Take a photo of a barcode or cover
lyrasbookshelf 's review for:
Just a Girl, Standing in Front of a Boy
by Lucy-Anne Holmes
emotional
funny
reflective
I want a Philippa and Al.
I found myself frustrated for a big part of the book. Jenny and Joe's attraction to each other were instant, so her mental gymnastics about still being with Matt drove me a little crazy because it was obvious they belonged together as much as socks and sandals.
Also, since they met so early in the book, I kept wondering whether I'd have to suffer her being with Matt the Twat until the end. At the same time, the author provided enough information throughout for me to understand why Jenny was confused, and I was pleased with that because it allowed me to turn that initial frustration into understanding.
I really loved the characters and the setting of this book. If I had friends like Philippa and Al, I'd be unstoppable. It was so fun and heart-warming to read about their friendship. I especially liked that they weren't the typical serious adult stick-in-the-muds you so often see in books. Yes, they were in their late 20s/early 30s, but they had this childishness and zest for life about them that I loved to see.
Another thing I appreciated a lot was the Jenny and Mum storyline, as well as the parallels between their individual stories. I loved her mum being able to have the fun she deserved.
The dynamic between Jenny and Joe, however, was a tad too much for me. Their relationship was immediately so full on and I found myself turned off by Joe's excessive cheesiness. I guess I should be all swoony at the idea of being called gorgeous and beautiful in every sentence, but it kind of made me cringe. It was almost caricatureish.
I'm not sure I liked the ending all that much. I think I'd have preferred it without the Larry Lemon thing because, again, it was just a bit too cheesy.
The writing was good, but nothing too special, and it seemed like the editor gave up in the second half of the book with all those run-on sentences. I also don't know if the author intended to give weird racist vibes at the beginning, but after the MC hypes Philippa's white skin, the way she described Joe's skin as 'the right colour, not too tan, creamy' definitely made me question.
I found myself frustrated for a big part of the book. Jenny and Joe's attraction to each other were instant, so her mental gymnastics about still being with Matt drove me a little crazy because it was obvious they belonged together as much as socks and sandals.
Also, since they met so early in the book, I kept wondering whether I'd have to suffer her being with Matt the Twat until the end. At the same time, the author provided enough information throughout for me to understand why Jenny was confused, and I was pleased with that because it allowed me to turn that initial frustration into understanding.
I really loved the characters and the setting of this book. If I had friends like Philippa and Al, I'd be unstoppable. It was so fun and heart-warming to read about their friendship. I especially liked that they weren't the typical serious adult stick-in-the-muds you so often see in books. Yes, they were in their late 20s/early 30s, but they had this childishness and zest for life about them that I loved to see.
Another thing I appreciated a lot was the Jenny and Mum storyline, as well as the parallels between their individual stories. I loved her mum being able to have the fun she deserved.
The dynamic between Jenny and Joe, however, was a tad too much for me. Their relationship was immediately so full on and I found myself turned off by Joe's excessive cheesiness. I guess I should be all swoony at the idea of being called gorgeous and beautiful in every sentence, but it kind of made me cringe. It was almost caricatureish.
I'm not sure I liked the ending all that much. I think I'd have preferred it without the Larry Lemon thing because, again, it was just a bit too cheesy.
The writing was good, but nothing too special, and it seemed like the editor gave up in the second half of the book with all those run-on sentences. I also don't know if the author intended to give weird racist vibes at the beginning, but after the MC hypes Philippa's white skin, the way she described Joe's skin as 'the right colour, not too tan, creamy' definitely made me question.