Why is this total stranger messing with me? Was this karma for daydreaming about Adorable Family being stranded at the airport? Karma was supposed to be a cat, dammit, not this. From the New York Times bestselling author of Better than the Movies, this swoon-worthy rom-com in the vein of She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You follows a teen girl who unwittingly finds herself at the centre of a bet while working at a waterpark. so, this was a sweet, fun rom-com/romance read! for me, it was a four to five hour read, so only a day or two of reading. plus it was the weekend so.. extra time to read😍!

I absolutely think that Lynn Painter writes some of the best banter I have ever read in rom-coms. I LOVED the way Bailey and Charlie brought the slowly building tension through well placed snark and sarcasm with a hint of some real feelings. Early morning: Some people find that reading in the morning helps them start their day with a positive and productive mindset. Charlie is a very cynical, smart-ass of a teenage boy who absolutely hates being told what to do. To be honest, he frustrated me a little much in this book and I think he’s just too much of a menace for my type (if I met him in person, I would unfortunately be driven to insanity), but I did appreciate both his snarky + swoon-worthy comments. Him being a Gracie Abrams + Conan Gray fan definitely gave him some bonus points. Lynn Painter is a versatile author known for crafting romantic comedies tailored for both teen and adult audiences. Her literary portfolio includes engaging titles such as “ Better Than the Movies,” “Mr. Wrong Number,” “The Do-Over,” and “Betting on You.” The line started moving, but I couldn’t take a step because the two people in front of me were kissing. Hard-core. As if their mouths were fused together and they were desperately trying to pull them apart by turning their heads from side to side.so, this book was really fast paced, but also kinda slow burn. this book has the MOST SWOON WORTHY MOMENTS, like this love between them is something that could never happen to me, not even in my wildest dreams 😭 I felt very called out by Bailey, to be honest, we are literally the same person. She’s very much your typical Type A, rule follower, who also runs a bookstagram account and has an obsession with Taylor Swift + Emily Henry books. She is me. I am her. It’s scary how accurate that is. What are you doing?” I whispered, clutching the strap of my carry-on bag as I tried scooting away from him while still maintaining my First in Line status. He was wearing a hoodie that said Mr. Nothing, with baggy shorts, and he didn’t have a single thing in his hands. No carry-on, no book, no coat; what kind of person traveled like that? Charlie and Bailey were definitely not perfect characters either. They had very real flaws, but that was one of the things I liked best about the book — they were friends who cared for each other in spite of their flaws.

For example, I love Billy Crystal so I could kinda excuse his character at the beginning of the movie…but nothing endeared me to Charlie at the beginning of the book. Because we were working with a blank slate, it took a LONG time for me to warm up to him. Whyyyyyyy? Why was this smug, sarcastic jerk even part of my experience? He’ s ruining flying for me, I thought as I scanned my boarding pass and started down the Jetway, which was ironic when flying was the only thing I didn’t hate about the day. He moved even closer, so his face was about an inch from mine, and said under his breath, “Relax, Glasses. I just don’t want to wait in that line, so I’m making it look like we’re together.”

Disclaimer: When Harry Met Sally isn’t a favorite movie of mine. Honestly the idea of reading it in book form—the movie is already so long—gives me hives. But I do love Lynn Painter, so I was always going to give this a read. Also there are a few spoilers below, but nothing crazy! The sight of their familial bliss made me want to snuggle with the tiny scrap of blankie I still slept with (even though no one knew) and cry just a little. speaking of.. time for the taylor swift references! most of these were direct, but some were subtle hints to her. Charlie: She tried pulling a Jake on ME, but I went over and reclaimed it. Not gonna have her being reminded of innocence and thinking it smells like me.

The chemistry they had was also very swoon worthy, I was giggling and screaming so much at their banter and the tension between them (FAKE DATING. AHH). I literally had to slap my book shut every once in a while because I got so excited. In my opinion, When Harry Met Sally just really doesn’t make sense in a YA setting or even really in any setting. I just think that it’s its own thing and should be left alone. It’s a movie in my mind that requires less from the plot and everything from the actors’ performances and personalities…which is so hard to capture in book form. Because while the book had a grip on the plot, the characters just didn’t quite fit. And while I’m not a huge When Harry Met Sally fan, I’m so happy the secondary relationship made it into the book!! I loved the drama of that bowling date. And did I absolutely eat up when he remembered her popcorn eating habits? OF COURSE I did I’m not a robot. I really enjoyed the second half of the book and think I’d have had a lot less issues if I’d have just waited on the ARC and grabbed the audiobook instead. I notice quirks of writing a lot less via audio and Jesse Vilinsky has me loving everything her voice touches. During the day: If you have a flexible schedule, you may find it helpful to take breaks during the day to read a book. Excuse me,” I said through gritted teeth, my emotional anxiety replaced by irritation, “but the line. The line is moving.”The Eye opened again and the dude glared at me. He lifted his mouth and said something to his girlfriend that prompted them to actually move forward. Finally. I heard his girlfriend chirp about how much she was going to miss him, and I could see by his profile that he was kind of half smiling and not saying anything as they stumbled forward, hand in hand. The best time to read a book depends on your personal schedule and preferences. Here are some suggestions: Now don’t get me wrong, it did have unique angles and perspectives, especially the exploration of divorce. I also think it handled the fake dating in a really fun way that I wasn’t expecting. Once it started getting into its own groove and not trying to be a retelling, I had a really good time with the book. I also thought the plot structure was fun and different than I’d anticipated it going. It definitely hit its stride around fifty percent. Once they were just invested in becoming friends, I was invested in them.