*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

2.5 stars

This book is like a train wreck you can't look away.
I think what didn't work for me is that I don't identify with teenage problems anymore, so for me most of the dilemmas that our protagonist was going through I found ridiculous, but I know that it's a teenage book, so that's one of the reasons I didn't give it a lower rating.
It's not a bad book.
it's a book that you can't stop reading because our protagonist makes so many mistakes that you get anxious wanting to know how everything will end, I even liked the ending and the resolution.
My problem with the story wasn't even the unpleasant protagonist, but rather the fact that I found all of her problems childish and immature, but like I said, I understand that it's a teenage book.
If you like this type of story, you'll like it.
It has a lot of teen movie vibes.
It would make a great movie.
It's a quick read, too, but don't expect much.
It was just okay read for me.

I really enjoyed this YA coming of age story featuring a half-Turkish teen girl in her junior year of high school who just wants to find her place in school, which she thinks means finding the perfect guy for prom. I loved the diverse cast of characters, the messy, relatable female main character and the way this didn't follow the typical YA romcom formula. Perfect for fans of authors like Crystal Maldonado. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0

This story is a modern retelling of Rosalind more than Romeo and Juliet. Ros is the MC , dealing with her identity as a Turkish - American, dealing with the fact that she’s not ‘Juliet’ in the story of Romeo and Juliet. This story transports you back to high school when people are falling in and out of love quickly.
This story leans on friendships and the important role they play in your life and that sometimes you need to help the people you love most do what’s good for them and might not be good for you. The story reminds me of a woody Allen movie- you’re following along with everyday life and the stakes are relatively low throughout. The book has a lot of small ethical dilemmas that real teens & even adults would face. I think a big hero moment of this book is how it shows that your cultural identity impacts you constantly and is a complex thing that differs between two people with the same identity.
Pivotal Characters :
Ros- an outspoken girl with a great girl crew on the patrol for that second half to her it couple
Aydın- the guy of Ros’ dreams and potential perfect second half to a it couple
Chloe- Aydins big love ex

Ideal Reader:
Tween to Highschool teenager- the story doesn’t involve any spice so the story is good for younger audience.
School Reader - this may be a good companion book to Romeo and Juliet in schools for comparative purposes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs

Ros Demir Is Not the One by Leyla Brittan is a wonderfully written young adult contemporary novel.
The storyline was great and kept me hooked throughout.
The writing I personally thought was done very well here.
The characters were interesting and I enjoyed going to this journey with Ros.

Thank You NetGalley and Holiday House for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Ros Demir is truly a one of a kind character. This novel begins with Ros experiencing a summer tradition she has seen peers enjoy for years for the very first time. In true teenage girl fashion she is beyond excited and launches herself head first into her goal of getting a boyfriend before junior year of high school and reinstating her tarnished social status. In addition that Ros is weighing her experience as a mixed young woman torn between two cultures, the one she was born into residing in the US and her turkish heritage she receives from he father. Ros's so accurately captures so many normative life experiences for her age as well as the ultimate challenge of navigating her own racial identity development. There were so many moments where I saw myself and my own teenage experiences in Ros between navigating difficulty managing communication between girlfriends to having no idea which culture she identifies with more. I loved how the author explored the impact of having peers around her who had similar experiences being the child of immigrants and also very different from Ros's own experience. I found myself laughing, sad and empathetic for Ros and her friends throughout the book. This was a fantastic read and captures themes of coming of age, living across cultures as a mixed child of an immigrant and offered very real relatable experiences to teenagehood. Overall great read and would highly recommend for those who enjoy YA.

Thank you to Netgalley and Holiday House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I need to begin this review by screaming over the fact that there’s a YA novel featuring a Turkish-American main character! As a Turkish-American myself, I have been waiting for more books that represent my heritage. ‘Ros Demir Is Not The One’ is described as a contemporary remix of ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ This story was interesting, and there were certain aspects I enjoyed! I really liked some of the side characters, like Eleanor, Ben, and Aydın. They were entertaining to read about and probably my favorite part of the story. The setting was another part I liked—Leyla Brittain did an excellent job describing Pine Bay and all the fun summer-related activities that happened throughout this book. I really felt as if I were there with the characters! I do have two main issues with this book, though. My first issue is with Ros. I could not stand her. She portrayed all the opposite characteristics of what a good person should have, and for that reason, I did not enjoy this book as much. While I’m happy it happened, her character development was so rushed and out of nowhere that it felt very unrealistic. The second issue I had was the way the characters acted and some of how the story was written. It felt very juvenile, and I often forgot that the characters were juniors and not 8th graders. That being said, I am still happy I read this book, and I do recommend it, especially to younger readers!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the author, Leyla Brittain, for providing me with an e-arc of this book!!

I kinda liked it? It is a solid romantasy with engaging world-building and an interesting FMC. The first half of the book draws you in with its twists and unique storyline, but the pacing felt a little off at times, and the romance, while sweet, lacks that pull. I can't put my finger on it. The second half feels a bit rushed—which leave me confused at times. Despite these issues, it’s an enjoyable read for fans of the genre, offering enough charm to make it worth your time. A fair 3.5-star book overall.

4⭐️


First of all, thank you NetGalley and Holiday Housefor for the ARC.

"Ros Demir Is Not the One " by Leyla Brittan is a fresh YA book in which we see a love story from the point of view of a character who plays a "supporting role" in it.

I liked Ros as FMC; she was very realistic and I loved her evolution.

I also liked how this book portrayed friendship and its "betrayal".

Honestly, for me, it didn't really feel much like a Romeo and Juliet retelling with Rosaline as MC, but it's just my opinion.

In conclusion, I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading YA books and to those who are just tired of "happy endings".

I really tried to get into this and read it more, but the writing is too shallow for my liking. I couldn’t really connect the main character, Ros. I get that she’s a teenager, and that this book is mostly about her exploration as a teen but her choices really frustrate me at times which makes me feel more distant to her character.

Of course, this is just my opinion and feedback. Some body else, who’s probably younger and is the main target audience of this book would relate more to it.

Ros is determined to make a splash at junior year homecoming by snagging a hot date, but her plans hit a snag when things don’t go as expected with Aydın, the new guy she meets over summer break. As she navigates her mixed heritage and friendships, Ros learns that pursuing what she wants doesn’t always lead to happiness, especially when it hurts those closest to her like Eleanor.