Grumpy Sunshine

Tag: YA romance

  • Book Review: Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter

    If you’re into flirty texting, chaotic girls, and brother’s hot best friends who maybe catch feelings, then Mr. Wrong Number needs to be your next read.

    Olivia Marshall is clumsy, messy, dramatic (in the best way), and totally lovable. After accidentally setting her apartment on fire—yes, literally—she ends up crashing with her older brother and his ridiculously attractive (but annoyingly perfect) best friend, Colin. Awkward, right?

    Things get really interesting when Olivia starts texting with a mystery guy—her “Wrong Number”—and the texts turn into a full-blown flirt-fest. What she doesn’t know? Her secret texter might be someone way closer than she thinks.

    Colin Beck is Mr. Responsible. He’s neat, serious, and 100% not ready for Olivia to explode into his calm little world. But the more time they spend together, the more he realizes her chaos might actually be kind of… adorable? And just when he thinks he’s falling for the girl he’s been texting, he finds out she might be under his roof.

    This book made me actually laugh out loud. The banter is fast and fun, the chemistry is “chef’s kiss”, and the dual POV makes it so fun to watch them both fall for each other without even knowing it. I loved how over-the-top and ridiculous it was at times (in the best rom-com way possible), but it still felt real enough to get totally hooked.

    🔞 Recommended for 14–15+ readers because of a little mature language, swoony scenes, and steamy vibes—but nothing super graphic.

    ⭐ My rating: 5/5. I’ve reread it three times already and I’m still obsessed. The characters? Adorable. The texting? Flirty perfection. The ending? So satisfying.

    📚 If you love dual POVs, slow-burn romance, and chaotic-good main characters, this one’s for you. Similar authors: Carley Fortune (Every Summer After), Sarah Adams (The Rule Book, C.W. Farnsworth (Kiss Now, Lie Later)

    Here is a playlist I made for Olivia and Colin on my YT channel. Feel free to subscribe if you want to!

    Also by Lynn Painter:

  • Book Review: Kiss Now, Lie Later by C.W. Farnsworth

    Kiss Now, Lie Later is a YA romance with an amusing but also slightly serious tone.

    Maeve Stevens is a smart, dedicated soccer player. Her dad is Glenmont’s head football coach and her twin brother is the quarterback. Across the rivalry? Weston Cole—deviously handsome, arrogant, and the star quarterback of Allegheny. When their paths cross again senior year (and a few secret late-night kisses happen), hating each other suddenly feels impossible… especially when they have to keep it hidden.

    When I say I loved this book, I mean it. I adored how the chapters switch POVs between Maeve and Weston. It makes the story super engaging because you get both sides of the rivalry, the gossip, and the banter. The small-town setting is written so well it feels real, and honestly, it’s like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet—but with football, soccer, and way less tragedy.

    ✨ There isn’t a single thing I’d change. I just wish it hadn’t ended! Even though there’s an epilogue, I desperately wanted more of Maeve and Weston’s story. Luckily, there is a sequel in the Rival Love Series called Not Now, Not Forever, which I can’t wait to read.

    🔞 Recommended for ages 14+ because of swearing, kissing/intimate scenes, and underage drinking.

    ⭐ Rating: 5/5 stars (but honestly, it felt like a 6/5 because I loved it THAT much). This was one of my favorite reads of 2025—I finished it in just three days because it was so perfect.

    📚 If you like: Dual POV romances, small town feuds and rivalries, and strong independent female leads Similar authors: Lynn Painter (Better Than the Movies), Carley Fortune (Every Summer After), Sarah Adams (The Rule Book), and Chloe Walsh (Binding 13)

    Also by C.W. Farnsworth:

    Book 2 of the Rival Love Series

  • Book Review: If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin

    If He Had Been with Me is a deep, emotional teen romance that dives into the mind of Autumn, the main character. It’s full of intense internal thoughts, quiet heartbreak, and the feeling of being just slightly off from where you want to be.

    Autumn grew up side by side with Finny, her mom’s best friend’s son. They were inseparable as kids—but by high school, things changed. Finny is now the star soccer player with the perfect, popular girlfriend. Autumn is more of a misfit, hanging out with her artsy, dyed-hair friends and dating the group’s unofficial leader.

    As she goes through grades 9 to 12, Autumn tries to keep her feelings for Finny buried, all while dealing with anxiety, distant parents, and the weight of growing up. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, first love refuses to fade.

    What I loved most was how Laura Nowlin writes high school from the perspective of kids who aren’t in the spotlight. It’s not just jocks and prom queens—it’s the quiet kids, the different ones, the ones with too many thoughts. That made it feel real.

    The writing is beautiful but heavy. I had to read it in small chunks just to process everything. There was a slow patch in the middle where things got repetitive, but it didn’t last long. The ending really brought everything together in a heartbreaking but powerful way.

    🔞 Recommended for ages 15+ due to mature themes like anxiety, depression, and mental health struggles.

    ✨ If you liked Girl in Pieces or How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow, or A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, you’ll probably love this too.

    ⭐ My rating: 5/5. It took me longer to read, but it was worth it. The story stuck with me, and the emotional depth made it unforgettable.

    Also by Laura Nowlin:

  • Book Review: Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh

    Binding 13 is a deep, emotional YA romance set in Ballylaggin, Ireland in 2005. It’s intense, romantic, and occasionally funny (thanks, Gibsie <3), but definitely not your light-and-fluffy read.

    The story follows Shannon Lynch, a sweet, quiet girl who’s been through a lot and is trying to start over at a private school where she can finally feel safe. Then she meets Johnny Kavanagh—rugby star, local legend, and literal walking heartthrob. Their worlds are nothing alike, but somehow, they start to fit into each other’s lives in the most unexpected (and adorable) way.

    This book totally pulled me in. The characters are so different, but when you put them together, they make the story even better. I loved the banter (especially the supportive and hilarious moments), and the way the book shows both Shannon’s and Johnny’s perspectives. Chloe Walsh does a great job showing two very different lives—rich vs poor, popular vs invisible—in a way that feels super real.

    But just a heads-up: this book gets heavy. It deals with some seriously tough stuff like abuse, alcoholism, drug use, fights, and a lot of swearing (including f-bombs and Irish insults). It made some parts hard to read, especially because Shannon is dealing with trauma the entire book. So if you’re not in the right headspace, you might want to wait before diving in.

    🔞 Recommended for 15+ because of mature themes, intense language, and sensitive topics like abuse and addiction. This isn’t a fluffy romance—it’s emotional and raw.

    ⭐ My rating: 4/5. I loved the writing style, the characters, the chapter lengths (not too long!), and even the playlists at the end! The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because the heavy stuff sometimes made it hard to fully enjoy the story—but that’s also what makes it powerful.

    📚 If you like friends-to-lovers, dual POV, and emotional romances with real-world problems, this one might be for you.

    Similar authors:

    • Becka Mack (Consider Me) – romance with mature themes
    • Laura Nowlin (If He Had Been with Me, If Only I Had Told Her) – emotional, heavy topics, but a beautiful story
    • Jennifer Gold (On the Spectrum) – teen romance, eating disorders
    • Carley Fortune (Meet Me at the Lake) – dealing with grief, includes smoking

    Also by Chloe Walsh:

    There is more to the Tommen Boys series including Taming 7 and Releasing 10

  •  Book Review: Betting On You by Lynn Painter

    Betting On You is the perfect light and funny teen romance—full of sarcasm, summer vibes, and just the right amount of slow-burn feelings.

    Bailey is a super relatable, slightly cynical teen who doesn’t believe in love (thanks to her mom’s messy relationship history). She’s planning a chill summer working at a fancy resort with her best friend… until she finds out she has to work with him—Charlie, the charmingly annoying guy she sat next to on a flight two years ago and hoped to never see again. Obviously, she doesn’t like him. Right?

    The best part of this book is how the story is told from both Bailey and Charlie’s points of view. You get both sides of the tension, the banter, and the feelings they’re both trying to deny. Lynn Painter does what she does best—writing characters with amazing chemistry, hilarious personalities, and dialogue that snaps.

    I honestly loved every second of it. There’s nothing I would change. It’s the kind of story that makes you smile while reading and maybe even giggle out loud.

    🔞 Recommended for ages 14+ (or mature 13+ readers) for mild topics like divorce, a little underage drinking, and kissing—but overall, it’s a clean and super cute intro to romance.

    ⭐ My rating: 5/5. I loved the characters, the banter, and how naturally their story came together.

    📚 If you love dual POVs, slow-burn romances, and flirty back-and-forth, this one’s for you! Similar authors you might like: Carley Fortune (author of Every Summer After) and C.W. Farnsworth (author of Kiss Now, Lie Later)

    Also by Lynn Painter:

  • Book Review: Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

    Every Summer After by Canadian author Carley Fortune is a beautifully written summer romance with a mix of youthful memories and grown-up feelings. It’s a book about first love, second chances, and the people who shape who we become.

    The main character, Persephone “Percy” Fraser, spends her summers in Barry’s Bay, where her parents bought a cottage when she was 13. Right next door lives Sam Florek, a boy her age who quickly becomes her best friend—and more. For six summers, Percy and Sam are inseparable. But after one summer ends everything, Percy stays away for over a decade… until she’s called back to Barry’s Bay when Sam’s mother passes away.

    What makes this book so special is the way it’s written. Half the story takes place in the past, when Percy and Sam are teens falling in love, and the other half is in the present, where they’re 30 and dealing with everything that happened between them. The time jumps are super well done—you really feel like you’re growing up with them.

    Carley Fortune’s writing is emotional and vivid. You can picture the lake, the cottage, and the hot summer days. While there were a few slower parts, the story picks back up and holds your attention the whole way through.

    🔞 Recommended for ages 14+ due to mild mature themes and emotional depth. Even though the characters are 30 in the present, most of the story is about their teen years and the drama that follows them into adulthood.

    ⭐ My rating: 5/5. I loved the Canadian setting, the realistic characters, and the mix of summer nostalgia and emotional healing. If you like FMC stories and second-chance summer romances, this one is perfect.

    📚 If you liked Mr. Wrong Number or Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter, or The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy (another Canadian!), you’ll probably love this.

    Also by Carley Fortune: