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blurrypetals's review against another edition
2.0
An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is by far my biggest disappointment of 2021 so far. This book had so much promise to be an adorable romantic comedy with one of the cutest premises ever, but due largely to the fact that it is being disgustingly mismarketed as a cutesy rom com when it is, in fact, not funny and it is not a romance, it falls directly on its face when there is nothing but angst and hollow characters to hold it up.
To say that this book was a slog would be a bit of an understatement. I started this book on March 15th and it took me until today, April 30th, to drag myself across the finish line. It might have honestly taken me longer if my copy from NetGalley weren't expiring in just a few hours.
As I mentioned before, I did expect this book to have a completely different tone from what it ended up having, but it also didn't focus on Homecoming the same way I expected it to. I really expected this to be the two boys pranking back and forth throughout Homecoming week and any fun and trouble that might occur in between, but the conflict of this book barely involves the race for Homecoming King. Instead, it's about a bully at the school, the school's Code of Conduct, and Lukas's struggles to succeed despite his extra challenges due to the fact that he's autistic. This shift in focus wouldn't be so bad if it actually meant something at the end of the book, but so much is abandoned, shoved aside, or just plain ignored by the end that it really left me wanting for something.
This book really is just angst on wheels. While I do think this is an honest portrayal of a trans character in Jeremy, it also feels like there is nowhere near enough depth to him. He oftentimes reads as a bit of a parody of himself, though, especially in the parts that deal with the Code of Conduct and Philip, the school bully. All nuance is thrown straight out the window when it comes to Jeremy's conflicts in the story and it's extremely difficult to relate to him as a character when he feels like he's built purely of nothing but anger and being trans. And I say this knowing that a lot of trans folks are angry, and they have every right to be. I'm angry for a lot of trans folks who don't get the rights they deserve. So when their representation is boiled down to nothing but a hate filled boy whose friends all hate him, it sort of ends up feeling like an empty portrayal. If I didn't already know the author was trans, I truly might have thought this was written by someone who was cis. Someone well-meaning, perhaps, but misguided. Jeremy's personality is that he's angry and trans. Show me why Lukas loves him, why his friends care about him, because I don't get it. Ellor failed to write a compelling, believable trans character, which is a real damn shame, probably the biggest failing of this book, in my opinion.
Lukas's character is dealt with the same lack of care. Lukas is autistic and his family is grieving after the death of his older brother. I think Lukas's autism is handled the way I wish Jeremy's trans-ness had been handled: as a trait of his but not a defining character trait. It affects Lukas's schooling and even causes him to cheat, but his autism doesn't rule his storyline the same way Jeremy being trans rules his. I know these two things are not exactly comparable, but again, it just handles this completely normal thing, autism, and treats it like this completely normal thing. Why couldn't Jeremy being trans be like this?
I digress. The part of Lukas's story that annoyed me most was his issues with his family. We get maybe two or three full, real scenes including Lukas's parents, but in each one, we are never really shown the issues Lukas is having with them, other than perhaps the fact that they are distant. There is a really strange scene that comes out of nowhere in the latter half of the book involving Lukas's mother that gets absolutely no resolution by the end, it just happens, even appears to be a big, life-changing event for Lukas, but Ellor's major pacing issues leave no room for any conflicts to actually breathe, change, or resolve.
And, since I've mentioned it, let's discuss Ellor's issues with pacing! Have any of you ever gotten into a car with a 15-year-old who's preparing for their permit test? It starts a little rough; there's a lot of jolting, stopping and starting as they get used to the brakes and, once they get going, they might start to get the hang of it, but eventually they have to use those brakes again, so it's just a lot of stopping and starting, a lack of surety, and often no true sense of direction.
This whole analogy is to say: Z.R. Ellor's pacing feels exactly like a 15-year-old kid learning to drive. Scenes end suddenly and move along to the next bit, often in ways that makes it difficult for the reader to get their bearings or follow the extremely tenuous threads that string each scene together. Any time it seems like Ellor gains a little momentum, he shoots himself in the foot, hitting the brakes immediately before pivoting elsewhere. Lukas and Jeremy both seem to drift through scenes, telling us the things they're thinking without those thoughts having much bearing on the scenes at hand most of the time. Also, this book is written from the first person POV in the present tense, which only made it feel like I was reading a hollow What I Did Over the Summer essay a high schooler was forced to write.
It's so frustrating that this story is all about these two boys' hardships but the pacing and all-around average to poor writing quality make it impossible to hold onto anything. It feels every bit the debut that it is.
And, speaking of holding onto things, this book gave me absolutely no reason to root for Lukas and Jeremy to be together. None of the flashbacks or stories from before their breakup led me to believe the two of them really ever loved each other, which hurts the story greatly, since much of the drama comes from their lingering feelings for one another. They both seemed to admire one another, but they had next to zero chemistry, so when they're still pining over each other, it feels like actors reading a script, not two boys who have complicated yet sincere feelings for each other.
I honestly think I could go on, but I really have already wasted enough time with this one. It's boring, its marketing is misleading, and you can tell from just about every aspect of this book that it is a debut with shockingly little polish and utterly empty characters, apart from Sol, the best part of the book.
It's rushed, yet it somehow also feels agonizingly slow. I wanted this premise to work, I was so prepared to be swept away by this book. I legitimately pumped my fists in the air when I got approved for this one, so I really had high hopes for it to work. But you know what they say about high expectations: the higher they are, the longer and harder the fall.
This is by far my biggest disappointment of 2021 so far. This book had so much promise to be an adorable romantic comedy with one of the cutest premises ever, but due largely to the fact that it is being disgustingly mismarketed as a cutesy rom com when it is, in fact, not funny and it is not a romance, it falls directly on its face when there is nothing but angst and hollow characters to hold it up.
To say that this book was a slog would be a bit of an understatement. I started this book on March 15th and it took me until today, April 30th, to drag myself across the finish line. It might have honestly taken me longer if my copy from NetGalley weren't expiring in just a few hours.
As I mentioned before, I did expect this book to have a completely different tone from what it ended up having, but it also didn't focus on Homecoming the same way I expected it to. I really expected this to be the two boys pranking back and forth throughout Homecoming week and any fun and trouble that might occur in between, but the conflict of this book barely involves the race for Homecoming King. Instead, it's about a bully at the school, the school's Code of Conduct, and Lukas's struggles to succeed despite his extra challenges due to the fact that he's autistic. This shift in focus wouldn't be so bad if it actually meant something at the end of the book, but so much is abandoned, shoved aside, or just plain ignored by the end that it really left me wanting for something.
This book really is just angst on wheels. While I do think this is an honest portrayal of a trans character in Jeremy, it also feels like there is nowhere near enough depth to him. He oftentimes reads as a bit of a parody of himself, though, especially in the parts that deal with the Code of Conduct and Philip, the school bully. All nuance is thrown straight out the window when it comes to Jeremy's conflicts in the story and it's extremely difficult to relate to him as a character when he feels like he's built purely of nothing but anger and being trans. And I say this knowing that a lot of trans folks are angry, and they have every right to be. I'm angry for a lot of trans folks who don't get the rights they deserve. So when their representation is boiled down to nothing but a hate filled boy whose friends all hate him, it sort of ends up feeling like an empty portrayal. If I didn't already know the author was trans, I truly might have thought this was written by someone who was cis. Someone well-meaning, perhaps, but misguided. Jeremy's personality is that he's angry and trans. Show me why Lukas loves him, why his friends care about him, because I don't get it. Ellor failed to write a compelling, believable trans character, which is a real damn shame, probably the biggest failing of this book, in my opinion.
Lukas's character is dealt with the same lack of care. Lukas is autistic and his family is grieving after the death of his older brother. I think Lukas's autism is handled the way I wish Jeremy's trans-ness had been handled: as a trait of his but not a defining character trait. It affects Lukas's schooling and even causes him to cheat, but his autism doesn't rule his storyline the same way Jeremy being trans rules his. I know these two things are not exactly comparable, but again, it just handles this completely normal thing, autism, and treats it like this completely normal thing. Why couldn't Jeremy being trans be like this?
I digress. The part of Lukas's story that annoyed me most was his issues with his family. We get maybe two or three full, real scenes including Lukas's parents, but in each one, we are never really shown the issues Lukas is having with them, other than perhaps the fact that they are distant. There is a really strange scene that comes out of nowhere in the latter half of the book involving Lukas's mother that gets absolutely no resolution by the end, it just happens, even appears to be a big, life-changing event for Lukas, but Ellor's major pacing issues leave no room for any conflicts to actually breathe, change, or resolve.
And, since I've mentioned it, let's discuss Ellor's issues with pacing! Have any of you ever gotten into a car with a 15-year-old who's preparing for their permit test? It starts a little rough; there's a lot of jolting, stopping and starting as they get used to the brakes and, once they get going, they might start to get the hang of it, but eventually they have to use those brakes again, so it's just a lot of stopping and starting, a lack of surety, and often no true sense of direction.
This whole analogy is to say: Z.R. Ellor's pacing feels exactly like a 15-year-old kid learning to drive. Scenes end suddenly and move along to the next bit, often in ways that makes it difficult for the reader to get their bearings or follow the extremely tenuous threads that string each scene together. Any time it seems like Ellor gains a little momentum, he shoots himself in the foot, hitting the brakes immediately before pivoting elsewhere. Lukas and Jeremy both seem to drift through scenes, telling us the things they're thinking without those thoughts having much bearing on the scenes at hand most of the time. Also, this book is written from the first person POV in the present tense, which only made it feel like I was reading a hollow What I Did Over the Summer essay a high schooler was forced to write.
It's so frustrating that this story is all about these two boys' hardships but the pacing and all-around average to poor writing quality make it impossible to hold onto anything. It feels every bit the debut that it is.
And, speaking of holding onto things, this book gave me absolutely no reason to root for Lukas and Jeremy to be together. None of the flashbacks or stories from before their breakup led me to believe the two of them really ever loved each other, which hurts the story greatly, since much of the drama comes from their lingering feelings for one another. They both seemed to admire one another, but they had next to zero chemistry, so when they're still pining over each other, it feels like actors reading a script, not two boys who have complicated yet sincere feelings for each other.
I honestly think I could go on, but I really have already wasted enough time with this one. It's boring, its marketing is misleading, and you can tell from just about every aspect of this book that it is a debut with shockingly little polish and utterly empty characters, apart from Sol, the best part of the book.
It's rushed, yet it somehow also feels agonizingly slow. I wanted this premise to work, I was so prepared to be swept away by this book. I legitimately pumped my fists in the air when I got approved for this one, so I really had high hopes for it to work. But you know what they say about high expectations: the higher they are, the longer and harder the fall.
yellowswagger's review against another edition
3.0
2.75/5. This feels like a story about all of the struggles that come with being trans and navigating that identity, and it’s not balanced with the joyous parts. Neither of the main characters come off as likable which makes the pain they’re dealing with and causing each other ultimately unrewarding to themselves and the readers.
emlynbooks's review against another edition
4.0
A honest depiction of imperfect and very human love, I loved this book more than I thought I would. If you are expecting your typical light fluffy romance, don’t read this. “May the best man win” is raw and emotional in all the right places whilst also bringing the silliness of high school romance to lighten the tone. It’s a fantastic read you won’t regret picking up.
aspencross's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The main characters in this book need 👏ther-👏a-👏py👏
Naomi and Ben also deserved better and both deserved to be homecoming king and queen.
-Jeremy is an asshole who’s only consequence is getting punched by a bully when he is such a shit friend to everybody
- the boy also complains about not wanting to be a victim and then victimizes himself all the time
- Jeremy does so much shit in this book and we’re told that he’s popular and was popular before he transitioned and I do not understand how when he’s so insufferable
- I was on Lukas’s side untilhe lit the school on fire, cheated on Naomi, almost ruined Ben’s Life by not admitting he cheated on a test by stealing the answers . I get he’s going through a lot but he went way too far.
- I have never rooted for 2 characters to never get together as much as Jeremy and Lukas
- The ending was horrible because there’s so many plot points that are left unopened like Terry stealing 30k from the school and never facing consequences, principal not getting reprimanded for giving a teenager a card with thousands of dollars, the potential updated code of conduct, what universities the students got into, how their lives went after not winning homecoming court, Lukas’s parent’s divorce .
Side note: the author has also apparently done some shit and is lesphobic. This Reddit post has links and more information https://www.reddit.com/r/HobbyDrama/s/JuVfSwXcrt
Naomi and Ben also deserved better and both deserved to be homecoming king and queen.
-Jeremy is an asshole who’s only consequence is getting punched by a bully when he is such a shit friend to everybody
- the boy also complains about not wanting to be a victim and then victimizes himself all the time
- Jeremy does so much shit in this book and we’re told that he’s popular and was popular before he transitioned and I do not understand how when he’s so insufferable
- I was on Lukas’s side until
- I have never rooted for 2 characters to never get together as much as Jeremy and Lukas
- The ending was horrible because there’s so many plot points that are left unopened like
Side note: the author has also apparently done some shit and is lesphobic. This Reddit post has links and more information https://www.reddit.com/r/HobbyDrama/s/JuVfSwXcrt
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Deadnaming, Toxic relationship, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Infidelity, Grief, Homophobia, Sexism, and Toxic friendship
lizeth26's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars
This was darker than expected!
Please look up the trigger warnings ⚠️
Jeremy was so selfish, but I understand him too. I think he could have gone a different way with certain situations.
I think most of the problems would have been solved if the two MC's just had a proper conversation! It pissed me off the whole time! You could tell they loved each other so much and it was painful to watch
This was darker than expected!
Please look up the trigger warnings ⚠️
Jeremy was so selfish, but I understand him too. I think he could have gone a different way with certain situations.
I think most of the problems would have been solved if the two MC's just had a proper conversation! It pissed me off the whole time! You could tell they loved each other so much and it was painful to watch
jaybelzebabe's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
inblackink's review against another edition
2.0
What a disappointment I couldn’t even finished it. This was one of the new releases that I was most looking forward to and oh man how much it hurts me that i didn’t like it. This had the potential to become the new red, white & royal blue and I am so mad that it wasn’t good.
The representation was fine, I am trans myself and I related to a lot of what Jeremy was feeling. He is really angry at everyone, at himself, at his life; i could relate to that, I get it. But dude, this character kept making the worst fucking choices he could make over and over again. How stupid can a character be until I stop reading??? I draw the line in Jeremy. The coming out to his boyfriend scene... no. Just no. He dumps his boyfriend because he is no fucking psychic. How about you telling him directly instead of assuming that “what if i am not the same person” is the same as telling him that you are trans????
Let’s talk about the friendships here because do they even like each other? First of all Jeremy’s best friend (Naomi I think I don’t remember) wtf? She stops talking to him because he did something that gave them the attention they needed to win the homecoming shit. And yes, I know they are teenagers and they get mad over stupid things, I was one not that long ago and I would have never stop talking to my BEST FRIEND because someone bullied and misgendered him. And then complains about him talking too much over the summer about his problems. Wow, sorry that he is going through something kind of traumatic and needs you to be there for him.
And the Ben thing, aren’t this like your only friend, Jeremy?? The only one who is still on your side? And you went that did that. Ok. Just say that you all hate each other and be done with it.
Lukas was the only character in my opinion that made a little sense. Boy, just forget about this horrible people and live a happy life, you deserve it.
With all my respects to the author, I think this was the worst way to go with such a great idea. It was not very well written, confusing in some parts which is surprising for how little the plot moved through the first half of the book. I didn’t like the characters and I was bored reading it because I felt that nothing had truly happened.
So basically, poorly written bad characters with a boring pace but good representation.
The representation was fine, I am trans myself and I related to a lot of what Jeremy was feeling. He is really angry at everyone, at himself, at his life; i could relate to that, I get it. But dude, this character kept making the worst fucking choices he could make over and over again. How stupid can a character be until I stop reading??? I draw the line in Jeremy. The coming out to his boyfriend scene... no. Just no. He dumps his boyfriend because he is no fucking psychic. How about you telling him directly instead of assuming that “what if i am not the same person” is the same as telling him that you are trans????
Let’s talk about the friendships here because do they even like each other? First of all Jeremy’s best friend (Naomi I think I don’t remember) wtf? She stops talking to him because he did something that gave them the attention they needed to win the homecoming shit. And yes, I know they are teenagers and they get mad over stupid things, I was one not that long ago and I would have never stop talking to my BEST FRIEND because someone bullied and misgendered him. And then complains about him talking too much over the summer about his problems. Wow, sorry that he is going through something kind of traumatic and needs you to be there for him.
And the Ben thing, aren’t this like your only friend, Jeremy?? The only one who is still on your side? And you went that did that. Ok. Just say that you all hate each other and be done with it.
Lukas was the only character in my opinion that made a little sense. Boy, just forget about this horrible people and live a happy life, you deserve it.
With all my respects to the author, I think this was the worst way to go with such a great idea. It was not very well written, confusing in some parts which is surprising for how little the plot moved through the first half of the book. I didn’t like the characters and I was bored reading it because I felt that nothing had truly happened.
So basically, poorly written bad characters with a boring pace but good representation.
simonisafangirlie's review against another edition
3.0
The characters weren't very likable but I enjoyed the ending and the diversity.
vgauntner's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0