understand that this could be intentional, so that it can be read by all ages, but I just hope that it doesn't have the opposite effect and still manages to appeal to rather than isolate both teens and younger children.
I'm trying to understand why it felt like a 3 star read; one reason might be the language used by the young characters, which felt inconsistent to me. The words and sayings that the 13 year olds used didn't always suit their age or the time in which it is set (now). Jacqueline Wilson has a very specific dialogue style that cropped up at times then went away. I found it more jarring in this book set in the current day than the newer historical fiction books or even the contemporary novels written in the 90s.
It also annoyed me a bit that her main character kept being sick; a common response in JW books. This has jarred for me less in her previous novels where it seemed more warranted to me. The traumatic situations in those stories were even more extreme...some of JWs past characters have faced things that most people are lucky enough to only imagine, whereas this story is more likely to be relatable for many. I get that some people do throw up suddenly at confusing emotional times but when it happened more than once here I felt a bit distanced from the story. Knowing that this is a 'classic JW character response', I especially couldn't take it seriously. If I hadn't read JW before, I'd be unlikely to make this judgement thinking it just applied to this particular protagonist.
This book seemed a little less plot heavy than any other JW novel I've read. I wouldn't usually be bothered by this, and I think my response comes again from having read most of JWs many existing books in the past. Knowing that previously a lot of her minor plot points have added up to major dramas, I was expecting more to happen. It seemed like there was unnecessarily unnerving tension and that many threads were not picked up later in the story. In a way, I like that there wasn't too much going on to detract from the story of Frankie's first love, but there were definitely some seeds of expectation sewn that possible didn't need to be.
Finally I think the age group it is aimed at is ambiguous. We have this in the teen section of our bookshop, and the protagonist is a teenager, but I found it a little young...more something that would be read by the 9-12 age bracket. I understand that this could be intentional, so that it can be read by all ages, but I just hope that it doesn't have the opposite effect and still manages to appeal to rather than isolate both teens and younger children.
May 25, 2021
It is a long long time since I read a book by this author. What a treat it was. Jacqueline Wilson writes fantastic character driven books for kids and this one had me right from the first page. It explores friendship, family and the dynamics of separated parents. Frankie has been best friends with the boy next door forever, suddenly there is a thing going on with their friendship, he wants to kiss her. That changes everything. Frankie is not up for that, she wants friendship and nothing else. At the same time Frankie is weirdly interested in being with their girl at school who is the meanest to her. She can't understand herself. Frankie is confused, her predictable life is being complicated by her heart and she does not appreciate it.
Frankie is one of the best people you could meet in a book. If I had a daughter the right age I would thrust this book at her. It has such a lot to offer. The characters seem totally real, they are people you'd meat in real life. Frankie's heart is so fragile and she is so torn between her heart and her head. Gosh it is good. A must for the school library.
Frankie is one of the best people you could meet in a book. If I had a daughter the right age I would thrust this book at her. It has such a lot to offer. The characters seem totally real, they are people you'd meat in real life. Frankie's heart is so fragile and she is so torn between her heart and her head. Gosh it is good. A must for the school library.
July 3, 2020
Good. Ending was very confusing and good and bad. And confusing. I'm confusing.
November 13, 2020
Oh Jackie, how I’ve missed you so! Up until 2011, I owned every single thing Jacqueline Wilson had ever written. I ate her books up, ravishing them on release days. I have enjoyed nothing more than escaping back into her beautiful world.
This autumn, I bought my first Jacqueline Wilson in almost a decade. Wilson publicly came out in April and released her first ever book with a gay protagonist this past August. I couldn’t resist picking up a copy for old time’s sake.
I simply adored Love Frankie. The title is so apt because you really do come to love this incredible character! My reading experience was littered with pangs of nostalgia as I recalled all the reasons I loved Jackie’s books — from the gripping, heartbreaking narratives, to the characters who feel like classmates, to the intense emotions associated with teenage years. Frankie’s understanding of her sexuality develops with authentic uncertainty, a great deal of speculation about how others might react to her feelings, but ultimately grows into inspiring pride that will reassure and affirm readers of all ages 🥰
A subplot is Frankie’s concern for her mum who, prior to the start of the novel, has been diagnosed with MS. I think Wilson does a wonderful job of illustrating the reality of living with an invisible illness, dealing with fears about employment, and worries about worsening symptoms. As the novel is from Frankie’s perspective, it is worth noting that Wilson does not imply Frankie’s opinions are her mum’s lived experience! However, I really liked how the mum, Jen, is portrayed as someone with a chronic illness who has good days, meh days, bad days. This felt like realistic representation to me and I think it will resonate with readers.
The only reason I won’t give this novel five stars is because the ending felt veryyyyyy abrupt. After over 400 hundred pages, I had hoped that we would have a greater sense of resolution at the end! Otherwise, I cannot recommend this read enough.
This autumn, I bought my first Jacqueline Wilson in almost a decade. Wilson publicly came out in April and released her first ever book with a gay protagonist this past August. I couldn’t resist picking up a copy for old time’s sake.
I simply adored Love Frankie. The title is so apt because you really do come to love this incredible character! My reading experience was littered with pangs of nostalgia as I recalled all the reasons I loved Jackie’s books — from the gripping, heartbreaking narratives, to the characters who feel like classmates, to the intense emotions associated with teenage years. Frankie’s understanding of her sexuality develops with authentic uncertainty, a great deal of speculation about how others might react to her feelings, but ultimately grows into inspiring pride that will reassure and affirm readers of all ages 🥰
A subplot is Frankie’s concern for her mum who, prior to the start of the novel, has been diagnosed with MS. I think Wilson does a wonderful job of illustrating the reality of living with an invisible illness, dealing with fears about employment, and worries about worsening symptoms. As the novel is from Frankie’s perspective, it is worth noting that Wilson does not imply Frankie’s opinions are her mum’s lived experience! However, I really liked how the mum, Jen, is portrayed as someone with a chronic illness who has good days, meh days, bad days. This felt like realistic representation to me and I think it will resonate with readers.
The only reason I won’t give this novel five stars is because the ending felt veryyyyyy abrupt. After over 400 hundred pages, I had hoped that we would have a greater sense of resolution at the end! Otherwise, I cannot recommend this read enough.
January 2, 2021
This book was a weird read for me.
As a young reader I loved Jacqueline Wilson and reread her books many, many times.
As a gay woman who grew up loving her writing, I was really excited to read this, however I wasn’t overly impressed. It may be because I’m not really the target audience for it, or maybe I am looking back at her previous works with rose tinted glasses (and admittedly, it’s been many years since I read any of them), but I just didn’t feel like the standard of this was really up there.
I think the biggest gripe I have is that Frankie doesn’t really seem to have any journey when it comes to figuring herself out. Throughout the first third or so of the book she describes herself in ways that I can only describe as stereotypical for a young lesbian (i.e. not interested in clothes or makeup, mostly friends with boys, etc). She talks about this with seemingly no introspection, then jumps right into ‘oh I’m in love with a girl’. It didn’t feel authentic to me.
There were also several points in the book where I felt that the characters (particularly rowena) said things that didn’t come across as something a person of that age would say. It very much felt like an adult writing about children (that’s not so say, of course, that children can’t be smart, witty or insightful, but there was no real balance of childlike qualities).
A final issue that really bothered me that was just... not addressed at all is an incident at Sally’s New Year’s Eve party. Both sally and Frankie have university-age boys flirting and trying to become involved with them, despite only being thirteen, and the fact that this is wildly inappropriate is not even remotely addressed. The only discomfort Frankie shows is because it’s a guy and she is not interested in guys; the at least 5 year age difference and the potential influence of alcohol is not even acknowledged let alone properly explored.
As a young reader I loved Jacqueline Wilson and reread her books many, many times.
As a gay woman who grew up loving her writing, I was really excited to read this, however I wasn’t overly impressed. It may be because I’m not really the target audience for it, or maybe I am looking back at her previous works with rose tinted glasses (and admittedly, it’s been many years since I read any of them), but I just didn’t feel like the standard of this was really up there.
I think the biggest gripe I have is that Frankie doesn’t really seem to have any journey when it comes to figuring herself out. Throughout the first third or so of the book she describes herself in ways that I can only describe as stereotypical for a young lesbian (i.e. not interested in clothes or makeup, mostly friends with boys, etc). She talks about this with seemingly no introspection, then jumps right into ‘oh I’m in love with a girl’. It didn’t feel authentic to me.
There were also several points in the book where I felt that the characters (particularly rowena) said things that didn’t come across as something a person of that age would say. It very much felt like an adult writing about children (that’s not so say, of course, that children can’t be smart, witty or insightful, but there was no real balance of childlike qualities).
A final issue that really bothered me that was just... not addressed at all is an incident at Sally’s New Year’s Eve party. Both sally and Frankie have university-age boys flirting and trying to become involved with them, despite only being thirteen, and the fact that this is wildly inappropriate is not even remotely addressed. The only discomfort Frankie shows is because it’s a guy and she is not interested in guys; the at least 5 year age difference and the potential influence of alcohol is not even acknowledged let alone properly explored.
April 12, 2020
I know I’m not exactly the target age range for Jacqueline Wilson, but (confession) I’ve read quite a few of her books over the years - my daughter used to love them - and the synopsis sounded too good to resist.
Popular, pretty Sally Macclesfield has been thirteen-year-old Frankie’s nemesis for a while, but when they finally start becoming friends, Frankie realises her feelings for Sally go beyond friendship. And Sally, it seems, feels the same way, or does she? While Frankie is wrestling with the confusion of Sally’s hot and cold behaviour, she’s also dealing with her mother’s illness and her two sisters - Zara, the eldest, and Sylvanian-Family-obsessed Rowena, the little one. Then there’s best friend Sam, the boy next door who might want to be something more.
Although not all the teenage dialogue and behaviour is entirely convincing, Love Frankie is a highly enjoyable read with some nice observations. (There’s a hilarious and spot-on bit where Frankie’s dad attributes her interest in girls (and lack of interest in boys) to the after-effects of him leaving her mum, and Frankie and her sister go on to consider all the other things he might wrongly blame himself for.)
Frankie was perhaps a little bit of a stereotype in some ways (Doc Martens and checked shirts) but a very engaging character, and I felt Jacqueline Wilson didn’t lose sight of the fact that she’s only thirteen (nearly fourteen). She’s naive and silly at times, but... she’s only thirteen. There was a refreshing lack of angst over realising she might be gay - things really have changed for today’s young people, certainly not entirely but at least to a significant extent. Sally was quite interesting too in her own way and it would be interesting to see things from her point of view.
I’d have loved this book as a teenager - as an adult I still enjoyed it a lot.
Popular, pretty Sally Macclesfield has been thirteen-year-old Frankie’s nemesis for a while, but when they finally start becoming friends, Frankie realises her feelings for Sally go beyond friendship. And Sally, it seems, feels the same way, or does she? While Frankie is wrestling with the confusion of Sally’s hot and cold behaviour, she’s also dealing with her mother’s illness and her two sisters - Zara, the eldest, and Sylvanian-Family-obsessed Rowena, the little one. Then there’s best friend Sam, the boy next door who might want to be something more.
Although not all the teenage dialogue and behaviour is entirely convincing, Love Frankie is a highly enjoyable read with some nice observations. (There’s a hilarious and spot-on bit where Frankie’s dad attributes her interest in girls (and lack of interest in boys) to the after-effects of him leaving her mum, and Frankie and her sister go on to consider all the other things he might wrongly blame himself for.)
Frankie was perhaps a little bit of a stereotype in some ways (Doc Martens and checked shirts) but a very engaging character, and I felt Jacqueline Wilson didn’t lose sight of the fact that she’s only thirteen (nearly fourteen). She’s naive and silly at times, but... she’s only thirteen. There was a refreshing lack of angst over realising she might be gay - things really have changed for today’s young people, certainly not entirely but at least to a significant extent. Sally was quite interesting too in her own way and it would be interesting to see things from her point of view.
I’d have loved this book as a teenager - as an adult I still enjoyed it a lot.
August 9, 2021
'"I've got little rainbows on my lunch box," said Rowena. "Does that mean I'm gay?"
"No, darling, it just means you've got a pretty lunch box," Mum told her.'
Love, Frankie is 3.5 stars for me. Tough to rate because on the one hand there was a surprising amount of stereotypes considering the authenticity I was envisioning Wilson bringing to the book as she is LGBT+ herself, and I do get a bit sick of Wilson's use of expressions, such as "ever so". These were dated when I was a child, so seems really out of touch now.
Despite this, about a quarter of the way through the book I was engrossed in the will they/won't they relationship of Sally & Frankie and I think many facets of young love and living with someone with a disability alongside a divorce were treated delicately and respectfully. I also really enjoyed the realistic portrayal of relationships, no "will you go out with me?", the characters fall in and out of them and that is so true of teen life!
Overall, I really enjoyed it and that's the main thing, isn't it?
"No, darling, it just means you've got a pretty lunch box," Mum told her.'
Love, Frankie is 3.5 stars for me. Tough to rate because on the one hand there was a surprising amount of stereotypes considering the authenticity I was envisioning Wilson bringing to the book as she is LGBT+ herself, and I do get a bit sick of Wilson's use of expressions, such as "ever so". These were dated when I was a child, so seems really out of touch now.
Despite this, about a quarter of the way through the book I was engrossed in the will they/won't they relationship of Sally & Frankie and I think many facets of young love and living with someone with a disability alongside a divorce were treated delicately and respectfully. I also really enjoyed the realistic portrayal of relationships, no "will you go out with me?", the characters fall in and out of them and that is so true of teen life!
Overall, I really enjoyed it and that's the main thing, isn't it?
March 15, 2020
A few days ago I received a very exciting email saying that Penguin had approved my request to read Love Frankie by Jacqueline Wilson! I’ve been a massive fan for YEARS since I first read Glubbslyme and I’ve always been keen to read every one of her books. Admittedly, I’m a bit more old school and haven’t read some of her newer books, but Love Frankie immediately stood out as a fine return to her more teen content (my faves!). So, it didn’t take me long to pick this one up from the time that I received it.
I immediately was hooked; Frankie is such a likeable character and I found that I couldn’t wait to keep reading. I found that the story was a fantastic way to explore all the complex emotions that come with being a teenager, and even as an adult I could really relate to the different characters in the book. There were so many different themes that were touched upon sensitively, there were bright moments and there were tough moments. The main theme of sexuality was handled very well and I particularly liked how the characters were so different in their approach to it – it made it feel very real and showed how people’s reactions can be so different, whether they are the person with those feelings or whether they’re on the outside.
I think it’s so important that books like Love Frankie exist, especially from authors such as Jacqueline Wilson. It’s such an approachable look at growing up, discovering new feelings and diversity. I felt that it really normalised feelings towards the same sex in a way that was approachable and I could imagine quite realistic. I felt that I could relate to the feelings Frankie was facing; first love is first love regardless of gender, and that Jacqueline, as usual, really captured what it’s like to be a teenager and have all these different feelings and emotions and challenges.
I’d highly, highly recommend Love Frankie, particularly to fans of Jacqueline’s teen books such as Kiss and Love Lessons. It made me feel very nostalgic to my early teen years reading those books and I think it’ll introduce a new generation of youngsters to her wonderful books!
I immediately was hooked; Frankie is such a likeable character and I found that I couldn’t wait to keep reading. I found that the story was a fantastic way to explore all the complex emotions that come with being a teenager, and even as an adult I could really relate to the different characters in the book. There were so many different themes that were touched upon sensitively, there were bright moments and there were tough moments. The main theme of sexuality was handled very well and I particularly liked how the characters were so different in their approach to it – it made it feel very real and showed how people’s reactions can be so different, whether they are the person with those feelings or whether they’re on the outside.
I think it’s so important that books like Love Frankie exist, especially from authors such as Jacqueline Wilson. It’s such an approachable look at growing up, discovering new feelings and diversity. I felt that it really normalised feelings towards the same sex in a way that was approachable and I could imagine quite realistic. I felt that I could relate to the feelings Frankie was facing; first love is first love regardless of gender, and that Jacqueline, as usual, really captured what it’s like to be a teenager and have all these different feelings and emotions and challenges.
I’d highly, highly recommend Love Frankie, particularly to fans of Jacqueline’s teen books such as Kiss and Love Lessons. It made me feel very nostalgic to my early teen years reading those books and I think it’ll introduce a new generation of youngsters to her wonderful books!
June 16, 2021
I was so so disappointed. I thought that it would be a really good representative of what we go through when we question ourselves. I went through it when i was a teen and it's so different to how this goes down. Also being a disabled mum I can personally garuntee that most kids would not be that selfish towards their own mum knowing they had a permanent disability. Yes they forget sometimes but they are never that selfish and rude. I was so truly hoping this would be the next inspirational book to our youth going through sexual orientation questions and yet I think this would be one of the worst books for them to read. Also sidenote..... why on earth would you encourage and make normal a 15yr old going clubbing in next to nothing drinking and nearly having intimacy with a much older man just to be in the in crowd...not the finest hour for jw sorry.
November 9, 2020
I was really disappointed by this read. I was expecting a lovely coming of age/coming out story but it really fell flat.
The bully to lovers storyline is a trope that we all recognise and sometimes it can work however in this case there wasn't enough depth or work put in to their emotional development.
The one Asian character was a complete stereotype and only appeared occasionally being used as a prop for bigging up the protagonists mood. She was such a two-dimensional character.
There were several instances of fat-shaming and talk of diet culture which is always disappointing but especially so in children's/YA lit. A character would have a chocolate bar and then immediately mention the diet they *had* to go on to rectify that choice. This adds to the already shitty culture we have around diets as a society and is completely unnecessary.
Equally there was a thread of "not like other girls" writing throughout which is such a shame especially in 2020. Self-expression is so important and you don't need to pull others down in order to feel good about yourself. There was an instance where the mother shames her eldest daughter for going out in a short skirt and crop top, demanding that she change because of how people will react. Once again blaming young girls for boys and men's reactions to their outfits rather than looking at their behaviour and assumptions.
The bully to lovers storyline is a trope that we all recognise and sometimes it can work however in this case there wasn't enough depth or work put in to their emotional development.
The one Asian character was a complete stereotype and only appeared occasionally being used as a prop for bigging up the protagonists mood. She was such a two-dimensional character.
There were several instances of fat-shaming and talk of diet culture which is always disappointing but especially so in children's/YA lit. A character would have a chocolate bar and then immediately mention the diet they *had* to go on to rectify that choice. This adds to the already shitty culture we have around diets as a society and is completely unnecessary.
Equally there was a thread of "not like other girls" writing throughout which is such a shame especially in 2020. Self-expression is so important and you don't need to pull others down in order to feel good about yourself. There was an instance where the mother shames her eldest daughter for going out in a short skirt and crop top, demanding that she change because of how people will react. Once again blaming young girls for boys and men's reactions to their outfits rather than looking at their behaviour and assumptions.
September 26, 2020
I have been a Jacqueline Wilson fan since I was nine years old and loved reading her novels. I would probably say that Wilson is the one author that gave me the love for reading.
When Wilson publicly came out as LGBT+ back in April, this book was mentioned as it was due to be released, however, it was delayed thanks to COVID. I bought this book as soon as it became available on audible but I'm so glad I did.
This book has the classic elements of a Jacqueline Wilson novel, and it transported me back to my Jacqueline Wilson days, probably reading the same book for the tenth time in a row. I loved this book, and I loved how Wilson keeps up to date with her current target audience, talking about social media and YouTubers. I wish there were more scenes between Frankie and Sally.
When Wilson publicly came out as LGBT+ back in April, this book was mentioned as it was due to be released, however, it was delayed thanks to COVID. I bought this book as soon as it became available on audible but I'm so glad I did.
This book has the classic elements of a Jacqueline Wilson novel, and it transported me back to my Jacqueline Wilson days, probably reading the same book for the tenth time in a row. I loved this book, and I loved how Wilson keeps up to date with her current target audience, talking about social media and YouTubers. I wish there were more scenes between Frankie and Sally.
June 10, 2020
Jacqueline Wilson writes such amazing books for children m I wish we’d had her when I was young. This deals with important issues like being a carer as a child, trying to deal with your sexuality as a teenager and of course trying to survive school life as a teenager. A brilliant read that also deals wonderfully with relationships, bullying and of course what love is. An absolutely brilliant story and should be read by parents as well as teenagers.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
January 17, 2021
Wilson's writing hasn't changed much since I last read her stuff as a kid, which is a good and a bad thing. The teenaged characters all sound a bit old-fashioned and she leans into stereotypes a bit too much (the dig about ME vs MS wasn't appreciated either - they're both neurological conditions actually). But, this is still a very sweet and necessary story.
January 1, 2022
I have mixed feelings about this (my second ever Jacqueline Wilson, the other being Lily Alone, which I loved. In the first half, there was a lot I could relate to, and in some ways Wilson nails what it felt like being thirteen/fourteen (I think I might have loved the book if I'd read it at that age, given the subject matter), but it does feel very much written in her usual middle grade style and that feels jarring during the second half of the book when more 'teen' stuff starts happening. I didn't enjoy the second half so much.
The book's strong suit is the family relationships, including dealing with a mum's illness, and the various friendships, but I had too many little issues with one aspect or another that I don't want to go into, to give it more than 3 stars.
The book's strong suit is the family relationships, including dealing with a mum's illness, and the various friendships, but I had too many little issues with one aspect or another that I don't want to go into, to give it more than 3 stars.
August 6, 2025
Jacqueline Wilson is so good at writing from a perspective of characters facing hardship and normal life situations. I liked the idea of 3 sisters being so together. I think the newer Jacqueline Wilson are even better. Things have changed a lot in the world. I've found myself comparing the MS to Ali McNamara's book.
September 6, 2020
Growing up, Jacqueline Wilson was my favourite author. By this I mean I read ALL of her books and gave them rankings and reviews in my diary (much in a goodreads style - I suppose I was ahead of my time). She inspired me to write my own little books and embrace my sense of individuality.
When I learned that Jacqueline Wilson had written a novel about a young girl falling for another girl, I was so excited. When I found out Jacqueline herself has come out as having a partner who is a woman, I was doubly excited. I was excited because I myself identify as gay and this book would have meant the moon and stars to me had I had read it 15 years ago. You bet I purchased this book as fast as humanly possible.
Being a prior super-fan of Jacqueline, the reading experience was incredibly nostalgic. The characters are described with care and detail. The ordinary is made beautiful. The excitement and hardship of being a teenager are described through a sensitive and passionate young Frankie. Frankie was a highly relatable character for me although some of the stereotypical (ie hating girly things/ good at sport/ should I cut my hair short?) descriptions were uninspiring; however I think these things do connect to a shared experience of girls who are coming out and unearthing their identity, thus the phrase "baby dyke".
Frankie and Sally as a couple are cute, although the two do not seem a convincing nor withstanding match and the book closes without resolve of their significant issues. I personally was hopeful that Frankie might realise she was actually in love with Ivneet, Ellie-and-Dan style (sequel idea???). But alas, love, particularly young love, is often shallow. The relationship between Sammy and Frankie is handled with great care. The supporting characters all have their moments too. Frankie's mother, siblings, and Bear are all loveable and are painted so vividly that you feel as if you're in their home with them.
Reading my first Jacqueline book in years, I am reminded that this amazing author continues to tell compelling stories, with humble and multifaceted characters, to new generations of super-fans. I am delighted that she is illustrating to young girls that their feelings are valid, normal, and that love comes in so many forms.
When I learned that Jacqueline Wilson had written a novel about a young girl falling for another girl, I was so excited. When I found out Jacqueline herself has come out as having a partner who is a woman, I was doubly excited. I was excited because I myself identify as gay and this book would have meant the moon and stars to me had I had read it 15 years ago. You bet I purchased this book as fast as humanly possible.
Being a prior super-fan of Jacqueline, the reading experience was incredibly nostalgic. The characters are described with care and detail. The ordinary is made beautiful. The excitement and hardship of being a teenager are described through a sensitive and passionate young Frankie. Frankie was a highly relatable character for me although some of the stereotypical (ie hating girly things/ good at sport/ should I cut my hair short?) descriptions were uninspiring; however I think these things do connect to a shared experience of girls who are coming out and unearthing their identity, thus the phrase "baby dyke".
Frankie and Sally as a couple are cute, although the two do not seem a convincing nor withstanding match and the book closes without resolve of their significant issues. I personally was hopeful that Frankie might realise she was actually in love with Ivneet, Ellie-and-Dan style (sequel idea???). But alas, love, particularly young love, is often shallow. The relationship between Sammy and Frankie is handled with great care. The supporting characters all have their moments too. Frankie's mother, siblings, and Bear are all loveable and are painted so vividly that you feel as if you're in their home with them.
Reading my first Jacqueline book in years, I am reminded that this amazing author continues to tell compelling stories, with humble and multifaceted characters, to new generations of super-fans. I am delighted that she is illustrating to young girls that their feelings are valid, normal, and that love comes in so many forms.
July 26, 2021
Admittedly at almost 23 years old I am much older than the intended target audience of Jacqueline Wilson. However, as a child she was my favourite author and I have fond memories of my grandma buying both myself and my older cousin a copy of every new book which she released. I would read these books way past my bedtime hidden under the covers and finish them in one or two sittings.
This is exactly what I did with this book, though I no longer have a designated bedtime. I picked up this book as it was the first JW book to have a LGBTQ+ storyline since she herself came out as gay, which is a trait that I myself share.
This book was everything I could have wanted as a child and I feel incredibly happy that young children now will be able to read this book and potentially see themselves in the characters and know that being gay is completely fine and does not change who you are.
The writing and storyline was unmistakably Jacqueline Wilson as she has a very distinctive style. The main character lives with her single mother and siblings. Her mother has MS which makes looking after the children difficult. This difficulty in raising children (due to a multitude of reasons) and single motherhood are each commonly recurring theme in many of JW’s books.
Funnily also, the father of the girl which the main character falls in love with is a Forensic Anthropologist which is what I studied for my masters degree. Weirdly, it made me feel slightly as though the book was written for me.
I adored this book and think that JW may now be my new not-so-guilty pleasure. I may have to reread some of my old favourites at some point once I have read the books which I currently own that are on my TBR list.
Though it doesn’t come close to being one of the best books I’ve ever read, it still gets 5 stars for nostalgia purposes and for being the book that I desperately needed when I was younger, but am instead extremely happy to have now. I sincerely hope that the cliffhanger ending means that there might be another novel about Frankie in the future.
This is exactly what I did with this book, though I no longer have a designated bedtime. I picked up this book as it was the first JW book to have a LGBTQ+ storyline since she herself came out as gay, which is a trait that I myself share.
This book was everything I could have wanted as a child and I feel incredibly happy that young children now will be able to read this book and potentially see themselves in the characters and know that being gay is completely fine and does not change who you are.
The writing and storyline was unmistakably Jacqueline Wilson as she has a very distinctive style. The main character lives with her single mother and siblings. Her mother has MS which makes looking after the children difficult. This difficulty in raising children (due to a multitude of reasons) and single motherhood are each commonly recurring theme in many of JW’s books.
Funnily also, the father of the girl which the main character falls in love with is a Forensic Anthropologist which is what I studied for my masters degree. Weirdly, it made me feel slightly as though the book was written for me.
I adored this book and think that JW may now be my new not-so-guilty pleasure. I may have to reread some of my old favourites at some point once I have read the books which I currently own that are on my TBR list.
Though it doesn’t come close to being one of the best books I’ve ever read, it still gets 5 stars for nostalgia purposes and for being the book that I desperately needed when I was younger, but am instead extremely happy to have now. I sincerely hope that the cliffhanger ending means that there might be another novel about Frankie in the future.
November 16, 2020
I may be 27, but I don’t think I’ll ever stop reading Jacqueline Wilson’s books. To me, they are so much more than “children’s literature”. She doesn’t shy away from very real and very difficult topics, yet maintains humour and lightness at the same time.
Love Frankie was such a delight. This was Wilson’s second LGBT novel - this time focusing on ‘nearly 14 year old’ Frankie who falls for a girl in her class. I felt so nostalgic reading this - it reminded me of the Girls in Love series, as well as Kiss.
What’s remarkable about Wilson’s writing is how cleverly layered it is. When I re-read her books, I pick up on so much additional detail and red flags with ‘adult eyes’. Much like real life, you perceive things differently as a child than you do as an adult.
If I read this book when I was a young teen, I think I’d be rooting for Sally and Frankie as a couple. As an adult (much like Frankie’s mum/older sister) I felt very wary of Sally and thought she was two-dimensional and narcissistic. The supporting characters, however, were fantastic - I loved Sammy and Coral and Ivneet and thought they were so endearing and well-developed.
I’ve seen a few reviews complaining about the ending. Although I agree it didn’t bring the catharsis I was craving, I think it was realistic. At 13 years old with her first love, Frankie is only just maturing and navigating her life as a young gay teen. There may be a question mark about what happens next, but that’s part and parcel of being a teenager.
I really hope there’s a sequel, if not purely to read more about Frankie, her family, and her friends.
Love Frankie was such a delight. This was Wilson’s second LGBT novel - this time focusing on ‘nearly 14 year old’ Frankie who falls for a girl in her class. I felt so nostalgic reading this - it reminded me of the Girls in Love series, as well as Kiss.
What’s remarkable about Wilson’s writing is how cleverly layered it is. When I re-read her books, I pick up on so much additional detail and red flags with ‘adult eyes’. Much like real life, you perceive things differently as a child than you do as an adult.
If I read this book when I was a young teen, I think I’d be rooting for Sally and Frankie as a couple. As an adult (much like Frankie’s mum/older sister) I felt very wary of Sally and thought she was two-dimensional and narcissistic. The supporting characters, however, were fantastic - I loved Sammy and Coral and Ivneet and thought they were so endearing and well-developed.
I’ve seen a few reviews complaining about the ending. Although I agree it didn’t bring the catharsis I was craving, I think it was realistic. At 13 years old with her first love, Frankie is only just maturing and navigating her life as a young gay teen. There may be a question mark about what happens next, but that’s part and parcel of being a teenager.
I really hope there’s a sequel, if not purely to read more about Frankie, her family, and her friends.
May 11, 2020
I've been reading Jacqueline Wilson books since I was much younger (ahem), and her 1992 title 'The Suitcase Kid' was one of the first I remember reading. I definitely identified with the main character in that, as I was going through similar circumstances at the time. With this new book, although I'm a bit older than Frankie, I can empathise with her situation and actually, it's written so well that I'm now at an age where I can see the perspective from the adults' point of view.
Frankie is the middle girl in a trio of sisters, trying to look after her Mum after she fell ill, their Dad left them and now her best friend wants to be her boyfriend. Her conversations with her slightly scary big sister and her Sylvanian Family obsessed little sister are lovely, and actually reminded me of my nieces.
Frankie's having a tough time at school and then her sworn enemy becomes her friend, and then she feels like she wants her to be more than that - being fourteen is tough, and Frankie deals with all of her feelings really well. Wilson allows kids to be kids, and to be bratty sometimes and have a tantrum and let it all out, and then she lets them be forgiven for it. There are no good guys or villains, just relatable stories and a great way to bring up more sensitive topics with the kids close to you.
Frankie is the middle girl in a trio of sisters, trying to look after her Mum after she fell ill, their Dad left them and now her best friend wants to be her boyfriend. Her conversations with her slightly scary big sister and her Sylvanian Family obsessed little sister are lovely, and actually reminded me of my nieces.
Frankie's having a tough time at school and then her sworn enemy becomes her friend, and then she feels like she wants her to be more than that - being fourteen is tough, and Frankie deals with all of her feelings really well. Wilson allows kids to be kids, and to be bratty sometimes and have a tantrum and let it all out, and then she lets them be forgiven for it. There are no good guys or villains, just relatable stories and a great way to bring up more sensitive topics with the kids close to you.
August 8, 2020
I enjoyed this quite a lot, and I really would have adored reading it at the age of 13.
The realism and impact of relationship and family issues is dealt with very well in this book. I enjoyed Frankie as a narrator as she took us through her early teenage thoughts in what truly felt like an honest coming of age story.
Having said that, I didn't like the ending at all and I really did not like Sally. At all.
The realism and impact of relationship and family issues is dealt with very well in this book. I enjoyed Frankie as a narrator as she took us through her early teenage thoughts in what truly felt like an honest coming of age story.
Having said that, I didn't like the ending at all and I really did not like Sally. At all.
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February 2, 2022This one was young. Like really, really young. The MC is supposed to be ‘nearly’ fourteen, but she (and her peers around her) honestly read as is they were nine or ten, except they were allowed to go the mall together without supervision. Reading her thoughts and conversations was a little off-putting because of this, because who wants to read about a ten-year-old thinking about sex? While she was actually older, it still had an ick factor for me that I didn't get past. It’s quite a toxic love story too, not a great way to introduce kids to the idea of same sex relationships and how it’s okay, because this very clearly was not.
December 2, 2021
The ending always gets me
May 3, 2023
Frankie was embarassing.
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