I am absolutely shocked that Book Smart is a debut novel. This sweet and funny friends-to-lovers story is incredibly well-written.

Mel is an aspiring writer, unlucky in love, who stumbles upon an article featuring 1950s dating advice for single women. In a quest to determine whether any of the advice still holds value, she launches a dating experiment, determined to heed some of the decades-old advice and write about the results.

Mel enlists the help and support of her two best friends, Ivy and Cameron — the same Cameron who has been in love with Mel since they met five years ago.

That’s right, Cameron has spent the last five years hoping Mel will notice him and realize his feelings for her. Now, he has a front row seat to her dating experiment and her efforts to charm other men. He needs to make a move before it’s too late.

This novel has been billed as a “sweet” romance. If it were a movie, it would probably carry a PG or PG13 rating. There are a couple of kisses in the story, with a reference to a bit more action in the epilogue. It’s a book you could read and recommend to your own parents or grandparents.

That said, it’s also very entertaining. Mel’s dating experiment is a series of misadventures. It’s fun to watch them each play out. There’s a little bit of other man drama that adds a touch of angst, but all is well that ends well.

The concept is creative, and the characters are engaging. I absolutely loved Cam and his backstory, which add a lot of depth and nicely balanced the comedy. Ivy is pretty mysterious, and I’d love to read her story (hopefully with cameos by Mel and Cam so we can see more of them together.)

This story by debut author is fantastic right out of the gate!

This is a sloooow burn of a story and it was perfectly done.

This is the story of Mel and Cameon. Co-workers and friends. 

Mel is a go-getter. She is focused but sometimes can't see the forest through the trees. She loves her little group of friends and decides she needs her friends help in a new idea for a book. She needed wingfolks for her "mancounters".

Cameron is such a delicious find! He is one of Mel's best friends, but he wants to be so much more. But things in his past have left some inner scars that sways the way he interacts with Mel.

The flow of this story is perfect and the subtle ways that Cameron showed how much he cared for Mel was so swoony. 

Secondary characters were perfect in their own ways, I am actually hoping that some of them get their own stories soon.

Again I say what a fantastic debut story from this soon to be well known author. (That’s my prediction…)  

This was a lovely treat and I am so happy I won this ARC of the debut novel of Amanda Pennington!!
I love the friends to lovers trope and the blurb just left me laughing so hard I couldn't wait to read it. The idea of adapting the dating advices from the 1950s to now was pure comedy, and it didn't disappoint! I just fell in love with the characters right away and was looking forward to each "mancounter", both to see how it would go and of course how Cameron would react. Cam is such a gem, I want him for myself!
I really do hope to see more of Ivy, and Toby (pretty please?) and if there had been just a little bit more steam this would have been 5+ stars, but we'll go with 4.75-5 for the moment ;)

Wow, talk about a slow burn.

Cameron had a promising career ahead of him in basketball until he suffered a stroke early in his college career. He fought through his recovery and created a new life where he's the head computer/IT guy at the college he works at with Mel and Ivy. Cam's been in love with Mel since the day he met her 5 years ago, while also being one of her two best friends. When she decides to try to write her first book - basing it on how women dated (attracted a man) in the 50s, compared to how it is in the present day - he finds himself trying to figure out how to break through his own issues to get her to notice that he's been right in front of her all this time.

There is virtually no steam or heat in this book. Some passionate kissing near the end. It's still super sweet and was a fun read.

This book did not work for me. I wanted to love it. I adore a well-written friends-to-lovers trope, but this slow burn was the slowest of the slow. The “humor” was just not on point. I finished it, but I wasn’t happy about it.

2.5

Ce livre est l’exemple parfait de pourquoi friends to lovers n’est pas ma trope préférée. J’avais juste envie de dire au personnage masculin de se déniaiser. Je le trouvais lourd de dire sans cesse que le personnage féminin ne réalise pas qu’il est intéressé alors qu’il n’ose rien lui dire.

De plus, les tomes précédents avaient un peu de spice, donc même si c’est une autre auteure, je m’attendais à la même chose, mais ce n’est pas le cas. Je n’ai pas enlevé d’étoiles pour ça, mais j’aurais aimé le savoir!

Light & fun clean romance. :)

Okay read, nothing bad just story didn't do it for me.