Review by Booklist Review
This spin-off of Bryant's debut (Happily Ever Afters, 2021) picks up with Tessa's best friend, Lenore. As college looms, Lenore grows apprehensive about being away from her friends. To make matters worse, her family is about to spend part of the summer on an Italian cruise. Unlike Tessa, Lenore isn't one to believe in fairy-tale love stories, and she has no plans for an amorous endeavor--but when she meets Alex on the cruise, and he ropes her into a fake dating scheme, she's thrown into a romantic summer adventure that not even her romance-novelist best friend could dream up. This summer romance seamlessly packs vacation fun alongside serious discussions of race and mental health--Lenore feels added levels of pressure as a high-achieving Black student. Bryant's charming story is bolstered by an irresistible setting and the occasional pop-culture reference. Supportive relationships, even in unexpected places, and flawed characters coming into their own make this novel especially compelling. With its twists on beloved tropes, this a clear pick for fans of Sandhya Menon and Stephanie Perkins.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A Black girl's coming-of-age and summer of romance. Seventeen-year-old Lenore Bennett from Long Beach, California, is experiencing many firsts and lasts before she heads off to NYU, a source of anxiety as she is undecided about her major and future career path. One of her firsts is a European cruise with her family. Unlike her romance-focused friend, Tessa, who is bent on Lenore's having a rom-com--worthy summer, Lenore herself has long given up on the idea of having the type of love she secretly dreams about. Enter Alex Lee, a 17-year-old Black and Korean boy, also from Southern California, who has a detailed life plan that includes studying medicine. But not only is Alex fresh off a breakup and not exactly looking for love again, his ex-girlfriend is on the same cruise ship. Lenore and Alex initially get off on the wrong foot, but forced proximity, thanks to their parents' bonding, leads to their falling for each other as they grow closer. In this companion novel to 2021's Happily Ever Afters, Bryant maintains her contemporary yet timeless authorial style that is a breath of fresh air for the genre. The dynamic characters and relationships and authentic tone make for an engaging read. Charm and humor balance the portions of the novel that delve into more serious topics like race, the pressures of familial and societal expectations, and mental health. A sweet love story for the realistic romantics of the world. (Romance. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
