Jesse's Girl
by Miranda Kenneally
To be published on July 7, 2015
by Sourcebooks
Source: eARC for review
Jesse's Girl had a lot going for it -- music themes, fun 80s references, and a bunch of great tropes. Yes, great. I think of tropes as humble cooking ingredients that can either be humdrum or, in the case of a book like this, elevated into something fun and surprising.
The most obvious trope going here is In Love With a Rock Star. But hey, surprise: it's Jesse who falls for the (aspiring) rock star, while Maya falls in love with Jesse, a country singer. (Which means that we also get both an Odd Couple dynamic and I'm a Little Bit Country/I'm a Little Bit Rock and Roll face-off.)
There's also a good dose of Girl Next Door in Love With Someone Famous, which has been a favorite trope of mine since I was a kid watching Brady Bunch re-runs and Marcia Brady snuck into Davy Jones' hotel room to ask him if he'd sing at her prom. Jesse and Maya meet cute (well, she's cute and he's surly) and embark on a madcap Ferris Bueller Day of fun. Super-cute, and a little bit Princess for a Day as he tries to buy her fancy cowboy boots, and she declines. He's famous, but he can't get her out of his mind...
What else is there to love about this book? If you still need more convincing, there's a fun American-Idol-meets-the-Voice kind of show involved (with actual celebrity judges) and cameo appearances by two of my favorite Hundred Oaks characters ever, Jordan and Sam.
In sum, Jesse's Girl is the perfect summer read: fun, flirty, and hard to put down.
These books are companion books, so you don't have to have read any other Hundred Oaks books to pick up this one. If you've read it, let me know what you thought in comments!
by Miranda Kenneally
To be published on July 7, 2015
by Sourcebooks
Source: eARC for review
Synopsis from Goodreads: Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol. But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?My take: This week I have an extra bit of spring in my step -- I've been reading some fabulous contemporaries, which is how I think everyone should spend the summer. I'm a longtime fan of Miranda Kenneally and her Hundred Oaks series. She's got a bit of a Sarah Dessen thing going on, with crossover characters and locations, that I like a lot. And I love that her main characters are always girls with ambitions and dreams, girls who feel real and relatable, girls who find love.
Jesse's Girl had a lot going for it -- music themes, fun 80s references, and a bunch of great tropes. Yes, great. I think of tropes as humble cooking ingredients that can either be humdrum or, in the case of a book like this, elevated into something fun and surprising.
The most obvious trope going here is In Love With a Rock Star. But hey, surprise: it's Jesse who falls for the (aspiring) rock star, while Maya falls in love with Jesse, a country singer. (Which means that we also get both an Odd Couple dynamic and I'm a Little Bit Country/I'm a Little Bit Rock and Roll face-off.)
There's also a good dose of Girl Next Door in Love With Someone Famous, which has been a favorite trope of mine since I was a kid watching Brady Bunch re-runs and Marcia Brady snuck into Davy Jones' hotel room to ask him if he'd sing at her prom. Jesse and Maya meet cute (well, she's cute and he's surly) and embark on a madcap Ferris Bueller Day of fun. Super-cute, and a little bit Princess for a Day as he tries to buy her fancy cowboy boots, and she declines. He's famous, but he can't get her out of his mind...
What else is there to love about this book? If you still need more convincing, there's a fun American-Idol-meets-the-Voice kind of show involved (with actual celebrity judges) and cameo appearances by two of my favorite Hundred Oaks characters ever, Jordan and Sam.
In sum, Jesse's Girl is the perfect summer read: fun, flirty, and hard to put down.
These books are companion books, so you don't have to have read any other Hundred Oaks books to pick up this one. If you've read it, let me know what you thought in comments!
This sounds like a great book, I have to admit to being a major fan of romantic contemporaries and I think they make the best summer reads!
ReplyDeleteCharlotte at Read and Drink Tea
Jesse's Girl took the same tropes I've read dozens of times and flipped them around and I finished with this huge smile on my face!
ReplyDeleteIt was FUN! We don't get a lot of that in YA these days. Even though it dealt with teen angst - it didn't feel preachy or maudlin.
Nice for a change!
Karen @For What It's Worth
This sounds adorable and perfect for summer. I love that even though its part of an ongoing world it can be read as a stand alone. You also had me at fun 80's references!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this one as well. At this point I'm fully convinced that there isn't anything that Miranda Kenneally could write that I wouldn't like. Except maybe a horror story, I don't think I could do that even for her!
ReplyDeleteI adore her books and how she has fun with her characters and even the tropes :) I think that it's always sex positive for girls.
ReplyDeleteYay for fun summer reads! They go hand in hand with these splendid summer days :) I haven't read Miranda Kenneally yet, but I'm curious. Love the review.
ReplyDelete80's reference? Wow okay you had me there! I'm definitely putting this in my tbr shelf. The synopsis seems like a fun contemporary read! Great review and I'm glad to know that this one won't be a disappointing read!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this one, I love love love her books!
ReplyDeleteAhh so excited!! I've always love this series and I'm sure this one won't disappoint either :D
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited to read this one! Great review!
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that I'll be reading this one! Exactly my kind of book, when seeking great contemporary reads! Great review :)
ReplyDeleteI have only heard good things about Kenneally books. I cannot wait to delve into one once my book-buying-ban is over!
ReplyDeleteJordan @ Jordan's Jewels
I have only heard good things about Kenneally books. I cannot wait to delve into one once my book-buying-ban is over!
ReplyDeleteJordan @ Jordan's Jewels
This sounds cute. I've been meaning to try this series for forever.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! This one was definitely my least favorite in this series but the series is so good that it was still a great book! It was definitely fun to catch up with Sam and Jordan!
ReplyDelete