I could not set down this incredible romance. She gets a girl is an amazing story about love and really finding yourself and who you are.

Alex and Molly are both going to college to start over, but for different reasons. Molly wants to meet more friends and Alex is trying to get separation from her alcoholic mom. When Alex notices Molly longing after Cora, she decides to step in with her 5 step plan and become a love guru while also proving to Alex’s, sorta, girlfriend that she can be dependable. As they begin to hang out more, Alex realizes that Molly is actually the person she wants to open up to and Molly realizes she’s her true self with Alex.

I seriously loved Alex and Molly. They were such a cute couple and seeing them grow together was incredible. They were really each other’s yin to the other’s yang. and I loved reading through both of their eyes. I really enjoyed seeing them slowly open up to each other.

She Gets the Girl made me burst out laughing and also had me crying. It was just an all around wonderful story and I’m so glad I read it. I highly encourage everyone to give this one a go!

4.5 stars

This was such a fun read, a modern Cyrano de Bergerac, and I love that it was co-written by Rachael Lippincott and her wife. Alex was a real mess from the outside, and I totally saw her girlfriend's point of view, but after really getting to know Alex, I started pulling for her all the way. I also loved her love of books and how the library was a place of safety and peace. Molly was also kind of a mess, and I loved seeing her come out of her shell. She was not quite as interesting as Alex for me, although I did like how they included her mom's issues (both good and bad) and how it may or may not have contributed to her own anxieties. Her brother was also really cool. Alex and Molly's relationship kind of took a long time to develop and then it was slightly rushed at the end, but having married my best friend in college, I was kind of able to identify with that. I do love that they really identified with each other as best friends first. If there's one thing that could have been done better, I would say it was the pacing. But I was thoroughly entertained and I ended up tearing through the book pretty quickly. And honestly, Lippincott has a way of writing characters that I get to really like so I was definitely shedding tears at the end, not just with Alex and Molly, but also with Alex and her boss and her mom. I really enjoyed reading this ARC, but I wouldn't mind listening to it again in the future on audio.

One other thing I wanted to add is that I love the cover and it refers to one of my favorite scenes in the book.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4.5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐️✨
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Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book! This is my honest review, all views are my own.
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She Gets the Girl is a super cute sapphic college romance involving Molly, who’s inexperienced with love and hopelessly pining after her high school crush, and Alex, who’s trying to prove to her girlfriend that she can be a good person. Alex realizes she can help set up Molly and her crush while earning brownie points, and she hatches a five step plan for Molly to follow—with coaching from Alex herself, of course! What could possibly go wrong?
In complete and utter honesty: this book reads as though the authors made a self-insert college-AU. And that’s because they did. HOWEVER. This is not a bad thing!! In contrast, it makes it all the more adorable—I mean, who wouldn’t want to write about themselves falling in love with their college sweetheart all over again (but this time, adding some fun plot magic)? Setting that relevant detail aside, the book itself was very fun, what with the college setting and the main characters trying to help each other get their respective girls… while simultaneously falling for each other. The plot was fast-paced and I liked how it distanced the different important scenes… although, I wish we got an epilogue or some bonus chapter to really tie things up with some tooth-rotting fluff. That’s the romantic in me, I suppose! Speaking of the romance, I loved both Alex and Molly. They were very distinct characters and I loved seeing their interactions. Despite the fact that I relate to Molly a tad bit more (it’s the anxiety and overthinking for me), I definitely could understand Alex’s point of view, and I was rooting for the both of them the whole way through. They certainly come with their own issues and baggage, but ultimately the couple fits in really well. In reference to the supporting cast: I’m glad that the authors show the characters’ respective “dream girls” as flawed, but not blatantly so. For example, Cora is a sweet girl, but by the end of the book, it becomes very apparent that she is simply not the right fit for Molly. This is, of course, sprinkled throughout the book, but that’s the audience’s perspective with the knowledge of who is the end-goal couple, so obviously Molly doesn’t know that until— well, you’ll see! The rest of the supporting cast also does its job well, including the family and family figures. My one gripe comes from the aforementioned desire for an epilogue as well as a minimizing of pop culture content (I’m a fan only when in moderation; there’s a couple of heavy-handed references that I didn’t love, like the reference to BookTok).
She Gets the Girl is a lighthearted college romance that should definitely be more normalized in the publishing industry—the New Adult / college-aged demographic is in high demand! I loved the “how to get the girl” coaching spin, kind-of-fake dating scenario, and it really adds to this book’s appeal. And to top it all off, we love the lesbian representation!! Adorable, 4.5 stars.

This ended up being a DNF for me at 34%. The writing is good, the characters are well-developed, but I just didn't connect with the voice. I also found myself rooting for the main characters to get together with the the girls they're in love with at the beginning of the book, rather than with each other. It's a good book but not for me.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this book. This was a fun and edgy college romance with love triangles and an unlikely friends to lovers vibe. The characters had depth and felt whole. While the romance was fun and fresh, some of the race issues seemed forced and poorly handled. Still a fun read.

I don’t want to start out my review by writing “dnf 35%”, because people will think of it as a bad thing, as a sign the book isn’t good enough for me to finish.
However, that is not the case.

I don’t usually read contemporary or romance books, simply because they aren’t my cup of tea. But when I saw this book I just *had* to read it. Maybe a sapphic romcom would convert me to the romance side.

And it… kinda did?

This book is so much fun to read. I am thoroughly enjoying it. However, I am a mood reader, and lately I haven’t been reading much at all. Mix that together and I’m just not in the mood for a romance book. I am 100% going to continue this book later, but I am unable to finish it within this time limit.

You should read this book if you like romcom movies, and want a book with those same vibes, but gayer!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. I absolutely adored this book. I tore through it in about 3 hours. I couldn’t put it down and now I’m so sad it’s over. Almost every single character in this book was just so lovable - I truly couldn’t get enough and am hoping the authors maybe keep writing in this world, so we get more of Alex and Molly and all of the secondary characters.

This is a story about expectations.  Alex Blackwood and Molly Parker are opposites in almost every way but one -- they are both freshmen at the same college.  Alex is a consummate flirt, can talk to anyone, and lives her life always on the edge of chaos.  Molly, on the other hand, is happy when she can organize things, is best friends with her mom, and has trouble talking with anyone her age, especially Cora Myers -- the girl from her high school she has been in love with for years even though they have never spoken.

When Alex and Molly inadvertently cross paths the night before the beginning of classes, they realize they may be able to help each other out.  Alex wants to prove to her most recent ex that she can be trusted to do more than flirt with other girls and actually be just friends with them so the ex will agree to get back together.  Molly needs help figuring out how to get her high school crush Cora, now also a freshman at their college, to notice her and maybe even go out on a date.  So the two agree to join forces on a five-step plan that they hope will end with Molly and Cora together and Alex back with her ex.  But the more time they spend with each other, they each wonder if who they should really be with is not their "dream girl" but each other.

This was a fun read.  Alex and Molly were such distinct characters.  In the hands of the two authors, they are fully realized.  As readers, we get a strong sense of their strengths, their flaws, their hopes, and their insecurities.  I thought some of the strongest parts of the story came when either Alex or Molly learned they had made assumptions or underestimated the other, and their relationship, and feelings, grew as a result.  The slow burn between the two main characters, as they slowly realize their dream partners are more dream than reality, was well crafted.  This is a both sweet and funny book that you won't regret picking up.

Highly recommended!

A fast, cute sapphic romance perfect for young adults. While the path to the ending is a bit silly–it's okay to like someone else better! you don't have to nitpick differences to justify it!–the epiphany is so quick and easy!–it's an incredibly sweet book with moments of real growth. I hope these spouses keep writing together because I think their voices blend well, and that they are good at mixing flawed people with tropes and coming up with heart.

I loved this book! It was so fun, and sweet, and I loved how the romance was portrayed just as a heterosexual romance would be. The main characters were relatable, and funny, and I loved the portrayal of different home dynamics in the books. It was a really touching story that made me smile, and I hope everyone else loves it too!

I got an ARC of this book.

This book was cute, but it isn’t exactly the most memorable. I probably will not remember that I read this in a few weeks, despite mostly enjoying myself while reading. I think it comes down to the way that none of the plots really felt like they had impact.

There were a few side plots to flesh out the MCs. Alex’s mom is an alcoholic. So her side plots have to do with her fear over her mother. These plots felt realistic to some degree, but also had some very large plot holes. How was Alex able to set up all the bill stuff if her mother couldn’t go more than 19 hours without a drink? Where was the money that paid for the rent/mortgage on the house? There were quite a few issues with money, like Alex just would randomly drop money on things like expensive coffee at the cafe and constantly be eating at 7-11. It just felt like there were some issues with the plot. It was the more impactful plot and the one that actually got fleshed out of the two though. The other is Molly’s mom is ashamed to be Korean. She actively pushes away Korean people and says all the racist stuff that white people do. Yet that plot is not explored. It appears around food, then in a phone call. There is no resolution, no real emotions. It felt very thrown on and handled poorly.

The idea that fantasy and reality are different was amazing. The more that the idea of fantasy and how you don’t really know someone just by watching them played out the more happy I was with the book. That plot alone was worth reading the book for.

The voices in the split narrative were distinct! I was so worried. Not many authors can pull off the voices being different enough to matter. I was able to put the book down in the middle of the chapter and come back days later to know exactly who was speaking.

Overall, it was cute but it didn’t really wow me. I enjoyed some aspects of it immensely, but then others felt thrown on or handled poorly.

Okay but this book was the cutest sapphic romcom ever?!?!?! I’m obsessed with the author-wives on tiktok and their book did not disappoint. Dreams, goals, etc. Loved.

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

She Gets the Girl is a wonderful coming of age novel. It is told in duel-perspective from two different college freshman at Pitt. The girls come from very different backgrounds, yet have a lot of similarities. They both have struggled in the friend department for most of their lives.

Through a plan for each girl to get the girl, these two freshman embark on a journey neither one of them expected, opening up in ways unimaginable before this moment. The novel shows what it can be like for college freshman and the growth that happens in just a few months of being away from home.

Overall, Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick did an excellent job writing this fun novel! Highly recommend checking it out.

4.5/5

Alex & Molly!
I really enjoyed this book! The sapphic enemies to lovers romcom trope is everything I never knew I needed in my life!
This Is a love story, yes, but it's really a lot deeper. The content was real, relatable and deals with some heavy stuff. TW- alcoholism, internalized racism, emotionally abusive relationships, social anxiety. I wish the authors would have wrapped up some of the issues with Molly and her mom, I feel like some of her internalized race issues were left unresolved.
I absolutely loved the character development in this book! I don't think I can say that loud enough. Alex and Molly really grew throughout the book and it was so fun going with them on that ride!
The college setting was fun, and a perfect fit for the story.
I really thought this book would be another fluffy fake dating romance, but it was so much more.... and BONUS-Rachel Lippincott wrote it with her WIFE! I love it when authors come together to write books, and writing a romance with your wife is goals!
Thank you @simonandschuster & @netgalley for my copy of this book!
She Gets the Girl is out April 5th, so mark your calendars and set your alarms. You will want to pick up this cute book!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
She Gets the Girl caught my eye based on the premise, and while I had heard about Rachael Lippincott’s work as a coauthor on the polarizing Five Feet Apart (which I admittedly have not read), and that did give me some pause, the concept of this one seemed much more fun with less potential for controversy. And I was especially hyped when I heard this was a collaboration with her wife, Alyson Derrick, also serving as Derrick’s debut. Regardless of premise, I find that real-life couples working together on romance always makes the book feel more personal and real, and that definitely comes across in this one.
Overall, the tone starts off fairly lighthearted, in typical romcom fashion, and while it goes to more emotional places as the story builds, it never loses its sense of itself. There’s also a great setup that blends some familiar romcom tropes, while also injecting a freshness to it that keeps the story interesting.
Alex and Molly are opposites, with Alex being chaotic and flirty, while Molly is more controlled, yet awkward. Yet, both of them find themselves in similar-ish situations of wanting another girl’s attention, so each enlists the other to help with tactics to win them over/back.
The great part was not only in watching them truly “see” each other, but also grow and find themselves. Each of them has fatal flaws that make them hard to like at times, and I appreciate the way it’s balanced so both need to change. And the way that’s also balanced with them dealing with the growing pains of being in their first year of college, and the fact that that facilitates their growth, is also well depicted.
I liked how the relationship development was prominent, while also being a slow-simmering burn that leaves you wanting, without leaving you hanging and wondering. You get a sense of the connection that’s building between emotionally in tandem with their respective personal arcs, and it feels incredibly real and like it has a lot of lasting potential in a way I can’t always say about many contemporary couplings, in YA or adult.
This is a sweet and heartfelt read, and I’m interested to explore more from both authors, especially any possible future collaborations. If you’re looking for a sapphic romcom with emotional depth, you should try this one.

'She Gets the Girl' is one of my favorite YA romances I've read in recent years. Filled with the best kind of tropes and clichés, Molly and Alex meet their freshman year of college and don't exactly click. Molly is shy, introverted and desperately trying to make friends and get her longtime crush to notice her. Alex is a habitual flirt and (seemingly) can't be vulnerable with anyone she dates. The two strike up a deal to help Molly get her girl--the certainly don't expect to actually become friends.

Through Alex's coaching, the two girls begin to realize there's more to the other than meets the eye. While there are plenty of funny and sweet scenes, there's also very real discussions and descriptions of experiences with alcoholism and internalized racism. It hits just the right notes of funny, romantic and emotional.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Schuster Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book! It was really cute. I found the characters very enjoyable. I look forward to whatever else this author will write in the future.

This book feels like it was meant for me to read it. Lesbians! Practice dating! Annoyance turned fondness turned maybe something more (?)! All my favorite things, bundled up in 384 pages.

She Gets the Girl follows two college freshman — Alex and Molly — who form an unlikely friendship while really discovering who they are and what they need. Where Molly is hesitant to take risks on… everything (least of all romance), Alex is charismatic, flirty, confident. But this is the start of college, and both Molly and Alex are determined to be different.

I started really relating to Molly. Her experiences aren’t exactly like mine, but her social ineptitude I could FEEL! (Y’all, I am such an awkward person.) By the time I reached the middle of the book, though, I really started connecting more to Alex. Both of our protagonists had such authentic experiences and attitudes. I loved watching them interact in my head. Their chemistry was clear, even (and especially) when they were simply friends or acquaintances.

Alex and Molly were also such solid characters on their own. Their home lives were nuanced, and in the case of Alex’s life, watching her open up to her own feelings and share them with Molly was such a wonderful thing to read.

I loved the overall ambiance of the book, too. I usually don’t really notice much about the environment, but looking back I really had such a nice image in my mind. It’s not exactly cozy, but it felt familiar? Not the place necessarily, but the VIBES. This writing works SO well for me (honestly, if you like YA, this is perfect).

The story itself left me feeling complete. I think sometimes romance books go too far and show a bit too much of the “honeymoon” phase of the relationship, but (no spoilers, don’t worry!!) I felt like it was exactly the amount I needed to end the story. Nothing extra, and no real reasons to want more — besides just… loving everything about it.

This is now one of my go-to YA sapphic romances (and in the romance genre in general). I really think everyone who gives this book a chance will find themselves in the story in some way.

Alex and Molly seem to be polar opposites but strike up a friendship when Alex agrees to help Molly get the girl of her dreams.

This rom com is ripe for a movie adaptation as it is replete with cute moments and tropes the make it easy to visualize. I enjoyed the college setting and the inclusion of some meaty subplots dealing with issues of parental alcoholism and codependent relationships. The escalation of the romance itself seemed abrupt but felt earned by the end.

Finally something cute and less traumatic unlike my previous reads. An easy and sweet, coming of age read; enemies to lovers troupe, dual POVs. It was predictable but I still enjoyed it. I also love that this was written by wives.

I like the progression between the two main characters throughout the book specifically Molly’s social anxieties. I can also relate to Molly’s mom being an overtly involved parent in their children’s social life. Lol.

My actual favorite character in the book is Jim, the food truck owner. You’ll definitely like the banter.

I received this ARC from @netgalley for an honest review.