I didn't have any preconceived notions of this book before I started reading other than it looked like a sweet YA novel, it was set in the UK (my Kryptonite) and it potentially had a bookish theme per the "Great Expectations" part of the title. Well, I was immediately drawn into this story, so richly told with such an authentic, vulnerable and relatable MC in Britt. It is completely, totally, wholeheartedly cute, fun and bookish, which just stole my heart.It's a travel book with a bookish quest, like yes, please I want one too! I'm so into this read from its unique and fun premise to its compelling language that makes it unputdownable. It's just so so so cute, fun, enjoyable and sweet. I just feel so warm and happy right now.

3.5 stars
This was fun! We follow Britt on a scavenger hunt through the UK as she encounters many real-life places that inspired the works of classic authors, like Jane Austen, Dickens, and C.S. Lewis, in order to win $100,000. I enjoyed this story, and perhaps my favorite part was going on the trips with Britt. I've never been to the UK, and since travel has been limited due to COVID, this was the perfect way to see these places without being there to see them in person. I really enjoyed all the literary references as well. Britt is a "retired" soccer player after she suffered an injury that led to a discovery that she can't play again, and this played a big part in how she sees herself and her experiences. We look a lot into her character, how she sees herself and how others do, which I also appreciated. Luke was a great love interest, the literary nerd of dreams, but other than the two main characters, we don't see much of the other competitors or members of Britt's life. The main issue I had with this book is one that I have with a lot of older-YA books, and it's that the characters don't act their ages. Britt is supposed to be 18, headed off to UCLA in the fall, but she reads like a 15 or 16 year old, if not younger. I would have liked for her to be more mature and reflective of her age. Barring that, though, if you're looking for a fun, literature-inspired travel story, I would recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Alright I really need to stop reading YA contemporary novels that feel weirdly personal. For someone who’s not a huge fan of the genre, I keep reading it and it keeps hitting home.

This book was sweet, fun, and cozy while still confronting the fear of the future in a meaningful way. Britt’s just had her life turned upside down, with the only constant in her life taken from her and her entire future in flux. Luke, too, finds his future up in the air when we meet him, and each of the three other competitors have their own struggles. It was so rewarding and so relatable, seeing Britt grapple with the future and learn to open up.

Was this cheesy? Absolutely. Could I have told you the outcome of the competition from the beginning? You bet. But none of that made the book any less enjoyable. Love and Other Great Expectations deals with classic literature and coming of age in such a fun and creative way—you really can’t go wrong with a competition plot.

And I’d be remiss without mentioning the romance! Luke and Britt’s banter was adorable, and their connection (and Britt’s rationalizations of it) felt very realistic to me. My dislike of insta-love had me wary about this, with the 10-day time limit, but I couldn’t have hoped for a better ending for the pair: optimistic and sweet, without being too all in or unbelievable.

Lately it has been hard for me to pick up a book and finish. But, this book has solved that problem. It was such a quick and fun read that I could not put down! The overall story was creative and I loved the characters. I would highly recommend this book to YA readers and personally can't wait to read more from this author!

Main Characters:
-- Britt Hanson – 18 years old, had plans to play soccer on scholarship at UCLA until she is sidelined by an injury and medical condition that pulls her permanently from playing competitive sports
-- Luke Jackson – 18 years old, just finished secondary school, loves literature, recently moved with his father from Oxford to London
-- Alexis – works for Britt’s English teacher, assigned as Britt’s chaperone for the scavenger hunt, also happens to be Luke’s cousin

I loved this book! Every once in a while, I like to dive into a Young Adult novel. They’re usually good clean fun, and this one had so many elements that I could lose myself in.

Britt Hanson is one of four students hand-selected by her English teacher Ms. Carmichael to compete in a scavenger hunt in the UK. The prize is $100,000, and we find out over the course of the book why each student was selected. In Britt’s case, we know it’s because she’s going to lose her soccer scholarship to UCLA because of a medical condition. The youngest of three kids, her dad left, her siblings are already well on their way to successful careers, and Britt has no idea what she’ll do without soccer. She’s determined to win the competition.

The scavenger hunt feels a lot like The Amazing Race, and as a huge fan of reality TV, I loved this. The students receive clues that they have to decipher, and there’s a task they have to complete at each location to receive the next clue. The difference between this and The Amazing Race is that the first to finish doesn’t win.

Each of the eight tasks the students will be given corresponds with a piece of classic literature that they covered in class. As a huge fan of literature (former English and psych minor here), I loved this part too. Ms. Carmichael tells the students that the competition is inspired by The Canterbury Tales. They have nine days to decipher all eight clues, complete the tasks, and record their experiences in a journal as a series of tales. Those journals would be turned in at the end of the nine days, and she would choose the winner from there.

Britt meets Luke at her very first task when she blocks a soccer ball from hitting him in the face at an orphanage. Britt is drawn to him because he’s attractive (of course), but she stays drawn to him because she likes how he sounds when he’s reading to kids at the orphanage. They have a fun and comfortable banter. When he drops some books from a bag and she sees The Canterbury Tales, she sees it as a sign and invites him to join her for the afternoon. One afternoon turns into the entire week traveling around the UK.

The author tells a great story here. It’s a young adult romance, so predictable, but there’s really nothing not to like. Britt has a sassy personality. Luke seems to understand her. Alexis (affectionately known as Al) acts like she’s unhappy with her role, but you know that she is not-so-secretly enjoying getting to know Britt along the way. And Britt and Luke both do a bit of self-discovery.

I knew how the story would end, but I enjoyed the ride to get there. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the eARC of the ebook! I found this to be a cute cozy read. I liked the use of classic British but in a fun way. It made me want to take a trip around the UK. At times Britt was a bit much but overall I really enjoyed it.

This is the perfect light hearted read, great for getting you out of a reading slump or something quick for summer.

Some of the characters were kinda stereotypical but I loved the story enough that I got over it. Britt is a bit of a pick me, but she has some character development throughout the book. Luke on the other hand *perfection* still kinda the stereotypical British boy but I still loved his character. It issss a YA novel so I feel like it’s expected.

If you’re a fan of English or classic literature of any kind this is the book for you. The scavenger hunt follows clues about Jane Austen, Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, etc.

This book is charming and delightful, and I enjoyed it immensely! It’s a contemporary YA novel about a competition in the UK based off of literary clues from classic British works. It’s such a fun story, and I loved every moment of reading it!

Britt is a people person who can talk to anyone, and she is a person of action. Her personality wasn’t at all what I expected, but she was perfect for the heroine, and I loved that she was unexpected! Luke enjoys books, and in one of his first scenes he talks about fairytales and why they’re important, so I immediately loved him as the hero. Both Britt and Luke enjoy helping people in different ways, and it was sweet to see that play out throughout the book.

There are wonderful themes in this book, including themes on how to live life, how to forgive, and how to figure out who you want to be. I loved the deeper layers to this story, and I appreciated how they were woven into the story! The banter is hilarious and well-written, and it was so much fun to follow the clues and to travel with Britt. The plot was entertaining and fun, and I enjoyed this story so much! I will be eagerly waiting for more books by Becky Dean!

5/5 stars!

Content:
Clean romance
No swearing

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Younger YA fans will love this adventure through the literary side of the UK. Super clean and brimming with teen banter and humor. The scavenger hunt was fun and there was plenty of growth for the characters along the way.

Britt and Luke had me laughing so much! After knee surgery and learning she has a blood clotting condition, Britt finds herself either unique opportunity to go on a literary themed scavenger hunt across the UK expenses paid, with the chance to win $100,000.00 which she now needs since she can’t go to college on a soccer scholarship anymore. Along the way Britt meets Luke who doesn’t help her with the hint (against the rules!) but helps her find something much more important. I absolutely loved this book and the journey it took and the growth we see not only in Britt, but in Luke and Al as well! It’s funny, witty and romantic!

Britt, overcoming a soccer injury, heads to the UK for a literature based scavenger hunt with a big money prize to the winner. While in the midst of the hunt, she falls for the cute, British Boy, Luke.

Aside from the ridiculousness of the contest, the story was cute. I did like Britt and her adventure.

Cute, quick read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This was a totally cute, sweet, clean read. With lots of traveling, adventure and a great coming of age story. I started and finished it in 1 day. I had to know how this would end.

I enjoyed reading this book. The book takes you on the quest that Brit must complete while exploring England. It felt like a breath of fresh air. I was immediately hooked from the first chapter. Like Brit, I found myself trying to figure out the clues and figure out what the trip was going to teach Brit. It was such a cute coming of age book.

Unfortunately I didn’t finish this book and probably won’t. I wasn’t vibing with any of the characters, and just couldn’t get into the story. I think the premise is super cute, and maybe in the future I’ll be able to pick it up again, but right now it was just a touch on the juvenile side for my liking. I typically love YA, but this one just doesn’t do it for me.

DNFed on page 114.

This was so good! Such a good idea. The ending was beautiful. The overall message really makes an impact and leads to lots of self reflection.

Scavenger hunt in the UK, cash prize, classmate competition, classic literature plugins, overcoming life’s difficulties.

Luke and Britt are adorable. You really dive into each character and learn so much about them in a short amount of time. These teenagers have dealt/are dealing with more than I have/will ever deal with. Reading about what they have gone through and how they are surviving is inspiring. By the end you KINDA want everyone to win a little bit- except Spence.

I also love Al. She is my spirit animal.

No spice- mom approved. Tension between Luke and Britt (kissing).

Special thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children’s publishing for this digital ARC.

Love & Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean follows the adventures of a teenage girl named Brittany Hanson, aka Britt, throughout England.

This book is so special because it drew me in from the very first page. The author created a relatable and interesting character without making her whiny or the typical teenager. Ms. Dean also created introspective dialogue between Britt and Luke without making me lose interest but instead making me examine events within my life and how they had affected me.

I didn't want this book to end. I truly felt I was in England the entire time while also learning more about some of my favorite books and authors of all time. The best part of the book to me was the massive plot twist! I never saw it coming!

Overall, I would give this book a 5/5 star and I hope that maybe the author will write a sequel one day because she is truly a gifted writer.

This is a sweet, clean YA romance about teenage adventures in Britain. As an English teacher, I loved all of the amazing references to class works!

While the story itself isn’t monumental, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one, and I think it’s the perfect summer YA book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

This book was adorable from start to finish. It had the quintessential coming of age story with Britt who has to internally redefine who she is by discovering different aspects of her life. Throw in a scavenger hunt with the cute Luke and this just had me from start to finish.

This was a fast-paced book filled with endearing moments between Britt and Luke and dialogue that had me grinning from ear to ear. I enjoyed that there was depth to their relationship and that these characters felt their age. The author didn’t need to “age them” or create incessant drama to make their story interesting. I wished so badly that I could have actually been along with them solving and hunting with them.

This was an enjoyable read for both younger and older adults, who especially had a soft spot adventure and classic literature. It’s a well rounded story with likeable characters and wonderful writing. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for the ARC

Love & Other Great Expectations is a great ya romance full of charm, love and a fun scavenger hunt. Britt always thought she'd play soccer in college but an injury sidelines her and her future. She has no money for her dream school and no chance at a scholarship now. When her English teacher announces a scavenger hunt around England with prize money for the winner Britt knows she has to give it a chance. She's not the best student and struggles with some of the literature clues. Then she meets very cute and knowledgable British boy named Luke. He offered to help her on her hunt. They set off to win the hunt but learn more about each other in the process. Such a charming charming book!

I picked up this book because at first glance the title really caught my attention. When the blurb mentioned the classics and a scavenger hunt I knew I was not going to miss out!!

This story is told in first person point of view and our protagonist is a graduating senior who has been dealt a very hard blow. Yet fate is on her side because she is offered the chance of a lifetime and with nothing to loose she dives all in!

I loved the way Becky Dean really dived into the classics. We got to learn about them through another character as well as see this characters growth as she discovered the true meaning of the stories and the authors behind them!

I really loved Britt she was flawed but discovered so much about herself and life. I really enjoyed the in depth view of some of milky favorite stories and the authors who penned them!!