I loved this so much!

The book follows Natalie, an introvert and very intelligent 18yr old who is insecure about her acne and starts the story dealing with her parents’ separation.

She has two best friends, Lucy and Zach, who are dating each other which in turn makes her feel like a third wheel half the time.

When Natalie is invited to a party by a friend of Zach’s older brother, she hesitantly accepts. I say hesitantly because here’s the thing, Natalie doesn’t like parties or even most people. She overthinks and silence makes her uncomfortable. Walking into uncharted territory is not something she does often. But watching her best friends constantly attached by the hip and with Lucy’s enthusiastic encouragement, she ends up accepting.

At the party she feels awkward. Owen, Alex’s friend, is nowhere to be seen and she doesn’t know anyone else at the party so she hides in a bathroom. But things take a better turn when both Owen and Alex show up. She’s still not completely comfortable and doesn’t even enjoy Owen’s company, who doesn’t even pay much attention to her despite having invited her, so she finds herself spending time with Alex to whom, by the end of the night, she feels drawn to.

I think my favourite part of the book is Natalie. Her character is very relatable and so endearing that even when she was acting unreasonably I couldn’t help but side with her. Her insecurities about her appearance and what she wants to do in uni felt incredibly real.

Her relationship with Alex was super cute and I loved the bed sharing trope! I do wish we got to know if he was the one who made Owen ask Natalie to join them at the party because I got the feeling that Alex had been attracted to her even before the party. I’d have also liked to know when was the time before the party that he had wanted to kiss Natalie.

I loved her relationship with Lucy and how supportive they are of each other without any resentment over Lucy and Zach getting together. Female friendships are always my favourites.

Vanessa was also super cool and I like that Natalie and her get along and are friendly towards each other.

I could ramble on and on about how much I enjoyed this book but I reckon I’d be writing about it all day. Needless to say I highly recommend it. It’s cute, fun and super relatable!

It Sounded Better in My Head is a cute, quick rom-com, but it's also something that not many YA contemporaries are: an at times painfully accurate view of teenagerhood in all of its confusing yet hopeful glory. Nina Kenwood has managed to take all of the awkwardness and obsessiveness that comes with being a teenager and wrapped it up with a fun romance that keeps us from feeling too called out.

Natalie, our main character and narrator, struggled with really bad acne that only went away with strong medication, and is still dealing with the self esteem issues that come from that. This is something that a lot of teenagers, especially girls, can relate to so strongly. Everything seems so much more serious during this period of your life, and low self-esteem can have such a negative impact. She has a lot of new experiences during the run-up to finding out if she got into her preferred university, and it was cool to follow her going through all of these things and slowly coming out of her shell.

Because it was a fairly short read, and because it's in Natalie's POV, at times the other characters felt less developed next to her, but overall I really liked the cast of supporting characters. The shenanigans and flashbacks to shenanigans that Zach, Lucy and Natalie got up to were fun, and Zach and Lucy were a really cute couple, though I fully understood Natalie's feelings about their relationship. Alex was a very sweet love interest, and the way he and Natalie interacted was very, very cute; what I really liked was how even though the relationship is a new experience to her, it's not a magical healing spell for all of her insecurities.

On a more serious note, there's a fairly complex relationship between Natalie and her parents, which I feel plays off this period of unknown really well. I'm not going to say much more than that because I feel like it would take away from the reader's experience. Natalie's kind of been thrown in the deep end, and things are uncertain and kind of confusing for her, which added a whole additional layer of depth to the story. It also really shows how quickly older teens have to adapt and grow during this period in an accurate way, so while it's definitely a romantic contemporary, it's also a coming of age novel.

It's also a fairly cliché book. Best friend's older sibling, bed sharing, beach romance, it's all here. At times it could be a little much, but I'm also not a huge rom-com reader so take my opinion on that with a grain of salt! Nina Kenwood wrote all of the tropes together in a fairly believable way though; instead of feeling like it was a scripted rom-com, I found myself thinking 'ah, yep, that sounds exactly like something us teens would get up to'. It was also really nice to be able to enjoy the tropes without them being too abundant, because just enough of it was predictable to keep it a low-key book, but there was still flavour to it.

If you like cute romances, working things out, and lots of sweet romance tropes, this is probably the book for you. It's fluffy and leaves you feeling warm inside, and will also probably make you squeal at least three times.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Full review will be posted on my blog and Goodreads on Sunday 26th.

I received a free digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I feel like I really should have sympathized with Natalie, our leading lady in "It Sounded Better in My Head". As a person who has fought body image issues (weight, general build, extra hair, acne), I should have felt bad for her. But while the difficulties with her parents separating were something new, it seemed that all she seemed to focus on was how she had bad body image issues. Perhaps it's because I've gotten out of the realm of worrying quite so much about others in regards to my appearance or maybe I just felt that Natalie needed to not be the center of attention for everyone, but I just couldn't get into the story.
It was okay, but not something I'd read again.

I don’t know what it was with this but I struggled to connect with this bookend the main character, found her too immature, even for her age. Although overall It was an enjoyable read, but it just didn’t wow me

**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.**

Title It Sounded Better in My Head

Author Nina Kenwood

Description from Amazon

When her parents announce their impending divorce, Natalie can’t understand why no one is fighting, or at least mildly upset. Then Zach and Lucy, her two best friends, hook up, leaving her feeling slightly miffed and decidedly awkward. She’d always imagined she would end up with Zach one day—in the version of her life that played out like a TV show, with just the right amount of banter, pining, and meaningful looks. Now everything has changed, and nothing is quite making sense. Until an unexpected romance comes along and shakes things up even further.

Release Date April 7, 2020

Initial Thoughts

I had seen this book around Instagram a lot lately and saw that it was a “read now” title on NetGalley. I really, like really, really, don’t need any more books in NetGalley right now but it looks like I’ll be working from home for at least another month so I figured one more book wouldn’t hurt.

Some Things I Liked

Quirky main character. I really liked that Natalie was an honest and flawed MC. She was open with the reader about her problems and she freely admitted when she had anxiety and where her imperfections were. The story was honest in a refreshing way.
Laugh out loud moments. I found some of the scenarios to be hilarious. Also, there were some totally cringe-worthy scenes but for the most part, I really enjoyed the comedy in this story.
Australia as a setting. This is a new one for me and I really liked it. Most of the contemporary books I read are set in the US so I liked reading about a new country.
Body image issues. I liked that this was featured in a story. Too often the main characters of books have perfect skin and are model thin, and are essentially totally fictional. Natalie represented a real person and was a character I think all girls can connect with on some level.

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About

This book was a lot heavier than I was expecting. The description gave me rom-com and light vibes but this story had several complex and heavy issues. I wasn’t crazy about the fact that this book was heavier than I was expecting.

Series Value

I think this book has series / sequel potential. I think the ending leaves the reader with a feeling of hope but was also open ended. These characters are embarking on new chapters of their lives filled with uncertainty and I would read another book about them.

Final Thoughts

I liked this book. It was a fast read that was filled with difficult issues that I think all people grapple with. The characters met their problems with a mix of mistakes and comedy and I enjoyed reading their stories.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

By the Book by Amanda Sellet – if you liked a main character with anxiety regarding the future, friendships, and relationships, try this May 2020 release.
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon – if you liked the theme of uncertainty about the future and an open-ended ending, try this July 2020 release.

I guess the title of the book perfectly resumes what I thought about it: "It sounded better in my head". I don't know why but I was excepting something more, maybe this genre isn't for me anymore. It was still a nice and quick read, perfect to distract myself during lockdown.

Natalie's  insecurities are very realistic and I think that many people can find them relatable. She has a very low self-esteem mainly caused by acne, she's a huge introvert and she has some difficulties socializing. At the same time I found her a little too immature for her age in certain moments, especially near the end of the book.

I felt like the secondary character could have been developed a little bit more. Natalie's parents were very irritating and I felt like her relationship with Alex moved a little too quickly. One of the best parts was definitely the friendship between Natalie, Lucy and Zach. I would have loved to see more of it. 

The writing style is simple and fast-paced. This book is full of clichès but they didn't bother me too much.

I'd reccomend "It sounded better in my head" to anyone who loves YA and is looking for a nice and fast-paced read.

Devoured in one sitting. Alex and Natalie were such an unlikely pair, but they just made so much sense. I loved the family and friend's reactions to finding out about them and everything about Natalie. I related to her inner monologue on a personal level. I need more from Ms. Kenwood!

You know that meme where it goes "you can copy off me but change a few things so they can't tell?" Yeah, right now I'm playing spot the difference with this book and my own high school experience. It feels like the only change Nina made was setting it in Australia.

READ THIS IF YOU LOVE:
-GIRL LOVE!!! No girl hate exists in this book. She and the ex-girlfriend become FRIENDS! 🥺
-summer romance, including half the book at a beach house
-THERE IS ONLY ONE BED with a twist
-In love with the best friend's brother trope
-hilarious inner dialogue that feels like you're either watching a romcom or are in your own head
-super awkward times!! And as a result, super funny times!!
-learning to love your body even with its uglier sides

TW: body dysmorphia, also a lot of secondhand embarrassment

IT SOUNDED BETTER IN MY HEAD follows Natalie, an 18-year-old spending her summer in between year 12 and university anxiously awaiting uni acceptances and trying not to feel like the third wheel with her two best friends, who are madly in love. When she spontaneously decides to attend a party with her friend's brother she expects to fall for the friend.... but instead finds a connection she isn't expecting.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I read in one go instead of trying to fall asleep and it was so worth it. It's less than 300 pages so honestly, if I had fallen asleep I'd be a slacker. What did I love most? NORMALIZING SIMPLE GESTURES IN ROMANCE! Most YA books are about the first time having sex, or other big steps. You'd think that reading about simple moments wouldn't be exciting, but that was my own experience in high school (and tbh college so far). Natalie flips out over a kiss on the cheek and holding hands. I flipped over holding hands and being asked to dance for the first time when I was 15. Those moments are beautiful and obsessive and should be included more in books, just saying.

Natalie struggles to love her body because she has extreme hormones. She is extremely self-conscious of her acne and stretch marks and was bullied because of it. I don't think I've read a book that was so open with her insecurities about her body. The scenes at the beach house made me cry because that was literally my high school experience!!! I was terrified to take off my swim coverup or go in the water. I loathed parties even though I pretended I did. Games made me out of mind anxious. I also had horrible acne and had to do the scary treatment where you can't get pregnant because it would kill a fetus. Natalie has the same struggles as I did!

Some quotes that are pretty much out of my diary if I actually kept one during those years:
“It was at the year-eleven school social, which Lucy had bullied me into going to—when I say bullied, what I actually mean is lots of positive reinforcement, emotional cheerleading and general enthusiasm—and she pretty much babysat me all night to stop me from sneaking off and leaving.”

"I was 3/4 of the way to making my first friend."

"Having a best friend was like having a protective armour, something I’d never experienced before, and something I desperately needed. Lucy navigated social situations for me, and in return I made her laugh and helped her deal with her mother. In Lucy and Zach, I’d found my group, and it was small, but it was enough, more than enough, to keep my head above water. They saved me.”

“Growing and changing is only fun if my parents stay the same and I can show them how different and better I am without having to process their stuff too.”

In conclusion, this is a sparkling debut with the most authentic (to me) teenage experience I have ever read. The inner monologue is an absolute delight and this has become one my go-to recommendations.

Thank you to Flatiron Books for the arc in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

This was a sweet, quick read. I found Natalie's deep discomfort with parts of her own body highly relatable and believable. It Sounded Better in My Head is exactly the sort of sweet, comforting, easy-to-read book you should have on hand when you need an escape.

First of all: I loved, that Natalie hat issues with her skin and her self esteem! In so many YA books everyone just looks so beautiful and nice and has a little pimple now and then. But Natalie with her acne and scars on her back really spoke to me. At her age i was too insecure and had really bad skin on my face, arms and back. I hated it and nobody really took this issue serious! So thank you fpr writing about it.
That the book played in Australia was really nice, too. I'd love to get more inside in this country and the book helped with that.
The negative thing about the book was, that most of the time Natalie was way too insecure. I would have loved it, if she changed during the book and not only in the last pages. The fact that she described herself as a feminist and said that she didn't know anything was charming but it would have been even better if she would have done some research during the book and educated the reader as well.
Overall it was a nice read.

I loved this so much! I really liked that the story talked about friendship, family bonds and love in 1 story. All the aspects were executed really well. I especially loved the friendschip between Nathalie, Lucy and Zach.

I hope this book will get a large audience because it's really important. Natalie's insecurities are so realistic and recognizable. I saw a lot of my younger self in Nathalie.

I can't believe this is a debut. I'm excited to see what the author will do in a next book. She will be writing something else after this, right?! I loved her writing style!

My only complaint is that the book could have been longer. Some things felt a bit rushed. But maybe I only want it to be longer because I love the characters so much.

This was a charming book that had characters that reminded me of my friends when I was a teenager. The story follows Natalie as she navigates her parents divorce, ending high school (or year 12 as she puts it) and her first crush. Natalie is an introverted girl who has the trauma of having horrible skin that caused her to be picked on. With the help of her two best friends she ventures out to trying to be more social even though her two best friends have decided they are in love. The story continues with awkward mishaps that the reader can relate to, making Natalie a character that you want to encourage along the way.

I thank Netgalley for the chance to read this charming book.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It Sounded Better in My Head was honestly a really cute ass book. In it, you will meet Natalie and Alex. Now Natalie is completely and adorably awkward. I instantly loved her and definitely felt her confusion, pain, and excitement in everything she did. Even if she probably did better in school than me.

The only difference between me and her is that I'm a lot more outgoing - still awkward though. When we see her outside of her comfort zone, I was just so intrigued. I honestly couldn't put this down because from the very first moment, I really adored her and Alex. Who cares that he is her best friends older brother - they were freaking adorable throughout the book.

Of course this book had it's fair share of drama.. but probably not what you would expect. Other than that, it was a fun and quick book! Definitely happy that I got the chance to dive into it.

This book was AH-MAZING!!

I mean it, everything about it was just right! Almost perfect.
From the writing style to the story itself, and it's characters.

I can't believe this is a debut novel!
Sign me up for next Nina Kentwood's novels, because I want to read all of them!
Her writing style is amazing, and from her acknowledgments where she thanked to authors who's books she read in her lifetime, is obvious she reads and loves books a lot.

The story was great. Entertaining and realistic, and just what I craved at time.
I was hungry for good ya contemporary and It Sounded Better in my Head is just what I needed.

The characters were likeable and they felt real.
Even though I am older then Natalie, I could relate to her.
I also don't like to be seen (but it has nothing to do with my look) and I feel like my mind works similar to hers. However, she did go on my nerves sometimes.
With lifelike friends and good family dynamics, plus "not so perfect for each other" love interesting, this book has the best cast.

I love how believable It Sounded Better in my Head turned out to be, and the was it wrapped up.

I know I said it many times this year, but I think this is my favourite read of 2020.

Because I loved it so much, I now want to read as many ya contemporaries as I can.

I recommend this novel to everyone who's looking for something quick, easy, and entertaining.

I loved this! It was cute, sweet, charming, and made me feel happy. It was predictable and comforting. Truly loved the characters; incredibly relatable.

A well written, enjoyable story. It didn't blow my mind away, but I did enjoy reading it. The main characters are well drawn and develop over the narrative, the minor characters less so, but then again that's why they are minor characters.

It would be good to read more about Natalie and Alex in a future book.

The story focuses on a young adult character who is in a transitional stage of her life, getting ready to move from high school to university. She is a bit unsure of what she wants and what the future holds, and at the same time learns some upsetting news that changes her family dynamic. She is also struggling with/exploring a romantic interest, adding additional complexities to what is going on in her unstable world.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. There was nothing particularly deep or thought provoking about the story or the characters, but I thought it was well written and I enjoyed reading it. The characters seemed relatable and realistic, and I sympathized with the main character's feelings and how she was trying to deal with what was going on in her life.

Well, I really wanted to love this book, and I did enjoy most of it, but I didn’t love it. I get that Natalie was an introvert and that her acne had caused major damage to her self esteem, but she was so immature and constantly putting herself down that I ended up getting frustrated. Also I wanted more development with the romance. Some of that is a result of only getting Natalie’s POV. I would have liked the secondary characters to have been a little more developed as well. Despite that this was a quick and cute read that captured the doubts and drama of navigating life as a teen.

*4.5 Stars*

Natalie is 18 and very very self-conscious. One might even say she doesn't like herself. She has two best friends who have been in a relationship for some time now and can't help but always feel second best. It doesn't help when her parents tell her, on Christmas day, that they have been separated for ten months now. She feels like everything is falling apart, so she decides she might as well get herself out-there and goes to a party where she barely knows anyone. Then, stuff happens.

I got sucked into this story. The characters, the plot, everything. I really loved Natalie, flaws and all and I related to her in many many ways. The romance was on point and it felt so real, all of it did. Once I started reading, I really couldn't stop and I read this in one sitting.
I can't wait to read more by this author.

(3.5/5)

This was absolutely adorable. Exactly the book I needed right now. This ya contemporary will satiate all your first-love, kind-of-insecure-mc needs.

I’d like to touch on one of my favourite things to read about in ya contemporary: the friendships. They always scream support and love and I really enjoy that. The friendship in this book really is no different and actually felt pretty relatable since I too have been a third-wheel-friend in a group of three.

The writing was very comfortable. Really cannot fault it. It’s written so comfortably that I read 70 percent of the book without noticing. It had just the right amount of drama.

The only thing I didn’t like (and what I probably deducted that half point for) is that the main characters nearly always talked herself down. She always told herself she was not worthy of something because of her bad acne scars, or she would not be able to experience something like a “normal person” would. The first time I read her doing this I was like “ sure? Okay.” But after three times it got a little annoying.

All in all, great read and highly recommend if you’re looking for something light and sweet right now.