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You Were Made For Me
The day I created a boy started out like any other.
Katie didn't mean to create a boy. A boy like a long-lost Hemsworth brother: six-foot tall with floppy hair and eyes like the sky on a clear summer's day; whose lips taste like cookie-dough and whose skin smells like springtime.
A boy who is completely devoted to Katie.
He was meant to be perfect.
But he was never meant to exist.
Katie didn't mean to create a boy. A boy like a long-lost Hemsworth brother: six-foot tall with floppy hair and eyes like the sky on a clear summer's day; whose lips taste like cookie-dough and whose skin smells like springtime.
A boy who is completely devoted to Katie.
He was meant to be perfect.
But he was never meant to exist.
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 11, 2020
19 people are currently reading
3254 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Guillaume
6 books774 followersJenna Guillaume is a journalist and the author of young adult rom-coms What I Like About Me and You Were Made for Me, as well as the novella The Deep End.
Formerly features editor of Girlfriend magazine and editor-at-large for BuzzFeed Australia, Jenna now writes for publications such as BuzzFeed, Junkee, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and MTV News about very important things like pop culture, identity, feminism, social media and her fave OTPs.
Jenna appears regularly as a moderator and panellist at festivals, and also works as a social media consultant with brands such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
In her downtime, Jenna can be found cuddling her dogs, reading fanfic, and spending way too much time on Twitter.
Formerly features editor of Girlfriend magazine and editor-at-large for BuzzFeed Australia, Jenna now writes for publications such as BuzzFeed, Junkee, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and MTV News about very important things like pop culture, identity, feminism, social media and her fave OTPs.
Jenna appears regularly as a moderator and panellist at festivals, and also works as a social media consultant with brands such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
In her downtime, Jenna can be found cuddling her dogs, reading fanfic, and spending way too much time on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
June 26, 2020
Let's summarise. Single Katie wants a dreamboat boyfriend for her very first kiss. So what happens when you wake up in the middle of the night with six feet of solid, yet alluringly strange boy hunk in your bed? Freak the hell out.
A dash of handsomeness, a pinch of blonde dreamy locks, a sprinkle of smoking hot body and generous amounts of kindness and you too can create your very own Guy. Of course there's more to the recipe and lots of sciencey goodness but now Katie has a very real and very much naked Guy in her room, staring at her adoringly and content to live under her bed until she knows what to do with him.
Girl, have at it.
Thankfully Katie can rely on her always dependable friend and next door neighbour Theo to have her back. If it weren't for Guy's weird and wide eyed wonder, no one would believe this tall, handsome hunk of a boy was only hours old. Kate is a natural storyteller and with input from best friend Libby when she starts rambling or using the word tongue far too often than necessary, Katie shares her story about creating the perfect boy.
Katie, Libby and Theo aren't part of the popular clique, in fact she and best friend Libby have been the target of the downright nasty and pretentious Mikayla. Even her maybe, sometimes boyfriend Declan Bell Jones is perfect, if only Katie could steal him from Mikayla's taloned clutches. Katie's had the hots for him as long as she can remember and all of Libby's eye rolling still isn't enough to douse those burning loins. Declan is no Guy and while he may seem nice, he's just another wanker with the need to feel adored. I believe he's also still looking for his spine.
You Were Made For Me is a feel great, laugh out loud romantic comedy, like a nineties teen film that'll have you swooning and peeing a little, regular toilet breaks are highly recommend. It's utterly delightful, a little bit batshit and hilariously funny. We could all use a hefty dose of fun and fluff and this is perfection.
We first meet Katie as she's pining away over the unobtainable boy, you know the type, he's usually popular, his girlfriend is a horrible bitch and he's typically a bit of a dimwit. On a girl's night in, Kate and bestie Libby are pretending to create the ideal guy, Libby ensuring she added a penis because no one deserves plastic genitals. Feeling better about her lack of boyfriend and kissing, Katie tucks her makeshift tiny boyfriend into bed. Sciencey and magical stuffs occur, which I believe is the technical term and that is how you end up with a hunk in your bed. Probably best not to try this at home kids, results may vary.
What ensues is a journey of learning, hard lessons and realising that there's no such thing as perfection, although Guy comes pretty close. A story of friendship, awesome friends, shitty friends and that guy you thought was hot? He's a massive wanker. You Were Made For Me also touches on grief, Theo having lost his mother to cancer. Infidelity, someone can't seem to keep their own tongue in their mouth and body shaming. Theo is often teased by his family and peers for his weight.
I loved the diversity of characters. There is a discussion surrounding sexuality when a character identifies as asexual and aromantic and it was brilliant to see that spoken about on the page so positively. Libby is Filipina Australian, she's intelligent, witty and an incredibly loyal friend. She also experiences taunting and racism at the hands of Mikayla and her minions.
Jenna Guillaume has cemented herself as Australia's young adult romantic comedy author and my love her her knows no bounds. This was absolutely delightful, fun, fluffy and super cute. Also, a handy guide when faced with a large, ridiculously good looking man doll come to life in your bed while you're asleep.
A dash of handsomeness, a pinch of blonde dreamy locks, a sprinkle of smoking hot body and generous amounts of kindness and you too can create your very own Guy. Of course there's more to the recipe and lots of sciencey goodness but now Katie has a very real and very much naked Guy in her room, staring at her adoringly and content to live under her bed until she knows what to do with him.
Girl, have at it.
Thankfully Katie can rely on her always dependable friend and next door neighbour Theo to have her back. If it weren't for Guy's weird and wide eyed wonder, no one would believe this tall, handsome hunk of a boy was only hours old. Kate is a natural storyteller and with input from best friend Libby when she starts rambling or using the word tongue far too often than necessary, Katie shares her story about creating the perfect boy.
Katie, Libby and Theo aren't part of the popular clique, in fact she and best friend Libby have been the target of the downright nasty and pretentious Mikayla. Even her maybe, sometimes boyfriend Declan Bell Jones is perfect, if only Katie could steal him from Mikayla's taloned clutches. Katie's had the hots for him as long as she can remember and all of Libby's eye rolling still isn't enough to douse those burning loins. Declan is no Guy and while he may seem nice, he's just another wanker with the need to feel adored. I believe he's also still looking for his spine.
You Were Made For Me is a feel great, laugh out loud romantic comedy, like a nineties teen film that'll have you swooning and peeing a little, regular toilet breaks are highly recommend. It's utterly delightful, a little bit batshit and hilariously funny. We could all use a hefty dose of fun and fluff and this is perfection.
We first meet Katie as she's pining away over the unobtainable boy, you know the type, he's usually popular, his girlfriend is a horrible bitch and he's typically a bit of a dimwit. On a girl's night in, Kate and bestie Libby are pretending to create the ideal guy, Libby ensuring she added a penis because no one deserves plastic genitals. Feeling better about her lack of boyfriend and kissing, Katie tucks her makeshift tiny boyfriend into bed. Sciencey and magical stuffs occur, which I believe is the technical term and that is how you end up with a hunk in your bed. Probably best not to try this at home kids, results may vary.
What ensues is a journey of learning, hard lessons and realising that there's no such thing as perfection, although Guy comes pretty close. A story of friendship, awesome friends, shitty friends and that guy you thought was hot? He's a massive wanker. You Were Made For Me also touches on grief, Theo having lost his mother to cancer. Infidelity, someone can't seem to keep their own tongue in their mouth and body shaming. Theo is often teased by his family and peers for his weight.
I loved the diversity of characters. There is a discussion surrounding sexuality when a character identifies as asexual and aromantic and it was brilliant to see that spoken about on the page so positively. Libby is Filipina Australian, she's intelligent, witty and an incredibly loyal friend. She also experiences taunting and racism at the hands of Mikayla and her minions.
Jenna Guillaume has cemented herself as Australia's young adult romantic comedy author and my love her her knows no bounds. This was absolutely delightful, fun, fluffy and super cute. Also, a handy guide when faced with a large, ridiculously good looking man doll come to life in your bed while you're asleep.
March 17, 2021
Thank you so much to Publisher Spotlight and Jenna Guillaume for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
"You Were Made For Me" by Jenna Guillaume describes the story of sixteen-year-old Katie Camilleri who just created a boy with Libby, her best friend and at-home scientist. Katie hasn't had her first kiss yet, but that's because she wants it to be with the perfect boy, so she can have the perfect first kiss. And that's where the boy they created, Guy, comes in. Guy had beautiful blue eyes, lips perfect for kissing, blond hair, and a great body. And after Katie and Libby realize they've created a boy, Katie starts to date Guy, and everything seems perfect. But having a fumbled human creation as a boyfriend is pretty complicated since Katie still needs to figure out her feelings toward him and if he actually wants to be with her for who she is, or because he was born made to love her.
This wasn't my favorite read. I was very frustrated while reading this, so I couldn't enjoy this as much as I wanted to. But this novel still had kind of cute moments and little character development that made this somewhat redeemable.
The plot of this novel wasn't very complex at all, but it was still intriguing, at first. Now when I started reading a few pages of this, it felt exactly like the Disney movie "How To Build A Better Boy" and the movie "Weird Science". There were similar themes from both those movies, which makes sense because this novel was inspired by "Weird Science". But even though I was intrigued by the plot and how it was inspired by a movie at the beginning, I got bored and frustrated quick. The whole plot is based on this minuscule problem that is solved when Guy is made, yet it felt like problems kept arising just to add to a flat plot. This isn't horrible, but the problems that arose felt useless and could be easily solved. But of course, they couldn't be because of how Katie handles them.
And the writing only made my problems with the plot worse. I didn't like how even though Katie was narrating the story from a 1'st person perspective, Libby would cut in between certain thoughts to add her opinion or comment. And while I did agree with some of Libby's opinions, I still think that it wasn't needed. And when Katie is the main narrator, she makes juvenile comments that made this harder to read. An example of this is at about 2% through the novel.
"We have the kind of friendship where you can tell the other person anything -anything- and we won't take offense or judge each other.
I mean, we even fart around each other.
That's how you know it's real friendship (Libby)"
This felt juvenile to me, and reminded me of something I would've said in the 4'th grade. This is a recurring theme in this novel, which didn't make it enjoyable. But other than that, the writing wasn't horrible. If anything, it was pretty mediocre and just told the story.
Katie was my least favorite character, and I have a lot to say about her. She was a messy girlie, but not in a good way. Katie always said how she wanted her first kiss to be perfect, and she wanted it with her perfect boyfriend. But when she finally gets this, she's unsatisfied (for some reason), and starts doing all this stuff and gets messy when her life is literally perfect. And one of the messes she started was with Libby when she paid less attention to her, and more to Guy because he was devoted to her and didn't want her to leave. Because of this, Katie didn't even notice what was going on with Libby. Katie has a perfect life, yet she always has to find more and more to satisfy her, when all she needs is right in front of her, and she just needs to open her eyes.
Also, Katie doesn't have a personality or a backbone. All Katie does is fantasize about her perfect kiss with the perfect boyfriend and paint. Oh, and she works at a pharmacy or something. That's it. Other than that, she was just an insecure person who let the stereotypical mean girl, Mikayla, walk all over her. Even though I liked that Libby helps Katie stand up to Mikayla towards the end, I wish that Katie actually believed in how she was and knew what she deserved. Katie's character did evolve towards the end, but not very much.
Libby was a good character who cared for her friend and liked science, but that's about it. There is something revealed towards the end of the book that tells us Libby's sexuality, and I was glad to have that type of representation, but she wasn't really anything else. I was actually more interested in her life than Katie's because we didn't get to learn enough about her personality and who she was without Katie.
Theo was probably my favorite character in the novel because it seemed like his personality actually had substance. He had a tough past and a lot of grief following him, so he really depended on his friendship with Katie. Theo really cared for Katie and always helps her, even when she didn't deserve it and I wouldn't have helped her. But I couldn't stand how I think about two times, the weight he lost was brought up negatively. As in, they were trying to make him feel bad about gaining weight in the past. Theo deserved a lot better than what he got.
Guy knew how to cook, had a "nice body", and was attached to Katie. He didn't have any personality, which is expected since he was magically made in a kitchen by two teenage girls. Guy was made solely for the purpose of giving Katie her first kiss, but he did help her figure out what she wanted. He didn't really develop because there was nothing to develop from the jump.
Supporting Characters
Most of these supporting characters were added to give substance to the story, so they had no personality whatsoever. Alex was Katie's co-worker who was also gay, so yay, ✨representation✨. He was just nosy and wanted to get in Katie's business, which is understandable because she was messy. Mikayla was just a bitter, stereotypical mean girl who messed with Katie for no reason. I didn't understand her motives, and she was just annoying and sad. Declan Bell Jones was a douchebag who excused Mikayla's horrible actions because of her past. He used Katie, and I don't care about him at all. Luke was Katie's older brother, and he was there just to snitch on her, but then remind her he loved her. Katie's parents seemed sexist to me because they gave Katie all these rules about dating Guy (stuff about sex and keeping the door open when they're together), but they didn't do that to Luke when he was dating a year earlier than she was. They just got on my nerves.
Overall, I just wasn't feeling this book. There were too many things that frustrated me in this book or left me feeling blank to be ignored. The characters weren't great, the plot had no substance, and I didn't like the writing or the narrator(s). I would recommend this to someone who wants a quick read with a protagonist who complains about minuscule problems and bland characters.
↠ 3 stars
"You Were Made For Me" by Jenna Guillaume describes the story of sixteen-year-old Katie Camilleri who just created a boy with Libby, her best friend and at-home scientist. Katie hasn't had her first kiss yet, but that's because she wants it to be with the perfect boy, so she can have the perfect first kiss. And that's where the boy they created, Guy, comes in. Guy had beautiful blue eyes, lips perfect for kissing, blond hair, and a great body. And after Katie and Libby realize they've created a boy, Katie starts to date Guy, and everything seems perfect. But having a fumbled human creation as a boyfriend is pretty complicated since Katie still needs to figure out her feelings toward him and if he actually wants to be with her for who she is, or because he was born made to love her.
This wasn't my favorite read. I was very frustrated while reading this, so I couldn't enjoy this as much as I wanted to. But this novel still had kind of cute moments and little character development that made this somewhat redeemable.
The plot of this novel wasn't very complex at all, but it was still intriguing, at first. Now when I started reading a few pages of this, it felt exactly like the Disney movie "How To Build A Better Boy" and the movie "Weird Science". There were similar themes from both those movies, which makes sense because this novel was inspired by "Weird Science". But even though I was intrigued by the plot and how it was inspired by a movie at the beginning, I got bored and frustrated quick. The whole plot is based on this minuscule problem that is solved when Guy is made, yet it felt like problems kept arising just to add to a flat plot. This isn't horrible, but the problems that arose felt useless and could be easily solved. But of course, they couldn't be because of how Katie handles them.
And the writing only made my problems with the plot worse. I didn't like how even though Katie was narrating the story from a 1'st person perspective, Libby would cut in between certain thoughts to add her opinion or comment. And while I did agree with some of Libby's opinions, I still think that it wasn't needed. And when Katie is the main narrator, she makes juvenile comments that made this harder to read. An example of this is at about 2% through the novel.
"We have the kind of friendship where you can tell the other person anything -anything- and we won't take offense or judge each other.
I mean, we even fart around each other.
That's how you know it's real friendship (Libby)"
This felt juvenile to me, and reminded me of something I would've said in the 4'th grade. This is a recurring theme in this novel, which didn't make it enjoyable. But other than that, the writing wasn't horrible. If anything, it was pretty mediocre and just told the story.
Katie was my least favorite character, and I have a lot to say about her. She was a messy girlie, but not in a good way. Katie always said how she wanted her first kiss to be perfect, and she wanted it with her perfect boyfriend. But when she finally gets this, she's unsatisfied (for some reason), and starts doing all this stuff and gets messy when her life is literally perfect. And one of the messes she started was with Libby when she paid less attention to her, and more to Guy because he was devoted to her and didn't want her to leave. Because of this, Katie didn't even notice what was going on with Libby. Katie has a perfect life, yet she always has to find more and more to satisfy her, when all she needs is right in front of her, and she just needs to open her eyes.
Also, Katie doesn't have a personality or a backbone. All Katie does is fantasize about her perfect kiss with the perfect boyfriend and paint. Oh, and she works at a pharmacy or something. That's it. Other than that, she was just an insecure person who let the stereotypical mean girl, Mikayla, walk all over her. Even though I liked that Libby helps Katie stand up to Mikayla towards the end, I wish that Katie actually believed in how she was and knew what she deserved. Katie's character did evolve towards the end, but not very much.
Libby was a good character who cared for her friend and liked science, but that's about it. There is something revealed towards the end of the book that tells us Libby's sexuality, and I was glad to have that type of representation, but she wasn't really anything else. I was actually more interested in her life than Katie's because we didn't get to learn enough about her personality and who she was without Katie.
Theo was probably my favorite character in the novel because it seemed like his personality actually had substance. He had a tough past and a lot of grief following him, so he really depended on his friendship with Katie. Theo really cared for Katie and always helps her, even when she didn't deserve it and I wouldn't have helped her. But I couldn't stand how I think about two times, the weight he lost was brought up negatively. As in, they were trying to make him feel bad about gaining weight in the past. Theo deserved a lot better than what he got.
Guy knew how to cook, had a "nice body", and was attached to Katie. He didn't have any personality, which is expected since he was magically made in a kitchen by two teenage girls. Guy was made solely for the purpose of giving Katie her first kiss, but he did help her figure out what she wanted. He didn't really develop because there was nothing to develop from the jump.
Supporting Characters
Most of these supporting characters were added to give substance to the story, so they had no personality whatsoever. Alex was Katie's co-worker who was also gay, so yay, ✨representation✨. He was just nosy and wanted to get in Katie's business, which is understandable because she was messy. Mikayla was just a bitter, stereotypical mean girl who messed with Katie for no reason. I didn't understand her motives, and she was just annoying and sad. Declan Bell Jones was a douchebag who excused Mikayla's horrible actions because of her past. He used Katie, and I don't care about him at all. Luke was Katie's older brother, and he was there just to snitch on her, but then remind her he loved her. Katie's parents seemed sexist to me because they gave Katie all these rules about dating Guy (stuff about sex and keeping the door open when they're together), but they didn't do that to Luke when he was dating a year earlier than she was. They just got on my nerves.
Overall, I just wasn't feeling this book. There were too many things that frustrated me in this book or left me feeling blank to be ignored. The characters weren't great, the plot had no substance, and I didn't like the writing or the narrator(s). I would recommend this to someone who wants a quick read with a protagonist who complains about minuscule problems and bland characters.
↠ 3 stars
December 18, 2020
3.75 stars
That last scene definitely gained the fourth star in my rating. Without it, this book would have been just okay. I was waiting for it for a long time but I'm not disappointed because it was so freaking cute. I just wish we had more of it and not just the one scene ;) Still, it was a really good ending to a silly book following a girl who managed to create "the perfect boy" from mud by accident.
I have to say, I wasn't really a fan of the main character Katie. I found her very self-centered and she was a bit too obsessed with her first kiss to see what was going on in front of her. She grew a little by the end of the book but it was still a bit annoying before that. Her best friend Theo was a cutie and I want all the happy things for him. As for the mean girl in her school and her cheating boyfriend Declan, I'm sure karma is going to get them one day or another.
Overall, this was a cute read that charmed me with its ending!
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
That last scene definitely gained the fourth star in my rating. Without it, this book would have been just okay. I was waiting for it for a long time but I'm not disappointed because it was so freaking cute. I just wish we had more of it and not just the one scene ;) Still, it was a really good ending to a silly book following a girl who managed to create "the perfect boy" from mud by accident.
I have to say, I wasn't really a fan of the main character Katie. I found her very self-centered and she was a bit too obsessed with her first kiss to see what was going on in front of her. She grew a little by the end of the book but it was still a bit annoying before that. Her best friend Theo was a cutie and I want all the happy things for him. As for the mean girl in her school and her cheating boyfriend Declan, I'm sure karma is going to get them one day or another.
Overall, this was a cute read that charmed me with its ending!
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
December 15, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You Were Made For Me kind of reminded me of a movie. Which I think there is one for this certain book. Possibly by Disney? Not sure.. but I have a feeling that there is one and two girls made the perfect guy. Well, don't get surprised because that's exactly what happens in this book.
In it, you will meet Katie and Libby. They are the best friends anyone could ever have.. and they have a funny little group at school. If they find a way to not be acknowledged by the bullies, things go pretty smooth for them while being at school. Until one day it wasn't and they accidentally created the perfect guy. His name is.. well... Guy.. which wasn't very creative to me. He was cute and adorable though. Definitely made me laugh when he met her family.
Other than them, you meet Mikayla and Declan. Honestly Mikayla, aka the bully, needs a hobby or something. She was annoying to deal with and it was kind of sad to see her pick on Katie and Libby. So not a fan of her and I hope she meets Karma real soon. Same for Declan.
Speaking of Declan, well Katie has a huge ass crush on him. She thinks he is perfect in every was possible... which is gross. Per Hannah Montana, nobody's perfect. Which is completely fine but the way she idolized this douche was just weird and creepy. I loved whenever Libby, Alex, or Theo called her out on it.
Besides that, Libby and Katie do go through a rough patch and it was frustrating how Katie wasn't seeing what was happening until it was too late. Then the whole being obsessed with the douche canoe while she is technically with Guy just rubbed me the wrong way.
Also while all this was going down... I was shipping her with Theo. Again, it was all weird and I was there for it all. In the end, Max (her dog) was my favorite and the ending was kind of adorable.
You Were Made For Me kind of reminded me of a movie. Which I think there is one for this certain book. Possibly by Disney? Not sure.. but I have a feeling that there is one and two girls made the perfect guy. Well, don't get surprised because that's exactly what happens in this book.
In it, you will meet Katie and Libby. They are the best friends anyone could ever have.. and they have a funny little group at school. If they find a way to not be acknowledged by the bullies, things go pretty smooth for them while being at school. Until one day it wasn't and they accidentally created the perfect guy. His name is.. well... Guy.. which wasn't very creative to me. He was cute and adorable though. Definitely made me laugh when he met her family.
Other than them, you meet Mikayla and Declan. Honestly Mikayla, aka the bully, needs a hobby or something. She was annoying to deal with and it was kind of sad to see her pick on Katie and Libby. So not a fan of her and I hope she meets Karma real soon. Same for Declan.
Speaking of Declan, well Katie has a huge ass crush on him. She thinks he is perfect in every was possible... which is gross. Per Hannah Montana, nobody's perfect. Which is completely fine but the way she idolized this douche was just weird and creepy. I loved whenever Libby, Alex, or Theo called her out on it.
Besides that, Libby and Katie do go through a rough patch and it was frustrating how Katie wasn't seeing what was happening until it was too late. Then the whole being obsessed with the douche canoe while she is technically with Guy just rubbed me the wrong way.
Also while all this was going down... I was shipping her with Theo. Again, it was all weird and I was there for it all. In the end, Max (her dog) was my favorite and the ending was kind of adorable.
April 21, 2022
If I had to summarise this book in a word, I'd say it was juvenile. This book is clearly aimed at mid-older teens (given the focus on sex and related issues), yet it's full of fart and poop humour that feels more appropriate for a twelve year old, and the little asides from Kate and Libby felt like they were trying too hard to be funny. All of the characters felt very one-dimensional as well, particularly the antagonists, who could have been cut and pasted from any teen rom com.
I will note that I appreciated the ace rep, and there were some nice moments of female solidarity which I think is important in books for teens (and everyone really). However, unfortunately I won't be recommending this one.
Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
I will note that I appreciated the ace rep, and there were some nice moments of female solidarity which I think is important in books for teens (and everyone really). However, unfortunately I won't be recommending this one.
Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
June 22, 2020
So it 7pm tonight I thought I'd just read something lighthearted and fun, new Jenna Guillaume... I loved her debut so hell yes!!
It's now 10.40pm and I binge read the whole book 🙈
I loved this book so much. I love the authenticity of the characters. I ADORE the sense of humor. I love the meaningful lessons and quotes interspersed into the story. I love the Australian culture shining through. I love the Ace representation ❤ I just love this.
It's an emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible. It's cheesy, and heartwarming, and rom-com cliche meets sci-fi young adult shenanigans...it's a strange, wonderful, warm and funny book and this has cemented Jenna Guillaume as a new fave author because my heart is just so full and happy and feeling warm and fuzzy right now.
Read this book. It is wonderful. I initially got frustrated with two narrators but it really helped the characterisation and hilarious wit shine through. Give it a go it is glorious ❤
Review will be live on socials by second week of July.
It's now 10.40pm and I binge read the whole book 🙈
I loved this book so much. I love the authenticity of the characters. I ADORE the sense of humor. I love the meaningful lessons and quotes interspersed into the story. I love the Australian culture shining through. I love the Ace representation ❤ I just love this.
It's an emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible. It's cheesy, and heartwarming, and rom-com cliche meets sci-fi young adult shenanigans...it's a strange, wonderful, warm and funny book and this has cemented Jenna Guillaume as a new fave author because my heart is just so full and happy and feeling warm and fuzzy right now.
Read this book. It is wonderful. I initially got frustrated with two narrators but it really helped the characterisation and hilarious wit shine through. Give it a go it is glorious ❤
Review will be live on socials by second week of July.
December 22, 2020
I'm seeing a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews so I'm definitely the minority on this one.
YA is generally my favourite genre but this was difficult to get through. The characters came across as juvenile; the language they used and the way they spoke to each other felt very immature so I thought maybe this was targeting a younger audience but then there was some pretty "adult" content - very confusing...
The concept was interesting, maybe a modern day teen Frankenstein...? But it fell flat and overall this just wasn't for me.
December 27, 2020
All I needed to know about this was that it was inspired by the film Weird Science and I was in! I love that movie and the idea of creating the perfect person is so fun.
Katie and her best friend Libby accidentally create the perfect guy; he's totally devoted to Katie, he's sweet, and he looks like a long lost Hemsworth brother. You would think Katie would be ecstatic, but instead she's unsure of Guy (the pretend boy come to life) and problems begin to arise.
I can see where having someone whose whole life centers around you would be difficult, but Katie didn't handle it well. She was dating Guy but crushing on the awful Declan at the same time. Katie was also a bit self centered, she ignored Libby and treated Theo poorly. Luckily, Katie does grow a bit in this and I supported her more by the end.
Guy is just freaking adorable in this and I want to hug him and keep him safe forever. I liked where his story went and seeing him learn about the world and feelings. If Katie doesn't want Guy, I'll take him off her hands for sure.
There was a surprise AroAce character in this that made me smile. You almost never see aromantic characters, so kudos to the author for adding this rep in!
Overall a cute story with some funny parts and a heartbreak or two. I'll be looking for other books by the author!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Katie and her best friend Libby accidentally create the perfect guy; he's totally devoted to Katie, he's sweet, and he looks like a long lost Hemsworth brother. You would think Katie would be ecstatic, but instead she's unsure of Guy (the pretend boy come to life) and problems begin to arise.
I can see where having someone whose whole life centers around you would be difficult, but Katie didn't handle it well. She was dating Guy but crushing on the awful Declan at the same time. Katie was also a bit self centered, she ignored Libby and treated Theo poorly. Luckily, Katie does grow a bit in this and I supported her more by the end.
Guy is just freaking adorable in this and I want to hug him and keep him safe forever. I liked where his story went and seeing him learn about the world and feelings. If Katie doesn't want Guy, I'll take him off her hands for sure.
There was a surprise AroAce character in this that made me smile. You almost never see aromantic characters, so kudos to the author for adding this rep in!
Overall a cute story with some funny parts and a heartbreak or two. I'll be looking for other books by the author!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2021
What happens if you accidentally build a perfect boy that wasn't meant to exist? Welcome to Katie's life, our main character in You were made for me. Fans of the movie "How to build a better boy" are sure to like reading this!
Katie just wants the perfect boyfriend for her first kiss. Katie and her best friend Libby decide, "hey why not just make ourselves one." Soon enough, through science and magic, we end up with a "perfect" guy who is very much alive. Through this book, we learn that there isn't such thing as perfection.
The style of writing in You were made for me is unique. It was as if the characters, Katie and Libby were trying to narrate the story for us. A novel told with humorous remarks popping in every so now and then.
You were made for me is a fun YA rom-com. The book follows friendship, cute romance, and includes diversity.
I received an e-book of this novel through Netgalley in exchange for a review.
REVIEWED: 3/16/2021 & 3/17/2021
Katie just wants the perfect boyfriend for her first kiss. Katie and her best friend Libby decide, "hey why not just make ourselves one." Soon enough, through science and magic, we end up with a "perfect" guy who is very much alive. Through this book, we learn that there isn't such thing as perfection.
The style of writing in You were made for me is unique. It was as if the characters, Katie and Libby were trying to narrate the story for us. A novel told with humorous remarks popping in every so now and then.
You were made for me is a fun YA rom-com. The book follows friendship, cute romance, and includes diversity.
I received an e-book of this novel through Netgalley in exchange for a review.
REVIEWED: 3/16/2021 & 3/17/2021
August 4, 2020
Jenna Guillaume is an amazing author. I loved her debut, and absolutely couldn't wait to read this one when I got my hands on it.
I binge-read this novel in one sitting. It's a lighthearted, humorous YA tale that made for a great story.
I loved the characters, the general wriring style and the representation included in the book.
Thank you so much to Panmacmillan for providing me with a copy of this book.
I binge-read this novel in one sitting. It's a lighthearted, humorous YA tale that made for a great story.
I loved the characters, the general wriring style and the representation included in the book.
Thank you so much to Panmacmillan for providing me with a copy of this book.
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December 9, 2021
This was so cute
June 6, 2020
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Katie and Libby accidentally create a hot guy (with science! and clay and a kiss) and his purpose in life is to dote on Katie and be the perfect boyfriend. While this should solve Katie's never-been-kissed problem, it threatens to tear apart her life and her friendships.
Well, I loved this. It's like Weird Science for girls in the 21st century! And thankfully this is a much more progressive tale than a 1980s iteration - diversity, ace representation, dealing with the fact that both parties must have agency in a relationship, etc. Libby and Kate acting as dual storytellers was inspired and it made the story feel hilariously self-aware. It was also nice to read a YA novel peppered with Australianisms. I'm a huge YA fan but most of them are foreign titles.
This is definitely the kind of novel I wish I could have read when I was a teenager.
Katie and Libby accidentally create a hot guy (with science! and clay and a kiss) and his purpose in life is to dote on Katie and be the perfect boyfriend. While this should solve Katie's never-been-kissed problem, it threatens to tear apart her life and her friendships.
Well, I loved this. It's like Weird Science for girls in the 21st century! And thankfully this is a much more progressive tale than a 1980s iteration - diversity, ace representation, dealing with the fact that both parties must have agency in a relationship, etc. Libby and Kate acting as dual storytellers was inspired and it made the story feel hilariously self-aware. It was also nice to read a YA novel peppered with Australianisms. I'm a huge YA fan but most of them are foreign titles.
This is definitely the kind of novel I wish I could have read when I was a teenager.
October 1, 2020
One night Katie and her friend Libby dream up the perfect guy. A six-foot tall guy with floppy hair and eyes the colour of the sky on a clear summer’s day. Basically a fourth Hemsworth brother who is absolutely devoted to Katie and perfect but he was never meant to exist.
After Katie comes home that night that’s exactly what she finds in her bed. Her perfect dream guy who she names Guy. But how is Katie going to hide him from the rest of her friends and family and who would actually believe her story?
I absolutely adored this sweet and fun story that has plenty of laugh out loud moments that left me feeling warm and fuzzy.
You Were Made For Me is definitely one of my favourite YA books of the year and Jenna Guillaume has cemented herself as one of my new favourite authors in this genre.
I want to thank Pan Macmillan Australia for generously providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
After Katie comes home that night that’s exactly what she finds in her bed. Her perfect dream guy who she names Guy. But how is Katie going to hide him from the rest of her friends and family and who would actually believe her story?
I absolutely adored this sweet and fun story that has plenty of laugh out loud moments that left me feeling warm and fuzzy.
You Were Made For Me is definitely one of my favourite YA books of the year and Jenna Guillaume has cemented herself as one of my new favourite authors in this genre.
I want to thank Pan Macmillan Australia for generously providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 30, 2021
You Were Made For Me is a smart and funny YA romcom that begins when 2 teen girls, Katie and Libby accidentally create the perfect boy.
The result of their late night project - Guy- is handsome, sweet and totally devoted to Katie but maybe the idea of a dream boyfriend is better than the reality? It really made me think about the list of features I'd put together if I could make the perfect partner.
The romance in this story is well written, and really fun but I particularly liked reading about Katie's other relationships. Our close friendships are just as important (if not more important!) as our romantic relationships, and it was great to meet a character who was dealing with changes and challenges with their friends, and not always doing a perfect job of it.
Like the author's first book, this story is incredibly body positive.
* For any BTS fans out there, there is a tiny Easter egg, and it made me so happy.
The result of their late night project - Guy- is handsome, sweet and totally devoted to Katie but maybe the idea of a dream boyfriend is better than the reality? It really made me think about the list of features I'd put together if I could make the perfect partner.
The romance in this story is well written, and really fun but I particularly liked reading about Katie's other relationships. Our close friendships are just as important (if not more important!) as our romantic relationships, and it was great to meet a character who was dealing with changes and challenges with their friends, and not always doing a perfect job of it.
Like the author's first book, this story is incredibly body positive.
* For any BTS fans out there, there is a tiny Easter egg, and it made me so happy.
August 13, 2020
The plot of this reminded me a little bit of the 80s movie Weird Science, where a couple of geeks create a ‘perfect woman’ through computer hackery and an accidental power surge. In You Were Made For Me, it’s two girls, Katie and Libby, who create a ‘perfect boy’ through a combination of Katie’s clay modelling skills and some accidental alchemy from Libby. Katie’s the driving force here, the primary storyteller (though Libby interjects occasionally) and the one who needs a ‘Hemsworth’, because Katie has never been kissed, and at sixteen, she thinks it’s about time.
This is just utterly, completely charming. Though it’s delicately infused with Australian flavour, many of the story’s themes would be relatable to teens the world over - cyber bullying, relationship drama, struggles with figuring out one’s sexuality (or lack thereof - lovely to see an asexual character represented), figuring out a teen’s evolving place within different kinds of family units. It has the feel of a teen movie - I was imagining the young Heath Ledger from 10 Things I Hate About You in the role of Guy - and I genuinely hope it does actually get made into a movie, hopefully in Australia because the local flavour of it definitely adds to its charm. Everything about it was an absolute delight.
Five stars for a wonderfully imaginative and funny Australian YA story with a relatable heroine and an awesome cast of diverse characters.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
This is just utterly, completely charming. Though it’s delicately infused with Australian flavour, many of the story’s themes would be relatable to teens the world over - cyber bullying, relationship drama, struggles with figuring out one’s sexuality (or lack thereof - lovely to see an asexual character represented), figuring out a teen’s evolving place within different kinds of family units. It has the feel of a teen movie - I was imagining the young Heath Ledger from 10 Things I Hate About You in the role of Guy - and I genuinely hope it does actually get made into a movie, hopefully in Australia because the local flavour of it definitely adds to its charm. Everything about it was an absolute delight.
Five stars for a wonderfully imaginative and funny Australian YA story with a relatable heroine and an awesome cast of diverse characters.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
April 6, 2021
Being Australian, I have been aware of this author for a few years and of this book, sometime in 2020 (noting Australian publishing date was August 2020). For some reason, however, I never thought to add this to my TBR as it just didn't seem to be my kind of read. I do love this cover though and as it popped up as a 'Read Now' on Netgalley, I just had to click that button, don't I...
I have to admit that I jumped into the novel not knowing exactly what I'm in for. At the start, this novel was quite fascinating where two teenage girls 'made' a perfect boy out of clay to meet the dreams of the main protagonist. The story is easy to read and I do love the growth of characters but the structure of the telling bothered me so I didn't particularly enjoy the read.
We have Katie Camilleri, the protagonist, who is writing this story down while her best friend, Libby, is standing over her shoulder, reading & interrupting with certain inputs of when to fast forward the story and what's to include in the story. At first, I really liked Libby's comments (snarkiness between BFFs are to be appreciated) but about halfway, I just found it disruptive and annoying. So, I guess, this structure didn't quite work for me.
Thank you Peachtree Publishing Company via Netgalley for the e-copy of this book in exchange of my honest thoughts
I have to admit that I jumped into the novel not knowing exactly what I'm in for. At the start, this novel was quite fascinating where two teenage girls 'made' a perfect boy out of clay to meet the dreams of the main protagonist. The story is easy to read and I do love the growth of characters but the structure of the telling bothered me so I didn't particularly enjoy the read.
We have Katie Camilleri, the protagonist, who is writing this story down while her best friend, Libby, is standing over her shoulder, reading & interrupting with certain inputs of when to fast forward the story and what's to include in the story. At first, I really liked Libby's comments (snarkiness between BFFs are to be appreciated) but about halfway, I just found it disruptive and annoying. So, I guess, this structure didn't quite work for me.
Thank you Peachtree Publishing Company via Netgalley for the e-copy of this book in exchange of my honest thoughts
April 5, 2021
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Katie yearned for her first kiss, and she wanted to share it with a dreamy and dedicated boyfriend who adored her. Then one stormy night... it actually happened! Katie and her best friend Libby created a boy who was made just for her, but she soon began to question how this perfect boy fit into her life.
After loving Guillame's previous release, What I Like About Me, I was eager to read her follow-up. Once again, I was treated to a fun and funny story which had a ton of heart. From its Weird Science beginnings to the many tropes it employed, the story read like a classic rom-com and delivered all the warm and fuzzy feels I was looking for.
The bits with Guy, the perfect boyfriend, were laugh out loud funny, while they taught him how to navigate his new world, but it was the moments Katie shared with Theo which really owned my heart. Theo was her childhood best friend, and he was always there for Katie when she needed him. It delighted me to see these two renew their friendship, and it pleased me even more when it began to evolve. There were many meaningful exchanges between these two, where Guillame touched upon body image, loss of a parent, and mental health. I loved how seamlessly she wove these issues into this light and fluffy tale and gave the story just the right amount of weight.
The format of the this book was great too. It's told as a recollection of that time they created the perfect boy. It was mostly via Katie's perspective, but there were also these exchanges between Katie and Libby injected in there that never failed to make me smile. Super cute and super fun, these story linking bits were quite charming, and a great way to illustrate the friendship between these two.
Guillaume knows how to both make me laugh and warm my heart. This book was a lot of fun, but also had some substance. It reminded me to be careful what I wish for, that the grass is always greener on the other side, and to be aware of those wonderful things that are right in front of me.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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Katie yearned for her first kiss, and she wanted to share it with a dreamy and dedicated boyfriend who adored her. Then one stormy night... it actually happened! Katie and her best friend Libby created a boy who was made just for her, but she soon began to question how this perfect boy fit into her life.
After loving Guillame's previous release, What I Like About Me, I was eager to read her follow-up. Once again, I was treated to a fun and funny story which had a ton of heart. From its Weird Science beginnings to the many tropes it employed, the story read like a classic rom-com and delivered all the warm and fuzzy feels I was looking for.
The bits with Guy, the perfect boyfriend, were laugh out loud funny, while they taught him how to navigate his new world, but it was the moments Katie shared with Theo which really owned my heart. Theo was her childhood best friend, and he was always there for Katie when she needed him. It delighted me to see these two renew their friendship, and it pleased me even more when it began to evolve. There were many meaningful exchanges between these two, where Guillame touched upon body image, loss of a parent, and mental health. I loved how seamlessly she wove these issues into this light and fluffy tale and gave the story just the right amount of weight.
The format of the this book was great too. It's told as a recollection of that time they created the perfect boy. It was mostly via Katie's perspective, but there were also these exchanges between Katie and Libby injected in there that never failed to make me smile. Super cute and super fun, these story linking bits were quite charming, and a great way to illustrate the friendship between these two.
Guillaume knows how to both make me laugh and warm my heart. This book was a lot of fun, but also had some substance. It reminded me to be careful what I wish for, that the grass is always greener on the other side, and to be aware of those wonderful things that are right in front of me.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
December 22, 2021
What a fun read. I loved how diverse the personalities of the characters were and the fact it’s set in Australia. There’s something inherently wonderful about reading a book that reads like it can be heard in your own life. The emotions of being 16 in high school and dealing with friendships and relationships felt so real and relatable and I loved how truely on brand their speech read. Just so aussie. I loved it.
I enjoyed seeing how Katie develops over the book and how she deals with the troubles of her existing friendships with Libby and Theo and the added weirdness that is the creation of Guy.
It’s cute reading Libby and Katie’s conversations as they squabble over the retelling of events. Adds a little bit of a connection between reader and characters.
I really like how the book highlights and talks about issues that teenagers face like bullies, parents getting new partners and of course relationships.
Overall, I great contemporary read definitely for the teens but I still highly recommend even if you’re well past those years.
I enjoyed seeing how Katie develops over the book and how she deals with the troubles of her existing friendships with Libby and Theo and the added weirdness that is the creation of Guy.
It’s cute reading Libby and Katie’s conversations as they squabble over the retelling of events. Adds a little bit of a connection between reader and characters.
I really like how the book highlights and talks about issues that teenagers face like bullies, parents getting new partners and of course relationships.
Overall, I great contemporary read definitely for the teens but I still highly recommend even if you’re well past those years.
June 14, 2020
'You Were Made For Me' was a fun and unique read that made me smile and laugh. The idea of a girl accidentally creating a boy was super cool however, I didn't love the book. I thought the characters were realistic which was wonderful! But they annoyed me at times and I didn't really connect with any of them. I also didn't love the writing style as it was very conversational, but I know that other people love reading books written that way!
Overall, I did enjoy this book but I didn't love it.
Overall, I did enjoy this book but I didn't love it.
June 11, 2020
From start to finish, I absolutely loved this, and tore through it in about 24 hours. I adore Jenna’s dedication to being unapologetically Australian, as its so far removed from the YA I grew up with, which was either American, or Australian but written with an American audience in mind. I also love the almost parental love and responsibility you can feel Jenna has for her young readers, her desire to treat her audience lovingly, inclusively and with respect. She does it effortlessly, without weighing the book down with “very special moments” that are overdone.
June 20, 2020
Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me with a copy of You Were Made for Me, in exchange for an honest review!
Actual rating 3.5 stars
Kate is 16 and never been kissed. She's certain she's never going to meet the perfect boy, and she knows exactly what that perfect boy would be like. She's even gone as far as to make him out of clay, with her best friend Libby. But that night something ultra weird happens when Kate goes to bed. Laying her clay boy down next to her and giving it a kiss, she wakes up to a real life boy. Naked. In her bed. As the book progresses in a series of conversations, where Kate and Libby tell the story up to the present day, the idea of the perfect boyfriend starts to not live up to the reality.
This book was fun and fluffy. The kind of read to pick up when you need a break from heavier topics or you're looking for a beach read. It was one of those books that was somewhat predictable, but still enjoyable. The way it was written, as a conversation between the two girls, did take some getting used to. At times it felt a bit clunky and I lost the flow of the writing, but it was definitely a unique way to tell a story! The characters also seemed quite young to me. They were 16, which IS young of course, but they seemed so naive and younger than I expected. This may be due to 16 year olds acting much older in so many YA books, saving the world and what-not, that reading typical 16 year old characters seems strange now, but they still felt that way throughout the story, particularly the main character.
I do sometimes struggle with YA contemporary, due to being so much older than the target audience and not quite connecting to the teenage angst, but I think this one will be a fantastic fit for younger YA readers who are looking for a sweet rom-com like book!
Actual rating 3.5 stars
Kate is 16 and never been kissed. She's certain she's never going to meet the perfect boy, and she knows exactly what that perfect boy would be like. She's even gone as far as to make him out of clay, with her best friend Libby. But that night something ultra weird happens when Kate goes to bed. Laying her clay boy down next to her and giving it a kiss, she wakes up to a real life boy. Naked. In her bed. As the book progresses in a series of conversations, where Kate and Libby tell the story up to the present day, the idea of the perfect boyfriend starts to not live up to the reality.
This book was fun and fluffy. The kind of read to pick up when you need a break from heavier topics or you're looking for a beach read. It was one of those books that was somewhat predictable, but still enjoyable. The way it was written, as a conversation between the two girls, did take some getting used to. At times it felt a bit clunky and I lost the flow of the writing, but it was definitely a unique way to tell a story! The characters also seemed quite young to me. They were 16, which IS young of course, but they seemed so naive and younger than I expected. This may be due to 16 year olds acting much older in so many YA books, saving the world and what-not, that reading typical 16 year old characters seems strange now, but they still felt that way throughout the story, particularly the main character.
I do sometimes struggle with YA contemporary, due to being so much older than the target audience and not quite connecting to the teenage angst, but I think this one will be a fantastic fit for younger YA readers who are looking for a sweet rom-com like book!
July 16, 2020
*arc received from netgalley*
From the very beginning of this book it immediately gave me 2012 wattpad vibes. I felt that the boy who was “made” could have been Harry Styles of Cameron Dallas in a y/n fanfiction so I was very hesitant to continue because that isn’t exactly the kind of romance I’m looking for as someone in their 20’s. With that being said, I did appreciate a lot of other elements in this book. I really enjoyed the friendships we got to see and I think the banter between the two “narrators” of the story was enjoyable and realistic. As for the plot, I do feel as though it was very mediocre and the writing style along with that did feel very juvenile at times, hence the refrence to a fanfiction. I did appreciate the conversation had about sexuality and self discovery despite it being very underdeveloped for my liking. I think that the message on perfection was definitely the strongest out of the topics touched on in this book, and I do think that element of this book was actually very inspiring and motivational.
Overall, I would recommend this book to people who like to read a more young ya feeling story but would say to probably stay away if that isn’t something you enjoy.
From the very beginning of this book it immediately gave me 2012 wattpad vibes. I felt that the boy who was “made” could have been Harry Styles of Cameron Dallas in a y/n fanfiction so I was very hesitant to continue because that isn’t exactly the kind of romance I’m looking for as someone in their 20’s. With that being said, I did appreciate a lot of other elements in this book. I really enjoyed the friendships we got to see and I think the banter between the two “narrators” of the story was enjoyable and realistic. As for the plot, I do feel as though it was very mediocre and the writing style along with that did feel very juvenile at times, hence the refrence to a fanfiction. I did appreciate the conversation had about sexuality and self discovery despite it being very underdeveloped for my liking. I think that the message on perfection was definitely the strongest out of the topics touched on in this book, and I do think that element of this book was actually very inspiring and motivational.
Overall, I would recommend this book to people who like to read a more young ya feeling story but would say to probably stay away if that isn’t something you enjoy.
July 12, 2020
You Were Made For Me is one of the most delightful books I've had the pleasure of reading this year! Jenna is an incredible writer and is quickly becoming Australia's queen of teen rom-coms.
Our protagonist Katie has never been kissed and wants her very first one to be perfect with the perfect boy. So when her best friend Libby and herself accidentally create a boy who happens to look like Hemsworth brother, has the personality of a very happy Golden Retriever and he's utterly devoted to Katie, what's a girl to do?
I should also mention her first encounter with him is finding him naked in her bed. 16-year-old me would have died.
Narrated by mostly Katie with a dash of Libby, the book is hilariously self-aware and filled with fluff and utter fun as they try to hide this super hot guy who doesn't quite understand how he came to be, but knows Katie is his world. He'll do anything for her - even take his shirt off for her artistic projects! Luckily Katie's other best friend Theo, who happens to live next door, has some space for a roommate and just enough patience to deal with him. While the book is very much a light-hearted Australian contemporary, it also examines the idea of perfectionism, which I feel will resonate with a lot of teen girls. There's also discussions around sexuality, friendship, dating, and body image, all of which I found effortlessly written into the story. This book ticks all the right boxes for a teen rom-com!
You Were Made For Me is a laugh-out-loud delight that all teens and fans of YA should pick up!
Our protagonist Katie has never been kissed and wants her very first one to be perfect with the perfect boy. So when her best friend Libby and herself accidentally create a boy who happens to look like Hemsworth brother, has the personality of a very happy Golden Retriever and he's utterly devoted to Katie, what's a girl to do?
I should also mention her first encounter with him is finding him naked in her bed. 16-year-old me would have died.
Narrated by mostly Katie with a dash of Libby, the book is hilariously self-aware and filled with fluff and utter fun as they try to hide this super hot guy who doesn't quite understand how he came to be, but knows Katie is his world. He'll do anything for her - even take his shirt off for her artistic projects! Luckily Katie's other best friend Theo, who happens to live next door, has some space for a roommate and just enough patience to deal with him. While the book is very much a light-hearted Australian contemporary, it also examines the idea of perfectionism, which I feel will resonate with a lot of teen girls. There's also discussions around sexuality, friendship, dating, and body image, all of which I found effortlessly written into the story. This book ticks all the right boxes for a teen rom-com!
You Were Made For Me is a laugh-out-loud delight that all teens and fans of YA should pick up!
August 18, 2020
You Were Made for Me is a fluffy and fun YA contemporary read that made me feel 16 all over again and was entirely giggle inducing. The entire concept of creating a pretend boyfriend one night with your girlfriend and then waking up with said boyfriend alive and naked in your bed is a quintessential rom-com movie plot. The story is told in conversations between friends, Kate, Theo and Libby, which is an interesting way to tell the story and does take a little while to get used to.
This book is laugh out loud hilarious but also touches on deep and hard topics such as bullying, discrimination, racism, infidelity and grief to name a few. The diversity of the characters was enjoyable and there was also a diverse range of diversity. Libby is a Filipino-Australian, Theo is teased because of his weight and there are characters who identify as asexual. The friendships within this book are a joy to read and made this book so enjoyable.
Thank you @macmillanaus for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is laugh out loud hilarious but also touches on deep and hard topics such as bullying, discrimination, racism, infidelity and grief to name a few. The diversity of the characters was enjoyable and there was also a diverse range of diversity. Libby is a Filipino-Australian, Theo is teased because of his weight and there are characters who identify as asexual. The friendships within this book are a joy to read and made this book so enjoyable.
Thank you @macmillanaus for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2020
This one of my most anticipated YA releases for the year and did not disappoint. This book is filled with all the same humour and charm that made me fall for What I Like About Me, with an added twist of magic and perhaps a bit more kissing.
There is just something easy and open and friendly about Jenna’s writing. I loved the narrative style in this novel, and thought the cast of characters we meet along the way was wonderful.
If you’re after a sweet, funny, sometimes cringe-y romcom, then I really think this is worth you checking out (whether you are a young adult or not!). And I hope that Jenna writes many more!
There is just something easy and open and friendly about Jenna’s writing. I loved the narrative style in this novel, and thought the cast of characters we meet along the way was wonderful.
If you’re after a sweet, funny, sometimes cringe-y romcom, then I really think this is worth you checking out (whether you are a young adult or not!). And I hope that Jenna writes many more!
June 23, 2020
This book was the perfect light hearted read I was looking for and I just couldn't put in down and finished it in one sitting.
I really enjoyed how the story was told with our main character, Katie, leading the reader through the events with interruptions from her best friend Libby with both character voices easily recognizable. It was a wonderful way to tell the story as it felt so true to how two teenage girls would respond but also pull the reader in like a story being told at a sleepover. I know in my teenage years my best friend and I would often imagine what our perfect man would look/be like and this book took that idea and nailed it. The setting felt familiar with many moments reminding me of my own Aussie high school experience.
This book was a super cute, laugh out loud heartfelt read that also touched on some more serious issues such as bullying, body confidence and grief in ways that I'm sure will help any teen that reads this book.
I really enjoyed how the story was told with our main character, Katie, leading the reader through the events with interruptions from her best friend Libby with both character voices easily recognizable. It was a wonderful way to tell the story as it felt so true to how two teenage girls would respond but also pull the reader in like a story being told at a sleepover. I know in my teenage years my best friend and I would often imagine what our perfect man would look/be like and this book took that idea and nailed it. The setting felt familiar with many moments reminding me of my own Aussie high school experience.
This book was a super cute, laugh out loud heartfelt read that also touched on some more serious issues such as bullying, body confidence and grief in ways that I'm sure will help any teen that reads this book.
June 28, 2020
4.5 stars!
Jenna is fast becoming the queen of the #LoveOzYA rom-com, and her second novel is a testament to that. While this is a very different book to What I Like About Me, it is just as enjoyable and I fell more in love with it the more I read. Jenna is now definitely one of my auto-buy authors!
Jenna is fast becoming the queen of the #LoveOzYA rom-com, and her second novel is a testament to that. While this is a very different book to What I Like About Me, it is just as enjoyable and I fell more in love with it the more I read. Jenna is now definitely one of my auto-buy authors!
October 11, 2020
This was like a gender swapped modern retelling of Weird Science, and pretty fun.
November 20, 2020
I loved this book it was adorable and funny and who at one point didn't want their fantasy dream guy to be real??
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