As a 40+ year old adult (I say "adult" reluctantly... still not quite sure when that status feels real), it is a great pleasure to slip back in time via the pages of a good book. Reminiscing about life as an 18 year old with the next phases of life ahead, making big life choices. Tilly in Technicolor was such a pleasure to escape into. Tilly faces a myriad of choices about what direction her life will take, learning about herself along the way and I was fully invested in her story. Tilly leaves home for the first time to follow her big sister around Europe as a summer intern. She hasn't decided what she'll do now that high school is over, but this trip might just help her figure it all out... and who knows, maybe she'll fall in love along the way?! It was great to see neurodiversity and LGBTIA+ representation. Really fun read and I think this is a great YA for the older teens and up.

4.5 stars — My regret? That I didn’t read this earlier and faster so that I could have met Ms. Eddings in person this past weekend. Ah well.

Why is it that sometimes the hardest reviews to write are the really good ones?

The biggest thing I can say about this book is that I feel seen. While I don’t have an official ADHD/ADD diagnosis, I can categorically say that I have some kind of executive dysfunction up in this brain of mine…and I only even remotely saw it as a possibility in the last few years because of the awareness being spread on the internet. So seeing Tilly working through what it means for her, reading her wonderful thoughts on how her brain is different, and how she wishes the world would catch up and accept that different doesn’t mean bad? Oh yeah, that got me all in the feels (and had my highlighting finger a buzzin). And it wasn’t just Tilly’s neurodivergency, but reading from Oliver’s perspective as well. The thing that is so fascinating about NDs is that it varies so widely. So there were elements that I totally understood from a personal perspective, and there were elements that I was able to understand for the first time (and maybe see in people I know). It was an extremely strong part of the story, even while it wasn’t really the whole story…it was just an element of who they both were. It really was just like any YA — a story of characters growing and changing and learning to deal with all of that. And connecting along the way.

I absolutely adored Tilly. She may have been SO MUCH, but she was delightfully perfect just as she was. I loved her exuberance, her loudness, her obsessions, her hopefulness. I vibed with her need to be herself, even if that sometimes meant she was lonely. I totally understood her awkwardness and her quickness to assume rejection and bug out of those situations (even as I cringed from an outsider perspective). She was just sunshine and rainbows and aching heart and sensitive soul, and I loved her.

And Ollie was absolutely delightful as well. He was so much the opposite of Tilly in so many ways, but I absolutely adored his fascination with colours and seeing the world’s beauty in colours. I loved his perspectives on the world. I loved that he was already on the path and doing okay at navigating the world from his perspective and trying not to mask who he was. I LOVED that he had such supportive friends and family in his life, so that when he got stuck, they could give him some outside perspective.

And OMG, they were so delightfully cute together. Like, frustration and butterflies and happiness and giddiness.

It was interesting to have different family situations from both of them. It was like we got to see them sort of at different stages along the path of figuring out how to navigate the world as themselves. I ached for Tilly, but there were also some fantastic moments along the way for her, especially near the end.

All in all, this was just what I needed. And I sincerely hope it helps some kids who feel different feel seen as well.

(4/5 stars) Tilly Twombley is excited for her post-high school summer adventure, interning for her sister's nail polish company and trying to figure out what her future plans look like. Oliver Clark is Tilly's opposite, with his passion for color, design, and photography, he has his whole life figured out. When a not-so-meet-cute on her flight to London turns into a summer with Tilly's seatmate/fellow intern Oliver, their connection starts to grow.

Another Mazey Eddings book that I loved reading! This is Eddings' YA romance novel debut and her talent for writing characters, especially neurodiverse characters, shines in this novel just as much as it has in her previous adult novels. Tilly (ADHD) and Oliver (autism) have such a sweet connection. Not to be dramatic but I would protect Tilly and Oliver with MY LIFE, precious angels!!

This was so cute! I really loved both POV for this one.  Both characters are just the sweetest and I loved hearing both sides of their stories as they fall in love in Europe.  It is both empowering and swoon-worthy with all the elements you would expect in a great YA romance.

I listened to a portion on audio and preferred the e-book because the narrators made the characters sound too young

Oh this was such a wonderful book!
I’ve been a fan of Mazey Eddings since her first book! Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake is one of my all time favourites and I’m very happy to report that this book is on THAT level for me. It was top tier, absolute perfection.

I had finished it before the release day but I couldn’t put all my thoughts and feelings into words (still can’t) so I kept delaying it.

Despite not being on the neurodivergent spectrum, I still felt so much for our main characters, the way their emotions were written, I was left speechless.

I definitely shed more than a few tears while reading but it was also such a delightful story, it made me so happy too!
The romance was so, so, so sweet! It was the kind that makes you giddy with joy, screaming and kicking your feet in the air! Obviously I completely adored it.

I also really liked the concept of this whole Europe tour and Ruhe. The side characters were also super cute!

All in all, I absolutely loved it and am definitely gonna read everything Mazey Eddings writes!

@mazeyeddings how can I ever thank you for seeing me and so many other people in the world? Thank you for writing books about people who think like me, act like me and FEEL like me. I will never be able to thank you enough.

The posted quote is the dedication in the book.

Tilly In Technicolor is YA perfection. Openly discussing autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD, mental health and being a young adult who doesn't have everything figured out. It’s raw, it’s real and it validated ways I have felt in my own life.

I was diagnosed with ADHD almost a year ago. I have grown children and grandchildren. I am not young. Oh, how my diagnosis has changed my life! Things I have felt my entire life finally started to make sense. I wish I would have been diagnosed at a young age as that would have made such a difference growing up. As I’m learning to navigate my diagnosis and learn more about myself it makes me so happy to read about myself in books. I have felt alone so many times in my life, but I’m Tilly. Things she said and things she did- THAT’S ME! I SEE ME!

Thank you again Mazey Eddings!

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Tilly in Technicolor is out now.

I love YA books of any kind and have adored all of Mazey Eddings’ previous books, so of course I loved her YA romance debut! It was sweet and so authentically inclusive (both autism and ADHD rep!) and is basically a love letter to travel. Eighteen year old Tilly has finally been diagnosed with ADHD and has elected to forgo college, much to the dismay of her parents, who think with just a little discipline and focus that she can act neuronormative. Instead she spends the summer interning for her sister’s startup, traveling Europe, where she meets the other intern, Oliver, who is autistic. The pair initially don’t mix, but find that they have plenty in common and are quite in awe of the other’s skills and abilities. As they travel through city after city, they gradually fall in love both with each other and themselves. This is particularly satisfying for the reader to see Tilly truly learn to love herself as she is and what she can do and let go of what she can’t.

This was my first read by Mazey Eddings, but it definitely will not be my last! I loved this novel's inclusivity and really the entire premise of an internship in another country to explore the world and find yourself. This was the best young adult novel I've read in a long time, so it's hard to believe it is her YA debut! It was fun, inspiring, and not *completely* predictable, which I liked. The one issue I had was how quickly it wrapped up, rather than having a longer and more thoughtful resolution. Other than that, this was a hit for me!

Tilly is an 18 year old hot mess. She has ADHD, and has struggled in a world that was not made for her neurodivergent brain. With endless pressure from her family, she takes her sister up on the offer of a summer in Europe as the intern for her start up. On the plane she is seated next to Oliver, and she certainly makes a terrible impression. Oliver has lived his life with Autism, he is returning home to England after completing an internship, and with a great social media following on his design instagram. What neither of them know is they are stuck being interns for the same company for the next 10 weeks an a trip across Europe. Sharing rooms and working closely together they learn their first impressions of eachother may not be accurate, and they may be more similar than they thought.

This book was so sweet and comforting. two neurodiverse teenager just trying to carve out a space for themselves in the world. Learning to support and understand one another, and finding a connection that makes the other feel seen. YA is hard for me to love, and connect with but I recognize this is a very important story and I am happy it exists for the teen of today.

Maybe it's that it hit close to home, but Tilly had me up in my feels. Her mother is terrible and her sister really isn't all that better. Diagnosing neurodivergence is more common than when I was a child (yay me for getting that big OOOOOOH moment this year), but I connected with Tilly in a pretty big way.
Tilly goes abroad to "learn" how to be a responsible adult from her entrepreneurial sister. Life is a hot mess express and she and buttoned up Oliver clash from the word go.
I was actively disgusted by Tilly's family. It hurts to see anyone treated as less than. I enjoyed the relationship of Tilly and Oliver and greatly appreciate Mazey putting herself on page.
It was a happy surprise to get a finished copy from Wednesday! I’m looking forward to rereading it and loaning it to my kid someday.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

Tilly Twomley is ready for a change. Working as an intern at her sister's start-up isn't how she imagined spending her summer, but the required travel around Europe offers the change of scenery she wants as she plans for her future. Only, she doesn't know what she wants. Oliver Clark, on the other hand, knows exactly want he wants. Everything is going as planned-internship that will build his resume, a best friend that gets him, and a placement in a prestigious college program. When Tilly and Oliver become seat-mates on a flight to London, it wasn't exactly smooth flying. Hey, at least there were never going to see each other again, or so they thought.

Tilly is high-energy, and Oliver is calm and reserved. They may seem like polar opposites but they also compliment each other in ways they might not have expected. This was an enjoyable YA read that highlights what is it like to be a neurodivergent teen coming into your own and dealing with typical teen situations.

While Romantic Comedies aren't my first go-to genre for reading, I do enjoy them if it touches on something I'm interested in. Such is the case for Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings, her first YA novel. This YA Romcom of two neurodivergent chaotic messes traveling Europe was sweet, emotional, while keeping things on the lighter side and was a fun and fast read, perfect for summer reading!

Our messy neurodiverse leads, Tilly Twomley (ADHD) and Oliver Clark (Autism) meet on the most chaotic plane ride from Cleveland to London, only to find out that the pair will be working together for the summer as they hop across Europe promoting Tilly's older sister's nail polish company. While Tilly is trying to figure out her place in a world not built for her hyperactive mind and find a future, Oliver has found his niche in his special interest of color analysis, but struggles with social interactions, especially when romance is on the table. I enjoyed how their thinking patterns are spelled out to understand what's going on in their heads without being too much of an info dump, and how the get through the world with their not-normal brains. It also helped me connect to their characters and relationship as they learned and grew as they bounced around Europe. And their interactions are so adorable. The book had a great mix of lighthearted fun (mostly in the first 100 pages) and some heartfelt emotional moments (mainly in the second half), especially when one of the POV characters has a breakthrough. While the miscommunication trope is usually annoying, the nature of their brains makes it refreshing and realistic.

One personal issue was while ADHD was covered well with Tilly, I wished that Oliver and his Autism had a little more of the same substance, and that most of his development was learning how to navigate romance.

The other characters were developed as well, with Tilly's family being prominent, wanting Tilly to succeed to the point that it's suffocating. Oliver's family and friends also make appearances and they made for some good fun when they showed up. I was surprised by some of the characters as the story went on for good reasons. There's also some side queer romances with the supporting cast.

Many of the popular YA Romcom tropes are here, like Only One Bed, Road Trip, Forced Proximity, The Airplane Meet Cute Disaster, and Opposites Attract. It might be cliche to frequent romcom readers, but refreshing to me, who only occasionally reads romcoms. There weren't too many surprises, but that's fine. The story ended at a good spot with Tilly and Oliver's story come to a satisfying end, though I wish there were a few more loose ends resolved in the side plots, especially on one of the side romances. Another chapter could have done well.

There is plenty of swearing in this book, so be advised. While there’s no explicit sex (no/low spice), there’s some sexual innuendo, some intense kissing and cuddling.

Overall, this read like a sweet croissant with layers of depth! If you're looking for a fun YA Romcom with some heartfelt moments with two neurodivergent leads, pick this one up!

The summer after her senior year of high school, Tilly takes a trip to Europe to help her sister launch her nail polish business. On the flight Tilly has a run-in with her seat mate Oliver only to learn he is the other intern at her sister’s company. Tilly has ADHD and Oliver is autistic and both are navigating a world that is not set up for their neurodivergence. As the two spend more and more time together they come to fall for one another, but the end of summer is looming.

This book has absolute wonderful and refreshing neurodivergent representation. Mazey herself has ADHD and autism which means she could lean into her own experience for both Oliver and Tilly. While Tilly is definitely the main character the book is dual POV between her and Oliver which is very nice in a young adult novel. I liked both Tilly and Oliver as well as all the side characters. The book does take place in several cities throughout Europe, but as someone who has been to all the cities they visited I wish they had spent more time exploring. Other than London, the cities didn’t really feature much in the story. I also found the ending to be very rushed and one that resolved everything too neatly. Overall I found the book enjoyable and easy to read. The book is appropriate for high school and up.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this book Mazie Eddings has been able to allow me to relate to a character like no other author has done. Tilly has ADHD, so do I, and her inner thoughts and monologue were so relatable for me, I couldn't believe it. Both Tilly and Oliver were written so well, and they both had phenomenal character development. As two neurodiverse teens, the world is not an easy place to navigate as you enter adulthood, but when you're able to have someone there with you who can actually understand some of your struggles, it makes it easier. This was more than just a YA romance; this was also a self-love story for Tilly. She was constantly being told that her ADHD is a flaw she needs to overcome instead of something she needs to embrace. Most of us with neurodivergencies understand that. Being told we need to fit in to the world around us instead of being ourselves and making the world accept us for what we are. This is a story for all young, and maybe not as young, people that are living in a world that is not made to accommodate them. I wish I had this book when I was 18. I think it would have made a huge difference to how I viewed myself. Even now, as a 28-year-old, being able to read Tilly’s feelings and experiences surrounding her ADHD has been incredible and so reassuring. I’ve read a few reviews saying that the explanations of experiences or feelings felt by Tilly and Oliver with their neurodivergensies were too much or over explained, but for someone who actually is neurodiverse, especially a young person, it is not. Reading those explanations is a representation that we don’t get in books. It is important.

In this book, one of the biggest issues Tilly has to constantly deal with is being treated poorly by her family, specifically her mother. Her mother is constantly treating Tilly like a toddler, never allowing her to try and succeed on her own, trying to force her into a life that is not made for her. Her mother makes comments about how Tilly needs to apply herself to be successful, which broke my heart because I got that all the time growing up and it was incredibly difficult because I was trying as hard as I could, but it never felt like it was enough. I really felt her pain in a lot of those situations because I had experienced them too. This was the only issue I had with the book: that the ending was rushed. I wish that Mazie would have given us at least an entire chapter dedicated to Tilly and her mom and their differences. I really think that book would have benefitted from that.

I really loved Tilly and Oliver. From the moment they met till the end, I loved it. Tilly and Oliver's first encounter on the plane was so funny, I laughed so hard. Honestly, this book is hilarious. I was constantly laughing out loud.

This book not only has amazing neurodivergent representation but also LGBTQ+.

I 100% recommend this book. Not only for young adults who are neurodivergent, but everyone.

(4.5)
Thank you Wednesday Books (St Martin's Publishing Group) for sending me an ARC of this book!

This is my first Mazey Eddings book and it won’t be my last! I was sent an ARC and when I read the premise and that it featured neurospicy representation, I immediately accepted.
Our main character Tilly Twomley, a recent graduate of high school, has ADHD. She’s burnt out, tired, and struggling to figure out what she wants from life. She’s ready to start fresh and figure it out so she agrees to travel abroad for the summer working for her older sister, Mona, and her start-up. On her flight there she meets Oliver “Ollie” Clark who has autism and as Tilly’s polar opposite, he’s sure he has everything figured out with his passion for color and design. Only unplanned thing was meeting Tilly and they don’t get off to the best of starts on this flight which is fine because they don’t have to see each other again…or so they think. Oliver is an intern for Mona as well and they have to work together for the summer. As they learn more about each other and bond over their neurodiversity among other things, they start to get closer. With this growing relationship, they have to grapple with what to do once the summer ends.
I like how first and foremost this book features neurodiversity rep and how it feels like trying to make it in a world that is not necessarily made with you in mind and I loved it so much because I could relate. I mean…some of the conversations I read (especially with Tilly’s Mom) felt like getting drunk on a bottle of deja vu. And Oliver's struggle with social interaction and change and everything. I just felt these characters deep in my soul! The neurodiversity rep, I felt, was great!
I also like that this book touches on the effects of comparison from parents on self esteem and relationships, especially when ADHD is involved. Because of her ADHD, Tilly’s mom infantilized her. So much so that Tilly felt reduced to her ADHD in her mom’s eyes and because of that she feels like a failure with every little mistake, especially in comparison to her sister who has an advanced degree and a business of her own. Tilly feels like she lives in the shadow of her older sister Mona and that she has to live up to her expectations and the expectations of others. There was this conversation Tilly had with her mom when she finally told her she wanted to be a writer. She immediately shut her down, telling her that that is not the real world and that she should pursue college just because that’s the path her sister took and that’s the path you’re “supposed to take.” This conversation (with some minor differences) hit close to home.
On the opposite end, Oliver has more accepting parents of his autism which was refreshing He had an environment where he felt it was safe to be himself without the mask.
There are parts where it’s a tad unrealistic like Tilly getting accepted into a writing job in Paris and the ending felt a bit rushed with how quickly her mom changed her views on things within the last 5 percent of the book and how she got two job offers but those things didn’t largely impact my enjoyment of this book.
Overall, I really recommend this book for its own voices, ADHD and autism rep alone.

All you need to know....Tilly + Oliver = Forever. *happy sigh*

I am squealing. This story is the absolute sweetest thing I have read. My heart has a huge appreciation for Mazy Eddings latest. I am obsessed with Oliver's mind. The way that he can see colors is beautiful. I cannot get over it. I will always gush about a story when author's give appreciation to any type of art. Between Oliver's eye for color and Tilly's mind swirling with ideas for producing stories, I easily fell in love with everything about "Tilly in Technicolor."

I was enchanted by all the amazing countries the pair got to visit throughout the story. How can you not be jealous of these two getting to experience their first internship while exploring the expansive world surround them? What an amazing way to understand yourself traveling and discovering all the greatness out there? I was jealous of the pairs roles in having their hands in the marketing and social media branding of the nail polishes that Tilly's sister created. I wish I was in their shoes when I was twenty years old.

I felt for Tilly. It's tough navigating the world when you're unsure of yourself. It can be tougher when you're doing all of that while your mind and body processes life differently. Being able to step into Tilly and Oliver's shoes was eye-opening. It's very enlightening being able to understand someone else's way of thinking and seeing the world. I thought it was so beautiful the way Oliver could conceptualize color. Personally, I think it's his hidden superpower and beyond impressive. Of course, I have to point out how adorably romantic it was that he couldn't quite place the brown that made up Tilly's eyes. That he constantly was thinking about that color and it reminded him of the beauty that surrounds her. Ugh, I am swooning.

"Tilly in Technicolor" was so delightful. I loved exploring the world with the pair. I loved being able to see into their minds to understand them deeper. I loved that Tilly finally understood herself and her dreams. I loved the way Oliver appreciated Tilly. The relationship that Tilly had with her sister and her mother repairing at the end of the story. The appreciation of art and writing. It was all so beautifully good. I cannot get over it!

This book is for you, if you love reading about:

- Neurodivergent and ADHD rep
- An appreciation for art and writing
- A sweet love story
- Finding your place in the world
- A trip of a lifetime spanning Europe
- Friends-to-Lovers
- Hilarious dialogue

"Tilly in Technicolor" is out now! Run to your favorite bookstore and read this sweet sweet sweet story asap!

Thank you St. Martins Press for the advanced copy of Tilly.

I've adored Mazey's adult books, and this YA debut was no different - funny, thoughtful, sad, and poignant. She does a great job of rounding out her characters, and giving them quirks while still making them relatable and human. Tilly is just a delight, and such an accurate representation of someone who lives with ADHD. Her sister Mona is not just a side character; she too gets a full arc. I highly recommend this novel!

Thank you to the author and publishers for the copy of this book for a review***

This was a cute coming of age novel about a girl named tily who goes to live and work with her sister for the summer as she is told to figure out what she’s supposed to do after high school according to her parents. There she meets a boy named Oliver who also works with her sister and needless to say, thing’s definitely go for a turn after they first meet.

I definitely enjoyed their first meeting which had an enemies to friends to lovers slow burn mixed in together. I also liked how the author wrote about ADHD and autism as not only being represented in the story but also the LGBTQ representation as well. This story does tug at your heartstrings in moments but i would definitely recommend this to anyone who feels stuck in what they’re supposed to do or just want something different out of it.

A book of finally finding the safe place after an overwhelming life of never being understood. When you're diagnosed later on in life, it's hard especially for those around you to accept your new life. It's refreshing to see a book push those bounds and show how real it was without it being a child just throwing tantrums. I know because I've lived this life.

Tilly and Olive are both neurodivergent and have found a space of understanding in each other. However, Oliver comes from a family where his needs are met where Tilly's made to feel like a burden. Oliver shows her how she's not and she flourishes. From the moment Tilly sets eyes on Oliver she sees all the remarkable qualities he has and sees his neurodivergence as a positive not a negative. They form a beautiful friendship and are able to be much more to each other throughout the summer as they discover themselves and Europe.

Thanks again to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review, as always all words are my own.

This was such a delight - perfect for a summer read. Mazey Eddings did a wonderful job of incorporating both characters' neurodivergence into their romance. This was just what I needed - a perfect escape off through Europe!

** I received this e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.