Shouldn’t a girl get to star in her own love story?
Seventeen-year-old Megan Harper is about due for her next sweeping romance. It’s inevitable—each of her relationships starts with the perfect guy and ends with him falling in love . . . with someone else. But instead of feeling sorry for herself, Megan focuses on pursuing her next fling, directing theater, and fulfilling her dream college’s acting requirement in the smallest role possible.
So when she’s cast as Juliet (yes, that Juliet) in her high school’s production, it’s a complete nightmare. Megan’s not an actress, and she’s used to being upstaged—both in and out of the theater. In fact, with her mom off in Texas and her dad remarried and on to baby #2 with his new wife, Megan worries that, just like her exes, her family is moving on without her.
Then she meets Owen Okita, an aspiring playwright inspired by Rosaline from Shakespeare’s R+J. A character who, like Megan, knows a thing or two about short-lived relationships. Megan agrees to help Owen with his play in exchange for help catching the eye of a sexy stagehand/potential new boyfriend. Yet Megan finds herself growing closer to Owen, and wonders if he could be the Romeo she never expected.
In their fresh and funny debut, Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka break down the high school drama to find there’s always room for familial love, romantic love, and—most importantly—self-love.
Everyone around Megan is falling in love or at least falling out of love with her. It feels like everyone around her is moving on and she’s stuck, alone and taking care of herself. She’s used to being behind, alone in the background until she somehow ends up as the main role in the play and Owen Okita becomes her new friend. Everything is changing, but maybe that’s not a bad thing?
I loved this book. I don’t know why I waited so long to read it. It’s been on my shelves for over two years and now its probably one of my new favorite books that I have read.
Megan is someone I want to be friends with. She knows who she is, she loves fiercely and wants things to be okay. She is smart, driven and incredibly talented. Megan’s personality reminds me of one of my best friends, which is why I think I found her so likable and enjoyable.
The story is Romeo and Juliet inspired, which is evident throughout the story. I enjoyed Romeo and Juliet, but I loved how this story focused more on Rosaline. Rosaline is someone we don’t know much about, which I feel is how Megan is used to being seen by her ex-boyfriends current girlfriends. They don’t know much about her, but they know enough about her or at least they think they do.
I found the central conversation around Megan’s romantic history to be very important. People, especially teenage women, are so quick to judge each other and call each other names when they find out about each others romantic experiences. Megan is the first to talk about her many boyfriends and also understands that Its nothing to be ashamed of.
This was one of the few novels I have read where I enjoyed all the parental figures that we meet in the novel. Megan’s parents are divorced and both in new relationships, her dad has remarried to a woman named Rose.
From what we see of Rose, she knows that there is a thin line between being a step-mom and trying to be her mom and I think Rose does a great job at being there for Megan without over stepping. Her dad is supportive and kind, he wants Megan to be happy and is a good man. I really like her mom, her mom is fun and kind. And then we have Randall, her moms serious boyfriend, who is serious and different than anyone Megan would have imagined her mom with. But he loves her mom and wants her to be happy.
I loved Megan’s friends, they are all true to themselves and felt real. I love the different relationships we are introduced to!
Owen. Owen Okita. I love him. He is sweet, soft, kind and smart. He is creative and is a little bit bumbling, but he is just the best. His relationship with his younger brother is adorable and the way he cares about him is great.
I loved this book SO much. The characters, the writing and the plot. I just loved this so much!
If you’re looking for a fun, sweet, romantic YA read I highly recommend you pick this one up next!