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A Date with Darcy

(Bookish Boyfriends #1)

Tiffany Schmidt (Goodreads Author)

3.67 · Rating details · 2,005 ratings · 496 reviews

Boys are so much better in books. At least according to Merrilee Campbell, fifteen, who thinks real-life chivalry is dead and there’d be nothing more romantic than having a guy woo her like the heroes in classic stories. Then she, her best friend, Eliza, and her younger sister, Rory, transfer to Reginald R. Hero Prep—where all the boys look like they've stepped off the pag ...more

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Paperback, 392 pages

Published May 1st 2018 by Amulet Paperbacks

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Jan 03, 2018 Biz marked it as ummm-what

you tryna tell me that she's read all the classics and the 1 (one) couple out of all those books whose love story she wants to emulate is flipping Romeo and Juliet

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Apr 22, 2018 Carrie rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley

Merrilee Campbell is the star of this young adult contemporary romance read in which this somewhat of a book nerd teen longs for romance like she's read in the classics. Merri is transferring to a new school with her best friend and younger sister and hopes that this year will be different for her.

Starting our at Hero High Merri finds herself studying Romeo and Juliet in class and longing for her own Romeo when she meets Monroe Stratford. Not only is Monroe handsome but he quotes Shakespaere an ...more

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Jan 08, 2018 Scrill rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, romance, contemporary, ya

ARC received from the publisher via Netgalley for a fair review

When Merilee transfers from an all girls school to Reginald R. Hero High she thinks it just might be the place she might meet her personal hero. That is, if they can live up to all the bookish boyfriends she's forever dreaming about. Having herself surrounded by actual Romeo's it seems that Merilee might just be living out one of her favorite love stories of all time.

The Story
Okay, so I was really thrown by this book. Initially when ...more

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Mar 16, 2018 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-books, arc-book-read

If ever I've related more to a character in a YA novel, that character would have to be Merrilee. Never have I laughed and smiled my way through a story so much, simply because I got it. I could feel it because in some ways, I've lived it, maybe not as an adult but definitely as a teenager.

Merrilee is my book character soul mate. She understands it, romance, books, boys, and all.

It's been a long time since I wanted to stay up into the wee hours of the morning reading a YA book but this book ch ...more

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Apr 20, 2018 Sophie Elaina rated it liked it

Shelves: owned-e-arcs, owned-read, 3-star, read-in-2018

This was a very cute, light read! Although I did find it kind of boring at times, and the first half of the book definitely lacked the substance I was hoping for. I feel like in the beginning the protagonist lacked something and that made it hard to connect with her and the story. However the second half of the book took a turn and I very much loved it. Before requesting this title on NetGalley I was very intrigued because - A book about a girl who loves books? Sign me up for that anytime. So yo This was a very cute, light read! Although I did find it kind of boring at times, and the first half of the book definitely lacked the substance I was hoping for. I feel like in the beginning the protagonist lacked something and that made it hard to connect with her and the story. However the second half of the book took a turn and I very much loved it. Before requesting this title on NetGalley I was very intrigued because - A book about a girl who loves books? Sign me up for that anytime. So you could say I was very here for this.

'...I want to figure you out. I'm trying to. You're worth the effort. You're worth...everything.'

Merrilee is a bookworm and enjoys reading about bookish romances much more than the real life experiences. Obsessing over the boys she constantly reads about. Not believing that any relationship could be that great in real life. The book had a couple of strange, I'm going to call them 'magical moments' and I found that to be very interesting. It was almost like the books Merri read started to actually manifest in her life. I honestly found it a little weird to begin with and I think that was because the first one was Romeo and Juliet. The fact the protagonist wanted a Romeo and Juliet kind of love story made me cringe because I hate what that play represents and the references to the play almost made me give up reading early on. However I'm very glad I kept reading because all that was actually addressed and I am so thankful for that! If I was rating the book only on the first half I would not have given it more than one star but it totally got turned around and the author managed to surprise me. It was honestly, pretty excellent I'm not going to lie.

'...he didn't go away. Instead he inhaled deeply and said, "You baffle me." The words rich with emotion...'

There is a hint of insta love but I think it worked well with the storyline, at first the reader obviously isn't aware of the whole story so it's hard to push through if insta love is a deal breaker for you, but I would say if you do start reading and find it a little irritating like I did, to try and push through. In my opinion the story in its entirety was very well put together and I enjoyed the way the author took tropes that I usually hate and make me kind of love them. The second half was much more slow burn and there was tonnes more development and a generous size topping of angst. And you know me, I live for angst so I was definitely happy about that. The plot was slow to an extent but that wasn't a problem for me because I still flew through it, and in the places that it did pick up, it wasn't at all jarring and worked well with the storyline.

'My words were embers and sparks; I couldn't spit them out fast enough, but they still burned.'

The writing was very hard to get used to at the beginning, but I think my problem concerning that was that all my recent reads were very fast paced and there wasn't as many small moments dedicated to smaller things not just the main plot and it just took me a while to get used to that again. But I have to say that I very much enjoyed the slower pace.

'...I glanced at him, at his brown eyes that seemed wide and searching, like I was the word that stood between him and crossword puzzle mastery.'

I adored the exploration of the sister relationships and the familial relationships in general. But my favourite thing without a doubt about the entire book was how strong willed the main character is. The instances that she stands up for herself are very empowering and it was great to see a woman take control and save herself, not get saved by a guy swooping in. I mean there are instances of that too but the parts where Merri sticks up for herself were fabulous!

Overall this was a very conflicting read for me, because on one hand I really didn't like the first half of it while I was reading it but now looking back I understand it better after reading the whole thing, and I'm glad I suffered through those first few chapters because the end result made it worth reading. If you're looking for a light read with hidden depths to get lost in, I would definitely recommend giving this book a try. Keep an eye out for it on it's release date: 1st May 2018!

Thank you to Amulet Paperbacks, Tiffany Schmidt and NetGalley for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

...more

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Aug 16, 2018 Mary-ellen rated it liked it

Probably 3.5 stars.

Two chapters in I was ready to give up on this book. I honestly didn't believe I could read a whole book from this protagonist's point of view. The voice felt forced. The writing was self-conscious. And I wasn't engaged. As I progressed the writing became less obvious and I ended up enjoying it.

A Date with Darcy is essentially a retelling of Pride and Prejudice in an elite school setting. As such, it's pretty predictable. However, from the start I was hoping for a non-Darcy en ...more

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Oct 15, 2017 Emily marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2018-releases

A book about bookish boyfriends that is called Bookish Boyfriends which will probably include a bookish boyfriend to add to an ever-growing list of my bookish boyfriends and that enables me to use the phrase 'Bookish Boyfriends' as often in one sentence as I just did and also has a reference to one of the most classic bookish boyfriends (Mr. Darcy) on the cover?
Sign me up.
And yes, it took me an absurd amount of time to figure out the logistics of that sentence. You're welcome.

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May 10, 2018 A.C. Gaughen rated it it was amazing

Oh. My. GOODNESS!! This book is perfection. I've been a big fan of Schmidt's work since SEND ME A SIGN, and this is Peak Schmidt. The main character, Merrilee, is short, bubbly, and with her nose always in a book, Merri believes in love, romance, and true love's kiss. Which isn't entirely her fault--her parents and older sister all fell in love with the first person they ever kissed, and Merri is looking forward her novel-worthy romance.

But when she starts at a new school, Merri unexpectedly fi ...more

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Apr 29, 2018 Kelly added it

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2018

An absolutely adorable read, following a girl named Merrilee who believes boys are better in books. Until those boys start showing up at school and maybe...aren't as great as she believes them to be.

No need to know Austen to love this, though I suspect readers who are fans of Pride and Prejudice will pick up on some additional things.

Pitch perfect for younger YA readers, too. This reminded me a bit of Avalon High by Meg Cabot, and I think there's a nice pairing to be had there.

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Jan 06, 2018 -`ˏ maci ˎ´˗ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you, Abrams Books, for allowing me to read this extraordinary book!

“Boys are so much better in books.”

It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you haven't read this book yet, you need to. When I say that this book blew me away, I am not lying. I adored Bookish Boyfriends. It plastered a stupid grin on my face for 99.9% of the story. I connected with this book and the characters ...more

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Jul 24, 2019 Amber rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, audiobooks, series-i-wont-finish

Reading Rush 2019
This is the second book I finished that meets the challenge of read a book with 5 or more words in the title.

I thought I would have enjoyed this way more, but it ended up being kind of boring. Also, the audiobook narrator was not great. I hated her voice for the main love interest, which made all the scenes between our MC and LI cringey.

I will not be picking up the next book in the series.

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May 12, 2019 Andrea C. *andreandherbookss* rated it really liked it

This was sooo cute! Loved all the book connections with Pride and Prejudice and Romeo and Juliet! 🤗

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Jul 24, 2018 Irena BookDustMagic rated it liked it

Who wouldn’t want a date with Darcy?
I don’t know… I was never Darcy’s kind of girl (I think Adrian Ivashkov would suit me better) but I’d still want to go on a date with Darcy, just like probably every bookish girl in this world would. Yet, our main protagonist Marrilee had a chance to really live that dream (and thank God she’s just a fictional character, because so many of us would be jealous of her!).

From what I understood, A Date with Darcy came to life in the most amazing way.
Tiffany Schmid ...more

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Nov 13, 2018 Stephanie Wilcox rated it it was ok

Shelves: insta-love, tried-so-hard-and-failed-as-hard, girls-hating-girls, cursed-with-a-love-triangle, ya-contemporary, ya-fantasy, retelling, series

I have incredibly mixed feelings about this book. A Date With Darcy can be fairly easily divided into two acts, the first referencing Romeo and Juliet, and the second Pride and Prejudice, though it can easily be argued that the latter is present throughout the entire novel. The plot follows Merrilee (Merri) Campbell as she begins high school at a Reginald R. Hero Prep (known as Hero High amongst students), alongside her cranky younger sister Aurora (Rory) and "brainy" best friend Eliza. Coincide ...more

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Apr 13, 2018 Stacy Fetters rated it really liked it

"Too bad book boyfriends gave paper cuts when you tried to snuggle.

We have all been in this position where we fall in love and swoon over the dreamy man/woman in a book. You just imagine their arms wrapped around you on the toughest of days and they will make it all better. Sigh!

This book is for all of us who ever had a crush on a book character and wasn't ashamed of it. I'm totally not ashamed to admit that I have may a few bookish men in my life that I wish was real. *cough* Prince Cardan *co ...more

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Apr 24, 2018 Lauren Stoolfire rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, romance, realistic-fiction

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As far as sixteen year-old Merrilee is concerned, boys in books are much better than boys in real life. What she wouldn't give to have a real boy sweep her off of her feet into a whirlwind romance like her favorite book boyfriends. She's about to get the chance of a lifetime when she, her best friend, and her sister start at a prestigious new high school, but things don't always turn out the same way for her as they do for her fav I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As far as sixteen year-old Merrilee is concerned, boys in books are much better than boys in real life. What she wouldn't give to have a real boy sweep her off of her feet into a whirlwind romance like her favorite book boyfriends. She's about to get the chance of a lifetime when she, her best friend, and her sister start at a prestigious new high school, but things don't always turn out the same way for her as they do for her favorite heroines.

Bookish Boyfriends by Tiffany Schmidt sounded like it could be a fun YA contemporary. I have a hard time saying no to a character who loves books. Unfortunately, the first half or so of this story was incredibly grating, and a lot of that is due to Merrilee herself. As a book lover, I really hope I'm not half as annoying as Merrilee to my peers who don't love reading quite so much as I do. I probably gave my eyes quite a work out with all of the rolling they were doing in the sockets, especially as her English class starts studying Romeo & Juliet and Merrilee begins to think she's found her own personal Romeo - not what I'd call a good thing, by the way. The second half of this story is where things really begin to take off. I'd give the second half maybe four stars actually. I loved Merrilee's wake up call. She begins to grow as a character which was great, and a relief to see actually. By the way, I have to say I think I identified the most with Merrilee's English teacher - and that makes me feel pretty dang old. Finally, I liked the element of the events of the books Merrilee's reading seemingly manifesting into her life, but this totally wasn't that kind at all even though I wish it could have been.

Overall, Bookish Boyfriends by Tiffany Schmidt was a serviceable YA Contemporary that begins to pick up way too late to really overcome an annoying opening. Once it does pick up the pace though I found myself actually beginning to enjoy it. I was pleased to see that our main character actually begins to improve and change for the better as the story progressed. If you like bookish characters that prefer their reading material to the real world, you may also want to meet the heroine of Bookish Boyfriend. ...more

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May 05, 2018 Rosanna Threakall rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-releases, sent-for-review

2.5 stars

LOVED the Shakespeare references but ultimately didn't connect.

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Jul 07, 2018 Delores rated it it was amazing

Shelves: humor, faves-of-2018

AHHHHH!!!!!!!!! This was so funny and cute. I definitely need more books like this. It was so sweet and I just wanted to die from cuteness overload through most of it.

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Jul 18, 2017 Mary H marked it as to-read

GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME

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Apr 10, 2020 Kay rated it it was ok

I expected this to be cute and fluffy but in actuality it was just weird and annoying rip

I remember being really excited for this when it came out a couple years ago, and then I never got around to reading it! And now I have and when I picked it up I got all excited again and... then I was massively let down sad disappointment. I mean, when it's literally called "Bookish Boyfriends: A Date With Darcy" how can that not be super awesome? How can that not be amazing and adorable and make my bookwor I expected this to be cute and fluffy but in actuality it was just weird and annoying rip

I remember being really excited for this when it came out a couple years ago, and then I never got around to reading it! And now I have and when I picked it up I got all excited again and... then I was massively let down sad disappointment. I mean, when it's literally called "Bookish Boyfriends: A Date With Darcy" how can that not be super awesome? How can that not be amazing and adorable and make my bookworm heart super happy? Well, let me tell you how.

Merri is super annoying. Right off the bat from, like, chapter two, she started irritating me. She's boy crazy and lives constantly with her head in the clouds off in dreamland. We're told eventually that she's really smart and has like a genius IQ or something, but I find that very hard to believe considering the only thing she ever seems to think about is romance and fiction and boys. Anyways, she's so obsessed with fictional romances that she makes out with a boy without knowing who he is and declares it super swoony romantic love?

This brings me to my next point: 100% instalove. There are... three love interests in this book which I was not expecting and I really didn't like. There's the boy next door, who apparently has an unrequited crush on her, and they both know it, but she doesn't like him back at all, and the book feels the urge to keep pointing out over and over and over how much he likes her even though it also makes clear that there is 0 chance of them getting together and I was just like... why? If anything it just made Merri unlikable.

Both of the other two love interests Merri actually does like... but I can't really say why. I feel like neither of them really have a personality beyond "Romeo" and "Darcy." To be fair, I don't think the original Romeo had a personality either lmao so maybe that worked? Anyways, all the relationships felt like instalove and I couldn't care less about any of them, really.

This book was also way too long. It was like the first half of the book was Romeo and Juliet, and the second half of the book was Pride and Prejudice, and it almost felt like two separate books and I was like okay enough with this Romeo nonsense just get to the Darcy already. Also Merri was like super obsessed with Romeo and Juliet, she was super determined to have this grand Romeo and Juliet-esque romance, and I'm like... girl why?

Apparently she's super well read and she literally wants to be Juliet. This girl is an idiot. She's like 13, she only knew Romeo for like 3 days, and she dies at the end. Also the fact that apparently all the students read Romeo and Juliet in 6th grade and now they're reading it again in 10th grade because the over the top English teacher is like yeeeeessss welllll liiiive ittttt was dumb doesn't Shakespeare have like 1209320394 other better plays?

This brings me to my next point about the book being a retelling of Pride and Prejudice (and also Romeo and Juliet at the beginning)... a really, really, really weird retelling of it that I did not like. The thing is, Merri is reading P&P simultaneously while her live is mirroring the story... and she's aware of it too, which was a bit too... meta? for me. Like it was straight up creepy. She was like... oh no I'm Lizzy when she's run into Darcy at Pemberly! Next Wickham is going to run away with my Lydia I must get home to Lydia! And then, lo and behold, the Lydia character actually does go off with the Wickham character.

I love retellings. But I feel like retellings usually exist in a world where the original fairytale isn't a fairytale, or at least they're not so on the nose with it that the character literally knows that they're living in it? Like 3/4 of the way through the book I started thinking this would have an unexpected magic element like in Again But Better, especially with the way one character was going like YES this Pride and Prejudice is your story you are LIVING it! So I was like, okay, she's going to be revealed to be a fairy godmother or something weird at the end. But that never happened, this was just presented as a completely normal 100% non magical contemporary?

It was just too weird for me. It didn't make sense, and felt underdeveloped, and mostly just weird.

I guess I did enjoy a lot of the bookish references throughout most of the book though, like how it's too bad snuggling with book boyfriends give you paper cuts, and how one of Merri's friends runs a book blog!! There were some pretty cute moments too it was fluffy at times. I complained a lot in this review, but it wasn't the worst thing; I've definitely read way more awful and also problematic books--at least this book isn't really problematic, it's just bad haha.

2 stars ...more

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Jan 18, 2020 Sam! at the bookstore rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: teenage fans of Pride and Prejudice!

Shelves: 4-stars, ibooks

Rating: 4 stars

All I can say is that Jane Austen is a queen, Tiffany Schmidt is a princess, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series! This was such a fun story, taking a twist on not only Pride and Prejudice, but also Romeo and Juliet. The characters were unique and, even though it was set in high school, they weren't immature to the point that I couldn't relate to them. Merri was so adorable and relatable, and Eliza was the best best friend she could ask for. I appreciated how every time ...more

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May 05, 2018 Kayla rated it really liked it

This was just such a relatable cute fluffy contemporary that was so amazing to read. I was highly anticipating this book and now I've read it, I'm so happy it didn't fall flat.

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Mar 30, 2018 Becky rated it liked it

Shelves: standalones, kindle-paperwhite, read-2018, ya, arc, reviewed, romance, 2018-releases

This book was good! It had really good writing, a decently developed plot and some fascinating notions towards the importance of books and what they can give an individual, and how sometimes life can be just like a book (or not)!

The only issue I had with this book was that it just didn’t gel with me for some reason. I can’t explain why - it just didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t really feel like I knew the characters or could relate to them in any way, and I didn’t find the story gripping enoug ...more

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Jun 17, 2018 ☆Dani☆ ☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆ rated it liked it

Shelves: finished-arcs, bibliophile, romance, teen

Man, I was so excited for this novel! I mean who can go wrong with a title like that. Well it did go wrong in a few ways unfortunately. I thought it was cute and fun even though it was a bit slow and it just ended all messy and I can't even describe my feels for this book besides being torn!

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Mar 09, 2018 Sydney rated it liked it

I received this book for free via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I actually really enjoyed this book! I picked it up at first because, come on, how many times had I thought boys are better in books? I just owed it to myself.

Merrilee is such a fun main character. She’s daydreamy and wacky and awkward and to be honest, a complete mess. But I loved her. She was me, in a weird way, and I loved watching her be headstrong.

Her best friend, Eliza, was equally great, although basically her complet I received this book for free via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I actually really enjoyed this book! I picked it up at first because, come on, how many times had I thought boys are better in books? I just owed it to myself.

Merrilee is such a fun main character. She’s daydreamy and wacky and awkward and to be honest, a complete mess. But I loved her. She was me, in a weird way, and I loved watching her be headstrong.

Her best friend, Eliza, was equally great, although basically her completely opposite. While Merrilee was imagination and dreams, Eliza was strictly science. But she is fiercely protective of Merri and loyal to her so you can’t help but like her.

Toby is Merri’s other best friend, and the classic boy next store. Sweet, silly, understanding. I’ll talk more about him later on.

Merri also has two great sisters, and older one Lilly and a younger one Rory. She and Lilly have always been close, but she and Rory have more of a rocky sibling relationship. In a way, it reminded me of my relationship with my sister. They have the sweet sister moments, though, because you can see how the two of them care for each other even though they fight.

Romance wise was where this went a little rocky. It’s basically modeled on Romeo and Juliet and Pride and Prejudice. We get two males in this, and one is the Romeo and one is the Darcy. Romeo (Monroe) is showy and flashy but as Merri recognizes doesn’t let her be herself. I was NOT a fan of their relationship, even in the beginning. Darcy (Fielding) start off basically hating each other, but then they don’t. The only thing I disliked here was it seemed very insta love. One second they’re fighting and the next Fielding is standing at Merri’s locker and proclaiming his like to her??? And I’m sorry, but I’m so rooting for Toby still. I love the Boy Next Door trope. As great as Fielding is. But I have an inkling that Toby and Rory will be a thing, since while Merri’s book was Pride and Prejudice, Rory’s is Little Women. And we all know what happened with that.

(Although to be fair, I also was rooting for Jo and Laurie in that). ...more

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Apr 30, 2018 Kailey Steward rated it it was ok

Shelves: dnf

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was really excited for this book. The premise sounded cute and fun, plus pretty light as well. I thought I would be getting a nice, casual read about a book-loving girl whose life just got touched by a little bit of magic. And I did get that story. I just didn't expect not to want to read it.

After months of trying to get through this story, I had to DNF it. I constantly felt that the reader was getting talked down to. This was n ...more

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Jan 17, 2018 Jen rated it it was amazing

That was adorable and loads of fun! Merrilee’s enthusiasm for all things books, boys, and swoon-worthy romance was palpable. (And completely relatable.) Do your-bookish-self a favor and read it.

*Thank you to Abrams for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.*

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Jun 27, 2018 Eeva rated it it was ok

I wanted to like this book so BADLY! Unfortunately most things about it annoyed me and made me roll my eyes so hard that I almost saw my brain.

1. Names. Merilee, Monroe, FIELDING. Bc YA apparently.
2. The main character is so slappable it's not funny anymore. She's supposed to be super smart with IQ so high it would kill her if she jumped off it and yet she makes the stupidest decissions, misinterpretes what people do/say and then fixated on it, she's boy-obsessed ans she falls in looooooove on h ...more

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Jul 24, 2019 Sophie rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-read, 2018-releases, 4-stars, arcs-read, read-in-2019, 2019-beat-the-backlist-challenge, 2019-contemporary-romance-challenge

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

I'd had this book for over a year before I picked it up, and, honestly, I'm kicking myself for that because it was just so good! I knew going in that there would be some element of Pride and Prejudice retelling - which is my favourite classic, and any retelling will automatically draw me in - but also have a hint of Romeo & Juliet in too. Boy, was that an understatement! Merrilee is starting at a new prestig I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

I'd had this book for over a year before I picked it up, and, honestly, I'm kicking myself for that because it was just so good! I knew going in that there would be some element of Pride and Prejudice retelling - which is my favourite classic, and any retelling will automatically draw me in - but also have a hint of Romeo & Juliet in too. Boy, was that an understatement! Merrilee is starting at a new prestigious school, Reginald R. Hero Prep, because her oldest sister (Lilly) is marrying the son of a senator. Because she and younger sister, Rory, are late additions, and also seem to have skipped the usual waiting list, they have some haters as soon as they start, including the headteacher's son, Fielding. However, Merri is such a prolific reader of romances, and the brooding boy she saw on day one, Monroe, intrigues her, and soon they get together. In English class, with Ms. Gregoire, the books seem to come alive, and while reading Romeo & Juliet, Merri starts to think she is living the play, with her in the titular role, and Monroe playing a very obsessive Romeo. She doesn't connect with the book as much as she, or Ms. Gregoire, wanted, so they decide she should move onto Jane Austen's greatest work. This book connects so much more with Merri, and as she and Fielding overcome their differences, and grow closer, it seems as if she has met her Darcy, after all.

Merri was such a fun character! I loved how wishful she was in her romances, and how much she cared for all of her friends. Eliza, her best female friend, is a genius, and very matter of fact, but they care for each other so much, and being at school together is perfect for them. Merri's male best friend, Toby, is a bit more complicated. He is her next door neighbour, and has had a crush on Merri for years, but is firmly in the friend zone, and it seems to be working. Both Toby and Eliza don't really get on - both too jealous of the attention the other is getting off Merri - but they will be civil for her case. Both of her sisters are wonderful characters too, and I'm glad the second book will be Rory's story, because I have so many questions I need answering about her, especially considering events towards the end of this book. I also need to make a special mention to Ms. Gregoire too, as if I had had an English teacher like her at school, I might have actually liked the subject. She honestly cared about her pupils, and I don't know if she is actually magic or what, but she just understands the pupils so well!

Now, onto the romances. I'll talk about Monroe first, mainly because of how much I hated him. From the get go, he just keeps appearing at Merri's window, and is completely obsessive over her. He's texting all of the time, won't listen to her, and doesn't want to talk; instead he just wants to kiss all of the time. When Merri finally gets rid of him, I wanted to cheer, but that wasn't the last we saw of him. No spoilers, but if you know P&P, you'll probably be able to guess what role he fulfilled, and he did it so well! Fielding, on the other hand, was the perfect Darcy! From the first few connections we see of him and Merri, he insults her, makes a comment about not wanting to see her, is completely aloof, and then embarrasses us all by asking her out in the most insulting manner. When the iconic email arrives, I even felt myself swooning a bit, so completely understand why Merri starts to, too. Every interaction between them is sparking with chemistry, and I just hope in book 2, The Boy Next Story, we see more of them, because they are my OTP for this book, and likely the whole series! ...more

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Jan 04, 2019 Mariana Quesada rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobooks, romance

I think every reader has had a crush with a literary character, and our MC from this one is no exception. Now imagine those crushes and stories came to life and made you the protagonist, dream come true right?

I loved: the entertainment level, the funny bits, the book references and bookworm identification, the characters and the pace.

This was so cute, I feel I would have loved it when I was 16 years-old. As much as it entertained me and made me swoon at times, some bits felt too forced. The para ...more

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About Tiffany Schmidt

Tiffany Schmidt

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Tiffany Schmidt is the author of Send Me a Sign, Bright Before Sunrise, and Hold Me Like a Breath (Once Upon a Crime Family book 1).

She’s found her happily ever after in Pennsylvania with her saintly husband, impish twin boys, and a pair of mischievous puggles.

You can find out more about her and her books at: TiffanySchmidt.com, TiffanySchmidtWrites.Tumblr.com or by following her on Twitter @Tif ...more