I thought this was a cute read with some pretty interesting aspects. I liked the whole dating triangle (if it could be considered that). I also really liked the focus on friendship.

I thought this book was okay. Very cutesy and very light. I liked the friendship and the betrayal and it felt so real. I was not really liking the "almost" love triangle aspect to this book.

Best friends Flor and Willa are keeping secrets from one another. Willa kissed the boy next door, who is also Flor's ex-boyfriend, and she doesn't know how to tell her. Flor isn't telling Willa about all the trouble she's having at home with her dad's new girlfriend. These types of secrets are enough to break a friendship.

There's no outright fighting between friends in The Me I Meant to Be, but sometimes the things that aren't said can be just as destructive as the things that are. Sophie Jordan's book also has not one but two swoony romances.

I love the way Stephanie Kate Strohm writes magic. The first half of this book sucked me in and completely captivated me. Plus, excellent kissing scenes! But the second half of the book struggled to keep me, and I wound up picking it up and putting it down so many times. In the end, the book had some strong parts, but also parts that kept me from falling in love with it.

I really enjoyed the characters and story. I will admit I was not happy with the ending between Flor and her dad's girlfriend...I feel like that was not really what was going on and how that would have been resolved.

Jordan is the queen of chemistry and this book has loads of it - but unfortunately there wasn't much else there -- if readers are looking for a straight romance I would point them to different books - basically this book didn't stand out enough for me to recommend it.

I requested this one so long ago and now that it’s time to read it, I’m not sure why I wanted to read it. I think I am just over the high school dramas. I can't relate to this age group on zero levels anymore. Everything is just so overly dramatic and it just stressed me out.

Sophie Jordan is one of my long time favorite authors and I enjoyed her recent effort back into the world of YA.

The Me I Meant to Be tells the story of two friends, Willa and Flor as they navigate breakups, new loves, school and family life. I thought the writing style was excellent, but I wanted more. I expected the story to be more about the friendship between Willa and Flor, two very different people who make an unlikely duo - Willa is an introvert and excellent student from a struggling middle-class family who has been secretly in love with her next-door neighbor, Zach (who just happens to be Flor's ex-boyfriend) and Flor, who is a popular soccer player from a wealthy family largely ignored by her absent father, but not her new stepmother. Instead of the focus being on their friendship, it centered on their relationships with the guys in their lives. For Willa, despite Zach being Flor's ex, she cannot put aside her feelings for him, and for Flor, it is the new, mysterious tutor, Grayson. The Flor/Grayson dynamic is the classic hate to love, while the Willa/Zach dynamic was just awkward. It never rang true for me, and was just "too perfect" that he had feelings for her all along, but went for the more popular Flor. (His explanation was crap and it made me cringe.) If the book had focused on the friendship between Flor and Willa and both girls moving on from Zach I would have loved it so much more. I absolutely loved the Flor/Grayson storyline, they had a lot of cute moments and dialogue as they begin to get to know each other and shed their preconceived notions about one another.

The Me I Meant to Be had some good aspects but others I wasn’t so crazy about.

Overall, I wished this story felt more cohesive. The book starts out talking all about female friendship and “the girl code” but since most of the book is about each of the girls hanging out with a guy, not each other, that part didn’t ring as true as I hoped. Yes, “girl code” was broken but by the time that all got revealed it didn’t seem like a very big deal (except that Willa wasn’t being honest with Flor.) The whole “girl code” thing seemed like an over-promise since to me the real issue was just one friend not being honest with the other.

On the positive side, I liked Flor’s story a lot – all the drama and tension was in her parts of the story. Willa and Zach were sort of blah (I was more interested in Willa’s sister) and I didn’t get Zach’s appeal at all. But all the romance scenes were well done – not surprising as Jordan is most known as an adult romance writer.

When I got to the part about Grayson’s secret I almost gave up. I didn’t see that coming but only because it was so outlandish. That was (an equally ridiculous) plot on season four of the O.C. and seemed to belong in a completely different book.

And after all that breaking of the girl code and stepmother drama and possible friend drama and poor Grayson … the ending felt too unfinished for me. So overall, some good aspects, but I think I would have been happier if the book either just gave in and was a swoony romance, or put more emphasis on feminism and friendship!

The Me I Meant to Be introduces best friends Willa and Flor, who just broke up with Zach, Willa's next-door neighbor. Flor insists that her friends develop a "Girl Code," the first rule being that they stay away from a friend's ex. Willa signs it, even though she has secretly been in love with Zach throughout their childhood. After sharing an intense kiss with Zach at a high school party and finding out he has feelings for her, too, Willa is torn as to what's more important, love or friendship. Meanwhile, Flor is struggling with her dad's relationship with a girl half his age and her failing grades, which threaten her spot as captain of the soccer team. She begins falling for her smart sexy math tutor, Grayson, who won't give her the time of day. Each chapter begins with a new Girl Code rule, which is illustrated in the chapter. Although the reader gets two romances for the price of one, the real story is about Willa and Flor's relationship and thus alternates between each girl's first-person narration.

4 1/2 stars

I absolutely enjoyed Sophie Jordan's latest YA offering because this one focused on a theme that I can relate to and am witnessing right now through my two teens: the changing nature of friendships.


Willa and Flor have been besties for a long time and have seen each other through ups and downs. While Willa likes to be in the background, Flor is the more popular friend at the forefront. But things are slowly changing. Flor recently broke up with Zach who happens to be Willa's nextdoor neighbor so it kind of puts her in an awkward situation. While Flor is fixated on why Zach broke things off with her and how she can win him back, Willa's just trying to work out how she can remain friends with both of them and also loyal to Flor. And because of her loyalty and their friendship, Willa has made a silent vow to herself to never allow her long held secret crush on Zach to go any further than that. Flor's way of coping is to create the Girl Code, a set of rules that girlfriends should adhere to in order to support each other and lift each other up. Poor Willa feeling treacherous inside, although Flor isn't faring any better because she's developing strange feelings for her math tutor, Grayson who is the exact opposite of Zach and who shouldn't even be occupying space in her head when she's trying to get back together with him.


Each chapter is headed by a Girl Code entry that has a tie-in to that chapter. It's quite cute. With the POV switching between Willa and Flor there's an abundance of emotion, confusion, angst and flirting flying about. I love how well Jordan handles both their stories, giving them equal time. She treats their friendship delicately - which it is at the moment - while also showing how Willa and Flor are gradually diverging on their own paths. The matter of loyalty is constantly brought up, as is the idea of family and what that should mean. Willa and Flor are each experiencing changes within their families and I can say that what's going on with Flor's astounded me.


There is a third friend in the mix, Jenna whose story isn't delved into. I wish there could've been a way to flesh out her storyline as well but I can also see why Jordan just kept it to the two main girls. Jenna's brief appearances do initiate the topic of self-acceptance, and the painful reality of how how hard it can be to be honest with your family about something you've come to know about yourself.


I fell in love with this book and its honesty about the inevitable changes that come with simply growing older. Even though boys are in the picture for Willa and Flor, The Me I Meant to Be is truly about the girls' friendship, growth and acceptance. Girl Code is important but it's also just a guide. Any friendship will face its test but it rests on the individuals involved to see that their friendship survives.


~ Bel

An enjoyable coming of age novel that follows best friends as they deal with love and loss as the make their way through their senior year of high school.

This was a sweet read. Nothing too crazy different here but great writing keeps the story moving at speed and keeps you captivated till the end.

The Me I Meant To Be is a YA romance book by @sosophiejordan. It follows the lives of two best friends Willa & Flor. Willa has been secretly in love with Zach, her next door neighbor for years. Unfortunately, Zach just happened to be Flor's ex & the girl code says never ever date your friend's ex or the guy she's into.
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It's a wonderful premise with angst potential (which I loved) and it delivered. I devoured this book from start to finish. The friendship between Willa & Flor, Willa's unrequited feelings & Flor's crumbling family life were interesting & authentic. These are teenagers so there's drama which again I really enjoyed.
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I won't spoil the conclusion for y'all but it was satisfying. Reading this book reminded me how much I used to enjoy YA romances & that I probably should add more of it to my tbr this year! Rating: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm torn with this one. On one hand, I enjoyed the book. It was a light and quick read for me. Willa was relatable to most teens, and Zach and Flor were your typical high school jocks/popular kids. But on the other hand, I have read a million books with this same premise and after a few times it really just becomes predictable.

I did like that the author addressed some issues through Willa, like boys being entitled to girls’ bodies, about girls slut-shaming other girls, about how your friendships should be very important.

But we all know how these types of books work. Willa breaks "girl-code" by falling for Flor's (her bestie) ex. Even though she has grown up liking said ex and got them together in the first place. Zach (ex) breaks up with Flor because he finally realizes that he's liked Willa all along, and can't pretend anymore. Willa tries to make things go back to how they were before a hot and steamy kiss in a closet, but that never works. So Zach and Willa end up being awkward with each other and still end up making out in Zach's Jeep.
Flor finds out and of course, and accuses them of hooking up the entire time Flor and Zach were dating. She wants nothing to do with either of them. Meanwhile, Flor is starting a new relationship with Grayson; her former tutor. She of course, eventually sees the error of her ways and makes up with Willa at the end. So, they are friends again pretty quickly and both have the guys they want.

Title: The Me I Meant to Be
Author: Sophie Jordan
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

Willa and Flor have been friends for years, so when Flor’s boyfriend breaks up with her, they start writing The Girl Code—starting with Never date a friend’s ex. Too bad Flor’s ex is Zach, Willa’s next-door-neighbor, best friend, and the guy she’s secretly had a crush on for years. But Willa would never betray a friend, so Zach is strictly off-limits.

Until she realizes there just might be a chance for her and Zach to be more than friends. Willa has always put others before herself, but she realizes that doing something for yourself can sometimes be important.

Flor wants to get back together with Zach. Her dad is obsessed with his much-younger girlfriend. She’s almost failing math. And she just wants something to change. Then she meets Grayson, her math tutor, and realizes sometimes the best things are hidden in plain sight.

I liked the female friendships in this book. They’re strong—even when tested to their limit. Neither Willa or Flor are clichés, they’re individuals with real problems, determined to support each other. Honestly, the romance took a back seat to the friendship aspects, which I really liked.

Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country and is a best-selling author. The Me I Meant to Be is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by HMH Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.)

**4.5 Stars**

The Me I Meant to Be perfectly captured the bonds of friendship with the realities of love and family in its dual intertwining stories. Jordan excelled at distinguishing both the voices and the different lives of Flor and Willa while keeping their journeys connected. Their struggles with balancing home life and the societal pressures of high school were illustrated so beautifully that they felt vivid and equally as painful, and I couldn’t help but fall into their imperfect lives.

The distinctive differences between Flor and Willa as heroines were always apparent, and yet I could see the basis for and the bond of their long-held friendship. Jordan did so well at creating the sources of contention and slowly elevating them as both girls started holding more to themselves, showcasing their wants and insecurities with brash honesty. The heartbreaking reality of this novel was that the painful elements of their home lives were not completely implausible, and I hurt while seeing both girls shouldering them alone unnecessarily. However, the most uplifting and beautiful moments involved the connections each grew with their love interests and how that built them back up and together as friends with one another. But, also, both love stories were beyond romantic and swoon-worthy in their own rights.

The Me I Meant to Be was a brilliant coming-of-age story with depth and heart. I adored how the story shaped and matured each of them and how it spoke of what a true friendship is. I would’ve loved a deeper ending or a full epilogue, but aside from that I loved everything about this novel.

At one point in the story, one of the characters references CW TV shows, and that’s what this book feels like—an extended episode of a CW teen drama.

It’s got a lot of the elements of one of those shows. Willa is a quiet wallflower who’s secretly in love with her friend Zach, a popular football player who’s literally the boy next door. Even if he was interested in her, Willa can’t have Zach, because he’s her best friend Flor’s ex. Flor is a poor little rich girl, abandoned by her mother and neglected by her father in favor of his hot young girlfriend. Flor wants Zach back, at least until she starts to work with her new math tutor, Grayson, one of the smart kids who flies under the radar at school. Grayson may not be popular, but he’s kind of hot, which Flor realizes as she starts to get to know him.

You can probably guess how the story turns out just from those descriptions. The author does try to move beyond clichés. Flor’s a soccer player rather than a cheerleader, for example. The two characters who seem like villains turn out not to be. (Although to achieve that, one of them does a complete 180 in terms of behavior that just comes out of nowhere, which really didn’t work for me.) Probably the biggest surprise is the way Grayson earns money in addition to tutoring. It’s highly improbable but would be an excellent excuse to get his shirt off if this actually was a CW show.

If you are a fan of teen dramas, you’ll probably like this book. For me, it was just an OK read.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Willa and Flor are best friends that would do anything for one another. For Willa that includes watching Flor get together with her next door neighbor, Zack, whom she’s secretly been in love with forever. But when they break up, can she still manage to keep her love a secret and stay true to girl code?

This story is told in alternating viewpoints between Willa and Flor. Both of their storylines are extremely interesting and I enjoyed reading from their perspectives, however I don’t think their voices were distinct enough to not confuse readers if there hadn’t been headers depicting whose perspective the chapter was being told from. The story is very fast paced and easy to get through, but at times I found the events to be too quickly resolved. On multiple occasions, I found I had to go back and re-read passages because a major problem was wrapped up and resolved in just a couple paragraphs. I’m not saying I want situations to be drug out, but I also don’t want to question the reality of everything that happens either.

Overall, I think I’m resting my rating somewhere around 3.5.