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Serious Moonlight

Jenn Bennett (Goodreads Author)

3.75 · Rating details · 6,772 ratings · 1,419 reviews

After an awkward first encounter, Birdie and Daniel are forced to work together in a Seattle hotel where a famous author leads a mysterious and secluded life in this romantic contemporary novel from the author of Alex, Approximately.

Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she’s cult ...more

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Hardcover, 426 pages

Published April 16th 2019 by Simon Pulse

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Average rating 3.75 ·

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· 6,772 ratings · 1,419 reviews

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Apr 25, 2019 jessica rated it really liked it

i have a couple of auto-read authors when it comes to contemporary fiction and jenn bennett is on that list. and although this isnt my favourite book of hers, this story still has many of things i love about the genre and how bennett writes it.

first, massive shout out for daniel being portrayed as a charming, geeky, goofball and not some popular football player, like so many other books. he was a breath of fresh air! and i love how natural and organic his relationship with birdie is. and the ba ...more

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Jun 28, 2019 Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) rated it really liked it

Finally got around to finishing this one and it was cute! Definitely not my favorite of Jenn Bennett's books, but the Seattle setting had my heart. Also Daniel. What a CUTIE. ...more

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Apr 27, 2019 Warda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reread-worthy, i-fell-in-love

”Medical conditions: bookworm disease (incurable).“

Jenn Bennett nailed it for me. I've loved and read her other contemporary books, but Serious Moonlight has to be my favourite out of the lot.
It was a GD dream and treat to read.

---------------------

Weekend read sorted!
I just received this through the mail and I couldn't be happier! I love contemporaries. Jenn Bennett is up there as one of my favs!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster UK for gifting me with a review copy. ...more

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Feb 01, 2018 Candace Robinson rated it it was amazing

Jenn Bennett has been my favorite YA contemporary author for a while now, and this book just kept her position at the top! A boy that likes street magic and a girl that wears flowers in her hair made my eyes fill with hearts.

At first, I must admit, I was annoyed with Birdie. But she grew up rather sheltered, so her personality fit with that. As the book went on, she really grew as a character, and I started to like her. Daniel was just a bucket full of sunshine and sweetness, and yes there's a s ...more

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Jan 13, 2019 Emer (A Little Haze) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: challenge-atoz2019, read2019, young-adult, reviewed, romance, netgalley, light-fiction, 4stars, contemporary

This cute YA read is now published in the UK/IRL
*****
I had to hold off on publishing this review or even my rating because Gabby would've shot me if I had at all told her the tiniest reaction to this book... but luckily she got her butt in gear and read it this weekend so I am now at liberty to say that this is one squishy book of cuteness. I was craving a feel good novel and this 100% hit the spot.

(NOTE: Gabby also read this as an eARC from NetGalley and you can click here to read her review. This cute YA read is now published in the UK/IRL
*****
I had to hold off on publishing this review or even my rating because Gabby would've shot me if I had at all told her the tiniest reaction to this book... but luckily she got her butt in gear and read it this weekend so I am now at liberty to say that this is one squishy book of cuteness. I was craving a feel good novel and this 100% hit the spot.

(NOTE: Gabby also read this as an eARC from NetGalley and you can click here to read her review. It is far more *feels* laden than mine!)

The story follows 18 year old Birdie who lives in Seattle with her grandfather. Birdie lost her mom at the age of 10 and is now coming to terms with the recent death of her grandmother. In to the mix of all these emotions of grief and loss comes a boy, 19 year old Daniel who Birdie has an immediate connection with... But then she freaks out and doesn't know what she wants or if she even likes Daniel at all. The story then follows Birdie as she tries to figure out just exactly who she is and what she wants from life.

I loved this book. There was a lot of daftness with the plot at times, especially when Birdie and Daniel took up their mystery case and became young sleuths akin to Nancy Drew.... but it somehow worked! I mean I *could* be biased because I grew up on a steady diet of Nancy Drew and very much idolised the teen sleuth in my younger years....

But what was also nice is that for a cute and fluffy romantic book there was a surprising amount of depth to the leading characters. I liked that both Birdie and Daniel both brought emotional baggage to their relationship that felt genuine and not just there for the sake of story. I didn't see Daniel's storyline coming at all and I must confess to shedding a few tears as he revealed more of his past life to Birdie.

The book is also fantastically sex positive which is definitely something Jenn Bennett has always rocked at. And the story really highlights the influence of a support structure be it family or otherwise in a teen's (or indeed adult's) life which is so great for YA as frequently familial support structures seem to be conveniently absent for ease of plot. My one gripe was the characterisation of Aunt Mona. At times I just found her to be a little bit overdone with her *quirkiness*... One too many stereotypes for my taste?? But by the end of the book I found myself developing a soft spot for her!

So overall this was a super cute YA read and really made me feel warm and gooey. After the disappointment I felt after reading 'Starry Eyes' I'm so happy to say that Jenn Bennett is back on form and this has definitely become my favourite book by her. It's got all the sweetness of Alex Approximately and Night Owls but with much more authentic characters.

Three and a half to four stars

*An e-copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher, Simon and Schuster UK Children's, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

For more reviews and book related chat check out my blog ...more

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Apr 20, 2019 may ❀ rated it really liked it

Shelves: 400-pgs, aaaaaaaaaa, super-cute, i-am-trash, buddy-read, look-at-that-beauty, i-will-go-down-with-this-ship, my-heart, marshmallow-fluff, contemporary

"Let’s go eat some pie and solve a mystery.”

jenn bennett is one of my top contemporary writing queens. she writes characters with so much depth and still maintains this super cute narrative throughout the entire book

this whole book is sO precious. daniel, the love interest, is an absolute babe. he's so soft and sweet and funny and kind I just love him so much. the conversations and banter between the characters are so seamless and realistic.

also the conversations they had got really deep and i ...more

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Apr 18, 2019 Arini rated it really liked it · review of another edition

hey everyone meet my new boyfriend!!

his name is daniel aoki. he's 19, and he works the graveyard shift as a hotel van driver. he's gregarious, distractingly good looking, has an excellent smile, and knows lots of card tricks. oh did i mention he's really good at carpentry too? and the best part is he makes an awesome sleuthing partner!!

so how did i manage to find myself a perfect boyfriend like him? well, you are staring right back at the answer!!

i cannot tell you how much of a delight readi ...more

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Dec 03, 2018 Hollis rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary, hello-diversity, crime-mystery, friends-become-more, romance, 2018-reads, a-smattering-of-lols, ebook, finished-in-december-2018, ya

It breaks my heart to rate this so low (why I always feel more guilty over three stars vs two I don't know..) but I just didn't love this the way I've loved Bennett's books in the past.

There's a lot of brilliant diversity and representation in SERIOUS MOONLIGHT and this author is always including such fabulous dialogue surrounding safe & consensual sex-positivity content but.. I didn't really love the plot (mystery surrounding the identity of a crime writer) and I kind of saw a few things comin ...more

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Mar 05, 2019 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-book-read, e-galley

Is there anything better than a Jenn Bennett book with all her quirky characters, irresistible friendships, and swoon worthy romances?

There might be but you will be hard pressed to find them!

I adore Jenn's book, I mean, honestly, who doesn't that has tried them? They are so much fun. They are real, raw, and so very very addicting.

And as weird as it may sound, I love that in all of them, there is always a very strong adult presence. Whether a parent, guardian, loved one, someone. You don't find ...more

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Oct 07, 2018 Jessica C Writes rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya-contemporary

Thank you Edelweiss for providing an e-Arc for me!

Once again, Jenn Bennett did not disappoint. This is my third book of hers and I loved it just as much as the other two.

There is just something about the way she writes the love interests that makes me so happy. They are charming, funny, but still realistic.

I loved this book so much and I know it’s not something I will be forgetting any time soon.

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Jan 12, 2019 Julie Zantopoulos rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, read-in-2019

NOTE: My love of this book may be swayed by the fact that Bowie is mentioned several times, once in relation to Labyrinth and his bulge...which is everything. Seriously, Bennett is the Queen of subtle amazing pop culture drops!

I adore Jenn Bennett's contemporary novels for so many reasons but a few are that they're always sex-positive and diverse and this novel is no different. Birdie and Dan are precious and I want nothing but the happiest of futures for these two kids.

Birdie is a girl who is NOTE: My love of this book may be swayed by the fact that Bowie is mentioned several times, once in relation to Labyrinth and his bulge...which is everything. Seriously, Bennett is the Queen of subtle amazing pop culture drops!

I adore Jenn Bennett's contemporary novels for so many reasons but a few are that they're always sex-positive and diverse and this novel is no different. Birdie and Dan are precious and I want nothing but the happiest of futures for these two kids.

Birdie is a girl who is in love with mysteries and solving them, who has been home-schooled by her late Grandmother and lives with her narcoleptic grandfather because her mother passed away eight years ago. She's got a mother figure and badass feminist role model in her mom's best friend Mona, and together the trio makes the most of what life has handed them. So when Birdie throws caution to the wind and has a one-night stand with a handsome boy she meets at her favorite diner, she panics a bit. Nothing prepares her for showing up to her new job only to see her mystery guy there.

The antics that ensue from there are genuinely adorable. Daniel is a kind, compassionate, and very self-aware kid with a troubled past of his own living in a commune and indulging in his passion for magic and for Birdie. Their romance comes with a lot of seriously open communication about abandonment, the fear of being left behind, and insecurities about being able to handle one another's baggage. They each never met their fathers, they each understand what it's like to be left, lost, and feel unwanted or unworthy. Dan and Birdie are heartwarmingly flawed and wonderful and I loved reading about their discovery of themselves and one another.

Did I mention that our MC may or may not have narcolepsy passed on from her grandfather but is afraid to go to the doctor to confirm or deny this suspicion? That our main love interest is mixed race (half Japanese and half white) and also deaf in one ear? Did I mention that i love and adore them both?

Again, Jenn Bennett delivers a fantastic message about the value of self-care, health, and wellness (both physical and mental), sex, relationships, and family. She will forever be one of my favorite contemporary authors and she hit another one out of the park with this novel.

Trigger warnings: Death of a parent, health problems (narcolepsy & episodes related to prior), suicide attempts, depression, abandonment by a parent, loss of pregnancy, and grieving. ...more

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Mar 14, 2019 Susan's Reviews rated it it was amazing

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I have always been a fan of author Jenn Bennett. She is quirky, down to earth and writes very well. In Bennett's latest story, eighteen year old Birdie is still recovering from the recent death of her strict and judgmental grandmother. Birdie also lost her mother when she was ten, and never knew her father. Everyone she loves dies, it seems to her. So, when she meets Daniel after a job My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I have always been a fan of author Jenn Bennett. She is quirky, down to earth and writes very well. In Bennett's latest story, eighteen year old Birdie is still recovering from the recent death of her strict and judgmental grandmother. Birdie also lost her mother when she was ten, and never knew her father. Everyone she loves dies, it seems to her. So, when she meets Daniel after a job interview, their instant chemistry has her running for cover!
The slow burn of this romance will have you pining for poor besotted Daniel: he is such a lovely Book Boyfriend!.

Daniel (who has Japanese ancestry) could never forget the pretty girl he met and made out with at the Moonlight Diner. He even posts a romantic, beseeching ad in a local paper, hoping to find Birdie and mend whatever set her into flight mode. Daniel is described as having long black hair that he ties back in a messy knot. Yum! We later discover that Daniel suffers from depression and there are some tense moments involving a secret from his past that may frighten Birdie away for good. He will need all of his amateur magic skills to keep misdirecting Birdie's attention while he slowly finds a way into her fearful heart.

Birdie, who is of Scandinavian ancestry, wears a lily in her hair (in memory of her mother) and is addicted to mysteries. When Fate brings the two lovers together again - they both end up working the night shift at a ritzy hotel a few blocks away from the diner where they had their fateful rendezvous! - Daniel makes sure to use every element of mystery at his disposal to lure Birdie away from her fear of "loving and always losing" and get her back into his arms. There are quite a few twists and turns in this often hilarious story. Is it fate or coincidence that these star-crossed young lovers shared so much pre-history - read the book and find out all the cute little "almost meets" that occur in this story.

I always recommend Jenn Bennett's books: Starry Eyes and Alex, Approximately being two of my favourites - and now Serious Moonlight! Enjoy! (I miss Daniel and Birdie already!) ...more

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Feb 10, 2019 Emma rated it really liked it

4.25/5 stars

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full review here

This review contains spoilers.

This was my second book by Jenn Bennett and I really loved it. It had a lot of great elements that I enjoyed very much.

First of all, there was a cute romance between the two main characters, Birdie and Daniel. After an unusual beginning the two of them reconnected and started dating. I liked their relationship and how it developed. The 4.25/5 stars

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full review here

This review contains spoilers.

This was my second book by Jenn Bennett and I really loved it. It had a lot of great elements that I enjoyed very much.

First of all, there was a cute romance between the two main characters, Birdie and Daniel. After an unusual beginning the two of them reconnected and started dating. I liked their relationship and how it developed. The fact that they solved mysteries together just made my heart melt. It was so cute. And don’t get me started on their first official date at that live-action Clue game, it was such a thoughtful idea.
The main mystery was all about the inscrutable persona that is the famous author Raymond Drake. I was very interested in the mystery even though it was not the main aspect of the novel and I must say that I did not see that plot twist coming at all, it didn’t even cross my mind until they were there talking about it.

I appreciated the author including some representation and diversity. Daniel, one of the main characters, is Japanese and he’s unable to hear from one of his ears because of an accident he had. He also suffers from depression and has attempted suicide when he was in high school. Birdie, the other main character, has a narcolepsy disorder just like her grandpa. I think that all of these aspects were dealt with a lot of care and I really appreciated the characters talking freely about mental health and about going to the doctor and taking care of themselves.
Another remarkable thing these characters did was talk about safe sex which is something that often gets glossed over in most YAs. There was talk about teen pregnancy and Birdie and Daniel talked about protection. So overall this book was very sex positive.
Also props to Jenn Bennett for creating such multilayered characters with interests, background stories and hopes for their future. Birdie had a lot of grief from her past to deal with it and I was happy to see that she had her grandpa and aunt Mona to lean on to. Family was also an important aspect of Daniel’s life and I very much liked the little moments we got to see of his mom and grandparents.

This book might just seem a cute romance filled with mystery but it’s so much more! The characters are amazing and they drive the story forward. I highly recommend this novel. ...more

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Mar 04, 2019 Stacee rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2019, netgalley, physical-arc

I'm 1000000% here for anything Jenn writes and I don't really read the synopsis any longer.

I loved Birdie and Daniel. They're both such good people who are maybe struggling a bit more than they want to let on. I enjoyed their connection and their (mostly) open conversation. The family aspect was interesting: I especially enjoyed the mama bear scene with Cherry and Mona was a delight.

Plot wise, it was a whole lot of cute (hello, live action Clue game). The mystery part was interesting, but reall ...more

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Aug 22, 2019 Kat rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-2

I always so look forward to Jenn Bennett’s books. She writes such quirky, fleshed out characters and immerses you so fully in whatever setting she chooses that it’s like taking a vacation to that city. In this case, it was Seattle, and I loved getting to see the sights alongside Birdie and Daniel. Birdie and Daniel meet by chance and have, ahem, a single night together, and then by pure coincidence discover they will be working together at a hotel on the night shift. Their relationship is soooo ...more

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Apr 17, 2019 Corina rated it liked it

Shelves: sweet, standalone, young-adult

Serious Moonlight was my first book by this author. After always hearing amazing things about her books, I finally had the opportunity to read one.

I love contemporary YA way more than YA fantasy. The reason is simple. It usually comes with less drama, which I appreciate, and which was the case with Serious Moonlight.

I also really enjoyed the mystery arc that was part of the story. It wasn’t a blown out mystery, not enough suspense for my taste, but it gave the story another layer. And seeing Bir ...more

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Apr 18, 2019 ♥Rachel♥ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

3.5 Stars

When we meet Birdie and Daniel they’ve already met and had an intimate encounter that didn’t end well when Birdie freaks out and runs off. Birdie thinks *hopes* she’ll never run into Daniel again, but she’s mortified to find out he works at the hotel where she’s just been hired.

I struggled with Birdie at first, not really knowing her history, trying to avoid Daniel and what happened with them when he seemed like a nice guy. I got it more as the story went on, but I think I warmed to Da ...more

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Apr 25, 2019 Jessica rated it it was ok

Shelves: 27-contemporary-ya, 2019, 2019-04

It breaks my heart because I adored Starry Eyes and Alex Approximately but this didn’t work for me at all. I expected to swoon and giggle and have little hearts coming out of my eyes while reading this but alas, nothing of the sort happened. I’m not sure why. I just didn’t click with the characters. Well, and the guy had long hair, which is a total pet peeve of mine, but I was convinced Jenn Bennett could make me love him regardless so I gave it a try. Yeah...that didn’t work out so well.

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Jan 17, 2020 Leah Waters rated it liked it

Shelves: we-need-diverse-books, romance, ya-fiction

This books was good. A sweet protagonist we can root for, a kind love interest, an interesting mystery to move the plot along. But...it was really long for contemporary. With too much mushy lovey-dovey stuff for my taste. I lost interest about half way through.

I think romance readers will enjoy it. But because I was here for the mystery, it was a bit of a disappointment.

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Sep 04, 2019 Olivia (Stories For Coffee) rated it liked it

Shelves: library-book, second-chance-romance

Set an a sleepy town of Seattle, full of vivid descriptions and a cast of quirky, Gilmore-Girlsy characters, Serious Moonlight follows Birdie who is always suspicious of others and is on the hunt for a mystery to solve, which I wholeheartedly relate to. At her new graveyard shift in a bustling hotel, Birdie must work alongside Daniel, the boy she recently hooked up with and quickly deserted. Trying to set the awkwardness aside, Birdie and Daniel team up to solve a mystery at the hotel that they Set an a sleepy town of Seattle, full of vivid descriptions and a cast of quirky, Gilmore-Girlsy characters, Serious Moonlight follows Birdie who is always suspicious of others and is on the hunt for a mystery to solve, which I wholeheartedly relate to. At her new graveyard shift in a bustling hotel, Birdie must work alongside Daniel, the boy she recently hooked up with and quickly deserted. Trying to set the awkwardness aside, Birdie and Daniel team up to solve a mystery at the hotel that they work at.

This was such a cute novel because Birdie is so obsessed with mysteries, just like me, so we not only got to get a cute contemporary romance but we also got a mystery, as well, and a scene when the MCs go to a Clue Murder Mystery dinner which made my entire life and I wish was a thing where I live. I also really enjoyed Birdie’s quirky and smile-inducing internal monologue as she profiles people she knows, like a detective would. She had such a conversational way of speaking to herself that made the book fly by easily because she was relatable and delivered some lines that had me cackling.

While the mystery got lost halfway through the story, and I did end up guessing the plot twist, it was still an enjoyable novel that had adorable characters, unique and cozy settings like a mystery bookstore, a magic shop, and a diner that had new, yummy pies featured every time the characters visited the shop (kinda like Waitress). I knew this would be a soft mystery that relied mostly on the romance, so I wasn’t that upset that I was able to guess the twist.

Even though Birdie and Daniel’s romance and friendship was wishy-washy, constantly going up and down, and only settled down towards the end of the novel, it was an enjoyable read that put a smile on my face and made me feel as though I was in Seattle alongside them. It wasn’t my favorite contemporary in the world, but it did leave me smiling.

AT A GLANCE
- Mystery-novel-obsessed MC
- Hard-of-Hearing, Japanese magic loving LI
- Romance mixed with a bit of mystery
- They attend a Murder Mystery Dinner !!!!

TW: suicide attempt, overdose, depression ...more

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Mar 20, 2019 Katie Gallagher rated it really liked it

View this review and others on my blog!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Pulse/Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review. Serious Moonlight debuts April 16th.

You know when you see a perfect cover, and you think to yourself, well, the book can’t possibly live up to THAT, could it? They’re compensating for something, right? Well, banish those fears—Serious Moonlight is a cozy contemporary that pairs an adorable romance View this review and others on my blog!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Pulse/Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review. Serious Moonlight debuts April 16th.

You know when you see a perfect cover, and you think to yourself, well, the book can’t possibly live up to THAT, could it? They’re compensating for something, right? Well, banish those fears—Serious Moonlight is a cozy contemporary that pairs an adorable romance with memorable characters and a Pacific Northwest setting. In my opinion, this book is exactly what new adult should be: kids post-high school taking their first steps into “adulting,” with sex present, but not in an erotic way. It has a YA contemporary voice, but the MCs are just a tad bit older. I also truly appreciated how Bennett placed her characters in a non-school setting. I’ve heard so many calls from people in publishing asking for manuscripts featuring MCs navigating college, and I’m just… not really interested in that?

The pitch is that the MC, Birdie, hooked up with a cute guy in his car, then totally freaked out and literally ran away from him. She’s doing her best to forget all this… but then said cute guy, Daniel, happens to work at her new job. Gotta be fate, right? But both Birdie and Daniel are going to have to work through a lot of things before they can get their happily ever after. Oh, and there’s a “mystery” in the book as well… I use quotes here because the mystery aspect really isn’t that big of a focus; we’re all just here for the developing romance between Birdie and Daniel. It’s cute, they’re cute, the setting’s cute, everything’s cute, cute, cute! Love it.

All this isn’t to say that the book is perfect. Daniel is a bit too much of a “nice guy” for my taste; he treats Birdie like gold at every opportunity, giving her all possible outs from their relationship. That didn’t come across as caring to me so much as unsexy; I was hoping he’d grow a spine. But Daniel did grow on me in time, especially as he plans one awesome date after the next. The one with a Clue focus? (Trying not to give anything away.) I was Googling if anything like that existed in my area. (Unfortunately looks like I’d have to travel to Boston, so… meh.) There was also some cringey, wooden dialogue—I could have done without the “skedaddling” scene. But these are just small quibbles; the setting, the characters, the “found family” aspect, the pitch-perfect new adult feel all added up to a thoroughly enjoyable read, so I will definitely be checking out Bennett’s other books. ...more

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Feb 24, 2019 Katie McNelly rated it it was amazing

I swear Jenn Bennett can do no wrong.

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Apr 08, 2019 - ̗̀ jess ̖́- rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, young-adult, standalones, contemporary, diverse-books

I seem to be reading a lot of romance lately, and Serious Moonlight is pretty much on par with how I tend to read romance books; I liked it, but it didn't blow me away. I definitely think that Jenn Bennett is one of the authors I like when it comes to romance, though, because of how fun and positive they tend to be, and Serious Moonlight was no different.

Jenn Bennett is really excellent at creating these quirky, fun worlds and characters that are on the brink of being overbearing. I found this b I seem to be reading a lot of romance lately, and Serious Moonlight is pretty much on par with how I tend to read romance books; I liked it, but it didn't blow me away. I definitely think that Jenn Bennett is one of the authors I like when it comes to romance, though, because of how fun and positive they tend to be, and Serious Moonlight was no different.

Jenn Bennett is really excellent at creating these quirky, fun worlds and characters that are on the brink of being overbearing. I found this book toed the line of how much quirkiness I'm willing to read about while suspending my disbelief. Both Birdie and Daniel are very larger-than-life characters, despite being fairly introverted, and while I found them really cute I just didn't really see them as real people. It's not a bad thing, per se, but especially in contemporary I tend to like characters that seem like people. Aunt Mona I really struggled with, honestly. I just struggled to see her as a realistic character.

But otherwise, this book was so cozy and atmospheric. I was expecting the mystery aspect of the book to be more in the forefront, but I'm not even mad that it wasn't because it still gives off those kinds of vibes. That is to say: slightly spooky, old, quiet... (or maybe it's just the haunted hotel I'm writing this review in). Seattle was a perfect setting for this book, and Jenn Bennett's love for classic film really shines through even if all the references soared right over my head.

Another thing I really appreciated was the diversity of the characters and how it discusses grief and mental illness. Seeing an Asian boy with depression as a cute love interest was actually really great. And seeing Birdie struggle with grief over a long period of time and how that affected her will definitely help teens feel less alone if they've lost people. This book is really light-hearted while dealing with some serious topics, but it's not a serious book—it's still a sweet rom-com in the end. I love that this manages to be a love story that doesn't give off the problematic "love cures everything" trope.

I feel like romance fans will definitely enjoy Serious Moonlight, especially if you're a fan of Jenn Bennett. And if you're not, definitely give her books a try.

content warnings: parental death, grief, mental illness, mentions of suicide

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy!

BLOG | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM ...more

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May 04, 2019 Sophie rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019

This was a very cute and a very brainless/easy read. Exactly what I needed while finishing up the term, and a relief after not being a fan of Starry Eyes.

I thought Birdie and Daniel were fun characters, quirky but not in an annoying way, and it was possible to see both sides of their story and why they felt that way and were upset by various situations. And even a lot of the characters who are too quirky (Birdie's godmother Mona who basically wears quirky themed costumes all the time) are so fu ...more

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Apr 11, 2019 Vicky Again added it

Quirky (in a great way) and unique as Bennett's books always are, but I felt like I was really missing that click and chemistry with the characters this time, unfortunately. ...more

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Jan 13, 2019 beth ✨ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites, read-in-2019, releases-2019, owned-arcs

4.5 stars

THIS is what I wanted from Starry Eyes.

THIS is what I needed from Jenn Bennett.

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May 20, 2019 Sam (AMNReader) rated it liked it

Shelves: so-fine, read-in-2019, really-just-ok, ya, suspense, waitlisted

Too bad about that mystery element and case files detracting from the central romance. It was hard to get to know the characters or fully develop secondary characters with the case files style and the mystery interrupting. Just wasn't successful...

Still worth a read for those that enjoy Jenn Bennett or YA, but I wouldn't be pushing it up any lists. ...more

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Feb 23, 2019 nick (the infinite limits of love) rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary, 2019-favorites

4.5/5

I have yet to read a poorly written book from Jenn Bennett. I was pretty confident going into Serious Moonlight that it would be another hit from one of my favorite authors, and once again, Jenn did not prove me wrong. Serious Moonlight was a sweet, charming and thoughtful story that had me sighing in happiness by the end.

I love how Jenn Bennett writes teenage girls who are messy, flawed, yet so beautiful in their complications. Birdie was one of her more unique heroines. She was a young gi 4.5/5

I have yet to read a poorly written book from Jenn Bennett. I was pretty confident going into Serious Moonlight that it would be another hit from one of my favorite authors, and once again, Jenn did not prove me wrong. Serious Moonlight was a sweet, charming and thoughtful story that had me sighing in happiness by the end.

I love how Jenn Bennett writes teenage girls who are messy, flawed, yet so beautiful in their complications. Birdie was one of her more unique heroines. She was a young girl, hurting from the recent loss of one of her guardians, her grandmother, and reeling from her grandfather's diagnosis of narcolepsy. Birdie had grown up without her parents so she led a rather sheltered life, which led to her not always making the best decisions for herself. In Serious Moonlight, with the help with some awesome people, we see her go through somewhat of a journey of emotional growth. Besides doing a fantastic job at capturing the intricacies of a teenage girl, Jenn Bennett also managed to make Birdie a unique personality through her love of all things mysteries. Growing up, I was obsessed with sleuthing stories, so I loved seeing that side of Birdie and I loved the little nods to famous detectives in popular media throughout the book. She was so passionate about it, it was just too adorable! Birdie wasn't the only great character in Serious Moonlight. If you've read anything from Jenn Bennett, then you know she pairs up her characters with some of the swooniest boys ever. Daniel, Birdie's love interest here, was just a sweetheart. He was charming, thoughtful and so kind. I loved how he pushed Birdie outside of her comfort zone without being a creeper in her personal space. Daniel was a gentleman through and through. We find that there's more to him than just the sweet-tongued fellow he came across as. I was very proud of how far he had come from the circumstances in his past.

I also have to hype up Birdie's Aunt Mona, who was a great role model for her, and who was someone who was always there for her. She was such a cool lady! I could read a whole book about her. Birdie and Daniel's romance was the sweetest and definitely the kind that had my shipper heart hollering. I loved all their open conversations and how they cared about each other's comfort levels around each other. As with all of Jenn's books, Serious Moonlight also depicted teenagers having sex in a tactful, positive and honest way - the author portrays the beautiful and the ugly, which I will never not appreciate. The Seattle setting, especially the wacky but charming hotel at which Birdie and Daniel worked at, also brought an extra something special to this book!

Jenn Bennett's books burst with so much life. She's an author that I will never stop reading. If you're a fan of her books, Serious Moonlight will not disappoint. If you have yet to read her books, then I urge you to give them a try. There is something here for just about everyone! I promise. :) ...more

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Feb 09, 2020 Cory Marie rated it it was amazing

Jenn Bennett writes the type of contemporaries that I would love to be able to write someday. Her stories are always adorable, relatable, and realistic. Serious Moonlight might be my new favorite of hers because of the vacation-y setting where Birdie and Daniel live, and because it has a super cool mystery with a twist that I didn’t see coming until it was revealed!

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Dec 18, 2018 Farhina ↯↯ The Wanderer Of Inked Adventures rated it liked it

Shelves: 2019-releases

Jenn Bennett has been on of my favorite contemporary writers. Her books are either a hit or a miss of me. But the ones i do love are like biiiiiiiiiig hits. So this one brings the count to 2 loved and added to all time fav... 2 are just tolerable, in the middle. This one fell in the latter category.

One of the things I love about Jenn B's books are that they are so darn atmospheric and they build up the environment around the story so much, that's one of the things I love about night owls. And t Jenn Bennett has been on of my favorite contemporary writers. Her books are either a hit or a miss of me. But the ones i do love are like biiiiiiiiiig hits. So this one brings the count to 2 loved and added to all time fav... 2 are just tolerable, in the middle. This one fell in the latter category.

One of the things I love about Jenn B's books are that they are so darn atmospheric and they build up the environment around the story so much, that's one of the things I love about night owls. And this one was no different. I loved show she portrayed Seattle, the water front, the city and the houses. The night time scenes, the ferry rides, the diner. It just add so much to the story, and makes it so much more fun for me. So yeah it gets a lot of points for that.

The story had Nancy Drew-esque sleuth-y vibes to it. Centered around a mystery and a girl who loves playing detective, added another atmospheric charm to the story; filled with suspense and intrigue.

Birdie was a flawed character and something really hard to agree with. But she loved books (ding ding) and was so awkward (again ding ding). Love these two facts, she is struggling through out the story and I love that her arc progresses and she does deal with her life and issues in a positive way so yay her!

This book is incredibly diverse and deal with mental health and disabled people issue. And that was done really well. Also its sex positive and deal with it in a normal way. And I like how it's spoken about in Jenn's books, and talked about other than being treated like a taboo.

My problems came with the pacing. Sometimes it got a little too slow and boring. I can't decide if it was the book or the fact that publishers decide to provide PDF earc that makes the process 100% excruciating, because PDF are so rigid in their formats and they don't adhere to any of my read apps on the phone or my laptop. Ugh. But I think the books does become too long at some point for a contemporary, it's 400+ pages longs and takes a while to build up and the pace goes up and down a lot.

Also sadly I didn't feel the romance at all too.

But all in all it was an enjoyable read for me. The mystery, sleuthing, world building, food talk, quirky characters and cats kept me going.

Thank you Simon and Schuster UK for my earc.

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About Jenn Bennett

Jenn Bennett

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Jenn Bennett is the author of over a dozen books, including the young adult titles: ALEX, APPROXIMATELY; STARRY EYES; SERIOUS MOONLIGHT; and THE LADY ROGUE. She also writes romance and fantasy for adults. Her books have earned multiple starred reviews, been Goodreads Choice Award nominees, and have been included on annual Best Book lists for both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. She lives near Atlant ...more