Change is not easy – for anyone. But most of the time, it’s entirely necessary in order to continue living.

This book was slightly confusing to begin with, but was quickly made clear. The narrator goes by two names, because she’s essentially two different people: AJ and Della. AJ is responsible, scheduled, and on top of EVERYTHING. But Della is relaxed and permanently on vacation.

Della/AJ has grown up with two separate lives. Her dad and older twin siblings live in Florida, while her mom, (step)dad, and (half)sisters live in Michigan. And Della/AJ is split between the two. While this is common for many families, what struck me as odd, and SO challenging, was that no one in Della’s/AJ’s life knew about the other half of who she was (beyond her parents and siblings). No one talked about it. No one knew. Her lives are completely separate.

Until they’re not. Everything gets messed up and one of AJ’s little sisters from Michigan has to join Della on her summer in Florida. Her two world’s collide and she even learns a little something regarding her childhood nemesis (yes, an enemies to lovers subplot!).

While there was a lot of beautiful YA drama woven together in this book, what I truly loved about it were the messages: that change is scary. That change is important. That in order to become comfortable with who you are and the life you live, you have to be willing to welcome change into your life. And also? You can’t expect to be happy with who you are, if you’re not willing to show the world the person you have become.

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkyard Press, & Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

DNF @ 10%, 30pgs

Honestly I think this was simply a case of me not being the target audience for this one - sometimes a book can transcend that (or maybe I can transcend that, I don't know which it is), but that wasn't the case here. I found myself skipping through a lot of the dialogue between the MC and her friends and I couldn't get invested in any of the characters. The writing was not bad, and the premise is So Good!, so I'm confident it will find it's audience.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

She has always led two lives. For nine months of the year she lived in Michigan, where she was AJ, the responsible, overachieving big sister. During her Florida summers, she was Della, the go-with-the-flow little sister. She was looking forward to escaping her Michigan life after an especially stressful year, but when her younger sister got into some trouble, Della and AJ's lives collided forcing her to reevaluate the person she really wanted to be.

[NOTE: For the sake of this review, I will refer to the main character as AJ.]

I suppose, at times, we sort of hide pieces of ourselves depending on where we are, but AJ's life was always divided between her Florida self and her Michigan self. She occupied vastly different spots in each family, and the family dynamics were night and day. It was easy to see keeping up this rouse was becoming more and more difficult for her, and her sister's crisis was the tipping point.

It might have seemed like an invasion at first, but ended up being a blessing in disguise. When Marnie arrived in Florida, AJ was forced to do some introspection. Who was she? What were her goals? Was she AJ or was she Della? She discovered that her true self fell somewhere in-between the two. I thought it was great seeing AJ blend her two worlds, and I was proud of her when she continued working towards the life she wanted even after she left Florida.

There was actually a lot of warm and fuzzy family feels in this book. Though AJ hit some bumps in the road with her sisters, their bond was undeniable. They weren't called Triple Threat for no reason. The trio radiated love and affection, and there was no doubt in my mind they would come to each other's aid in a heartbeat. AJ was lucky to have three great parents too. Her mom had some boundary issues and was a bit demanding, but she cared for her children. I rather liked her step-father a lot too. He sort of balanced out her over-the-top mom and super laid back dad.

But, if I'm being honest, it was the boy of summer who stole my heart. There was a little romantic sub-plot that I simply loved. Jude was a boy carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, yet, he pushed on. He was a great person to be there for AJ as she tried to work out her dual lives issue, and the support he lent to AJ was one of the many things that endeared him to me.

I really felt for AJ as she struggled between her two worlds - her life in Michigan with her mom and her life in Florida with her dad. Her worlds meeting head-on was actually a gift, which freed her from having to maintain these two personas, allowing the real AJ to emerge. Overall, I enjoyed this sweet coming of age tale which focused on the importance of family, sibling relationships, and being true to yourself.

Okay Liz Reinhardt is a genius because this plot is nothing but fabulous. I loved the writing, I loved the locations, I love the plot twist. This would be an excellent movie for Netflix.

The concept of this book is interesting and is what originally drew me to reading this title. But the way it was handled didn't quite work for me. I understand the author needed to establish both sides of Adelaide's lives as Della in Florida and AJ in Michigan, but I could not stand her friends and family and all the drama in Michigan so I found myself wanting to skip those chapters to get back to what was happening in Florida.

There are aspects I liked, such as the different sibling dynamics and the cute romance, but there were also some aspects that I didn't like. I really hate when the synopsis plot point of a book doesn't actually happen until half way through the book, and that's the case with this. The whole family drama moment that sends Adelaide spiraling as to how to balance her two lives begins when Marnie comes to Florida halfway through the book. And then the plot point is easily resolved because Marnie gets along with everybody in Florida so easily. (Though, I'd totally read a book about Marnie since she was the most interesting character in this book.)

I like reading cute, fluffy contemporaries because they're fun and easy reads, but this book seemed to be trying to add in All the Issues to make it relatable and have enough drama to make things interesting. But it just seemed too much for one story and made it come across messy. Also what's the deal with the weird pop culture references? Those dated the book so badly.

There are readers who will enjoy this one, and I love that it focuses on family over romance (though the romance was sweet, too). I just don't find this one to last or be a memorable read.

This book was so sweet, I can totally relate to this book in so many ways. Growing up I would go to my fathers homeland for the summers and the way I lived there and the way I lived in the states were TWO VERY different lives, I was so adventurous back in my dads home, that people would be shocked to even hear the stories, lol.

I think this is why I understood Della so much, in that aspect. Everything else was so annoying, even though I was not a huge fan of her mother and the middle sister Marnie. It's so sad to have a mother like Della's who I feel tended to care more for Lilly than her other daughters, and also her blog, Marnie was just a mess, and it bothers me that her own mother even dumped Marnie and her issues on AJ for her to fix. One thing is for sure, I struggled with liking her mother as a character. There were a lot of gray areas that I still don't understand, but I loved how Della's life was in Key West.

I loved how she was able to find her voice and she was able to do something for herself for once. She gets to live in the moment, and enjoy her life for once, her idea of a perfect life.

I just couldn’t get into this. It has a great premise, but I just didn’t feel like it was executed in a way that held my attention. The dual identity was going to be a hard sell anyway, and all the jumping around didn’t help matters. The protagonist also wasn’t particuarly endearing.

The Flipside of Perfect is a wonderful coming of age novel, perfect for those still trying to find themselves. Adelaide Johnson is two different people. AJ during the school year, living with her mom in Michigan, attending a private high school and doing all the things to make herself look good when applying for colleges. Della during the summers with her dad in Florida, working in his store, and not taking anything seriously.

The first half of the book is mainly dealing with her two different lives, and how they never intertwine. Her private school friends think she goes off to some camp in the summer, they don't know she's visiting her dad. This really struck a cord with me. On one hand I was irritated that she didn't tell her friends, why keep this a secret? But on the other hand I get it. Those "friends" weren't really those you could tell your secrets to, and her mom (a big family/lifestyle blogger) has everything so "perfect" that she didn't even feel she could talk about her dad in her own house. I definitely feel like she felt more at home at her dads, and not so worried about appearances, but things weren't always easy there either. I also thought it was very interesting that in one world she was the youngest sibling and in her other world she was the oldest, Two very different dynamics.

Her worlds end up colliding when middle sister in Michigan is going through some stuff and ends up spending the summer in Florida with Della. The second half was the best for me as AJ/Della figures out who she truly is and how she starts to blend her worlds together.

A wonderful read - not to be missed!

I received and e-arc of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

DNF- 10%

I really wanted to give this book a chance but it felt like such a struggle for me to even read the small portion that I did. I would sit down to try and read and could get through about two pages and then my mind would wander and I would have to see how much more just to get to the next chapter. For some reason the writing and the main character were just not meshing with me at all. I felt really annoyed by our main character and just found her to be very unlikable. She just constantly seemed to be annoyed with anyone and everyone near her including her boyfriend and friends which completely rubbed me the wrong way.

I will say I did pick up another book after this one to make sure it wasn't just me being in a reading slump or something but I was able to cruise through the other book which is what ultimately made me decide to dnf this one.

I think this book will appeal to those who don't mind reading from the pov of an unlikable character and like having a plot with hidden identity.

The Flipside of Perfect
by Liz Reinhardt
Pub Date: 06 Apr 2021
AJ or Della? Doated on little sis or responsible oldest child? She is both but never at the same time. It just depends on which of her two families she is with at the time. She doesn't think she can let the other family see who she really is...someone in between. With so many split families these days, this is a perfect read for my students.

AJ Jepsen is the picture of perfection at her elite school in Michigan. An overachiever, she strives to solve any problems her two younger sisters bring her way. Della Beloise is the complete opposite. Carefree and radiant, she spends as much time as she can on the beach in Florida when she visits her dad and older siblings during the summer. The catch? AJ and Della are the same person, specifically Adelaide Beloise Jepsen. Adelaide has the art of splitting herself into two people down to a science. She’s kept her Florida family a secret from her friends in Michigan for many long years. But during the summer between junior and senior year, her middle sister messes up. Big-time. When she’s sent to join Adelaide in Florida, Adelaide’s plans for a carefree summer evaporate. With a blossoming romance, family financial problems, and long-buried secrets of her past emerging, Adelaide will have to figure out a way to combine her two halves if she wants to save her summer…and stay true to herself.

As soon as I began reading, The Flipside of Perfect erased any expectations I’d previously had. What seems to begin as a light and fluffy beach read soon ventures into deeper and darker territory as Adelaide is forced to confront the imperfections in her life. I really enjoyed the romantic elements, but after Adelaide made some questionable choices in her reactions to difficult situations, I found myself not really connecting to her. Additionally, some of the characters feel a bit one-dimensional, even though Adelaide, her romantic interest Jude, and her middle sister Marnie shine with wonderful depth. And speaking of Marnie, her character growth arc is fantastic. By the end of the novel, I found myself cheering for her as she faced her problems head-on. Still, the story seemed to lack some emotional connection, and it all wrapped up a bit too, well, perfectly. Yet, the story may satisfy for fans of sweet romances, complicated family relationships, and fighting to find the truest part of oneself.

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change.)

The book starts out with out main character AJ. She is a straight-A student at a high end school in Michigan, then we are introduced to Della. Della is a on the wild side and does whatever she wants which is usually just having fun in Florida. Where things get really interesting though is Della and AJ are the same person. She reimagines herself to try to fit in and get a new outlook on her life. It isn't until her sister joins her in Florida that things take a turn for the worst and AJ must figure out who she is really in order not to lose her sister, the guy she has her eye on or worst of all herself. I found this book to be really interesting I haven't read many things like this one before however it did really remind me of a made for TV, Disney movie from the nineties. Even though this book was over four hundred pages long I found the content to be very compelling and I couldn't bring myself to put it down. I just flew through this one and the writing was very easy to read and understand.
I connected with the characters very easily and I could get where Della was coming from in the beginning.
Very good read for not just young adults but for everyone who likes YA novels. This has everything that a
good YA book needs, interesting characters, a plot that you haven't seen before, and it was also nice to read a YA book that wasn't all about the main girl falling in love and her life was perfect. This gives a more realistic feel to the story. Great read and I can't wait to read this book again and again once it is released. The only thing I didn't like about this book was it was a little predictable and I was able to call how it ended almost from the very beginning.

This book is tricky. I feel like I don't know who it's for. There's so much going ond, it feels more mature than teen, but the main character is still in high school so it can't be proper new adult. The prose reads like an adult novel at times, taking paragraphs to explain feelings, and that adds to the confusion. I don't want to discredit the reading preferences of teens today, but I'm not sure if this is something that'll be widely liked.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

The Flipside of Perfect follows AJ and Della who are actually the same person. However, AJ is the Michigan perfectionist who follows the life plan that was set out for her. She is the oldest of three girls and always has it together. Della is the Florida carefree, baby sister that spends her summer on the beach, working for her dad, and spending time with her older twin siblings. However, her two worlds collide the summer before her senior year.

What I enjoyed about this book was the relationship between siblings. That was easily my favorite part. I think there's something about being in a split family that makes you become two versions of yourself in order to be the oldest caring sibling but also the baby of the family. The relationships between AJ and Marnie were my favorite. It's hard to be the oldest and be helpful without being bossy and I think AJ had to learn that balance. Della and Dani were also amazing because they had a similar relationship but it was a flipped show from AJ and Marnie.

There were parts of the book that I struggled with. Primarily the way that the families were connected. I spent most of the book confused how Belo and Della were father and daughter. I think it was never fully fleshed out and much of the book was explained by saying that her mother was married to Belo, but not that Della was biologically theirs. I also did not enjoy AJ's mother and the relationship that they had. It constantly felt helicopter parentlike and totally unbelievable. However, I could see some growth at the end. I wish there was more closure there.

All in all, definitely a good coming of age novel about finding who you are when you are part of a blended family. I would recommend this to my students.

The Flipside of Perfect features a main character, Adelaide, who spends the school year with her mom, stepdad, and two younger sisters before spending every summer with her dad and two older siblings. Pretty normal divorced parents situation, except that Adelaide is a completely different person in both places. In Michigan with her mom she is AJ, the buttoned up, type A, super popular girl but in Florida with her dad she is Della, the chill, beach going, party girl. She loves her split life, but when her younger sister joins her summer with her dad - her two worlds collide in unexpected ways.

I loved the concept behind this book as I completely understand what it's like to want to be a completely different person in different situations. I related a lot to AJ/Della in these feelings and enjoyed reading about how she handled both worlds. I loved the supporting casts, especially the Della side of the family in Florida. Don't get me started on Lex vs. Jude either.

I wasn't a hug fan of the switching timelines. I normally don't mind that style in books but for some reason it didn't work in this book. The scenes in the past certainly provided needed context, I just wish it had been provided in a different way as I had a hard time keeping up with what was happening in which time line. There was also a lot going on in this book, I think it tried to do too much with the plot and didn't quite swing it.

Overall I think The Flipside of Perfect is a charming YA Contemporary about growing up, the power of family and sisters, and is an interesting taking on split families.

**Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

THE FLIPSIDE OF PERFECT is the meh book choice in a literary game of M*A*S*H. Not bad, just...meh. Giving it 3 stars as it wasn't that bad, just probably not for me.

3 stars

The main character of this book is living two separate lives, which appear when she is living with her mother or visiting her father. Her name, her appearance, and even her sibling makeup and placement change in each location. As expected, this is confusing for her, and it's a little creepy for the reader to see how dramatically she changes to match her environment.

While I enjoyed the first quarter of this book, I started to get a bit frustrated with the character and plot. For me, too little was happening. The identity switching began to feel too one-note, even when it expanded to other characters and their various life situations. I did not dislike this book, but - in an unexpected twist - I do find myself feeling apathetic toward it (a highly uncommon situation for me in all genres). Around that one quarter mark, I sped up looking for more action...which I did not find.

I will absolutely read more from this author. The style works for me and the writing is enjoyable. However, I hope to see a bit more action and depth in future works.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this super cute book!

The Flipside of Perfect is an absolutely beautiful and fun coming-of-age story. The main character, AJ/Della, is one person during the school year when she lives with her mom, stepdad, and two younger sisters in Michigan, and she is a completely different person during the summers when she lives with her dad and two older siblings in Florida. The two sides of her life collide when her younger sister Marnie gets into a bad situation, and AJ/Della is able to discover who she truly wants to be.

I really loved everything about this book! The most wonderful thing about it is the way that it deals with emotions head-on, and gives the message that emotions should be out in the open and that people should share completely of themselves with those they love. I loved the way that each character was given space to deal with his or her emotions, and every character felt real and well-developed. I loved the romance between Della and Jude and the way their relationship blossomed throughout the book. I felt that this book dealt with family relationships, friendships, and romantic relationships in such an honest way, and that is the thing that makes this book the most unique. It is a fun, easy read that also deals with some heavy themes.

Highly recommend to fans of contemporary YA and really anyone who enjoys a good story!

I really loved this book! While I wouldn't share it with my students, I would definitely recommend it to older students whom I know love to read.
I loved how AJ/Della learned to just be herself in both places that she lived. She learned not to fake who she was and learned to just be her!

I found a new book boyfriend! (And yes, he is, yet again, too young for me unfortunately.) Thank you to Netgalley for this e-ARC of The Flipside of Perfect by Liz Reinhardt.

Synopsis: Adelaide Jepsen lives a double life. One with her family in Michigan as AJ and one with her family in Florida as Della. No one ever said having divorced parents was easy. But as she approaches college, AJ is tired — of lying, of pretending to keep up appearances and of herself. Florida is where she can get her world right again before her senior year of high school — so why is everything falling apart the second she shows up? (TW: divorce, teen pregnancy, alcoholism)

This is a great, joyful YA novel about finding the real you as a teenager and learning to make yourself happy instead of making others happy while you’re miserable. Also, the sister trios/quads that pop-up throughout had Covey sister vibes. On top of that, there’s a super sweet pseudo-enemies-to-lovers relationship with a soon-to-be-crowned all time book boyfriend, Jude, who I swear had me in butterflies and giggles.

The downsides are that it’s a bit over dramatic, as high schoolers are widely known to be, and a little too faith-based for me. There’s a lot of prayer circles, preaching moments and there are some scenes that felt a bit pro-life to me, which I’m not really about. However, it’s not a cruel faith in any context, so it’s manageable.

If you’re a fan of YA novels in general, I think is a very readable one and pretty cute overall! It’s out in early April!