And he fits very nicely into his role as the jerk-turned-dreamy-love-interest.

Like Bailey, I was incredibly hesitant in the beginning. Movie quotes set the scene at the beginning of each chapter, and the references to old school films are a fun addition to Bailey and Porter’s flirtatious antagonism. The plot harkens back to a formative romantic comedy, You’ve Got Mail, but there are even more gems for the bookish cinephiles. She gets a new scooter, a fun summer job, and the love of a local beach cat! Even though I’m a ride-or-die for the East Coast, I can’t deny the appeal of a sleepy beach town with a quirky history, delicious eateries, and cute surfer boys. Shark attacks, drug abuse, stalking/attempted murder all gets covered in this book, and each of these things are treated with respect by the author, and the characters they affect, but the book still manages to stay hopeful and light, a good reminder that there is life after these traumas.įlying across the country to live with the other divorced parent in a small town is a time-honored tradition of the genre, but Bailey’s new California life is pretty plush. It takes on gender-based prejudices Bailey faces as a teen girl, and the romance in the story is built on mutual respect and communication. (Looking at you, Stephanie Meyer!) Luckily, Riveted has helped me find healthy relationships in teen lit, and this book definitely has one of them. One of the reasons I avoid romance in YA is the expectation forced on the woman to change everything about herself to suit the man she’s interested in, without asking the same sacrifices of the love interest. All the romantic tropes-without compromising your feminist views Also be sure to tell me your thoughts after reading!ġ. Once you’ve gone through and realized this book is perfect for you, just click here so you can read an extended excerpt until April 17th! But if you need more convincing, ask for more in the comments. That’s why I’ve narrowed it down to my top 5 reasons why you should read Alex, Approximately. I loved this book something fierce, so I could probably list a hundred reasons to read this book, but a lot of them would contain spoilers (frowny face). In this delightfully charming teen spin on You’ve Got Mail, the one guy Bailey Rydell can’t stand is actually the boy of her dreams-she just doesn’t know it yet. If you’re like me, desperate for warmth in literary form, give Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett a try!

Cuddling up with a beachy romance helps me forget the cold/windy/rainy weather outside.

Alex approximately book