Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1)
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 15, 2014
Genre: Contemporary // Romance // Young Adult
Format: Physical Copy
Source: Library
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 (goodreads).
To All the Boys I've Loved Before is sweet. Cotton candy sweet. A sweet that makes you smile hours after you finish the novel.
Plot: Although Lara Jean has never dated anyone, she has loved five boys in her lifetime. In order to get over her infatuation, she has a ritual where she writes them a love letter, outlining what she loves about them, in hopes that this letter will serve as a final goodbye. And it's worked so far, until her sister leaves for college and she starts to experience the same feelings she had felt for her sister's now ex-boyfriend, Josh.
This book started off lukewarm for me. Lara Jean and her family were too perfect and the love story seemed to be going down the road of all things conventional. Luckily, Jenny Han turned everything on its head and I decided that finishing this book took precedence over sleep.
Characters: Lara Jean and her Song sisters have a relationship that seems unrealistic, but they're interactions are so sweet. I found myself falling in love with their small family and Lara Jean's struggle to prove herself to be just as capable as her older sister Margot.
The love story was made up of the things my dreams are made of. Seriously. Both sweet and sexy, awkward and natural, and unknown at the same time. I guess this could be categorized as a love triangle, I think I'd rather call it a love "experiment." Lara Jean is young and clearly inexperienced in terms of love, so I forgive her for coveting after two guys.
World Building: To All the Boys I've Loved Before is a contemporary through and through. There are plenty of mentions of brand names and popular culture (ie Harry Potter, that scene was fab).
Short N Sweet: The sweetest of the sweetest, To All the Boys I've Loved Before left me sighing happily and counting down the days until P.S I Still Love You comes out.
Labels: 5 stars, book review, jenny han, p.s I still love you, review, simon and schuster books for young readers, to all the boys I've loved before
