The Truth About Romantic Comedies
This was a good book. I think there is a lot more I could say about this read but I want to sum things up as simply as possibly before I begin with my review. This was a good book. It was an excellent romantic comedy, a very wonderful YA romance, and probably the sweetest and most innocent Christian contemporary I have ever read.
I’ve seen a lot of people in other reviews mention John Green in comparison to this book, I won’t do that. I will not say this reminds me of anything by John Green because I have read multiple books by John Green and regretted every one. I do not enjoy his writing and I did enjoy McMurray’s writing, so no—this is not similar to John Green’s work at all by the simple fact that its actually good and worth reading.
I will say, however, that this book is actually what it says it is not. This book claims to point out every cliché in romantic comedies as if to make fun of them—and it does do that—but it does it while falling into every cliché you can think of in a romantic comedy.
Your protagonist is a young man who is not exactly the most popular kid in school, a quiet guy with a dry humor and an odd interest in water—which I never truly understand but hey, does anyone understand every metaphor or hidden message in a YA romance? This slightly unpopular water boy gets dumped, has to take care of his sick grandmother and just when he’s reached the edge of depression, in walks the romantic interest; an outgoing beautiful girl who’s just as much of a reject as her male counterpart but in just the right way to make her cool. You know… weird but in a hipster sort of way so that technically makes her not-weird.
Beneath the clichés that are very present in this book, I actually enjoyed the story. The humor was quirky and funny and made me want to cry as much as laugh. I felt something for the characters, and I enjoyed their backstories. As a Christian, I loved the inclusion of God and faith and I think the message was done very well. I’m very happy to have read this book and I would certainly recommend it to others. If you’re not really into reading about slightly depressed teenagers trying to find the good in life, then this might not be the book for you. But if you have even the smallest interest in romance or comedy, I promise you will find this read worthwhile.
YA readers will gobble this down in one sitting but I think Christian audiences and romantic nerds will certainly appreciate this book.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*