[Review] Bookish Boyfriends - Tiffany Schmidt

Summary: Boys are so much better in books. At least according to Merrilee Campbell, 15, 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... (Pub Date: May 1, 2018)

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Merrilee is probably like many of us avid readers—sure that boys are much better in books. Still she dreams of finding her hero and can't stop romanticizing real life. Especially now she's starting a new school and so many interesting guys seem to surround her. Maybe one of them is her Romeo? Or her Darcy?

I think I would have liked this sooo much better if the first half had been summarized in 15% of the book or maybe if the events of the second happened a little sooner. I don't want to spoil you, but if you're already reading, trust me—the book you were promised will eventually start. Because the whole time I felt cheated. It wasn't to read about Romeo & Juliet that I got this! I mean, I know R&J is much more than meet the eyes, actually, I think the author didn't do it justice with her conclusions (or Merrilee's conclusions, at least). Still, it's not my type of story.

While Pride & Prejudice is more my kind of romance, though, it didn't redeem the book all that much. This is too much of a retell that you could predict the future—there's a point that's exactly what the characters do, and it's no supernatural event! So, while I did have fun during the second half, it was not only predictable but too P&P for me to enjoy the writer's own story.

I do know there are many books that use the exact same scheme, and I have enjoyed some but it was only because I wasn't familiar with the original work. From the moment I am, is dead all the thrill of wanting to know what comes next. To be honest, I kept wondering the value of such books. While transforming the character and adapting to present times do sound fun, if the reader know the work, the result is what I said above. If the reader doesn't, well, you just gave a big pile of spoilers. I do think there could be an ideal amount but this book missed in playing a little with that and perhaps betray our expectations, for example.

I apologize for the long rant.

I liked the characters, and I liked how Merrilee does grow. I would love to read more books by this author, she has a good style, storytelling and all. But what I really wanted was something more original.

Rating: 3 out of 5.