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Lab Partners
Sometimes you don’t know who you love, until they love you ...
When Jordan Hughes arrives at Pinecrest High School, Elliot Goldman’s graduating year suddenly gets a lot more interesting. Smart, good looking and charming, Jordan isn’t exactly the kind of person Elliot’s used to having as a lab partner. But when they start acing their assignments, life is suddenly about more than boring lectures, bad cafeteria nachos, or relentless bullying, and for the first time ever, Elliot can’t wait to get to chemistry class.
As they start spending more time together outside of school, Elliot realizes he’s never met anyone quite like Jordan. And then everything changes one night when Jordan kisses him, making Elliot question everything about their relationship and about himself. The butterflies start to make sense—the trouble is, right now, nothing else does.
Love was the last thing on Elliot’s mind. But as he begins to figure out how he really feels about Jordan, he realizes that sometimes the last thing you are looking for is the one thing you need the most.
When Jordan Hughes arrives at Pinecrest High School, Elliot Goldman’s graduating year suddenly gets a lot more interesting. Smart, good looking and charming, Jordan isn’t exactly the kind of person Elliot’s used to having as a lab partner. But when they start acing their assignments, life is suddenly about more than boring lectures, bad cafeteria nachos, or relentless bullying, and for the first time ever, Elliot can’t wait to get to chemistry class.
As they start spending more time together outside of school, Elliot realizes he’s never met anyone quite like Jordan. And then everything changes one night when Jordan kisses him, making Elliot question everything about their relationship and about himself. The butterflies start to make sense—the trouble is, right now, nothing else does.
Love was the last thing on Elliot’s mind. But as he begins to figure out how he really feels about Jordan, he realizes that sometimes the last thing you are looking for is the one thing you need the most.
264 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2020
About the author
Mora Montgomery
1 book58 followersRaised in a small Michigan town, Mora Montgomery learned early on in her life that she was a bit of an outcast. Instead of trying to blend in with her peers, she embraced what made her different, and dove headfirst into the things she loved. Persistence in her studies earned her a college degree a month before she graduated from high school, and a dedication to music allowed her the freedom to play multiple instruments, and to use her talent to fund her way through college. Montgomery is looking to graduate with two engineering-related degrees by 2023. Lab Partners is her first published work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
March 24, 2020
2.5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: Book contains bullying and homophobia
This is the most average book I have ever read. From the over-explained scenes about making spaghetti. How much water is needed. How much boiling the water needed. I got the impression that a specific word count was the goal and because this was a bare bones story that had a lot of filler before it started lab partnering.
Elliot is a young man battling depression, denial and bullying... lmao no. This book didn't have the guts to explore that. Elliot is just a young man. He thinks he is boring. He can cook, he has a badass best friend, a twin sister wunderkind and soon, a lab partner that he falls in love with. Elliot does have three bullies that torment him but they also were cardboard cutout stereotypical bullies from every generic American high school movie ever made. Jordan wasn't special either.
The one character that I was intrigued by is Cole. He is one of Elliot's bullies but he had "a secret". He seemed more complex and more meaty as a story than Elliot. This is only the second Wattpad book I've ever read and I won't lie, it will be the last.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: Book contains bullying and homophobia
This is the most average book I have ever read. From the over-explained scenes about making spaghetti. How much water is needed. How much boiling the water needed. I got the impression that a specific word count was the goal and because this was a bare bones story that had a lot of filler before it started lab partnering.
Elliot is a young man battling depression, denial and bullying... lmao no. This book didn't have the guts to explore that. Elliot is just a young man. He thinks he is boring. He can cook, he has a badass best friend, a twin sister wunderkind and soon, a lab partner that he falls in love with. Elliot does have three bullies that torment him but they also were cardboard cutout stereotypical bullies from every generic American high school movie ever made. Jordan wasn't special either.
The one character that I was intrigued by is Cole. He is one of Elliot's bullies but he had "a secret". He seemed more complex and more meaty as a story than Elliot. This is only the second Wattpad book I've ever read and I won't lie, it will be the last.
December 23, 2019
High School senior Elliott Goldman has been a victim of bullying since middle school. He doesn't have any friends and has gotten used to being an outcast. When he meets his new lab partner Jordan Hughes, they form an instant friendship. As they continue to spend more time together outside of school, their friendship slowly turns into something more, leaving Elliott to question everything about himself.
I really enjoyed this book. The author's easy to read writing style quickly drew me into the story. Elliott and Jordan were relatable and likable characters. Jordon was definitely my favorite character. He was so kind and supportive of Elliott. I wish that every kid struggling with bullying or coming out has someone like him in their lives. It was very easy to root for them as individuals and as a couple. One of my favorite parts of this book is the moment when Elliott realizes that there's hope. That he doesn't have to silently endure all the bullying and that it's okay to ask for help. It was a very powerful and encouraging message. I definitely recommend this book. It's a heartwarming coming-of-age story that deals with some very important topics.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. The author's easy to read writing style quickly drew me into the story. Elliott and Jordan were relatable and likable characters. Jordon was definitely my favorite character. He was so kind and supportive of Elliott. I wish that every kid struggling with bullying or coming out has someone like him in their lives. It was very easy to root for them as individuals and as a couple. One of my favorite parts of this book is the moment when Elliott realizes that there's hope. That he doesn't have to silently endure all the bullying and that it's okay to ask for help. It was a very powerful and encouraging message. I definitely recommend this book. It's a heartwarming coming-of-age story that deals with some very important topics.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 14, 2020
So here we are, my first one star read of the year (and in some time). When I first came across Lab Partners I immediately added it to my most anticipated LGBTQ+ 2020 releases – it just sounded really cute. I was a bit dubious about the WattPad origin of the story but thought if it has made it this far then it must be good. But I was wrong…
Spoilers ahead…but you shouldn’t read this book anyway…
Lab Partners follows seventeen year old Elliot Goldman who is paired up with the new kid Jordan Hughes for his final year of Chemistry class. The two are as the title suggests lab partners but it’s not long before they become really good friends, which is alien territory for social outcast Elliot who is the most bullied kid in school.
Things get even more complicated when rumours spread that Elliot and Jordan are dating and then even more complicated when Jordan actually kisses Elliot. When the kiss gives Elliot butterflies he doesn’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing because he’s definitely not into guys. Or is he?
Sounds cute right? It was far from. There were only two things I liked about this book which was the cover, and the character Holiday for the first 80% of the book or so. She was moody, feisty and added some comic relief to a book that at times was super sad. Then near the end she helps Elliot and Jordan by getting revenge on those who bullied them by revealing their deepest and darkest insecurities in an open forum and it is deemed completely acceptable. Does the author really believe that the way to overcome bullying is to turn to bullying?
Also, on the theme of bullying it’s really annoying that every queer character in the book is subject to some form of being bullied. Yes, LGBTQ+ people are easy targets for bullies but it almost seems like M. Montgomery sees these people as victims and nothing but. She even tries to justify and give reasons as to why the characters are engaging in so much bullying and homophobia with the character taking pity on them (which again yes there are sometimes sad reasons for people being bullies but this was too much).
Read the rest on my blog here
Spoilers ahead…but you shouldn’t read this book anyway…
Lab Partners follows seventeen year old Elliot Goldman who is paired up with the new kid Jordan Hughes for his final year of Chemistry class. The two are as the title suggests lab partners but it’s not long before they become really good friends, which is alien territory for social outcast Elliot who is the most bullied kid in school.
Things get even more complicated when rumours spread that Elliot and Jordan are dating and then even more complicated when Jordan actually kisses Elliot. When the kiss gives Elliot butterflies he doesn’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing because he’s definitely not into guys. Or is he?
Sounds cute right? It was far from. There were only two things I liked about this book which was the cover, and the character Holiday for the first 80% of the book or so. She was moody, feisty and added some comic relief to a book that at times was super sad. Then near the end she helps Elliot and Jordan by getting revenge on those who bullied them by revealing their deepest and darkest insecurities in an open forum and it is deemed completely acceptable. Does the author really believe that the way to overcome bullying is to turn to bullying?
Also, on the theme of bullying it’s really annoying that every queer character in the book is subject to some form of being bullied. Yes, LGBTQ+ people are easy targets for bullies but it almost seems like M. Montgomery sees these people as victims and nothing but. She even tries to justify and give reasons as to why the characters are engaging in so much bullying and homophobia with the character taking pity on them (which again yes there are sometimes sad reasons for people being bullies but this was too much).
Read the rest on my blog here
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2020
It's the cover that caught my eyes at first, then the synopsis. A cute YA romance between lab partners? I'm in! I was overjoyed when I received the ARC from NetGalley. I wasn't excepting too much, only a nice and short story that would put me in a good mood.
Well. That's not what happened.
First, I was bored out of my mind. It's not that the writing is bad, it's just... do we really need to know how the MC makes pasta, step by step? Everything was overly described, every action, the most mundane things and it was hard to not skip entire chapters.
Next, let's talk about the story itself because some points made me uncomfortable and a bit angry.
The plot is simple: Elliot is an outcast at his school. He gets bullied quite a lot and has no friends until he's partnered with Jordan, the new kid freshly arrived in town and miracle, friendship (and later, romance) ensue.
You know, reading this I was under the suspicion this book wasn't #ownvoice and was likely to be written by a straight cis author fetishizing M/M relationship. After checking her bio on Wattpad, I'm afraid I'm right.
Many thanks to the publisher who provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Well. That's not what happened.
First, I was bored out of my mind. It's not that the writing is bad, it's just... do we really need to know how the MC makes pasta, step by step? Everything was overly described, every action, the most mundane things and it was hard to not skip entire chapters.
Next, let's talk about the story itself because some points made me uncomfortable and a bit angry.
The plot is simple: Elliot is an outcast at his school. He gets bullied quite a lot and has no friends until he's partnered with Jordan, the new kid freshly arrived in town and miracle, friendship (and later, romance) ensue.
You know, reading this I was under the suspicion this book wasn't #ownvoice and was likely to be written by a straight cis author fetishizing M/M relationship. After checking her bio on Wattpad, I'm afraid I'm right.
Many thanks to the publisher who provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 18, 2020
I wanted a cute and wholesome story about some weird, gay teens and this book DELIVERED.
May 17, 2020
I honestly fell asleep reading this. It was basically the main character spelling out every thought he's ever had. At 10% in, he was assigned a lab partner at school and made pasta at home. That's it.
The writing was honestly so uncomfortable to read. It was really forced and just very overly detailed. We got told exactly what the main character was eating, exactly what his school assignments were, just all of this completely irrelevant stuff. It was a lot of tell and not at all a lot of show. At 30% in, there was still hardly any progress to the story.
For the most part, we're being told about how the MC and the love interest grow closer together, but we're not shown any of that development, which makes it hard to get emotionally invested.
One thing I did appreciate was that the MC's sister was aroace and there being a discussion about that.
I did have some problems with the questioning rep though, because the love interest pressured the main character multiple times to make up his mind as soon as possible. I just want to reiterate: there is no deadline on figuring out your sexuality, it's okay to take all the time you need, it really doesn't matter if it takes you a long time, and it doesn't even matter if you never figure it out.
CWs: violence, bullying, (internalized) homophobia
The writing was honestly so uncomfortable to read. It was really forced and just very overly detailed. We got told exactly what the main character was eating, exactly what his school assignments were, just all of this completely irrelevant stuff. It was a lot of tell and not at all a lot of show. At 30% in, there was still hardly any progress to the story.
For the most part, we're being told about how the MC and the love interest grow closer together, but we're not shown any of that development, which makes it hard to get emotionally invested.
One thing I did appreciate was that the MC's sister was aroace and there being a discussion about that.
I did have some problems with the questioning rep though, because the love interest pressured the main character multiple times to make up his mind as soon as possible. I just want to reiterate: there is no deadline on figuring out your sexuality, it's okay to take all the time you need, it really doesn't matter if it takes you a long time, and it doesn't even matter if you never figure it out.
CWs: violence, bullying, (internalized) homophobia
February 7, 2020
*ARC received by Netgalley*
This book was a quick, cute read that was really quick to finish. While I did like this book, I didn’t find it to be all that unique or spectacular in any way. It was definitely a straightforward simple story.
I did enjoy the characters we got to see throughout this book. I think they were fun to read about, and I liked all the different relationships and dynamics the author gave us. I also liked that this book tackles topics such as bullying, depression, and homophobia, but I don’t think any of these topics were extremely well developed. I definitely wasn’t a fan of the writing style. It was very simplistic, and bland, and there was a lot of very unnecessary wording throughout.
As for the main romantic relationship we followed, I did like it, it was however in my opinion nothing special or nothing I haven’t seen before. I think both characters were cute and I did find myself smiling from the cuteness at some scenes. Despite that, I will say that I didn’t love how pushy Jordan was being towards trying to “convince” (for a lack of better word) Eli that he was gay.
Overall, I think this was a very simple read that was still enjoyable. It definitely isn’t on my “must read again” list or anything, but I did like it.
This book was a quick, cute read that was really quick to finish. While I did like this book, I didn’t find it to be all that unique or spectacular in any way. It was definitely a straightforward simple story.
I did enjoy the characters we got to see throughout this book. I think they were fun to read about, and I liked all the different relationships and dynamics the author gave us. I also liked that this book tackles topics such as bullying, depression, and homophobia, but I don’t think any of these topics were extremely well developed. I definitely wasn’t a fan of the writing style. It was very simplistic, and bland, and there was a lot of very unnecessary wording throughout.
As for the main romantic relationship we followed, I did like it, it was however in my opinion nothing special or nothing I haven’t seen before. I think both characters were cute and I did find myself smiling from the cuteness at some scenes. Despite that, I will say that I didn’t love how pushy Jordan was being towards trying to “convince” (for a lack of better word) Eli that he was gay.
Overall, I think this was a very simple read that was still enjoyable. It definitely isn’t on my “must read again” list or anything, but I did like it.
July 24, 2020
cw: homophobia, bullying, assault, alcoholism
I find myself having very mixed feelings about this novel. While the initial premise of an LGBT high school romance appealed to me, I felt let down by the writing style and the way serious topics were largely brushed over by the author.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book was the characterisation of the main ensemble. Elliot's struggle with coming to terms with his sexuality and stress over his future were very relatable to me as a teenager, and I found myself empathising with him despite having largely varied experiences with these struggles myself. For the most part, interactions between Elliot and Jordan were lighthearted and innocent, and it was enjoyable to read a work where the two main characters wholeheartedly liked one another without exhibiting any major red flags in their relationship.
However, my like of the novel ends there. The reason it fell short for me was largely because of the way serious matters were not adequately resolved. Specifically, the school's lack of support for Elliot despite being aware of the physical assault, bullying and homophobia that he was faced with everyday did not sit right with me - a brief mention of a teacher standing behind Elliot did not reassure me that the school had "handled" it. The resolution of the novel was dissatisfying and uncomfortable, seeing as . If this novel is targeting a teen demographic, seeing resolutions to these issues handled the way they were has the potential to be extremely harmful, as it almost appears to trivialise bullying, assault and homophobia.
On the whole, while this had a lot of potential, I felt as though this potential was not met due to the quality of the writing. With some minor edits to the novel's resolution, I'm sure that it could be greatly improved. My ultimate rating: 2/5 stars.
p.s. Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Publishing for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review :)
I find myself having very mixed feelings about this novel. While the initial premise of an LGBT high school romance appealed to me, I felt let down by the writing style and the way serious topics were largely brushed over by the author.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book was the characterisation of the main ensemble. Elliot's struggle with coming to terms with his sexuality and stress over his future were very relatable to me as a teenager, and I found myself empathising with him despite having largely varied experiences with these struggles myself. For the most part, interactions between Elliot and Jordan were lighthearted and innocent, and it was enjoyable to read a work where the two main characters wholeheartedly liked one another without exhibiting any major red flags in their relationship.
However, my like of the novel ends there. The reason it fell short for me was largely because of the way serious matters were not adequately resolved. Specifically, the school's lack of support for Elliot despite being aware of the physical assault, bullying and homophobia that he was faced with everyday did not sit right with me - a brief mention of a teacher standing behind Elliot did not reassure me that the school had "handled" it. The resolution of the novel was dissatisfying and uncomfortable, seeing as . If this novel is targeting a teen demographic, seeing resolutions to these issues handled the way they were has the potential to be extremely harmful, as it almost appears to trivialise bullying, assault and homophobia.
On the whole, while this had a lot of potential, I felt as though this potential was not met due to the quality of the writing. With some minor edits to the novel's resolution, I'm sure that it could be greatly improved. My ultimate rating: 2/5 stars.
p.s. Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Publishing for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review :)
January 2, 2020
This was so good!
I loved the story and the characters were sweet and relatable and fun. I especially loved the AroAce representation :) The book not only addressed the fluidity of sexuality and discovering yourself, but also dealt with bullying, alcoholism, depression, and abuse. Elliott was a great main character, he stood up for others and was bullied for it, he was true to himself and just trying his best to make it through high school. I was so happy when he found Jordan and he had someone to lean on.
The pacing was well done, the characters were fleshed out, and I had a great time reading this!
I loved the story and the characters were sweet and relatable and fun. I especially loved the AroAce representation :) The book not only addressed the fluidity of sexuality and discovering yourself, but also dealt with bullying, alcoholism, depression, and abuse. Elliott was a great main character, he stood up for others and was bullied for it, he was true to himself and just trying his best to make it through high school. I was so happy when he found Jordan and he had someone to lean on.
The pacing was well done, the characters were fleshed out, and I had a great time reading this!
November 16, 2021
I came to this with an open mind, even though I had preconceived notions of the quality of writing in Wattpad-published books. However, this book did nothing but support my hypothesis that Wattpad books are really bad. For a 200-ish page book, it feels criminally long for what you’re given. Especially with the over-explained scenes of making spaghetti, making pizza, and Chemistry titrations. The book’s plot seems promising at first glance; bullied high-schooler figures out his sexuality with the help of his lab partner. But the titular plot falls flat…at all times. The book deals more with how much unnecessary detail can be added, rather than developing the one-note characters that are formed due to this. The characters fail to feel real and it’s therefore hard to form any sort of care for them. Also, the book ends with the main character’s bff outing a character and causing two others to get expelled because they are bullying the main character. Is that not…. a bit problematic? Like, that’s wrong and we’re supposed to cheer them on, as if they’ve done something worthy of applause. Idk man it was bad. ‘Twas a book.
April 18, 2023
this was absolutely horrific it’s time to unpack all of what’s wrong with this “book”
1) I DONT NEED TO KNOW EVERY FUCKING THING YOU DO. I LITERALLY DO NOT CARE ABOUT HOW YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD HAS 20 HOUSE IN A SQUARE FORMATION??? I DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR LAB INSTRUCTIONS????? SHUT THE FUCK UP.
2) this stupid ass bitch keeps talking about how “he’s a cook” AND ALL HE DOES IS MAKE PASTA,,.,,…??? it’s not that deep sir calm the fuck down “I mixed some herbs in with the sauce” okay………. I DONT CARE
3) WHY IS JORDAN PRESSURING HIM TO BE GAY AND ALSO WHY IS THE MAIN GUY SO WEIRD ABOUT BEING GAY like I understand questioning your sexuality I’ve been through it too but wdym “this boy made me gay. or have I been gay all along?” SHUT UP. AND JORDAN BEING SO INSISTENT ABOUT “convincing him” TO BE GAY?????? I can’t even begin to unpack this.
I feel like I have a lot more to say but I don’t want to waste any more energy on this THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME GOING WAS THE ANNOTATIONS THANK YOU AMY anyways overall the worst book I ever read goodbye
edit: this book should be called “who asked?” because I DIDN’T
1) I DONT NEED TO KNOW EVERY FUCKING THING YOU DO. I LITERALLY DO NOT CARE ABOUT HOW YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD HAS 20 HOUSE IN A SQUARE FORMATION??? I DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR LAB INSTRUCTIONS????? SHUT THE FUCK UP.
2) this stupid ass bitch keeps talking about how “he’s a cook” AND ALL HE DOES IS MAKE PASTA,,.,,…??? it’s not that deep sir calm the fuck down “I mixed some herbs in with the sauce” okay………. I DONT CARE
3) WHY IS JORDAN PRESSURING HIM TO BE GAY AND ALSO WHY IS THE MAIN GUY SO WEIRD ABOUT BEING GAY like I understand questioning your sexuality I’ve been through it too but wdym “this boy made me gay. or have I been gay all along?” SHUT UP. AND JORDAN BEING SO INSISTENT ABOUT “convincing him” TO BE GAY?????? I can’t even begin to unpack this.
I feel like I have a lot more to say but I don’t want to waste any more energy on this THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME GOING WAS THE ANNOTATIONS THANK YOU AMY anyways overall the worst book I ever read goodbye
edit: this book should be called “who asked?” because I DIDN’T
January 18, 2020
I thought this was a very good and cute read. I loved the character of Jordan and wish that I had run into someone like him in high school. I kind of wish that the author had explored Elliot's love of cooking as a way of wrapping up his aimlessness at what to do in college. All in all though, a cute read.
Read
June 13, 2021i read this a long time ago on wattpad lol it’s cool that it’s becoming an actual book! i don’t remember much abt it though :( so no proper review !
March 26, 2020
I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
DNF @60%
I have really tried to give all of the ARCs I have received up until now a fair chance and read them in their entirety. But I just couldn't do this. I could have read this fully, but that wouldn't have changed my opinions, which were pretty well solidified around the 100-page mark.
First of all, the writing. First-person, quite simple, easy to read. However, I just got incredibly annoyed by each and every action that was described. Every gesture is penned down. Every step in the process of making pasta and how exactly our MC grabs a pot, every step in a chemistry experiment, including measurements and names of ingrediënts. I felt as if the author wanted to reach a word count goal.
Secondly, I was assuming, when I started reading this story, that we were following middle school students. In my head I was following a boy who was about the same age as Percy Jackson. Not that soon after, I figured out these were 17-year olds. They way these characters speak and behave is really reminiscent of 13-year olds. It just didn't fit.
And lastly, I was really not on board with this relationship, and the way our main character, Elliot, was coming to terms with whatever he was feeling. This all starts with Elliot expressing that it doesn't matter who people love, because people are people and love is love. Jordan, our love interest, apparently thinks that a person advocating for queer rights is, in fact, a queer person himself and decides that this might be a good moment to kiss Elliot. Elliot, as is pretty understandable, is shocked and doesn't know what to do.
He ends up speaking with his sister, who explains that people and sexuality are complicated, that people change and sexuality can be fluid. She mentions some "labels" (I didn't know which word to use) that some people identify as. This (as far as I can tell as a cishet woman) is quite alright, actually. But. There's a but. But she also asks him 'How do you know that you're not gay?', which could be a quite innocent and genuine question, but phrasing it like:
But then! Jordan wants to speak to Elliot and actually forces/drags him outside, where our main character's absolutely not comfortable with.
And then Jordan tries to "convince" him... that he is, in fact, gay? has feelings for Jordan?
Basically, this dude harasses him.
So yeah, this was about the point where I'd had enough and decided that, no matter how amazing the rest of the book could be in some universe, I wasn't going to change my opinions on this book.
DNF @60%
I have really tried to give all of the ARCs I have received up until now a fair chance and read them in their entirety. But I just couldn't do this. I could have read this fully, but that wouldn't have changed my opinions, which were pretty well solidified around the 100-page mark.
First of all, the writing. First-person, quite simple, easy to read. However, I just got incredibly annoyed by each and every action that was described. Every gesture is penned down. Every step in the process of making pasta and how exactly our MC grabs a pot, every step in a chemistry experiment, including measurements and names of ingrediënts. I felt as if the author wanted to reach a word count goal.
Secondly, I was assuming, when I started reading this story, that we were following middle school students. In my head I was following a boy who was about the same age as Percy Jackson. Not that soon after, I figured out these were 17-year olds. They way these characters speak and behave is really reminiscent of 13-year olds. It just didn't fit.
And lastly, I was really not on board with this relationship, and the way our main character, Elliot, was coming to terms with whatever he was feeling. This all starts with Elliot expressing that it doesn't matter who people love, because people are people and love is love. Jordan, our love interest, apparently thinks that a person advocating for queer rights is, in fact, a queer person himself and decides that this might be a good moment to kiss Elliot. Elliot, as is pretty understandable, is shocked and doesn't know what to do.
He ends up speaking with his sister, who explains that people and sexuality are complicated, that people change and sexuality can be fluid. She mentions some "labels" (I didn't know which word to use) that some people identify as. This (as far as I can tell as a cishet woman) is quite alright, actually. But. There's a but. But she also asks him 'How do you know that you're not gay?', which could be a quite innocent and genuine question, but phrasing it like:
'Have you ever been with a guy before?' 'No.' 'Have you ever been with a girl before?' 'No.' 'Ever given either one a remote chance?' 'Not really.' 'Then how do you know?'causes my skin to itch a little. Some people don't have to 'be' with someone before knowing what label they feel most comfortable with. This "scene" might not even be intended in the way I critisised it, but it just didn't sit right with me.
But then! Jordan wants to speak to Elliot and actually forces/drags him outside, where our main character's absolutely not comfortable with.
"A string of curse words started to form in my mind and I immediately wanted to give in to my instincts to run as far away as my feet would carry me. Unfortunately, Jordan's grip on my arm kept me from doing that, so instead, I did my best to force down any signs of panic."
And then Jordan tries to "convince" him... that he is, in fact, gay? has feelings for Jordan?
"You just have to say the words, Eli," he breathed, leaning closer, motioning like he was going to kiss me again. "W-What are you doing?" I stuttered, placing my hands on his chest to keep him where he was. "Convincing you," he said, softly caressing my cheek with his fingers.
Basically, this dude harasses him.
He was taller than me, so I straightened my spine and looked him straight in the eye. In a surprisingly steady voice, I said, flat out, "I'm. Not. Gay." A deep chuckle resonated in his chest. He leaned in close to my ear. My breath caught in my throat once more as his lips brushed the base of my jaw. I didn't move. I couldn't. "And yet..." he whispered before backing away, exiting the dugout, and disappearing altogether, leaving me standing there alone, confused, and a little flustered.
So yeah, this was about the point where I'd had enough and decided that, no matter how amazing the rest of the book could be in some universe, I wasn't going to change my opinions on this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2022
Reread:
5⭐️
Elliot Goldman has neem A Victim of bullying since middle school. He don’t have any friends and has gotten used being an outcast. When he meets The new student Jordan Hughes , he befriends him and they become lab partners in chemistry lessons. They are spending more time together their friendship turns into something more. Leaving Elliot to question everything about himself.
I don't often reread books and still love them, but I love this book so much! A wonderfully smooth writing style and a very different kind of story than usual. I like that the laboratory appears in this book, you see that much too little I think! I'm studying chemical analyst at the moment and like to know all the terms already (hihi). I think the story is very strong where bullying plays an important role. She uses the words to show how it works and that teachers often do less with it than is expected. You also read how Elliott discovers that he is gay and how he experiences it and how he learns to deal with it. Jordan helps him with the bullying and stands up for him. Which is very sweet but also a bit teased. He's also the one who helps Elliott accept his sexuality!
I will definitely read this book again and again and always recommend it to everyone!
First review:
5🌟
I bought this book because it's about lab and I'm studying that. The book was so much more fun and cute than I expected! Reads wonderfully quickly
5⭐️
Elliot Goldman has neem A Victim of bullying since middle school. He don’t have any friends and has gotten used being an outcast. When he meets The new student Jordan Hughes , he befriends him and they become lab partners in chemistry lessons. They are spending more time together their friendship turns into something more. Leaving Elliot to question everything about himself.
I don't often reread books and still love them, but I love this book so much! A wonderfully smooth writing style and a very different kind of story than usual. I like that the laboratory appears in this book, you see that much too little I think! I'm studying chemical analyst at the moment and like to know all the terms already (hihi). I think the story is very strong where bullying plays an important role. She uses the words to show how it works and that teachers often do less with it than is expected. You also read how Elliott discovers that he is gay and how he experiences it and how he learns to deal with it. Jordan helps him with the bullying and stands up for him. Which is very sweet but also a bit teased. He's also the one who helps Elliott accept his sexuality!
I will definitely read this book again and again and always recommend it to everyone!
First review:
5🌟
I bought this book because it's about lab and I'm studying that. The book was so much more fun and cute than I expected! Reads wonderfully quickly
July 7, 2020
TW : Bullying , Assault , Homophobia , Hate crime , Internalised Homophobia
I loved Lab partners!
Full review will be posted closer to the publishing date
I thank NetGalley for granting me with the e-ARC in exchange of my honest opinions.
I loved Lab partners!
Full review will be posted closer to the publishing date
I thank NetGalley for granting me with the e-ARC in exchange of my honest opinions.
May 5, 2022
it's a wattpad story, and it shows. if i was 13, i probably would've liked it. i'm not 13 tho.
January 30, 2020
Oh! I loved the book from start to finish. i didn't like the comments Eli made about some people, but his character grew within the book. So this was a mix of adorable, cute -grin ear to ear type of book. It was some drama and we see alot what Eli go through, bullying, homophobia and more. But i'm glad i got to read this!
April 9, 2020
A lovely friends to lovers story, with some angst thrown in along the way.
Elliot and Jordan are well drawn, fun, articulate teenagers, thrown together as chemistry lab partners, from which a great relationship develops - if only it was always as sweet as this in real life.
This is a lovely heart felt story, and I would love to read more about their relationship.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Elliot and Jordan are well drawn, fun, articulate teenagers, thrown together as chemistry lab partners, from which a great relationship develops - if only it was always as sweet as this in real life.
This is a lovely heart felt story, and I would love to read more about their relationship.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2022
This book was really good!
I rated it 4 stars because it was extremely cheesy and a lot of parts made me cringe.
k bye.
🍂✨🌱📚🦕
I rated it 4 stars because it was extremely cheesy and a lot of parts made me cringe.
k bye.
🍂✨🌱📚🦕
December 30, 2019
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
TW: homophobia, bullying, depression
POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD
Elliott Goldman's life isn't easy. He lives in a small town, his twin sister is smarter than him and already in college, while he's in senior year, his parents work a lot, he feels lonely, he's bullied at school and he can't wait to start over in college, if he can choose one. His life changes when he's partnered with the new kid, Jordan, who is sweet, caring and understanding. And one day Jordan kisses him, pushing Elliott to question his feelings and sexuality, while trying to survive the last school year.
What I liked:
-The characters. Elliott is complex, Jordan is cute and the sort of hero and turning point of his life, Holiday is weird and sarcastic.
-The story, It was simple, quick and cute, addressing majior issues like bullying, homophobia, but without developing them too much.
What I didn't like:
-The writing style. Especially in first chapters it was like reading a shopping list. ""I was able to pull out a large pot for the pasta and a smaller one with a matching lid for the sauce. I held the larger pot in the sink and turned on the water. The pot grew heavier under the running faucet."
I honesly cringed while reading bits like that. In the beginning it was too descriptive, stalling the whole story.
-Ironically Jordan. I liked him as character, overall, but I didn't like the way he pushed Elliott, "convincing him" to be gay. I hated reading that part, because Elliott needed time and space and Jordan forced him to think, to decide. I had the feeling that, having more experience in coming out and being gay, Jordan felt entitled to maneuver Elliott, at least a bit.
Holiday. While I appreciated her revenge on Elliott's bullies, it was cruel and unnecessary humiliating them revealing Morgan's alcoholic father and his abusive life and Nate's family's history and to forcing Cole to be outed in front of everyone, basically fighting fire with fire. I find it tacky and I'd prefer if she only denounced the aggression and revealed Morgan's infidelity and Nate's weed.
The school and Elliott's parents.
I hated reading how the school and the teachers didn't intervene while it was clear that Elliott was being bullied. The nurse knew, the Mrs Reed knew and none did anything. It made me really angry and upset.
Besides Elliott's parents knew about the bullying and let him decide for himself. Ridiculous.
As a parent could stand still while his/her son or daughter were bullied. I found it unbelievable.
- Bullying and homophobia. I wish they would be better developed and not in the "I'm threatening the school to show the video to the police in order that it could decide to finally intervene" way.
Except for this issues, I liked this book, It was a quick read and the story is sweet and romantic.
Its characters are interesting. Elliott is sweet, he likes cooking, he tries all the time to defend other people from the school bullies, attracting their attention to him (he did it the first time defending his sister) and his loneliness and depression is acutely shown in the book. His sister is busy with school, his parents with work, Holiday, his sister's friend weird and vengeful. Jordan is like a knight on the white horse and he turns his life upside down, pushing him away from his comfort zone, making feel safe, loved and understood. I like reading about their relationship.
TW: homophobia, bullying, depression
POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD
Elliott Goldman's life isn't easy. He lives in a small town, his twin sister is smarter than him and already in college, while he's in senior year, his parents work a lot, he feels lonely, he's bullied at school and he can't wait to start over in college, if he can choose one. His life changes when he's partnered with the new kid, Jordan, who is sweet, caring and understanding. And one day Jordan kisses him, pushing Elliott to question his feelings and sexuality, while trying to survive the last school year.
What I liked:
-The characters. Elliott is complex, Jordan is cute and the sort of hero and turning point of his life, Holiday is weird and sarcastic.
-The story, It was simple, quick and cute, addressing majior issues like bullying, homophobia, but without developing them too much.
What I didn't like:
-The writing style. Especially in first chapters it was like reading a shopping list. ""I was able to pull out a large pot for the pasta and a smaller one with a matching lid for the sauce. I held the larger pot in the sink and turned on the water. The pot grew heavier under the running faucet."
I honesly cringed while reading bits like that. In the beginning it was too descriptive, stalling the whole story.
-Ironically Jordan. I liked him as character, overall, but I didn't like the way he pushed Elliott, "convincing him" to be gay. I hated reading that part, because Elliott needed time and space and Jordan forced him to think, to decide. I had the feeling that, having more experience in coming out and being gay, Jordan felt entitled to maneuver Elliott, at least a bit.
Holiday. While I appreciated her revenge on Elliott's bullies, it was cruel and unnecessary humiliating them revealing Morgan's alcoholic father and his abusive life and Nate's family's history and to forcing Cole to be outed in front of everyone, basically fighting fire with fire. I find it tacky and I'd prefer if she only denounced the aggression and revealed Morgan's infidelity and Nate's weed.
The school and Elliott's parents.
I hated reading how the school and the teachers didn't intervene while it was clear that Elliott was being bullied. The nurse knew, the Mrs Reed knew and none did anything. It made me really angry and upset.
Besides Elliott's parents knew about the bullying and let him decide for himself. Ridiculous.
As a parent could stand still while his/her son or daughter were bullied. I found it unbelievable.
- Bullying and homophobia. I wish they would be better developed and not in the "I'm threatening the school to show the video to the police in order that it could decide to finally intervene" way.
Except for this issues, I liked this book, It was a quick read and the story is sweet and romantic.
Its characters are interesting. Elliott is sweet, he likes cooking, he tries all the time to defend other people from the school bullies, attracting their attention to him (he did it the first time defending his sister) and his loneliness and depression is acutely shown in the book. His sister is busy with school, his parents with work, Holiday, his sister's friend weird and vengeful. Jordan is like a knight on the white horse and he turns his life upside down, pushing him away from his comfort zone, making feel safe, loved and understood. I like reading about their relationship.
March 9, 2020
Lab Partners was a quick, sweet read that was quite predictable, but still entertaining.
I felt everything was underdeveloped and stereotypical, from the bullies to family and to the homophobia.
The bullying was very unrealistic, since Elliot would come home hurt and his parents didn’t do anything about it cause he wanted to handle it, even though he couldn’t.
I had trouble liking Jordan. At the beginning he’s very kind and helpful, then he’s suddenly like ’I’ll convince you to be gay’. It was off putting.
I really didn’t like the revenge on the bullies, especially with them outing one of them just to prove a point. That was sad.
*Thank you Smith Publicity and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I felt everything was underdeveloped and stereotypical, from the bullies to family and to the homophobia.
The bullying was very unrealistic, since Elliot would come home hurt and his parents didn’t do anything about it cause he wanted to handle it, even though he couldn’t.
I had trouble liking Jordan. At the beginning he’s very kind and helpful, then he’s suddenly like ’I’ll convince you to be gay’. It was off putting.
I really didn’t like the revenge on the bullies, especially with them outing one of them just to prove a point. That was sad.
*Thank you Smith Publicity and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2022
The author was kind of rude to me on Wattpad so I give a one-star review
February 29, 2020
Lab Partners follows a lonely high school senior named Elliot Goldman. He’s sort of an outcast with no friends at school (except for Holly, who is mainly his sister’s friend) and who has been battling incessant bullying since middle school by three boys who seem to especially “have it out” for Elliot.
But Elliot’s life suddenly changes when a new student named Jordan joins their school and ends up being Elliot’s new chemistry lab partner. The two boys take to each other right away and become immediate friends. Jordan begins to be the bright spot in Elliot’s life. They even start spending time with each other outside of school, which is unheard of for Elliot.
But then things change one night when Jordan kisses Elliot, causing Elliot to question everything he knows about himself, including his sexuality and his relationship with Elliot. He now must decide what he really wants and whether he’s willing to take that next step with the boy that sends his stomach into flutters.
Now at first glance, I thought this was going to be a sweet coming-of-age story, and there certainly was that aspect to it. I loved the relationship between Jordan and Elliot and thought they had terrific chemistry together (both literally and figuratively). But this was also quite a serious treatment of bullying in high school, rendering some parts of the story difficult to read because of the brutal scenes where the three boys attack Elliot. The story illustrates just how far bullying can escalate when teachers and school administrators turn a blind eye and how it can affect a young person’s outlook on life and about themself. The despair and depression that Elliot went through were heartbreaking, though I will say, without any spoilers, that it all worked out in Elliot’s favor at the end.
The characterization in this book is really powerful, and I loved our two main characters. Elliot’s bravery is admirable as he risks his own safety in order to protect other kids in his school from bullying, resulting in him becoming their primary target. Jordan is also an amazing character, a boy completely comfortable in his own skin and who steadfastly supports Elliott every step along the way, both during Elliot’s coming out process and regarding the bullying.
The book not only addresses the dangers of bullying but also encapsulates depression, sexual orientation, self-discovery, and young love. The story also does an excellent job of illustrating the fluidity of sexuality and that for many people, one’s sexuality is not always so black and white. That being said, there’s also excellent aromantic/asexual representation in the story.
Now I will say that the book starts out a tad slow and I nearly gave up on it. The descriptions of mundane tasks were agonizingly detailed, most of which didn’t seem to have anything to do with the story. So in this way, it could have used some additional editing. But I’m definitely glad I stuck with it as it ended up being a captivating and sensitive coming-of-age story that, in addition to bullying and homophobia, adeptly tackles the confounding nature of sexuality.
But Elliot’s life suddenly changes when a new student named Jordan joins their school and ends up being Elliot’s new chemistry lab partner. The two boys take to each other right away and become immediate friends. Jordan begins to be the bright spot in Elliot’s life. They even start spending time with each other outside of school, which is unheard of for Elliot.
But then things change one night when Jordan kisses Elliot, causing Elliot to question everything he knows about himself, including his sexuality and his relationship with Elliot. He now must decide what he really wants and whether he’s willing to take that next step with the boy that sends his stomach into flutters.
Now at first glance, I thought this was going to be a sweet coming-of-age story, and there certainly was that aspect to it. I loved the relationship between Jordan and Elliot and thought they had terrific chemistry together (both literally and figuratively). But this was also quite a serious treatment of bullying in high school, rendering some parts of the story difficult to read because of the brutal scenes where the three boys attack Elliot. The story illustrates just how far bullying can escalate when teachers and school administrators turn a blind eye and how it can affect a young person’s outlook on life and about themself. The despair and depression that Elliot went through were heartbreaking, though I will say, without any spoilers, that it all worked out in Elliot’s favor at the end.
The characterization in this book is really powerful, and I loved our two main characters. Elliot’s bravery is admirable as he risks his own safety in order to protect other kids in his school from bullying, resulting in him becoming their primary target. Jordan is also an amazing character, a boy completely comfortable in his own skin and who steadfastly supports Elliott every step along the way, both during Elliot’s coming out process and regarding the bullying.
The book not only addresses the dangers of bullying but also encapsulates depression, sexual orientation, self-discovery, and young love. The story also does an excellent job of illustrating the fluidity of sexuality and that for many people, one’s sexuality is not always so black and white. That being said, there’s also excellent aromantic/asexual representation in the story.
Now I will say that the book starts out a tad slow and I nearly gave up on it. The descriptions of mundane tasks were agonizingly detailed, most of which didn’t seem to have anything to do with the story. So in this way, it could have used some additional editing. But I’m definitely glad I stuck with it as it ended up being a captivating and sensitive coming-of-age story that, in addition to bullying and homophobia, adeptly tackles the confounding nature of sexuality.
April 8, 2023
This is a heavy read filled with love at first sight surrounded by bullying and sadness.
The characters are likable and engaging, making me want to know more. The plot was straight forward, focusing on a bullied gay kid who need someone to help him. I wish he would help himself and give the book more of a positive message so bullied kids know they don’t have to wait for a quirky friend or lover to stand up for them. I know he says, “Sic ‘em” but it wasn’t enough for me.
I enjoyed the twin angle and how families are close but also drift apart with their own lives aspects. It felt real. I loved Holly’s attack sequence and it felt like I was watching a movie play out. Maybe one by Greg Berlanti in the future!
There were also some moments to point out I didn’t like-
“His breath fanned against my skin as he stared down at me. His hands were pressed against the wall on either side of me, preventing my escape. My heart rate accelerated significantly. “You can’t deny we have chemistry together.””
I found this creepy. Sorry, there is no better word. He basically forces his way and prevents escape to a bullied kid? It didn’t match Jordan’s character either.
The principal says,
“I have a system in place for dealing with situations regarding bullying,”
He does? Does the system include coaches who saw and said boys will be boys? Or teachers who know, offer their classrooms as safe havens, but say nothing? It would have made me feel Elliot grow if he said that to the principal to help address the failed system which allowed his torment.
My last complaint about a book I actually enjoyed reading is that the narrative was hyper focused on how to cook things and those pages were skip worthy.
It’s hard to balance cute love story and bullying and not get overwhelmed with sadness. This book does a nice job of returning to the positive.
The characters are likable and engaging, making me want to know more. The plot was straight forward, focusing on a bullied gay kid who need someone to help him. I wish he would help himself and give the book more of a positive message so bullied kids know they don’t have to wait for a quirky friend or lover to stand up for them. I know he says, “Sic ‘em” but it wasn’t enough for me.
I enjoyed the twin angle and how families are close but also drift apart with their own lives aspects. It felt real. I loved Holly’s attack sequence and it felt like I was watching a movie play out. Maybe one by Greg Berlanti in the future!
There were also some moments to point out I didn’t like-
“His breath fanned against my skin as he stared down at me. His hands were pressed against the wall on either side of me, preventing my escape. My heart rate accelerated significantly. “You can’t deny we have chemistry together.””
I found this creepy. Sorry, there is no better word. He basically forces his way and prevents escape to a bullied kid? It didn’t match Jordan’s character either.
The principal says,
“I have a system in place for dealing with situations regarding bullying,”
He does? Does the system include coaches who saw and said boys will be boys? Or teachers who know, offer their classrooms as safe havens, but say nothing? It would have made me feel Elliot grow if he said that to the principal to help address the failed system which allowed his torment.
My last complaint about a book I actually enjoyed reading is that the narrative was hyper focused on how to cook things and those pages were skip worthy.
It’s hard to balance cute love story and bullying and not get overwhelmed with sadness. This book does a nice job of returning to the positive.
January 20, 2020
Copia recibida a cambio de una reseña honesta.
Lab Partners sigue el recorrido durante el último año de preparatoria de Eli, un chico que sufre bullyng (mucho) en el colegio y nadie intentó detenerlo durante años, pasa la mayoría del tiempo solo en su casa y se siente menos que su hermana melliza porque ella tiene muchas mejores notas y esta a punto de entrar a la universidad con muchos créditos más que él.
En esta situación entra Jordan, un joven que por coincidencia termina siendo su compañero de laboratorio y se gana su confianza.
¿Que me gustó de este libro?
- La representación aro-ace me pareció convincente.
- La ausencia de los roles de género habituales en la familia de los mellizos me gustó.
- Holly, la amiga de los mellizos, me cayó muy bien la mayor parte del tiempo.
- La resolución de la situación del bullyng (más detalle abajo).
¿Que no me gustó?
- Que nadie haya hecho algo con respecto a los maltratos que sufría Eli. Compañeros, profesores, la enfermera, su hermana y sus padres minimizáron la situación durante años. Un extraño tuvo que venir a hacer algo por el chico.
- Como se resolvió la historia entre los protagonistas. Hay actitudes de Jordan que no me convencen.
- Me pareció demasiado la manera en la que expusieron a los chicos al final del libro. La ley del Talión no corresponde en la resolución de estos casos en un ambito escolar (en ningún caso, de hecho).
Siendo este el primer libro de la autora, espero que continue escribiendo y que las reseñas le sean de ayuda. Me mantendré al tanto de sus próximas obras.
Lab Partners sigue el recorrido durante el último año de preparatoria de Eli, un chico que sufre bullyng (mucho) en el colegio y nadie intentó detenerlo durante años, pasa la mayoría del tiempo solo en su casa y se siente menos que su hermana melliza porque ella tiene muchas mejores notas y esta a punto de entrar a la universidad con muchos créditos más que él.
En esta situación entra Jordan, un joven que por coincidencia termina siendo su compañero de laboratorio y se gana su confianza.
¿Que me gustó de este libro?
- La representación aro-ace me pareció convincente.
- La ausencia de los roles de género habituales en la familia de los mellizos me gustó.
- Holly, la amiga de los mellizos, me cayó muy bien la mayor parte del tiempo.
- La resolución de la situación del bullyng (más detalle abajo).
¿Que no me gustó?
- Que nadie haya hecho algo con respecto a los maltratos que sufría Eli. Compañeros, profesores, la enfermera, su hermana y sus padres minimizáron la situación durante años. Un extraño tuvo que venir a hacer algo por el chico.
- Como se resolvió la historia entre los protagonistas. Hay actitudes de Jordan que no me convencen.
- Me pareció demasiado la manera en la que expusieron a los chicos al final del libro. La ley del Talión no corresponde en la resolución de estos casos en un ambito escolar (en ningún caso, de hecho).
Siendo este el primer libro de la autora, espero que continue escribiendo y que las reseñas le sean de ayuda. Me mantendré al tanto de sus próximas obras.
January 8, 2020
I was given the opportunity to read an ARC of Lab Partners by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Lab Partners by Mora Montgomery tells the story of Elliot Goldman. He is a high school senior with a twin sister in college (she graduated early) and two loving, though somewhat absent parents. He is a loner who is bullied mercilessly by three boys at his school.
Then, one day Jordan Hughes walks into his life. Everything changes after that. He has a friend, a confidant, and maybe something more. This book explores tough topics like bullying, depression, and discovering one’s sexual identity and orientation. Told from Elliot’s perspective, we get a first-hand look at the effects of all of these things on a young adult, and how he thinks about and processes everything going on in his life.
Lab Partners was a good book with a sweet story but was not without its flaws. Sometimes, the writing style felt a bit stilted and the descriptions of mundane tasks overly detailed. For example, there is an entire scene of the details of making pasta, even filling the water in the pot. This just seemed unnecessarily long.
However, the overarching story and the plot were good. The characters were well-developed, and the ending was satisfying. Because of this, I give the book 4 stars (though it would be more akin to 3.5 stars, honestly). I would recommend this book to any young adult, especially those dealing with bullying or with issues regarding their own sexuality.
Then, one day Jordan Hughes walks into his life. Everything changes after that. He has a friend, a confidant, and maybe something more. This book explores tough topics like bullying, depression, and discovering one’s sexual identity and orientation. Told from Elliot’s perspective, we get a first-hand look at the effects of all of these things on a young adult, and how he thinks about and processes everything going on in his life.
Lab Partners was a good book with a sweet story but was not without its flaws. Sometimes, the writing style felt a bit stilted and the descriptions of mundane tasks overly detailed. For example, there is an entire scene of the details of making pasta, even filling the water in the pot. This just seemed unnecessarily long.
However, the overarching story and the plot were good. The characters were well-developed, and the ending was satisfying. Because of this, I give the book 4 stars (though it would be more akin to 3.5 stars, honestly). I would recommend this book to any young adult, especially those dealing with bullying or with issues regarding their own sexuality.
April 10, 2020
More of a 3.5 star. This book has me pretty engaged the entire time, I finished 90% of it in one day (which is impressive for me). The writing seemed to alternate between mature and juvenile pretty sporadically, which made me want a completely New Adult book from this author so they could explore more of their mature elements. I really loved miss HOLIDAY TUCKER AKA MVP OF THE STORY and Jordan was second to her as my favorite. There were issues I had with Jordan’s character in general but overall he was a sweet, caring guy. Elliott’s journey was cute to follow and I definitely thought this book was worth spending my entire day reading!!!!
December 29, 2023
Jordan seemed very weird and too fictional I liked him but was weirded out by him sometimes
April 18, 2024
2,5⭐
The story could've been shorter at some points and sometimes conversations were written in a way that didn't feel 'real' but there were some quotes that were just *chef's kiss*
The story could've been shorter at some points and sometimes conversations were written in a way that didn't feel 'real' but there were some quotes that were just *chef's kiss*
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