A sweet summer romance with two funny, compelling protagonists.
This YA spinoff of Roberts’ (The Replacement Crush, 2016, etc.) previous novel follows a timid bookworm and a hunky surfer.
Amy McIntyre is determined to win a social media contest that will garner her a personal interview with Lucinda Amorrato, a bestselling romance author who is beloved by many but hasn’t toured in years. Unfortunately, Amy’s first stunt, a public “yarn-bombing” replicating her favorite book cover, attracts the attention of the Shady Cove police, who bust the teenager for breaking curfew. Enter Toff Nichols—champion surfer, known player, and soon-to-be stepbrother of Amy’s best friend, Vivian Galdi (the heroine of The Replacement Crush). He happens to catch Amy in the act and pretends to be her boyfriend to get her out of trouble. Soon Toff offers to coach Amy, upping her self-confidence to gain more likes and shares and get the attention of Amorrato’s publisher, which is running the contest. When a photograph of Toff and Amy goes viral and romance fans start “shipping” them (a fandom term describing two characters who should get together), she begins to see real relationship potential in the boy she once thought was out of her league. Meanwhile, Toff starts to appreciate Amy’s penchant for sparkly hair ornaments, enthusiasm for reading, and fiery spirit that matches her wild red hair. But after the two engage in more than one make-out session, they have to face reality: Can a surfer who doesn’t read and a romance-novel fanatic really make it work? Roberts has the teen voice down pat: Both of the appealing protagonists are devoted to their respective passions but also deal with deeper issues (Amy’s pastry chef father is now unemployed, and Toff’s surfer dad is about to marry Vivian’s mother). Amy’s knowledge of romance novels and her excitement for the contest are both contagious, and her friends Vivian and Dallas are close by and ready to help her achieve her goal. This engaging love story with a strong cast will make even the most jaded reader hope for a happily-ever-after.
A sweet summer romance with two funny, compelling protagonists.Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-707-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: Oct. 18, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An exuberantly written guide to becoming a strong young woman.
In this debut self-help book, a mother issues an enthusiastic plea for young women to value themselves holistically and also expounds on the concept of “beauty.”
Organized around an acrostic of the word “beautiful,” Peddie’s text offers bite-sized meditations on how one can focus on one’s mental fortitude and happiness in a technology-obsessed culture. The chapters address general concepts, including kindness (“B Is for Being Kind”) and gratitude (“T Is for Thankfulness and gratefulness”), but they also offer concrete advice about taking time to “unplug,” to focus on one’s education, and to take care of one’s body. The seventh chapter draws on Peddie’s own experiences as a Christian to show how approaching the concept of faith with “an open heart” may benefit anyone, whether they participate in organized religion or not. Lists of practical suggestions include simple kindnesses (“offer people a piece of your gum”) and advice to “seek an older sibling or trusted friend who loves you and wants to protect you” when deciding how to proceed in a romantic relationship. The conclusion contains journal-oriented “thought starters” on topics covered in each chapter. Throughout, the prose has the cheerleading tone of someone who hopes that her young female readers will succeed in finding self-respect and self-love. A major strength of the text is that it dwells on the positive potential of girls and women rather than on shaming them. For example, rather than pointing out the evils of screen time, Peddie simply notes the importance of fostering a relationship with oneself, away from technology. The author’s compassionate point of view softens harder lessons, such as how making mistakes in life can make one resilient. By the end of the book, however, the messages’ power fades a bit due to repetition. As a result, the book is perfect for occasional dips and personal meditations.
An exuberantly written guide to becoming a strong young woman.Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5320-5736-6
Page Count: 133
Publisher: iUniverse
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An entertaining, well-told love story/drama.
Complications arise in this YA novel when a brilliant teenage coder’s anonymous sex education blog goes viral and a friendship becomes romantic.
Amber Henderson is a senior at private Wilmont Academy—possibly “the last non-religious school on the planet still operating under the abstinence only policy.” Because plenty of kids are having sex anyway, they really need some good advice, such as how to obtain reliable birth control. Amber can rely on her sex-positive parents, but she’d love to help the less fortunate. She and Dean Winters vie for the title of the school’s most talented coder, so when he proposes a bet (for bragging rights and a deadmau5 T-shirt) to get under Principal Tanner’s skin via hacking, Amber has a perfect idea. She’ll set up an untraceable sex advice blog on the darknet, making sure everyone knows it’s written by a Wilmont student, and help information-starved students while riling Tanner. Though Amber and Dean are both hot as well as gifted and share much in common, she considers him out of her league; she’s also tormented by memories of a bad encounter with her ex-boyfriend. The coders’ growing relationship is put sorely to the test when Tanner blackmails Dean into uncovering who’s behind the increasingly popular blog. Lee (Love Beyond Opposites, 2018, etc.) sets up a classic confrontation between cool kids and an uptight administrator: They’re smart, funny, and gorgeous while he’s venal, underhanded, and vindictive. The point of view alternates between Amber and Dean, each voice distinctive but both capturing a true teenage feel. Their developing romance is sweet and sizzling, with a lot of sensitivity toward Amber’s fears. That Dean can’t figure out the identity of the advice-giver is somewhat contrived as an obstacle given that he and Amber are the only two members of the Code Club. Another tip-off is that Amber’s mother writes erotica and her father is a teen psychologist. The emotions can become melodramatically overwrought, and both main characters are altogether a bit too flawless, especially in looks. Still, it’s an engaging novel that nicely illuminates the coder subculture and deals honestly with teenage sexuality.
An entertaining, well-told love story/drama.Pub Date: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-658-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
