A Date with Darcy (Bookish Boyfriends, #1)

by Tiffany Schmidt

Boys are so much better in books. At least according to Merrilee Campbell, fifteen, who thinks real-life chivalry is dead and there’d be nothing more romantic than having a guy woo her like the heroes in classic stories. Then she, her best friend, Eliza, and her younger sister, Rory, transfer to Reginald R. Hero Prep—where all the boys look like they've stepped off the pages of a romance novel. Merri can hardly walk across the quad without running into someone who reminds her of Romeo.
 
When the brooding and complicated Monroe Stratford scales Merri’s trellis in an effort to make her his, she thinks she might be Juliet incarnate. But as she works her way through her literature curriculum under the guidance of an enigmatic teacher, Merri’s tale begins to unfold in ways she couldn’t have imagined. Merri soon realizes that only she is in charge of her story. And it is a truth universally acknowledged that first impressions can be deceiving . . .

• ASIN: B078WPSCD9
• Publish Date: 1 May 2018
• Publish Status: Unknown
• Format: eBook (Kindle)
• Pages: 272
• Language: English

Reviews

[kymmiejournals]

Gah!



It's literally not a love story but the idea of being in love. The characters in the book are all about dissecting romantic novels/plays (Romeo & Juliet and Pride & Prejudice) Honestly, it was difficult for me to relate with the story since I haven't read both said novels.

I think, before reading this, you should have read or at least be familiar with the said novels because there is a lot of character reference mentioned in which I don't know who and what their roles are.

The story is very slow-paced. Chapter 1 literally focuses on the main character's getting ready for school - like dressing up, eating cereal and that's it. Next chapter!

Reveal Full Review!

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[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I know I have uttered the phrase "boys are better in books" many times, but Merri finds out that maybe her romance heroes were not as wonderful as they seemed on the page, when a real life Romeo begins romancing her.

• Pro: Merrilee was an utterly adorable heroine. She was a little flighty and caught up in her literary worlds, but she was also extremely smart, a good sister and friend, and fierce when she needed to be. There were times when I was really proud of how she stood up for herself, and she also grew a great deal during this book.

• Pro: I really liked the whole book worlds paralleling Merri's world. It was fun fitting all her friends and family in the book character roles, and predicting what would happen next.

• Pro: The Campbell family were a nice family to be part of. Merri's parents were very present. They spent time with their children, gave them advice, and punished them when appropriate. There was an interesting dynamic in the family, especially with the sisters, and I was happy with the way that one evolved.

• Con: I felt like it took a little too long to get to the best part of the story, and maybe the beginning could have been trimmed a little.

• Pro: Merri had a great group of friends. Each character brought a little something to the story. I was especially fond of her best friends, Toby and Eliza. I hope we get to know there two even more in future books, because I think both could definitely carry their own story.

• Pro: The romance was very sweet. There were actually two romantic interests. One to hate and one to love, and I totally fell for the one I was supposed to love.

• Pro: Strong female characters abound in this book, and I love that they weren't all "in your face" females, but rather, each exerted her strength in different ways.

Overall: A merry and charming romance with fun rom-com moments, great family moments, strong friendships, and even a some swoons. I will surely read more of these Bookish Boyfriend tales.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[llamareads]

What an absolutely cute and funny read!

“Someday, I’ll have my first kiss/boyfriend/love—hopefully before I’m ancient—but until then . . .” I shrugged and looked longingly at the book on my pillow. “Boys are so much better in books.”

Merilee is the middle of three sisters. Her oldest sister is knee-deep in wedding prep for her marriage to a senator’s son, and her artsy younger sister is getting ready to start at a prestigious new school, Hero High, along with Marilee and her best friend, Eliza. Things aren’t quite what they seem, though – between a recycling can clash with a snotty student, a headmaster who seems set on proving she doesn’t belong, and an English teacher with a glowing coffee mug, Merilee’s feeling uncertain in her new school. Luckily, Merilee and Eliza settle in to a great group of new friends, and hey, who’s that mysterious guy brooding over by the theater department? But things – at school and in romance – are never quite what they seem…

“The way he looked at me made my throat dry and my knees weak. Two clichés I hadn’t really believed in before. My heart was racing, my cheeks were warm—four clichés! Was that what romance was? The moment you found out clichés were real? In that case, should I bite my lip and look up at him through lowered lashes?”

First off – I liked Marilee. She can be a bit too much – she’s in love with the idea of romantic heroes, even ones like Romeo and Gatsby – and I definitely had some pretty severe secondary embarrassment from some of her early antics, though teenage me would’ve adored every second! She describes her style as “toddler chic” – lots of color and sparkly things – and makes a habit of wearing funky mismatched socks every day. She’s typically got her head stuck in the clouds (or, more likely, a book) and relies on her best friend, down-to-earth Eliza, to keep her on track. But after attending an all-girls school for years, how can she resist her first chance at swoon-worthy romance?

“‘A cautionary tale about poor timing and why neither mail delivery nor drugs are reliable.’ Yes, if you take nothing else away from Romeo and Juliet: send important mail with delivery confirmation, and don’t do drugs.”

As with most readers who’re familiar with Romeo & Juliet and Pride & Prejudice, I found the plot pretty predictable. The fun, however, is seeing how Ms. Schmidt fit the various bits of these classics into Merilee’s story. The mash-up works surprisingly well, especially since, while Merilee is familiar with R&J, she’s reading P&P while the events are happening. It’s also hilariously funny (see the one sentence review of R&J above). From her parent’s store name (Haute Dog – they sell designer doggy wear, among other things) to one-off turns of phrase – “Yankee Candle massacre” for one romantic attempt gone awry – the book kept me giggling. It’s not just about teen romance, though, as it also handles Merilee’s relationships with her friends and family and the quintessential YA quest of Merilee figuring out who she is, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much she grew over the course of the book.. There’s some particularly sweet bits about family through Merilee’s interactions with her parents and sisters.

Overall, if you’re someone who’s had a book boyfriend before – especially a classics book boyfriend – you’ll love this book! I’m very much looking forward to the next book, which I’m guessing will star Merilee’s younger sister, though I’d also like to see one for her friend Eliza!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.