I think I'm starting to get too old foe contemporary YA romance. This book was really cute, sometimes I thought there was a lot of drama that was unnecessary. the fmc, Fitz, doesn't really come off as very likeable, and I just grew frustrated with her. The mmc, Levi, was adorable, and made this book redeemable.

A sweet and wholesome fake dating trope done very well! I loved the bisexual representation soo much. Not such a huge fan of all the social media references, but that’s not anything to do with this book specifically, just not something I typically like that much. Overall I thought Levi and Fitz were super cute and this book was a fun read!

"Finally Fitz" by Marisa Kanter is a delightful and heartwarming young adult novel that explores themes of friendship, identity, and finding your voice in the digital age. The story follows protagonist Evie Summers, a social media-savvy teen who navigates the challenges of online fame while grappling with her own insecurities and desires for authenticity.

Kanter's writing is witty and engaging, drawing readers into Evie's world of blogging and fandom with relatable humor and insightful commentary on the pressures of social media. As Evie reconnects with her childhood friend, the enigmatic and charming Fitz, she begins to question her online persona and what truly matters in her relationships. The dynamics between characters are well-developed, each bringing their own strengths and vulnerabilities to the narrative.

What sets "Finally Fitz" apart is its nuanced exploration of self-discovery and personal growth. Evie's journey from seeking validation through likes and followers to discovering her true passions and voice is both empowering and relatable for readers navigating their own paths in a digital landscape. While the romance subplot adds sweetness to the story, Kanter focuses equally on the importance of platonic friendships and self-acceptance.

Overall, "Finally Fitz" is a captivating and heartfelt read that will resonate with fans of contemporary YA fiction. Kanter effortlessly blends humor, romance, and poignant insights into a compelling narrative about identity and the evolving nature of relationships in the age of social media.

I really enjoyed this fast read. The bi and Jewish rep was wonderful and it really made me think about influencer culture and how it impacts relationships in real life. I also appreciated the mental health journey Fitz finally opened up to. After reading this book I need to buy some plants and listen to my Broadway soundtracks. I would recommend this to any YA reader.

This was a really fun YA read. It's nothing too special or standout but I did really enjoy my time reading it. Now, it does hit a lot of things I love in books, so that might play a part into things as well. Besides just being a fun read, I also think this hits its emotional beats really well.
Fitz was a great main character to follow. There were points were she got a bit on my nerves, but the growth she goes through in this book is incredible. Her journey is just really captivating, and realistic for a teenage girl, I think. Especially the focus on her family stuff. Her parents don't really pay attention to her, and her sisters are all much older than her so she constantly feels like she doesn't fit in. This mainly focusses on her relationship with her sisters, and I just really liked how that was done. Especially when things break down, and she confronts them with her feelings, and we find out that they thought they were doing what was best for her not realising it was shutting her out. I thought that whole conversation was really interesting, because it's obvious that all these sisters are still really close, so them just randomly shutting out Fitz feels off. Hearing their side of things just made it all click.
On top of that Fitz is kind of a mess. Her perfectionism is through the roof, and she has some codependency on her social media that she needs to work through throughout the novel. I think the discussions around that were really well done, because there are people in this book who just don't take her socials seriously. The kind of bussiness she created is great, and I love that this book found the balance between never talking down on that while also making Fitz less dependent on social media, and other people's opinion when it comes to her fashion and just creating for herself. She goes through a lot of growth in this book, and I really loved going on this journey with her, and I can definitely see it being very relatable for a lot of teens even if the specifics might not be.
I also really liked the romance. I thought it was really cute, and I think the author did a great job developing them. Their third act conflict gave me a bit of an ick but I really like the way it was resolved, and I do think it worked really well. Although it was fake dating, I do think like 99% of their hang outs were incredibly genuine. I just love how open they were with each other, and the author actually made me see why they connected now besides them just being besties when they were little kids (you'd be surprised how little authors actually do that). So yeah, I really liked that aspect of this book as well.

3.75

Setting: New York
Rep: bisexual Jewish protagonist and love interest

This was a solid YA and a great homage to NYC which made me want to go back. Levi was a great love interest and I enjoyed the bits about plants and fashion! I did struggle a bit with Fitz as a protagonist as she's pretty annoying and messy but I have to remind myself she's an anxious teenager so of course she's going to make bad decisions. Sometimes she was a bit too much, though. But I enjoyed the story overall, and I love the Jewish and bisexual rep!

This story is everything. It is so real and relatable.
It made me smile throughout it.

I love Fitz and Levi’s plantscapades. They are my favorite thing. I love that the plants have a personality.

Another thing I love is, it’s not just about romance.
It’s about mental health and being your true self. It really resonates with you.

I recommend to people who love fashion and plants.

-bi/bi couple
-fauxmance
-childhood friends
-social media
-fashion
-plants
-mental health
-general anxiety disorder

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on May 13th, 2024. Links provided.

In Finally Fitz, seventeen year old content creator and designer Ava “Fitz” Fitzgerald’s meticulously crafted life hits a snag when her girlfriend, Danica, unexpectedly breaks up with her, claiming Fitz prioritizes her online persona over their relationship. Struggling with heartbreak and creative block, Fitz embarks on a journey of self-discovery. A chance reunion with childhood friend Levi Berkowitz sparks an unconventional plan: Fitz will help Levi with a fake online relationship to make his ex-girlfriend miss him if he poses as her boyfriend to make Danica jealous. What starts as a strategic ploy soon becomes a tangled web of genuine emotions and unexpected feelings. As Fitz grapples with real feelings and the allure of picture-perfect ideals, this story draws you into a captivating narrative of love, family, friendship, and the courage to embrace your authenticity. Finally Fitz is a heartfelt exploration into modern relationships and being true to yourself, where the pursuit of perfection gives way to the messy beauty of true connections.

While overall endearing, I felt this book was just ok. I really struggled with Fitz as the protagonist, finding it difficult to want to root for her. I honestly thought Fitz was annoying and not the most likable character. I am usually a pretty fast reader but I honestly had difficulty finding the motivation to read this book because of it. While I completely empathize with her desire for perfectionism and struggle with a sense of belonging as the youngest sibling, I just couldn’t look past her whiny and somewhat self-centered nature. Levi, on the other-hand, has my entire heart and is the main reason I gave this book 3 stars. I absolutely loved Levi from the moment he was introduced and appreciated his authenticity. Fitz definitely shows personal growth by the end of the story, but I really spent the entire book rooting for Levi and his happiness.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Finally Fitz in return for my honest review.

Contemporary, Romance, Coming of Age, Young Adult

YA, NYC setting, fake dating, childhood friend to more, queer/bi, sister drama

“Fitz” is a IG influencer known for her repurposed fashion and has been accepted into a summer fashion mentorship program in NYC. Her girlfriend, Dani, is in college and her summer in NYC is a trial run for them but they breakup not too far into the summer. Fitz then runs into her long lost childhood best friend (twice!) and they decide to fake date to make both of their exes jealous

Messy and real, a bit far fetched and mature for YA, overall OK but need more books in this genre for YA

Fitz is an absolute delight, we loved spending the summer with her, and we think your students will, too.

Fitz and her girlfriend Dani are in New York for the summer: Fitz to attend an eight-week program with her role model at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and Dani to an internship at the Public Theater. Fitz has risen to influencer status with her Instagram account If the Shoe Fitz, posting her upcycled and transformed thrift finds for her thousands of followers, and she’s eager to take her passion for fashion a step further.

But the summer has barely begun when Dani breaks up with Fitz, accusing her of being too obsessed with her social media account, and the dream turns sour when a heartbroken Fitz has to figure out how to live with her ex (they’re summer roommates, after all) but also win her back.

She decides to go on hiatus from her Instagram account to prove to Dani that she cares about much more than social media, and after a chance encounter on the subway with her childhood best friend Levi, she suggests the pair engage in a fake dating scheme to win back both their exes.

It’s no surprise that Fitz and Levi develop feelings for one another (and that miscommunication awaits), but the novel is about so much more. Fitz’s personal drama leads to a massive creative block, threatening to derail her fashion program, and as a perfectionist, this is not okay. Fitz has to learn how to do things for herself rather than always for other people (including her three older sisters who play a central role in Fitz’s story) and to accept that life is usually quite a bit messier than she’d prefer. As recovering perfectionists ourselves, we could relate!

There is some profanity in the novel and the age of the characters will probably appeal more to older students, but we’d feel comfortable recommending it in class.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

Will be posted at https://threeheads.works/category/blog/ya-books/ on June 3, 2024.

3.5 rounded up thank you netgalley and the publisher for letting me read about fitz who is insane i’m in love
alsoooo baby bi bi bi? oh wait this is the it’s gonna be me month😭
anyway this was so much fun it had fun themes and was enjoyable as a bulk! excited to read more like this i love fake dating real love pipelines my poor baby levi i feel for you!

Fake dating!!!!! I will never get tired of the faking dating trope so I was so excited for this one as we follow a bisexual teen trying to win by her ex by fake dating an old, childhood friend that she recently reconnected with. The feelings start of fake but as we follow the main characters, those fake feelings start to develop into something more...

A delightful story of self-discovery as Fitz explores all NYC has to offer during a summer fashion internship. When Fitz initially follows her high school girlfriend to NYC for a summer of fun and pretty quickly gets dumped, she crafts the perfect fake romance with her childhood best friend and plant influencer who she just so happens to bump into on the subway in an effort to win her back.

While it’s pretty easy to see where the story is going, the story also includes sister relationships, fashion school drama, plantscapades, an excessive obsession with Instagram, and honestly some good mental health discussions. I was pleasantly surprised with the way the ending turned out.

Definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for a fun NYC fake dating LGBTQ+ YA romance.

Finally Fitz follows Ava "Fitz" Fitzgerald, a teen fashion influencer following her dreams - and her girlfriend, Dani - to New York City for a competitive summer fashion program.

But shortly after arrives, her picture-perfect summer falls apart when Dani breaks up with her, taking Fitz's confidence and inspiration along with her.

After a chance run-in with her long-long childhood best friend Levi, also going through his own breakup, Fitz concocts the perfect solution: fake dating to make both of their exes jealous enough to want them back. What could possibly go wrong?

Admittedly it took me a while to really get into this one, but after sticking with it, I ended up really enjoying it!!

Fitz is messy and complicated and real. She is someone simply trying to figure out her place in the world, in a way that I think we can all relate to. (Anyone who can't handle second-hand embarrassment from books? Consider yourself warned.)

I absolutely fell in love with Levi and all of his plant-rescuing, tour guiding dorkiness. If anything, I felt like we didn't get enough of Levi. Understandably so; Fitz deals with lots of challenges during her time in New York, challenges that are equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. Still, I would ve loved to see even more depth to Levi outside of his relationship with Fitz.

This was the first YA novel I've read that has made me feel old - apparently Paramore is considered "retro" now? - but I also felt it went a little too heavy on the pop culture references for my taste. (Even as someone living through the social media age, SIX references to TikTok felt like overkill.)

Other than that, I greatly enjoyed Marisa Kanter's writing style. The dialogue (especially the banter!!) was delightful and natural. And boy, does she know how to set a scene! Even as someone who has never been the biggest NYC fan, I left this book feeling a little bit in love with the place.

Highly recommend to anyone looking for a YA romcom with some deeper themes.

Endless thanks to Netgalley and SimonTeen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

Even though I’ve spent the past several years as a high school librarian and have read and purchased countless YA books (including Kanter’s What Like About You which I thoroughly enjoyed), I don’t feel like I’m the right audience for this book. It’s very focused on social media influencers, of which I know little and care even less. I also don’t like the fake romance premise when it’s used to make their exes jealous. As Levi says, it sounds manipulative, but Fitz manages to convince him to go along with the charade.

My biggest problem is that I don’t find Fitz a likable protagonist. She seems very self-absorbed, is very surface level emotionally, and doesn’t fully commit to the FIT summer fashion program that so many other young people would kill to be invited to. In all honesty, I stopped reading at Chapter 16 (after putting it down a few times) because I just got really annoyed. Fitz just seems like one of those teens whose whole life plays out on social media and even when she puts her account on hiatus in the hopes of winning back her girlfriend, she uses an old friend to create a new account (ostensibly for him) to make their exes jealous. So, after not seeing her best friend Levi for almost 10 years, she’s still all about getting the best photos and writing catchy captions instead of having deeper conversations about what he’s been up to since he moved away and why he ghosted (and hurt) her afterwards. It’s a pass for me.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Simon & Schuster BYR through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

4.5⭐️

This was PRECIOUS! In Finally Fitz, Kanter dives into important conversations about imposter syndrome, mental health, challenging family dynamics, sustainable fashion, and social media. Books like this are so important for not only for YA readers, especially those on the verge of adulthood, but they’re also beneficial for adults to read and be reminded of what young adults are navigating. None of us have life figured out and extending grace, being vulnerable with others, and a listening ear to others makes a tremendous impact!

The thoughtful conversation around social media being a highlight reel and the need to step away and create boundaries through a digital detox was incredibly important and relevant. In a world where new content has become supreme, this story is a reminder to slow down, to step away from the camera and make memories and chase after joy, and to live authentically and not be afraid to show your filter free, perfectly imperfect self. I appreciated how Kanter wove this thread together with a conversation about mental health, anxiety, and perfectionism. Fitz’s journey to understanding herself and needs was so relatable and I wanted to wrap her in a giant hug seeing her growth and how she chose and made herself a priority.

I loved so much how sustainable fashion was a major theme through this book, especially in relation to social media and all the waste that comes from fast fashion. Fitz was so conscious of her fashion footprint and I admired her diligence and commitment to repurposing her thrifting finds and creating new textiles. Not only was it her mission to educate her followers and advocate for upcycling, but she used these pieces, especially the hand me downs from her sisters, to create connection and to tell a story.

There is just so much goodness and beautiful layers in this story and it is going to leave an imprint on so many readers’ hearts. These characters and their stories were timely, deeply human, and filled with so much hope and healing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

Marisa Kanter’s Finally Fitz follows Ava Fitzgerald to New York City where her whole world gets turned upside down. Her girlfriend, Dani, decides they need to call it quits right before Fitz starts her summer fashion program, claiming Fitz cares more about her social media platform than their relationship. To make things even more awkward, they’re rooming together for the summer! Fitz reconnects with a long lost bestie, Levi Berkowitz while on a hiatus to prove Dani wrong. The two hatch a plan to create a “fauxmance” to try & win back their exes, but feelings get complicated for Fitz. Will she end up with back with Dani or start anew with Levi? This book is filled with Jewish rep, lgbtq rep, mental health awareness, family drama, & more.

I love love loved Finally Fitz! Immediately I was sucked in. Her friendship with Levi was fun to explore & so cute! I adored their “plantscapades” and it was wonderful to see a M/F romance (well, “fauxmance”) where both characters are bisexual!
Being an older sibling myself, Fitz’s sibling drama was fascinating to explore. Fitz felt real. She has real life problems & feelings a lot of people struggle to understand & deal with. It’s always a breath of fresh air when stories dive into the mess instead of dance around it to keep everything fluffy. One thing I adored about the ending was Fitz’s decision to focus on her mental health before diving into a relationship— not many romances have that healthy tidbit in there! There’s plenty of comedy & happy carefree moments as well, but Finally Fitz does a great job balancing it all out.

If you’re looking for a sweet YA romance that’s just a little on the messy side, this is the book for you 🤍

I honestly don't have many feelings about this other than it's fine.

There are a lot of important/relevant themes for YA readers, such as mental health, identity (personal, queer, or otherwise), navigating friendships and family, all things that should have resonated with me but didn't. I was half-way checked out by the halfway mark because my care for this story began to severely wane.

This bled into my investment into Fitz and all the other characters. It felt like Kanter was trying to make the whole cast much more interesting than they were. Levi's mom, for example, is shown to be this badass mom with tattoos and ~life experience~, but she only shows up two or three(?) times throughout the story and I never felt anything about her beyond what's told to us. It seems like all the characters have one main thing, and that's all there is. Levi's a plant dad, Dani's an actress, Em is the distant roommate, I just could not find a reason to care about any depth when I really wasn't finding any.

Despite my thoughts, I'm sure this would make a fine, maybe impactful, read to any teen who happens to pick it up. It still has good queer rep, and the discussions of perfectionism and mental health are done really well.

Overall, this wasn't for me, but I believe this book will have its audience when it releases.

Finally Fitz is a charming queer rom-com and I enjoyed it so much. I recommend this book if you like books with childhood friends to lovers, fake dating, queer characters, and a fun storyline while still having some angst and messy moments.

First read from this author and overall thought it was cute. As I finished the last page, I even said “Awww” out loud.
Book is about reconnected childhood friends turn lovers through fake dating. Main character Ava Fitzgerald tries to make her ex jealous to win her back by fake dating her childhood friend, Levi Berkowitz.
The story takes place in New York City where Ava is also attending a fashion program for the summer. Right before she begins the program, her ex breaks up with her. Ava feels lost and believes if she wins her ex back, she can focus on her craft. Through fake dating, Levi takes Ava around New York for fake dates of course, but also to see if it brings back her spark, especially at a Brookyln flea market. Oh, let’s not forget the love of plants that Levi has is just adorable. Through the midst of it all, Ava and Levi end up falling for each other.

I absolutely loved the author’s writing style and bringing banter to the two main characters is definitely my jam. I really enjoyed seeing a young character blossom into her authentic self.