LOVER BIRDS by Leanne Egan
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I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher in order to write this review.
The publisher’s summary
A fantastic, queer enemies-to-lovers story — in one corner, a girl with ADHD experiencing her first girl crush in a monumental way; in the other corner, a posh, rich girl who’s new to school and has her own reasons to be guarded. Told with humor and heart, this is a perfect novel for Alice Oseman and Becky Albertalli fans, and marks a great new YA romcom voice.
My recommendation
The Liverpool setting and fierce friend group add an immersive flavor to this queer coming-out Rom Com which uses Pride and Prejudice as a framework for the story. The exploration of ADHD has a major role in Eloise’s development and was handled honestly through a neurodiversity-positive lens, while Eloise’s exploration of her sexuality initially resists labels, feeling authentic and messy in the best way. While the Pride and Prejudice framework may offer little “Easter egg” moments to the most committed Austen fans, the retelling is so rooted in the contemporary YA space that it reads well without any prior knowledge. (I actually didn’t pick up on the Pride and Prejudice connection until 3/4 of the way through, at which point I felt a little silly since so many names lined up…) A fun addition to your YA Rom Com shelf.
Susan the Librarian 