I received a free digital copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest feedback.

This book was a cup of absolute refreshment. A great story about a girl dealing with the pressures to always be better than who she is, dealing with a whole load of new family drama and a few boy problems on the side.

What made this book great was just the way some things were talked about so openly from Ivy’s friend Abby’s transgender sister and the family’s fears that while they loved Eli/Ella for she was how, the small town they were from might not. And then Claire’s brash but amazing attitude towards everything, never letting anyone get away with slut-shaming, sexism or anything else. And then I really enjoyed the brief discussion about contraception between Ivy and Claire. There’s not a whole lot of that in YA contemporary so to have two teenage girls discuss being safe and responsible was ace.

One of my favourite quotes:

"And that better be the only wiener you put in your mouth. We do not give blow jobs so that boys will like us!"Claire roars, and Connor nearly chokes on his beer.

I really loved Ivy’s relationship with Connor and Alex and how it became very clear early on that Ivy wasn’t interested in Alex in that way and she made her feelings known (as I was afraid it was trespassing into love triangle territory). Connor as a whole was swoon worthy - bookish, biracial, tattoos of poems across his ripped body, understanding, patient. He was kind of perfect.

Ivy’s complex relationship with her family was the main storyline of the book and my heart literally ached for Ivy through most of the story because her mother was just that terrible to her. I really really felt for her and I really wanted to reach through the pages and slap Erica, and hug Ivy.