Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on
Natalie's life was undergoing some BIG changes. As if her exams weren't stressful enough, she had to await her university assignment, which would have a big influence on her future. She was also trying to adjust to the changing dynamic in her friend group, now that two parts of the trio were romantically involved. And to top it all off, her parents announced, on Christmas!, that they were getting a divorce. All of this was enough to elevate Natalie's anxiety levels, but THEN, she started receiving attention, of the romantic sort, and was totally at a loss for how to handle the situation. Natalie kept imagining, in her head, how all these scenarios would play out, but her reality never seem to match.
I have to say, they write some really charming, heartwarming, and relatable coming-of-age stories in Australia. I immediately bonded with Natalie, because I could tell we were kindred spirits, and I found her story so real and honest.
Natalie had suffered from cystic acne in her younger teens, and though she was able to control it, via several medications, she still bore all the physical and emotional scars. This image of herself as ugly, scarred, and unlovable was heartbreaking. The way she felt the need to hide herself, or camouflage any and all imperfections broke my heart. I have been suffering from cystic acne for over 30 years, so I related to Natalie so much. When she talked about how painful it was, or how much unsolicited "advice" she got from others, who have no conception of cystic acne, I felt her frustration.
Because I empathized with her on such a deep level, and saw a little slice of my life in her's, I really needed her to break-free of her past, to allow herself to take chances, and to begin to see herself in the present. Kenwood did me such a solid by gifting me with such a brilliant character to root for. She was super insecure, and slightly neurotic, but I loved her to pieces, and every bit of progress she made in her life was a reason for me to celebrate.
I went on and on about Natalie's health issues and insecurities, but make no mistake, this was a fun and funny book. People are throwing around the word "rom-com", and I am perfectly onboard with using that term to describe it. I especially saw the comical side of this story, when Natalie got herself into some sort of awkward situation. Lots of fun to be had, and many of those best moments occurred between Natalie and her love interest.
Due to her acne and poor self image, Natalie had yet to have won any boy's attention. Now, she was navigating a whole new world, and she was doing it in a hilarious and heartfelt way. I adored all the banter between the two, and they had some of the most painfully awkward conversations, but I gave Natalie a lot of credit for being honest and putting herself out there.
Not all the interactions were comedic, though. I was an absolute super-fan of this couple, and it was because you could see them, slowly, learning how to be together. Not only were they taking the time to understand one another, but they were learning how to be vulnerable with each other. They were sweet and adorable, and this is what I think first love should be.
Overall: A wonderful and amusing story of first love and self acceptance, which was sweet, charming, and relatable.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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Reading updates
- Started reading
- 15 February, 2020: Finished reading
- 15 February, 2020: Reviewed