It’s finally time, everyone! Today is my stop for the Joy’s Summer Love Playlist book tour! I honestly love reading light, fun books during the summer, since they fit the mood so well. And this one did so perfectly! I enjoyed it, so keep reading to find out more about why I liked this book.
But first, a massive thank you to NBB Book Tours (a branch of the amazing Nerdy Book Box) and Piper Bee for including me in this tour and providing me with a digital copy to review! I had a blast reading this book, and it’s an honor to be involved in promoting it.
Now, on to the review!
Review
My favorite thing about this book was definitely the general mood. It was sweet and fun, and just generally had the best summer vibes. I loved all the different little summer things Bee included in the story. The carnival (featuring funnel cakes, of course), the beach, the fireworks; I really enjoyed reading about all of it.
Of course, I also enjoyed the general plot. Joy made for a great narrator, and I liked how Bee included some more serious elements in the story. It wasn’t just romance and teenage angst. I still liked those parts, of course, but I think balance is important in any story! And Bee definitely delivered on that.
The characters were also well-written, and I liked how there was a balance of different personalities. I also appreciated that Bee put effort into developing each of the characters; she made sure they were each complex in their own way.
Even though a couple of moments didn’t hit right, in my opinion, I still really loved the overall plot and characters! And hey; even Ragnarok, one of my favorite movies, has a few moments that fall flat, for me. So, it definitely didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.
Finally, I do think it’s worthwhile to read the Deluxe version of this book! Since it includes extra scenes from JSLP revised from the perspective of different characters, it does a lot to further develop side characters like Lena and Cale. Plus, we get to see some of the best moments from Jin’s perspective, which is great! Of course, the bonus story is a great addition, too, since we get to see more of Joy’s journey.
TL,DR Recommendation
So, all things considered, if you’re a fan of young adult romance, then you’d probably like this book and I recommend reading it! It has plenty going for it, with awesome summer vibes and a story with the perfect balance between sweet and serious. (Fair warning, there is something of a love triangle, but it’s honestly pretty different from your traditional Twilight-esque triangle.)
But if you do choose to read this one, drop a comment down below and let me know your thoughts! I always love to talk about books. Additionally, if you enjoyed this review and the Joy’s Summer Love Playlist book tour, use the Extras tab above to find more tours! You’ll find more of the amazing book tours I’ve participated in, there.
Buy on Amazon
OR Buy Deluxe on Amazon
Buy on Piper Bee’s Site
Add on Goodreads
CONTENT WARNING: Brief, non-graphic depiction of sexual assault.
