{YA eARC Review} Red Girl, Blue Boy (If Only . . . #5) by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

 Red Girl, Blue Boy (If Only . . . #5) by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Enjoy Red Girl, Blue Boy and the other standalone titles in Bloomsbury’s contemporary If Only romance line centered around an impossible problem: you always want what you can’t have!

Sixteen-year-old Katie and Drew really shouldn’t get along. After all, her father is the Republican nominee for President of the United States while his mother is at the top of the Democratic ticket. But when Katie and Drew are thrown together in a joint interview on a morning talk show, they can’t ignore the chemistry between them. With an entire nation tuned into and taking sides in your parents’ fight, and the knowledge that—ultimately—someone has to lose, how can you fall in love with the one person you’re supposed to hate?

This title in the If Only line is a frank and funny romance that shows how sparks fly when opposites attract. (Blurb via Goodreads)

{Details} eARC, 304 pages. Expected publication: October 20th 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

{Rating} 4/5 - I really liked it!

{Review}

I really liked Katie. I wasn't sure I would, it was difficult to relate to her because she's so very different than I am, but she has this awkward charm, this small, lonely life, that made me want to give her a hug and tell her it's all going to be okay. Katie is a very focused girl, focused on the future, on how everything will be better when her dad wins the election. However, I didn't find her character to be very consistent. Katie is a smart, savvy girl who is specifically portrayed as a politically savvy girl which makes me not buy the multiple times where she makes big political faux pas.

Drew's a sweet guy. He thinks about others, has strong convictions, tries to rise above petty things, he's also got a reluctant white knight complex and a strong desire to live in the land of denial. I liked his close relationship with Sandy, his best friend and the way he saw behind Katie's nearly impervious shield.

The romance is a pretty cute one and has a few swoony moments. I thought they were good for each other, filling in their blanks as Katie gets Drew interested in politics and Drew helps her experience all of those normal things she'd missed.

Though I liked the story I did think the premise had a lot more possibilities, many opportunities for interesting things to happen but once they started a relationship it became all about the romance. I also wished there had been a few surprises, a twist or two, it was pretty clear where things were headed.

{YA/NA Romance Review} Not in the Script (If Only . . . #3) by Amy Finnegan

Millions of people witnessed Emma Taylor’s first kiss—a kiss that needed twelve takes and four camera angles to get right. After spending nearly all of her teen years performing on cue, Emma wonders if any part of her life is real anymore . . . particularly her relationships.

Jake Elliott’s face is on magazine ads around the world, but his lucrative modeling deals were a poor substitute for what he had to leave behind. Now acting is offering Jake everything he wants: close proximity to home; an opportunity to finally start school; and plenty of time with the smart and irresistible Emma Taylor . . . if she would just give him a chance.

When Jake takes Emma behind the scenes of his real life, she begins to see how genuine he is, but on-set relationships always end badly. Don’t they? Toss in Hollywood’s most notorious heartthrob and a resident diva who may or may not be as evil as she seems, and the production of Coyote Hills heats up in unexpected—and romantic—ways.

This novel in the deliciously fun If Only romance line proves that the best kinds of love stories don’t follow a script. (Blurb via Goodreads)

{Details} eARC, 392 pages. Published October 7th 2014 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens. Source: ebook provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

{Rating} 4/5 - I really liked it!

{Review}

"Celebrity Seeker claims that I'm dating Troy again," I say as I skim the pages of the gossip magazine." (page 1, line 1)

Such a cute, sweet, flirty, story. I loved Emma. I loved Jake. I loved Emma and Jake together; their slow burning romance, the love and trust they fought so hard to develop.

Emma is the girl next door/movie and television star. She's down to earth, kind, a dedicated, hardworking actress. She's had a hard time, she's had tons of professional successes but she's also had a string of very public failed relationships. In light of her last, disastrous relationship, she's determined to stay unattached. And then she gets a job where she has to work with her long time crush and this awesome new guy who makes her laugh and her heart want things. A new guy who is also the object of her best friend's obsession. I liked Emma's character development. Though she's been living as an adult, working as an adult, she's still growing up and having to make adult decisions about her career and relationships.

I loved Jake. He's a model turned actor who is awesome in so many ways. He's supporting his mother and sister, he's sweet and fun and exuberant. He's completely gush-worthy. Like I said, I loved Emma and Jake together. They struggled to get to a happy ending, neither are looking for love, the press is all up in their business, there's an angry ex, another boy has his sights on Emma and they have to work together.

I also liked the technical aspects that Amy Finnegan put in about the television industry, about filming and such, it was really interesting.