4/5
The Fill-In Boyfriend was exactly what I was looking for in a cute holiday read. It's a romantic coming-of-age novel that is very reminiscent of Since You Been Gone by Morgan Matson, which is one of my comfort reads.
Every so often, between fantasy and sci-fi reads, I crave an easy teen romance. I'm always wary that I'll unluckily pick up one of the many horrible high school novels full of underdeveloped characters, catty friends, and unrealistic boys that always stink of anti-feminism. You know what I'm talking about. The Fill-In Boyfriend is not that. Obviously, one can't have too high standards for a novel of such genre-- you won't find anything stunningly original here, but you will find a sweet coming-of-age story, funny dialogue, and a strong ship. There are times when our protagonist Gia's narration can be a little boring, but I feel that that's part of her character and development; the point of the novel is her learning to form and express her thoughts.
I read The Fill-In Boyfriend in one day. I loved having such an easy ship I could get behind, and I thoroughly enjoyed being sucked out of boring pandemic life and into Gia's world. Kasie West does an excellent job of showing instead of telling, and I loved the almost unreliable narration. It allowed me to slowly discover Gia's character the same way she was discovering herself. I would highly recommend The Fill-In Boyfriend to fans of Matson's Since You Been Gone and those looking for a sweet, fun read.
No comments:
Post a Comment