What a super fun holiday read! Charlie is looking for a date to a big deal event and her sights are set on Teo, who unfortunately doesn't really know her. Luckily for Charlie, with secret Santa happening at the paper and the help of his cousin JD, Charlie is able to make a move on Teo. The cute way that JD and Charlie come together through the different aspects of the holidays is adorable. Christmas shopping, celebrating Hanukah, carol singing, tree decorating all make this a fun holiday read. The characters are well written and everyone needs a bestie that bakes! I enjoyed reading this story and felt like I was watching a hallmark holiday movie. I look forward to reading more by Petroff and it definitely put me in the holiday spirit! Thanks netgalley for an ARC for my honest opinion

This book was what I was hoping it would be, it was light and enjoyable. It held my attention and was adorable with a Christmas twist! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and enjoyed the characters. The writing was nice and the book was what I was hoping for! An enjoyable read for sure!

I probably should have held off on reading another Christmas-y YA book, but what can you do. I fought with myself the entire book on whether or not I would DNF it, but honestly, it's a quick read. It's rather predictable - I wasn't expecting it not to be, and part of my issues could be my own single, black cold scrooge like heart.

I just couldn't get on board with the main character. I get the neurotic, needing to plan everything and the anxiety that comes when it's not. However, Charlie never grows or learns that maybe it's okay to not be as structured and neurotic, or that she might need to get help for it. The character isn't immature....she's simply flat. And what's funny is she is quiet possibly the most well rounded character. 

For example, at some point she realizes that she's read a bakery order wrong. Her best friend doesn't really get mad at her, no one sits her down to try to get her to figure out that maybe her obsessing over this guy is causing her to overload herself. It's just......flat and boring. 

I get the need for the perfect for you boyfriend, I get the desire to win and being one track minded. I can almost forgive the fact that she doesn't really make any of the Secret Santa gifts or even try, but pawns it off on JD(??) But there's really.....no action in this book. There is a gossip queen who hates the main character, and that doesn't play into the story at all. 

I know that if this had been a Hallmark holiday movie, I would have watched it multiple times, and I shouldn't hold a holiday book to a higher standard. But maybe I would have had an actual attachment to the main character.

Oh...don't mind me over here.

I am just basking in the cute. Let the cute wash over me and I shall bask in the gloriousness!



My New Crush Gave to Me follows Charlie, a total Type A live-by-the-rules-and-so-help-you-if-you-break-them person. She likes to win. She has to have things her way. So obviously, she and I are not meant to be friends. How sad for me. Woe is me the Type B personality, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-and-let's-do-something-spontaneous-person. Charlie isn't terrible, but in the beginning she is extremely self-centered...or at least comes across that way. We gotta start somewhere though, right?

The biggest after Christmas bash of the year comes in the form of her friend Noelle's birthday party, held on December 26. Why is this a problem? Well, our precious Charlie does not have a date, and a date is required for this "Lover's Ball." (I totally vomit-sympathize with Charlie here. GROSS. BUUT it moves along the plot, so here we are.) Charlie has her heart MIND set on Teo Ortiz, the all star athlete, student, all around guy at their school. The only problem is she doesn't really know anything about Teo, so she enlists the help of his cousin J.D. Whom she hates. You see where I am going with this?



So. Needless to say, J.D. and Charlie don't get along. They fight all of the time because they are complete opposites to each other. Where J.D. is spontaneous, Charlie lives by a schedule. They are both passionate about what they love...which is completely different. Charlie is Type A. J.D. is Type B. I swoon.

This was a delightful read. I loved seeing Charlie grow as a person and learn to level out a bit. Schedules aren't a bad thing, but sometimes, you just need to experience life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers over at SwoonReads for giving me an ARC of this book.

My New Crush Gave to Me will be out on October 31.


If you want a cute story with excellent banter, a POC love interest, (THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SPELLED OUT FOR YOU THANK THE BOOK LORDS) and a fiery red-headed MC, I would recommend picking up yourself a copy.

A sweet and funny YA romance! Purchase where light-hearted romances are popular!

I absolutely adored this book! I've read another book by Shani that was just as good! I loved that the characters felt real, and especially the friendship between Charlie and her best friend. J.D. was the perfect guy, and there were some very funny moments! This book also makes me wish it was Christmas already!