I liked this one and think it'll be popular with the kids at school. 
There wasn't too much detail with regards to the chess, which is good as I don't play, but there was enough of it that it was (rightly) a big part of the plot.
I felt for Jules (I have arthritis too) and found it relatable, and I thought the slow reveal about Ciaran was well portrayed and kept you both wanting and not wanting to know because you knew it wasn't going to be good.

This was a relatively cute, well written and enjoyable read. The plot is following seventeen year old Jules who’s going into her final year of high school. She has a rather rare and debilitating form of arthritis that causes her to use crutches most of the day - something not in tune to her plans. A new boy Ronan enters and we get chapters from both POVs as the book develops. Jules thinks he’s rather nonchalant, will get whatever he wants and someone who’ll easily breeze though the year as is good looking and already popular - her friends Michael and Tara both fancy him already but she thinks he’ll never like her. Despite his persona, Ronan actually has his own ‘baggage’ plaguing him and his family life and as an escape from reality both, unbeknownst, start playing chess and chatting together which… 

For the most part, these are two likeable and fleshed out characters that you do genuinely want the best for. Michael I found was such an amazing friend and their bond was lovely to read. Tara is beginning to distance herself with another group and has her own issues which as the book develops throws up hurdles in their friendship. Jules experiences some bullying and ableism surrounding her arthritis, mobility and use of crutches which I think was handled very well - it’s good to have such representation which I don’t think I’ve ever read before. Other topics including mental illness, drug use/abuse, addiction and grief are also integrated and again I felt were given the appropriate time and discussion for the intended YA audience. I think some of the issues were that as the book went along I just felt some of the actions made were rather frustrating. There’s miscommunication which was quite unnecessary and some ‘pick me’ petty aspects which made it seem a bit juvenile that I wasn’t a fan of and sadly soured my reading experience. 

I listened to the audiobook which was very well narrated (I love Irish accents) and bough the plot and characters to life so would recommend. 

This is such a perfectly blended together book of wholesome teen romance and the characters dealing with stuff they shouldn’t have to. Jenny Ireland might be my new favourite teen romance author!

I love the character development of Tara especially, but also Ronan and Jules as well.

This book shows that it is okay to ask for help from friends and the adults on your life.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. 

A Cinderella Story meets the heart and comfort of Heartstopper

This book was absolutely everything that I love. I really connected with the characters and they felt so real. I actually cared about the friendships, relationships and what each character was going through. 

This book has so many wonderful messages and it’s also so cute. There is also representation of arthritis which I think was discussed really well (please note I do not have arthritis so please listen to the voices of people who experience it for a more accurate opinion on just how well it was represented). I feel like I learnt more about arthritis than I originally knew, such as there being different types.

 

I love the kind of “A Cinderella Story” aspect of the talking online not knowing it’s each other in real life, that has to be one of my favourite scenarios. I don’t know why I just find it so adorable and cute and just eeeee!!! The idea there’s something pulling them together in real life but they think the other person doesn’t feel it, but then online they realise how perfect this other person is, not knowing it’s the other all along. LOVE IT! Also I loved the reveal, I think it was so wonderful and just YES!

Each character had their own things to work through and I loved how it was done. I don’t often like the miscommunication in some books, but this I genuinely enjoyed and think was done really well. I also enjoyed how respectful most of the characters were to each other. This book gave me those good feels that reading Heartstopper gave me, just cuteness overload and good good feelings, even when dealing with heavier topics. It just felt comforting in a way I can’t explain, but I really enjoyed it and will definitely be recommending this book!

Ok this was a really cute read. Loved the disability rep (though I don't know much about it myself so can't say how accurate it is) and I learned a fair amount from reading it. I thought Juliet was insufferable at times, there was miscommunication AND a third act break up, both of which are tropes I don't enjoy lol.

I would have liked a little more at the end to make up for all the cuteness we missed out on in the third act, and a little more character development for Michael, but overall it was cute and I liked it.