Member Reviews
I love Mazey Eddings, and her first YA offering is so lovely. Tilly heads to Europe to intern with her sister for a summer, ready to leave her complicated relationship with her parents behind. She meets Oliver, sparks fly, etc.
These two neurodivergent kiddos are so cute, and the writing is so compassionate and fully of feelings. Will read everything by this author!
Mazey Eddings has such a magical way of writing not only neurodivergent characters, but the way the world and people around them respond to them and inform their worldview. The ADHD and autism representation was fantastic and watching Tilly and Oliver fall in love and appreciate each other and their emotional and mental needs was so heartwarming. I'm so glad teens will have this kind of mental health representation.
Tilly in Technicolor is a MUST READ! YA but appropriate for adults too.
Tilly has ADHD affecting mostly executive function. It’s hard to follow/stand at the beginning but that’s the point. It’s great to have an inside look on how her brain works and what makes sense to her.
Tilly’s Mom tries to help by giving guidance but unnecessarily puts pressure on Tilly to fit into a mold, which she may not fit into. Also, the comparison between siblings is unfair and puts pressure on both Tilly and her sister, Mona.
When Tilly gets the chance to intern at her sister’s startup in Europe for the summer, she jumps at the chance – the flight there is hilarious and probably overdone but also probably realistic for someone with ADHD.
Oliver is her seatmate on the plane and ends up being her co-intern. He sees the world through colors and is very fixated on them. Everything is described in color and helps him understand the world.
These neurodiverse characters are so much than their diagnoses. At first, both are cautious about sharing their diagnoses but once they do, they connect on a different level and use different methods to understand each other. This is a beautiful story of self-discovery, accepting who you are, exploring the world, keeping an open heart and mind and so much more!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press / NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a DARLING read. A poignant love story about two neurodivergent young adults navigating a world that sometimes feels overwhelming. It's inspiring, uplifting, and wholesome. Closed-door romance, and safe for younger teen readers. Covers atypical career path, sibling comparison, parental expectation, stimulation coping and much more. LGBTQIA+ friendly. Great messages on living and accepting your authentic self.
While this is shelved as YA, it's a great read for anyone looking to understand life through the lens of someone living with ADHD and/or autism. A solid 5* and I heartily recommend!
Tilly in Technicolor was a fun read! I enjoyed the peak into neurodiverse minds with Tilly's ADHD and Oliver's autism. Oliver's chapters were honestly my favorite. The book takes place over the summer as the two travel across Europe as interns for a nail polish company. It follows the forced proximity trope of romcoms to create a sweet little love story. The conflict is mainly internal for Tilly as she battles her brain, her mother's expectations, and her need to find purpose. I didn't love the big conflict at the end of the book. It seemed a little thrown together--like the author needed something to add drama and a quick, unthought-out decision by the MC was their solution.
Tilly feels like a real person. Her accidents and crazy thoughts were relatable. Oliver was sweet and kind. I wanted more of Mona, but understand why she was a secondary character.
Overall, this would be a fun, summer beach trip read. I can see many teen girls enjoying this novel. It may even be a book that gets them hooked on reading. It has similar vibes to Anna and the French Kiss. For me, I enjoyed reading it, but it's a one and done.
I LOVED THIS! I am salivating over Tilly and Oliver and Tilly and Oliver TOGETHER! I cannot say enough about how carefully Mazey Eddings handles her characters and their neurodivergence. This is a laugh out loud comedy that I could not get enough of. Their struggles felt incredibly authentic and I loved that they got to fully explore what it meant to be themselves during their own summer. The voices in this book felt very distinct. I cannot say enough about this book. The meet-disaster is something I will remember forever. Thank you Mazey! Hats off to you
There’s something about the way that Mazey Eddings writes that above all, truly gets you in your soul. Tilly in Technicolor is yet another shining example of her writing just hitting you in every feel imaginable. Straight from the dedication, this book is a heartwarming journey.
Tilly and Oliver are neurodivergent teens who after a not so great first meeting, are interning at the same company. The more time they spend together (in close quarters), the more they start to realize how similar they are. This of course blossoms into an amazing relationship that I couldn’t get enough of. The way that they support each other’s interests is just amazing.
I also wanted to give a special shout-out for this book having the best chapter titles. Personally I’m “Chapter 14: Crying in the Bathroom (Taylor’s Version).”
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Mazey 's adult contemporary romance series, and was so excited to receive an ARC of her YA debut. Many thanks to Mazey, @stmartinspress , @wednesdaybooks and @netgalley for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a story of neurodivergent teen love; Ollie is an autistic content creator and photographer, while Tilly is a recent high school grad with ADHD, who loves to write. They have different experiences of their neurodivergence, and it comes out in their meet-cute on a plane, how they interact with others, and their surrounding world. Their frank discussions about their experiences (and where those experiences are similar or different from the other), felt like a weighted blanket: warm, snug, and safe.
Their interiority, especially as romantic feelings develop, felt like Mazey jumped into my brain as she wrote. The challenge to identify the emotion, whether that emotion is good or not, and whether to share it...it's vulnerable, and sincere on both parts. The depth of the thoughts and feelings when they do come out... It's me.
And the romance 😍. It's sweet, and deep. The sex is closed door (because YA), but the tension is chef's kiss. Their special interests and hyperfocus make for profound moments of discovering things about each other, like the exact color of one's freckles and the other 's eyelashes.
It's a book everyone should read. Be ready for the profound moments, but also laughter, tears, and major swooning pertaining to color swatches.
CW: ableism (internal and external, both condemned by the author).
This book releases in August, 2023
*ARC REVIEW*
Mazey Edding's YA debut was SO incredibly delightful. Tilly in Technicolor follows Tilly, an effervescent young adult with ADHD who is spending the summer as an intern for her sister's nail polish company in Europe. Luckily for her the summer consists of multiple city stops and a lot of exploring.
Tilly's experience starts off rocky when her first plane ride seems to go wrong in every way. She isn't in the window seat, she isn't given enough ketchup, and she is stuck next to a jerk. She thinks her time of misery is over until she finds out the glum seat mate is also interning with her sister. We meet Oliver and learn that he has autism. He loves color and has a methodical approach for how he lives life.
The reader is lucky enough to see Tilly and Oliver fall in love. They complement each other so beautifully and it really is magical to read.
Neurospicy rep, travel, familial healing and a beautiful love story all make this novel so fantastic
A must read. It is official that whenever Mazey writes, I read.
It took less than 20% of this book for Tilly and Oliver to nestle into the softest spot in my heart. The other 80% was simply to embed themselves there permanently. I don’t read a ton of YA, but this book is a reminder that just because I’m not a teen anymore doesn’t mean these stories can’t connect with me. Plus, at this point I’d basically read the phone book if Mazey Eddings wrote it. She has a such an authentic way of sharing these stories of characters who are so strong in ways that a lot of people wouldn’t understand unless they spent these pages learning all those ways. Tilly and Ollie each have to navigate the world in a different way than the other, but they find so much understanding and encouragement and tenderness with each other. It’s a beautiful, wonderful thing. I adored everything about this book, and I think it is really going to speak to so many people when they read it.
Setting: all over Europe
Rep: female MC with ADHD; autistic male MC
This was sweet and a great YA debut! I have a bit of a love-hate with this author - I've loved half and DNF'd half - but this falls into the first category. Great authentic ADHD and autistic rep and I loved the way Oliver talks about colour and sees it everywhere, and it was great to have a variety of settings as the book takes place on a trip across Europe.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars rounded up.
I love Mazey Eddings and her YA debut did not disappoint. I especially enjoyed the neurodiverse and LGBTQIA+ representation. The story is fast paced, cute, and the characters showed both depth and growth. It's definitely a sweet love story that shouldn't be missed.
Mazey Eddings has once again written a book that expresses what it's like to navigate the world with a neurodivergent mind. As a teen librarian I am so excited that she has extended her writing to YA and cannot wait to get this in the hands of my high schoolers.
Tilly can't help but be her exuberant, lovely, clumsy self. Throughout this book she learns how she can take these wonderful and sometimes less appreciated parts of her personality and channel them into positive, productive outcomes. Her biggest hurdle is her family, but her travels in Europe give her the inspiration she needs to spread her wings.
As a contrast to Tilly, Oliver comes from a very healthy family who help him navigate life with autism in a healthy way. His interactions with Tilly bring on a new haul of emotions.
As far as sexual content goes (because unfortunately we are in an era where it's nearly the first thing we have to look at before we purchase a book in a Texas school) - Eddings does a great job of giving a glimpse of the closeness that these two have without giving a play-by-play lesson. It definitely passes our current district guidelines for sexual content. (Eddings' adult novels have beautiful, hot scenes, but do not worry - she handles the YA level perfectly).
Thank you so much for the ARC!!
Tilly in Technicolor is the first YA book written by Mazey Eddings. This story is about two neurodiverse people coming together as they travel around Europe for work together. Tilly has ADHD and is off to Europe to work as an intern for her older sister Mona who owns her own nail polish company, Ruhe, that she is trying to push out to market. OIiver is autistic and has an eye for various colors, able to identify the Pantone number based on the color he sees. Oliver is hired as a photographer to help with Ruhe’s social media presence.
When the two meet for the first time they find themselves in a rocky situation on an airplane, oblivious that they will come together and end up working with one another this entire summer. As the summer goes on they become closer due to their close proximity with one another…so close they’re sharing a room as they travel from hotel to hotel. As they spend more time they end up learning more about each other, their vulnerabilities and goals for their future. Tilly has a goal to become a writer and has been looked down upon by her mom that is encouraging her to go the college route. But as Tilly pursues her passion through a personal blog more opportunities arise for herself.
I enjoyed reading about these characters and seeing how they interact with one another. Despite the self doubt that Tilly experiences she pushes herself to really go after things that she wants for herself. I was able to see her perspective on situations as a character with ADHD and everything was written as Tilly thinks. You’re able to see her thought process and see something from her point of view.
I rate this book 3/5 stars and enjoyed the book. It was a little on the slower side compared to Mazey Eddings other Adult books but I did still like it.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!
Thank you so much to Mazey and st. Martin's Press for this ARC, it was enjoyed thoroughly! This is my second Mazey book and I am hooked. HOOKED. Tilly in Technicolor is an amazing read, it was so cute and helped deal with autism and ADHD in a way I have not seen yet. While I don't have these specific struggles (I have diagnosed OCD) I could FEEL myself being uncomfortable when TIlly or Oliver were. The writing was that good. It was also so funny, the plane scene at the start of the book had me DYING. I woke my husband up laughing. I loved how we explore Tilly through her writing and seeing and feeling her feels. I am so happy for the ending, and when you read it you will too. Overall a cute, fluffy, feel great read. If you liked The Plus One, and love YA reads, you need to add this ASAP to your list. It is a must read in 2023!
4.5/5
"Pantone 12- 1305, Heavenly Pink. All of a sudden I'm convinced the colour was named only after Tilly gifted it to the world."
This is me once again asking Mazey Eddings to publish her grocery list because I can guarantee it would be a work of art.
Read this book for:
-a not so meet cute
-really great neurodivergent/ADHD and Autism rep
-opposites attract
-wholesome YA romance
Within the first few chapters I was laughing and gasping out loud. Mazey excels at writing humour that is realistic to each of her characters (the ketchup, dry heaving etc.)
She is someone who knows her characters so well. She knows their boundaries, what makes them tick, and the lengths they will go to get what and who they want. She is a truly talented writer.
I loved Tilly and Olivers relationship. They got off to a rocky start but it quickly became a friendship that maybe develops into something more (you'll have to read it to find out). I loved that each character experienced growth on their own while also growing together. Their communication skills and the way they worked on how to meet the others needs made me incredibly happy.
Tilly’s mom is the reason for my villain origin story but I’m glad Tilly stood up for herself!!
There were some parts where the pacing felt off but overall this book was absolutely amazing and I recommend it to literally anyone and everyone who is looking for a wholesome YA romance!! I cannot wait to see what Mazey Eddings gets up to in the future!!
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book early in exchange for an honest review! I actually screamed when I got approved to read this one so I was so excited that I loved it. Wow. Mazey Eddings knocked it out of the park with this one. Eddings always writes books that portray her real experiences and she does such a good job with it. Her books always make me feel like I know her characters on a personal level and I really admire that about her writing. Writing about these things isn't easy, yet she does it amazingly. Two neurodivergent teens end up working together on an internship and end up finding out a lot about themselves on the way. I loved how many lessons were taught in this book. Not only to the two main characters but also to Tilly's mom. She really drove me crazy for a while (however, her behavior was very accurate to real life) and I'm glad that she sort of redeemed herself in the end.
It was a nice journey for the characters and I loved where the story took me. The author did an amazing job saying honest to the people and who they were. It was an enjoyable ride.
There were moments that seemed to drag and the timeline seemed off in some sections with time flying by faster then I expected but overall worth a read.
Not gonna lie, I think autistic person x ADHD person is my favourite pairing.
This was my 4th Mazey Eddings book, and I think I already said in my last review that I thought it would be safe to call her a favourite author, but she definitely is one now! If you don't end up loving Tilly and Oliver, I just don't know what to tell you. This is such a fun and adorable YA romance, and their trip around Europe only added to the fun.
I especially loved and appreciated how the romance didn't automatically make the characters communicate smoothly, and falling in love never erased their neurodivergence, which I feel is sometimes the case. No matter how much you love a person, and no matter how connected you feel to them, that doesn't erase communication struggles or sensory issues, and I really appreciated how carefully that was shown here. I loved that the characters took care to learn how the other communicates.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I was impressed by Mazey Eddings’s adult romance debut A Brush with Love but for me her voice shines even more in this adorable & also emotionally striking YA contemporary romance, Tilly in Technicolor.
Mazey captures so well the feeling of not belonging / not feeling free to be oneself & how critical putting yourself into new experiences, putting yourself out there, being yourself, can be to your own happiness…& maybe it will allow you to find and appreciate happiness with someone else too.
The neurodivergence rep, the story of recent high school graduates, Tilly and Oliver—the former trying to figure out her path forward—, the leads’ bad initial impression of each other, & some adventures in different European cities results in a book that really had me smiling on the inside & also feeling so happy by the end.
There’s one moment in particular where Oliver realizes that unlike other people, Tilly is actually into his interests, like the color of a door, that is particularly lovely.
Though I wanted more in regards to Tilly’s relationship with her overbearing, often toxic mom—the resolution is a bit hasty for me—everything else is basically pitch perfect. I’m really glad this book was written!
5⭐️. Out 08/15.
CWs: Overbearing, overmanaging, dismissive mom; lack of understanding & even cruelty from others regarding neurodivergence.
[ID: a white hand wearing a brown glove holds the ebook in front of a mural with a girl’s face, bright colors, & the words “This girl can.”]