2.5 rounded up cuz it was cute but didn't really make me feel anything more than a slight, "Aww."

Rounded up from a 4.5/5

This was a very sweet book! While light and fun, it also managed to avoid some of the tropes and stereotypes of small town vs. big city life and romance.

The main character’s choices do not reflect their values/beliefs at all. i know they’re teenagers and aren’t always thinking rationally but the writing is also mid. there are multiple scenes that you are anticipating that happen off-screen and are mentioned in passing with no repercussions. also idk if it can be considered a “twist” but there is a “big confession” towards the end that i saw coming a mile away. i also hate 3rd act break-ups just for the sake of moving the plot forward

Okay, this book warmed my East Tennessee, Dollywood-loving heart. Brian nailed this story with two protagonists that stole the show in completely different ways!

I loved the dynamics of this story, the complicated mess of emotions that exist between two people trying to figure out if what they have together is worth the trouble (you’ll have to read to see the answer to that!) and all of the intense questioning and self-reflection that come with it.

Wanda World is clearly a love letter to Dollywood, a magical place at which I’ve spent countless hours in my life. Brian gets the atmosphere SO right, and it was delightful reading a story set in a similar place.

This book will definitely appeal to Robbie Couch and Phil Stamper fans with its wit and tenderness, as well as Julie Murphy fans, with its healthy dose of Southern charm and tribute to all things country!

Bravo to Brian on a fun, charming debut that left me very emotional in several spots toward the end!

3.5

This was a simple, fun book to read. We follow two characters with alternating perspectives - Luke and Emmett - who's paths cross when they both wind up working at Wanda World, a Dollwoodesque amusement park based around country music legend Wanda Jean.

Emmett loves country music and has big dreams about becoming the first gay country superstar, but Luke has a very troubled relationship with all things country due to past conflict between his Nana and the genre.

This is showcased as a romance but we also follow these characters individually as they try to pursue their dreams, help their family and reconcile the different aspects of their lives. Luke's arc is very much based on his family, his mother has a chronic illness and the family as a whole are struggling with money. He puts a lot of pressure on himself to be the saviour - make more money, do more chores, don't come out as it will make things worse. Emmett on the other hand is on the surface having the time of his life, staying with his Aunt and working at the park of his idol. He's out and proud, but just because he's proud, it doesn't mean the music industry be the same.

The book was a fun read, I enjoyed it well enough. I will say though, first of all there was no difference in tone between each character. There were no unique voices which is something you'd expect when books are told in first person. But in here, if it weren't for the situations or places they mention (a family member, or their place of work) you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between these two leads. It definitely took me a few chapters to really grasp who was who, especially when it would switch up from one chapter each to a character having two chapters back to back.

One other thing I thought was a little lacking was the romance. These boys are meant to be in love - or at least infatuated with each other - but I don't think I could fully be convinced about their feelings. There just didn't seem to be much in terms of emotional opening up, or deep conversations, or even lust between the two of them.

That being said, I did enjoy the book. I thought the setting was fun and different, I liked the inclusion of secondary stories rather than just focusing on the romance and I thought the family aspects were well done.
We have the struggling but loving big family (Luke, his two siblings, mother and step dad) which showed a great step parent relationship, and showed an illness (MS) that hardily ever gets talked about in books (when I saw his mother was ill my first thought was 'bet she has cancer, mothers always have cancer in YA for some reason' so I was pleasantly surprised that she had a chronic disease that I've rarely if ever seen in fiction)
We also have a lovely Aunt / nephew relationship on Emmett's side. Both families are different and have different values but all love each other and care about each other.

review copy.