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If Only . . . #5
Red Girl, Blue Boy
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.
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.
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2015
12 people are currently reading
1119 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Baratz-Logsted
53 books471 followersLauren grew up in Monroe, CT, where her father owned a drugstore at which her mother was the pharmacist. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where she majored in psychology. She also has what she calls her “half-Masters” in English from Western Connecticut State University (five courses down, another five to go…someday!).
Throughout college, she worked semester breaks as a doughnut salesperson, a job that she swears gave her white lung disease from all the powdered sugar she breathed.
Upon graduation, she began work at the venerable independent spacebookseller, now sadly defunct as such, Klein’s of Westport. There, she bought and sold for the better part of 11 years.
In November 1994, Lauren left the bookstore to finally take a chance on herself as a writer. Success did not happen over night. Between 1994 and May 2002 – when Red Dress Ink called with an offer to buy THE THIN PINK LINE – Lauren worked as a book reviewer, a freelance editor and writer, and a window washer, making her arguably the only woman in the world who has ever both hosted a book signing party and washed the windows of the late best-selling novelist Robert Ludlum.
Since Red Dress Ink’s call in 2002, Lauren has been kept very busy with writing more novels and checking her Amazon ranking on a daily basis. She still lives in Danbury, with her husband and daughter, where she has lived since 1991.
In addition to writing, Lauren’s daughter keeps her busy, accounting for the rest of her time.
Lauren’s favorite color is green.
Lauren’s favorite non-cat animals are penguins.
Lauren wants you to know that, however you are pronouncing her last name, you are probably pronouncing it wrong.
Throughout college, she worked semester breaks as a doughnut salesperson, a job that she swears gave her white lung disease from all the powdered sugar she breathed.
Upon graduation, she began work at the venerable independent spacebookseller, now sadly defunct as such, Klein’s of Westport. There, she bought and sold for the better part of 11 years.
In November 1994, Lauren left the bookstore to finally take a chance on herself as a writer. Success did not happen over night. Between 1994 and May 2002 – when Red Dress Ink called with an offer to buy THE THIN PINK LINE – Lauren worked as a book reviewer, a freelance editor and writer, and a window washer, making her arguably the only woman in the world who has ever both hosted a book signing party and washed the windows of the late best-selling novelist Robert Ludlum.
Since Red Dress Ink’s call in 2002, Lauren has been kept very busy with writing more novels and checking her Amazon ranking on a daily basis. She still lives in Danbury, with her husband and daughter, where she has lived since 1991.
In addition to writing, Lauren’s daughter keeps her busy, accounting for the rest of her time.
Lauren’s favorite color is green.
Lauren’s favorite non-cat animals are penguins.
Lauren wants you to know that, however you are pronouncing her last name, you are probably pronouncing it wrong.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
August 7, 2019
Review and rating to follow.
This was a cute story. I had never heard of it before I spotted it at my local library and snatched it up.
It is short and would fall into mthe YA ronabc e genre, not one I read to often. But what drew me to the book is that the two main characters..Katie and Drew..are the children of the Democrat and republican nominees for President of the United States. Of coarse they are on different sides of the isle..Katie's dad is running on the Republican ticket while Drew's mom is the Democrat nominee.
This one is worth a read. It's light and fun even though you (mostly) know where it's going. The two main characters find them selves attracted to one an other but how can they have a romance with the yes of the world upon them?
This is a bit to YA for me to adore but it is a fun little read and I did like both main characters. Drew, in particular is very human with a pretty fun sense of humor. That was good.
And the book in general is a good one. I'd give it 3.5 stars if GR had half star ratings. It is nice to read a YA book interspersed with politics. And it is nice to read ANY book about politic s that Donald Trump is not in.
The ending was clever and very well done as well.
Recommended for fans of light YA romance.
This was a cute story. I had never heard of it before I spotted it at my local library and snatched it up.
It is short and would fall into mthe YA ronabc e genre, not one I read to often. But what drew me to the book is that the two main characters..Katie and Drew..are the children of the Democrat and republican nominees for President of the United States. Of coarse they are on different sides of the isle..Katie's dad is running on the Republican ticket while Drew's mom is the Democrat nominee.
This one is worth a read. It's light and fun even though you (mostly) know where it's going. The two main characters find them selves attracted to one an other but how can they have a romance with the yes of the world upon them?
This is a bit to YA for me to adore but it is a fun little read and I did like both main characters. Drew, in particular is very human with a pretty fun sense of humor. That was good.
And the book in general is a good one. I'd give it 3.5 stars if GR had half star ratings. It is nice to read a YA book interspersed with politics. And it is nice to read ANY book about politic s that Donald Trump is not in.
The ending was clever and very well done as well.
Recommended for fans of light YA romance.
December 31, 2015
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
As you may know, I've been in a bit of a book slump at the moment. So imagine my surprise when I manage to read a 300 page book in a day? Red Girl, Blue Boy is the latest instalment in the If Only... series, about the daughter of the Republican nominee, and the son of the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. I think I'm correct in thinking that this year is an election year in America, and as such this is the perfect time for this book to be released. As Katie and Drew become closer and slowly fall in love, the political intrigue of their parent's positions wreaks havoc on their relationship, and it's unsure whether they'll survive until the election.
The characters of Katie and Drew were very different, but still as enjoyable as each other. Katie was very naive, in my opinion, but I guess that's due to her being involved in the political sphere since she was four years old, and hardly had time to be a proper kid, with a proper childhood. I felt as though she grew the most as a character in the book, as her relationship with Drew introduced her to what being a teenager is all about, how having friends make you feel. Drew, on the other hand, has only been involved in politics for two years, and can still remember what normal life is like. His family had very little money until his father invented a computer programme, which was when his mother decided to run for office, so being thrust into the rich and political life was quite a shock. I felt as though Drew and Katie both sort of mellowed each other, and really brought out the best in each other. I was completely invested in their relationship, and felt all the feels. Just what you want from a wonderful YA contemporary romance.
The other characters in the books, especially the parents, were quite non-existent, and when they were around, all they, especially Katie's dad, cared about, was winning. Once they discovered their children's relationship, which were crumbling, they decided to use it to their advantage. Basically, it's like their pimping out their kids to gain popularity - not exactly what I'd call good parenting.
One major issue I had with the book was the ending. It just stopped. We never found out who won the election - though I hope it was Samantha, the Democratic nominee - she seemed to really care, and want it more, and she was the better parent. All the angsty issues had just been dealt with, and we get one final cutesy scene with Katie and Drew, and then it's done. I just need more. I find this issue quite common with YA contemporary romances, and it's something that makes me dislike the genre at times.
Otherwise, I'd definitely recommend Red Girl, Blue Boy to lovers of YA contemporary romance. It had the perfect amount of feels, angst, and plot. I've not read any of the other instalments in the If Only... series, but I really want to try them now. I also want to read more of Lauren's YA books, so if you have any recommendations, let me know.
As you may know, I've been in a bit of a book slump at the moment. So imagine my surprise when I manage to read a 300 page book in a day? Red Girl, Blue Boy is the latest instalment in the If Only... series, about the daughter of the Republican nominee, and the son of the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. I think I'm correct in thinking that this year is an election year in America, and as such this is the perfect time for this book to be released. As Katie and Drew become closer and slowly fall in love, the political intrigue of their parent's positions wreaks havoc on their relationship, and it's unsure whether they'll survive until the election.
The characters of Katie and Drew were very different, but still as enjoyable as each other. Katie was very naive, in my opinion, but I guess that's due to her being involved in the political sphere since she was four years old, and hardly had time to be a proper kid, with a proper childhood. I felt as though she grew the most as a character in the book, as her relationship with Drew introduced her to what being a teenager is all about, how having friends make you feel. Drew, on the other hand, has only been involved in politics for two years, and can still remember what normal life is like. His family had very little money until his father invented a computer programme, which was when his mother decided to run for office, so being thrust into the rich and political life was quite a shock. I felt as though Drew and Katie both sort of mellowed each other, and really brought out the best in each other. I was completely invested in their relationship, and felt all the feels. Just what you want from a wonderful YA contemporary romance.
The other characters in the books, especially the parents, were quite non-existent, and when they were around, all they, especially Katie's dad, cared about, was winning. Once they discovered their children's relationship, which were crumbling, they decided to use it to their advantage. Basically, it's like their pimping out their kids to gain popularity - not exactly what I'd call good parenting.
One major issue I had with the book was the ending. It just stopped. We never found out who won the election - though I hope it was Samantha, the Democratic nominee - she seemed to really care, and want it more, and she was the better parent. All the angsty issues had just been dealt with, and we get one final cutesy scene with Katie and Drew, and then it's done. I just need more. I find this issue quite common with YA contemporary romances, and it's something that makes me dislike the genre at times.
Otherwise, I'd definitely recommend Red Girl, Blue Boy to lovers of YA contemporary romance. It had the perfect amount of feels, angst, and plot. I've not read any of the other instalments in the If Only... series, but I really want to try them now. I also want to read more of Lauren's YA books, so if you have any recommendations, let me know.
January 2, 2016
1-1/2 stars.
As you can see from my instagram update, I did not like this book. And that surprised me because I like the other books in the If Only line from Bloomsbury, and I was excited to get my hands on this one at TLA. I kept reading this because I really wanted it to get better. I should have flounced while I was ahead. #disappointed
The idea for this book is really great: Sixteen year olds Katie and Drew's parents are running for president (his mom, her dad). They're invited on a morning talk show to discuss the campaign, only Drew doesn't show up. Katie calls Drew a wimp on National television, so he feels he has to go on with her to defend his honor. On that show, Katie makes a fool of herself and Drew comes to her rescue, causing them to become America's sweethearts. The pair strike up an unlikely friendship and soon find themselves falling for each other--so much so that Drew shares a secret with her that no one else knows. When things with the campaign heat up, will Katie and Drew find themselves in a doomed relationship or will their short-lived romance fizzle out before that happens?
Sounds good, right?
Well, it would be if the characters, namely Katie, didn't act obnoxious and ridiculous. For someone who is supposedly so smart, she's outright dumb. And I don't use that term loosely. She doesn't know what a landline phone is for God's sake. A phone!
She's supposed to be a brilliant political analyst, right? It's just unbelievable.
There are so many instances that I highlighted in this book that were unbelievable, but I'll leave you with my favorite:
The characters were not authentic for their age at all. Honestly, I think if they had been 12 or even 10, this story would totally work. She says stuff like "Yipee!" and uses way too many exclamation marks. Also, it was completely unbelievable to me that Drew would share the secret with Katie that he divulges to her. And don't even get me started on their parents. *shakes my head*
There were a few things I did like about this. Like I said, the idea is genius, just poorly executed. I loved the history that Katie and Drew share, and there were a few swoony moments.
Actually now that I think about it, I did like Drew. His favorite movie of all time is How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and he did actually sing High School Musical with Katie instead of calling her a moron, so bonus points for him. Unfortunately, nothing could save this book for me. A total waste of my time and epic disappointment, Red Girl, Blue Boy could have been awesome but really, really wasn't.
As you can see from my instagram update, I did not like this book. And that surprised me because I like the other books in the If Only line from Bloomsbury, and I was excited to get my hands on this one at TLA. I kept reading this because I really wanted it to get better. I should have flounced while I was ahead. #disappointed
The idea for this book is really great: Sixteen year olds Katie and Drew's parents are running for president (his mom, her dad). They're invited on a morning talk show to discuss the campaign, only Drew doesn't show up. Katie calls Drew a wimp on National television, so he feels he has to go on with her to defend his honor. On that show, Katie makes a fool of herself and Drew comes to her rescue, causing them to become America's sweethearts. The pair strike up an unlikely friendship and soon find themselves falling for each other--so much so that Drew shares a secret with her that no one else knows. When things with the campaign heat up, will Katie and Drew find themselves in a doomed relationship or will their short-lived romance fizzle out before that happens?
Sounds good, right?
Well, it would be if the characters, namely Katie, didn't act obnoxious and ridiculous. For someone who is supposedly so smart, she's outright dumb. And I don't use that term loosely. She doesn't know what a landline phone is for God's sake. A phone!
She's supposed to be a brilliant political analyst, right? It's just unbelievable.
There are so many instances that I highlighted in this book that were unbelievable, but I'll leave you with my favorite:
So, one time, we're in my garage, she's handing me tools, and she just breaks out into song.
I would never tell her this to her face but, truth time here: girl can't sing. But it's still cute and funny and like nothing any girl has ever done with me before--I mean, there's not even a radio playing to bring this all on--and when she pauses for breath, I can't help myself.
"Kat," I ask, "what are you doing?"
...
"Isn't that what people do when they like each other?" she asks.
"Where'd you get that idea?"
She looks wary now as though sensing a trap, either from me or from life. "High School Musical? she asks as much as answers.
I nearly bust out laughing. Did she really just say what I think she said? Could she possibly be serious? But then I see that she is, indeed, dead serious. Suddenly I don't have the heart to tell her that, one, that's a really old movie; two, no, people don't really do that in real life; and three, she can't really sing.
So, barely able to believe what I'm asking, I ask, "How does that song go again?"
Next thing I know, we're doing a duet.
The characters were not authentic for their age at all. Honestly, I think if they had been 12 or even 10, this story would totally work. She says stuff like "Yipee!" and uses way too many exclamation marks. Also, it was completely unbelievable to me that Drew would share the secret with Katie that he divulges to her. And don't even get me started on their parents. *shakes my head*
There were a few things I did like about this. Like I said, the idea is genius, just poorly executed. I loved the history that Katie and Drew share, and there were a few swoony moments.
"It's always been you, Kat."
Actually now that I think about it, I did like Drew. His favorite movie of all time is How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and he did actually sing High School Musical with Katie instead of calling her a moron, so bonus points for him. Unfortunately, nothing could save this book for me. A total waste of my time and epic disappointment, Red Girl, Blue Boy could have been awesome but really, really wasn't.
November 2, 2015
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This book makes me want to drink.
I am really starting to think there is something wrong with me. The last three reads have been DNF’s. And I HATE DNFing, especially where the premises of the book seems to indicate that I should really like this book.
I didn’t though.
The main female character was just hideous.
Remember Rachel Berry in the first season of Glee and Tracey Flick in Election, this MC is even more EXTREME than they were.
Yeah, I couldn’t stomach her point of view that was probably the biggest reason I DNF’d it.
Technically speaking, the book was readable enough if you could get past how unrealistic Katie and to a lesser extent Drew were.
I guess I should talk about the elephant (ha, ha, political pun) in the room: Katie.
As I said before, completely ridiculous from her copy-cat Jackie O infamous pink suits, to claiming she looks like Christmas with her green eyes and red suits. I wanted to roll my eyes. Does that mean I look like Christmas too anytime I wear red since I have green eyes too?
Please.
Half of the shit she gets herself into wouldn’t happen in real life because the campaign would have a PR person on staff to tell her it’s not a good idea to wear an imitation of the outfit that Jacqueline Kennedy wore when her husband was killed-especially when you’re a Republican. Or for that matter, a replica of the suit that Nancy Reagan wore. Then again, look at some of the stupid things that have been going on this election cycle-see Donald Trump and Ben Carson.
So maybe Katie is a realistic spawn of a GOP candidate.
Okay, probably not.
I couldn’t handle it. Maybe her behavior would be explained by the end, but I really doubt it.
Drew on the other hand is the stereotypical My-Parents-Are-Ruining-My-Life teen. He’s not that bad, but I rolled my eyes when he started ranting about being rich. BUT at the same time, I could see a kid whose parents are involved in politics acting like him instead of Katie.
God, Katie.
SMH.
The plot itself didn’t seem bad. The If Only series has simple little rom com plots, and this book falls into the series premises perfectly. The problem is that it falls into a lot of pitfalls that a lot of these books do-half baked Disney Chanel like romances.
Unless Drew was the boy at the beginning of the book (which my Book Psychic senses are telling me he was), I didn’t see them interact. I didn’t want to because I already had an inkling how squirm inducing it was going to be since Katie’s one other interaction with a guy was embarrassing at best.
Socially awkward characters can be good, but squirm inducing socially awkward characters aren’t so good. If Katie made Katie Couric cry I can only bet it was because Couric felt sad at how hopeless this MC was.
Overall Rating: A DNF a total and complete fail on the part of the leading lady. Shame. If you’re interested in a YA book about politics try The Wrong Side of Right by Jen Marie Thorne, The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, or All American Girl by Meg Cabot. Do not read this one, unless irrational main characters don’t bother you.
This book makes me want to drink.
I am really starting to think there is something wrong with me. The last three reads have been DNF’s. And I HATE DNFing, especially where the premises of the book seems to indicate that I should really like this book.
I didn’t though.
The main female character was just hideous.
Remember Rachel Berry in the first season of Glee and Tracey Flick in Election, this MC is even more EXTREME than they were.
Yeah, I couldn’t stomach her point of view that was probably the biggest reason I DNF’d it.
Technically speaking, the book was readable enough if you could get past how unrealistic Katie and to a lesser extent Drew were.
I guess I should talk about the elephant (ha, ha, political pun) in the room: Katie.
As I said before, completely ridiculous from her copy-cat Jackie O infamous pink suits, to claiming she looks like Christmas with her green eyes and red suits. I wanted to roll my eyes. Does that mean I look like Christmas too anytime I wear red since I have green eyes too?
Please.
Half of the shit she gets herself into wouldn’t happen in real life because the campaign would have a PR person on staff to tell her it’s not a good idea to wear an imitation of the outfit that Jacqueline Kennedy wore when her husband was killed-especially when you’re a Republican. Or for that matter, a replica of the suit that Nancy Reagan wore. Then again, look at some of the stupid things that have been going on this election cycle-see Donald Trump and Ben Carson.
So maybe Katie is a realistic spawn of a GOP candidate.
Okay, probably not.
I couldn’t handle it. Maybe her behavior would be explained by the end, but I really doubt it.
Drew on the other hand is the stereotypical My-Parents-Are-Ruining-My-Life teen. He’s not that bad, but I rolled my eyes when he started ranting about being rich. BUT at the same time, I could see a kid whose parents are involved in politics acting like him instead of Katie.
God, Katie.
SMH.
The plot itself didn’t seem bad. The If Only series has simple little rom com plots, and this book falls into the series premises perfectly. The problem is that it falls into a lot of pitfalls that a lot of these books do-half baked Disney Chanel like romances.
Unless Drew was the boy at the beginning of the book (which my Book Psychic senses are telling me he was), I didn’t see them interact. I didn’t want to because I already had an inkling how squirm inducing it was going to be since Katie’s one other interaction with a guy was embarrassing at best.
Socially awkward characters can be good, but squirm inducing socially awkward characters aren’t so good. If Katie made Katie Couric cry I can only bet it was because Couric felt sad at how hopeless this MC was.
Overall Rating: A DNF a total and complete fail on the part of the leading lady. Shame. If you’re interested in a YA book about politics try The Wrong Side of Right by Jen Marie Thorne, The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, or All American Girl by Meg Cabot. Do not read this one, unless irrational main characters don’t bother you.
September 7, 2018
Don’t worry, I’ve got a lot to say about this one.
RTC
RTC
October 21, 2015
When I first saw the premise for this book, I knew I had to have it! I absolutely loved the idea of Katie and Drew falling for one another, even though they really shouldn't because of the fact that their parents are running for opposing political parties. That definitely makes for some interesting tension! I really felt this book had so much potential, but unfortunately I had issues with the characters and the overall feel of the book.
Katie was a very hard character to like for me. Her personality is too naïve and incredibly over the top, which made it hard to actually find her believable. She has grown up on the campaign trail with her father and loves being in the limelight. However, she acted pretentious to me and I couldn't believe some of the things that actually came out of her mouth. Telling some crazy teen girls to "Unhand him!" was a bit farfetched, I don't care how naïve and sheltered she is. She still goes to high school, so surely she's learned how to interact with her peers. Her immaturity and naiveté was just too much for me. As was her constant use of exclamations. I did like Drew though. Where Katie would do anything to be in the spotlight with her father, Drew hid from it. He doesn't want to be this famous figure at school. He just wants to be normal.
When Katie and Drew are slotted to go on this morning show together, Drew backs out, claiming he doesn't want to. However, Katie totally calls him on it, and the gauntlet has been thrown. While the two start out not particularly impressed with one another, they end up spending time together and find that the other isn't so bad, which leads to them falling for one another. Some of their scenes were cute, but Katie just grated on my nerves because she could ruin the best moments by bringing politics into them with the whole "My dad is going to win the election!"
I had some trouble with the pacing in this book. It took me awhile to get invested and it felt as if everything was very surface level, where I would have preferred to see more depth. The feel of the book was a bit younger than I'd like also. There is a scene in the beginning of the book where a cute guy acts interested in Katie and asks her out on a date. She agrees and he walks her to class and she is all "I think I have a boyfriend!" It just read as very juvenile for the age group and I almost felt it were more middle grade than young adult.
I really liked the whole bit about Katie and Drew having met one another once when they were younger and I really wish that were expanded upon more because it was cute.
Overall, this was not a book for me. The storyline is brilliant and as I said before it had a lot of potential, but I felt the problem lay with the actual execution, as well as the characterization.
*Received a copy of this book via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
Katie was a very hard character to like for me. Her personality is too naïve and incredibly over the top, which made it hard to actually find her believable. She has grown up on the campaign trail with her father and loves being in the limelight. However, she acted pretentious to me and I couldn't believe some of the things that actually came out of her mouth. Telling some crazy teen girls to "Unhand him!" was a bit farfetched, I don't care how naïve and sheltered she is. She still goes to high school, so surely she's learned how to interact with her peers. Her immaturity and naiveté was just too much for me. As was her constant use of exclamations. I did like Drew though. Where Katie would do anything to be in the spotlight with her father, Drew hid from it. He doesn't want to be this famous figure at school. He just wants to be normal.
When Katie and Drew are slotted to go on this morning show together, Drew backs out, claiming he doesn't want to. However, Katie totally calls him on it, and the gauntlet has been thrown. While the two start out not particularly impressed with one another, they end up spending time together and find that the other isn't so bad, which leads to them falling for one another. Some of their scenes were cute, but Katie just grated on my nerves because she could ruin the best moments by bringing politics into them with the whole "My dad is going to win the election!"
I had some trouble with the pacing in this book. It took me awhile to get invested and it felt as if everything was very surface level, where I would have preferred to see more depth. The feel of the book was a bit younger than I'd like also. There is a scene in the beginning of the book where a cute guy acts interested in Katie and asks her out on a date. She agrees and he walks her to class and she is all "I think I have a boyfriend!" It just read as very juvenile for the age group and I almost felt it were more middle grade than young adult.
I really liked the whole bit about Katie and Drew having met one another once when they were younger and I really wish that were expanded upon more because it was cute.
Overall, this was not a book for me. The storyline is brilliant and as I said before it had a lot of potential, but I felt the problem lay with the actual execution, as well as the characterization.
*Received a copy of this book via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
October 20, 2015
This book is set up perfectly to come out in the middle of a very political year for the U.S.. It's so easy to imagine this book actually happening right now.
Katie is red. Republican all the way and in full support of her father's run for president of the United States. Drew is the son of the Democratic nominee for president. And while he isn't into politics like Katie is, he still finds himself in the middle of all kinds of media attention.
These characters felt really young to me. Maybe even younger than the 16 years they were supposed to be. Katie is socially awkward and a bit naive when it comes to making friends and talking to boys but she is also endearing. Katie and Drew form a new kind of friendship that takes some navigation because they are on opposing sides of a very big election.
I liked that Katie and Drew developed more of a friendship than a romantic connection. It seemed very appropriate for two sixteen year olds. Even when the storm of misunderstanding came, it still felt very on point for the age.
This was a sweet story of a boy and a girl and first love.
Content: some kissing
Katie is red. Republican all the way and in full support of her father's run for president of the United States. Drew is the son of the Democratic nominee for president. And while he isn't into politics like Katie is, he still finds himself in the middle of all kinds of media attention.
These characters felt really young to me. Maybe even younger than the 16 years they were supposed to be. Katie is socially awkward and a bit naive when it comes to making friends and talking to boys but she is also endearing. Katie and Drew form a new kind of friendship that takes some navigation because they are on opposing sides of a very big election.
I liked that Katie and Drew developed more of a friendship than a romantic connection. It seemed very appropriate for two sixteen year olds. Even when the storm of misunderstanding came, it still felt very on point for the age.
This was a sweet story of a boy and a girl and first love.
Content: some kissing
April 16, 2018
Content: clean (mild innuendo)
October 22, 2015
When I first started this book, I was ridiculously excited to see Connecticut mentioned. Yippee! Let's just say there aren't many books that take place in CT. And to have the author from Connecticut as well?! I love reading books that may talk about things so close to home. So yeah, this book got major points for location. I don't usually enjoy books about politics, but this was one that I really wanted to check out, so I decided to give it a go. Buuuut the Connecticut reference was really all it had going for it, at least in my opinion. I don't want to be too harsh, so I'll try to discuss this book as nicely AND honestly as I possibly can.
Katie is not your typical teenager. She's been helping her father in his campaign for President, basically spending her entire life in politics. Though she is in school, she doesn't live a normal teenage life. She thinks and acts like a business woman, and even dresses like one. She's most often in a suit... a pink one, to be exact. The only "fun" thing she does is runs a blog, which ends almost as quickly as it started. Drew is also a teenager living the life of politics. His mother is also running for president. He tries not to be as involved as she would like him to be. He wants to be a normal teenager and not be taken over by her Presidential campaigning. Katie and Drew meet when they're both asked to appear on a morning talk show. From there, they find they actually have a few things in common and they start to build a friendship.
Sounds pretty cute, right? I really thought it would be. But I had a number of issues with it. First, Katie was tough to life at first. She did end up growing on me, but the way she thought and acted so much like an adult was difficult for me. Since this was her character and was expected, I started to appreciate her personality a little more as the story progressed. Drew, on the other hand, bothered me quite a bit. Drew was supposed to be a typical teenager, yet he talked and acted like a thirty-something year old. It was hard for me to accept that he was a teenager. It came across way too strongly that an adult was writing this book. These teenage characters had almost zero teenage characteristics, and this made it extremely difficult for me to buy this story.
Another thing that really bothered me was the coincidence that BOTH of these Presidential candidates lived in Connecticut. I know, not really a huge deal... but a little too convenient? I think so.
Though I didn't really care for either character, I found myself enjoying Katie much more than Drew. This surprised me, as I really thought I would like Drew better. But as the story progressed, his character became more and more unrealistic. And let's also mention his BFF, Sandy. I felt like this story was supposed to stress how wonderful of a friend Sandy was to Drew... but I just didn't see it. Where was this awesome friendship that was being referred to?
At some points, this was a very cute story. I didn't hate it, and it was enjoyable here and there. It just wasn't the book for me. I had more issues with it than I thought I would. I'm so bummed about this since I have been enjoying this If Only... Series so much. This one just didn't work for me. Can't love 'em all, right?
(Thanks to Bloomsbury USA Childrens for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
August 7, 2016
Sometimes your brain just needs fluff. And after all the Serious Issues books I read last week, I thought this might fit the bill on the fluff front, seeing as all the students seem to love this series. And the premise for this was pretty cute - daughter of the Republican presidential candidate and son of the Democratic presidential candidate both think the other one sucks until they actually spend time together and find out that there's some serious chemistry going on, which leads to smoochy times.
Unfortunately, where this book was let down was Katie's character. It's a split narrative, and Drew's parts were...bland, but fine. Katie's, on the other hand, were a big ol' hot mess. She's basically a fussy middle aged woman trapped in the body of a 16 year old.
She has literally no friends besides her cat. She gives her father pep talks before every speech he does. She basically runs his campaign. And she spends her entire life either in school uniform or in little Nancy Reagan style suits. Like, in the course of the book, Drew invites her to hang out and she HAS TO GO AND BUY JEANS AND A T-SHIRT AND SNEAKERS BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T OWN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. And she only manages to buy those things because her Secret Service agent, Kent, picks them out for her.
She also talks like a robot, and for the first half of the book, she only ever refers to Drew as "the boy". Which is weird. Aaaaand when she's not talking like a robot, she sounds like a twelve year old. Like, she has no idea what a landline phone is, a boy walks her to class and she thinks "I think I have a boyfriend!", and she seems genuinely surprised that soft drink is carbonated. And yet she's supposed to be this incredible political analyst that her father relies on constantly? Uh, no.
Essentially, this book gets a star for a fun premise and a star for Drew being a vaguely decent character. And negative infinity stars for Katie's existence because she's the worst.
Unfortunately, where this book was let down was Katie's character. It's a split narrative, and Drew's parts were...bland, but fine. Katie's, on the other hand, were a big ol' hot mess. She's basically a fussy middle aged woman trapped in the body of a 16 year old.
She has literally no friends besides her cat. She gives her father pep talks before every speech he does. She basically runs his campaign. And she spends her entire life either in school uniform or in little Nancy Reagan style suits. Like, in the course of the book, Drew invites her to hang out and she HAS TO GO AND BUY JEANS AND A T-SHIRT AND SNEAKERS BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T OWN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. And she only manages to buy those things because her Secret Service agent, Kent, picks them out for her.
She also talks like a robot, and for the first half of the book, she only ever refers to Drew as "the boy". Which is weird. Aaaaand when she's not talking like a robot, she sounds like a twelve year old. Like, she has no idea what a landline phone is, a boy walks her to class and she thinks "I think I have a boyfriend!", and she seems genuinely surprised that soft drink is carbonated. And yet she's supposed to be this incredible political analyst that her father relies on constantly? Uh, no.
Essentially, this book gets a star for a fun premise and a star for Drew being a vaguely decent character. And negative infinity stars for Katie's existence because she's the worst.
November 12, 2015
FTC Disclosure: I received a free eARC of this book from Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review.
A full version of this review can be read on my blog, The Hardcover Lover. A small excerpt can be seen below:
Red Girl, Blue Boy by Lauren Baratz-Logsted was not a home run for me, but it had its enjoyable moments. I really enjoyed Drew as a character, and I liked his voice throughout the novel. If anything, I feel like he saved the book from true disaster. I also started to enjoy the romance between Katie and Drew, but then Baratz-Logsted ruins it just when I was starting to really enjoy it. (No... I won't spoil you, but if you read it, be prepared for a huge event that changes everything when the book is almost over.) I'd recommend Red Girl, Blue Boy to younger YA readers because of the fluffy nature of the book. It's a book that I think middle school students would enjoy reading, and I think it would help spark an interest in politics, especially because the 2016 election is almost here. I'd also recommend this If Only . . . title to fans of romantic comedy films because it feels very much like one.
A full version of this review can be read on my blog, The Hardcover Lover. A small excerpt can be seen below:
Red Girl, Blue Boy by Lauren Baratz-Logsted was not a home run for me, but it had its enjoyable moments. I really enjoyed Drew as a character, and I liked his voice throughout the novel. If anything, I feel like he saved the book from true disaster. I also started to enjoy the romance between Katie and Drew, but then Baratz-Logsted ruins it just when I was starting to really enjoy it. (No... I won't spoil you, but if you read it, be prepared for a huge event that changes everything when the book is almost over.) I'd recommend Red Girl, Blue Boy to younger YA readers because of the fluffy nature of the book. It's a book that I think middle school students would enjoy reading, and I think it would help spark an interest in politics, especially because the 2016 election is almost here. I'd also recommend this If Only . . . title to fans of romantic comedy films because it feels very much like one.
November 20, 2015
I'm normally a very big fan of the If Only... series, so it was kind of a bummer to realize that I just didn't see Red Girl, Blue Boy as being in the same league.
On paper, the premise for Red Girl, Blue Boy is sound: sixteen-year-olds Drew and Katie's parents are running for president. Drew's mom is a Democrat, and Katie's father is a Republican, so they're bound to hate each other, right? Nope.
Instead, thanks to some random twists of fate, the two of them end up befriending each other after an awkward TV interview and falling for each other. But like anything in politics, their lives are public. So how can the two of them date, when their parents are running against each other for the highest office in land?
Aweosme, right? Weeeelllll... it would have been, if it wasn't for the sheer cluelessness of Katie's character.
Katie is in a word, unrealistic. While I can definitely understand what Lauren Baratz-Logsted was trying to achieve with Katie's single-minded focus on politics, Baratz-Logstead failed pretty hard. Rather than a rigid, laser-focused character who only lives and breathes the idea of winning at all costs -think Reese Witherspoon in Election - Baraz-Logstead gave us a girl who is moderately educated about PR decorum, but so clueless about the actual PR/policy aspects of politics and normal teenaged life, it was actually a little painful to read.
E.g. Baratz-Logsted tries to have us believe that Katie is a political dynamo, who quotes The Godfather to her father, and gives him the idea for a winning strategy for an earlier campaign, in one of the flashbacks/recollections in the book.
While this is moderately believable - though, in reality, her father would have been spending WAY more money for WAY better political advice, especially for a congressional campaign - Katie immediately counters any common sense by admitting later in the book that she's never gone shopping before, and also admitting that she gets love advice from movies like High School Musical.
No, just no. I think even the most introverted of people would find this silly. Even if Katie never got out and experienced life, there are such things like online ordering and Netflix. She'd know about teenaged life, even if she never experienced it for herself.
SO it was definitely difficult to see the fairly well-adjusted Drew fall for her, and even more difficult to see how the American public would buy their relationship. Also, throw in the fact that Baraz-Logsted clearly has no idea how a political campaign works...
This wasn't the book for me.
If you want a great political YA book, go check out The Wrong Side of Right.
Can't recommend, unless you are seriously hoping for a brain candy fix.
On paper, the premise for Red Girl, Blue Boy is sound: sixteen-year-olds Drew and Katie's parents are running for president. Drew's mom is a Democrat, and Katie's father is a Republican, so they're bound to hate each other, right? Nope.
Instead, thanks to some random twists of fate, the two of them end up befriending each other after an awkward TV interview and falling for each other. But like anything in politics, their lives are public. So how can the two of them date, when their parents are running against each other for the highest office in land?
Aweosme, right? Weeeelllll... it would have been, if it wasn't for the sheer cluelessness of Katie's character.
Katie is in a word, unrealistic. While I can definitely understand what Lauren Baratz-Logsted was trying to achieve with Katie's single-minded focus on politics, Baratz-Logstead failed pretty hard. Rather than a rigid, laser-focused character who only lives and breathes the idea of winning at all costs -think Reese Witherspoon in Election - Baraz-Logstead gave us a girl who is moderately educated about PR decorum, but so clueless about the actual PR/policy aspects of politics and normal teenaged life, it was actually a little painful to read.
E.g. Baratz-Logsted tries to have us believe that Katie is a political dynamo, who quotes The Godfather to her father, and gives him the idea for a winning strategy for an earlier campaign, in one of the flashbacks/recollections in the book.
While this is moderately believable - though, in reality, her father would have been spending WAY more money for WAY better political advice, especially for a congressional campaign - Katie immediately counters any common sense by admitting later in the book that she's never gone shopping before, and also admitting that she gets love advice from movies like High School Musical.
No, just no. I think even the most introverted of people would find this silly. Even if Katie never got out and experienced life, there are such things like online ordering and Netflix. She'd know about teenaged life, even if she never experienced it for herself.
SO it was definitely difficult to see the fairly well-adjusted Drew fall for her, and even more difficult to see how the American public would buy their relationship. Also, throw in the fact that Baraz-Logsted clearly has no idea how a political campaign works...
This wasn't the book for me.
If you want a great political YA book, go check out The Wrong Side of Right.
Can't recommend, unless you are seriously hoping for a brain candy fix.
October 15, 2015
They say fiction imitates life. This seems to be true of the latest in Bloomsbury’s “If Only” line. The fifth novel is like a backdoor snapshot of political life, only it’s seen through the eyes of two sixteen-year-olds. In this case it’s Katie, daughter of the republican candidate for president and Drew, son of the democratic candidate. The two meet while participating in a joint television interview, and wind up spending the day together. What they discover they like is getting to know each other without the pressures of their parents campaigns, which may be exactly what will end up driving them apart.
If looked at as a contemporary novel readers can read and enjoy without wondering what kind of twists are coming in the flip of a page, this novel is darling. There’s lots of typical teenage romance and it’s quite sweet. I liked that about this. But as with everything, there were some things I wasn’t quite as fond of. For example, I often found the dialogue to be forced or perhaps, more accurate, it doesn’t come across as “natural.” That being said, I realize this is an ARC copy of the novel and as such, the final print might have the benefit of last-minute changes. I also didn’t connect with the characters as I’d have liked. Perhaps it’s because, in fairness to the characters, these teens act more their age than some of the other YA books I’ve read, and given how far removed I am from that age-group, perhaps this made a difference?
Opposing this very argument, I will say I did get a kick out of Katie’s lack of understanding for certain pop culture references. This made for a cute subplot, and I quite enjoyed experiencing Katie’s attempts to understand or be a part of the cultures she was unfamiliar with. Much of her knowledge came from movies (not because she’d been kept away from the world, rather because she had been so laser-focused on her father’s campaign) as opposed to living and experiencing life. At this pivotal time in America’s politics, this read will certainly suit the nation’s mood. It fits in perfectly with the time and decisions we’re in need of making. I will say (in my opinion), one party is put down more than the other, subtle though it may be. If that’s something that might bother a potential reader, just be aware it’s in the story. Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It’s a wholesome story that cuts out the bad of teenage life and keeps to its fun scenario, focusing on the plot as seen from the eyes of candidate’s children. I’m looking forward to reading more in this line, both those that came before and any that might follow.
Sincere thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary ARC e- copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
If looked at as a contemporary novel readers can read and enjoy without wondering what kind of twists are coming in the flip of a page, this novel is darling. There’s lots of typical teenage romance and it’s quite sweet. I liked that about this. But as with everything, there were some things I wasn’t quite as fond of. For example, I often found the dialogue to be forced or perhaps, more accurate, it doesn’t come across as “natural.” That being said, I realize this is an ARC copy of the novel and as such, the final print might have the benefit of last-minute changes. I also didn’t connect with the characters as I’d have liked. Perhaps it’s because, in fairness to the characters, these teens act more their age than some of the other YA books I’ve read, and given how far removed I am from that age-group, perhaps this made a difference?
Opposing this very argument, I will say I did get a kick out of Katie’s lack of understanding for certain pop culture references. This made for a cute subplot, and I quite enjoyed experiencing Katie’s attempts to understand or be a part of the cultures she was unfamiliar with. Much of her knowledge came from movies (not because she’d been kept away from the world, rather because she had been so laser-focused on her father’s campaign) as opposed to living and experiencing life. At this pivotal time in America’s politics, this read will certainly suit the nation’s mood. It fits in perfectly with the time and decisions we’re in need of making. I will say (in my opinion), one party is put down more than the other, subtle though it may be. If that’s something that might bother a potential reader, just be aware it’s in the story. Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It’s a wholesome story that cuts out the bad of teenage life and keeps to its fun scenario, focusing on the plot as seen from the eyes of candidate’s children. I’m looking forward to reading more in this line, both those that came before and any that might follow.
Sincere thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary ARC e- copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
December 23, 2015
That was cute! Full review to come.
Originally posted on Small Review
Sometimes I'm in the mood for a cute, fluffy YA romance and that is exactly what Red Girl, Blue Boy gave me. Part of the "If Only" series of standalone romances, this installment focuses on Kat (the Republican candidate's daughter) and Drew (the Democrat candidate's son) and their adorable hate-turned-love-turned-hate-turned love romance.
I was a little worried politics would dominate this book, but Lauren Baratz-Logsted did a stellar job including enough of a political backdrop to make the premise feel relevant, but played it pretty neutral when it came to actual politics. It shouldn't really matter what side of the political spectrum the reader falls on when it comes to enjoying the story.
The chapters alternate between Drew and Kat's first-person narratives and their voices are both distinct and likable. Kat reminded me of Caroline Forbes from The Vampire Diaries or Elle Wood from Legally Blonde. She's an up-beat go-getter who definitely marches to the beat of her own drummer. Her loneliness and disconnect from kids her own age was sad and really made me feel for her. I couldn't help but like her.
Drew was sweet and likable, but I more liked him for how he treated Kat. He was definitely good for her and I was so happy to see him get her and help her out when no one else did. Kat's secret service man was another nice addition and it was sweet seeing the three of them together.
The book isn't perfect, but it fell short in the ways this genre of book always falls short for me. The premise was pretty contrived and unbelievable. The extent of Kat's cluelessness was over the top for the sake of the plot. The staged misunderstandings were obvious and the big save at the end came out of nowhere.
But none of that matters. I don't read these books to scrutinize the plot or character development. I read them to latch onto characters I can enjoy spending a few hours with as I swoon over their will-they-won't-they (they totally will) romance. And for that purpose, Red Girl, Blue Boy definitely delivered.
Originally posted on Small Review
Originally posted on Small Review
Sometimes I'm in the mood for a cute, fluffy YA romance and that is exactly what Red Girl, Blue Boy gave me. Part of the "If Only" series of standalone romances, this installment focuses on Kat (the Republican candidate's daughter) and Drew (the Democrat candidate's son) and their adorable hate-turned-love-turned-hate-turned love romance.
I was a little worried politics would dominate this book, but Lauren Baratz-Logsted did a stellar job including enough of a political backdrop to make the premise feel relevant, but played it pretty neutral when it came to actual politics. It shouldn't really matter what side of the political spectrum the reader falls on when it comes to enjoying the story.
The chapters alternate between Drew and Kat's first-person narratives and their voices are both distinct and likable. Kat reminded me of Caroline Forbes from The Vampire Diaries or Elle Wood from Legally Blonde. She's an up-beat go-getter who definitely marches to the beat of her own drummer. Her loneliness and disconnect from kids her own age was sad and really made me feel for her. I couldn't help but like her.
Drew was sweet and likable, but I more liked him for how he treated Kat. He was definitely good for her and I was so happy to see him get her and help her out when no one else did. Kat's secret service man was another nice addition and it was sweet seeing the three of them together.
The book isn't perfect, but it fell short in the ways this genre of book always falls short for me. The premise was pretty contrived and unbelievable. The extent of Kat's cluelessness was over the top for the sake of the plot. The staged misunderstandings were obvious and the big save at the end came out of nowhere.
But none of that matters. I don't read these books to scrutinize the plot or character development. I read them to latch onto characters I can enjoy spending a few hours with as I swoon over their will-they-won't-they (they totally will) romance. And for that purpose, Red Girl, Blue Boy definitely delivered.
Originally posted on Small Review
July 5, 2015
This was sort of a mixed bag for me. I was surprised to find I actually liked Katie a whole lot better than Drew. She's just so over-the-top as an out-of-touch, single-track-minded character, it was a lot of fun to read a voice that different, especially in a female character. Oddly, I found her teen voice more believable than Drew's, in that she wasn't really supposed to sound like one, but he clearly was, and I didn't buy it. It was very hard to forget this book was written by an adult, with references to stuff like Casanova and Napoleon Dynamite. Add to that the idea of candidates from the same state with similar beliefs who genially work together, and I think it just required too much suspension of disbelief. There's cute fluffy fun and then there's a book you're a little afraid for teens to read because you don't want them to get ill informed about how things work, and this dipped dangerously into the latter. (Plus, Sandy sucked. Why is he presented as a great friend when he repeatedly screws up Drew's life? Why do the incredibly untrustworthy things he does get glossed over like they're no big deal, and the suggestion is that he's earned more trust than has been placed in him? Because that is highly inaccurate, IMO.)
It was a fun read in some ways, and certainly a fast one, and Drew's extra-short chapters were cute, but this is definitely for a younger teen audience than I usually like, in a way that bothers me because I think it relies a little too much on a lack of education.
It was a fun read in some ways, and certainly a fast one, and Drew's extra-short chapters were cute, but this is definitely for a younger teen audience than I usually like, in a way that bothers me because I think it relies a little too much on a lack of education.
April 21, 2015
The Offspring received the ARC from the author, whom they have adored since Annie's Adventures, which they got to read in manuscript (!). Since everyone else was in the middle of something, I got dibs. Such fun! Enough snark to appeal to fans of The Daily Show and enough heart for those who adore The Princess Dairies.
The book is set during a presidential campaign, so it is more focused on that than on issues, although it does lean more towards the purpose of electing people to work on a more perfect union. Since students tend to consider politics as unrelated to them, it's a pleasure to see a character opening to how the horse race ties in to the actual lives of the citizenry. But that's just me politically geeking out.
What I especially like is that the developing relationship is about creating a friendship with someone who is also attractive.
In all, a zippy, charming read that should appeal to readers on both sides of the aisle. Loved it.
The book is set during a presidential campaign, so it is more focused on that than on issues, although it does lean more towards the purpose of electing people to work on a more perfect union. Since students tend to consider politics as unrelated to them, it's a pleasure to see a character opening to how the horse race ties in to the actual lives of the citizenry. But that's just me politically geeking out.
What I especially like is that the developing relationship is about creating a friendship with someone who is also attractive.
In all, a zippy, charming read that should appeal to readers on both sides of the aisle. Loved it.
dnf
November 9, 2015Pages read: 153
I'm marking this as DNF for now. I just can't take Katie anymore. She doesn't know what a landline phone is? I know they aren't popular now but she's never see one in 16 years?! And can't figure it out even when someone is using it? This is definitely personal preference and I can see people enjoying this as a super cute, fluffy, young romance, but I just can't stand spoiled, obnoxious, supposedly smart characters who are actually really dumb. And yes, I get that she hasn't been around kids much and all of that but she's really over the top. And Drew is only slightly better. Maybe I'll return to this someday to see how it turns out but for now, I'd rather read something else.
I'm marking this as DNF for now. I just can't take Katie anymore. She doesn't know what a landline phone is? I know they aren't popular now but she's never see one in 16 years?! And can't figure it out even when someone is using it? This is definitely personal preference and I can see people enjoying this as a super cute, fluffy, young romance, but I just can't stand spoiled, obnoxious, supposedly smart characters who are actually really dumb. And yes, I get that she hasn't been around kids much and all of that but she's really over the top. And Drew is only slightly better. Maybe I'll return to this someday to see how it turns out but for now, I'd rather read something else.
June 30, 2016
Let's not talk about the fact that I read this book, or that I actually had to make a second trip to the library for it since I ran out of renewals available for it.
Let's not talk about the crappy writing or the unrealistic story.
Let's not even talk about the terrible characters and their extremely predictable, over-the-top romance. Or that I had flashbacks to Bella and Edward days, minus the bits of sparkly fluff.
What I want to talk about is the fact that the ending to this awful book was even worse.
Who won the election? The world may never know!
It is infuriating because the terrible political parts of this book were, unfortunately, the most interesting thing about this book. So basically I suffered through all of that for nothing.
What a disappointment.
Let's not talk about the crappy writing or the unrealistic story.
Let's not even talk about the terrible characters and their extremely predictable, over-the-top romance. Or that I had flashbacks to Bella and Edward days, minus the bits of sparkly fluff.
What I want to talk about is the fact that the ending to this awful book was even worse.
Who won the election? The world may never know!
It is infuriating because the terrible political parts of this book were, unfortunately, the most interesting thing about this book. So basically I suffered through all of that for nothing.
What a disappointment.
December 26, 2016
This book was excellent until the end.
This is the journey of 2 teenagers from Conneticut from families of the opposite parties in the presidential election. Although very different personalities and backgrounds, the two fall in love each other in secret. Their relationship takes a turn where their love for each other cracks until healed in the very end.
I really like these types of books and I loved seeing the two change and grow together. However, I felt that Drew forgave Sandy too quickly. Also, it may be just the format of the series, but I really wanted to know who won the election and how Drew and Katie dealt with that, like really? I really want to know and this isn't a cliffhanger but a story running off a cliff.
This is the journey of 2 teenagers from Conneticut from families of the opposite parties in the presidential election. Although very different personalities and backgrounds, the two fall in love each other in secret. Their relationship takes a turn where their love for each other cracks until healed in the very end.
I really like these types of books and I loved seeing the two change and grow together. However, I felt that Drew forgave Sandy too quickly. Also, it may be just the format of the series, but I really wanted to know who won the election and how Drew and Katie dealt with that, like really? I really want to know and this isn't a cliffhanger but a story running off a cliff.
October 27, 2015
**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
More like a 2.5 rating. This book was cute. Nothing too special to report. I did find the main girl character to be a little bit annoying but it was still bearable. The writing also seemed a bit immature but the story was fun. Not my favorite but I've definitely read worse.
More like a 2.5 rating. This book was cute. Nothing too special to report. I did find the main girl character to be a little bit annoying but it was still bearable. The writing also seemed a bit immature but the story was fun. Not my favorite but I've definitely read worse.
March 2, 2016
Checked this out because I wanted to balance out a YA and politics booklist I'm working on with some lighter fare and this looked cute - but the characters are cardboard, the plot is so improbable (like not even Disney Channel possible) and the writing is dull. Awful. I was expecting at least entertaining but no. Bad.
October 6, 2015
FIRST THOUGHTS: 2.75 stars. It was a very cute book, and just what I needed to read on this particular day! Very rom-com.
October 18, 2015
I'm disappointed. Review to come on the blog.
February 5, 2017
A timely topic, but the worst book I have ever read.
March 27, 2022
3.5 stars
Wasn’t a horrible book and still found it enjoyable! After I finished reading I did see a lot of reviews in relation to the characters. Initially I didn’t really understand but when looking back I understand why many found it difficult to relate or ‘connect’ with the characters.
Although the plot of this novel is unrealistic, I still did love the characters’ relationship and was somewhat invested. Even though the events in this book would probably never happen in the real world, I’m a teen that’s a sucker for romance and clichés so I still liked Katie and Drew’s relationship.
SPOILERS
I spent a while throughout reading thinking about the protagonists’ futures and who would win the election (might be just me) so I definitely was let down when it came to how the book ended. I was constantly thinking at the back of my mind about who I thought was going to win Katie’s dad or Drew’s mum and the results of the election weren’t even included in the ending which was a MAJOR letdown for me. Although I did find the last scene with Katie and Drew cute, I would have loved to see at least a glimpse after to know what was going to happen with their relationship after the results of the election!
Wasn’t a horrible book and still found it enjoyable! After I finished reading I did see a lot of reviews in relation to the characters. Initially I didn’t really understand but when looking back I understand why many found it difficult to relate or ‘connect’ with the characters.
Although the plot of this novel is unrealistic, I still did love the characters’ relationship and was somewhat invested. Even though the events in this book would probably never happen in the real world, I’m a teen that’s a sucker for romance and clichés so I still liked Katie and Drew’s relationship.
SPOILERS
I spent a while throughout reading thinking about the protagonists’ futures and who would win the election (might be just me) so I definitely was let down when it came to how the book ended. I was constantly thinking at the back of my mind about who I thought was going to win Katie’s dad or Drew’s mum and the results of the election weren’t even included in the ending which was a MAJOR letdown for me. Although I did find the last scene with Katie and Drew cute, I would have loved to see at least a glimpse after to know what was going to happen with their relationship after the results of the election!
November 11, 2016
Baratz-Logsted, Lauren Red Girl, Blue Boy, 289 pages. Bloomsbury 2015. $17.99. Language: G (0 swears, 0 "f"); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G.
It's election time and republican Katie Willfield can't wait to see her dad in the White House. With the election coming soon, Katie wants nothing more than to help her dad succeed on the presidential campaign trail. Drew Reilly is dreading the upcoming election. With his mom as the democratic candidate Drew would like nothing more than to be left out of all the political craziness. But when Drew and Katie are asked to be on a morning talk show together, love is in the air. Drew and Katie have to decide if love and politics really can mix.
This politically based Romeo meets Juliet story was a delight to read. Katie and Drew are the perfect melding of the old saying "opposites attract". With a presidential election coming up soon, this is one that will really connect with readers and gets my vote as must have for your library.
MS, HS -ESSENTIAL. Gina, Media Specialist
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...
It's election time and republican Katie Willfield can't wait to see her dad in the White House. With the election coming soon, Katie wants nothing more than to help her dad succeed on the presidential campaign trail. Drew Reilly is dreading the upcoming election. With his mom as the democratic candidate Drew would like nothing more than to be left out of all the political craziness. But when Drew and Katie are asked to be on a morning talk show together, love is in the air. Drew and Katie have to decide if love and politics really can mix.
This politically based Romeo meets Juliet story was a delight to read. Katie and Drew are the perfect melding of the old saying "opposites attract". With a presidential election coming up soon, this is one that will really connect with readers and gets my vote as must have for your library.
MS, HS -ESSENTIAL. Gina, Media Specialist
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...
November 15, 2018
Cute premise - the children of two political opponents fall for each other, resulting in teenage and political drama. The set up was nice - switching between perspectives to tell the 'full' story. Sadly, I didn't care for much else. Neither character really clicked with me. The young man, Drew, was much more of a believable character than the young woman, Katie, who came off as shallow, self-serving, and, at times, ditzy, despite the fact that the reader is told that she is a 'seasoned' child of a politician who has helped her father navigate multiple campaigns successfully.
For me, the author's worst offense was the pivotal morning show interview. It was awful - poorly written, awkward from both the interviewer and interviewee perspective, and thus, not at all believable. And yet the author is oblivious to that reality, and the reader is asked to accept that the interview was a smashing success. A hard pill to swallow, which meant that I disconnected after page 47 or so.
Overall, a disappointment. Not a title that I'll be recommending when doing RA work.
For me, the author's worst offense was the pivotal morning show interview. It was awful - poorly written, awkward from both the interviewer and interviewee perspective, and thus, not at all believable. And yet the author is oblivious to that reality, and the reader is asked to accept that the interview was a smashing success. A hard pill to swallow, which meant that I disconnected after page 47 or so.
Overall, a disappointment. Not a title that I'll be recommending when doing RA work.
April 5, 2017
Such a terrible read, yet I also weirdly loved it. The romance was cute and I found myself a little invested in it, however the character's narration could only be described as adults trying to sound like teens. I couldn't help but picture the author patting herself on the back for sounding like "such a teen!"
One massive silver lining is the example of two political parties competing with respect. It was refreshing after 2016's awful election and its ensuing aftermath. Regardless where you stand, everyone can agree that politics have gotten outrageously mean. The Republican and Democratic parties working together and debating amicably was a breath of fresh air. I also really enjoyed that the author doesn't reveal the results of the fictional election, allowing the focus to stay on Katie and Drew.
One massive silver lining is the example of two political parties competing with respect. It was refreshing after 2016's awful election and its ensuing aftermath. Regardless where you stand, everyone can agree that politics have gotten outrageously mean. The Republican and Democratic parties working together and debating amicably was a breath of fresh air. I also really enjoyed that the author doesn't reveal the results of the fictional election, allowing the focus to stay on Katie and Drew.
May 28, 2018
I liked the idea however....
Katie was an annoying character. Her obsession with politics, constant lectures, and use of political jargon, was just the tip of the iceberg. It is hard to believe that she would evolve into such a self-centered sixteen year-old with no knowledge of social customs or fashion sense. Somewhere during her development she would have felt the pain of being friendless and noted the clothing choices of her peers.
Drew was more real and believable and because of him I found myself pulling for their relationship. The cover of the book was not a great choice since his character was the casual, scruffy typical teenager who did not want to play the politics game. Katie was a buttoned up hair in a bun and Jackie O suit girl. The characters on the cover were the complete opposite.
Quick, light read for YA.
Katie was an annoying character. Her obsession with politics, constant lectures, and use of political jargon, was just the tip of the iceberg. It is hard to believe that she would evolve into such a self-centered sixteen year-old with no knowledge of social customs or fashion sense. Somewhere during her development she would have felt the pain of being friendless and noted the clothing choices of her peers.
Drew was more real and believable and because of him I found myself pulling for their relationship. The cover of the book was not a great choice since his character was the casual, scruffy typical teenager who did not want to play the politics game. Katie was a buttoned up hair in a bun and Jackie O suit girl. The characters on the cover were the complete opposite.
Quick, light read for YA.
December 3, 2019
This was a wonderful, clean, hilarious romance novel! I haven't read such a satisfying political romance in a long time, so this was refreshing. While Katie (the main character) does seem a little ignorant at times, her relationship with Drew (the other main character) seems to mellow her out. She learns to appreciate relationships and put aside her fanatical appreciation for politics when she's with Drew. Meanwhile, Drew, who seems to not care at all about politics, becomes a little more knowledgeable about it (via Katie) while at the same time advancing his relationship with Katie. There is not very much detail about their physical relationship (other than the occasional kiss), making this book ideal for younger teens. I would highly recommend this political romance novel to anyone ages 13+.
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