HG Reviews: Young Adult

 

 The Boyfriend List by J.L. Wyer was fun to read

 

I always enjoy a good young adult romance or coming-of-age story, and this had a few pluses. The cover and internal graphics were great. It was also a finalist in the 2022 Contemporary Romance Writers Stiletto award competition. The tone was introspective, creating a voice appropriate for the teenage genre. The style was well-composed and readable. The theme of the less popular girl getting the guy of her dreams was very relatable. Maegan had an amusing older brother, Braedan, and a lovable male best friend, Noah.

 On the other hand, the characterization was quirky. Maegan didn’t appear to relate to the other girls at all. They are portrayed as rivals and bullies, occasionally receiving a mention as the tolerable girlfriend of one of the guys. The closest thing to an explanation for this lack of relationship with the girls is that she was “nerdy”, but except for being good enough at mathematics to tutor it, her interests appear typical for a teen. There is a slight hint that her brother’s ex-girlfriend was not good to her, but this is not followed up. Maegan can talk to her Mom, but only about boys. She gets her brother to wheedle her out of being grounded and punished. I’ve heard of teenage girls being boy-crazy, but this was exaggerated!

 

I was pleased to read this book early through Hidden Gems.