I loved this book. It was smart and funny and the characters were exactly what I wanted. The romance was super cute but the story was about so much more than that; it was about family, and friendship, and hope for a better future.
Liz Lighty is ready to get away from her small hometown and the high school where everything about her stands out. Black, poor and awkward, Liz does everything she can to blend into the background. That is until the financial support she was relying on to get into prestigious Pennington College falls through and Liz has to step away from being a wallflower and into the battle for prom queen in order to get a scholarship to her dream school.
Prom is a huge deal in Campbell. The “promposals” are elaborate and very public, the battle for prom court is performative and equally very public and every second of the journey is captured and shared to the school’s own social media site for all to see. To say Liz is moving out of her comfort zone is an understatement.
One of the things I love most about this book is the relationship Liz has with her friends. From giving style advice, making banners and posters at a parents’ print shop and creating an algorithm to monitor Liz’s position in the race; Britt, Gabi and Stone are ready to do whatever it takes to make Liz prom queen even if what they do isn’t always actually about Liz. I loved the developments and realisations that came about in these characters’ relationships throughout the book.
I got myself so invested in Liz’s relationship with Jordan. I’m a sucker for a storyline involving childhood friends falling out and then being forced together. It’s so different to a forced proximity relationship trope. Jordan still knowing Liz so well and being one of the only people who understands her anxiety gave me all the warm fuzzies.
Liz’s love interest, Mack, is also running for prom queen. She’s new to Campbell and on the surface, seems to be Liz’s polar opposite. The two of them immediately click and begin to navigate their feelings living in heteronormative Campbell. Mack is out and proud where Liz is only out to her family and friends. This causes friction in their relationship especially as they plan their prom nights amid a strict no same sex couples policy.
I adored Liz’s family and their little unit. They love each other fiercely and were so close and supportive of each other. It was so cute to see them all navigating life after tragedy and within the parameters of Robbie’s illness.
I wish a book like this had existed when I was a teen. Liz’s narration was hilarious and I laughed and cried my way from start to finish. I already want to reread this and ignore the rest of my TBR.
CW: death of a parent, racism, homophobia, chronic illness, panic attacks, bullying.
Only If I Can Bring A Book 