Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings. Pub Date: August 15, 2023. Rating: 4 stars. If you've ever felt "different" but did not know how you were different or what to do about that difference, then this book is for you. This novel has great characters that represent being on the spectrum so well. This novel is a story to make the reader feel seen, heard and understood if you are neurodivergent. It's okay to be different and to celebrate those differences because they make you unique. I really appreciated this novel! Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my gosh, you guys, this book.
THIS BOOK.

Tilly in Technicolor has been on my list of anticipated 2023 releases because a summer romance about two neurodiverse teens sounded too good to pass up. Then I realized this "Mazey Edding's YA debut," not like actual debut, and got a little nervous because Maze Eddings and I did not get off on the best foot, but by that point it was too late because I'd snagged a copy when Wednesday Books had it as "Read Now" and now I was committed.

But this is why you give authors another chance because sometimes they surprise you with a book so completely unlike the first one you read that you have to stop and ask Google, "is this the same person?" YA debut, indeed.

But you all didn't come here to read about my random thoughts, you're here to read about (my random thoughts on) Tilly in Technicolor.

"My brain isn't broken. I don't need a cure. I just need compassion."

First things first. I came for the neurodiverse rep and, wow, did Mazey Eddings deliver. She invites us into the lives of people with ADHD and autism by giving us glimpses of both the beauties and challenges of navigating the world with a neurodivergent brain. Granted, there's only so much that can be addressed in a 300+ page YA novel, but I think Eddings did a great job of helping readers look past the common misconceptions and stereotypes. In her acknowledgements, she calls this "a love letter to neurodivergent brains," and it really does feel that way. She writes about ADHD and autism in ways that are really honest and human, and even if you aren't neurodivergent, Tillie and Ollie's desire to be seen, loved, and accepted is still really relatable. I particularly liked exploring the strained dynamic between Tillie and her mom whose passive aggressive comments and well-intended hovering complicates their relationship and wish we'd gotten to see her relationship with both her mom and her seemingly perfect neurotypical sister developed more.

I'm not a huge fan of alternating POVs because I think it's overused and because I may or may not have read one too many stories where the POVs are indistinguishable, but this is one of the rare cases where I actually loved having two different narrators. Eddings not only gives us two voices that are distinct, but she also gives us two voices that are likable. I am Gollum and Tilly and Ollie are my precious children, too innocent and pure for this world (beach scene notwithstanding.)

After a spectacularly disastrous meet-ugly, we get a light, sweet romance that's pretty much everything you want from a summery YA romance, but it's made that much better because of the little idiosyncrasies Tillie and Ollie's neurodivergence adds to their relationship. While the romance was fun, I do think it was rushed a little bit--especially when you consider the fact that neither of them have been in a relationship (Tillie hasn't even been in an actual friendships) before. The speed at which they progress from dislike to having sex and making big life decisions because of "love" feels a little insta-lovey, and I wish the relationship had been more nuanced and developed more.

While I enjoyed the book as a whole, I do have a few miscellaneous issues with the story. Tilly and Oliver go traipsing through Europe, and we don't really get to see any of it. I personally don't see how you can take your protagonists through Europe and not show your readers any of it? Rude. There are some formatting issues that'll I'm hoping only exist because eARCs don't always convert over to Kindles well, but there's no distinction between the narration and excerpts of Tilly's writing, which makes the reading experience unnecessarily confusing at times. There's also this whole big thing about these clogs that Tillie buys that doesn't really seem to fit into the story really well (while we're on the topic of destructive items, did the window ever get fixed??). In general, I think the pacing gets a little rushed as the story moves towards the climax, and I don't think we get as satisfying of a resolution at the end as we could because of it. I personally hate the third act break-up trope, but like, if you're going to do it, at least do it well. Unfortunately, I don't think it's done particularly well in Tilly in Technicolor. I mean, the whole issue is resolved so quickly, it's like what's even the point?

Little quibbles aside, Tilly in Technicolor really is such a delight to read. I'm not going to say everyone needs to go out a read it, but really, if you don't, that's your loss 🤷🏻‍♀️

As I get older, I'm definitely getting away from reading YA, but I'm really glad that I gave this one a chance because it was really sweet. Tilly and Oliver were great together, and their connection was so sweet. The representation in this book was amazing!

Mazey said it herself: Tilly in Technicolor is a love letter to neurodivergent brains. I feel like I’ve gotten so much insight into what it means to be neurodivergent, but I know I’ve only scratched the surface. I can’t wait to read more stories like this! This book is a warm hug and little dose of reassurance to young adults (or even us older adults) that don’t have it all “figured out.” Traveling along with recent high school graduates Tilly and Oliver through Europe while they discover want they want is so fun, refreshing, and eye-opening! Tilly is one of the funniest characters I’ve read in a while; if she was real I’d be begging to be best friends 🤣 The love story between her and Oliver is so sweet. There’s a sort of reverence in the way they love each other and I swooned the entire book!

I asked to read this book and was amazingly given the copy to read!
I was in LOVE with “The Plus One” so I figured anything Mazey writes must be amazing!
The representation in this book was excellent.
The only issue I had was that it felt a bit rushed.
I loved watching our Tilly grow!

Oops, very late to actually writing this review. This exploration of ADHD x autism love was realistic and I loved the way the two characters cared for each other. It did have a little of the feel good career opportunity that in no realistic way would pay the bills, but it was fun.

I really wanted to love this one because I'm always looking for more autism rep to add to our high school library collection but this one just didn't do it for me. There was a lot of people treating the FMC poorly and misunderstanding her--and not even trying to understand--that felt so frustrating. I think other readers wouldn't be as turned off by this but I felt like these microagressions, while realistic, were also triggering and frustrating and made me not want to continue reading. The plot didn't do much to convince me to stick with it --it was slow and didn't really feel like it was going anywhere. I ended up taking a break from it and then abandoning it altogether. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was cute, Quick easy read

I will be honest with yall in the ending killed this for me. That being said, the romantic pairing of neurodivergence's is a good representation of how things are.

ARC REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Tilly grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio in a nuclear family. Her parent’s fixation on traditional values is making her transition into adulthood less exciting and more anxiety ridden. Oliver, on the other hand, grew up in London, England. He along with his twin sister were raised by their two moms to value and appreciate the arts.

Working together at a small, start up company, Tilly and Oliver form an unlikely bond. While on paper the pair appear to be polar opposites, they quickly learn they share more commonalities than differences. When their summer internship comes to an end will the couple find a way to make their dreams come true, or will they be forced to return to reality as they know it?

Tilly in Technicolor is a refreshing, coming of age novel centered around two neurodivergent teens.

As someone who has had very little to no interaction with someone who is neurodivergent (that I am aware of), I wish I had found this book sooner!!! While it is not Mazey Eddings job to educate me or anyone else for that matter, on what it means to be neurodivergent, I will forever be thankful to her for penning Tilly in Technicolor. Not only did Eddings open my eyes to obstacles those with neurological differences face day in and day out, but she expanded my vocabulary. She introduced me to terms specifically used for someone on the autism spectrum and or with ADHD (stemming, masking, infodumping, etc).

As much as this is story about two neurodivergent young adults, it is also about finding one’s way. This book is a love letter to anyone struggling to find their place in this world.

Readers can also expect:
-dual POVs
-forced proximity
-first time love

Special thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and Mazey Eddings for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

*I ran out and bought a physical copy of this book for my personal collection! This is a story that needs to be reread and shared with as many people as possible.

This is the neurodiverse young adult book we all need. It felt very realistic! I loved seeing Tilly and Oliver work out their differences and how to communicate.

A very interesting read. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this book. It wasn't really for me, but I am sure that it will be loved by the right audience.

If you adore reading young adult romance book with great representation of ADHD, then you got to read this book. It's a sweet romance between Tilly and Oliver. Each of them personally go through something, but they each count on each other when feelings start to developing more.

"Tilly in Technicolor" by Mazey Eddings is a young adult romance that follows Tilly Twomley, a high school graduate with ADHD, and Oliver Clark, an autistic teen, as they intern for a startup and travel across Europe. Their journey explores neurodiversity, personal growth, and unexpected connections.

Eddings' portrayal of neurodivergent characters is authentic, offering insight into their experiences. As someone with ADHD, I found Tilly's challenges and coping mechanisms relatable, reflecting the daily realities of living with this condition. The European settings add charm, and the developing relationship between Tilly and Oliver is engaging. Overall, "Tilly in Technicolor" is an enjoyable read that sheds light on neurodiversity within a romantic storyline.

Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings is a vibrant and heartwarming story about self-discovery, neurodiversity, and unexpected romance. Tilly and Oliver’s journey across Europe is filled with laughs, tender moments, and personal growth. With its colorful characters and heartfelt themes, this book is perfect for fans of feel-good contemporary romance.

There is something very special about the way Mazey Eddings's crafts a story. This one packed a punch and one I think will resonate with a lot of young readers.

4/5

I couldnt help but finish this in almost one sitting!! I am obsessed with this book! The two main characters were so fun to get to know and the setting of the story had me so intrigued the entire time.

Tilly is excited to be traveling to Europe. She gets to work with her older sister, who she's not close to, but it's a chance to get out from under her mom's constant scrutiny of her future plans. She doesn't really know what's next now that she's graduated from high school.

Right out of a movie meet cute, Tilly is seated next to Oliver on the plane only to find out that he is also working for her sister this summer. The two of them were constantly and connected in a way that surprised them both.

This dual POV book switches frequently between Tilly and Oliver and I thought they were both interesting and likable characters. I especially liked the themes in this book about being yourself finding the things that you love and understanding that nobody is perfect. I also listened to this on audiobook and thought that the narrators did a really nice job.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for an honest review.

such a fun, lovely story!!! I loved seeing adhd rep in a teenage girl instead of the usual media portrayal of it in boys

I LOVED this book. I loved every single world. I related to Tilly's life in so many things. It has to be on of my favorite romance YAs I've had the pleasure of reading. I adore Tilly and Oliver with my heart.