by Christina Lauren
Star Rarting: ⭐⭐⭐.75
Quick Take: A little silly and even at times absurd, but overall really fun and entertaining, with two romantic leads who truly bring out the best in each other.
Favorite Quote: “Observing the world through Ren’s eyes made Edward realize how often he didn’t really pay attention to what was going on around him. He moved through life constantly on the offense and went into every interaction with an objective. It meant he missed the details, missed the moments that made life worth living.” (p. 226)
This contemporary romance novel centers on Ren, a sunny 22-year-old who’s spent her life largely isolated from the world on a farm with her controlling parents. When she leaves to go to college—her first time ever going to school—she meets Edward (aka Fitz), her sexy, guarded classmate with a secret criminal record he’s trying to expunge.
When they embark on a cross-country road trip together over spring break, Fitz shows Ren the wonders of the wider world, while she shows him the beauty of navigating that world with an open heart.
Truthfully, I was a bit lukewarm on this book at first. Ren’s innocence and naivety initially made her feel incredibly young—to the point where she felt even felt like a child, so I couldn’t picture her as a love interest, nor did I want to. It also took the sexual tension much longer to really surface than I typically prefer from romance novels. But once Ren’s childlike innocence began to fade and she really began to embrace her sexuality and attraction to Fitz, I was hooked and couldn’t put the book down. Ren and Fitz really brought out the best in each other and balanced one another so well.
I also really appreciated and enjoyed how incredibly smart, strong, and capable Ren was. There were so many things she could do that Fitz couldn’t, from recovering their stolen wallets to fixing their broken-down car. Rather than feeling defensive and insecure, Fitz just admired and respected her for it. I loved that dynamic and how it upended gender stereotypes.
Without spoiling anything, I’ll acknowledge that some of the plot points felt a little ridiculous and really stretched the bounds of credulity, but you know what? It was fun and I’m here for it. I did wish the ending went on a bit longer—I would’ve loved a full-on epilogue. Without it, the ending felt a tad rushed. This and the slow start prevented me from rating the book four stars, but overall this was such a fun and entertaining read with a lot of heart.
Fun fact: The novel was inspired by Tangled. I didn’t realize this until reading the acknowledgements, but now that I know, it makes so much sense.
Melissa Rose 