3.5
A cute, relatively tame (with the angst being around family or perfectionist school expectations) high school realistic fiction book.

The premise is fun and what I liked best about the book. having two teens who find themselves managing the Twitter accounts of their families’ food businesses felt fresh and funny and not quite realistic but close enough to be enjoyable and entertaining. They both go to an elite private school in NYC, and have some poignant moments navigating their siblings and family dynamics.. as well as their own lives and the business and all the ways things blow up on Twitter.

A little too wrapped up and cutesy for me and the characters were a bit light, but the twin representation was decently done and reflective and I liked that. I also enjoyed that it was approachable and not too dark in case that's not what a kid is looking for (which can be hard to find with books about high schoolers!).

An easy win to rec to students.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was cute but some of the modern name dropping felt odd since most of the references felt more like 2010. But for a cute and quick contemporary read this was nice.

Plot: This book had such a fun premise! As soon as I read the summary of the book, I knew I had to add it to my TBR list. And I'm happy I did! This book was so fun, and I really liked the twists and turns the story took. The book didn't unfold the way I expected it to, which was a pleasant surprise to me. I also think this book had a perfect ending.

Characters: The characters were all fun! I really liked Pepper and Jack, and kept hoping they would realize their feelings for each other. I also really liked Pepper and Jack's family and friends.

The cover: It's a really cute cover!

Overall: I was bordering on getting into a reading slump before beginning this book, and I'm happy to say this book saved me from that! I couldn't stop reading this book. I'm very happy I read it! This book had me laughing out loud several times during it, which is one of the best things I can say about a book. It also kept making me so hungry! All the baking Pepper does in the book kept me craving all the food. (And also, I would please like some Monster Cake IRL.) This was a fantastic debut, and I look forward to reading more of this authors books in the future! I highly recommend this book!

Tweet Cute, written by Emma Lord, is a charming young adult romantic comedy set to be released on January 21, 2020. This debut novel is published by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Press.

Pepper is an overachiever who succeeds in everything she sets her mind to, but when her mother asks her to take over the Twitter account for Big League Burger—the family’s successful fast food chain—nothing goes according to plan. She inadvertently begins a war with a local company that quickly spirals out of control.

Jack always thought that he and Pepper had nothing in common aside from being in the same class at their conservative private school. Jack is more of a class clown, always annoying Pepper, whom he sees as being a robot. Jack is uninterested in being popular or first in his class; his twin is more interested in such things.

When a big fast food chain advertises a stolen recipe, Jack sees it as a personal attack on his family’s small business and cannot help but retaliate by exposing BLB on Twitter. If Big League Burger can unapologetically steal a recipe, it means war—a war that brings a different side out of Pepper that he likes quite a bit.

This story was so endearing that I could not put the book down. I wanted to know what would happen next in their daily banter, whether at school or on Twitter. If you enjoy the television show, Gossip Girl, this is a book for you.

The characters are very well developed. I love how different they appear when you first meet them. Everything seems to push them together, even when they fight it. As the story progresses, they both work on their flaws and figure out what they want to do with their lives. Teens will be able to relate to their issues (i.e. finding a career, managing parents’ expectations, fear of disappointing…) but adults will also be able to understand them.

The romance is also very well written. I do not believe in “love at first sight.” Attraction, yes, but not instant love. This story eases into the romance in the most natural way, which is refreshing. I loved reading each page and hope to see more book published from Emma Lord. I highly recommend this book and give it a five-star rating.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

This was the most adorable story I've read in a while! Think "You've Got Mail" with a YA twist in our present-day social media universe. The story was modern and fresh - I loved recognizing references to celebrities, movies, music, and memes. The author did an great job of including my favorite rom com tropes (enemies-to-lovers, anonymous pen pals) in a way that felt unique instead of repetitive.

Pepper and Jack (how cute is their ship name: Pepperjack?!) were fun characters. I thought they were well-rounded out. The story is about more than their rivalry - it also touched on solving problematic relationships with family and forming new friendships. The scenes between Pepper and Jack, though, were the highlight. They had really magnetic chemistry in their online exchanges and in real life.

I'm really looking forward to more from this author! Her style fits right in with other YA contemporaries by Kasie West, Jenn Bennett, and Emily Wibberley/Austin Siegemund-Broka. If you like your books to have a dynamic storyline with some fluff (and a little cheese) on top, check this one out.

A sincere thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Social: @_shelf.awareness on Instagram

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This was a very cute YA love story complete with vibes from a classic RomCom. The characters were engaging. The story was relevant in our time of social media frenzy! I would recommend this book to the middle school librarian and students I work with.

Jack and Pepper two teenagers having it out on a twitter war that involves their family legacy. Two restaurants, Pepper's parents own a chain of BTB while Jack's parents own Girl Cheesing. what begins as a twitter war between these two ends up with them falling for one another. It wasn't supposed to be personal, but it turned pretty personal in the end. So what happens with pepper and Jack when it does get personal? well you have to read to find out! I have to say this book was such a sweet read, innocent and funny at times. Pepper was trying so hard to please her mother, that at times I think she felt lost herself, and her friendship blossoming with Jack sort of pulled her out of that, also her newly friendship with Pooja helped her come out her shell and not be so competitive with others. Jack felt he was always in his twin's brother shadow, and Ethan felt the same way about Jack. They just didn't know how to not be someone else around each other. You really learn that sometimes we set rivalry with our siblings when there is no need to do it. I absolutely adored this book, I wish I could give it a 5 stars but something else was lacking. it was still a great read!

This was a ton of fun to read. The snarky Twitter war between Pepper and Jack was funny and their real life interactions were cute and sarcastic and I love them as a couple. When Jack got happy that Pepper could always tell him apart from Ethan, I couldn't stop smiling. When Pepper and Jack spoke with their parents about how they feel inadequate and what they want for their futures, I had tears. This was so well written, had good pacing, and I rooted for the characters from the beginning. Great read, can't wait for the world to see it!

Oh my goodness. This adorable gem of a debut novel. This You've Got Mail meets Romeo and Juliet story between two teenagers was so delightful to read. I was cheesing (you'll get the pun ;) ) so hard reading it.

Pepper's mom transplanted her from her hometown of Nashville to New York City where she worked really hard to fit in with her classmates which really means striving to be the best of the best-swim team captain, highest GPA holder, Ivy League colleges in her sight. Her family life is a mess but she can at least control her own life, and her family's burger franchise's Twitter account.

Jack is the class clown and always has to fight to not be mistaken for his more popular identical twin. But he's also a whiz and secretly created Weazel, an anonymous chat app that the entire student body uses much to the chagrin of their principal. When he's incensed at Pepper's family's blatant theft of his family's restaurant's grilled cheese recipe, he takes the reins of their Twitter account and goes to war with Pepper.

But they can only be anonymous with each other for so long and sooner than later one of their secrets comes to light.

This novel was so much fun to read. Emma Lord did a great job with characterizing Pepper and Jack between their respective chapters and you really get a good understanding of who they are as individuals. Pepper's drive to succeed academically is deeply rooted in her denial of addressing her family's drama and her own lack of direction in her own future. Jack lets himself hang in the shadow of his brother's praise when a lot of the work is done by him-swim captain meetings with Pepper, taking shifts at the deli. These teens have layers, and their exploration of their own lives reflects the growth they do throughout the novel.

All versions of their relationships were so endearing to watch, even their no holds barred Twitter duel. Pepper's creative baking concoctions not only won Jack's heart, but mine as well.

I couldn't find Pepper's relationship with her mother realistic; I couldn't find her mother all that realistic. Her mother was portrayed to seem more like a two-dimensional character and acted a lot more immature than Pepper. Her behavior was somewhat erratic and her negligence as a mother was inexcusable. Her almost offhand comment about not caring if Pepper goes to college or not was just that-offhand. No further discussion and no acknowledgment of Pepper's academics except to show disappointment in B's (For a parent who doesn't care whether or not her daughter goes to college and is otherwise uninterested in her life except to force corporate work on her, she surely has a lot to say about less than perfect grades).

On the other hand, I liked Jack's relationship with his parents. They're understanding and truly support Jack and their remorse at making him feel less than what they think is forgivable and treated realistically. I would have liked to see him have at least ONE deep conversation with his brother, because a lot of his issues stem from his perspective of being a twin.

Overall this was an adorable story and I couldn't keep my grin when they named their coupling "Pepperjack." You can't tell me Emma didn't center the story around grilled cheese without already having their pairing name planned out.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc copy to read and review.

This was a fun, quick, adorable read! I really loved how Pepper and Jack were facing similar pressures at school and at home, but that manifested in different ways for them. It made their lives, their personalities, and their dynamic feel very real and relatable in different ways.

The complex effects of their twitter feud and the relationship between their families revealed toward the end of the novel also added a layer of realism that grounded what was otherwise a gloriously fluffy book. Nothing is completely black and white, and all the characters were doing their best.

I also loved the dynamics between Ethan and Jack, Pepper and Poojah, and Paige and her mom. All the characters felt fully realized and shared common but distinct struggles with trying to fit themselves and each other into narrow narratives. Definitely enjoyed this read!

5/5 absolutely loved this. I loved it so much more than expected and I started reading this without much context or background knowledge. Devoured it in 2 days on a busy schedule, casually clutching my kindle for another chapter during classtime. Loved the characters, writing, pacing of the plot, dialogue and banter - one of my new contemporary favourites. A full review and author Q&A to come on my blog in January 2020 as part of the official blog tour. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

if i could give a book more than 5 stars i would.

I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK!!!!!!! the plot, the characters, the constant fighting (re: flirting), everything was just so... *chef's kiss*

ok so this is the second book i read with a similar plot and it was just as good. it was so cute!!!!!!!! i abso-freaking-lutely loved jack. he has my whole heart. pepperjack is adorable.
this is the very first time i like absolutely every single character in a book, it's just THAT good.

pepper and jack's constant bickering was truly the cutest. i loved them so so so so much. i loved that pepper was one of the only people that could immediately tell the twins apart without even trying.

i don't think i'll get over this book anytime soon and i cannot wait for it to be out into the world.

I absolutely enjoyed the rivalry in this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I can't wait to read more by this author. Her writing style is really good.

The epitome of adorable, this light and funny YA romance for the 21st century is a breath of fresh air from start to finish. Anyone who has ever watched You’ve Got Mail will find an instant love for the Twitter war taking place between two teens who represent their families’ businesses - a major fast food chain and a hometown deli. Pepper and Jack attend the same prestigious school in New York City, but their home lives are vastly different - as well as their personalities at school. Pepper is extremely focused on her grades and blending in with her peers, while Jack is the class clown who knows he doesn’t fit with everyone else. They connect anonymously on a school chat app, and become confidants despite the fact that they don’t know who they’re speaking to. But at school, they also unknowingly become Twitter adversaries as they battle it out over a stolen grilled cheese recipe.

If any of that sounds funny and completely modern, that’s because it is. Just as the title indicates, this is definitely a modern romance that is sweet and clean with plenty of humor. The banter between these two is hysterical to read, and I was rooting for them from the moment they first interacted. Jack’s such a great guy, but he’s often overlooked because his twin is so popular, and Pepper is so focused on school that she’s let a lot of her time at high school pass her by. They’re both easy to like and adorably awkward at romance, so it’s fun to read. While the book does handle some serious topics, it navigates it all extremely well while keeping the tone light. The pages flew by and I definitely got into the story quickly. Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this cute romance. I am voluntarily leaving a review.

I went into this book thinking it sounded cute and like a light rom-com. I was both right and wrong, in the best ways. It was cute and a rom-com but it also dealt with things such as parental pressures, familial problems, and loss. I was surprised in so many ways and read this book in a 24 hour period. I forced myself to sleep at 2am, so I would be able to continue enjoying it in the morning. It was a little bit of a slow start, I wasn't sure what was going on in the first few pages, but then it all started clicking into place. I understood there was a distance between the mother and Pepper's sisters, there was something there that was waiting to be uncovered. Then we switched to Jack's POV and I felt a little thrown off, but it was coming together, he also dealt with family expectations but in a different way. And slowly the larger plot came together.
The twitter war wasn't what I had expected, it was better. And the moment that the ship name "Pepperjack" appeared made me cackle with joy.
I am so grateful I was able to read this book in advance, it has given me strength to tackle the new school year. And now I have a few months to rave about it to my friends before I make them read it in January 2020.

Gosh, I loved this book. I am stingy with my five star ratings, but this one just hit all the right spots for me.

Pepper and Jack go to the same private high school in New York City, sort of run in the same school circles, and have never been friends. Until senior year. Something changes, and they end up becoming the cutest of frienemies.

I enjoyed all aspects of this book. The characters, the setting, the problems they encounter. Kept me entertained on a flight, and really enjoyed every page.

I hope there is a sequel. Hint, hint!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of "Tweet Cute" by Emma Lord in exchange for an honest review.

What a debut! I absolutely adored "Tweet Cute" by Emma Lord. It's one of those stories that reminds me of certain aspects from my own high school years. The academic rivalries, navigating friendships, balancing work, school, family, friends are all accurately depicted. I loved the friendship that evolved between Jack and Pepper and their twitter war. There were a few twists and turns that made the story even better.

What a great YA novel. I will definitely be recommending this to high school students looking for a cute read or any of my friends who enjoy the YA genre. I look forward to future works by Emma Lord.

On the surface, Emma Lord’s ‘Tweet Cute’ reads like a modern retelling of ‘You’ve Got Mail’ with a hint of (completely nonviolent) ‘Romeo and Juliet’ for the Generation Z set. But it’s so much more than that. It’s a refreshing, vibrant take on social interactions and interpersonal relationships, and it does so in a way that feels authentic and age-appropriate.

Pepper is a New York City transplant who is caught between the overachieving expectations of her mother, and her desire to create her own path. Born-and-bred New Yorker, Jack, feels constantly overshadowed by his twin brother, and overcompensates by being the class clown. When Pepper and Jack are both unwittingly pulled into a Twitter war representing their parents’ respective businesses, hijinks ensure. And they both come to realize they have much more in common than they previously thought.

Lord creates primary and secondary characters that feel fully actualized and genuine. The story moves at a nice pace, and I was pleased that it doesn’t dwell on one overarching misunderstanding or miscommunication as its central plot line. Rather, it bobs and weaves around the dynamics of budding friendships, generational clashes with parents and authority figures, and the experience of growing up. I wholeheartedly enjoyed this novel from beginning to end, and can’t wait to see more from this author.

**Thank you, NetGalley, for providing an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.**

From the first moment I saw this novel, I knew that it was one that would be at the top of my TBR. (and that's saying a lot, because it's a massive stack)
Tweet Cute was all that I expected and more. It is one of the better ya contemporary books that I have read this year.
The battle and enemies-to-friends-to more was so cute! The romance was basically nonexistent, instead focusing on Pepper and Jack's developing friendship, which makes a much stronger novel if you ask me. Pepper and Jack each had an amazing sense of humor and bounced off of each other in a very realistic and enduring way.
There was a little bit of content that I was not fond of. There was quite a bit of language and a m/m romance between side characters. The romance was clean thought. :)
Tweet Cute was a strong novel from debut author Emma Lord and I'm very interested in reading what she writes in the future and seeing how she grows as an author.
One last thought, I want Monster Cake.

Rating: 4 Stars
Content: 2 Stars

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was in no way required.

THIS BOOK, Y”ALL! I am so glad I wished to get this book and actually got it because it’s got to be one of my favorite contemporaries of the year! It’s reads like a Nora Ephron movie and honestly, it reminded me so so much of You’ve Got Mail, which is one of my favorite romcom movies of all time!

Jack and Pepper are such great characters to read about. Each had their own distinct voice, life experiences, and traits that set them apart and really allowed their voices to shine. I enjoyed the dual POV’s in this novel and really felt like having both their voices represented allowed us a deeper look into not only their budding relationship with each other but also their relationships with people around them. I think that’s one of the reason’s why I really loved this book, it wasn’t just all about the romance but them as people and their lives.

Unlike some contemporary novels, the secondary characters also had pretty distinct character voices as well. Most of the time I find that secondary characters kind of blend together and become sort of one entity with numerous names. Not the case here at all! Each side character had specific things about them that really set them apart and made them memorable. Honestly, I loved this novel and these characters so much I’d totally read spin off’s for this world.

The one thing that really grated on my nerves was Pepper’s mom. I felt like her motivations were a little petty and beneath a high powered successful woman. For her to want her daughter to forsake school in favor of running a Twitter account was slightly unrealistic and did make me pause at times. The big reveal at the end on why Pepper’s mom was so petty and gungho for the rivalry was interesting and I honestly loved the way it played out. It was typical in a way but the author twisted it in enough of a way that it wasn’t eye roll petty.

The romance itself was super hella cute! I was rooting for Jack and Pepper throughout the whole novel! It was definitely a hate to lovers trope and Emma did such a good job! Most of the time it’s a dislike to lover thing but I really felt the disdain and tension in the beginning. You can definitely tell the difference between beginning of story characters and end of story characters.

THIS BOOK WILL MAKE YOU HUNGRY SO BEWARE! If you like food in any kind of way (baked goods especially) this book is gonna make you want to break out the flour and whisk and whip up your own concoction of a Monster Cake. I really hope the finalized version has the recipes for some of the baked goods mentioned because ya girl wants to give them a try!

All in all, super cute romcom contemporary! Will definitely be purchasing my own copy when it’s released!