To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

(4/5 stars)

"To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all."

I seriously wasn't expecting to like this one as much as I actually did. I consciously remember cringing through the first couple chapters, but then suddenly, I was obsessed and couldn't stop reading. 

What I liked: Cuteness overload. The whole aesthetic of the book was adorable. From the characters to the settings and the conversations. Relationships are obviously a big deal in a contemporary book like this, but this wasn't solely focused on Lara Jean's romantic relationships, but it also went into depth on her familial relationships. Specifically, we saw Margot be controlling and overbearing and Lara Jean going along with it until she realized she needed to be her own person. It was great character development. And Kitty was sassy and puppy-obsessed and totally reminded me of my sister when she was younger. I loved the humor, I loved heart felt moments, and I loved Peter Kavinsky. 

What I didn't like: Guys, I don't think I've ever had so much second hand embarrassment from a character than I did from Lara Jean. There were scenes where I had to put the book down and remind myself that it wasn't actually happening. Basically, she made some silly decisions. Mostly though, I found it hard to relate to Lara Jean. She was almost too naive, like she had no idea how the world actually works. That doesn't mean I didn't like her, I liked her a lot, but it took me some time to adjust to a character like this. The main reason I took off a star was because the climax of the book seemed kind of stupid. It didn't seem like a big deal to me and it literally could have been solved if she had a simple conversation and/or didn't take it too personally.

I definitely recommend this book. Especially if you're in the mood for a funny and happy romance novel that'll make you feel all cutesy inside. This is perfect for those days!

-Annie