Thank you to NetGalley, Holiday House/Peachtree/Pixel+Ink, Peachtree Teen, and Amanda Dewitt for the opportunity to read Wren Martin Ruins it All in exchange for an honest review.

Wren is Student Council president, with his begrudging vice-president and nemesis, Leo. Wren wants to abolish the Valentine's dance. It basically thrusts the notion upon students that dating is a must. But when you are asexuaI, the pressure feels a bit un-inclusive.

Using budget as the cop-out for the dance, Wren thinks this will fly, but Leo has a different idea. Get a sponsorship from Buddy, a "not dating" app (totally a dating app but that might not go over well for legalities in high school use). This sponsorship will give the school more than enough money to host the biggest and best Valentine dance in the history of dances! Wren, being ace, begrudgingly submits and secretly signs up for the app as well, just to see what all the hubbub is about.

When feelings for his antonymous match arise, Wren isn't sure how to feel. It's someone from his school, and his sexuaI orientation starts to conflict with who he knows he is. Does he try to meet this other student and act on those feelings? Or does he push it aside as a fluke?

Wren has a lot to deal with as Student Council president, arising feelings, and looming social disasters. Can he pull through, or will he ruin it all?

This book is quirky and fun. I think Wren is in interesting character who may feel things through his virtual experience, but isn't sure how things will happen if he meets his crush in person. The LGBTQ representation is great. We need more books with ace representation to highlight that experience. The high school dynamic also made this book a fun ride. While relatively generic for young adult fiction, I love Dewitt's craft and characters, and reading this novel gave me some spritely excitement. An excellent one for teens.

I absolutely loved Aces Wild: A Heist, so when I was offered the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley, I was so on board.

This book had everything I love: a little mystery, queer rep (yay for good asexual rep!), rivals to lovers, and just enough angst to make that HFN worth the wait. Once I started reading, I didn't want to put the book down. I love the author's writing style and connected so much to the MC. Even though I feel it was pretty obvious where the story was going, I wasn't bored once and thoroughly enjoyed every second. I think I can now officially add Amanda DeWitt to my list of Instant-Buy authors.

Book Review for: "Wren Martin Ruins It All" by Amanda DeWitt
Source: ARC from NetGalley
Score: 4.5/5 stars

The book "Wren Martin Ruins It All" follows Wren Martin through his senior year of high school. Throughout the story, we see Wren try to cancel the senior dance, explore his asexuality, and work through grief of losing his mother.

The book is a romantic comedy set around the senior school dance.

Plot:
Every year the school hosts a senior Valentine's Day dance. As president of the student council, Wren Martin tries to have the dance cancelled for the funding can go towards other priorities around the school. However, Leo Reyes proposes getting a sponsorship for the dance and then the story gets wilder from here.

Throughout the story, the plot centers around the use of an anonymous social media app where students can get to know each other and then meet at the dance. Wren struggles with this as he is concerned that others he meets may not be as receptive to his asexuality.

Overall, the plot is a fast and a refreshing take on the use of social media as correspondance.

Writing:
The book is fast paced. For a short novel, there are many events going on and each chapter time travels forward to another week, month, holiday. Because the plot is simple and centers around Wren and the app, the fast pacing does not feel as jarring. With that being said, it does limit the amount of time we spend with developing emotions or attachment to certain events/conversations in the book.

With that being said, the book is light and funny with a great first-person voice from Wren.

Characters:
Overall, the characters are likeable. Wren is funny and carries around so much stress in the book. He is sassy and so much fun to read through the lens of. Leo is perfect until we learn that he's not. The banter between the two of them is adorable and enjoyable.

Finale:
Overall, it was good to see ace rep written into a m/m romance. The book is loads of fun and has some enjoyable characters.

General Thoughts

I loved this. The characters were so lovable, the plot did turns I didn’t think they would and it left me with a lot of happy feelings. The journey Wren and the other characters go through is accompanied with the right amount of teenage cringe and, honestly, it’s glorious. Because I wanted to shake Wren at times and hug him just the same. I also laughed out loud a lot, came up with my own little theories (some wrong, some right) and overall, I had such a good time with it.

A big plus for me is that the sexualities were no big plot points. Like, Wren is asexual, comfortably so, and of course he has thoughts about dating and relationships but not in a crisis kind of way. Other sexual and/or romantic identities that slide into the story are very organic and there’s no drama or conflict about it - they just are and it was really refreshing for me to read in a queer YA high school romance.

Characters

One page in and I knew one thing: Wren Martin is queer little chaos gremlin. Which is one of my absolute fave character types. He’s snarky, and annoyed easily, and he’s not holding back in showing it. At the same time, he’s caring, and observant, and soft on the inside. The reasons he wants the Dance abolished are so honest and good, I love him for that alone. Because, yes, I agree with him (and Germany isn’t even that dating obsessed for prom), and even though his reasons seem selfish, there’s a lot of caring for others mixed in there. Also, the boy has chickens. In a coop in his garden. What’s not to love.

Ryan, his best friend since forever, is a great balance to Wren. Because she’s on his side, but she’s also sometimes not, and they know each other so well it’s simply fun to hang out with them. These two are going to be friends forever, no matter what.

Leo, the boy Wren’s been disliking for five years and still going strong, is so much more than the perfect boy Wren despises him for. Together with Wren, we learn about his depths and nuances. He exists in this book not just for the main characters but for himself and DeWitt really knows how to portrait that.

And finally

This book is a fun YA story, a light-hearted read perfect to lift your spirits. I enjoyed Ace’s Wild so much and with this book, Amanda DeWitt secured her place on my auto-buy authors list.

While completely predictable, I found myself delighted by this book!

The characters were absolutely likable and charming, Wren and Leo in particular. The dialogue was witty and not overwrought. Overall, this is a coming-of-age story that tackles grief, love, and moving forward for our main character, Wren.

This story might serve as a good introduction for those unfamiliar with asexuality. It's not quite the story of someone who just happens to be asexual: Wren's hatred of the Dance (which kickstarts the story) is partly rooted in his belief that people won't want to date him due to his asexuality and so he resents the focus on an even so rooted in romance. The way he navigates that, along with a few other characters in the book, is well done.

Overall, though, this was a fantastic read, and I highly recommend it!

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was absolutely amazing! I couldn't stop reading.

Ace representation will make me read most things and I'm so glad it got me here. The story was so much fun and so tropey, while never feeling uninspired. Especially the texting between Wren and Buddy Boy was delightful.
The book gave me exactly the right amount of everything in it. The internal turmoil happening with Wren, the friendship with Ryan, interaction with Leo and lightening it up with the texting. I never grew bored and there was always something to look forward to.
The ending is incredibly obvious, since I am very aware what kind of book I am reading. The book isn't trying to hide it either. It just made it all the more fun to watch Wren and Leo as an outsider and see it all develop.

The characters were difficult and I am amazed I didn't end up hating them. Especially Wren is incredibly self pitying but there was just enough self awareness that I wasn't agitated. For characters that can be so agitating, I loved them all the more. I don't know how DeWitt did it but here we are.

In conclusion: I loved this book. It's fun. It made me feel all the feels. I would definitely recommend it!

Smile, smile, smile, even a huger smile. Smile, smile, smile, laughing out loud. And then suddenly, a lump in my throat because Amanda DeWitt managed to put so much depth into this story, too.

If I’d compare the atmosphere of this book to others, I think They Hate Each Other, and All That’s Left in the World come closest. All these three books belong to the romcomtraum genre. Funny while darkness is luring around a corner. One of my favorite genres, to be honest!

Amanda DeWitt hid the darkness in this story really well, but it’s tangible between the lines, and while I read, my lips pulling up so many times in a smile, I felt something itch in my body, and suddenly a lump formed in my throat. It’s a gift when you’re able to write like this. The dynamics between Wren with all his flaws and cinnamon roll Leo were fantastic. Leo’s reaction (as Buddy Boy) to Wren’s coming out as asexual was so sweet, and I rooted for those two boys so much!

I wasn’t a huge fan of Amanda’s debut, but this book was an amazing sophomore story, and I can’t wait for what she has in store for us next!

📖 Wren Martin ruins it all

I loved this book so much. I couldn’t get better even though I might have been skeptical at how the story was developing in the first 3 or 4 chapters. But it helped that it was really fast paste, making me read in like two days and a half.

Wren Martin end up being student council president on a technicality. He says he’s going to change Rupture High. The first thing he wanted to do was abolish the school’s annual Valentine’s Day Dance.
His greatest opponent is Leo Reyes, vice president and all-around annoyingly perfect student, who has a solution to Wren’s budget problem. A sponsorship from Buddy, the anonymous “not a dating” app sweeping the nation. Now instead of a dance-less senior year, Wren is in charge of the biggest dance Rapture High has ever seen. He’s even secretly signed up for the app. For research, of course.
When Martin develops feeling for his anonymous match, things start to go sideways. Wren decided a long time ago that dating while asexual wasn’t worth the hassle. With the big night approaching he doesn’t know what will break him first, he’s confused feeling, the actual dance or finding another side from the so “perfect” Leo making him realise that his not so perfect after all.

I loved the book, I would even read it again. Most of the time when I was reading it I felt like Leo and Martin both need a hug.
Outside from that I wish he didn’t hate him from the beginning but I do understand his point. Sometimes I do feel like that with some people even though I try not to judge by how they are before talking to them.
I loved the complexities of how Martin shows how is falling in love while asexual. The way author wrote the story this book made me laugh, smile and really want to comfort the characters at hand.

This was super cute! A sweet little queer YA rom-com with an asexual main character. This was a quick and easy read, and I liked hanging out with Wren and Leo. Wren Martin Ruins It All is predictable in the comforting way that rom-coms should be. I found myself wishing that there was a bit more tension or drama in the resolution of the book, and also that we spent more time at the dance we spent the whole book planning. Worth a read if you’re looking for a hug in book form!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Wren Martin Ruins It All is a masterpiece. It's not the most challenging or deepest book ever - but I don't think it was meant to be. It was meant to be comforting, and it fulfills the job perfectly.

First, Amanda DeWitt's writing is pretty good - the reader is never bored, but never underwhelmed either. We're given just the right amount of descriptions and details to understand the story but never get too bored with long paragraphs. The way the characters are described and presented is also pretty well done: we're shown only a little, at first, and, as the story progresses, small details about their personalities and lives are revealed, which makes the reader understand the complexity of the characters.

The characters themselves are very lovable - from our main character, Wren, to Ryan, to Leo, and even to Archer and Maggie. Naturally, we have a deeper look into Wren's every day life, but small snipets into the lives on the others. Most importantly, we're shown the hard parts of life and of choices, how hard it is to come to terms with certain events that trespass and can not be avoided. So, yes, this book is pretty lighthearted while, at the same time, demonstrating the difficulty of being young and having your whole life ahead of you.

I also have to hightlight the a-spec representation in this book. There's both asexual and aromantic rep and in two different characters! Reading anything a-spec always brings me joy and I can't wait until the publishing market invests more in these stories. What jumped out to me in this book, however, was the moment between two characters in which one of them comes out as aromantic. Sure, aromantic and asexual are not the same thing, but they so often go hand-in-hand that sometimes seeing them separated feels like a revolutionary breath of fresh air.

Queer books are so important, especially for younger generations. So, thank you, and I can't wait to read more.

Wren Martin Ruins It All follows Wren as he makes it through organising the school's Valentine's Day Dance as the President of the Student Council. It means having to deal with the boy he hates, Leo Reyes, and deal with the complicated feelings that come with a Valentine's Day dance as someone who is asexual.

I absolutely loved this book. As someone who is asexual, I felt the exploration of feelings, particularly surrounding dating as asexual, extremely relatable and I felt really seen as someone who has experienced similar feelings. Asexuality is a major part of the book, however, it is done in such a way that it isn't all that you see. It is a main part of Wren, but it is just seen as that; a part of his character,

I personally found Wren a little self-centred, however not in a way that made me greatly dislike him. I was constantly switching between annoyance and embarrassment as he acted, particularly at the start, although he mellowed out as the book went on and we got to learn a bit more about him. It was interesting to watch him grow as a person throughout the book and by the end, he was certainly my favourite.

I really enjoyed this book, to the point I read it in a couple of days. By the end, I couldn't put it down. The chapters were short and made the book feel less daunting, as well as having chapter names, which added to the experience. I felt the flow of the book went well, although I will admit, I was expecting more to do with the preparation of the Dance. Instead, the story had some time skips as it jumped between the major holiday periods.

A reminder to any non-American readers - this takes place in an American school! I'm from Australia and completely forgot this fact, so I was so confused about how we were in October already!

Overall, the book was a great read and I highly recommend it; in particular to people who are asexual themselves. While you might not like Wren at first, trust me, he will grow on you. Definitely worth the read!

“Wren Martin Ruins It All”, or what I like to call it, “the asexual rom-com of my dreams” is the story of Wren, the new president of the student council with a big agenda: he wants to abolish the Valentine’s Day dance. As an asexual person, he has given up the thought of dating, and to him, the dance is a social nightmare as well as heteronormative. His biggest rival, Leo, spoils his plans when he suggests partnering with the app “Buddy” which matches up anonymous pairs based on common interests. They sponsor the ball and Wren can use of all the school’s budget to actually improve the school. For research reasons, Wren signs up for the app but things escalate when he starts catching feelings for his anonymous match and starts spending more time with Leo, who may not be as perfect as he originally thought.

So, I *loved* this book. Let’s explore why I think that everyone should read “Wren Martin Ruins It All” and why it is, ultimately, the asexual rom-com of my dreams.

To me, the most important thing in any story are the characters. I loved Wren, I loved Leo and I loved the side characters. They were all complex and it was great watching them grow and “come of age” throughout the novel, with themes such as fear of the future, grief and regret.

The romance was really sweet, I loved how Leo and Wren slowly got closer to each other and learned more about each other. My favourite part in rivals-to-lovers romances is when they slowly learn more about each other, kind of in denial about actually liking the person. Then they realise that the other person isn’t actually shallow and “perfect”, or whatever other reasons they hate each other for. That is my JAM.

In terms of the romantic developments between Wren and his anonymous match he affectionately calls “Buddy Boy” (which is such a stupid nickname but so perfectly silly), I wish we’d seen a few more text interactions between them before Wren realises that he’s developed a crush on him, but I really liked their dynamic nonetheless.

I loved how casually Wren’s asexuality was woven into the story, it made me feel so represented I almost cried although I did wish it had played a bit of a bigger role towards the end of the novel.

What I also loved was the narration, although I’m usually not a fan of quirky, “sarcastic” first person narrations. They often give me second-hand embarrassment and I cannot deal with that, but in this book it worked really well, I loved Wren’s snide comments and jokes, they made me laugh out loud several times. I also don’t really like when the protagonist addresses the reader but like the quirky jokes and sarcastic commentary, it worked really well.


I saw another reviewer say it was quite obvious that Buddy Boy was Leo and that the readers finds it out too early, but I don’t really agree. I think the point of the novel wasn’t suspense regarding who Buddy Boy is, but rather when Wren and Leo will find out and how they will react. Of course, it makes the “oh no I have a crush on two people at the same time”-angst seem a little silly because *they’re the same person, open your eyes Wren* but the yearning is so fun as well as the suspense of when he’ll realise.

I really don’t like it when the main character’s love interest in a rival-to-lovers story is like “actually I’ve been in love with you this entire time lol surprise” but I am willing to overlook it as there were also the other romantic dynamics that made Wren and Leo’s love story interesting. And really, it just caused all of his actions make sense (like offering Buddy to sponsor the dance because doesn’t want him to ruin his image by abolishing the dance BECAUSE HE LIKES HIM), tying all the knots together in the end. Also, I know it was mentioned about a billion times that Leo loves robotics and is a computer science prodigy but the plot twist that he *created* Buddy still gave me intense whiplash.

Overall, I loved this book, it’s a great romance, a great young adult coming of age novel and everyone should read it.

Wren Martin has officially become student council president, which means he’s finally going to fix the school. His first order of business: abolish the Valentine’s Day Dance. Not just because he’s asexual, but because it drains the school of resources it actually needs.

Enter Leo, the new vice president and advocate for the dance. When he suggests getting the popular friendship app, Buddy, to sponsor the dance, it technically solves all of the budget problems. Curious, Wren downloads the app. What he doesn’t expect is to fall for his match. After all, dating wasn’t in his plans. Now, Wren has to balance the dance, his new feelings, and his realization that he might not hate Leo after all.

Thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for an advanced copy of Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda DeWitt to review! This queer rom-com is definitely a book that you’ll want on your TBR this fall. I don’t think I stopped smiling the entire time I read it.

Let me start by saying that DeWitt absolutely nails the voice in this. Wren is a bit chaotic, a bit stuck in his ways, but his panic about possibly developing a romantic crush? Adorable. Perfect. A teenager in every way. Especially as he realizes that he maybe has feelings for his rival, Leo, as well. If you love that sort of “I hated this guy forever, but maybe that’s because I actually had feelings for him” kind of story, this hits it to the tee. With some great secondary characters to boot.

I am so glad that YA books like this exist now, but man, I wish they had existed when I was a teenager. They maybe would have saved some stress when I was in my late 20s. Wren’s doubts and fears about dating as someone who identifies as asexual are just so spot on. And his developing relationship with Leo works well with the plot of the story, moving at just the right pace.

While a lot of the story is rom-com hijinks, there is also a deeper emotional core to Wren, and to Leo. Wren is dealing with losing his mother to cancer, and how that’s maybe changed his ideas for the future. When Wren realizes that Leo struggles with similar problems, the connection they form? It just works so well. I can’t say that enough about this book: the relationship progression just works so well.

Is the plot a tad predictable? Yes, but I did not care. I was so invested in Wren, rooting for him the entire way. It’s honestly the kind of rom-com I needed after being in a sort of movie/TV hangover with Red, White, & Royal Blue and Heartstopper. If you’re into those things too, you’ll love this when it comes out in November.

✰ 4 stars ✰

“What can I say? Feelings are confusing.”

If I had to use one word to describe Wren Martin Ruins It All it would be refreshing. For while the premise of this story had undoubtedly been done numerous times before - the real triumphant hero and stand-out strength of this take was Wren's voice. From his perspective and personality, the narration was fun and engaging and really so very fresh - that made reading it such a breeze to read.

What also made it such a delightful read was that no matter how stressed out Wren may have been - about his feelings or his studies or his relationships - I never felt stressed out - how rare is that!? The writing was very light - never truly annoying. His comments and remarks - almost, like a journal-style, that guided us from the start of the school year till the impending Valentine's Day Dance progressed at such a gradual pace that it felt so very believable; and it provided ample enough time for relationships to develop honestly and naturally. Wren takes student council very seriously - his position as the newly appointed president even more so - and all that senior year equates all the challenges that lie ahead to the future - all that affected him to this point - the individual losses and the personal gains - were written believably well. 🤍🤍

“I don’t not like you,” I say without preamble.

Leo actually laughs, which is not what I was expecting.

“Oh,” he says, shooting me a sideways look, “was that not a joke?”

“Why are you being nice to me?” I counter. “If you know I don’t like you.”

“Because I’d like you to like me,” Leo says, like he didn’t even have to think about it.”

I loved those soft heart-to-heart moments that Wren and Leo shared - opening up to one another about their own family issues, that gave so much depth into why they were they way they were -Wren, especially. The dialogue was heart-warming - but never OTT - just a casual, friendly banter that underneath lay the tentative beginnings for a promising friendship. And then, those instances when the realizations slowly dawned on him that what he's feeling towards Leo may bes an attraction - it was so very well-done. Again, I could not remove the smile from my face, because it would just sneak up on him and hit him - that 'oh' feeling. 🥹🥹

And then watching him access it, that there was no way this was anything real - dismissing it as a one-time thing was so very adorable. And in turn, how he navigates his convos with Buddy Boy on the Buddy app and coincidentally, refusing to acknowledge his growing friendship with acting vice president Leo, someone he's sworn to despise since a miscommunicated altercation from their younger days, wonderfully showed how Wren's emotions were growing, as a whole. 🧡🧡

“What makes you think I know any hot boys?” I ask, exasperated. I’m not exactly an expert on hot, but I suspect Reed and I have different standards.

“You know Leo,” she says loftily.

I narrow my eyes. “That’s my offer. Take it or leave it.”

“Fine, keep them all for yourself.”

Wren and Ryan's friendship was also a gem - funny, open, best friends forever vibes thrived on their way of embracing honesty and vulnerability with each other, while also staying true to the notion that 'sometimes having a best friend is more risk than reward.' I also enjoyed the wholesome camaraderie of the other supporting cast that unknowingly cheered Wren on - believed in him, when he never felt that they did. 🤌🏼🤌🏼

“But the truth is far worse than that.

I think I might have a crush.

Shit.”

I absolutely adored the confession scene! Simple, but spoke volumes! No, really, it was sweetness perfection! 🥰🥰 Uff, even now, adored seems too slight a word to describe how much I was smiling like a silly little schoolgirl - watching from the sidelines as it slowly played out. It was adorably written - the cheesy grin on my face - just so so sweet and written so very well that I could picture it in my head - all the little details that painted that scene into life. I actually re-read it twice, because for all that Wren thought that he had ruined it all - this final scene was most certainly not ruined. 🫶🏼🫶🏼

“And the ace stuff?”

My heart sinks just a bit. Yeah, that problem is still there, that anxiety chewing on my heart from the inside.

“I don’t know,” I confess. “I guess I’ll just have to—”

“Trust that if he really likes the real you, it means accepting every part of you?”

I am always hesitant about mentioning if someone's sexuality is accurately portrayed, because from my own personal experience, I would not be able to do it's due diligence. But, what I can appreciate, is that Wren's asexuality was never viewed as a hindrance - it was not just a part of him - it was who he is - and he allowed himself to still feel and acknowledge and admit that there was a part of him that was having 'horrible, squishy feelings for him' and it was okay to feel that - no matter how afraid or terrified he was of ever sharing this truth about himself with others! 👍🏻👍🏻

A very strong solid YA read; entertaining and well-paced, it definitely promises to be worth your while. 💚💚 I also appreciate that Young Adult books continue to not only focus on the romance in a story - that they can shed light on issues in a respectful manner that fits seamlessly into the narrative. Wren truly is the star of the hour - he made you root for him when the chips are down, he made you cheer him on through his rants and raves, and through it all - you get to have a dash of romance so sweet and endearing - cute and predictable, but most certainly, very enjoyable. And again, the cover truly captures Wren's exasperation and demeanor to a perfect tee! 😍

*Thank you Amanda DeWitt and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

The actual serotonin this book gave me was insane. The dynamic between the two love interests is done so well and all the side characters are beautifully written too. This book had me laughing out loud, crying, and screaming a little too. I thought it was great representation all round and it was really a joy to read.

“Wren Martin ruins it all” is a story about overcoming grief, growing up and falling in love despite your misconceptions of the other person.

Wren Martin just became student council president and his first thought is to abolish the Dance, however Leo, vicepresident and nemesis, comes up with a plan to involve Buddy, a non-dating dating app to fund this year’s ball. When Wren downloads the app he meets someone that gives him the feels. Will the Dance work out for him? Will he change his mind about it?

Wren was such a sassy MC and I loved him for it, he has very strong opinions and never lets other people influence him. I totally felt why he didn’t want a relationship due to being ace. Leo was such a sweetheart, I loved reading about him and how caring he was towards anyone around him. Maggie, Archer and Ryan were such good friends to both of them and I loved how different their personalities were, but also how good they worked all together. Also the chickens were a great addition.

The storyline was so cute, it gave me all the feels and made me so happy. I love watching ace characters fall in love and I wished I had books like this when I was younger because they would have helped me out a lot. The writing style was great as usual, but I had no doubt about it coming from “aces wild”. I definitely recommend this book to everyone if you are looking for a fluffy rom-com with a sassy MC, golden retriever love interest, great banter and a great group of friends.

Thank you NetGalley and Peach Tree for allowing me to read this book.

I really loved this book the way it handled hard topics like grief felt very special to me. I connected with these characters through the struggles they were facing and kept me wanting more. I really loved reading something with aromantic, and asexual characters as some one who identifies with both of these this is not something I usually see in books. The thoughts and struggles that I’ve felt when learning about myself when it comes to being aro ace were very well represented in this book. Overall this was a very good book that handled some tough topics in a beautiful way.

This was a joy from start to finish. As I typically read on my commute, I caught myself smiling and laughing out loud to myself on the bus and train far too many times. There was something so warm, fun and chaotic about this story and the characters and I loved the dynamic they all had with each other. And as "predictable" as the plot was, I found the predictability very intentional and comforting, and it felt more like you as the reader was in on a secret rather than overly frustrated with how (endearingly) oblivious the MC was. The main character was such a mess and so relatable to me, especially as someone who is also asexual, so seeing that aspect of his identity be discussed was really lovely and special. I will say that my only complaint about this story was how quickly it ended. I feel like we deserved at least a FEW more chapters of resolution and conversations between the "endgame" couple AS an actual couple. But alas, that could just be me not wanting to ever let these characters go.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for giving me access to an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to the book by Wren’s asexuality and was held in the story by how *real* all of the characters felt. The enemies-to-lovers over a high school dance is such a unique and fun concept that I throughly enjoyed. All of the characters had true depth to them and really felt like high school students. They had both standard high school problems and the deeper problems that come along with growing up.

“Wren Martin Ruins It All” managed to be equal parts feel-good coming-of-age novel and enemies-to-lovers romance novel. It deals with real and stressful issues, like sexuality (and others I will not name for sake of spoilers) in a very thoughtful and tactful manner, that contribute to how real the characters feel.

My only gripe with the novel actually goes hand-in-hand with my main compliment. Some of the secondary characters, like Wren’s father for example, felt very flat. The main characters felt very real, but the background characters felt as though they were just there to prop up the main characters and had little substance to them themselves.

4.5

This book had me grinning from ear to ear the whole time! It really felt like a sweet, funny rom-com came to life in the pages and that made it so much fun to read (think Prom Pact x 10 Things I hate About You).

I absolutely loved the character of Wren! He was so relatable and I enjoyed seeing his growth throughout the book. He was also written so realistically and really felt like an actual teenager (also props to the author for the way the texting was written!! sometimes it can come off as robotic in YA but it absolutely hit the mark this time). The romance between him and Leo developed so well (the free meal scene was GOLD). Everything felt so natural between them, from the conversations about their past to the quips and banter exchanged. They quickly became one of my favorite YA contemporary couples, it was too cute.

I do think the ending was predictable and wrapped up quite fast. I expected it to be a little more emotional considering how strong the pacing and tone was before the big reveal. Nonetheless, it was a really great and quick read I’d recommend to anyone!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.