Review by Booklist Review
For most of Ivy's life, her best friend was her across-the-street neighbor, Mack, the girl she hid her love for ever since coming out as bi. But now Ivy's 16, and not only are she and Mack not friends anymore, they've become full-on enemies. Ivy's new best friend, Henry, likes the soapy fantasy show Hot, Magical, and Deadly as much as she does, so when Ivy's helicopter parents leave town for a weekend, it seems like the perfect opportunity to order pizza and binge the show. But then Ivy's favorite character--not the actor, but actually sexy Weston Razorbrook, who wields air powers and always saves the day--appears in her bedroom. And while Ivy's been writing a lot of self-insert fanfiction about him, she never expected this. Weston is a loose cannon whose motives seem to change every day, and Ivy can't handle him alone--she'll need Henry and Mack. While the rules around Weston's appearance and behavior are somewhat chaotic, readers hooked on Mack and Ivy's journey toward reconciliation--and more--will experience the story's true magic.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Bisexual 16-year-old Ivy Winslow adores Hot, Magical, and Deadly, a TV show about superpowered teen models. Feeling lonely and isolated with her parents out of town for a week, Ivy indulges in an angst-driven fanfic writing session, which somehow results in her favorite character, Weston, manifesting in Ivy's bedroom. Now she must deal with the imaginary guy of her dreams--one shaped by her own writing--hanging around and acting out the plots of her fanfic. She recruits her aromantic and asexual best friend Henry and her former bestie turned mortal enemy, lesbian Mack, to help her send Weston back to his fictional realm. Meanwhile, Ivy and Mack must navigate the ups and downs of their complicated history and potential future, especially with Ivy caught between Weston's unrelenting affections and her lingering crush on Mack. Gonzales (Never Ever Getting Back Together) adeptly treads a tricky yet insightful balance of real life and fiction to explore the sometimes messy nature of emotions, relationships, and wish fulfillment. A secondary focus on the flaws of common fanfic tropes injects additional cleverness into this good-humored rom-com. Ivy, Henry, and Weston read as white; Mack is Black. Ages 13--up. Agent: Molly Ker Hawn, Bent Agency. (Mar.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up--Gonzales's latest queer rom-com is a laugh-out-loud hit. Fan-fiction writer Ivy is struggling after a break from her former best friend/crush Mack. Despite bonding with Henry (a fellow fan of her favorite TV show, H-MAD), Ivy still feels the sting without Mack. One night, Ivy wishes her favorite H-MAD character, Weston, were real. The next morning, she wakes up next to Weston himself! Well sort of…Ivy and Henry soon realize this version of Weston is one created from Ivy's fan fiction and have no idea where he came from or how to make him go back. When Mack accidentally discovers Weston, Ivy finds herself turning to Mack for help and wondering if they might be able to fix what's broken. This latest title continues Gonzales's stellar reputation for strong bisexual female protagonists. Through past/present alternating chapters, readers watch Ivy come out bisexual, as well as learn that Henry is asexual/aromantic and Mack is a lesbian. Despite being much more satirical comedy than her previous titles (with of course, the magical realism sprinkled in), Gonzales still manages to weave queerness into the fabric of the book. There aren't many references to race, but Mack is a person of color. Weston is an over-the-top character (true to his fan-fiction origin) and provides nonstop laughs throughout. The dialogue is sharp and witty, providing a fun, quick read. Fans of Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Jennifer Dugan's Verona Comics, or Cherie Priest's I Am Princess X will devour this one. VERDICT Watch out Simon Snow, there's a new swoony-worthy fan-fiction boy in the YA-verse. A first purchase for all YA collections.--Elizabeth Portillo
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Ivy is obsessed with the television show Hot, Magical, and Deadly, and she has a huge crush on Mackenzie, who, due to a recent argument, is unfortunately now her ex--best friend. After she became captain of the volleyball team, Mack no longer seemed to have time for Ivy; now, she has absolutely zero patience for Ivy's obsession with the H-MAD fandom. But when Ivy's home alone during a thunderstorm, she manages to magically manifest Weston Razorbrook, the dreamy main character from the show, directly into her bed. She's forced to team up with Mack and Henry, a new fandom friend, to figure out what to do next. The trio soon learns that this version of Weston is directly taken from Ivy's self-insert romantic fanfictions, tropes included. Unfortunately for Ivy, the tropes she loves in her stories are a lot less romantic in real life. Despite Weston's volatile nature, Ivy wants to keep him in her life, against Mack's constant insistence otherwise. This nerdy love story with queer protagonists is enjoyable, although at times it feels superficial: The plot-driven story would have benefitted from further development of the characters and setting. Ivy's reactions to the manifestation of a turbulent man from her fanfictions doesn't always seem believable. Ivy is cued white; Mack reads Black. A cute, if lightly developed, queer friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance. (Romance. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
