REVIEW: “A Little Something Different” by Sandy Hall
The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common–they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together.
Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out.
But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. You’ll be rooting for Gabe and Lea too!
Rating: 4.25 Capes
Heroes,
This book is so disgustingly cute. After finishing Sandy Hall’s “A Little Something Different,” I felt pretty much the same way I do after eating too much angel food cake–kinda sickly, kinda delighted.
Normally, I like my romance novels pretty steamy, and this novel has literally NO SEXY ACTION. I can imagine the main characters having sex, but it’s like the geekiest, most awkward, adorable sex possible. Which is pretty much sums up their relationship.
Gabe and Lea have serious crushes on each other basically from the outset, and the only real barrier to their relationship is their own shyness. It takes them an incredibly long time to even talk to each other. At one point, one of their friends says, “Can we just smush their faces together and make them kiss?” This sentiment completely aligned with how I felt about the book. However, when the payoff finally comes, it is well-earned and satisfying. Despite how sickly-sweet this book is, I found myself really enjoying watching Gabe and Lea find each other.
The thing that makes this book a standout is the multiple perspectives. It’s told by fourteen different characters, none of which are Gabe and Lea. There’s Gabe’s brother and Lea’s best friend, but also some creative/convenient perspectives: a squirrel, a bus driver, even a park bench. I appreciated that Hall developed some of these characters to hate Gabe and Lea. My frustration with their inaction was articulated by a classmate and a barista, both of whom found Gabe and Lea insufferable. It’s very ambitious to tell a love story without ever being inside the head of the main characters, and I was surprisingly satisfied with the attempt.
“A Little Something Different” is perfect when you are in the mood for a book that’s light, sweet, and heart-warming. This is Sandy Hall’s first book, and I look forward to seeing what she will do next.
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