I only discovered Jenn Bennett this year, and I'm so glad I did. There's just something about her stories that speak to me. And Serious Moonlight really took the pie - I mean cake.

Birdie meets Daniel at her favorite diner and regrettably (in her mind) hooks up with him...then runs away. Like all delusional characters, she never expected to see him again, so of course, he walks through the door at her new job. Turns out he works there too. Cue internal and slightly external freak out.

But, there isn't much Birdie loves more than a good mystery and Daniel has one he wants help getting solved. I loved how Birdie and Daniel's relationship and friendship grow as they delve further into their mystery quest. We learned so much more about both of them as they discovered one another. I loved both Daniel and Birdie - they're something special, separately and together. Daniel is this quirky, perfect nerd who loves street magic, and Birdie is also quirky in an entirely different way. She idolizes Nancy Drew and other fictional detectives, all while wearing flowers in her hair. They've both suffered some major losses in their life, but in a way, it bonds them and makes them truly think about how they feel about each other. Their emotional baggage felt genuine and quite relatable.

While this book is ostensibly about a mystery that Birdie and Daniel are trying to solve, it's more about them solving the mystery of each other. They went up and down, hot and cold, and as they learned more about each other and set aside their history and expectations, something beautiful happened. I loved that the essence of this story is that if you open your heart despite the fear, you might just let in someone who perfectly fits into the gaps. Your life will be filled with breakfast pie, scavenger hunts, and sleeping side by side in an all green house.

Actual Rating: Closer to a 4.5

I really don’t want this book to be over!!! I would read a thousand more books just like this to feel the same way I felt reading it. THIS is the writing I loved so much in “Alex, Approximately.” There isn’t lesbian parents who own a sex shop which bothered me so much in “Starry Eyes.” I feel so lucky to have gotten an ARC of this book.

There WAS sex and tons of cursing, but I enjoyed this book despite that. I read it for the thrill of the mystery, and for the adorable romance. Daniel is my dream guy! He has a good heart and the right intentions. Too bad guys like him seem to only exist in books.

I’ve always loved Jenn Bennett’s ability to make such unique characters! Aunt Mona was really a relief from the same old characters. I cannot wait to share this book with my friends. I also can’t wait to see what Jenn Bennett has in store for us next.

I really loved this book! It was so cute and sweet and I just loved the story and the mystery surrounding everything. I liked that they grew close trying to solve a mystery about a writer, and it really kept the story moving and the plot line interesting. I loved Birdie and thought she was super interesting and I loved her love of mystery novels. And reading about her romance with Daniel. I thought Daniel was really cool and I liked reading and learning more about him. I thought they were super cute and their romance made me so happy. I highly recommend reading this book! It’s adorable and fun and you wont want it to end!

This was a really cute book! I enjoyed the depth of the characters but also the swoon-worthy moments between Birdie and Daniel.

Where most romance novels will focus heavily on the relationship between the two characters, Serious Moonlight built the story as if it were a series. The reader learns about Birdie and her family as well as Daniel and his family. Generational trauma and negative cycles are brought up as well as the topics of grief, chronic illness, depression, and suicide. It was well-rounded and suite enjoyable to read!

I gave it 4 stars, but I think if I had read this book when I was in high school or college, I'd have given is 5 stars.

Will be recommending to my romance reading friends!

I've read and enjoyed several of Jenn Bennett's previous books, but I think this one is my favorite. I absolutely loved the characters. And the mystery was a fun added element to the contemporary romance story. Cute romance, fun mystery, and lots of ups and downs; would highly recommend to YA romance lovers.

I didn't like this book as much as Jenn Bennett's other books. The characters didn't seem like real people to me. I didn't feel like the story gelled. Her other books have had characters with interesting quirks and/or backstories, but this book was just too quirky for me. I didn't buy that her grandparents would have left her narcolepsy untreated given what had happened to her grandfather. Her honorary aunt and best buddy was too over the top to be real. The mystery wasn't a real mystery in the end and wrapped up too quickly. The romance did not feel as realistic as in the other books. I was really disappointed.

Cute coming of age story about finding out who you are and what you want when you have lost everything. Axiety, depression and suicide are discussed in a way that you usually do not see in books.

DNF. The author's writing style is catchy, pulling me inside the story on the first page. But despite this fact, I just couldn't get into the book due to a lack of connection with the heroine. and her choices. She was supposed to be a sheltered, previously homeschooled girl having some freedom. But her way of going about it seemed a bit much. I really didn't understand why she and some guy she just met had sex? Um, okay? Makes Anna's engagement to Hans seem sane haha. And honestly, as a previous homeschooler, I can't help but feel the heroine gives homeschoolers a bad rep. We are/were not that sheltered, sheesh. Anyways, I'm sure romance lovers will find this book delightful, but in the end, it wasn't a story for me. So I did not finish.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book and I *think* it is my new favorite Jenn Bennett! I talk more in-depth in my video review linked below but here are some things I loved about it:

- Diverse MCs in regards to race, mental health, physical ability
- Super cute lovers to friends to lovers
- Light mystery
- A MC who really loves magic which is just so adorable
- Pie!

Birdie Lindberg and her new co-worker, Daniel Aoki, uncover a startling mystery in this ho-hum young adult contemporary romance.

If someone had told me I would be rating a Jenn Bennett contemporary romance with less than four stars, I would have laughed in your face. If someone told me I would be rating a book that consistently trots out references to the undeniably amazing The Thin Man films, I would have scoffed – SCOFFED – in scorn. And yet, here we are. HERE WE ARE.

This book did not work for me for two main reasons. First, I was issued an eARC of this novel from Edelweiss back in the fall. The formatting was atrocious, littered with typos and mutated sentence structure. Entire sentences would have

one

word

per

line.

I made a slow and terrible progress through it until the 40% mark. When I realize my experience of the read was directly bringing down the enjoyment of the read, I quit. The book became available on NetGalley this Spring, and I picked it up again. The formatting had been fixed, but the first 40% of the book bored me. *Le sigh*

Secondly, it’s a mystery. It has reference to many mysteries, spoofing off well-know motifs. I do not enjoy mysteries. I enjoy The Thin Man series because of the amazing writing and casting of Nick and Nora Charles. The mystery themselves do not interest me. When I am reading a mystery, I need the characters to be undeniably charismatic to hold my attention. Unfortunately, I found Birdie and Daniel to be bland and their stories to be uninteresting.

I think this truly falls in the “it’s me, not you” category. I would urge readers to give it a shot if you enjoy mysteries or you have enjoyed Jenn Bennett’s work in the past.

tl;dr A poorly formatted eARC and the mystery motif made me feel pretty disinterested in this novel.

3.5⭐️
Serious Moonlight was a book that I found myself thinking about when I wasn’t reading due to its entrancing nature. I will say it felt overly long for the plot, and definitely toward the end it felt like the book was trying to juggle too many social issues at once effectively being less impactful on the ones that stood out the most. Nevertheless I am interested in reading more from Jenn Bennett.

Jenn Bennett is one of my favorite contemp authors. It should be no surprise that I added this book to my TBR without even reading the synopsis or what anyone had said about it. I knew that I would love it. Although it wasn't my favorite, I still really enjoyed it.

Birdie and Daniel had a chance meeting and then Birdie dashed away because of it. She was happy with the fact that she would never have to see him again.... Until she did. And worse yet, they work together. They build a bond together to find out more about a mysterious author who is trying to hide under a pen name and uncover way more than they bargained for.

As a character driven reader, I loved this! Daniel was such an interesting character and I loved Birdie. She seemed so much like me with her love for mysteries and detectives. (I am obsessed with Joe Kenda lol) I also loved learning more about Birdie and Daniel. They turned out to be some very deep characters that I couldn't have predicted if I tried.

The reason I didn't like this one as much as her others was the almost non-existent plot. The plot I thought was supposed to be about Daniel and Birdie solving the mystery. Which it was, but it seemed way too drawn out. It got a bit repetitive after a while to me. The character arcs is what kept the story going. The ending was what got me tho. I didn't put two and two together until the other person did. It was a great ending that I wish hadn't waited until the end to be in the book if that makes sense.

There was also so much more that I liked about this one. I LOVED the sex positivity and how Bennett wasn't afraid to show them being safe about it. (That's my personal opinion about sex in YA.) I liked that Daniel talked about his medicine in a positive way. And I also loved the way that there was a trade school and a different route of life after high school taken in this one. Not everyone has the same route and it's important to remember that.

This book wasn't what I was expecting, but it was still an enjoyable read. Jenn Bennett has shown again that she writes the best boys and the best relationships. I know others will like this one more than me, but there were just some things that I couldn't' look past.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster's Children's Publishing for an e-Advanced Reader's Copy of the book. Receiving Serious Moonlight will not affect my review or rating. 

I am a huge fan of Jenn Bennett’s work and Serious Moonlight did not disappoint.

Birdie and Daniel are no strangers to loss, grief and to put it simply fucked up pasts. Their character development together is maybe one of my favorite ones written by Bennett so far. And I would give you guys a bit more about their journey together but I honestly don't want to spoil anything.

Bennett’s writing style is equal parts captivating as it is informative. I’m not sure the length or extent of research she does for each story but it completely shows. What I appreciate the most is that she’s somehow mastered the art of appealing to those of us who love more character-driven stories and to those who favor plot and more plot-driven stories.

It is so easy to fall in love or like or maybe even dislike with her main and secondary characters because they’re three-dimensional. They almost feel like people you’ve met, are friends with or are even in your family rather than names and personalities written on paper.

She also does a great job setting the story. This particular story takes place in Seattle and off the coast on the quaint Bainbridge Island. And although I’ve never been to the Pacific Northwest, I no longer feel like I’d be a tourist if I ever get the chance to visit the city because of this book. In a lot of ways, Bainbridge Island reminded me of the islands in the Nantucket Sound and Vineyard Sound, off the coast of Massachusetts.

The pace of the story was moderate. Towards the end, there were certain parts that felt a bit fast and more like a quick wrap up. However, it wasn’t off-putting and did not deter from the overall story.

I guarantee you will fall in love with this beautiful book that touches on some of the hardships of life. But also reminds you to stop and smell the lilies and to be grateful for precious moments with our loved ones.

Unfortunately, as much as I loved Jenn Bennett's Urban Fantasy novels, I've come to the realization that her contemporary stories are just not meant for me. For Serious Moonlight in particular, I had a hard time connecting with "quirky" Birdie and maybe I needed to give it more time for her actions to be fully explained, but I just simply wasn't invested. I think this would have benefited greatly from a dual narrative rather than solely from Birdie's POV.

I could instantly tell that I was going to enjoy reading Serious Moonlight. The dialogue was solid, and I adored Birdie, Daniel, and Mona.

This book has so much going for it. It's a romance but also explores mental health. It's a mystery while also touching on the importance of taking care of yourself. It's also dashed with magicians and pie. Somehow it all works together into a delightful, quirky story that you won't want to end.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book!

This is the third Jenn Bennett book I've read and I have to say, she hasn't let me down yet. This quirky YA romance has it all - I was 100% here for the awesome dialogue re: safe & consensual sex-positve content, and things on the diversity side weren't too darn shabby, either, i.e. the storylines following Birdie's narcolepsy as well as Daniel's hearing loss and struggles with depression. There was a certain cheese-factor to the "detective profiles" Birdie kept throughout the book, but barring those, this was a fine read for older teens and the rest of us who are young at heart.

Much thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for the advance copy for review.

Rating: 4.5 stars

This was a cute contemporary that covered some interesting topics. I really enjoyed the family dynamics and the way the book covered topics like sex/virginity, depression, and medical issues like narcolepsy.

Considering some of the plot revolves around discovering the identity of a reclusive writer, I was happy that this book mentioned books somewhat regularly. In fact Birdie and her grandpa are both avid mystery readers, which I thought was cool.

Honestly a lot of the story felt focused on Birdie growing up and figuring out how to open up and be more social. I suppose being isolated and homeschooled for most of her life really did make her a bit shy and introverted. So it was nice to see her pushing herself to be more outgoing or just figuring out how to interact with others.

I thought all the mysteries and the characters were all really fun, and I’m so glad to now have a finished copy of this book on my shelves.

Another winner from Jenn Bennett! A charming heroine, a swoony love interest, and a mystery that takes them all over beautiful Seattle.

Has Jenn Bennett been officially dubbed the Queen of Romance™ yet? And if not, why? And also if not, can we organize some sort of proper ceremony, perhaps a trophy is involved? Seriously, her books are always so freaking adorable all while still being heartfelt. And Serious Moonlight is no exception.

Birdie has had a hell of a life. Her young mother died suddenly, leaving her with her grandparents. Her overbearing yet caring grandmother passed away recently, leaving Birdie to lean on her mom's best friend Mona more than ever. She's navigating a new sort of relationship with her grandfather, who blessedly is finally cutting the cord a little and letting her get a job. I am telling you this because these people, Birdie's family (blood and otherwise) are freaking fabulous characters and such a strength in this book. They're well developed, and care so deeply for Birdie.

Birdie herself is quite a great character. She can be a little frustrating, but in a "well who isn't?" way, and not an annoying way. She regrets the day she had with Daniel Aoki months before, but who does she see upon starting her new job? Daniel Aoki, naturally. Can we take a minute to appreciate the awesomeness that is Daniel? Where can I find a Daniel? No seriously Jenn, I'll wait while you obtain this information. He is one of the best love interests I have ever read, honestly. Not because he's "perfect"; he isn't. But because he treats Birdie (and everyone else) respectfully and he's kind and smart and funny and basically who wouldn't love that?

But before any sort of romantic shenanigans ensue, Birdie and Daniel set off to solve a mystery! And okay, sometimes it is a weeee bit over the top, but mostly it's pretty fun! I enjoyed that there was a whole side adventure for Birdie and Daniel, though I also loved their respective families and friendships.

Bottom Line: I'll read anything Jenn Bennett writes but also maybe her next pre-order campaign can include a personal Daniel? Cool thanks.

TL;DR – Not as good as Alex, Appoximately.

My first problem with this book is the cover. It’s great that they were able to get a model with long hair for Daniel, but where is Birdie’s flower? That’s such a key part of her character and I don’t feel like it would have been that hard to include that in the cover, but whatever. I mean, they’re eating pie, Birdie has a book…how did they miss the flower???

Some of you might remember that I LOVED Alex, Approximately so I was fully prepared to love this book too. Unfortunately, it seemed a little too reminiscent of Alex, Approximately and wasn’t as enjoyable to me. Obviously there were some different plot points, but it was the same formula of “sheltered and somehow damaged girl meets extremely charismatic and attractive boy, boy pursues reluctant girl, girl discovers boy is also damaged, girl and boy get together”. It just felt too the same to me.

Then we get to the setting. I was born and raised in a suburb near Seattle and I just felt like this was a very tourist portrayal of the city. I mean, I guess maybe people who live in the city proper are different? But I don’t think so and I found it detracted from the book for me. I mean, Daniel calls Safeco Field “The Safe”. Literally nobody calls it that. Okay, I googled it and apparently some news stories have called it that, but I have never heard a local call it that. Literally never. Besides, it’s T-Mobile Park now so that “nickname” is already dated. There’s also a line where Birdie mentions that a Fremont Troll sized weight is lifted off her back or something. What. Who thinks stuff like that? It’s literally only in there to namedrop another Seattle landmark. And the weather is mentioned by Birdie way too often. Growing up, I would never think about the weather. If it’s raining, I’d grab my jacket and that was it. I never dwelt on the fact that it was raining in June or whatever. I hardly even noticed if the sky was overcast. Locals also never talk about the “Seattle freeze”. So there we go. Apparently I’m a Seattle snob or whatever. Don’t @ me.

Besides those things, I thought the side characters were okay. I liked Mona, Birdie’s grandpa, and Joseph, but we never really get time to know much about any of them. I thought the setting of the diner was good too (every pie sounded AMAZING). I didn’t love Birdie as a character, however. She complained about her grandmother A LOT and never seemed to really think about why her grandmother was so overprotective–she just kind of complained about it. I also never understood why she was so resistant to learning about and dealing with her narcolepsy? I guess maybe I didn’t realize that there was a stigma around it. Daniel was okay as a character if a little too perfect.

Daniel and Birdie’s relationship wasn’t super compelling to me. There was just too much angst (created by Birdie). It was so obvious the entire book that Daniel was SUPER into her, but Birdie was really hesitant and kind of held back the entire time. Even after she and Daniel “got together” and his mom had told Birdie that he was super into her, she was still really paranoid and doubtful. It just made Birdie not make much sense to me as a character.

Overall, I just didn’t find this book, the characters, the subplots, or the setting as enjoyable as Alex, Approximately. I probably shouldn’t be comparing the two, but I can’t stop myself. I will say, this was a very sex positive book portraying teens practicing safe sex and consent, so it’s got that going for it. I haven’t read Starry Eyes yet, but I’m a little more hesitant to pick it up now.

Overall Rating: 3
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: Mild
Sexual Content: Moderate

Note: I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.