How to Quit Your Crush

I love this book so much. I love the characters, the flirty banter, and just the whole story. It’s an enemies to “lovers” story with a little something extra. Mai is driven. And that’s an understatement. She has a plan for everything, knows what she will do with her life down to the most minute detail, and absolutely doesn’t take risks. There are reasons for this, reasons that make Mai so much more than a one-dimensional character. Anthony is the complete opposite. For his own reasons, he is an inherent risk taker, he has no plan for his future, and lives life in the moment, never knowing what tomorrow may bring. What these two do have in common is an inexplicable attraction to one another that is one part chemistry and one part something neither of them truly understands. With Mai leaving for college soon and Anthony heading out on a quest with no particular plans beyond this, these two need to get each other out of their systems. They agree to a two-week immersion to really prove to themselves and each other why they’re so wrong together. Each plans alternating dates they absolutely know the other will hate, resulting in truly hilarious moments. But instead of pushing them further away, it appears to have the opposite effect. These two couldn’t be more different, but you know what they say — opposites attract! Plot The author does a great job of plotting the story so it never drags. The “hate” dates add comedy throughout and keep the story from even devolving into a sagging middle section. Instead, the pacing is spot on, and the character development and sprinkling of moments that help us understand the characters’ backstories is never tedious. The Characters The characters are the best part, and that’s saying something. Mai was hard for me to really identify with it first, but it didn’t take long for me to really get her on a much deeper level. As the only adopted child in her family, she not only looks different than her parents and brother, she feels different. She knows she was chosen, but she also knows she was abandoned by her birth parents. Her need for roots is so understandable, I just wanted to reach out and hug her so many times. Anthony recently lost his father to a short battle with cancer, proving that nothing in life is permanent. He believes in never looking to the future when you can live in the now, because the future isn’t guaranteed. While I’m more like Anthony naturally, rather than through circumstance, I found myself really empathizing with Mai. I was rooting for these two so hard from nearly the first chapter. Top Five Things I Loved About HOW TO QUIT YOUR CRUSH 1. Mai. She’s so uptight she’s practically a statue, and yet there is so much underlying all of that which makes her easy to love. 2. Anthony. He’s my “live in the moment” soul mate, and I was pulling for him to unwind Mai the whole time. 3. Hiking. I live in Southern California, so hiking is pretty much a way of life here, too, although not nearly as hot as in Phoenix! I loved the trail scenes the most. 4. Chemistry. Mai and Anthony have it in spades and it was raw and refreshing. 5. Witty banter. The dialogue was among the best I’ve read in a long time. Bottom Line An adorable romance with amazing characters and many laugh-out-loud moments. One of my top reads of 2020 so far. Disclaimer I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I've been in a bit of a book slump lately and while I've read good books, nothing was hitting me in the feels really. Until I read this. From the moment I started Mai and Anthony's story, I was hooked. These two aren't supposed to meant to be. The Uber planner and just chill and go with the flow guy. They don't mesh, except they do. Perfectly. They take each other out of their carefully crafted boxes and challenge the other. I have never read a book by this author before so I didn't know what to expect. What I got was a book packed full of emotion and connection that I don't tend feel when I read YA. I'm going to have to go back and read Josie and Garrett's story now!!