I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Oh boy, I've had this book for some time, just sitting on my kindle waiting to be read. Too many years to call it an eARC, but there you have it.

I wanted to like this story more, but to me it was just okay. Willa really got on my nerves. She's very egocentric and can't stand change, which drives me batty. I see her concerns, but she needs to let her dad live his own life and stop micromanaging him. Besides, she's a senior and will be going off living her own life, so the decisions he makes about his personal life won't affect her as much then.

I like Finn, but I feel like he puts on a front to look cool and nonchalant. I wish he would just tell it like it is to everyone, but he seems to only have that abruptness with his mom, weirdly.

At the end of this book it says there is a book 2: Willa and the Electric Kool-Aid Boyfriend Test (what an odd and long title...) but I can't find it anywhere so I'm assuming it never got published in November of 2016. I don't think I would have read it, but I did want to see the synopsis. Oh well, guess it wasn't meant to be?

I'm glad I finally got around to reading this novel!

The book did not really work for me. I DNF'ed it. I wasn’t able to connect with any of the many characters in the book and I found myself putting down the book a lot because it was never really catching my attention.

This books is the story about how Willa is struggling with the fact that her father is engaged to a famous movie star, Mia. Mia’s son, Finn, is trying to get Willa to accept the marriage but he doesn’t want it happening either. Willa and Finn both have feelings for each other but neither one will admit it. What kind of drama could possibly ensue? Does the wedding happen? Will Willa’s life change completely once Mia and Finn come into her life?

I loved the characters a lot. They are so real and lively. I could totally believe what they were going through. The plot was amazing. The flow and pace were really good too. I loved the writing style too. I look forward to continue the series with book two in order to see what happens with these characters. I look forward to enjoying more books by this author soon.

4.5 stars

3.5Stars

I ended up rounding it down...
Buuuuuut let me tell you- my heart is breaking!!
For so many reasons, one of them being that I gotta wait until September to read the rest of Willa's and Finn story.
I mean SEPTEMBER?!! Reallly?!!!

I have enjoyed the book, it has everything you could want in a story I would recommend anyone to read this book as I know they will enjoy it just like I did.

Willa is excited for her senior year in high school. Everything will go as she planned, and it will be amazing. But then her father returns from a business trip and shocks her with the news—he is getting remarried. It isn’t that she isn’t happy for him; she has, after all, tried to get him to date again after her mother’s death. It’s that he didn’t even tell her he was dating at all, and now he’s marring this uber-famous actress with an annoying, hot son Willa’s age. All of that put together means Willa’s life is turned irreparably upside-down.

How Willa Got Her Groove Back is a high school romance featuring snarky Willa and her soon-to-be step-brother and arch nemesis, Finn McCain. Sparks fly the moment the two of them meet, which will only make it harder when the have to attend the same school and live together. Because Willa’s dad is strongly against them starting a relationship. But despite the sparks and parent involvement, Willa and Finn can’t seem to figure each other out. Finn is hiding a big secret, and Willa is going crazy about the whole situation. The book was very well-written and captured me from the first page. The characters are memorable, realistic, and fun to read about. And I can’t help but wish they would be able to start a romance, though I can’t imagine how they would be able to make it work, parent-objections considered. Willa was hilarious, but sometimes her whining annoyed me. She was so frustrated with the situation that she took it out on the people she cared about. Though to be fair, I agree with Finn that her father wasn’t helping the situation very much. Still, I loved both of the characters very much, mistakes and all. The settings were amazing, and the media made everything more dramatic, in a good way. I’m glad I don’t have to wait to read book two.

There are some minor content warnings: swearing, a little kissing, and sexual innuendos. To my uber-conservative friends, I will also mention that there was a gay character, underage drinking, and an unmarried couple living together. But none of those things bothered me in the least…

I enjoyed reading this book very much and would recommend it to teens who enjoy contemporary chick flicks.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are expressly my own.