4.5 stars

CW: anxiety, ableism

I don’t have general or social anxiety disorder. I don’t have selective mutism. I’m not deaf. It’s not my place to comment on the representation for any of these identities, though I’ve seen reviewers with anxiety say that part is very well done and relatable. If I find reviewers with selective mutism or deafness that have read this, I’ll edit this review accordingly.

Secondly, let me address the ableism. It wasn’t a constant theme, but in many scenarios throughout the first half of the book, Steffi’s mom does make ableist comments regarding her mutism and anxiety. She seems to come around in the second half, though that doesn’t excuse her actions in past or present.

Okay, now let me just say that I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was so much better and so much cuter than I expected, and I flew through it.

Steffi was a really relatable main character. I loved her friendship with Tem and her romance with Rhys. She had two sets of supportive parents, as her mom and dad divorced and remarried, and an awesome doggo. She worked at a kennel, so there were a bunch of other doggos as well, and that made it even better.

Tem was a really loyal friend, and a bit dramatic at times, but good nonetheless. They were opposites but they really fit together, and they came back to each other even after a big fight. I liked their dynamic.

Then there’s Rhys, an absolute marshmallow that must be protected. He was a tad sexist from time to time, but Steffi talked him through it and all was well. I loved him so much. He was supportive and sweet and snarky, all in one. He was a great character individually, and a super cute boyfriend.

I really liked Steffi’s and Tem’s younger siblings, Bell and Davey. They were both really little, around four I think, and they were really cute. Davey saw Bell in a fairy costume and wanted to be a fairy as well. He got to borrow her wings and it made him so happy. This scene made me smile.

Another good thing about this book is that it’s sex-positive. Steffi and Rhys have sex twice, maybe three times. (I’m clueless in this area so I’m not sure if one scene counts as sex or not lol oops. My ace side is showing.) These scenes aren’t my cup of tea, but they’re important. Sex is treated as a taboo thing in YA and it should be normalized. It also made me feel a bit better about myself, because they didn’t seem to know what they were doing and neither did I. 😂

This book is also therapy-positive. Toward the start Steffi is in a regular session, and later on there’s an emergency, last-minute session. Her therapist Jane was really nice and understanding, and she seemed to really help Steffi. I haven’t read many books where the main character has a positive therapy experience, though I might just be reading the wrong ones. It was refreshing to see that while reading this.

My big issue is that the end seemed kind of rushed. Steffi had a fight with Tem, a fallout with Rhys, and a meeting with her parents, and all of it happened in less than fifty pages. Then things were resolved, and the book was over. I think another chapter or two would’ve been beneficial.

So for the most part, I really enjoyed this. I liked the positive family dynamics, the strong friendship, the sweet romance, and of course the doggos. If you’re looking for a fluffy read that also discusses heavier topics, I highly recommend this one. 💕

(Also, not gonna lie, I’m jealous that the UK cover is so much prettier than the US one. When I buy my own copy I’m going to try to get that edition.)