Charming as a Verb

by Ben Philippe

Henri “Halti” Haltiwanger can charm just about anyone. He is a star debater and popular student at the prestigious FATE academy, the dutiful first-generation Haitian son, and the trusted dog walker for his wealthy New York City neighbors. But his easy smiles mask a burning ambition to attend his dream college, Columbia University.

There is only one person who seems immune to Henri’s charms: his “intense” classmate and neighbor Corinne Troy. When she uncovers Henri’s less-than-honest dog-walking scheme, she blackmails him into helping her change her image at school. Henri agrees, seeing a potential upside for himself.

Soon what started as a mutual hustle turns into something more surprising than either of them ever bargained for. . . .

This is a sharply funny and insightful novel about the countless hustles we have to keep from doing the hardest thing: being ourselves.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult Romance

328 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 2020

About the author

Ben Philippe was born in Haiti, raised in Montreal, Canada, and resides in New York City, where he teaches Screenwriting and writes for television (Only Murders In The Building, Interview With The Vampire). He is an alum of Columbia University and a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers of UT Austin. He still does not have a valid driver’s license. He'll get it soon. He promises. It's just so much paperwork. And, like, an exam.

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ignore me. Only here to mathematically make up for a future one-star review that will genuinely hurt my feelings. :)

[mwana · Rating 5 out of 5]

All children are charming as an adjective, but you're charming as a verb.

I LOVED this book. Can you tell? Can you tell that I absofuckinglutely LOVED this book? Because I LOVED this book.

Set in my favourite thing ever, New York City, the story follows the young adult life of Henri Haltiwanger. A Haitian-American going to FATE Academy. He is a talented wunderkind, a future Tobie Hatfield. Henri also moonlights as a dogwalker for the wealthy, uptight and without a lot of free time. His operation is not on the up-and-up and one of his neighbours, who is also a student at FATE, Corinne, decides to use this information to her advantage. And so begins a friendship that will give Henri one of the wildest years of his life.

Henri is a kid under a lot of pressure. He's aware of the arbitrary social totem pole. When you're poor and Black, you have A LOT working against you. (Sadly this is true everywhere). This makes Henri put on an act. Like a snake oil salesman. He has a facade for every audience. A Smile, a smile™️ and a genuine smile.

Despite the shortcomings, Henri leads a charmed life. His mum is pursuing her dream to become a firefighter, his father is the super at a Manhattan high rise, he has a thriving social life, his best friend, Ming a shoe-obsessed cinnamon roll and a dream to end up at Columbia. Henri was only two shades away from what Rita Mae Brown says we need to be happy Happiness is pretty simple: someone to love, something to do, something to look forward to.

For something to do, Henri had school. For something to anticipate, Henri had his shoe designer dream, college. For someone to love, Henri had just met Corinne. She was amazing to Henri. And you could tell.

Being Corinne Troy is not a performance to Corinne Troy.

...it is, hands down, the best kiss of my life. I look at Corinne afterward, and everything about the moment feels like a postcard: the lint caught in her pink hat, the flush of her cheeks, the way she's scanning my face and biting the inside of her cheek as if there are a million things in her head that she's trying to hold back right now. Or is that me?

It's pretty clear here who is the sun and who is the hapless, rotating planet with vague signs of intelligent life.

The people around Henri's life are also stark and vibrant. Henri's Manhattan is one rich with life and possibility. You can even feel it move with him when he goes to visit Montreal when he has a college interview

Montreal feels like a city that's gotten a good night's rest and woken up in time for a bike ride alongside the Saint Lawrence River.

Henri is a very observant protagonist. It makes his story palpable, as though it's jumping off the pages. It's also easy to get a grasp of his family's dynamic, especially with his enigmatic Uncle Lionel whose advice to Henri when he fucked up was

If you're going to risk everything, don't get caught.

This was a book about love, friendship and dreams. It was deceptive in its simplicity. Henri's mistake hit close to home and even had me crying when he thought he'd hit rock bottom. I was rooting for him to earn his happiness. This book turned me from a human being to a human grinning.

What? The book can do it but I can't? Never mind that, drop what you're doing and get to reading this book.

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was thoroughly enjoyable! It isn't all light and fluffy though, as a decision made by one of our main protagonists turns the story on it's head. This book explores the pressures teens experience during the college application process, and how the expectations of their parents can add a layer of stress to an already tense situation. The book also addresses inequality in the system and how wealthier teens have access to certain advantages whilst applying for colleges. This novel, however, is at its heart an adorable romance. I wasn't 100% sold on the ending but overall I had a wonderful time reading this and loved the diverse characters.

[Shawnaci Schroeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️

- This book really brought back how nerve wracking it is to submit college applications. It’s easy to glamorize that time in my life when thinking back on nostalgic memories but I would never want to go back to that time! Truly felt like I was going back in time while reading this book and feeling all the same emotions all over again.
- Loved that this book was told from Henri’s pov. This story was so funny and I found myself actually laughing out loud. The romance was realistic and relatable. Didn’t want this story to end!!
- The story really had so many deeper themes and life lessons that would be perfect for anyone to read. I’ve found myself having a tough time connecting to YA in previous reads, but since have any trouble with this one at all because even though it was set in high school, the writing was deep and the characters were really going through real things. Loved this book from start to finish!

[alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

i binged this book and enjoyed it so so much!!

- Black #ownvoices author + rep
- set in nyc aka the BEST
- realistic hs senior experience in terms of academics and college applications
- cute rom-com with wonderful characters !!!

[Sheena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this one.. I MEAN, the cover is gorgeous and the synopsis sounded like this would be a cute, fluffy read. Instead, I was bored for basically most of the book. Henri just complains about college stress the whole time and we don’t really get much of anything else. I literally do not want to hear about high school kids stressing over college admissions the entire time. I expected SO much more.

I don’t know if I would consider this as a romance or a coming of age either.. Henri wasn’t my favorite character but I liked Corinne and that was about it. Oh, I also liked Corinne’s dog. Honestly, Henri wasn’t likable at all and I think if there were switches between their POVs that may have made the book a little better.

There were also SOOO many Harry Potter references like at least five and as much as I love Harry Potter, I thought the references were overkill. There were other pop culture references too and I think sometimes it can be tasteful but in this case it just didn’t work out. I also didn’t find it funny or insightful either as the synopsis claims. I feel so bad for not liking this book because I went into it with the intention of loving it.

I think I need to come to terms that YA contemporary/romance is no longer enjoyable for me.

[AsToldByKenya · Rating 5 out of 5]

may be one of my favorite young adults ever

[eli ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

edit: there are minor spoilers in this review. please read with caution

I think I'm in love ❤️



It's been so long since I read a sweet romance, and I enjoyed it. I wasn't in love with the mc, and frankly, I liked the mc's love interest more than him. Charming As A Verb is a cute little romance filled with dogs, privileged students, and college stress. So without further ado, let's get in to it.

First generation Haitian-American Henri "Halti" Haltiwanger walks dogs early in the morning before school to make some money. You heard me, he walks cute dogs. And even though Halti works hard, most of the students at his FATE academy in New York are rich af. I mean like big bank type of rich. So Halti has to work twice as hard to achieve his goals and attend Colombia University. CU means the world to him, and his father has always wanted him to attend CU to get the best education possible. And Halti is neighbors with Corinne, and he doesn't talk to her much because she's "intense". But Corinne blackmails Halti to help her become more popular, and if Halti doesn't help her, she'll expose him for scamming his customers.

So based on this little synopsis I provided, we can see that there's no crazy stuff goin' on, but there's just enough to fill a book.

Henri or Halti (whatever you wanna call him, idk) was not my favorite narrator. Now he's a decent person, don't get me wrong. But the things he just be doin' i just-
It doesn't sit right with me, is what I'm tryin' to say. He's pretty smart, humorous, and caring, but isn't very considerate of his actions until the shit backfires on him and then he apologizes. Sorry Halti, but we don't do that in this household.

""You. . . wrote a fake recommendation letter from my mom? My mom who trusted you? What is wrong with you?"
So everything; she knows everything.
"When?"
I take too long to answer, and Corinne being quicker than me is nothing new. "When we were in Switzerland, right? When you were alone in our apartment. . ."
I don't say anything.
"What the hell, Henry! Do you any idea how much of an invasion that is?"
"I'm sorry."
"You used me!"



Corinne Troy was my favorite character in this book, hands down. She was compassionate, intelligent, considerate, determined, and a little intense at times, but always has good intentions at heart. When I was first introduced to Corinne, I thought she was pretty intense and determined to reach her goals.

"Corinne Troy is one of those hyperfocused FATE students you just kind of have to shake your head at sometimes"

But she just has some type of....I don't even know how to explain it. She just holds herself up to a higher standard and I respect that. My gurl Corinne doesn't care if you call her "intense" because she's gettin' her bag, and that's it.

Now for the writing of this story, well, it's pretty good. I don't really have many complaints because this story is written in a way where you know what's happening, but you also know that it could have been written better. Some parts felt skipped because of the writing, so I didn't really enjoy that. I really wish that we could have had a dual POV with Corinne and Henri because I think it would have added so much more to the story. Maybe I'm saying this because I cared about Corinne more than Henri, but I just wanted to learn more about her life and get a glimpse of what's going on with her. I would greatly appreciate that.



And the plot was good enough, but it could have been more intricate and expanded on. Like, we do have glimpses of what it's like for Henri to be a first-generation Haitian-American while attending a school with other privileged students who were born in America. But I would have wanted to learn more about Henri's culture and how his Haitian culture and American culture intertwine. But the storyline was pretty good. Henri went to ____ college, he gets accepted by his parents after actually talking to them, and we see his relationship develop with Corinne.

And finally, my favorite part, the ✨romance✨. In Charming As A Verb, Corinne and Henri's relationship evolves from just neighbors/classmates, to friends, to lovers. I truly enjoyed seeing them learn more about each other throughout the story and show their affection for each other. I liked that this wasn't an insta-love where they magically see each other, and they're "in love".



Overall, this book was alright. I disliked Henri, fell in love with Corinne, and laughed my ass off because of Ming and how funny he was. We ain't gonna talk about Ming because he was a side character friend, and I didn't like that, but whatever. The writing in this novel was okay, but there could have been some more description and word building added to make the story better. And I would have truly enjoyed if there was more added to Henri's storyline of being Haitian-American because I think that would have added a lot more backstory and culture to this novel. So I enjoyed this novel, and it was a sweet romance, but it could have been better.

[Vicky Again · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so cute and adorable and fantastic!!! i absolutely adored the characters and their voices (charming, sociable Henri and introverted, intense Corinne!) and this book was just. so fun and enjoyable.

would highly, highly recommend for people looking for a fun, contemporary romance ft. some college stress.

[Ms. Woc Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The meet-cute is blackmail in the cute and witty YA contemporary where our protagonist Henri is just trying to balance life as a college-bound senior in NYC attending one of the cities most elite private schools.

Henry runs his own dog walking business and he's discovered people are more likely to trust you with their fur baby when you have a professional company behind you. Unfortunately for him his neighbor Corrine has already figured out why he's seemingly the only one employed by this alleged company. So Corinne threatens to expose him unless he helps her become more sociable. Henri agrees and finds himself growing to like Corrine but he can't help but think about how her mother may be the key to his acceptance to the ivy league university of his dreams.

This book is a cute contemporary perfectly relatable for teens heading into their last year of highschool where college admission decisions and uncertainty about the future loom.

Full review
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Ben Philippe's new book, Charming as a Verb , making it look like everything comes easy for you is often really hard work.

At first glance, Henri Haltiwanger (otherwise known as “Halti” or “HH”) seems to have life in the palm of his hand. He’s first-generation American, the son of hard-working Haitian immigrants; he’s a good student at the prestigious FATE Academy, where he’s well-liked; and he runs a dog-walking business for upscale New Yorkers.

The one thing he wants more than anything is to go to Columbia University. It’s also his father’s dream for Henri, so there’s added pressure and worry about whether he’ll get in.

But one person isn’t impressed with Halti—his fellow student and neighbor, Corinne Troy. Super-smart and “intense,” she discovers the scheme Halti has been running with his dog walking business, so she blackmails him. She wants him to help her become more likable and appear to be less driven to her peers.

Before long, “Cori” is actually pleasant to be around, and she and Halti start to lean on each other more and more, and share their personal challenges and fears. She helps Halti see what his dreams could be instead of what he thinks they must be, and they both let down their guard to let each other in.

But when Halti cracks under the pressure, things fall apart. It's time for him to prove that he’s more than just a charming guy, and that he is deserving of the opportunities he so desperately seeks.

I really liked this book. I enjoy Ben Philippe’s storytelling (I enjoyed his first book, The Field Guide to the North American Teenager ) and thought these characters were terrific. (I especially loved Halti’s bromance with his best friend, Ming.)

Charming as a Verb really captured the pressures that teenagers face, particularly the children of immigrants. I’ll admit I was annoyed by one thing Halti did and it almost made me stop reading, but after a bit I realized how someone in his position might do the same.

Philippe is so talented, so I can’t wait to see what he does next!

Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.

Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.

[Paula M · Rating 3 out of 5]

"All children are charming as an adjective, but you’re charming as a verb."

Okay, before we proceed with the review, can we all just stop and stare at this stunning cover? Without reading the book, you already know that this book will be nothing but charming just by looking the cover alone. And what a roller coaster ride this was and I'm not complaining!!

Charming as a Verb is from Haitian-American Henri's POV. In this story we get to enjoy Henri's internal struggles about going into college, liking a girl that he he didn't expect to like in the first place and parents who expects a lot from him. Oh, really adore Henri as a main character, he IS charming even though its not l through out the story but this is what makes him a well written character. See, Henri is flawed and the author didn't shy away of letting his readers knows this. What's great though is that not only did Henri acknowledge this, we also saw a character development BEING done. The story ended with Henri realizing what he did wrong, what he has to do and what consequences he has to experience and I think thats realistic and beautiful.

I have no words for how much I love Corinne!! As much as I love Henri, I wouldn't complain if Corinne had a POV of her own as well as this girl is my definition of "fictional bestie" Yes, you can label her as "socially awkward" but there's so much more about Corinne. However, I understand why this is only under Henri's POV, in my opinion, the romance of this book is just really a subplot and shouldn't be the focus of the whole book.

It's about Henris realization when it comes to what he really wants to be and where he needs to be. This is probably one of the most realistic portrayal of a confused young adult in terms of choosing their university and the stress and pressure that comes with it. Being a child of immigrants in New York, imagine the struggles to be twice as hard. I also enjoyed how much detailed Henri is when he is obsessing about his passion and that Corinne helped his character growth. As much as I like these two together though, I can't help but notice how fast Henri liked Corinne. You will read that there IS a chapter where it can POSSIBLY start but on the next chapter, it's already happening. So in short, I feel like demanding to have MORE interaction FIRST to get us all on board with Henri liking Corinne. The ending is probably one of my favorite ending from all the YA Contemporary Romance I've read this year. Its just all so realistic and necessary.

Charming as a Verb really delivered. If you're looking for a funny and genuine book with a set of sweet and well written characters, get ready for Charm as a Verb to charm its way to your heart. I can't wait to read more from Ben Philippe!

[Charmel · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Stop trying to imagine what the other person wants to hear; that’s actively dumb."

Charming as a Verb is your typical YA contemporary romance book. It's nothing special and I've read it so many times that I think I know how the book goes. I still found enjoyment in some parts of it though.

There are always first loves, parties, family lessons, break-ups or a fight in the middle of the book, and college problems

The characters were meh. Henri was funny but outright annoying. Corrine was likeable but unrelatable. I wish there were switching of povs because Henri was not doing a good job at narrating the whole book.

My whole review / reaction for this book is "meh", there were 2-4 times where it was witty and cute but, "meh"


-

2.5 stars.
short rtc because i lost my draft

[CW ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I henceforth pledge myself to read whatever book Ben Philippe writes because Charming as a Verb was just so good and, true to its title, so charming.

- Follows Henry, a charming Haitian teen whose easygoing personality masks his burning desire to go to his dream university. When he meets his 'intense' classmate, Corrine, she instantly catches him in his not-entirely-honest dog walking scheme and blackmails him: help her change her image in school or she'll spill his secret.
- Okay, so the premise of this book makes it sound like it's twisty, but it isn't! This is actually such a clever and charming book about how image matters, how we have to sometimes fight for what we want (and how people can get hurt along the way), and the weight of our parents' expectations and dreams (and how we can mistake them as our own).
- The romance in this was so lovely. I adored Henry, even if he's far from perfect and makes plenty of mistakes, and I also loved Corinne.
- The humour in this is truly god-tier. I laughed so much while listening to this (and the audiobook is brilliantly narrated by James Fouhey; his narration was AMAZING).
- The story also explores college stress and the whole college application race; how some teens are lucky and get in because of legacy, how some teens have to really 'standout', and how Black kids also face the pressure of being excellent following Obama's presidency.
- Honestly? I just loved this so much. I loved how the characters make mistakes, suffer for those consequences, and make amends.

Content warning: discussion about racism, mentions of sex

[Esther · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good but disappointing. I'm not sure what I was expecting, I just wanted this book to exceed my expectations when all it did was fulfill what I thought would happen in the first place. The book was pretty average. Sadly, everything I thought would happen, happened, which bored me. I loved the characters, and the whole blackmail thing felt creative. But, everything else about this book felt unoriginal. I can barely talk as I can only imagine how hard it must be to write a book, but the concept of this book happens all the time in other books (I'm feeling repetitive). I just wanted to be more entertained, but this book didn't do it for me.
I give this a 3

[janeee :D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike anyone else I’ve ever met, this girl could so very easily make my heart her complete bitch.

henri my silly silly sometimes commits crimes bf and corinne my silly silly blackmailer gf

[kaz.brekkers.future.wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

FOUR STARS

Can I just say that this book warmed my heart in several waves. Like on a heating scale of one to ten, this was cancer-causing. This book called out how single I am in so many ways, and I mean so many. I love cute romantic books because not only do they make me feel all warm and gooey inside, they also make me regret being a single gay bitch with no friends.

I loved Henri. I love black men in general. I kind of have a thing for men of color, no offense to white boys. But men are so much hotter when they've got that ethnic, or "exotic" as white people like to call it, glow to them. he was so fucking charming, and RESPECTFUL, AND HOT. Like what. Also, I loved that concept of his Smiles. That was so cute, and made me love him ten fold. And Corinne. Sassy, smart, self-loving, black girls just do something to me man. She was so cute and rough and tough in the beginning, but like a cookie in the microwave, she warmed up to him.

The writing was okay. it wasn't that great, but I don't mind. Like, these are contemporary romance books, I'm not going to go off on a six-page rant because somebody doesn't write like Madeline Miller. And not writing like her can be a good thing, since I'm still mad at her for giving me a book hangovwer after the song of achilles.

Can I just say, that I will definitely reread this book to feel the utter warm joy I felt the first time I read this.


The Books Of Black History Month:
1) Ace Of Spades ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2) Raybearer Beyond ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3) Children Of Virtue and Vengeance⭐️
4) Instructions For Dancing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5) Dread Nation ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
6) The City We Became Beyond ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7) Charming As A Verb ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
8) Skin Of The Sea ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
9) Witches Steeped In Gold⭐️
10) Harlem Shuffle⭐️⭐️⭐️
11) This Poison Heart⭐️⭐️
12) The Fifth Season Beyond ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Zoeisbookhooked · Rating 3 out of 5]

CHARACTERS- 4/10
PLOT- 4/10
ROMANCE- 5/10
WRITING- 4/10


THE CHARACTERS...

I enjoyed this at the beginning but the last half kinda bummed me out.

I didn’t like Henri as a narrator like his pov. He is genuinely a good character. He is nice and all but his perspective wasn’t. And his decisions in the book? I mean no one is perfect but dude that was immature.

Corrine was probably my favorite character. She was fun and smart! But there were times when I just didn’t care. But she deserves better than Henri.

The characters were fine enough but I couldn’t connect with them at all. And I didn’t fall in love with them.

THE ROMANCE...

They were cute at the beginning because it was almost an enemies to lovers but it wasn’t. But their friendship is spot on👌 But as a couple I didn’t ship them and that’s the hard part of enjoying a romance. You kind of have to ship the romantic interests haha.

They were each other’s first boyfriend/girlfriend. So you can imagine how the romance was cringe and awkward. I was uncomfortable because they were.
Their first kiss Corinne just randomly jumps at him and kisses him and it talks about how she awkwardly bumps his chin with hers. And that their teeth smashed against each other’s on accident. like ow😬
And all the other kisses were the same.

And honestly I didn’t feel a pure romantic connection between them. It felt rushed and uncomfortable. So that ruined it a bit for me.

THE PLOT...

We didn’t get much of the setting or world but that’s usually in Fantasies.

Anyways the plot, was meh. It was all over the place. It felt like the author had a cool concept but just couldn’t connect everything together. I was having a hard time following the story in this book as well. Which would make sense why I didn’t care for this as much. Because the plot and romance are HUGE parts of this story.

THE WRITING...

I don’t have much to say about the writing. Is hard to tell because I listened to this through an audiobook. But it seemed pretty average. It didn’t stick out to me but I didn’t find it unbearable, you know?

I’m honestly not sure what to rate this. I feel like 2.5 is too low but 3 is too nice. Maybe I’ll settle for a 2.8? I’m not sure😆

Anyways that’s all✨

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henri had many talents, and his charm was one of his secret weapons. A chameleon, who could easily fit into all school cliques. A persuasive orator, who dominated at debate. An entrepreneur, who created a successful dog walking business. He was also a first generation American, who was under a LOT of pressure from his parents to achieve their dream of him attending Columbia, and for once, his charm might not be enough to help him attain this goal.

I fell in love with Philippe's writing via the greatness that is The Field Guide to the North American Teenager. That story had incredible characters, spectacular humor, and lots of emotional depth, and I saw all those elements on display in Charming as a Verb as well.

FIVE REASONS TO READ CHARMING AS A VERB

1. Henri was a first-class narrator. I loved his voice! He was witty and snarky and authentic. He elicited a multitude of laughter from me with his many observations, while also appealing to my heart with some of his hopes and fears.

2. The romance was fantastic. Who knew blackmail could turn into more? Henri and Corrine were polar opposites, personality-wise. She was "intense" and wanted to learn his charming ways, but she also brought a lot to the table. Wow! Just, wow! Henri really met his match with Corrine. She was one of the few, who could resist his charm, and it forced him to be more real with her. I also loved how they challenged each other and the way they grew together.

3. The bromance won my heart. Henri and his best friend, Ming, had a great friendship. Every time they were on page together was a special treat. I have to say, I am such a fan of seeing more male friendships, where they openly share their emotions. We need these depictions.

4. Anyone who is going through or has ever experienced the college admissions process will be able to relate to Henri's struggle. There is the stress with getting all the applications in, keeping your grades up, and padding your "resume" so that the colleges notice you. There is also the pressure to achieve, which may be intrinsic or extrinsic. Getting into college is a major process and a B I G decision. That was all explored and captured so well in this book.

5. OMG, the dogs! My first reason for picking up this book was because Ben Philippe wrote it, but when I saw that cover! I knew I HAD to read it. And friends, that cover was not a tease. Henri walked some fabulous furry friends, and I loved getting to know them all.

Another book by Philippe for my favorites shelf! He combined standout characters with the perfect amount of humor, romance, and emotion. I was delighted to be part of Henri's world and grateful to accompany him on this journey.

Overall: This book really lived up to its name. I was utterly charmed by this story and absolutely loved it from beginning to end!

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[Sleepless Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a horrible exam season and before another exam season, I'm just here like "Henri, university is only good for making you feel bad with yourself, don't go".

Anyways, Charming as a Verb is about Henri, an ambitious child of Haitian immigrants and owner of fraudulent dog walking company. When he gets caught by his quirky neighbor and classmate, Corrinne, she blackmails him to helping her make more friends. From here, things quickly pick up.

There's a lot this book gets right. Henri's narrative voice is compelling, detailed and humorous. It's fun to read. The plot is fast-paced. I read it in one sitting and the pages just flew by. It feels good to sink into NYC and teen issues.

Thematically, this book touches on many topics, from the unfair stress teenagers face about college, to racism, to being different. I especially enjoyed the way Henri's ambition was described as well and contrasted to Corrinne and her mother.

I'm so here for book about smart kids that aren't scientifically inclined. Henri's talents are design and public speaking and he is seen as no less smart. Generally, I appreciated the description of the school and Henri's frustration at the way rich people are still able to wield their advantages, even when the playing ground is seemingly fair. The argument that even scholarships do not fully fix both inequality and feelings of inadequacy is a powerful one.

I found that I could relate to this book because I've started to list out universities for my potential Masters/ PhD (pls, someone let me do a PhD as an MBA graduate). Philippe perfectly describes the self-doubts, the fear that you might not be good enough, questioning what you're willing to do to make your goals come true. It's a question that shows up time and time again in the book.

This book also does a great job exploring whether a specific path is chosen for prestige or for genuine reasons. As I'm questioning whether I even want a Phd or generally, to continue my education, it also felt like it hit close to home. Ahhhhh, how does one even make life choices, I need a binder like Corrinne

I do have a bone to pick. Near the end of the book, there's a scene where Henri and his girlfriend are about to have sex for the first time but Henri (for reasons I won't spoil) isn't in the mood. Despite her prominent feminist leanings, his girlfriend acts entitled and offended. While this might be a realistic portrayal, it seems to me that if the gender roles were switched, this would bug more people. For me, it was uncomfortable to read, even if it wasn't very long or important. It's important for teenagers to recognize that no one owes you sex, regardless of gender.

However, all in all, this is a good book. If you're looking for some YA, this is a great addition to the genre. And I'm lowkey cheating by counting this as my Haiti book for my challenge but this does represent an Haitian experience so I don't feel fully guilty.

What I'm Taking With Me

- Henri's best friend is Chinese and adopted by a Jewish family and this dynamic hardly gets screen time, I want to know more
- It's been a while since I read this but I remember this book fondly.
- Yep, I still haven't given up on writing reviews for all the books I read this year, even when I'm ridiculously behind, ahh.

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First week of the semester like: I'm ridiculously burnt out and need at least three months of vacation. Review to come!

[Mads · Rating 5 out of 5]

i thoroughly enjoyed this book, my only criticism is that i wish we had more of an expansion on how we got from points A to B in the epilogue, but everything was 👌

[Enne · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I was really excited to pick this book up because the premise sounded incredible!! I mean a fake-dating romance and a fake dog-walking business?? This book had me on the edge of my seat anticipating its release! But when I finally picked it up, I found myself disappointed.

It was genuinely a struggle for me to get through this book and it took me over a week to read it, when normally a contemporary like this would take me 2-3 days. The story felt like it dragged so much and I couldn’t find myself invested in any of the plotlines that the author was introducing. Also, for how prominent dog-walking is in the synopsis, there is very little of it in the book and I would have liked to have heard more about this “less-than-honest” dog-walking business.

I also think a lot of my issues came from the fact that a lot of what I was being told by the author didn’t match what I was being shown. We’re eventually told that Henri’s main calling in life is design but like,,, the reader was never shown that. We didn’t see Henri thinking about the sneakers he was designing, we didn’t see him getting excited about new ideas he was getting, etc.. And maybe that was intentional, but to me it just felt like the author realized that Henri needed a passion for the story to work and stuck one in without much thought.

That said, I really enjoyed the fact that academic pressure was explored so throughougly through Henri’s character. I really appreciated his arc when it came to accepting and moving past said pressure and realizing what he wanted to do with his life. I thought that was really well-developed and I appreciated the message that sent. I also thought the romance was cute and I liked that the main conflict in the romance didn’t hinge on miscommunication! I also thought the ending of it was really cute!
Regarding the plot, I will say that I would have liked to see more consequences to some of Henri’s actions. As I was reading the book, it felt to me like there were consequences to some of his actions but not to others, which was something that threw me off because it felt like an inconsistency in the story.

Overall, I can’t really say that I enjoyed my time reading this one. I think it’s definitely one that can find its audience if you enjoy a rom-com that explores some more serious themes, but it just was not for me.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henri Haltiwanger is one of those characters who leaps off the page. You’re immediately immersed into his side dog-walking hustle, high performance high school and high expectation of his immigrant parents.

He’s relatable and a real teen, complete with a dumb decisions and earnestness and misguided ideas. This story was a sort of personality deconstruction and I loved Henri’s journey.

Recommended.

[Oyinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

OH THIS WAS SO CUTE! TOO CUTE!!! I listened to the audiobook while at work and I kept screaming commentary to myself so many times, my coworkers kept looking at me funny. It was an amazing book that drew me in and I didn't pause the audiobook for ANYTHING! How cute is Henry??? And Corrinne??? OMG!

Henry and Corrinne are high school seniors who cross paths after Henry starts dogwalking Corrine's new pup. What starts out as light blackmail soon leads to something super cute and beautiful. This book talks about a lot of hard hitting topics, such as parental pressure, being a first gen immigrant (Henry is a first gen Haitian American), college admissions and the unevenness of it all. I loved the characters of Henry and Corrinne's parents, their friends, and even the teachers at school.

I have all this praise for this book, but the only reason this isn't a 5-star for me is the main conflict. You know that conflict in YA novels where there's a huge blow out and then a resolution? I just felt like the author's choice was too serious and came with too little consequences. That aside, this was an amazing read that left my heart feeling fuzzy. The ending was just so beautiful.

With amazing black leads, a stunning love story, and wonderful characters that tug at your heartstrings, I wholeheartedly recommend this book!

[Vi · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5
That was so disappointing! This started as a really cute and nice story but that changed when the main character did something I did not like.
I hate when this kind of thing happens

[Breanne]

hell yes, september better come fucking fast

[Ris Sasaki · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should really listen to my inner self when I dnf a book and not come back to it just because I'm seeing a lot of high ratings through my feed.


This is just yet another YA contemporary where I cringed every single 5 pages or so and that the main characters barely had more than one point to determinate their personality.

Overall, it was pretty average, but the amount of stupid decisions and remarks that I had to endure during this reading experience just made me more and more tired as the reading progressed.
Also, I don't know why some authors feel is extremely necessary to put a romance when they dont actually know how to properly write one...

[Monte Price · Rating 2 out of 5]

More thoughts can be found in this reading vlog.

Nothing about this book is remarkable, a little more of the book is enjoyable, but all of it reads like a pitch for a movie adaptation that would likely succeed as a movie in all the ways that it failed as book. It's not really a romance, but there is a romantic arc that takes over for the last third, and honestly it was just a little too foolish to have me believe they was gonna work that out.

[Brandy Painter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was actually LOVING this. LOVING. IT. Then Henri did something so abysmally dumb I couldn't continue. Teens do dumb things. Believe me I know. However, what he did was grossly unethical, illegal, and had the potential to hurt so many people. The mom in me just wanted to smack him. It made reading the rest of the book with enjoyment difficult.

[Amy Imogene Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

With a lot of humor and hustle, two seniors discover hidden depths to each other in this charming novel about New York City, pre-college anxieties, and finding yourself.

Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Characters: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★ (I was too old, probably!)

Henri Haltiwanger, a first generation Haitian immigrant in New York City, is all about the hustle. He's a scholarship student at the illustrious and exclusive FATE Academy, he's on the debate team, he attends every party, and he's making money on the side as a dog walker during all hours of the day. It's a busy, busy, world out there and Henri is teetering toward the edge with all that he's balancing in the air.

Corinne Troy is "intense." With a focused drive to succeed and attend Princeton, she's turned her high school career into a marathon race of studying, applications, and academic achievement. However, that leaves zero time for the social side of things. To put it bluntly, like Corinne would, she's stunted in the social niceties department and could do with some "wine and dine" lessons.

When Corinne discovers Henri's dog walking "company" is really just him pretending to be a large entity, she sees the opportunity to use this to her advantage to make Henri help her be better with people. Ironically, by doing that at all she proves her point to Henri—Corinne desperately needs some people lessons. Blackmailing is not a good way to make people want to help you.

And just maybe, Henri needs some of the serious introspection that Corinne can provide. Does Henri really know what he wants out of life, or has he just been too busy to realize it?

In short, I thought this was cute. I think being in Henri's head was kind of exhausting, but in a way that was a sign of the author's talent for storytelling as Henri's life was exhausting. The guy's running around all day—charming people, making it by with dog walking, running to his next engagement, and having a constant dialogue with himself in his head—and it's a lot. It shows his impending burnout and shines a light on the impossible standards forced on teens today. Maybe we should give them a freaking break?

However, the elements of this novel that made it so utterly relatable for a young, pre-college audience were the same reasons why I couldn't get fully engaged in the story. If you've already passed the college portion of your life, this novel feels distanced. It's so focused on the pre-college anxieties that I couldn't sync up with it. Definitely a case where the "YA" part of the genre stands out. This one is better suited for the actual teens!

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