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Melt My Heart
Lily Rose is used to people paying attention to her gorgeous twin sister, Daisy. But even though Lily loves her own fat body, she can't shake the idea that no one would ever choose her over Daisy – not when they could have the thin twin.
That is, until she meets Cal, the gorgeous, sweet guy from New Zealand who can't seem to stay away. The gorgeous, sweet guy who also happens to be Daisy's summer crush. Lily can't seem to figure out why she isn't as into him as she should be. She should be head-over-heels in love, not missing time at the ice-cream shack with her life-long best friend, Cassie. Not wondering what Cassie is getting up to with Cal's friend Jack, or what she's thinking about when they're alone . . .
With University threatening to tear Cassie and Lily apart at the end of summer, trying to keep Cal a secret from Daisy and a growing right-wing threat disturbing the usual quiet of their pleasant seaside town, Lily's summer is set to be far from relaxing.
Melt My Heart is a hilarious and inspiring coming-of-age YA novel from Bethany Rutter: influencer, editor and a fierce UK voice in the debate around body positivity.
That is, until she meets Cal, the gorgeous, sweet guy from New Zealand who can't seem to stay away. The gorgeous, sweet guy who also happens to be Daisy's summer crush. Lily can't seem to figure out why she isn't as into him as she should be. She should be head-over-heels in love, not missing time at the ice-cream shack with her life-long best friend, Cassie. Not wondering what Cassie is getting up to with Cal's friend Jack, or what she's thinking about when they're alone . . .
With University threatening to tear Cassie and Lily apart at the end of summer, trying to keep Cal a secret from Daisy and a growing right-wing threat disturbing the usual quiet of their pleasant seaside town, Lily's summer is set to be far from relaxing.
Melt My Heart is a hilarious and inspiring coming-of-age YA novel from Bethany Rutter: influencer, editor and a fierce UK voice in the debate around body positivity.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 23, 2020
13 people are currently reading
2049 people want to read
About the author
Bethany Rutter
10 books192 followersHi! I’m Bethany Rutter. In my day job I am social editor at navabi, a women’s plus size fashion brand. On the side, I am a writer, editor and podcaster, and I still occasionally update my plus size fashion blog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
August 5, 2020
On my blog.
Rep: bi mc, Black wlw li, side mlm characters
CWs: biphobia & fatphobia (both challenged)
Galley provided by publisher
Melt My Heart was probably one of my most anticipated releases in 2020. You see, UKYA is easily still lagging behind the States when it comes to a push for diversity, so this was an exciting prospect. And this is not to say it’s not a good book – there were myriad things I enjoyed about it – but it is to say that I, perhaps, did not enjoy it so much as I expected to.
The novel follows Lily Rose during the summer following her A-levels, as she waits for results and decides what she does (or does not) want to do with her life. In this time, she meets a boy who she likes, gets into some frank discussions with her twin sister, and realises she’s in love with her best friend.
I think what I liked about this book the most was the main character. Her arc throughout the book is great and one that I think you can easily sympathise with. It’s also a different viewpoint on the question of going to university than a lot of books (which, I think, is always welcome). And it shows that, if you make a decision you are later not comfortable with, you do not have to force yourself through it.
The second best thing about this book is the way in which Lily Rose comes to realise she is in love with her best friend. It’s one of those ones where you, the reader, can see it coming, you know she is in love, but she is oblivious to it. But when she finally realises? It’s beautiful.
Perhaps the only thing I liked less about this book is that the romance does feel a little bland, for want of a better word. I don’t quite know how to describe it, really. It was cute and everything, as you would expect from friends to lovers, but it was just somewhat dry. (I also read the main character as experiencing comphet with the male love interest to be honest. Though, I think that might just be another aspect of the romance(s) seeming a little bland really.)
So overall, this was a cute friends to lovers YA contemporary. It was just also a little…plain.
Rep: bi mc, Black wlw li, side mlm characters
CWs: biphobia & fatphobia (both challenged)
Galley provided by publisher
Melt My Heart was probably one of my most anticipated releases in 2020. You see, UKYA is easily still lagging behind the States when it comes to a push for diversity, so this was an exciting prospect. And this is not to say it’s not a good book – there were myriad things I enjoyed about it – but it is to say that I, perhaps, did not enjoy it so much as I expected to.
The novel follows Lily Rose during the summer following her A-levels, as she waits for results and decides what she does (or does not) want to do with her life. In this time, she meets a boy who she likes, gets into some frank discussions with her twin sister, and realises she’s in love with her best friend.
I think what I liked about this book the most was the main character. Her arc throughout the book is great and one that I think you can easily sympathise with. It’s also a different viewpoint on the question of going to university than a lot of books (which, I think, is always welcome). And it shows that, if you make a decision you are later not comfortable with, you do not have to force yourself through it.
The second best thing about this book is the way in which Lily Rose comes to realise she is in love with her best friend. It’s one of those ones where you, the reader, can see it coming, you know she is in love, but she is oblivious to it. But when she finally realises? It’s beautiful.
Perhaps the only thing I liked less about this book is that the romance does feel a little bland, for want of a better word. I don’t quite know how to describe it, really. It was cute and everything, as you would expect from friends to lovers, but it was just somewhat dry. (I also read the main character as experiencing comphet with the male love interest to be honest. Though, I think that might just be another aspect of the romance(s) seeming a little bland really.)
So overall, this was a cute friends to lovers YA contemporary. It was just also a little…plain.
July 28, 2020
How can a book be both extremely cosy and also extremely the perfect holiday read? I loved this book, full of hot summer days and melting ice creams and romantic adventures and frosty pints. It’s like the first mouthful of a can of ice-cold coke. Cooling aloe on a sunburn. A dip in the sea on a baking hot day. Refreshing and delightful, full of small pleasures and big decisions, teen activism and fat girls and blossoming bisexuality. I LOVED IT.
July 19, 2020
The fat rep! The bi rep! The cover! I really enjoyed this book and I loved to read about a character like me (fat and bi and unsure about the world). I especially loved the conversation between Lily and Daisy, when Lily pointed out how fatphobic her sister's little comments are. If only more straight size people understood how harmful their little remarks can be!
July 4, 2022
the book is a ten but its dumb british characters can't go two chapters without whining about 20°C being a heatwave smh
ANYWAY if you're into oblivious mutual pining in best friends to lovers and painful slowburns and fat girls loving themselves and each other and the general confusion of being a young adult with no fucking clue about what you want to do with your life this is the book for you <3
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hi goodreads users?? it's a small pet peeve and no one is probably going to see this but please please PLEASE for the love of god stop tagging every sapphic book with "lesbian" when the main characters are canonically mspec. this book actually uses the word bi!!! multiple times!!! it's not treated as a weird thing!!! I've grown so tired of seeing this everywhere EVEN on m/f books with sapphic protagonists. use your grey matter please. it's erasure, misleading and invalidating as fuck to both lesbians and bi/pan/multisexual people. also the word "sapphic" exists and is begging to be used you know
ANYWAY if you're into oblivious mutual pining in best friends to lovers and painful slowburns and fat girls loving themselves and each other and the general confusion of being a young adult with no fucking clue about what you want to do with your life this is the book for you <3
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hi goodreads users?? it's a small pet peeve and no one is probably going to see this but please please PLEASE for the love of god stop tagging every sapphic book with "lesbian" when the main characters are canonically mspec. this book actually uses the word bi!!! multiple times!!! it's not treated as a weird thing!!! I've grown so tired of seeing this everywhere EVEN on m/f books with sapphic protagonists. use your grey matter please. it's erasure, misleading and invalidating as fuck to both lesbians and bi/pan/multisexual people. also the word "sapphic" exists and is begging to be used you know
May 23, 2025
2.5⭐ (book 36/25 - 2025)
God, Lily is annoying. ⅔ of the book was her telling us how comfortable she is in her fat body and then on that same page complaining about her body.
The fatphobia in the book was more her assuming that people felt a certain type of way about her and her body, and the times when fatphobia was present, they were almost immediately forgotten.
I also couldn't stand how the author tried to add ALL the issues into the book; pick a social issue and stick with it. It felt like all the problems in the book were approached in a half-arsed kind of way.
TW :)
God, Lily is annoying. ⅔ of the book was her telling us how comfortable she is in her fat body and then on that same page complaining about her body.
The fatphobia in the book was more her assuming that people felt a certain type of way about her and her body, and the times when fatphobia was present, they were almost immediately forgotten.
I also couldn't stand how the author tried to add ALL the issues into the book; pick a social issue and stick with it. It felt like all the problems in the book were approached in a half-arsed kind of way.
TW :)
July 16, 2021
This seemed fitting, given that I am currently MELTING 🥵
All I knew going in was there was fat rep and bi rep, which was enough to sell me, and it ended up being a delightful fluffy summer romance! Whilst I had a sense of where the plot was going to go, I really enjoyed the journey and loved the elements of body positivity and teen activism that ran throughout. The characters felt very authentically teenage to me, I saw a lot of my own teen hangups within Lily, especially her feelings about her body and her journey of realising she's bisexual. Very cute!
All I knew going in was there was fat rep and bi rep, which was enough to sell me, and it ended up being a delightful fluffy summer romance! Whilst I had a sense of where the plot was going to go, I really enjoyed the journey and loved the elements of body positivity and teen activism that ran throughout. The characters felt very authentically teenage to me, I saw a lot of my own teen hangups within Lily, especially her feelings about her body and her journey of realising she's bisexual. Very cute!
July 23, 2020
My bloody god this is CUTE AF. This is full of light, love and sheer lushness. Lily is a glorious character and to be honest there’s a lot of me in her. I love the messages of body positivity, family and friendship in this. I just wanna hug them all so much. Cal is a GEM of a human and I’m so glad that Lily had him! God. I definitely want more from these... and now I want ice cream!
August 1, 2020
It may only be August, but this is my book of the year. Heart warming, it made me laugh and cry and feel so much. I loved it and I know it’ll be a book I re-read many times.
March 14, 2022
This was such a lovely read. I found not much happened really, there weren’t any major dramas or secrets or plot twists, but it was so wholesome and cute. I loved Lily as a main character and her mum is so sweet. I loved how the struggles of sexuality and university self esteem were handled and I feel like if I read this book as a teenager it would have really helped me feel less lonely!!
February 1, 2022
honestly this was one of the most wholesome book i read!!
Lily is just so realistic and adorable so are Cassie and Cal. I knew how was going to end the book, it was predictable BUT it didn't bother me because i enjoyed every pages of this book.
i totally recommend this book!!!
You can easily read it in one sitting and little advice if you eat an ice cream while reading this book it will feel like you are IN the book, thank me later ;) !!!
Lily is just so realistic and adorable so are Cassie and Cal. I knew how was going to end the book, it was predictable BUT it didn't bother me because i enjoyed every pages of this book.
i totally recommend this book!!!
You can easily read it in one sitting and little advice if you eat an ice cream while reading this book it will feel like you are IN the book, thank me later ;) !!!
June 22, 2023
I really liked Lily as a character, the different layers of the story, the fat and bi rep, and in general the young-adult angst feel and summer vibes. Sadly I missed the chemistry and romance in the relationship between Lily and Cassie, to me it came off mostly just friendly, I wish that part would have been explored and built on more.
June 21, 2024
It was okey nothing more but I like the character
November 14, 2020
Melt My Heart tells the story of a summer in the life of 18-year-old Lily, who isn't sure she really wants to go to university, is trying to figure out her identity, and is dealing with how she and the world see her size.
The things I liked: Lily's insecurities about going to university felt realistic, and overall she was a relatable character. The friendship between her and Cassie was sweet.
Things I didn't like: Not an awful lot happened in the book. And as there's quite a lot of repetition (we're told multiple times that Lily is fat and happy with it - I get the picture!, we're reminded again and again of her university fears, a lot of her angst in general feels like we already read it a few pages ago), this lack of plot shows. Now, plot-light books are fine if the characters are deep and intriguing, but - and I felt the same about Bethany Rutter's previous book, No Big Deal - the characters come away feeling kinda sketchy even though there's been pages to develop them. I don't feel I left knowing much more about Lily than the basics - her fears, her interest in art, her family - and the same goes for the other characters. Lily's twin sister Daisy in particular felt underdeveloped, and her conflict with Lily quite muted - I enjoyed the scene where they rowed, and would have liked to have seen more focus on this and perhaps less on Lily's romance with Cal, which could have had less page time than it got and had the same effect.
I felt a missed opportunity to add some depth were the homophobic, racist posters Lily notices cropping up around town. There's not much more to the posters subplot other than they exist, and they anger Lily to the extent that she and Cassie make some counter posters. That's it. I felt instead we could have seen more of the girls' interest in activism deepening, and that being another thing that drew them together, and helped them figure themselves out. I'm all for angry girls making a stand and I felt we got teased with something interesting here and instead presented with something kinda limp.
The other thing I didn't like is the messaging in MMH feels like it has been copy-pasted straight out of an advisory manual for teenagers - it's rams you over the head (fat is OK! homophobia bad! prejudice bad! xenophobia bad!) and while I don't disagree with any of this but the way in which the characters spoke and thought about these things simply sounded so unnatural. It took me away from the story, rather than feeling natural for the characters. The section where Lily overhears two men making derogatory comments about Daisy and her football team really does not sound like a teenage girl's thoughts. While this is all positive messaging, its handling was so crude. I had similar feelings about NBD, and wish the author could find a way to get her point across in a way that felt more natural, and, at times, got in the way of the story.
In conclusion: Melt My Heart is a sweet enough friendship and love story, but for me was very superficial.
The things I liked: Lily's insecurities about going to university felt realistic, and overall she was a relatable character. The friendship between her and Cassie was sweet.
Things I didn't like: Not an awful lot happened in the book. And as there's quite a lot of repetition (we're told multiple times that Lily is fat and happy with it - I get the picture!, we're reminded again and again of her university fears, a lot of her angst in general feels like we already read it a few pages ago), this lack of plot shows. Now, plot-light books are fine if the characters are deep and intriguing, but - and I felt the same about Bethany Rutter's previous book, No Big Deal - the characters come away feeling kinda sketchy even though there's been pages to develop them. I don't feel I left knowing much more about Lily than the basics - her fears, her interest in art, her family - and the same goes for the other characters. Lily's twin sister Daisy in particular felt underdeveloped, and her conflict with Lily quite muted - I enjoyed the scene where they rowed, and would have liked to have seen more focus on this and perhaps less on Lily's romance with Cal, which could have had less page time than it got and had the same effect.
I felt a missed opportunity to add some depth were the homophobic, racist posters Lily notices cropping up around town. There's not much more to the posters subplot other than they exist, and they anger Lily to the extent that she and Cassie make some counter posters. That's it. I felt instead we could have seen more of the girls' interest in activism deepening, and that being another thing that drew them together, and helped them figure themselves out. I'm all for angry girls making a stand and I felt we got teased with something interesting here and instead presented with something kinda limp.
The other thing I didn't like is the messaging in MMH feels like it has been copy-pasted straight out of an advisory manual for teenagers - it's rams you over the head (fat is OK! homophobia bad! prejudice bad! xenophobia bad!) and while I don't disagree with any of this but the way in which the characters spoke and thought about these things simply sounded so unnatural. It took me away from the story, rather than feeling natural for the characters. The section where Lily overhears two men making derogatory comments about Daisy and her football team really does not sound like a teenage girl's thoughts. While this is all positive messaging, its handling was so crude. I had similar feelings about NBD, and wish the author could find a way to get her point across in a way that felt more natural, and, at times, got in the way of the story.
In conclusion: Melt My Heart is a sweet enough friendship and love story, but for me was very superficial.
August 10, 2020
Do you know how nice it is to read a book with a fat protagonist? Do you know how nice it is to read a book with a fat protagonist who is happy with how they look and doesn't spend the entire book talking about their weight? (I'm looking at you Bridget Jones). Normalise fat bodies, normalise queer fat bodies and normalise all the ways that humans can exist and not just by measuring how they look 🙌
Melt My Heart is a gentle, fun, enjoyable summer read - a perfect bit of escapism in these (say it with me) unprecedented times. I grew up in a seaside town and it felt reminiscent of my teenage years; I really related to Lily's anxiety about going away to university and feeling like she was making a big mistake.
If you're looking for that perfect beach read, Melt My Heart is a great choice. And if you race through this and need more, Bethany's debut novel No Big Deal is also fantastic 👍
Melt My Heart is a gentle, fun, enjoyable summer read - a perfect bit of escapism in these (say it with me) unprecedented times. I grew up in a seaside town and it felt reminiscent of my teenage years; I really related to Lily's anxiety about going away to university and feeling like she was making a big mistake.
If you're looking for that perfect beach read, Melt My Heart is a great choice. And if you race through this and need more, Bethany's debut novel No Big Deal is also fantastic 👍
July 21, 2020
I was scared going into this book as I loved No Big Deal so much but honestly Bethany Rutter has done it again.
Melt My Heart is an adorable coming of age story that is perfect for YA readers. It didn’t take long for me to love Lily Rose and how in love she is with her body. What I loved the most is that she’s unapologetically human and she has her own flaws. She’s struggling with the idea of going to university, leaving her best friend behind and the feeling that she will never be on the same level as her twin sister Daisy. Lily makes mistakes in this book and she is rightfully called out for them which helped her grow as a character.
I found myself absolutely loving her friendship with Carrie and how creative she was! She had Lily’s back and helped her feel more comfortable in her own skin. Carrie is the best friend we all deserve. I also really liked Cal’s character and honestly, he was adorable and one of the most genuine male characters I’ve seen in YA for a while.
The family dynamic was a big focus in this book and I loved how even when Lily and Daisy aren’t getting along they come together to support their mother, who is hands down one of the best characters in this book! Daisy and Lily are both trying to come to terms with the fact that they’ll be separated whilst also wanting to be their own person.
I could sit here for hours telling you about this book but I want you to read this for yourself. I want you to follow Lily on her journey of balancing her summer, her fears for the future and her life in general.
This book is so much more than about Lily’s weight. Melt My Heart is a story about family, friendship, coming to terms with who you are as a person and loving yourself no matter what. This is a book about body positivity that everyone needs to read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Melt My Heart is an adorable coming of age story that is perfect for YA readers. It didn’t take long for me to love Lily Rose and how in love she is with her body. What I loved the most is that she’s unapologetically human and she has her own flaws. She’s struggling with the idea of going to university, leaving her best friend behind and the feeling that she will never be on the same level as her twin sister Daisy. Lily makes mistakes in this book and she is rightfully called out for them which helped her grow as a character.
I found myself absolutely loving her friendship with Carrie and how creative she was! She had Lily’s back and helped her feel more comfortable in her own skin. Carrie is the best friend we all deserve. I also really liked Cal’s character and honestly, he was adorable and one of the most genuine male characters I’ve seen in YA for a while.
The family dynamic was a big focus in this book and I loved how even when Lily and Daisy aren’t getting along they come together to support their mother, who is hands down one of the best characters in this book! Daisy and Lily are both trying to come to terms with the fact that they’ll be separated whilst also wanting to be their own person.
I could sit here for hours telling you about this book but I want you to read this for yourself. I want you to follow Lily on her journey of balancing her summer, her fears for the future and her life in general.
This book is so much more than about Lily’s weight. Melt My Heart is a story about family, friendship, coming to terms with who you are as a person and loving yourself no matter what. This is a book about body positivity that everyone needs to read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2021
Lily is trying to enjoy her last summer before going off to Leeds University, a decision she’s not entirely on board with yet. To get ready for this life changing event, she decides to try one new thing everyday with the help of her best friend, Cassie.
There were a few things I really enjoyed about this book- the first being the friendship between Lily and Cassie. I loved that Lily had friends before meeting Cassie, but they were never “good” friends- they didn’t support her or share the same ideals. I think the author including this was so important because it’s a universal feeling. You never truly know friendship until you meet people who you can be yourself with and who allow you to grow. Cassie was that friend for Lily and it was lush.
I loved the description of the seaside town and Lily’s family home. It felt really cosy and I was happy to be in that world, even if it was only brief. Although this may be a good summer read, it was just as good reading it curled up in bed whilst it was pouring outside. It was like a warm hug.
However, I do think the ending was a little rushed. The issues and challenges that had been arising throughout the book all came to head at the same point, and then were over and resolved almost straight away, moments before the book finished. This is a small issue in comparison to how much I enjoyed the other elements though.
Definitely recommend if you want a cutesy romance, some light self discovery, and strong familial relationships.
There were a few things I really enjoyed about this book- the first being the friendship between Lily and Cassie. I loved that Lily had friends before meeting Cassie, but they were never “good” friends- they didn’t support her or share the same ideals. I think the author including this was so important because it’s a universal feeling. You never truly know friendship until you meet people who you can be yourself with and who allow you to grow. Cassie was that friend for Lily and it was lush.
I loved the description of the seaside town and Lily’s family home. It felt really cosy and I was happy to be in that world, even if it was only brief. Although this may be a good summer read, it was just as good reading it curled up in bed whilst it was pouring outside. It was like a warm hug.
However, I do think the ending was a little rushed. The issues and challenges that had been arising throughout the book all came to head at the same point, and then were over and resolved almost straight away, moments before the book finished. This is a small issue in comparison to how much I enjoyed the other elements though.
Definitely recommend if you want a cutesy romance, some light self discovery, and strong familial relationships.
May 13, 2023
This book was just so sweet, and honestly so relatable in so many ways.
Lily was such a likeable MC. She was human and made mistakes but all her mistakes felt so completely understandable. She reminded me so much of myself, running away from problems instead of tackling them head on because it seems easier, even though it only ever makes things harder.
I also ADORED Cassie. Ugh she was just such a beautiful friend and an even better love interest. Her and Lily’s relationship just made me so, so happy.
This book also had a really interesting twin sibling dynamic that I enjoyed, even though I didn’t like Daisy very much. I like that she owned her behaviour in the end and agreed to work on some things.
And just shoutout to Cal for being the kindest, loveliest, most understanding human ever? I need a sequel where Cal sticks around as the supportive bestie pls.
I can’t recommend this enough if you’re looking for a sweet summer read.
Lily was such a likeable MC. She was human and made mistakes but all her mistakes felt so completely understandable. She reminded me so much of myself, running away from problems instead of tackling them head on because it seems easier, even though it only ever makes things harder.
I also ADORED Cassie. Ugh she was just such a beautiful friend and an even better love interest. Her and Lily’s relationship just made me so, so happy.
This book also had a really interesting twin sibling dynamic that I enjoyed, even though I didn’t like Daisy very much. I like that she owned her behaviour in the end and agreed to work on some things.
And just shoutout to Cal for being the kindest, loveliest, most understanding human ever? I need a sequel where Cal sticks around as the supportive bestie pls.
I can’t recommend this enough if you’re looking for a sweet summer read.
August 9, 2021
[3.5 stars]
I picked up this book mainly because the cover screamed summer and was pretty, but I’m happy about it!
this book was so light and at the same time not really? but it was fun to read
the thing that amazed me the most was obviously the diversity in this book, which was just perfect honestly
I loved the way this book prone diversity, body positivity and acceptance
i really like Cal’s character, mostly because of his softness and understanding after knowing the truth, it’s such an healthy person, if that makes sense
if something, the relationship between the twins have been a little bit chaotic, which was the point obviously but because of it we missed a chance to know her better, in my opinion
also, i wish we would’ve had more Cassie/Lily content cause I found them so cute in their friendship so I would’ve loved to see them evolve in a relationship
overall, even if it has some flaws and even if it’s not one of my favourites, I enjoyed this book and I honestly recommend it because it’s a quick read and it allows us to open our eyes on some things that really happen in our world
I picked up this book mainly because the cover screamed summer and was pretty, but I’m happy about it!
this book was so light and at the same time not really? but it was fun to read
the thing that amazed me the most was obviously the diversity in this book, which was just perfect honestly
I loved the way this book prone diversity, body positivity and acceptance
i really like Cal’s character, mostly because of his softness and understanding after knowing the truth, it’s such an healthy person, if that makes sense
if something, the relationship between the twins have been a little bit chaotic, which was the point obviously but because of it we missed a chance to know her better, in my opinion
also, i wish we would’ve had more Cassie/Lily content cause I found them so cute in their friendship so I would’ve loved to see them evolve in a relationship
overall, even if it has some flaws and even if it’s not one of my favourites, I enjoyed this book and I honestly recommend it because it’s a quick read and it allows us to open our eyes on some things that really happen in our world
April 5, 2021
The summer before university is a time of upheaval, and our main character is experiencing her fair share.
We follow Lily-Rose as she takes on a summer project of new things. She learns about herself and her friendships. She tackles some issues that would have been easy to ignore, and it’s hard not to love and empathise with her even if we don’t share her issues.
The story was rather obvious, and it felt like we spent the book waiting for Lily to wake up and realise what seemed quite apparent. However, I liked that there was no one size fits all approach here and that the cutest friendship ever showed the importance of being honest with those you feel are important to you.
We follow Lily-Rose as she takes on a summer project of new things. She learns about herself and her friendships. She tackles some issues that would have been easy to ignore, and it’s hard not to love and empathise with her even if we don’t share her issues.
The story was rather obvious, and it felt like we spent the book waiting for Lily to wake up and realise what seemed quite apparent. However, I liked that there was no one size fits all approach here and that the cutest friendship ever showed the importance of being honest with those you feel are important to you.
January 12, 2022
I thought this would be a book I would just read to pass the time, but I actually quite enjoyed it. It's the perfect summer read (Brigi says, having read this in January while it was snowing!), it really took me to the small seaside town, while also tackling more serious issues, like biphobia and fatphobia. I thought the plus size rep was great, especially the way Lily, the main character, challenged some of her twin sister's thoughts/beliefs.
Cassie was a sweet love interest and friend, though I do wish there had been a bit more romantic scenes! The ending was cute!
Rep: plus size bi main character, sapphic Jamaican-British love interest, gay side characters
Cassie was a sweet love interest and friend, though I do wish there had been a bit more romantic scenes! The ending was cute!
Rep: plus size bi main character, sapphic Jamaican-British love interest, gay side characters
December 17, 2020
Trigger warnings: alcohol abuse, fatphobia, fat shaming, homophobia, cheating.
Well this was fucking adorable. I literally read it cover to cover in a couple of hours while watching Die Hard and I have zero regrets. Lily is a delightful character and I loved that this features a protagonist who's realising that going straight from high school to university isn't something she's ready for. It's a quiet story about realising who you are and what's important to you, and being comfortable with yourself. And I loved it.
Well this was fucking adorable. I literally read it cover to cover in a couple of hours while watching Die Hard and I have zero regrets. Lily is a delightful character and I loved that this features a protagonist who's realising that going straight from high school to university isn't something she's ready for. It's a quiet story about realising who you are and what's important to you, and being comfortable with yourself. And I loved it.
May 29, 2022
Melt my heart- Bethany Rutter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CUTE CUTE CUTE !!! What a sweet easy read!! Loved the positive fat representation! I’ve felt those feelings of why would they want me when I look like this ? It hurts but it gets better when you are able to realise people love you for you being fat isn’t a negative it isn’t the entirety of who you are! ❤️ Also absolutely loved the realistic questioning of sexuality and feelings towards someone close, it wasn’t super dramatic and end of the world inducing , it was just real! Would definitely recommend for a lovely summer read!!
CUTE CUTE CUTE !!! What a sweet easy read!! Loved the positive fat representation! I’ve felt those feelings of why would they want me when I look like this ? It hurts but it gets better when you are able to realise people love you for you being fat isn’t a negative it isn’t the entirety of who you are! ❤️ Also absolutely loved the realistic questioning of sexuality and feelings towards someone close, it wasn’t super dramatic and end of the world inducing , it was just real! Would definitely recommend for a lovely summer read!!
July 21, 2020
A fun YA read and I loved the fact it was partly about body positivity, so nice to see this being supported and included so much more especially in books for YA readers. I loved Lily, she was a great main character and I loved how she struggled when th her conundrum, worrying about and trying to maintain her relationships with everyone , it’s such a fun read but with lots of heart too. Fabulous read.
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
May 31, 2021
Oh I loved this! It made me cry, because falling in love with your best friend is BRILLIANT and more people should do it. A lovely book for teenagers finding their identity and seeing a positive role model for accepting yourself. That said, some of the characters were a bit *too* good. I needed a bit more light and shade to read Lily as a real teenager, because some of her opinions did at times feel like a bit of a box ticking exercise in diversity.
February 6, 2021
Maybe I was spoilt by reading No Big Deal first and how absolutely marvellous that was (still has a place on my top 10 list). But this one just seemed so flat in comparison!
I loved that there was plus size appreciation, and that us chunky ladies can still rock people’s worlds, but I felt that there was so much missing here! I need a while to convey my thoughts...
I loved that there was plus size appreciation, and that us chunky ladies can still rock people’s worlds, but I felt that there was so much missing here! I need a while to convey my thoughts...
June 25, 2020
I have complicated feelings about this book. On one hand the fat representation was excellent but on the other I really didn’t enjoy the story. I found myself getting easily distracted and bored while reading which I’m really sad about since I inhale read Rutter’s No Big Deal. The characters weren’t as fleshed out as I’d hoped. I feel as though a certain kind of reader that enjoys dipping their toes into a slice of life kind of story will enjoy this; but I wanted more development and by the end I just felt like I still didn’t really know the main character. Nothing as such happened plot wise it was really just character centred and because I didn’t love the characters that made it hard for me to love this. I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading it, I think it’s a nice read especially for someone questioning their sexuality or if you’re in the transition period of your life after high school. I just didn’t gel well with it.
July 21, 2020
I adored this book! Lovely queer representation and a really loveable cast of characters. It’s also a quietly political book which I didn’t expect but really appreciated. I can see myself re-reading this as a comfort read in future.
March 11, 2021
This is the type of coming of age novel I wish I’d read when I was a teenager. I really enjoyed that it discussed issues of diet culture and growing up in a fat body in a very real way without centring around a fat character trying to change their body. It is sweet, thoughtful and the ending made my heart sing.
June 18, 2022
3.5 STARS
i loved the rep in this book and mcs addressing issues like homophobia + racism, but i REALLY wish we saw more chemistry between cassie & lily. even tho they’re cute together, i found it a little… idk bland?? apart from that this story was so cute and a nice summer read
i loved the rep in this book and mcs addressing issues like homophobia + racism, but i REALLY wish we saw more chemistry between cassie & lily. even tho they’re cute together, i found it a little… idk bland?? apart from that this story was so cute and a nice summer read
February 17, 2023
i really enjoyed this book!! from page 150 i could put it down. i found lily’s character to be really interesting and i loved how she stood up for herself when remarks where made on the way she looked.
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