Wow! How relatable as this story?! From the get go I was enthralled and I never wanted it to end, I had to read slow to savor it!

80% into this book it was a 5 star book. Charlie, the narrator was sharp and had a unique voice, the slow burn between her and next door neighbor was pitch perfect, her millennial obstacles were relatable, and the relationship she had with her mother and sister was complex. I was fully invested and couldn't put it down.

Then, during a completely self indulgent passage where Charlie needs to buy a dress for a wedding, she spends a solid 15 pages going to various stores in the mall and trying on a million options. Wade tags along and patiently sits through the hours long mission, even offering helpful, Tim Gunn-like critiques of each selection. Somehow he knows that the green dress is the one. The one that caught her eye, that she secretly wanted, but never tried on because it was too expensive. It's not a problem, he'll help her pay for it. The ostensibly unemployed 19 year old. Something didn't seem right. And then, later, when the fight he says it.

"I'm not a thing that happens. I'm a person."

And that's the problem with Wade. I like Wade. He's funny. He's charming. He's an old soul. But he's barely a character. He's 19, but he's far more mature than his 26 year old love interest. He quotes 80's movies, he gets along with all of Charlie's older friends, he's fantastic in bed! The only 19 year old thing he does in the entire book is get stoned a couple of times. He came off as her contemporary, but more importantly, he only seemed to exist for Charlie. I wish the second book would be from his point of view, because he really needed some fleshing out.

That said, I still found the book enjoyable and will pick up the sequel when it comes out.