What’s Not to Love by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
Publication Date: April 20, 2021
I’ve just been posting reviews that I wrote a long time ago at this point. I read this book last year and never got around to posting it.
What’s Not To Love is Wibrokka’s fourth YA novel. I loved their first two books, see reviews for Always Never Yours here and If I’m Being Honest here, but their third was just okay to me. I liked it, but it was less of a romance and more of a finding yourself book which was just not what I was expecting.
So when What’s Not to Love dropped I did not pick it up. But, my friend Jordan (check out her blog here) read all of Wibbroka’s books last year and this was her favorite of the four and then I was approved for ARCs of their 2022 releases so I knew I needed to get on this one. And I really enjoyed it.
Also, their adult romance debut The Roughest Draft released in January 2022 and I really loved that one too. See my thoughts here. Their upcoming YA, With and Without You releases on TUESDAY!
Before I get into the review, I do want to mention that if you’re an adult reading this you might not be super invested in the plot, because its very school orientated which I know is not everyone’s fave.
Plot: Alison Sanger has been competing with Ethan Malloy for the past four years of high school. When they are forced to plan an event together, it might push them over the edge and realize that their constant competing might be something more.
WHAT I LIKED
- Academic – Rivals to lovers is such a fun trope.
- This is such a quick read, and I was invested in the story pretty quickly, which I was not expecting.
- I loved how Alison’s parents totally shipped it. It was a hilarious running joke.
- The driving instructor was weirdly a fun side character?
- The first kiss scene is great and full of tension.
- I really liked all the scenes of them once they “got together” which is not always the case in romances.
- Sometimes rivalries get sort of dumb, but honesty I was so entertained by their dumb antics. Like yes!! Beat him on that test!!
- I liked how much of a romance this was. Their last novel was more coming of age/less focused on the romance, but this is very much about the main character’s relationship.
- Even though their last book wasn’t my fave, I did love the cameo of the two characters.
- I don’t want to spoil this moment, but when they first visit the event site and get showed around, that guy thinks something about them that was hilarious.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE
- Some of the plot was not my favorite since it is very high school focused and not my favorite, but I am an adult reading YA so it didn’t bother me that much.
- The pacing of this novel felt a bit off to me, but I really could not place why.
- I think they needed a few soft moments before the kiss? But, idk.
- I felt very called out by the older sister who lives at home and is figuring out her life plot line.
Also, I am cackling that for the paperback they just have Allison on the cover, but it makes sense because it’s only in her POV, but it still makes me laugh every time that they edited him out.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo, Tree
Words About Words 