Eye-opening, timely, emotional, with jaw-dropping twists!

When fourteen year old Stevie is ostracised and bullied by the popular crowd, her best friend since childhood, Lottie, turns her back on her and sides with them. Unhappy and alone, Stevie is taken under her wing by fierce, fearless, loner Dee, and the two hatch a plan to strike back – give the bullies a taste of their own medicine. But when other students decide to exact their own revenge, things soon escalate into violence and vigilantism. Stevie is helpless to stop it, and does she really want to?

Love Heather accurately portrayed a wide range of serious relevant social issues that teenagers will unfortunately likely encounter more than one of in their high school setting, and/or home environment. Covers everything from vicious physical, verbal, and cyber bullying, targeted exclusion from a clique and the sudden cessation of a long term friendship, hate crimes and harmful pranks, sexual harassment and assault, transitioning and gender identity, divorce and adjusting to a parent's new partner, mental illness, attempted suicide, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and feelings of isolation and abandonment. Whew! This may sound like a lot to process, but the author handled, and weaved together, all the topics seamlessly.

The biggest twist, and the ending, threw me for six. My immediate reaction was dissatisfaction that some elements weren't fully realised/explained, but I've since done some research, and concluded that A: I'm wrong, and B: am far too influenced by dramatic portrayals in pop culture.

Laurie Petrou did a masterful job of not only showing the effects of Stevie mourning a breakup with a friend she considered a sister, but also the loss of closeness and family unity she shared with Lottie's parents. The Sherman's was a second home for Stevie, a sanctity she often escaped to when her own parents were in the midst of divorce.

I had no trouble identifying with the subject matter. When I was twelve I was ditched by my best friend of two years, and I think most of us have experienced this, and the feelings of loneliness, shame, anger and embarrassment associated with being betrayed by someone you care about. I am also a teenager of divorce, so can completely relate to what Stevie was going through having to deal with her parents new relationships. Stevie had my upmost sympathy from the beginning, and I was fully invested in her well being, and happiness. On a lighter note, we both shared an interest in teen movies from the 80’s and 90’s. The title ‘Love Heather' pays tribute to the cult 1988 movie ‘Heathers', a teen staple during my high school years.

I felt the adults in Stevie's life were an accurate portrayal. Yes they made mistakes, and failed to see the warning signs, but just like teenagers, adults have numerous worries, responsibilities, and issues, and furthermore, they aren’t perfect. This novel would be an excellent opportunity for adults and teens to read this together, open up discussion, and compare notes of instances Stevie and the adults surrounding her could've breached the gap, and reached out to one another. And also suggest things they could've done differently along the way.

Content wise, there's strong language, name calling and slurs of a sexual nature, as well as all the trigger warnings laid out in paragraph two. It's written, and marketed for a YA audience, Stevie was only fourteen, and above are things teenagers are exposed to on a daily basis (I don't like it any more than you do, but that's the reality), so 12 plus.

I'd like to thank Netgally, Crooked Lane Books, and Laurie Petrou for the e-ARC.

Love Heather is available now!

This story was not what I was expecting but was an interesting read. As a parent of two teenagers, I found some parts of this story heartbreaking and scary to read. I generally don't gravitate towards YA titles because the high school angst is just not my cup of tea so I didn't "enjoy" it but I did appreciate it. Overall, this was a solid story about issues affecting teenagers today.

Holy moly. I was expecting your standard YA book about bullying & high school students, and I was NOT expecting the twist at the end. This book is a great social commentary and a smart, quick (and at times upsetting) read. I didn’t love the book personally, but I respected and enjoyed the storytelling.

I enjoyed this book so much. I loved all the movie references. Heathers is a favorite 80's movie of mine. I can't wait to read Laure Petrou's next book!

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

It’s a fast read. It’s a book about severe bullying and drama in a high school. This worked in the 80s when Heathers came out (the movie the book is referring to), but this can be a serious for teens who are struggling mentally. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this to teens even though it’s a YA.

Actual rating: 2.5
TW/CW: extreme bullying, assault/violence, sexual assault, transphobia, gun safety, toxic relationships

I want to be clear that I went into this book expecting something much different to what I read. And honestly, if I had actually read the synopsis I would likely not have requested an ARC.

Love, Heather is a story about when bullies fight back. Stevie is a film-enthusiast who, as many teens in school, ends up falling out with her best friend and experiencing bullying as a result. When new-girl, Dee, starts at the school, however, she pushes Stevie and others who experience bullying, to push back.

The story itself was engaging and well written. But I honestly felt a little uncomfortable about certain story inclusions being a little bit too "shock-factor" for my liking. I won't elaborate too much, as it will result in spoilers for the book.

In addition, the "twist" at the end has been done before. In a big way. Granted, I didn't see it coming. But I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the reveal.

I do want to give a shout-out to how well the book dealt with the soul-crushing way bullying can impact on a teenager at school. The topics of isolation and the insane need for connection and friendship within this story is well and truly ingrained in the story. But overall, this book just didn't work for me.

Love, Heather is one of the most disturbing YA novels related to bullying I have read! 

Please be aware that this book has bullying and assault triggers. 

Stevie and Lottie have been friends since they've known about each other. And when Lottie starts to hang out with the popular kids, Stevie wants to fit in too. One thing leads to another, and Stevie gets bullied by them, which quickly leads to the whole school avoiding her.

Then Stevie becomes friends with Dee, and they start plotting a revenge on the popular kids, which very quickly gets out of hand. The " Love, Heather " pranks are now spreading without anyone being able to stop them.

Stevie's family is a bit of a troubled one. Her mum and dad are divorced, and her dad doesn't have the interest to see her often, being busy with his new missus. Her mum is starting to date other men too, often not spending time with Stevie. Lacking her family love, Stevie sees Lottie's family as hers. Very understandably, given the fact she has spent countless days and nights there. Lottie's family is not perfect either though. They have their own problems, and the most recent one is Lottie's mum transitioning into a man.

Stevie as a character

Stevie is a person that makes you want to feel for you, but you can't. She is supposed to be sympathetic and she is supposed to be a victim. However, most of the time I found her quite annoying and attention seeking. It is also important to mention that she is not alone and could reach for help, but she didn't, despite people often asking her whether she is feeling okay and if there is anything they can do to help.

The world was always revolving about Stevie, and she couldn't understand how other may feel as well. A scene where she tells Lottie how to accept her mum's transition comes to mind. We all know that Stevie cares about Lottie and her mum, but Lottie is way closer and more affected in this situation. There are times where it's not our place to say things, and leave people to cope in their own way, and Stevie was not able to achieve this state of mind.

Powerful!

While I couldn't connect to Stevie on many levels, I absolutely cherish this book because it brings up bullying in a very powerful way. It is very emotional and very intense, every bit of reality hits hard and makes me angry for all the children out there that are getting bullied every day. I was once that kid. I was a Stevie too! And it sucks to see it happen again and again, and realise how cruel life and people can be sometimes, when no one gets punished for what they have done.

I loved how this book showed how small things done in consecutive way can have enormous effect to a person, or a group. How the small things we say today can hurt us badly. And I hope people will read this book with the hope of spreading the knowledge and standing up to bullies, before things go out of hand.

Thank you to the team at Netgalley and the publishers at Crooked Lane Books, for sending me an e-copy of Love, Heather in exchange for an honest review.

Laurie Petrou writes a hugely engrossing and hard-hitting novel that deals with some very serious issues in this gripping YA tale of bullying and evil.

Protagonist and young teen Stevie is, at the outset of this novel, secure in her life and beliefs. She has her childhood best friend, Lottie, along with Lottie's parents who are like her second family. Stevie is doing well at school but then things go downhill for her and she finds herself ostracised and targeted by bullies every day.

I felt so much empathy for her especially regarding her home life and her self-centred mum who was totally oblivious to the pain Stevie was experiencing. While I definitely don’t support Stevie's actions in the later part of the novel and at the end, it’s clear to see that a culmination of events resulted in such an awful final act.

Laurie Petrou delivers an unrestrained and exuberant story of teenage life with a toxic concoction ranging from bullying, depression, eating disorders, trolling on social media to sexual harassment and assault. Everything eventually crash-lands around Stevie in this powerful portrayal of high school experiences.

Love, Heather is a cracking story and a book that I revelled in all the way through. It brought no disappointments and everything was effectively wrapped up in the fulfilling finale. A riveting, though heartbreaking tale of teenage angst, harassment and acts of vengeance, I'm very happy to recommend this book which is still lingering in my mind even though I finished reading it.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley at my own request. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Have you ever been asked "Was It really that bad?" How did that make you feel?

Everyone is on their own journeys and we should never feel the need to justify how "bad" things are.

Love, Heather by Laurie Petrou was one emotional read. This was an amazing story about the trials and tribulations in teens in today's society. Petrou dives into bullying, rape culture, the pain and suffering youth endure from both. The book goes on to show the effects these things have on young impressionable teens. We even see the harsh effects that the main character turned to from feeling alone, misunderstood and isolated. Such a profound powerful read.

Love, Heather follows Stevie in her first year of highschool, discovering herself and the world around her. Early on she starts having trouble with her best friend. This seems to be the starting point to the troubling journey Stevie has. Many things are changing, her best friend is hanging out with other people, her mother has a new boyfriend, her friends mother who Stevie's always been close with is transitioning to a man. Stevie at the most vulnerable time of her life feels very alone. She is able to make a friend in Dee, together they decide to turn the bullying around. It seems to be working until one night at a party. The party would shape the rest of Stevies life. She knows what must be done, with the coaching of Dee it could be the most disastrous decision of her life.

This one had my attention from the start. I'm so very glad I wasn't a teen in the digital age. I felt the mental health aspect could have been handled better, especially after the event.

*Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book, all opinions and thoughts expressed are strictly my own!*
4 stars!

This hit deep y'all. Revenge and thrilling read that was perfect for October!

Our main character, Stevie is growing up in the 80s and 90s when technology is really affecting somethings in high schools, like cyber-bullying for instance. This book highlights perfectly the spiral teens go through and the hardships of navigating it. A great read for not just YAs, but also adult readers for sure!

Laurie Petrou did amazing weaving everything (especially the plot twists!!) and Stevie's character was out of this world! She was so concrete and perfect for the role she played.
The plot is initially what drew me in, but then Stevie hit the nail on the head with a hammer and I was stuck.
*shrugs* I really didn't mind either, this is a quick and riveting read that ends with you still wanting more.

One of the best books I've read in 2019. And I'm just REALLY glad I didn't know any of these people in high school. Shocking, crazy and heart-tugging, Love, Heather is a really expose of what I'm glad grade school wasn't.

This is a real hard look at the high school experience. The situations that everyone goes through, Sometimes it makes the reading rough but that's just because it hits home. 

The book starts off really slow, and that made it hard to stay interested in it or to just keep my focus on it. I don't know whether to recommend you give this a shot. It's so so for me.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

This was very good and very relatable. It was so relatable in fact, that it made me uncomfortable. You can see how Stevie gets to where she is at the end and why. Did I agree with it? No. Did I understand it? Yes. Books like this are hard to review because while they are really well written and make you think...it is hard to figure out how you feel about them. However, it is a very accurate story about bullying and I enjoyed how all the movie references fit nicely into the story.

As a lover of teen movies, I was excited to read Laurie Petrou's Love, Heather, about a teenage film buff who makes YouTube videos analyzing classics such as Heathers. I was expecting something perhaps a little snarky, but lighthearted, and this book was certainly much darker and much more than that.

Stevie's stable world begins slowly slipping away when her best friend abandons her for "the popular girls," and Stevie envisions herself as a warrior for the underdog, coming up with pranks to expose the ugliness of the people on top of the social hierarchy. But can justice be done, or is Stevie perpetuating the very cycle of vicious bullying that she's been trying to fight against?
While the pranks began to feel repetitive and I felt a bit duped by a certain element, this was a thought-provoking look at bullying.

Love, Heather by Laurie Petrou is a book about bullying that has an interesting concept. There are some entertaining aspects to this story, and the problems that arise for the main character are terrifying. However, the novel tries to tackle too many teen issues all at once, and there are numerous plot holes that affected my enjoyment of it.

At first glance, the book seems to be a spinoff of the 80s teen movie, Heathers. There are some ties to the movie, as it is directly referenced a few times, and it has a theme of retribution. Although, Love, Heather is very far from the original dark comedy film. The bullying that takes place in this book is very serious and reflective of the impact social media has on our society today.

❀ TRIES TO ADDRESS TOO MANY TEEN ISSUES

The first half of the story is quite entertaining and I really loved getting to know Stevie and reading about her relationship with her best friend and her family. It is the second half of the book that really takes a turn, and the reader is hit with all sorts of issues. Discussing each one will give away too much of the story, however there are a multitude of issues in this book. Teen sex, underage drinking, drug use, bullying, sexual violence, gender identity, eating disorders, social media, and the list goes on.

❀ VERY UNLIKELY SERIES OF EVENTS

A few of the events in the story seem very unlikely in my opinion. Having a personal understanding of the high school setting and the region the story takes place in, some things just don’t add up. There are cameras located in various locations in our Ontario high schools and access to the schools by students outside of school hours is very controlled. Some of the events in the story would not be missed by school staff, and a student would certainly not be able to enter a school independently after hours. Also, the twist at the end of the story is not original and is poorly executed.

While there are some entertaining aspects to this book that tackles the issues of bullying, it tries to take on too much, and parts of the story seem very unrealistic. Social media has certainly added to the problem of bullying, and it is something that is increasingly important to address. In my opinion, it would have been more effective to have seen some positive ways to deal with bullying in this novel.

Stevie and Lottie are good friends and neighbors who are growing up together. Lottie loves listening to vinyl records and Stevie loves movies. They are students Woepine High School where there are the usual cool and not so so cool hierarchies.

Stevie has a You-Tube channel called FlickChick. She has been doing this anonymously for several years. Her parents are separated and have their own problems tending to ignore Stevie’s needs. When Lottie’s mom announces that she is going to transition to a man, she’s surprised.

Stevie and Lottie’s friendship begins to fizzle when Lottie makes friends with some of the more “popular” kids. Stevie works hard to be noticed by them but ends up being a ostracized. She soon makes friends with a girl named Dee who decides get revenge on these mean kids by pulling her own stunts.

When I first started reading this book, I wondered if I had inadvertently picked up a young adult book because it all seemed so juvenile to me. But as the story progressed and I reached the dramatic ending, I realized what a brilliant job the author did. She simply got into the head of a young teenager and told what life can be for one. Well done. My only negative comment is not against the author but the situation itself. Allowing children to immerse themselves in movies constantly where life is a fairy tale I find to be very detrimental.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for granting me early access to "Love Heather".

This book did top my favorite reads this year, however I'm currently in the middle of a major move, and will definitely come back at a later time and write out a full review and rating.

Thank you so much!

A gripping contemporary novel with inspiration from that classic 80s movie, Heathers. But if you think you know exactly what you're getting into here just because you've seen the movie, think again. Petrou has managed to tell this story in a way that will leave you speechless, and begging for more from this author. You'll quickly become enthralled by these characters, and their stories will stay with you long after you put this book down. The things they go through will haunt you, but this is such an important story to get insight on teens and the things they actually have to suffer through in their lives. Read it.

3.5 star rounded to 4.

Well, I wasn't expecting THAT! This starts out like your usual YA book where the friends start getting mean and ostracizing one of their own. But the repercussions from this is where this read takes a darker turn and you realize this book is so much more than you thought it would be.

Taking from the Heathers and Veronicas (CORN NUTS!) view of revenge against the popular, we see how one remark, one rumor, one little shove can snowball into the retaliation of those who have been pushed to the point of no return. The sheep mentality where, especially at this age, it's hard to find your own path or stand up properly for what you believe in. What I love though, is that it also showcases that even the bullies have their issues - there's usually a reason why someone is the way that they are.

I am so grateful that I didn't grow up in the digital world. At least when I had a rough day at school, I could leave it at school when I got home and had a bit of a reprieve. These days, you can't escape it and I fear for our youth. Kids can be mean, but put them behind a screen and WOW.

There was a certain point in the book where there was a bit of a revelation about Stevie, and while I understood where this came from and why, I also groaned a bit internally as it reminded me so much of a movie I had seen once... I think you'll know what I mean if you've read this yet but I won't spoil anything here.

Overall, this is a bit of a harrowing but timely read. The author really gives us the full emotional gauntlet through Stevie and everything she's going through at home, at school and internally.