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In for a Penny
Penny Marquez is sick of New York, her ex, and her old life. After a miserable breakup, she realizes it’s time for a change and decides to run away to London and pursue a Master's degree away from the man who broke her heart. Penny soon resolves that relationships just aren't for her and that it’s time for her to figure out who she really is. With the help of her friend, Oliver, Penny starts to have some fun for the first time in her life.
Despite all her new adventures, however, she quickly finds out moving on and “just having fun” isn’t as easy as it sounds. Between school being a massive letdown and realizing that she might be falling for her best friend, Josh, Penny starts to think that maybe moving to London was a massive mistake.
*this work of fiction graphic and sensitive content pertaining to sex and eating disorders.*
Despite all her new adventures, however, she quickly finds out moving on and “just having fun” isn’t as easy as it sounds. Between school being a massive letdown and realizing that she might be falling for her best friend, Josh, Penny starts to think that maybe moving to London was a massive mistake.
*this work of fiction graphic and sensitive content pertaining to sex and eating disorders.*
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 10, 2021
12 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
January 23, 2023
The adorable cover and the synopsis promising a cute romance abroad drew me in but unfortunately this did not work for me. I picked this up expecting one thing and it ended up being something else entirely. The pacing was off and I struggled with the heroines POV throughout the entirety of this book as there was a lot of telling rather than showing. Overall, this book had a lot of potential but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Thank you to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2 stars
Thank you to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2 stars
January 30, 2023
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was hilarious and super cute! While I did have my moments of wondering if Penny was going to get it together by the end, I was pleasantly satisfied with the ending. Overall a very fun romcom with open door spice. The main character was very relatable for anyone in their twenties just trying to find themselves and figure out what they want in life. 😊
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was hilarious and super cute! While I did have my moments of wondering if Penny was going to get it together by the end, I was pleasantly satisfied with the ending. Overall a very fun romcom with open door spice. The main character was very relatable for anyone in their twenties just trying to find themselves and figure out what they want in life. 😊
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 28, 2023
Penny is a little bit rough around the edges, and so is this book. But she’s also kind of a fun character, and the book has some fun elements as well.
Penny leaves New York and her ex (but maybe future?) boyfriend behind to go to grad school in London. Her new school friends are a bit scattered themselves, as these young adults try to find their direction in life and in romantic connections; but they’re also a great support system for Penny in her ups and downs. Some parts of the book are light, fun and even sweet. And some aspects of the story are very disturbing and sad. (Check content warnings.) It’s like going on an emotional roller coaster reading along with Penny’s ups and downs. Although I would’ve preferred for things to be handled differently, I can appreciate that the author kept these characters flawed and real. It’s definitely not a cookie cutter Hallmark romcom. But I was holding out hope for Penny to figure some things out, and was rewarded with a happily ever after that helped make the journey worth the investment.
At some points in the book I’d say it’s more if a 3⭐️ read; but as everything wraps up at the end I was back in the 4⭐️ camp as overall it was an enjoyable read.
(Mature content.)
Author Caroline Frank says of her book, “In for a Penny was my first book—and I think you can tell. She was written more for me as a cathartic exercise. A way to process my emotions and my experiences—nothing more. So when I embarked on this journey to “revamp” it, I thought seriously about deep diving into editing it, reworking the characters, editing the plot. But I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Could I have reworked it into a better book? Yes, I think so. I think that with time I could have improved it far more. But honestly, after considering it, I felt strongly against it. In for a Penny will remain the same because I don’t want to change my past and because I want to see how much I’ve grown as a writer and a person. So, she did go through some edits—but nothing major.”
* Thankful for the opportunity to read this as an ARC of the author’s edited rerelease. This is my honest review written on my own accord.
Penny leaves New York and her ex (but maybe future?) boyfriend behind to go to grad school in London. Her new school friends are a bit scattered themselves, as these young adults try to find their direction in life and in romantic connections; but they’re also a great support system for Penny in her ups and downs. Some parts of the book are light, fun and even sweet. And some aspects of the story are very disturbing and sad. (Check content warnings.) It’s like going on an emotional roller coaster reading along with Penny’s ups and downs. Although I would’ve preferred for things to be handled differently, I can appreciate that the author kept these characters flawed and real. It’s definitely not a cookie cutter Hallmark romcom. But I was holding out hope for Penny to figure some things out, and was rewarded with a happily ever after that helped make the journey worth the investment.
At some points in the book I’d say it’s more if a 3⭐️ read; but as everything wraps up at the end I was back in the 4⭐️ camp as overall it was an enjoyable read.
(Mature content.)
Author Caroline Frank says of her book, “In for a Penny was my first book—and I think you can tell. She was written more for me as a cathartic exercise. A way to process my emotions and my experiences—nothing more. So when I embarked on this journey to “revamp” it, I thought seriously about deep diving into editing it, reworking the characters, editing the plot. But I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Could I have reworked it into a better book? Yes, I think so. I think that with time I could have improved it far more. But honestly, after considering it, I felt strongly against it. In for a Penny will remain the same because I don’t want to change my past and because I want to see how much I’ve grown as a writer and a person. So, she did go through some edits—but nothing major.”
* Thankful for the opportunity to read this as an ARC of the author’s edited rerelease. This is my honest review written on my own accord.
January 18, 2023
I really enjoyed reading this book! This is the author’s first published book that she made a few edits to and a new cover! I really like the fact that it was a cute HEA story, but that it covered real issues and the raw emotions that go along with them. One night, I stayed up super late to read, because I simply couldn’t stop until I knew what happened next. I went to bed that night with tears in my eyes-from both sadness on behalf of Penny but also full of happiness and thankfulness-I truly felt like I was there with Penny going through the highs and lows. The fact that I felt so emotionally tied to the book and to, not just the main character, Penny, but the supporting characters as well, let me know that this was a well written story. It was a quick read, but I really enjoyed traveling with Penny as she journeyed to find and understand herself but ultimately found so much more than she originally thought possible.
August 3, 2021
I was expecting this book to be a typical Rom Com, where she moves across the world to start fresh and get over her break up and find the love of her life which we all know and love. Which in a sense we got but jesus this book packed so much more than this that I was not expecting.
Penny could be described as a hot mess in all aspects, beautiful, Latina New Yokrer in London turning heads trying to navigate what an earth she wants to do with her life.
Honestly I initially didn't feel any kind of way to her friends so when I found myself truly melting and excited by her friendships I was quite surprised. The standout for me was Oliver. Flirty, egotistical and arrogant is what you are supposed to see but loyal, caring, supportive and funny is what I got. Their relationship was amusing and I found myself in happy disbelief at their antics but I could see how much the friendships we valued above all else.
Her gal pals a consistent and supportive mechanism was nice which I always love to see. But then theres Josh. The reason I couldn't put five stars was the earlier description of their time together although I knew what was being suggested didn't fully reach my core in being invested or fully believing what was being conveyed. Of course they drastically changed as time went on and I found myself shouting at the book frustrated at this dance they were doing. Also Eloise... thank you next. The snacks and granola bars were a cute touch but can I add, although I was rooting for them. He was such an ass at times and I found myself thinking nope do not let that slide.
My other pet peeve was the ex Austin. Like I was screaming on the inside like who in the 21st century would believe and accept the BS this tool was spouting. Like come on! I just wanted to shake her back to reality.
I was caught off guard when the incident happened, it really wasn't something I was expecting. As I read I found myself having a physical reaction, my palms were sweating, my body tensed up I was grinding my teeth while my heart nearly pounded out of my chest. I couldn't believe what I was reading but it was saddening because it's all too familiar for many women.
This was not just a finding yourself rom com. This covered really emotional and deep topics and content showing us the stark reality of social pressure, mental health, eating disorders, womens safety and the ridiculously high and pressured expectations placed on women in their 20s. When will you marry, will you have children, stay looking young, act mature, don't eat this, have an amazing career, be independent, get yourself a good man. There is just so much to unpack ans I am glad and sad almost furious everytime I read the stark reality of the life we still live.
Overall a little raunchy but very impactful book.
Penny could be described as a hot mess in all aspects, beautiful, Latina New Yokrer in London turning heads trying to navigate what an earth she wants to do with her life.
Honestly I initially didn't feel any kind of way to her friends so when I found myself truly melting and excited by her friendships I was quite surprised. The standout for me was Oliver. Flirty, egotistical and arrogant is what you are supposed to see but loyal, caring, supportive and funny is what I got. Their relationship was amusing and I found myself in happy disbelief at their antics but I could see how much the friendships we valued above all else.
Her gal pals a consistent and supportive mechanism was nice which I always love to see. But then theres Josh. The reason I couldn't put five stars was the earlier description of their time together although I knew what was being suggested didn't fully reach my core in being invested or fully believing what was being conveyed. Of course they drastically changed as time went on and I found myself shouting at the book frustrated at this dance they were doing. Also Eloise... thank you next. The snacks and granola bars were a cute touch but can I add, although I was rooting for them. He was such an ass at times and I found myself thinking nope do not let that slide.
My other pet peeve was the ex Austin. Like I was screaming on the inside like who in the 21st century would believe and accept the BS this tool was spouting. Like come on! I just wanted to shake her back to reality.
I was caught off guard when the incident happened, it really wasn't something I was expecting. As I read I found myself having a physical reaction, my palms were sweating, my body tensed up I was grinding my teeth while my heart nearly pounded out of my chest. I couldn't believe what I was reading but it was saddening because it's all too familiar for many women.
This was not just a finding yourself rom com. This covered really emotional and deep topics and content showing us the stark reality of social pressure, mental health, eating disorders, womens safety and the ridiculously high and pressured expectations placed on women in their 20s. When will you marry, will you have children, stay looking young, act mature, don't eat this, have an amazing career, be independent, get yourself a good man. There is just so much to unpack ans I am glad and sad almost furious everytime I read the stark reality of the life we still live.
Overall a little raunchy but very impactful book.
February 14, 2023
This was @carolinefrankwrites first novel and she is re-releasing it today with a new cover and a little sprucing (but keeping it just as real and raw as it was at the very beginning).
The cover was the first thing that caught my eye but the story kept me invested! I was expecting a witty, American in London, romcom but what I got was a heartfelt tale of heartbreak, overcoming, struggle, self-realization, and growth.
It had its romcom elements and great characters and hilarious jokes, but it also went really deep and hit on hard hard topics. It didn’t shy away from the nitty-gritty of real life and I loved it for that!
There are some HEAVY themes and moments in this book and I highly recommend checking out trigger warnings (there’s mention at the bottom of the synopsis on the second pic) because it’s real and raw.
With all of that said, I loved it, it was different than what I expected, different from the cookie cutter romances we so many of today. This one has different characters, it had different kinds of relationships, it had messy emotions, and beautiful connections. It felt very real, very genuine, and very honest. I haven’t cried with a book in a while (most of my books lately have been pretty light because I’m a crier for sure) but this one had me in my feels pretty good last night.
I’m so glad that I had the chance to read this one before it’s re-release. It was definitely worth the read and I’ll 100% be picking up more books by Caroline
February 22, 2023
This book. I don’t even know where to begin to review it. I’ve been sitting on it for days trying to find the right words. I am super grateful that I was able to receive an ARC copy of the rerelease of this book.
I was completely gutted reading this story. I was able to connect to Penny’s character in so many different ways. The story was so real.
Penny chooses to study abroad in London for her Master’s degree. She leaves behind Austin who basically strung her along for too long to keep his options open. When she’s in London she realizes that and decides she deserves better than that.
She forms very strong friendships with Oliver and Josh. Both men love her deeply. She has some rough moments in London, unfortunately things that a lot of us can relate to in some way.
I knew going into this story that it wasn’t going to be your typical rom com. I knew it would be heavy. I just didn’t know it would resonate so much with me.
I was completely gutted reading this story. I was able to connect to Penny’s character in so many different ways. The story was so real.
Penny chooses to study abroad in London for her Master’s degree. She leaves behind Austin who basically strung her along for too long to keep his options open. When she’s in London she realizes that and decides she deserves better than that.
She forms very strong friendships with Oliver and Josh. Both men love her deeply. She has some rough moments in London, unfortunately things that a lot of us can relate to in some way.
I knew going into this story that it wasn’t going to be your typical rom com. I knew it would be heavy. I just didn’t know it would resonate so much with me.
August 5, 2021
Major thanks to Netgalley and IBPA for providing me with a copy of this book!
It took me quite a long time to figure out how I felt about this book. In my review, I'm going to be touching on a few major points: writing style, pacing, word choice, heavy topics, and characterization. There will be some spoilers, so be warned!
1. Writing Style
It wasn't until I was about three-quarters of the way through this read that I figured out what it was about the writing style that wasn't completely clicking with me. The author does a lot of telling instead of showing. A lot of Penny's internal monologue was made up of large declarations — whether that be about her newfound bitterness and cynicism or the liberation she felt later on in the novel — without really showing us through Penny's behavior until after the fact.
2. Pacing
I felt like a lot of things happened very quickly. With how "in love" Penny was with Austin in the prologue, she seemed to realize he was gaslighting her (and all-around toxic) super fast. I think it was less than 20% into the book when she realized this. It was built up into this huge thing and then just... discarded almost immediately. It was such a quick 180 that it took me aback at first. The same can be said for Josh's feelings. It was pretty obvious he was into her very early in the book and I really couldn't understand why. It was a bit too "insta-love" for me, but I think the way he confessed his feelings to her was super cute, so I'm not too mad at it. Penny also switched from being psyched about London and her graduate program to being cynical and jaded so quickly?
3. Word Choice
There were a few times in my notes that I followed a quote with "GROSS" and left it at that. Some examples: after meeting Eloise once, Penny refers to her as a "manipulative bitch," which is just petty and catty. One paragraph about Oliver's sexual history also left a bad taste in my mouth: "Also, his hook-up history just since meeting him reads more like a roster than anything else. Would I really be okay with sleeping with someone whose hobby is to add more women of as many backgrounds as possible to his list? I mean, It's his business, but when you sleep with someone, you end up sleeping with everyone else that person has, right? At least that's what people say, and I'm not sure I want to risk that." That just screams slut-shaming and purity culture to me and it rubbed me the wrong way. She also puts on a revealing outfit at one point in the book and says, "I look like a whore." Just, no. Finally, the author even uses the term "non-consensual sex" about rape, which brings me to my next point...
4. Heavy Topics
This book dealt with some really heavy topics, including rape and eating disorders. I felt like they were handled fairly well, at least for the most part. The author uses the metaphor of a monster on Penny's back to describe how she feels toward her history with bulimia, which is a really great descriptor that speaks to the insidious and all-encompassing nature of an ED. It's also really emphasized throughout the book that for Penny, it was all about being able to control something and less about body image. Yes, body image played into it (of course), but she felt most triggered to binge and purge when she felt like her life was spiraling out of control. I really appreciated this depiction! There was also a VERY graphic rape scene. Thankfully, I don't have any personal experiences in this arena so I wasn't triggered, but I could definitely see how it could be triggering for someone who does. I think Penny's behavior and thought processes in the aftermath were pretty realistic, especially when she tried so hard to get "clean" or repress everything. I was very glad the author chose to have Penny start seeing a therapist to deal with it rather than just brushing it under the rug.
5. Characterization
Penny was.... lowkey annoying sometimes. She had a tendency toward being super hypocritical. First, when she started her friends-with-benefits relationship with Oliver, one of her ground rules was that they not tell anyone. And then she turned around and told literally all of their mutual friends? Not to mention that she was infuriated by Josh's reaction when she told him because he insinuated that she "wasn't that kind of girl." She went on and on about how she could do whatever she wanted with whomever she wanted, but wasn't this the same girl who judged Oliver based on his own sexual history a few chapters earlier? I did appreciate that she at least recognized some of this hypocrisy re: getting tested for STIs, but still. Sometimes she drove me a little crazy with some of the choices she made (like lying to Josh about her feelings).
All in all, this was a pretty good book! I think it could have definitely been improved, but I appreciated it for what it was. While Penny could be annoying and frustrating sometimes, she did go through a lot of growth and development over the course of the novel. Josh and Penny were pretty cute once they got their shit together, but make sure to proceed with caution if you're triggered by eating disorders or sexual assault.
It took me quite a long time to figure out how I felt about this book. In my review, I'm going to be touching on a few major points: writing style, pacing, word choice, heavy topics, and characterization. There will be some spoilers, so be warned!
1. Writing Style
It wasn't until I was about three-quarters of the way through this read that I figured out what it was about the writing style that wasn't completely clicking with me. The author does a lot of telling instead of showing. A lot of Penny's internal monologue was made up of large declarations — whether that be about her newfound bitterness and cynicism or the liberation she felt later on in the novel — without really showing us through Penny's behavior until after the fact.
2. Pacing
I felt like a lot of things happened very quickly. With how "in love" Penny was with Austin in the prologue, she seemed to realize he was gaslighting her (and all-around toxic) super fast. I think it was less than 20% into the book when she realized this. It was built up into this huge thing and then just... discarded almost immediately. It was such a quick 180 that it took me aback at first. The same can be said for Josh's feelings. It was pretty obvious he was into her very early in the book and I really couldn't understand why. It was a bit too "insta-love" for me, but I think the way he confessed his feelings to her was super cute, so I'm not too mad at it. Penny also switched from being psyched about London and her graduate program to being cynical and jaded so quickly?
3. Word Choice
There were a few times in my notes that I followed a quote with "GROSS" and left it at that. Some examples: after meeting Eloise once, Penny refers to her as a "manipulative bitch," which is just petty and catty. One paragraph about Oliver's sexual history also left a bad taste in my mouth: "Also, his hook-up history just since meeting him reads more like a roster than anything else. Would I really be okay with sleeping with someone whose hobby is to add more women of as many backgrounds as possible to his list? I mean, It's his business, but when you sleep with someone, you end up sleeping with everyone else that person has, right? At least that's what people say, and I'm not sure I want to risk that." That just screams slut-shaming and purity culture to me and it rubbed me the wrong way. She also puts on a revealing outfit at one point in the book and says, "I look like a whore." Just, no. Finally, the author even uses the term "non-consensual sex" about rape, which brings me to my next point...
4. Heavy Topics
This book dealt with some really heavy topics, including rape and eating disorders. I felt like they were handled fairly well, at least for the most part. The author uses the metaphor of a monster on Penny's back to describe how she feels toward her history with bulimia, which is a really great descriptor that speaks to the insidious and all-encompassing nature of an ED. It's also really emphasized throughout the book that for Penny, it was all about being able to control something and less about body image. Yes, body image played into it (of course), but she felt most triggered to binge and purge when she felt like her life was spiraling out of control. I really appreciated this depiction! There was also a VERY graphic rape scene. Thankfully, I don't have any personal experiences in this arena so I wasn't triggered, but I could definitely see how it could be triggering for someone who does. I think Penny's behavior and thought processes in the aftermath were pretty realistic, especially when she tried so hard to get "clean" or repress everything. I was very glad the author chose to have Penny start seeing a therapist to deal with it rather than just brushing it under the rug.
5. Characterization
Penny was.... lowkey annoying sometimes. She had a tendency toward being super hypocritical. First, when she started her friends-with-benefits relationship with Oliver, one of her ground rules was that they not tell anyone. And then she turned around and told literally all of their mutual friends? Not to mention that she was infuriated by Josh's reaction when she told him because he insinuated that she "wasn't that kind of girl." She went on and on about how she could do whatever she wanted with whomever she wanted, but wasn't this the same girl who judged Oliver based on his own sexual history a few chapters earlier? I did appreciate that she at least recognized some of this hypocrisy re: getting tested for STIs, but still. Sometimes she drove me a little crazy with some of the choices she made (like lying to Josh about her feelings).
All in all, this was a pretty good book! I think it could have definitely been improved, but I appreciated it for what it was. While Penny could be annoying and frustrating sometimes, she did go through a lot of growth and development over the course of the novel. Josh and Penny were pretty cute once they got their shit together, but make sure to proceed with caution if you're triggered by eating disorders or sexual assault.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2023
2 stars
First of all, thank to the author for sending me an ARC of this book (all opinions are my own)
I made sure to go into this with a little more grace, as this was the author's debut novel and she was very open about how real and messy she wanted the main character, Penny to be. I think that's done pretty well. She's not a perfect person, no one is, and being in her head did help me understand that she had her struggles and they effected her decisions in ways that maybe I didn't agree with, but could sympathize with why she was doing it. In addition, she does deal with an eating disorder and sexual assault and I think both of those portrayals were done well. I don't know what exactly was pulled from the author's experience, but that's still very vulnerable and I appreciate being able to share any part of that.
But while Penny was very relatable there were definitely moments where I just couldn't like her as much - more specifically when she was hesitant to get STI testing even though she asked Oliver to do so, and when she made him keep a secret and exactly 12 hours later, turned around and told their friend group. That just seemed rude.
Oliver and Josh were also hard characters for me to really root for. I really did not like Oliver's character from the beginning, and he never improved for me. He was way too persistent in trying to have sex with women after being told no. It wasn't endearing to me and I was a little disappointed when Penny did wind up with him. Additionally, she was obviously struggling with her relationship with Josh and used Oliver and sex as a way to cope - see her asking for sex after Josh's grand gesture moment, and yet Oliver still kept sleeping with her. It felt like Oliver was using her even if it wasn't necessarily the best for her processing. But most especially after Penny was sexually assaulted, did Oliver really tick me off. Penny clearly didn't want to report anything or make it into a bigger deal, but Oliver just aired out her trauma multiple times without ever asking for Penny's permission. That wasn't his news to ever share and it pissed me off the number of times he did and to who he shared that with.
For Josh being a love interest, I didn't feel like we got a lot of page time with him for me to connect (see below about the writing style). But also his reactions were extremely rude and condescending whenever Penny told him news he didn't want to hear and I didn't care for it.
After reading other reviews as well, I can also agree that the writing was a lot more telling than showing. Part of the reason I also struggled to root for Josh as any love interest was because I never really saw the chemistry between him and Penny, I was just told it was there. For example, on their first date we never actually get any dialogue about what they talked about. They sit down for their date and we get one paragraph and then the date is over, even though they stayed till closing. I felt cheated out of whatever connection those two had with each other.
There also felt to be a disconnect between sections of the book. At one point Penny, Josh, and Eloise are bonding over all being broken up. The next time Eloise is mentioned, all of sudden she's a mean, snobby character with no explanation. Penny and Josh also experience some tension, and she makes a point of feeling awkward approaching him at a party. But the next time he's mentioned, he's her best friend and they get along so well. It made for a jarring reading experience.
Overall, I think this book had potential. There were some very raw moments and It was noted that there wasn't much editing done, to make sure that Penny came off as messy and flawed. But I think it would have made for a good story if the story telling was polished more. More dialogue and experiencing the characters' lives instead of being told after the fact.
First of all, thank to the author for sending me an ARC of this book (all opinions are my own)
I made sure to go into this with a little more grace, as this was the author's debut novel and she was very open about how real and messy she wanted the main character, Penny to be. I think that's done pretty well. She's not a perfect person, no one is, and being in her head did help me understand that she had her struggles and they effected her decisions in ways that maybe I didn't agree with, but could sympathize with why she was doing it. In addition, she does deal with an eating disorder and sexual assault and I think both of those portrayals were done well. I don't know what exactly was pulled from the author's experience, but that's still very vulnerable and I appreciate being able to share any part of that.
But while Penny was very relatable there were definitely moments where I just couldn't like her as much - more specifically when she was hesitant to get STI testing even though she asked Oliver to do so, and when she made him keep a secret and exactly 12 hours later, turned around and told their friend group. That just seemed rude.
Oliver and Josh were also hard characters for me to really root for. I really did not like Oliver's character from the beginning, and he never improved for me. He was way too persistent in trying to have sex with women after being told no. It wasn't endearing to me and I was a little disappointed when Penny did wind up with him. Additionally, she was obviously struggling with her relationship with Josh and used Oliver and sex as a way to cope - see her asking for sex after Josh's grand gesture moment, and yet Oliver still kept sleeping with her. It felt like Oliver was using her even if it wasn't necessarily the best for her processing. But most especially after Penny was sexually assaulted, did Oliver really tick me off. Penny clearly didn't want to report anything or make it into a bigger deal, but Oliver just aired out her trauma multiple times without ever asking for Penny's permission. That wasn't his news to ever share and it pissed me off the number of times he did and to who he shared that with.
For Josh being a love interest, I didn't feel like we got a lot of page time with him for me to connect (see below about the writing style). But also his reactions were extremely rude and condescending whenever Penny told him news he didn't want to hear and I didn't care for it.
After reading other reviews as well, I can also agree that the writing was a lot more telling than showing. Part of the reason I also struggled to root for Josh as any love interest was because I never really saw the chemistry between him and Penny, I was just told it was there. For example, on their first date we never actually get any dialogue about what they talked about. They sit down for their date and we get one paragraph and then the date is over, even though they stayed till closing. I felt cheated out of whatever connection those two had with each other.
There also felt to be a disconnect between sections of the book. At one point Penny, Josh, and Eloise are bonding over all being broken up. The next time Eloise is mentioned, all of sudden she's a mean, snobby character with no explanation. Penny and Josh also experience some tension, and she makes a point of feeling awkward approaching him at a party. But the next time he's mentioned, he's her best friend and they get along so well. It made for a jarring reading experience.
Overall, I think this book had potential. There were some very raw moments and It was noted that there wasn't much editing done, to make sure that Penny came off as messy and flawed. But I think it would have made for a good story if the story telling was polished more. More dialogue and experiencing the characters' lives instead of being told after the fact.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2024
Caroline Frank's "In for a Penny" takes readers on a delightful and heartfelt journey through the streets of London, unraveling the story of Penny Marquez's quest for self-discovery and love. The novel captures the essence of starting anew, leaving behind the past, and finding one's true identity.
Penny's decision to escape the troubles of her old life in New York and pursue a Master's degree in London sets the stage for a compelling narrative. Frank skillfully navigates the complexities of Penny's emotional journey, from the aftermath of a painful breakup to the realization that relationships may not be her priority at the moment.
The character of Penny is relatable and endearing, making it easy for readers to empathize with her struggles and root for her success. As she embraces the vibrant energy of London, Penny's transformation is both genuine and inspiring. The author beautifully captures the highs and lows of Penny's new adventures, adding depth to the overall narrative.
The dynamic between Penny and her friend Oliver brings a delightful element of humor and camaraderie to the story. Oliver's support becomes a source of strength for Penny as she navigates the challenges of a new environment and a Master's program that falls short of her expectations. The exploration of Penny's evolving feelings for her best friend, Josh, adds a layer of romantic tension that keeps the reader engaged.
Frank's writing style is engaging, with a good balance of humor, emotion, and introspection. The depiction of London as a backdrop is vivid, providing a rich setting for Penny's journey. The pacing is well-managed, allowing the story to unfold naturally and keeping the reader invested in Penny's experiences.
While the novel explores familiar themes of self-discovery and love, Frank brings a fresh perspective and authenticity to the narrative. The challenges Penny faces resonate with the reader, making her journey a relatable and uplifting one. The ending provides a satisfying resolution to Penny's quest for identity and love, leaving the reader with a sense of fulfillment.
Overall, "In for a Penny" is a delightful and well-crafted novel that combines elements of romance, humor, and self-discovery. Caroline Frank's storytelling prowess shines through, creating a narrative that is both entertaining and emotionally resonant. Readers who enjoy heartwarming tales of love and personal growth will find "In for a Penny" to be a rewarding read, earning it a solid four-star rating.
Penny's decision to escape the troubles of her old life in New York and pursue a Master's degree in London sets the stage for a compelling narrative. Frank skillfully navigates the complexities of Penny's emotional journey, from the aftermath of a painful breakup to the realization that relationships may not be her priority at the moment.
The character of Penny is relatable and endearing, making it easy for readers to empathize with her struggles and root for her success. As she embraces the vibrant energy of London, Penny's transformation is both genuine and inspiring. The author beautifully captures the highs and lows of Penny's new adventures, adding depth to the overall narrative.
The dynamic between Penny and her friend Oliver brings a delightful element of humor and camaraderie to the story. Oliver's support becomes a source of strength for Penny as she navigates the challenges of a new environment and a Master's program that falls short of her expectations. The exploration of Penny's evolving feelings for her best friend, Josh, adds a layer of romantic tension that keeps the reader engaged.
Frank's writing style is engaging, with a good balance of humor, emotion, and introspection. The depiction of London as a backdrop is vivid, providing a rich setting for Penny's journey. The pacing is well-managed, allowing the story to unfold naturally and keeping the reader invested in Penny's experiences.
While the novel explores familiar themes of self-discovery and love, Frank brings a fresh perspective and authenticity to the narrative. The challenges Penny faces resonate with the reader, making her journey a relatable and uplifting one. The ending provides a satisfying resolution to Penny's quest for identity and love, leaving the reader with a sense of fulfillment.
Overall, "In for a Penny" is a delightful and well-crafted novel that combines elements of romance, humor, and self-discovery. Caroline Frank's storytelling prowess shines through, creating a narrative that is both entertaining and emotionally resonant. Readers who enjoy heartwarming tales of love and personal growth will find "In for a Penny" to be a rewarding read, earning it a solid four-star rating.
January 19, 2023
Thanks to the author for this Arc copy & I'm glad for this ✨. The review followed is my lovely honest review.
Oh my gosh! I.LOVED.THIS.BOOK. I really expected it to be a fictional easygoing (not totally) romcom book but it has surpassed all my expectations. I'm stunned by this book, damnn.
This book doesn't belong to a fictional genre. It's a real one. I love how the characters in here are just so like us ~ not perfect, messy, organized, kind & what not.
This book is basically about a New Yorker, Penny Marquez who broke up with her "love of the life" bf Austin & moved to London for a 'mature lifestyle '. In London, her life is like twisting & turning at every point. She has perfect family found & I really loved them all a lot. She has many stuff to look out there, be it her decision to even move out, pursuing political career, relationships, friendships, emotions , self development & being a better version of her self.
I loved her character, her FWB & bestfriend Oliver, her truly caring girls & literally everyone. There's so much to learn & feel in this book & I can't appreciate enough ☺️. The spice scenes are also pretty great.
Penny perhaps tries to act mature & kinda wants to show that she's totally okay & even messes up the situation more & ends up being on negative side & hurting herself... acting immature. She's not in a good mindset in the starting but eventually, she turns out to be super.
Her friends were her best supporters & she although didn't like to be babied but was literally so grateful (& annoyed). The way she handles herself after her sexual assault(unfortunately) wasn't impressive but she builds herself more powerful later.
I'll highly recommend this book to u who actually want to feel something real & enjoy this beautiful work. The tropes included are ~
💐 Friends to lovers
💐Found family
The sweet yet hot & charming friends will make add up a lot.
Overall, I really loved this book, author's writing style ~ like we're talking to each other..simple yet amazing 😍, the way characters have been portrayed, relation development & every good aspect u can think of. Really amazing 🍭.
Oh my gosh! I.LOVED.THIS.BOOK. I really expected it to be a fictional easygoing (not totally) romcom book but it has surpassed all my expectations. I'm stunned by this book, damnn.
This book doesn't belong to a fictional genre. It's a real one. I love how the characters in here are just so like us ~ not perfect, messy, organized, kind & what not.
This book is basically about a New Yorker, Penny Marquez who broke up with her "love of the life" bf Austin & moved to London for a 'mature lifestyle '. In London, her life is like twisting & turning at every point. She has perfect family found & I really loved them all a lot. She has many stuff to look out there, be it her decision to even move out, pursuing political career, relationships, friendships, emotions , self development & being a better version of her self.
I loved her character, her FWB & bestfriend Oliver, her truly caring girls & literally everyone. There's so much to learn & feel in this book & I can't appreciate enough ☺️. The spice scenes are also pretty great.
Penny perhaps tries to act mature & kinda wants to show that she's totally okay & even messes up the situation more & ends up being on negative side & hurting herself... acting immature. She's not in a good mindset in the starting but eventually, she turns out to be super.
Her friends were her best supporters & she although didn't like to be babied but was literally so grateful (& annoyed). The way she handles herself after her sexual assault(unfortunately) wasn't impressive but she builds herself more powerful later.
I'll highly recommend this book to u who actually want to feel something real & enjoy this beautiful work. The tropes included are ~
💐 Friends to lovers
💐Found family
The sweet yet hot & charming friends will make add up a lot.
Overall, I really loved this book, author's writing style ~ like we're talking to each other..simple yet amazing 😍, the way characters have been portrayed, relation development & every good aspect u can think of. Really amazing 🍭.
August 24, 2021
» actually 3.5 stars «
summary
we start the story with a breakup, Penny and Austin who love each other dearly but make the mature decision to break up and focus on their own respective careers before they commit too seriously.
so, penny moves to london - where meets incredibly nice friends and finds out quite a lot of things about herself.
TW sexual assault, eating disorder
In For A Penny is a whole rollercoaster of emotions, with incredibly authentic characters. You can definitely tell this is a debut, but it’s a really good one!
the element of feeling like you have to leave a place or a person behind that is very dear to you in order to grow and make personal progress in life resonates.
writing is fun, if maybe a little awkward at times.
can’t help thinking the characters‘ way of handling things is a bit petty, and that is uncomfortable to read, however, i found the characters to be quite authentic and well characterized, and that really made it easy to connect with them and become invested in their story.
Penny feeling like other people knowing too much about her gives them power really resonated with me, as well as that feeling of being overwhelmed by someone else‘s support and kindness. She‘s an authentic, relatably imperfect MC, she’s a mess, but self-aware and hopeful enough that it’s endurable and even enjoyable to watch her grow with the story.
now, on to the second half - this may contain slight spoilers about the general tone in the book. i did not like this at all. everything felt like it became too much, and while that may be very realistic, it’s exactly the type of thing i avoid. everyone fights, is loud, does stupid things, people are mean to each other because they care about each other - and somehow, everyone is unlikeable to me. i just don’t like confrontation, i guess.
Overall, this book feels very real and genuine, while it does have its cliché sides, but i still found this to be an enjoyable read.
I received a digital ARC of this book for review via netgalley. All opinions are my own.
summary
we start the story with a breakup, Penny and Austin who love each other dearly but make the mature decision to break up and focus on their own respective careers before they commit too seriously.
so, penny moves to london - where meets incredibly nice friends and finds out quite a lot of things about herself.
TW sexual assault, eating disorder
In For A Penny is a whole rollercoaster of emotions, with incredibly authentic characters. You can definitely tell this is a debut, but it’s a really good one!
the element of feeling like you have to leave a place or a person behind that is very dear to you in order to grow and make personal progress in life resonates.
writing is fun, if maybe a little awkward at times.
can’t help thinking the characters‘ way of handling things is a bit petty, and that is uncomfortable to read, however, i found the characters to be quite authentic and well characterized, and that really made it easy to connect with them and become invested in their story.
Penny feeling like other people knowing too much about her gives them power really resonated with me, as well as that feeling of being overwhelmed by someone else‘s support and kindness. She‘s an authentic, relatably imperfect MC, she’s a mess, but self-aware and hopeful enough that it’s endurable and even enjoyable to watch her grow with the story.
now, on to the second half - this may contain slight spoilers about the general tone in the book. i did not like this at all. everything felt like it became too much, and while that may be very realistic, it’s exactly the type of thing i avoid. everyone fights, is loud, does stupid things, people are mean to each other because they care about each other - and somehow, everyone is unlikeable to me. i just don’t like confrontation, i guess.
Overall, this book feels very real and genuine, while it does have its cliché sides, but i still found this to be an enjoyable read.
I received a digital ARC of this book for review via netgalley. All opinions are my own.
March 20, 2023
"It was literally my worst fear to live without you in my life. Now I know that worst fears can be topped. You leaving me because I love you sounds like a walk in the park over you leaving me because you hate me. I can't stand it, Penny. I'm so sorry I hurt you. You have no idea. I wasn't thinking."
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Characters: Penélope Márquez, Josh Fox, Oliver James
Tropes: Graduate Students, Friends To Lovers, Sexual Assault, Home Away From Home, Set in London, Friends With Benefits, Rejected by Past Lovers, Not Good Enough for him/her
Review: It's been a few days since I finished reading "In For A Penny." I didn't stop reading other books during this duration because I'd crumple under the weight of angst and pain if I did, but I did think about this book more times than I'd like to admit.
Here's a short rundown of how I liked the book before something happened that changed the way I looked at this book altogether. Penny is ambitious, and Austin is a dick; that is clear from the beginning. I would be devastated if that gas stove of a man came back into her life and she accepted him. Thankfully though, she doesn't. Even when he tries. Then there's Oliver. He and Penny obviously have something great going on, and when they do end up sleeping together, I'm not offended. I don't ship them, I can respect open relationships, and Oliver is obviously devoted to his girlfriend. Then comes Josh. Sweet, wonderful, Josh. And I'm sad, devastated even that the crude reality of life is that it takes a long time before Penny and Josh find each other. Because that's what it is: reality. The book is the author's own story, the struggles and predicaments she's surrounded with when in London. I'm unsure how much she changed, but the significant incidents stayed the same. And I'm sorry, from the bottom of my ever-loving heart, the one that beats for people who feel like they don't deserve love, that she and her significant other went through the struggles she shares in this book.
However honest, the next part of my review may be triggering to some. If sexual harassment is something that might be triggering for you, please do not read forward.
One day, as I was in the middle of this book, I took the subway back home, and I was just around the point where I realized Penny's drink was drugged. My stop was close, and I was emotionally drained anyway, so I shut down my iPad and put it back in my bag. It had been a regular day so far, and I couldn't wait to get home and start working on my latest assignment.
As I got up, I realized a man across from me staring directly at my breasts. I wasn't wearing anything abnormal. I was fully covered, wearing a decent enough shirt. As I try to move past him towards the door, he makes a comment under his breath, and the man sitting next to him lets out a shrewd laugh. As I call out this man, everyone looks away from me, and he shrugs as though nothing ever happened. I am furious, but the subway just stopped, and I'm heading home anyway. As I'm on my way home, another man looks at me and whistles crudely, and yet again, when I call him out, he pretends he's on a call, and absolutely nothing wrong about his previous actions was improper.
It shames me to say it wasn't anything new, but that particular day, with the sexual abuse plot awaiting me and these monstrosities for men who assume there's nothing wrong with making women feel uncomfortable, I was devastated. So instead of finishing my project, I decided to push through and finish the book. That day, I cried for hours. For Penny, for the author, for me, and for every woman who ever had to go through any form of abuse whatsoever.
As horrendous as it is to write about this, I'm proud that the author wrote this book for herself and everyone out there. So unless you're triggered by sexual assault or are a pervert who, in my opinion, deserves the worst form of punishment, you should read this book. Because way beyond Josh and Penny and Tom and Oliver, this book is pain and love and fiction and reality all in a few pages that might change what you know about victims of assault.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Characters: Penélope Márquez, Josh Fox, Oliver James
Tropes: Graduate Students, Friends To Lovers, Sexual Assault, Home Away From Home, Set in London, Friends With Benefits, Rejected by Past Lovers, Not Good Enough for him/her
Review: It's been a few days since I finished reading "In For A Penny." I didn't stop reading other books during this duration because I'd crumple under the weight of angst and pain if I did, but I did think about this book more times than I'd like to admit.
Here's a short rundown of how I liked the book before something happened that changed the way I looked at this book altogether. Penny is ambitious, and Austin is a dick; that is clear from the beginning. I would be devastated if that gas stove of a man came back into her life and she accepted him. Thankfully though, she doesn't. Even when he tries. Then there's Oliver. He and Penny obviously have something great going on, and when they do end up sleeping together, I'm not offended. I don't ship them, I can respect open relationships, and Oliver is obviously devoted to his girlfriend. Then comes Josh. Sweet, wonderful, Josh. And I'm sad, devastated even that the crude reality of life is that it takes a long time before Penny and Josh find each other. Because that's what it is: reality. The book is the author's own story, the struggles and predicaments she's surrounded with when in London. I'm unsure how much she changed, but the significant incidents stayed the same. And I'm sorry, from the bottom of my ever-loving heart, the one that beats for people who feel like they don't deserve love, that she and her significant other went through the struggles she shares in this book.
However honest, the next part of my review may be triggering to some. If sexual harassment is something that might be triggering for you, please do not read forward.
One day, as I was in the middle of this book, I took the subway back home, and I was just around the point where I realized Penny's drink was drugged. My stop was close, and I was emotionally drained anyway, so I shut down my iPad and put it back in my bag. It had been a regular day so far, and I couldn't wait to get home and start working on my latest assignment.
As I got up, I realized a man across from me staring directly at my breasts. I wasn't wearing anything abnormal. I was fully covered, wearing a decent enough shirt. As I try to move past him towards the door, he makes a comment under his breath, and the man sitting next to him lets out a shrewd laugh. As I call out this man, everyone looks away from me, and he shrugs as though nothing ever happened. I am furious, but the subway just stopped, and I'm heading home anyway. As I'm on my way home, another man looks at me and whistles crudely, and yet again, when I call him out, he pretends he's on a call, and absolutely nothing wrong about his previous actions was improper.
It shames me to say it wasn't anything new, but that particular day, with the sexual abuse plot awaiting me and these monstrosities for men who assume there's nothing wrong with making women feel uncomfortable, I was devastated. So instead of finishing my project, I decided to push through and finish the book. That day, I cried for hours. For Penny, for the author, for me, and for every woman who ever had to go through any form of abuse whatsoever.
As horrendous as it is to write about this, I'm proud that the author wrote this book for herself and everyone out there. So unless you're triggered by sexual assault or are a pervert who, in my opinion, deserves the worst form of punishment, you should read this book. Because way beyond Josh and Penny and Tom and Oliver, this book is pain and love and fiction and reality all in a few pages that might change what you know about victims of assault.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2023
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Caroline Frank's re-release of her debut novel, IN FOR A PENNY. Originally published in 2021, the author chose to revise her debut and re-release it this upcoming February. I so appreciated Caroline's author's note in the beginning of the book about her decision to re-release, and how she went with her gut instinct on just how much she chose to revise. And, too, what she chose to leave as-is. When you know, you know, right?
Penny Marquez arrives in London for grad school with a fresh case of heartbreak on her mind. Her ex, Austin, had told her that she had a lot of growing up to do, and that if they were meant to be they'd find their way back to each other. Should she move on? Should she hold the torch for Austin? Penny feels bitter, and sad, and angry.
Penny also arrives in London with a lot of preconceived notions about her classmates. But soon, those classmates become family: her closest confidantes, her sweetest friends. At the center are two men vying for Penny's attention: the flirty, matter-of-fact Oliver with a larger-than-life personality; and the kind, goofy, and dreamy Josh—who always makes sure Penny has a granola bar to eat during long classes. Both guys are always looking out for Penny, and I found myself questioning who I liked best on more than one occasion. But I don't really have to pick, do I? That's Penny's problem! ;-)
IN FOR A PENNY made me tear up. It made me anxious. But it made me laugh hysterically, too. I found myself cheering for Penny and each little victory she was able to celebrate.
IN FOR A PENNY is an honest, emotional portrait of heartbreak, insecurity, and taking chances. I felt so invested in Penny's story and the life she's building across the pond.
(NOTE: Content warnings: disordered eating, on-page sexual assault, depression)
Penny Marquez arrives in London for grad school with a fresh case of heartbreak on her mind. Her ex, Austin, had told her that she had a lot of growing up to do, and that if they were meant to be they'd find their way back to each other. Should she move on? Should she hold the torch for Austin? Penny feels bitter, and sad, and angry.
Penny also arrives in London with a lot of preconceived notions about her classmates. But soon, those classmates become family: her closest confidantes, her sweetest friends. At the center are two men vying for Penny's attention: the flirty, matter-of-fact Oliver with a larger-than-life personality; and the kind, goofy, and dreamy Josh—who always makes sure Penny has a granola bar to eat during long classes. Both guys are always looking out for Penny, and I found myself questioning who I liked best on more than one occasion. But I don't really have to pick, do I? That's Penny's problem! ;-)
IN FOR A PENNY made me tear up. It made me anxious. But it made me laugh hysterically, too. I found myself cheering for Penny and each little victory she was able to celebrate.
IN FOR A PENNY is an honest, emotional portrait of heartbreak, insecurity, and taking chances. I felt so invested in Penny's story and the life she's building across the pond.
(NOTE: Content warnings: disordered eating, on-page sexual assault, depression)
August 5, 2021
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
I was initially so excited to be given the chance to read this book; it seemed to have everything I was going for. The cover made me automatically fall in love, it reminded me of one of those older books with the sketchy-esque 2D character design.
Because I make my reviews so long, and they often spiral into rants that never end, I'll try to keep this as brief as possible. What I loved most about In for a Penny is how it felt like something I would do in my own life. Dealing with an ex and hopping a train to England is something I've dreamt about doing for months now. (You'll DEFINITELY know what I'm talking about if you've read my other recent reviews lol.) Many reviews said they weren't a fan of the heavy topics that are mentioned, but I personally loved that. It made the story almost come to life, because it's a moment that many people can relate to. I do understand though, that people have different reactions, so maybe a trigger warning could have been helpful.
What I wasn't a fan of though was the pacing in this book. At times, it felt like the chapters were lagging almost, or they were just a filler. Character development was very much surface level, so while I loved the idea of the story, I never actually connected with any one person while reading it. Penny reminded me almost of Flat Stanley. There just wasn't much to her, and some of her choices made me look up from the book to my wall and think "wtf?".
All in all, I can't rate this one of my favorite ever reads, and it's a story that I think I'll forget about as time goes on. But I'm so completely in love with the cover that I'm definitely buying a copy when it is finally released!
I was initially so excited to be given the chance to read this book; it seemed to have everything I was going for. The cover made me automatically fall in love, it reminded me of one of those older books with the sketchy-esque 2D character design.
Because I make my reviews so long, and they often spiral into rants that never end, I'll try to keep this as brief as possible. What I loved most about In for a Penny is how it felt like something I would do in my own life. Dealing with an ex and hopping a train to England is something I've dreamt about doing for months now. (You'll DEFINITELY know what I'm talking about if you've read my other recent reviews lol.) Many reviews said they weren't a fan of the heavy topics that are mentioned, but I personally loved that. It made the story almost come to life, because it's a moment that many people can relate to. I do understand though, that people have different reactions, so maybe a trigger warning could have been helpful.
What I wasn't a fan of though was the pacing in this book. At times, it felt like the chapters were lagging almost, or they were just a filler. Character development was very much surface level, so while I loved the idea of the story, I never actually connected with any one person while reading it. Penny reminded me almost of Flat Stanley. There just wasn't much to her, and some of her choices made me look up from the book to my wall and think "wtf?".
All in all, I can't rate this one of my favorite ever reads, and it's a story that I think I'll forget about as time goes on. But I'm so completely in love with the cover that I'm definitely buying a copy when it is finally released!
February 3, 2023
This ended not being what I was expecting it to be.
I actually really did like Penny. She worked hard to make her life her own for the first time in her life. She was an absolute hot mess. But it was (mostly) because she was just living her life. And I loved that for her. She was able to finally find some really true friends. Her and her friends were amazing. And she was eventually able to really figure it all out.
There were A LOT of ups and downs. And it was not my favorite. But I did think the story worked well that way, it was very much how Penny lived her life. She did not have an easy time, and the way the story was told made that very obvious.
The ending to her story was good! I loved the ending, I’m glad I stuck it out. It was just a rollercoaster to get there.
Trigger warning section:
I skipped chapter 20 almost entirely. It was an extremely unpleasant sexual assault scene. And it stayed unpleasant for a while afterwards. Chapters 20-23 were rough. With that said, I kept reading because it’s not necessarily triggering to me, but even so it was NOT fun. It was a real and honest depiction of what someone could go through afterward. We really see Penny struggling, and it was difficult to read.
But seeing Oliver and Josh come to really support her felt so special. But it was HARD to see her trying to reduce her needs and tell the guys everything was fine. It was HARD seeing her feel so horrible, unwanted, unclean. It was HARD to see the guys trying SO HARD to support her and her not wanting them too. But the love they have for her was also so apparent. Her whole friend group was honestly amazing.
Thank you Caroline Frank for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
I actually really did like Penny. She worked hard to make her life her own for the first time in her life. She was an absolute hot mess. But it was (mostly) because she was just living her life. And I loved that for her. She was able to finally find some really true friends. Her and her friends were amazing. And she was eventually able to really figure it all out.
There were A LOT of ups and downs. And it was not my favorite. But I did think the story worked well that way, it was very much how Penny lived her life. She did not have an easy time, and the way the story was told made that very obvious.
The ending to her story was good! I loved the ending, I’m glad I stuck it out. It was just a rollercoaster to get there.
Trigger warning section:
I skipped chapter 20 almost entirely. It was an extremely unpleasant sexual assault scene. And it stayed unpleasant for a while afterwards. Chapters 20-23 were rough. With that said, I kept reading because it’s not necessarily triggering to me, but even so it was NOT fun. It was a real and honest depiction of what someone could go through afterward. We really see Penny struggling, and it was difficult to read.
But seeing Oliver and Josh come to really support her felt so special. But it was HARD to see her trying to reduce her needs and tell the guys everything was fine. It was HARD seeing her feel so horrible, unwanted, unclean. It was HARD to see the guys trying SO HARD to support her and her not wanting them too. But the love they have for her was also so apparent. Her whole friend group was honestly amazing.
Thank you Caroline Frank for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2021
Heartbroken after her kind-of-ex decides they need some space, Penny Marquez moves to London to pursue a master's degree. She falls in love with the city and develops a circle of friends who serve as study buddies, confidantes, and - in one case - a hookup partner. But when Penny's desire to get over her ex exposes her to a traumatic experience, she has to confront her history, lean on her friends more than ever before, and acknowledge that she has been holding herself back from the people she cares about most. In order to be truly happy, she'll have to be in for a pound.
I liked Penny, and I liked her story. She was a well-realized character, complex and interesting, with an array of peculiarities. Her world was peopled with interesting characters who were vividly portrayed even if their appearance was incidental. Her journey was relatable and realistic, and the difficult experiences she faces during the story were portrayed with sensitivity and depth. I was rooting for her to find her happily-ever-after.
That said, the plot felt fragmented sometimes. For example, the story starts with Penny's ex, who has just broken her heart... a year ago. But we don't see much evidence of heartbreak in Penny's actions, and we don't know anything about the relationship or the time since the breakup. I would have liked to see how this relationship created, or suffered from, the issues Penny is trying to overcome during the novel - or else excise it completely.
Structural issues aside, this was a good read, featuring a standard plot (young girl trying to find herself and maybe love) amid unusual circumstances.
I liked Penny, and I liked her story. She was a well-realized character, complex and interesting, with an array of peculiarities. Her world was peopled with interesting characters who were vividly portrayed even if their appearance was incidental. Her journey was relatable and realistic, and the difficult experiences she faces during the story were portrayed with sensitivity and depth. I was rooting for her to find her happily-ever-after.
That said, the plot felt fragmented sometimes. For example, the story starts with Penny's ex, who has just broken her heart... a year ago. But we don't see much evidence of heartbreak in Penny's actions, and we don't know anything about the relationship or the time since the breakup. I would have liked to see how this relationship created, or suffered from, the issues Penny is trying to overcome during the novel - or else excise it completely.
Structural issues aside, this was a good read, featuring a standard plot (young girl trying to find herself and maybe love) amid unusual circumstances.
August 16, 2021
I think a good book makes you enjoy being in that person’s head – whether they’re good or bad; annoying or fun.
At first I tried giving Penny the benefit of the doubt and get on board with her quirks. Sure she wallows know sadness but she picks herself up. And she laughs at her own jokes, how fun and quirky.
But soon she became whingey and in constant need of reassurance and the only humour came from drinking too much (“I open my eyes the next morning wishing that the sun came with a dimmer switch”) or weird cheap shots at Nickleback trying to buy a laugh like it’s whatever year that was last funny.
It just screams of trying too hard. And when she talks in the third person it just becomes grating. And makes her problems everyone else’s. Summed up best by this ‘charming’ moment:
“We went back down to the town square with different food stalls, food trucks, and vendors. It was my salvation. It was more so his salvation, to be honest, since I was about two minutes away from killing someone—him in particular.”
And no, the ‘him’ in question had done nothing to bring hunger on her or deserve her woeful attitude be directed at him. She just sucks.
Penny might be the kind of character you can get on board with, in which case the story and writing won’t trouble you at all and you’ll likely enjoy the book. But if you can’t stand that kind of character, better to skip this one.
This book does deal with some heavy topics decently, but you might not make it far enough through for that to matter.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
At first I tried giving Penny the benefit of the doubt and get on board with her quirks. Sure she wallows know sadness but she picks herself up. And she laughs at her own jokes, how fun and quirky.
But soon she became whingey and in constant need of reassurance and the only humour came from drinking too much (“I open my eyes the next morning wishing that the sun came with a dimmer switch”) or weird cheap shots at Nickleback trying to buy a laugh like it’s whatever year that was last funny.
It just screams of trying too hard. And when she talks in the third person it just becomes grating. And makes her problems everyone else’s. Summed up best by this ‘charming’ moment:
“We went back down to the town square with different food stalls, food trucks, and vendors. It was my salvation. It was more so his salvation, to be honest, since I was about two minutes away from killing someone—him in particular.”
And no, the ‘him’ in question had done nothing to bring hunger on her or deserve her woeful attitude be directed at him. She just sucks.
Penny might be the kind of character you can get on board with, in which case the story and writing won’t trouble you at all and you’ll likely enjoy the book. But if you can’t stand that kind of character, better to skip this one.
This book does deal with some heavy topics decently, but you might not make it far enough through for that to matter.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 27, 2023
“In for a penny, In for a pound”
We have all been Penny Marquez at one time or another. Jerked around by a jerk of a boyfriend, a little bit lost, a little bit stubborn, and so so so worth loving.
When Penny’s life flips upside down, she suddenly finds herself single, in London, and feeling defeated. Then, she meets her merry band of friends and things start looking up. Is she into the cute boy in her PHD program? Is the hottie hitting on her ACTUALLY hitting on her or just joking? Can she actually stay and do this? Will her roommate with intense cleaning tendencies forgive her for spice in the kitchen? Will she survive what London has to throw at or…or the jerk waiting back in the states for her? You’ll have to read to find out.
This is the author’s re-published first novel, and though we have come to love her Rom Coms, this one is much heavier, much realer and much more true to life. Her foreword in the book is important and not one to be skipped.
Simply put: I absolutely loved this book. From almost the first page, Penny and her struggle gripped my heart. She is not your average “struggling but put together” book character (not that we don’t love those too!). Penny is struggling. She has been gaslight, drug around and now finds herself in a brand new place, with brand new people, and she barely knows herself.
Penny has some big decisions to make, and those only get more and more difficult as life gets thrown at her.
Not everyone will appreciate the way Penny handles everything, but she has to handle very heavy, very real life decisions that don’t ever have “good” answers. Life is messy, and sometimes it gets you messy, too.
The writing in this is so gripping, it left me in tears and my heart aching for Penny and her friends. My heart was in my throat and I had to put the book down for a moment-and then immediately pick it back up because I simply couldn’t not finish it. It incredibly easy to put yourself in Penny’s shoes throughout the book, especially in the last half, and that may make some uncomfortable, but I think it’s so important.
Thank you so much to Caroline Frank for this ARC!
We have all been Penny Marquez at one time or another. Jerked around by a jerk of a boyfriend, a little bit lost, a little bit stubborn, and so so so worth loving.
When Penny’s life flips upside down, she suddenly finds herself single, in London, and feeling defeated. Then, she meets her merry band of friends and things start looking up. Is she into the cute boy in her PHD program? Is the hottie hitting on her ACTUALLY hitting on her or just joking? Can she actually stay and do this? Will her roommate with intense cleaning tendencies forgive her for spice in the kitchen? Will she survive what London has to throw at or…or the jerk waiting back in the states for her? You’ll have to read to find out.
This is the author’s re-published first novel, and though we have come to love her Rom Coms, this one is much heavier, much realer and much more true to life. Her foreword in the book is important and not one to be skipped.
Simply put: I absolutely loved this book. From almost the first page, Penny and her struggle gripped my heart. She is not your average “struggling but put together” book character (not that we don’t love those too!). Penny is struggling. She has been gaslight, drug around and now finds herself in a brand new place, with brand new people, and she barely knows herself.
Penny has some big decisions to make, and those only get more and more difficult as life gets thrown at her.
Not everyone will appreciate the way Penny handles everything, but she has to handle very heavy, very real life decisions that don’t ever have “good” answers. Life is messy, and sometimes it gets you messy, too.
The writing in this is so gripping, it left me in tears and my heart aching for Penny and her friends. My heart was in my throat and I had to put the book down for a moment-and then immediately pick it back up because I simply couldn’t not finish it. It incredibly easy to put yourself in Penny’s shoes throughout the book, especially in the last half, and that may make some uncomfortable, but I think it’s so important.
Thank you so much to Caroline Frank for this ARC!
January 25, 2023
3.5 Stars
This was a different story than what I was expecting, and that’s not a bad thing at all. This novel drew me in from the cover, and I was even more intrigued when I found out it was a second edition. I wouldn’t pin this novel as contemporary romance, or rom-com - which is what I thought I was getting into - instead I found a complex coming of age story following Penny as she undergoes a graduate program in London.
Penny seems to be losing everything with this move - including her long time boyfriend, but when she moves to London she finds new friends and adventures that set her path - ultimately leading to some hard moments - but eventually her ‘happy ending’, even it it takes a long and bumpy road for her to get there. Josh was the best character in my opinion, and his letters at the end were absolutely perfect, sweet and sentimental - showing Penny all of the things she was missing.
This story was well written, Penny’s inner thoughts gave us a lot of telling - an insight into her mind and the interactions between her new friends was witty and emotional at times. The author hits on some very - very - hard topics in the novel, but resolves them well. And when Penny eventually finds her romance, it’s perfectly timed - which made my heart happy. Even though it wasn’t what I was expecting, it was a beautifully written coming of age story!
Thank you so much Caroline Frank for the ARC copy and letting me into your world! In For a Penny released Feb 14th!
This was a different story than what I was expecting, and that’s not a bad thing at all. This novel drew me in from the cover, and I was even more intrigued when I found out it was a second edition. I wouldn’t pin this novel as contemporary romance, or rom-com - which is what I thought I was getting into - instead I found a complex coming of age story following Penny as she undergoes a graduate program in London.
Penny seems to be losing everything with this move - including her long time boyfriend, but when she moves to London she finds new friends and adventures that set her path - ultimately leading to some hard moments - but eventually her ‘happy ending’, even it it takes a long and bumpy road for her to get there. Josh was the best character in my opinion, and his letters at the end were absolutely perfect, sweet and sentimental - showing Penny all of the things she was missing.
This story was well written, Penny’s inner thoughts gave us a lot of telling - an insight into her mind and the interactions between her new friends was witty and emotional at times. The author hits on some very - very - hard topics in the novel, but resolves them well. And when Penny eventually finds her romance, it’s perfectly timed - which made my heart happy. Even though it wasn’t what I was expecting, it was a beautifully written coming of age story!
Thank you so much Caroline Frank for the ARC copy and letting me into your world! In For a Penny released Feb 14th!
January 25, 2024
2.75 ⭐
I have to admit that I bought this book because of the cover. Whoever knows me, knows the love I have for London 🙈
Then the book arrived and I read the blurb and thought it was going to be a beautiful romance book. However, it didn't have the romance I wanted....
It's not a book that has a lot of dialogue and I need dialogue, because if it's just description I'll get bored very quickly 🙃
The FMC can sometimes be a little mean to her friends and is always complaining about everything (she's in London for a year. She should make the most of the experience).
Speaking of enjoying London: considering it was their first time in London, I thought they would travel more often and get to know the city, but the book was very focused on college, home and pubs.
Until it happened I had no idea she was going to get involved with Oliver, but I kinda liked their relationship 😍
The book brought to the table important issues and subjects that could even be considered taboo. Which I thought was very relevant.
I thought we spent the whole book seeing Penny's denial of her feelings for Josh and then, only in the last 2 chapters and the epilogue do we get their love story... However, I think they always had a good relationship and are based on a good friendship.
What I liked most about the book was, in fact, the friendships that Penny created, because it felt like they all cared about each other very much 💕
I have to admit that I bought this book because of the cover. Whoever knows me, knows the love I have for London 🙈
Then the book arrived and I read the blurb and thought it was going to be a beautiful romance book. However, it didn't have the romance I wanted....
It's not a book that has a lot of dialogue and I need dialogue, because if it's just description I'll get bored very quickly 🙃
The FMC can sometimes be a little mean to her friends and is always complaining about everything (she's in London for a year. She should make the most of the experience).
Speaking of enjoying London: considering it was their first time in London, I thought they would travel more often and get to know the city, but the book was very focused on college, home and pubs.
Until it happened I had no idea she was going to get involved with Oliver, but I kinda liked their relationship 😍
The book brought to the table important issues and subjects that could even be considered taboo. Which I thought was very relevant.
I thought we spent the whole book seeing Penny's denial of her feelings for Josh and then, only in the last 2 chapters and the epilogue do we get their love story... However, I think they always had a good relationship and are based on a good friendship.
What I liked most about the book was, in fact, the friendships that Penny created, because it felt like they all cared about each other very much 💕
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2023
It’s hard to categorize In for a Penny by @carolinefrankwrites - it’s a story of self-discovery (or maybe rediscovery), and a witty friends to lovers and slow burn romance, with a little snarky, a little romance, a lot of heartache, and a gorgeous HEA.
I was immediately captivated by Penny💜 She seems like my favorite New Yorker and everything that I love about the city all rolled into one - determined, strong, a little chaotic, and a lot of sass. As she meets her new classmates in London we get a cast of characters to challenge and support her through anything. Oliver, Jane, Chloe, Allie, and Josh are everything Penny didn’t realize she needs and with them she really finds herself after a toxic breakup, and all that follows.
Frank is up front about facing some big real-life issues in this book, but does so with grace and grit (TW - eating disorders, sexual violence). Relating to Penny was simple and made it all the harder to read through those struggles, but her determination and her found family help her claw her way back. I felt proud of her, and that’s not an emotion that books normally pull from me! 4.5🌟
Thanks to the author for the ARC! In for a Penny is available Feb 14, 2023 so preorder it now so you’re good to go on release day! #readingaddict #writeareview #arc #happyreading📚💜
I was immediately captivated by Penny💜 She seems like my favorite New Yorker and everything that I love about the city all rolled into one - determined, strong, a little chaotic, and a lot of sass. As she meets her new classmates in London we get a cast of characters to challenge and support her through anything. Oliver, Jane, Chloe, Allie, and Josh are everything Penny didn’t realize she needs and with them she really finds herself after a toxic breakup, and all that follows.
Frank is up front about facing some big real-life issues in this book, but does so with grace and grit (TW - eating disorders, sexual violence). Relating to Penny was simple and made it all the harder to read through those struggles, but her determination and her found family help her claw her way back. I felt proud of her, and that’s not an emotion that books normally pull from me! 4.5🌟
Thanks to the author for the ARC! In for a Penny is available Feb 14, 2023 so preorder it now so you’re good to go on release day! #readingaddict #writeareview #arc #happyreading📚💜
September 21, 2021
Boy breaks up with girl, girl moves to the other side of the world to start a fresh...how many times have we read this story?! However Caroline Frank has managed in In For A Penny to write an emotional, well written novel full of lots of topics include mental health, eating disorders, women's safety, social pressures all whilst creating such brilliant characters.
I fell in love with the character of Penny and the more I read the more I understood her character traits. I really enjoyed her friendship with Oliver and it was refreshing to see a female have a male friendship as usually this is not seen as much. Josh's character didn't sit well with me to start off with and maybe needed to grow up a little but by the end I was also happy with the plot development. With 'The Incident', I had accidentally seen a spoiler so was expecting something however this appeared out of no where and was written so deeply and dramatically as if I was there in the room.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would give it a strong 4 stars and would recommend. It's not your typical rom com that's for sure!
Disclosure: Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
I fell in love with the character of Penny and the more I read the more I understood her character traits. I really enjoyed her friendship with Oliver and it was refreshing to see a female have a male friendship as usually this is not seen as much. Josh's character didn't sit well with me to start off with and maybe needed to grow up a little but by the end I was also happy with the plot development. With 'The Incident', I had accidentally seen a spoiler so was expecting something however this appeared out of no where and was written so deeply and dramatically as if I was there in the room.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would give it a strong 4 stars and would recommend. It's not your typical rom com that's for sure!
Disclosure: Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2023
4.5 stars. This book took me by surprise. The start was a little rough for me getting into it… then I couldn’t put it down. Literally held my book trying to read while cooking dinner for my family, because I had to finish it!
The characters had some great growth and development… there are some you love to love and some you love to hate.
On the love list- Penny, Oliver and JOSH. They felt so real and made me laugh, swoon, tear up. All the feels.
The ending was so precious. I read the last chapter twice just because it was so lovely.
I related to a lot in this book, which definitely made me very emotionally invested. I related to good and hard things… and I was impressed with the way the hard things were handled (check TWs below).
Thank you so much Caroline for including me on your ARC team! I loved reading this debut story of yours prior to re-release. As you said in your note, Penny may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but she was mine!
Spoilers- TW warnings below- only scroll down if you need TW, contains spoilers.
TW:
- eating disorder / bulimia
(in past, discussed as struggle on page)
- rape / sexual assault
(occurs on page)
- depression following date rape
The characters had some great growth and development… there are some you love to love and some you love to hate.
On the love list- Penny, Oliver and JOSH. They felt so real and made me laugh, swoon, tear up. All the feels.
The ending was so precious. I read the last chapter twice just because it was so lovely.
I related to a lot in this book, which definitely made me very emotionally invested. I related to good and hard things… and I was impressed with the way the hard things were handled (check TWs below).
Thank you so much Caroline for including me on your ARC team! I loved reading this debut story of yours prior to re-release. As you said in your note, Penny may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but she was mine!
Spoilers- TW warnings below- only scroll down if you need TW, contains spoilers.
TW:
- eating disorder / bulimia
(in past, discussed as struggle on page)
- rape / sexual assault
(occurs on page)
- depression following date rape
July 31, 2021
In for a Penny by Caroline Frank starts off with Penny going to meet her ex-boyfriend. The same one who broke up with her because they both needed to grow. Somehow though, Penny is the only one making moves in order to go through that growth.
A masters degree program in London is just the thing she needs when New York is no longer giving her a purpose. Maybe being uncomfortable and experiencing something new will help her find herself.
I think this book had a lot of potential, I personally just couldn't connect with Penny. I felt like at times she could be indecisive and immature, which really had me rolling my eyes.
The author truly placed the twisting plot point at such an ideal spot in the narrative and this is what kept me interested. I adored Penny's friends, and a few of the aspects of this book.
However, I did not overly enjoy it, and therefore I'm giving it the rating I am.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book for me to enjoy. As always, this book was read and reviewed voluntarily, and the opinions stated above are completely my own.
A masters degree program in London is just the thing she needs when New York is no longer giving her a purpose. Maybe being uncomfortable and experiencing something new will help her find herself.
I think this book had a lot of potential, I personally just couldn't connect with Penny. I felt like at times she could be indecisive and immature, which really had me rolling my eyes.
The author truly placed the twisting plot point at such an ideal spot in the narrative and this is what kept me interested. I adored Penny's friends, and a few of the aspects of this book.
However, I did not overly enjoy it, and therefore I'm giving it the rating I am.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book for me to enjoy. As always, this book was read and reviewed voluntarily, and the opinions stated above are completely my own.
August 8, 2021
An “American goes off to grad school in London” romance, the thing I kept thinking was that it felt like the author thought she had conveyed more than she actually had. Which left me as a reader frustrated, because it was far more tell than show. Penny has broken up with her boyfriend but is still in love with him. She goes to London to do some sort of grad program—politics? Policy? and meets a motley crew of people, one of which she ends up falling for. I don’t actually get the appeal of Penny to the other characters. She’s selfish and self absorbed and doesn’t seem very empathetic. It’s clear that she’s supposed to have this close group of friends and great bond with the love interest, but only because she tells us she has this. There’s a tragedy (that needs TW) that happens to her, and it’s never clear why it’s necessary to the story. She decides that she’s in love with the love interest but it always seems framed in the “he’s so sweet to me” and not showing us why they’re MFEO. There was a lot of potential with the characters and setting but it didn’t sell it for me.
I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 4, 2021
[Review for NetGalley]
{Spoiler di paragraf kedua}
Intro dijelaskan jelas dan ngena banget, penulis menggambarkan kondisi hati Penny (tokoh utama) dengan sanat baik sehingga pembaca bisa memahami dan ikut merasakan bagaimana riweh nya kondisi hati Penny pasca putus dengan pacar nya. Cerita kehidupan Penny yang baru pun digambarkan dengan baik, dan relate dengan kita semua yang pernah patah hati dan ingin mencari tempat baru dimana tidak ada seorang pun yang mengenal dan memulai hidup baru. Di bab-bab akhir diselipkan plot twist saat Penny kembali bertemu dengan mantan nya disaat Penny sudah memulai membuka hati untuk Josh, but I think it doesn't work hehe menurutku sudah bisa ditebak sih plot twist nya.
Dan akhirnya betul juga Penny berakhir dengan Josh. Tapi cerita nya langsung lompat gitu aja, menurutku akan lebih bagus jika diceritakan sedikit kehidupan Penny-Josh setelah jadian dan bagaimana hubungan persahabatan antara mereka dengan Oliver.
Kesimpulan nya: bagus, seru dan suka banget dengan persahabatan Penny-Josh&Oliver. Bahasa yang digunakan juga asik, berasa baca diary sendiri juga karena menggunakan sudut pandang orang pertama.
{Spoiler di paragraf kedua}
Intro dijelaskan jelas dan ngena banget, penulis menggambarkan kondisi hati Penny (tokoh utama) dengan sanat baik sehingga pembaca bisa memahami dan ikut merasakan bagaimana riweh nya kondisi hati Penny pasca putus dengan pacar nya. Cerita kehidupan Penny yang baru pun digambarkan dengan baik, dan relate dengan kita semua yang pernah patah hati dan ingin mencari tempat baru dimana tidak ada seorang pun yang mengenal dan memulai hidup baru. Di bab-bab akhir diselipkan plot twist saat Penny kembali bertemu dengan mantan nya disaat Penny sudah memulai membuka hati untuk Josh, but I think it doesn't work hehe menurutku sudah bisa ditebak sih plot twist nya.
Dan akhirnya betul juga Penny berakhir dengan Josh. Tapi cerita nya langsung lompat gitu aja, menurutku akan lebih bagus jika diceritakan sedikit kehidupan Penny-Josh setelah jadian dan bagaimana hubungan persahabatan antara mereka dengan Oliver.
Kesimpulan nya: bagus, seru dan suka banget dengan persahabatan Penny-Josh&Oliver. Bahasa yang digunakan juga asik, berasa baca diary sendiri juga karena menggunakan sudut pandang orang pertama.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2023
* ARC received in exchange for an honest review. All opinions below are my own honest thoughts*
In for a Penny was a good read following the female main character, Penny, and her adventure of starting a Masters program in a new city with new friends. You’re definitely in for a rollercoaster rod a story but it’s worth it. Without saying too much these books brought to tears of laughter and actual bawling tears. I think what really resonated with me while reading, is the relatability of the female main character,Penny. She wasn’t perfect but no one is, and i really connected with her while reading. Matter of fact, she is the source of all my tears. I just wanted her to be happy.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the friend group. At first, I thought they were all friends by proximity but this group proved to be so much more. They were supportive, caring, funny, and just real. Minus the laughs and jokes, I felt they were crucial to the development of Penny’s character and that’s another part of the story I enjoyed. I love seeing characters grow and learn and that’s exactly what this story provided.
Rating: 4/5 ✨
In for a Penny was a good read following the female main character, Penny, and her adventure of starting a Masters program in a new city with new friends. You’re definitely in for a rollercoaster rod a story but it’s worth it. Without saying too much these books brought to tears of laughter and actual bawling tears. I think what really resonated with me while reading, is the relatability of the female main character,Penny. She wasn’t perfect but no one is, and i really connected with her while reading. Matter of fact, she is the source of all my tears. I just wanted her to be happy.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the friend group. At first, I thought they were all friends by proximity but this group proved to be so much more. They were supportive, caring, funny, and just real. Minus the laughs and jokes, I felt they were crucial to the development of Penny’s character and that’s another part of the story I enjoyed. I love seeing characters grow and learn and that’s exactly what this story provided.
Rating: 4/5 ✨
Read
February 25, 2023In for a Penny by Caroline Frank got a new cover a couple weeks ago. So, it was the perfect time for me to finally read it. Yes, I have the old cover too!! I fell in love with Caroline Frank through her Season of Love books—Fall Into You and Shall We Dance? They have all the romcom fun and feels with main tropes of brother’s best friend (forbidden) and enemies-to-lovers. Caroline Frank’s first book—In For a Penny—is way less romcom and more coming-of-age/contemporary romance.
In for a Penny
by Caroline Frank
No star rating from me—knowing it’s loosely related to events in her own life, I’m treating it as others do a memoir and won’t be giving it a star rating.
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)
What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 London, grad school, and starting fresh.
🤩 FMC, Penny, is rebellious and real, showing raw heartache yet resilience in trauma.
🤩 True friendship and true love.
🤩 I definitely have a new book boyfriend, named Josh. He’s so patient, loving, and caring.
What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 Be ready—it’s heavy.
Trigger Warnings:
🔬 On-page date drug rape.
🔬 Past eating disorder trying to reappear.
In for a Penny
by Caroline Frank
No star rating from me—knowing it’s loosely related to events in her own life, I’m treating it as others do a memoir and won’t be giving it a star rating.
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)
What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 London, grad school, and starting fresh.
🤩 FMC, Penny, is rebellious and real, showing raw heartache yet resilience in trauma.
🤩 True friendship and true love.
🤩 I definitely have a new book boyfriend, named Josh. He’s so patient, loving, and caring.
What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 Be ready—it’s heavy.
Trigger Warnings:
🔬 On-page date drug rape.
🔬 Past eating disorder trying to reappear.
July 22, 2021
Our gal Penny sets off for grad school in London, leaving behind maybe/sotra-boyfriend Austin and pushing outside her comfort zone. While it feels like there is a lot of classic overthinking surrounding romantic partners in the first half of this book, we see Penny is intelligent, holds her own, and values her independence and strength – not always attributes we see so clearly in “chick lit.” And I guess that's what threw me off here -- this seems to start as chick lit and takes a turn that digs deeper.
It’s not surprising that Frank got inspiration for this from her own time as an American in London. This story feels very knowing and intimate in its view of the city; a love note along the journey (as well as a challenge to New York 😉).
The relationship development between Penny, Oliver, and Josh felt familiar and strong. (And what gal wouldn’t want two attentive friends who are flirty, playful and attuned to actual emotions at the same time? Plus... snacks!!) It’s a blessing to fall into a group of friends who can be trusted, so this felt like a dream come true for someone like Penny, who came to the UK to focus on herself and the path she may have not taken, but with no specific expectations. Just don't expect me to play Risk any time soon.
Weighty issues are integrated into the story without feeling too heavy handed, though I was surprised that Penny didn’t confront a bit more physical apprehension when she and Josh finally get together. While the high level of trust between them was well established, the allusion earlier in the book to difficulty with intimacy after sexual trauma seemed to set us up to be ok if they took things slower.
The last paragraph of the book left something to be desired. Not a strong enough send-off for me, though I was pleased with where we saw the characters at that point.
A few grammatical choices/errors and misspellings stood out but, other than that, the book was tight and should be a welcome addition to shelves! And long live the Oxford comma!
Gifted an ARC through the author and Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.
It’s not surprising that Frank got inspiration for this from her own time as an American in London. This story feels very knowing and intimate in its view of the city; a love note along the journey (as well as a challenge to New York 😉).
The relationship development between Penny, Oliver, and Josh felt familiar and strong. (And what gal wouldn’t want two attentive friends who are flirty, playful and attuned to actual emotions at the same time? Plus... snacks!!) It’s a blessing to fall into a group of friends who can be trusted, so this felt like a dream come true for someone like Penny, who came to the UK to focus on herself and the path she may have not taken, but with no specific expectations. Just don't expect me to play Risk any time soon.
Weighty issues are integrated into the story without feeling too heavy handed, though I was surprised that Penny didn’t confront a bit more physical apprehension when she and Josh finally get together. While the high level of trust between them was well established, the allusion earlier in the book to difficulty with intimacy after sexual trauma seemed to set us up to be ok if they took things slower.
The last paragraph of the book left something to be desired. Not a strong enough send-off for me, though I was pleased with where we saw the characters at that point.
A few grammatical choices/errors and misspellings stood out but, other than that, the book was tight and should be a welcome addition to shelves! And long live the Oxford comma!
Gifted an ARC through the author and Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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