I received this book via My Book Shelf. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Perfectly You by Robin Daniels Published by Bluefields on 2017-08-24
Length: 313 pages
Reviewing eARC, eBook from My Book Shelf
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2017 New Release Challenge
Ivy Nixon is the student body Vice President at Franklin High School. Each year, the school holds a date auction to raise funds for the senior class graduation party, and this year, Ivy’s in charge. Planning the event is a huge task and Ivy is determined to prove she can get the job done right. Unfortunately, she’s still one participant short and her deadline is looming.
Andy Walker, her cute but socially reclusive art class table mate, is her last resort. He may not be popular, but he’s funny, talented, and full of surprises. With a makeover and some major social marketing, Ivy is sure he could fetch a decent price at the auction.
Andy reluctantly agrees to help, but the more time Ivy spends with him, the more her feelings shift from professional to romantic in nature. To top it off, she’s done her marketing so well, that other girls are starting to notice Andy too. Come auction time, will Ivy be able to let him go to the highest bidder? Or will she find a way to keep him for herself…
Content Description: This is a stand-alone YA contemporary romance with companion novels set at the same high school. It contains minor language, innuendo, and crude humor, some steamy kissing, a party scene where underage drinking is taking place, and a brief but tasteful conversation about sex. The author has attempted to write characters who make good choices in questionable situations, in effort to keep the content appropriate for teens. This book contains no sex, written or implied, and no explicit language. Recommended for ages 14 and up.
Initial Thoughts
Perfectly You by Robin Daniels is as perfect as the name suggests. I loved the characters, the sweet romance, the clean-ish YA vibe. I loved it all! Ivy is a character I can get behind. I understood her completely because….well she’s me. Andy is as sweet as he is swoon-worthy. And their friends?! I loved them!!! I loved how well the secondary characters were fleshed out. It was a quick read and one I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys YA contemporary romance.
A Fictional Version of Me
Ivy is me. Seriously she is! Anyone who knew me in high school that reads this book will see what I mean. She’s an overachiever, a bit of a social butterfly (that’s not me, but the rest is), has no filter and is always honest. This last aspect is both admirable and annoying. While Ivy has a big heart, she tends to speak before she thinks about how it may sound to the other person. It gets her in a lot of trouble.
Andy is an incredibly sweet boy. Ivy sees him as a loner, but doesn’t understand why he is a loner. Really it is by choice. Andy is picky about his friends and while he isn’t rude to anyone, he also doesn’t do the fake/small talk that occurs in the high school scene. However he does like Ivy. It’s obvious from their first encounter, even if she doesn’t quite pick up on it.
Can’t Buy Me Love
Has anyone else seen the old Patrick Dempsey movie from the late eighties? Well, similar premise and vibe. Ivy is the vice president of the student council. The senior class is hosting a date auction to raise money for their senior party. It’s Ivy’s responsibility to find people for the auction. She basically begs Andy to do it for her. When he expresses concern about brining in money for them and being on the runway, Ivy starts a makeover process. Honestly I wasn’t sure how I felt about this aspect of the novel. While Ivy’s heart is in the right place, she says all the wrong things. Andy is a sweet guy dealing with some insecurities and Ivy doesn’t realize just how hurtful she can sound. It’s painful to read at times as I wanted to reach through the pages and smack her.
My Conclusion
Overall, I loved Perfectly You! It’s an honest picture about two people who are attracted to one another and how they move past the friend zone. I loved it. It was an addicting read (I read it in one sitting) and perfectly swoon-worthy. If you enjoy YA contemporary, I highly recommend it.
About Robin Daniels
Robin Daniels is a wife, mother of five and avid consumer of books. She loves reading SO much that she was actually grounded from it as a twelve year old. No Joking! Her mom caught her reading when she was supposed to be cleaning, which was a common occurrence. At that point she was instructed to go watch TV or play outside like a normal kid.
Robin is also a sucker for home design shows and magazines, and has a very co-dependent relationship with a certain diet soda who's brand shall not be named. (Though anyone with a similar problem could probably guess which one.)
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