e-Audio, 09:00:50
Narrated by: Krysta Gonzales
Release Date: May 14, 2024
Published by: Books on Tape (Joy Revolution)
Read from: May 12-13, 2024
Stand-alone
Source: PRH App (I received a copy of this e-audio from the publisher and the app in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)
Content Warning:
For Readers Interested In: Romance, Racial/Ethnic Diversity (Latinx), Friends to lovers, Realistic Fiction, YAA fun, fresh contemporary rom-com that covers all the ways in which prom is overrated, and the biggest ways to sabotage your lovable best friend’s promposals to the school’s most popular girl.
The best things in life come in pairs. Peanut butter has jelly, Taylor has Selena, and Ivelisse Santos has Joaquin Romero. They are not only next-door neighbors; they’re platonic soulmates. Ive gets Quin like no one else.
At least, she thought she did before Joaquin shocks her by revealing that he wants to ask Tessa Gordon to prom. Tessa freaking Gordon. The same Tessa Gordon who spread the rumor that Ivelisse started the infamous Second Grade Lice Outbreak. Why her ?
Tessa and Joaquin are a match made in popular kid heaven. The head cheerleader and the star of the baseball team going to prom together makes more sense than Joaquin and Ivelisse—a member of tech crew—would. But just because it makes sense doesn’t mean it should happen.
To make matters worse, Joaquin wants Ivelisse’s assistance planning the grandest, most elaborate promposal Cordero High has ever seen. To win the queen bee over, he’ll have to go bigger than any of their peers have ever gone. Ivelisse would rather wrestle a bear than wingwoman Joaquin.
But with senior year coming to an end and their paths diverging, she’ll take all the quality time with Joaquin she can get. So, she swallows her pride. At first.
*MY THOUGHTS*
As a friends to lovers fan AND a fan of Elle Rose, I NEEDED this! And when I saw it come up in the app, I had to read it immediately. And just like with her first book, I loved this one. Elle Gonzalez Rose has made my list of favorite authors!
So the number one thing I loved about this one was the writing style and the interactions between the two of them. How she couldn’t tell even without the little thing was beyond me. But I did like the way she figured out her feelings tho. She was intentionally messing up things without even knowing that’s what she was doing. And I really felt like that was a real thing. I am not really around teens much anymore, but when I was, I heard a lot of stories that were just like this one. And though I don’t actually like the idea of teens dating, especially senior year, I thought this was the most realistic of all. They are all toxic to each other until they find the one that they actually like lol
The romance(s) were so over the top cute! This book definitely solidified why I love friends to lovers books. The way they were so cute and laughing together, just ugh it was adorable. I knew where this was going as soon as she made that one decision at the assembly! And idk, the way she was trying to make herself think she didn’t know why she was doing that was also cute lol It was so corny and so much fun! The other romance, I knew where that was going as soon as that one person said she had a date but no one knew who. And I remember audibly squealing lol So cute!
Also I feel like I should add this in the case that anyone is like me……….. I was a little annoyed with the Queen Bee in the beginning. I felt like she was being hella rude turning down everyone but not telling why. But when I finally realized what was happening, I realized it was a kind of retelling on 10 Things I Hate About You. The Queen Bee is the Kat character lmao (Yes I realize I should have gotten that right away, but I haven’t seen that movie in a long time and I’m not actually a movie person anyway)
This was very cute and I hope that she writes a thousand more! Since I’ve finished this book I have been like hoping for another very soon from her lol And it looks like I get my wish! Apparently we get one in summer 2025 and another in 2025 that’s a queer thriller and [apkfjwahf y’all know how I feel about that! Now what do I do until I can get it in my hands?
Overall, I give this,
