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Loving Gavin

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How far would you go to keep your crush a secret?

Mckessey Owens is in love with Gavin Miller (aka: her best friend’s older brother). Does anyone know about her feelings for him? HECK. NO. And she doesn’t want them to. So, it’s understandable that she freaks out when her partially written love letter for Gavin falls into the hands of her nemesis, Alex Miller (aka: her best friend’s evil twin).

Alex always manages to ruin EVERYTHING and Mckessey isn’t willing to let him sabotage her crush on Gavin, which is why she comes up with a crazy lie instead: she tells Alex the letter is about him.

Unfortunately, he’s not convinced and wants her to prove it.

Desperate to keep the truth hidden, Mckessey asks to be his girlfriend. And even though it’s very clear that he’s not interested in her—Alex agrees to them becoming a couple, expecting to be right about the whole thing.

But it’s only a matter of time until Mckessey finds out that pretending to be in love with one brother while secretly pining over the other brother is no easy task; especially when she has ZERO dating experience and starts realizing that Alex might not be as horrible as she thought…

366 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 10, 2022

64 people are currently reading
550 people want to read

About the author

Pixie Perkins

11 books138 followers

mostly fluffy • a little angsty • always swoonworthy



Pixie Perkins is a dedicated romantic, an avid fangirl, and she enjoys writing/reading love stories about people who aren't real...even though they should be! Blessed with the amazing life God has given her, Pixie also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, baking cookies for almost every occasion, watching movies and binging TV shows, listening to music, and sharing the gift of laughter as much as possible.

To keep up with Pixie’s books and her writing life, visit: www.pixieperkins.com

Subscribe to her newsletter at: www.pixieperkins.com/newsletter

You can also find Pixie on social media!

Facebook: @thepixieperkins
Instagram : @authorpixieperkins
Twitter: @thepixieperkins
Pinterest : @thepixieperkins

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
Profile Image for Pixie Perkins.
Author 11 books138 followers
May 5, 2022
The epilogue is completed! And I think y'all are really going to love this one. 💗
Profile Image for Hazel Khatter.
108 reviews5 followers
June 10, 2022
“I know what pizza place you like most and what your favorite flower is, because there’s a part of me that wants to know every flipping thing about you.” He lets out a shaky exhale, his gaze never leaving mine. “And I want to know every flipping thing about you because I am so tired of acting like I don’t have feelings for you when I totally do.” 🫶

Rating: 🌟 🌟🌟

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Enemies To Lovers, Miscommunication, Best Friend's Brother, Wrong Brother, Love Triangle, Lovers In Denial, I'm-mean-to-you-because-I'm-in-love-with-you

Main Characters: Alex Miller, McKessey Owens

Review: Before I start, I need to ask. Is it possible to dislike the main character? If not, I probably need to catch a break. 😵‍💫

Loving Gavin is a book about McKessey, who loves her best friend’s elder brother, Gavin Miller. But when her best friend’s notorious twin finds her love letter, she fibs that it’s about him, leading to a string of lies and an almost fake dating trope. The fake dating is one-sided if you will. 🤔

Less than halfway into the book, we realize Alex is in love with McKessey and has been, for more than a few years. It’s an epic case of “I annoy you because I like you”, but somehow, it’s not too bad, you seem to enjoy it. And Kessey, who hates Alex, is pretending to date him so she doesn’t have to come clean about being in love with his elder brother. 👀

When the book began, I realized Kessey’s emotions were fickle. It’s that age, you know? You tend to confuse infatuation for love. And when she began dating Alex, I was like eh, she’ll get over the feelings (because it was her first relationship and all). Full disclosure: I don’t know the first thing about relationships, I haven’t had any, and I’m nineteen, for Pete's sake. 😐

Honest opinion alert: I hate McKessey. When she made the move for the practice kiss, I lost it. She knew he liked her, he confessed his unrequited love for her, and she led him on, throughout the book. And she doesn’t bat an eye while lying. I understand her first reaction was to lie, but carrying the facade on for so long is not something I like, not even for fictional characters. When she tells Rose, I had my fingers crossed that Rose would erupt, scold her, be mad at her, something?? But no. I understand how the best friend code but playing with someone’s emotions isn't a game. 😠

Towards the end, I still thought she had a chance for redemption if she tried hard enough to win him over. But he made the final gesture, forgiving her, being the better man. As much as I love the happy ever after, Alex deserves better, even if it is at the expense of losing his childhood love. ❤️‍🩹

All in all, I find the book okay, but I don't ship McAlex, probably never will.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for M.J. Padgett.
Author 74 books203 followers
May 12, 2022
I was lucky enough to have an advance read for this book and this is my honest opinion...

This is not the first book I’ve read by Pixie Perkins, and it won’t be the last. This author is the queen of swoonworthy male characters and sweet, innocent romance. I adore Marco from her book The Bah Humbug Bad Boy, but Alex in Loving Gavin… stands a chance at ousting Marco. I’d honestly have to read both books again to decide… which I would not mind at all!

It’s rare to find a YA author whose books I know won’t include gobs of teens in compromising situations, including those that are just beyond the maturity level of most of the YA audience. If my daughter were in the 12-18 range, I would be fine with her reading Perkins’ books. Aside from being clean, they are also realistic and well-written.

In this book, McKessy is in love with Gavin… but no one knows. Goodness, that would be embarrassing! But when Alex (Gavin’s younger brother, who also happens to be McKessy’s best friend’s twin) discovers a love letter she wrote to Gavin, she has to think fast! Naturally, she tells Alex the letter is about him, which he doubts.

I loved how Alex responded to Kessy even though he believed she was lying. He truly cared that he was her first boyfriend, treated her well, and even when things got really rough, he still behaved as a respectable, reasonable, and caring young man. There were a few times I wanted to shake Kessy, but she was confused (I would have been, too, to be honest), and it really came through well on the page!

I loved this book and can’t wait to share more reviews of this author’s books!
Profile Image for withryelle.
200 reviews47 followers
May 31, 2022
STATS:
OVERALL RATING - 5 / 5
CHARACTERS - 5 / 5
WRITING - 4.5 / 5
PLOT - 5 / 5
GENRE - Young Adult Romance

"Selfishly, I want to be the guy you've liked since forever, but I've realized something during these last few days. I've realized it's way more important to me that I'm the guy you're choosing now"
- Alex Miller, Loving Gavin by Pixie Perkins

How far would you go to keep your crush a secret indeed. Alex is officially my new favourite book boyfriend and no one can tell me otherwise. Just read this man and tell me you're not going to fall head over heels. An enemies-to-lovers, childhood friends romance trope was something I did not know I needed in my life. This book was such a fun, lovable read. When I saw an ARC opportunity for this book, I just knew I had to get my hands on it immediately. The plot itself is intriguing on its own, just imagine your enemy finding your love letter for your crush then admitting it was for him? Obviously, it's the beginning of a whole disaster but it all works out in the end ;)

The writing greatly reflects that it's from the perspective of a teenage girl and I really do believe that accurately representing the characters from this point of view is difficult so kudos to Pixie for being able to write it so well. This book will have you rolling in your bed from all the giddiness whilst also have you screaming into your pillow out of mere frustration. If I had to pick a favourite part about this book, it would be Alex's (as if this wasn't obvious) maturity. He was so open to communication and he made it such a priority, perhaps it's why I'm so giddy over him. I am completely and utterly envious of our main lead for getting Alex all to herself.

I love this book and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a quick, cute and romantic read. I look forward to reading Pixie's other works!

Thank you to the author, Pixie Perkins, for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Profile Image for Nicole.
Author 25 books180 followers
May 18, 2022
Let me tell you.... every book I read by Pixie Perkins becomes my next favourite one by her!!!

This book had everything. Drama, angst, suspense (a little), cute clothes, cute BOYS, and wholesome sweetness. The premise was soooo dramatic and I absolutely loved seeing how Pixie executed it. The temporary tattoos were so cute, and so were all the various locations (like the thrift store, mini-golf, and bakery). So many scenes made me squeal, scream, grin, or laugh out loud. This was just a book that reminded me of my favourite 90s/early 2000s teen movies like Clueless, and the characters were terrific, too. I particularly sympathized with Rose (she embodies my shipper's heart) and I also loved McKessey!!! Especially her banter/flirting/"hate" relationship with Alex. It was an enjoyable, funny, cute, dramatic, swoony thrill ride that I just LOVED reading!!! Also, I want an Alex of my own, ngl.

I'm so grateful to Pixie for letting me read it early and it was a fantastic book that I recommend you get an ARC of/preorder.
Profile Image for Jes Drew.
Author 84 books531 followers
July 7, 2022
I bought this book after seeing it on Instagram because it looked like a cute idea. And it was indeed a cute book. Love the whole pretending to date your worst enemy to hide your secret crush's identity. Obviously, she was shipping herself with the wrong brother, but I was here for her to figure that out. I don't read YA so much anymore now that I'm no longer a teenager and the thought of teenagers kissing makes me want to go chase them off my lawn or something, but that aside, this was a really cute book and perfect for lovers of rom-coms (me) and YA (less me, but the rom-com won out).

Note for more sensitive readers: characters are said to be swearing, though nothing is spelled out (someone still needs to wash those kids' mouths, though), and there is a lot of kissing (again, wash those kids' mouths).
Profile Image for Christy Bath.
80 reviews
November 16, 2023
Second book to read from this author and I love her fun, romantic storytelling. These (clean) romance stories are so sweet and swoon-worthy!

Loving Gavin had me laughing out loud at times, especially in the beginning where it gives a lot of “How to lose a guy in 10 days” vibes. So many funny romcom moments that I could clearly envision. ☺️💖

Half a point for some repetitive phrasing I would love to see edited, and desired resolution to side characters mentioned. But overall, love love LOVE the cute storytelling and emotions that help me remember the experience of young love.

Highly recommend for those looking for light YA romance. Some of the tropes/aspects:
💖falls for best friend’s brother
💖so much cute humor/banter
💖rivals>> lovers (ish?)
💖he falls first
Profile Image for Aubrie Rose.
71 reviews9 followers
August 22, 2022
Good: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ this book doesn’t have much in the way of “outside plot”. The plot is just the romance, but it works pretty well for what it is! The break up scene was a little wonky.
Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ There is a lot of substitute language. Flipping gets old really fast, and quite a few of them didn’t even work in the sentences. Is there excessive kissing? Yes. Did I love every second of it? Also yes.
Fun: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Now that I got my minor compliant out of the way, let me rave about this book! Oh. My. Goodness! I was living for the teenage angst and the romance! I loved this book so much, and was counting down the chapters with just utter despair because I wanted it to never end! I had to take a break right before the break up scene because my heart just couldn’t handle it. I loved all the characters! Except Mother Gareth. They were so realistic! And honestly, I kind of loved reading a book that was just pure romance. Am I going to buy my own physical copy so I can read this again and again? Oh, heck yes.

All of Pixie’s books are on my must be read list!

Highly recommend!!
Profile Image for K.E. Drake.
Author 5 books22 followers
July 29, 2024
I knew I was going to love this book!

*A few spoilers*

Every one of Pixie Perkins' books that I’ve read so far has become my favorite of hers. I first read Truth Or Dare (which was unpredictable and memorable), then Two Truths And A Lie (which was cute and a pleasant surprise), then The Bah Humbug Bad Boy (which was literally a Christmas gift of a story), and now Loving Gavin (which I looked forward to for months until its release and was not disappointed)!

Everything from the characters to the plot and the tropes were thoroughly enjoyable. I mean, I’ll never not love enemies/dislike-to-loves and the bad boy with the heart of gold, and the one-sided fake relationship was unique and interesting to read.

I thought Mckessey was a lot of fun. She was an enjoyable and cleverly written mc. Her internal monologue cracked me up and her little quirks and hobbies made her stand out. She had a lot of learning and maturing to do, but her character growth arc was done well.

Is it too much to say Alex was the perfect guy? Because I think he totally was!
He was sincere and a genuinely good guy beneath the front he put up. He reacted to things calmly and maturely, and he put in a conscious effort to be the best boyfriend he could be to Mckessey, even when the relationship technically started out as a deal.
And he secretly liked Mckessey the whole time. He secretly liked Mckessey the whole time!
I was so happy that my hunch that he did was correct, but at the same time I knew it wasn't good because he was going to end up getting hurt when the secret was revealed.

The secret of the crush was fun and funny at the beginning, but as the story progressed it became more and more of a conflict, and I dreaded the big reveal more and more. Alex and Mckessey were happy, and I wanted them to stay happy!
There were so many sweet, cute, and intense moments between them. I mean, the beach, the tree house (twice), the party, the tattoos, the gaming lesson, the thrift store (also twice). I just absolutely loved them together.

I thought about this book so much in the couple days it took me to read it. Even after finishing it, I still couldn't stop thinking about it, and now I have that hole in my heart that comes from finishing a good book.

The whole story was practically perfect. There were only a couple things I personally wish had been done differently. I wish when Mckessey confessed the secret to Rose about actually liking Gavin and not Alex, that Rose would have been more upset. I thought she was too calm and forgiving over something that huge and that hurtful to her brother.
And while I loved how maturely the reveal was handled, I was really hoping for a full conversation between Mckessey and Alex about everything.

But overall, this was a creative and enjoyable story, with well-written and vivid storytelling, plenty of moments that made me laugh and smile, and a delightfully swoony romance. I would read it again, and I definitely will be getting the paperback to add to my bookshelves when I can!
Profile Image for Allie Sarah.
Author 4 books47 followers
June 10, 2022
This book was absolutely adorable! I was so lucky to receive an advance copy, and I’m so happy because I don’t know how I would’ve waited until June 10 to read this fantastic book.

I would like to be McKessey’s best friend. Her inner thoughts are just so amusing and relatable, right from the beginning with her disorganization. Rose’s excitement for her twin and best friend is both amazing and hilarious, and Gareth’s scenes were amazing because he is such a mom friend.

Alex…my heart broke for him in the first treehouse scene. I would be very happy to fall into a basement with Alex Miller. He really is a great boyfriend, even when the girl he’s dating tries her hardest to get rid of him.

The only breaks I took while reading this book were because I was laughing too hard to flip to the next page. Example: the shower scene.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
320 reviews8 followers
May 25, 2022
Love it! Pixie just became one of my favorite authors!
Starts off the bat with banging banter and teasing amongst high school friends. Never a dull moment!
It all starts with a love letter that falls into the hands of her hated enemy. A lie gets started to save face, but will this mess blow up in her face or turn into true love?

Thanks to the author for providing my review copy!
Profile Image for Lauri.
885 reviews20 followers
June 6, 2022
Read in one sitting! High school romance combining several favorite tropes. What happens when you end up "fake dating" your best friend's twin (who is also the bane of your existence), in order to keep your crush on their older brother a secret?

Thank you Pixie Perkins for the chance to read this ARC! I spent a delightful afternoon reading it.
Profile Image for Lindsey LaBouve .
94 reviews4 followers
May 26, 2022
Pixie Perkins out did herself with this adorably cute teenage romance.

Mckessey is in LOVEEEE with a boy she's known her whole life, Gavin Miller.

It's only natural. Their Moms have been besties since forever, and now they live next door. She's grown up with the Miller kids, especially the twins: Rose and Alex.

Rose is her bestie. Alex is her worst enemy.

Will Gavin finally see Mckessey as something other than the kid next door?

Her plan for Gavin to finally see her is going so smooth until Alex finds a love letter she wrote to Gavin?

What happens next is the cutest teenage love story I've ever read. This is the relationship every girl wanted in high school.

Great job, Pixie Perkins! Now write a sequel!
Profile Image for The Gazillionth Reader.
110 reviews
July 14, 2022
Ahhhh! 🤗 this book was so cute and had me giddy. I loved the tropes (enemies to more but also sort of fake relationship? Yes please) and it was so fun with lots of swoon worthy moments! 💘

I don’t want to say too much more so I don’t give anything away, but I recommend if you like the tropes mentioned and/or sweet romance YA stories. 🤗






Also Shilah reminds me so much of my sister’s cat 😂
Profile Image for Bruna.
198 reviews4 followers
September 26, 2022
A gem

I am on my mid 40's and High school romances usually no longer entertain me,but voila! Loving Gavin ! I enjoyed reading this book so much. It is a clean romance with some steam. I liked both main characters. The plot does not involve popular and nerd characters which made me like it all the more. I just couldn't stop thinking about the book throughout the day. Loving Gavin is those kinds of books : -)
Profile Image for Jessy Oliva.
324 reviews1 follower
December 31, 2022
“I know what pizza place you like most and what your favorite flower is, because there’s a part of me that wants to know every flipping thing about you.” He lets out a shaky exhale, his gaze never leaving mine. “And I want to know every flipping thing about you because I am so tired of acting like I don’t have feelings for you when I totally do.”
Profile Image for kristina.
27 reviews
March 28, 2023
are you kidding…. i LOVED THIS. read in one sitting, everything was perfect
1 review
February 19, 2023
Loved Loved Loved!!!!!. I got all the feels from this book. I'm adding this to my favorite books list. Can't wait to read more.
Profile Image for Anne.
98 reviews
March 23, 2023
This is a enemies to lovers, fake dating, best friend’s brother book. And while I love these tropes, I couldn’t love this book. I just couldn’t stand the main character! Maybe this means I’m just too old for YA now, I hope not!!
Profile Image for Midnight.
16 reviews
July 2, 2022
Loving Gavin by Pixie Perkins.
Would you let your sworn enemy know your secret crush you've been keeping a secret for so long? Kessey didn't think so. Determined to keep her crush a secret, she does the unthinkable... She told her life-long enemy that she has a crush... on him. How hard would it be to date your enemy and pretend to be in love with him? VERY HARD. Except... Why does Kessey finds it harder and harder to hate her enemy? She had a foolproof plan, annoy the heck out of Alex so that he would dump her, what could go wrong? Everything.
***
My Opinion: OH MY MUFFINS AND CUPCAKES?!? <3
It has been weeks since I read (and re-read) this book... HOW COME AM I STILL NOT OVER IT? After reading this book I thought to myself- "WHAT THE HECK DID I JUST READ?!?" This just gotta be the sweetest book ever!!! And that ending really surprised me-in the most sweetest possible way! I know I keep saying "Sweet", and while the book really IS the definition of sweet,,, It is HOT... *clears throat* THIS BOOK IS SO HOT... It's still clean and closed door,,, but WOW! Pixie really outdid herself, if "The Bad Hambug Bad Boy" is hot... This is WAY hotter... The kisses makes my stomach squirm and I actually FEEL it!!! Someone please explain how this is logically happening. This book made me laugh more that watching a comedy movie<333
~
Alex. Alex, Alex, Alex. ALEX. No hate on Kessey, just *sigh* I'm being very jealous here! Alex is just the sweetest guy on earth!!! I want to say more but I'm afraid that I'll spoil the entire book! All that I can say is... He's very hot, sweet, cute, and he just makes my tummy turn upside down!!! I have a feeling that I'm going to be re-reading this book a LOT of time.
~
Kessey is funny, witty and fun. She just had the wrong crush? I enjoy looking into her head, understand her feelings and struggles, I sympathize with her, and through the whole book, I feel like I really know Mckessey Owens! I really feel that I need to say MORE, maybe write a whole book about how much I love this book, but I'm still figuring out how to do it without giving any spoliers!!! I hope Pixie won't be tired of me rambling on about this book! XD.
~
I love this book because: It has a misunderstood enemy, it is written very beautifully, I can really feel the characters, the scenes are so swoony and sweet, it makes my heart goes pop, and it is HILARIOUS!
***
Highly recommend book and author <3
^Clean and Sweet Highschool Enemies to Lovers Romance^
Profile Image for Austin Ryan.
Author 5 books20 followers
June 6, 2022
Oh my word, I can't with this book. It's the first book I've read by Pixie Perkins, and it DEFINITELY won't be the last. I picked it up this morning and read it in one sitting. Yup. It's that good. This one is definitely going to be one of my 2022 FAVORITES!

The plot might *seem* juvenile, but it didn't FOR ONE SECOND feel like it. This book is SO SO SO expertly done. You do NOT want to miss it.

Unless
-endearing and fleshed out side-characters
-a world and relationship you want to escape into
-the.best.kisses I've read in a long time (and yes, I'm really quite picky)
-boundaries, consent, and veiny forearms are
NOT your thing.

Then by all means, give this one a pass.


Thanks to the author for letting me read an ARC before release. ALL thoughts and opinions (and especially the aggressive use of capital letters in my review) are my own, and were in no way influenced.
Profile Image for Sierra.
1,010 reviews
June 10, 2022
Reader’s Notes:

– this is told from Mckessey’s point of view

Review:

I really enjoyed this multi-trope filled story! I’ve been seeing Pixie’s promotional teasers and I wondered how she was going to fit all of them into one story. I was in awe that she not only made it happen in a way that made sense but that the story also held my attention so well that when I had picked it up planning on only reading a few chapters and instead read the entire thing in a sitting 😂. Some of my favorite scenes included: a lake day, soccer practice, thrift shopping, a treehouse, and visiting Alex at work. Alex was such a great boyfriend for Mckessey and I loved that Mckessey tried to bug Alex to make him annoyed with her and that Alex was very patient about it. And would turn the tables on her from time to time, making her question her attempts at being annoying 😂🥰.

Mckessey has been in love with her best friend’s older brother (Gavin) for a long time. And no one knows her secret…until her love note to him makes it’s way into the hands of his brother, and her enemy, Alex. Thankfully Mckessey never wrote her crush’s name on the note so that aspect is safe, but she knows Alex will pester her until he finds out who. And she can’t risk him finding out the truth. So Mckessey lies and tells Alex that the note was about him. When he tells her to prove it, she asks him out and he accepts. Now Mckessey is stuck pretending to like her enemy.

But the more time Mckessey spends with Alex, she learns things she never knew about him. Things that she finds herself liking about him. Could Mckessey like Alex more than Gavin? Or is this just a case of being in close proximity to Alex for too long?
Profile Image for Amber Lambda.
Author 5 books50 followers
June 14, 2022
Mckessey has been in love with Gavin for years…but when her sworn enemy, AKA Gavin’s brother Alex, finds the unaddressed love note she wrote, there’s no way she can give him that fodder to ruin her secret crush! So she tells Alex the letter is for him—leading to a one-sided fake romance with her least favorite person in the world. So why is it getting harder and harder to believe that Alex is as awful as she thinks?

I’m not sure I’d ever read a one-sided fake relationship before…but it sure was an interesting situation, and made things feel tense as the lie went on!

I loved the way things started to shift, and the little things Kessey noticed about Alex that she never realized or wouldn’t have expected of him before. I also loved Kessey’s internal voice and the general banter, and legit teen mood swings from feelings and even hanger, creating relatable and realistic characters. Usually I would prefer a dual pov for stories like this, but I liked trying to figure out what Alex was thinking, and it didn’t feel like part of the story was missing without his point of view. I will note there was a lot of emphasis on physical attraction and touch, but their interaction didn’t go beyond kissing, and they do have chemistry as enemies/friends as well so it still felt like a good balance.

I honestly think Gareth was my favorite in all his weirdness haha! I also liked the other characters though—especially how some family members shipped the relationship right off the bat, much to Mckessey’s dismay.

Overall, this is a cute and funny read! I think most YA romance fans would appreciate it!
Profile Image for sharon jacob.
68 reviews
December 11, 2024
just realized this is my 6th time reading this book this year alone💀
which is kinda sad when u consider the fact that only this time I noticed that the main characters are sophomores. but the plot is basically fake dating (kinda) but with a twist. the main character Kessey is in love with her best friend's(Rose) brother(Gavin), her twin(Alex) she can't stand cause he annoys her all the time to get her attention. she writes an incomplete love letter to Gavin which Alex finds & confronts her about. she doesn't want to admit that she has a crush on his older brother so she tell him(Alex) that she has a crush on him. so Alex tells her that she has to date him in order for him to believe her. oh and plot twist: he liked the whole time, he never hated her so this is bro's dream. and Kessey is stuck dating someone who she hates but who really likes her and has for years. at the start she is stuck pretending that she likes Alex but then she really starts to really feel that way. she tries being annoying at first so that Alex dumps her but it always backfires. like they go to her favorite thrift store after his soccer practice and she tries to be as annoying as possible but he ends up finding a book he really wanted to read there and so he's really happy she brought him rather than mad. also this is like one of the few books where a third act break up makes sense
Profile Image for Tricia Anson.
561 reviews55 followers
June 4, 2022
Loving Gavin is such a fun and sweet high school romance! It’s got a unique enemies to lovers, best friend’s brother, fake relationship trope mix because McKessey has always been secretly in love with Gavin, but to keep that secret from spilling she pretends her crush has been on the other brother, Alex, and asks to date him to prove it. There’s banter, swoon, and steamy kisses. Kessey grows and figures some stuff out through this crazy situation of her own making and as Alex’s layers are peeled back we see how thoughtful and sweet he is. The tension and teenage emotions were on point and I love how things came around at the end. 😍

Things I loved:
-Kessey’s daydreams 😂
-Alex & Rose being twins (I have b/g twins)
-“Momma” Gareth
-Rose “shipping” them so hard
-Soundtrack music 🎵♥️
-Kessey’s enemy relationship with Alex’s cat
-Mini golf
-Their two families being so close (literally—next door—& figuratively)
-Hilarious epilogue

This was a great YA Romance and Pixie seriously nails the kissing scenes—which leads me to say that personally, I would not recommend this for a young teen, but the content is definitely clean, no actual swearing, and very mild innuendo.

Grab this sweet read when you want a lighthearted pick me up with plenty of swoon.
Profile Image for Anila.
513 reviews198 followers
June 30, 2022
Rating: 4.5 stars

I loved this book so much! Ever since I read the blurb, I have been waiting to get my hands on a copy since it contained so many tropes that I adore.

Alex was definitely my favorite character. He was just the sweetest boyfriend ever. He was so thoughtful, attentive and kind towards McKessey.

Mckessey was equally an amazing character. Her sarcasm and snark came through so well. While reading all her thoughts and opinions, I was constantly laughing out loud. The only thing is that I wished she would have realized her feelings for Alex sooner instead of constantly being in denial. But that is just a teeny tiny complaint.

As for the romance, I don’t even know where to begin. There were so many amazing moments that I can’t even begin to pick which one is my favorite. I mean there was the sunscreen, the shower, the thrift store, the soccer game… I literally could go on and on. Anytime Alex and Mckessey were together, I would not be able to stop smiling. They were just so adorable together.

The supporting characters were equally as great. Gareth was honestly so precious and he must be protected at all cost.

Overall, I loved this book and I would highly recommend if you are in the mood for a cute YA romance!
Profile Image for Arceli.
1,613 reviews10 followers
June 3, 2022
This book is just everything. I loved all the parts of it. It isn't a love triangle and there isn't any drama. It's just sweet goodness.

First off, Alex is just super sweet. He seems like a jerk, but he really matures and I love how he always cared about Kessey. He is really swoonworthy and seeing Kessey warm up to him is awesome.

Kessey is also wonderful. I love how she is a sweet heroine who is mature for her age. Even though she is pretty young, I liked that she admitted her mistakes. Her internal monologue was really fun. Usually when a character monologues for a couple of pages I get frustrated, but I really enjoyed it.

Now, the romance is just awesome. I loved that Gavin wasn't a jerk, but just not the right person for Kessey. The relationship between her and Alex is surprinsgly mature. I enjoyed that they communicated about boundaries and Alex constantly checking in. And, Alex also wasn't a sexist or playboy. He was just a bit immature, but owned up and really made me love him. The kissing scenes were awesome. Also, that shower scene is really fun.

In summary go buy this book. You will really enjoy it. It is awesome.
Profile Image for Kate (bookishkenyannerd).
559 reviews2 followers
June 8, 2022
"I've got the hots for you McKessey Leah Owens."

"I want to kiss you Kessey." His voice is barely audible as he brushes a thumb over my lips. "I want to kiss you so bad."

Thank you to the author for this ARC. Loving Gavin releases this Friday, June 10th!

Where to begin? I don't know loves. This book was fantastic!🙌🏾 It had everything I would've wanted in a YA romance.

Alex and McKessey together made for the best couple. I shipped McAlex so hard 😂 The sunscreen part at the lake 🥵 you could cut that tension with a knife 🙌🏾😂 some under-the-bleachers action was definitely a sweet bonus 😉

Alex was the best boyfriend ever; he noticed miniscule details about her, bought her peach smoothies, worked out puzzles, put up with her antics in the best way possible, and made me weak in the knees with all his flirtatious mannerisms. Their rendezvous together were just 😍🥰

Another thing I loved about the book was titled chapters. That's not something I see much of.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was my first from this author, and I must say, she's becoming a favourite. Can't wait to read more 💃🏾
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