You Were Made For Me

Katie and Libby accidentally create a hot guy (with science! and clay and a kiss) and his purpose in life is to dote on Katie and be the perfect boyfriend. While this should solve Katie's never-been-kissed problem, it threatens to tear apart her life and her friendships.

Well, I loved this. It's like Weird Science for girls in the 21st century! And thankfully this is a much more progressive tale than a 1980s iteration - diversity, ace representation, dealing with the fact that both parties must have agency in a relationship, etc. Libby and Kate acting as dual storytellers was inspired and it made the story feel hilariously self-aware. It was also nice to read a YA novel peppered with Australianisms. I'm a huge YA fan but most of them are foreign titles.

This is definitely the kind of novel I wish I could have read when I was a teenager.

(Thank you Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me an ARC).

An enjoyable, light read.

Katie is a regular teenager who falls for the hot guy at school and is bullied by the mean girl (also known as Hot Guy’s girlfriend). At sixteen, Katie has never been kissed, and so she dreams of a gorgeous boy who would fall madly in love with her and give her the most perfect first kiss ever… Sounds unlikely, until Mister Perfect actually shows up.
One night, Katie and her best friend Libby inadvertently create him with clay and something sciency. Now Katie has this amazing boy in her life, made especially to love and worship her. What could possibly go wrong? Well, first of all, she’s got to hide him from her family.

You Were Made For Me is told as a conversation between Liddy and Katie as they recount their ‘science experiment.’ This gives the novel a fresh, engaging perspective. It was an enjoyable read with a varied cast of teens and some funny scenes. The main character was a bit angsty for my taste at times, with everyone around her looking way more mature, but I do recommend it if you like easy and light contemporary YA books in the vein of Kasie West.

Synopsis:

The day I created a boy started out like any other.

Katie didn’t mean to create a boy. A boy like a long-lost Hemsworth brother: six-foot tall with floppy hair and eyes like the sky on a clear summer’s day; whose lips taste like cookie dough and whose skin smells like springtime.

A boy who is completely devoted to Katie.

He was meant to be perfect.

But he was never meant to exist.

Review: If I had to describe this book in one word it would be QUIRKY. I had to remind myself quite often that it is young adult fiction, and fiction it certainly was. This book stands out against others in its category that do not have an element of complete fiction/ science fiction/ crazy things that just arent possible. If you are looking for something super easy to read, well-written, and super weird and quirky then this is probably it.

Something unique about this book (other than the perfect golden boy boyfriend who appears out of thin air and naked in the main characters bed) is the writing style of this book. The story is a first person recollection by the main character, Katie, but in between the chunks of story are conversational moments between Katie and her best friend Libby, as if they are talking directly to the reader. Super unique and made me feel like I was at a slumber party in my teens. It does take some getting used to though.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan Australia for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my review.

3/5 stars.

Kate is 16 and never been kissed.  She's certain she's never going to meet the perfect boy, and she knows exactly what that perfect boy would be like.  She's even gone as far as to make him out of clay, with her best friend Libby.  But that night something ultra weird happens when Kate goes to bed. Laying her clay boy down next to her and giving it a kiss, she wakes up to a real life boy.  Naked.  In her bed.  As the book progresses in a series of conversations, where Kate and Libby tell the story up to the present day, the idea of the perfect boyfriend starts to not live up to the reality.  

This book was fun and fluffy.  The kind of read to pick up when you need a break from heavier topics or you're looking for a beach read.  It was one of those books that was somewhat predictable, but still enjoyable.  The way it was written, as a conversation between the two girls, did take some getting used to. At times it felt a bit clunky and I lost the flow of the writing, but it was definitely a unique way to tell a story!  The characters also seemed quite young to me.  They were 16, which IS young of course, but they seemed so naive and younger than I expected.  This may be due to 16 year olds acting much older in so many YA books, saving the world and what-not, that reading typical 16 year old characters seems strange now, but they still felt that way throughout the story, particularly the main character.

I do sometimes struggle with YA contemporary, due to being so much older than the target audience and not quite connecting to the teenage angst, but I think this one will be a fantastic fit for younger YA readers who are looking for a sweet rom-com like book!

So it 7pm tonight I thought I'd just read something lighthearted and fun, new Jenna Guillaume... I loved her debut so hell yes!!

It's now 10.40pm and I binge read the whole book 🙈

I loved this book so much. I love the authenticity of the characters. I ADORE the sense of humor. I love the meaningful lessons and quotes interspersed into the story. I love the Australian culture shining through. I love the Ace representation ❤ I just love this.

It's an emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible. It's cheesy, and heartwarming, and rom-com cliche meets sci-fi young adult shenanigans...it's a strange, wonderful, warm and funny book and this has cemented Jenna Guillaume as a new fave author because my heart is just so full and happy and feeling warm and fuzzy right now.

Read this book. It is wonderful. I initially got frustrated with two narrators but it really helped the characterisation and hilarious wit shine through. Give it a go it is glorious ❤

Review will be live on socials by second week of July.

Katie didn't mean to create a boy. A boy like a long-lost Hemsworth brother: six-foot tall with floppy hair and eyes like the sky on a clear summer's day; whose lips taste like cookie-dough and whose skin smells like springtime.

A boy who is completely devoted to Katie.

He was meant to be perfect.

But he was never meant to exist.


fun and unique read that made me smile and laugh. The idea of a girl accidentally creating a boy was fun, however I didn’t love the book. It’s a great light hearted read but I found some of characters annoyed me a bit (I’m looking at you Katie) with their devotion and infatuation. I guess that’s probably the point - highlighting to young girls that boys aren’t everything and that the “perfect boy” doesn’t really exist. However, it’s a fun and fluffy book - the perfect book when you want a break from anything heavy or real.

You were made for me was told as a conversation between two friends about a made up boy who comes to life.

This was cute and unique, but a little outside of what I am looking for as an adult who reads young adult.

It is much more suited to a young audience.

(ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

You Were Made for Me is one of the most delightful books I've had the pleasure of reading this year! Jenna is an icon and quickly becoming Australia's queen of teen rom-coms.

Our protagonist Katie has never been kissed and wants her very first one to be perfect with the perfect boy. So when her best friend Libby and herself accidentally create a boy who happens to look like Hemsworth brother, has the personality of a very happy Golden Retriever and he's utterly devoted to Katie, what's a girl to do?

I should also mention her first encounter with him is finding him naked in her bed. 16-year-old me would have died.

Narrated by mostly Katie with a dash of Libby, the book is hilariously self-aware and filled with fluff and utter fun as they try to hide this super hot guy who doesn't quite understand how he came to be, but knows Katie is his world. Luckily Katie's friend Theo, who happens to live next door, has some space for a roommate and just enough patience to deal with him. While the book is very much a light-hearted Australian contemporary, it also examines the idea of perfectionism, which I feel will resonate with a lot of teen girls. There's also discussions around sexuality, friendship, dating, and body image, all of which I found effortlessly written into the story. This book ticks all the right boxes for a teen rom-com!

You Were Made For Me is a laugh-out-loud delight that all teens and fans of YA should pick up!

Jenna Guillaume is an amazing author. I loved her debut, and absolutely couldn't wait to read this one when I got my hands on it.

I binge-read this novel in one sitting. It's a lighthearted, humorous YA tale that made for a great story.

I loved the characters, the general wriring style and the representation included in the book.

Thank you so much to Panmacmillan for providing me with a copy of this book.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I am a huge fan of Jennas first book What I like About Me, and was super excited to read more of her work.
This is the story of two friends who accidentally create the perfect boyfriend for one of them and the drama the ensues, making the reader consider is perfect all that it’s desired to be?

Overall, I found this book a super fast and pleasant read. At times the main character annoyed me because I thought she was such a shitty friend, but if I think back to when I was 16 I’m sure I was just as self involved, weren’t we all at that age? This also might be because I felt an attachment to the main character Maisie in her other book more than I had to Katie in this book.

This book gave me vibes of Suddenly 30, one of my favourite movies of all time, and there were so many moments where I laughed out loud. The relationships between family and friends came across authentic for the story of a 16 year old girl.

Jenna does a great job at writing in references to remind you that this story is taking place in Australia. Loved the roll up reference - the only true way to eat it.

I would recommend this to anyone who has read Jenna’s other work, and honestly anyone wanting to escape the real world for a light hearted, easy read

Representation: Libby (side character) is Filipina-Australian, Theo is plus-sized.

Content warnings: racism, fat shaming comments.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia for the digital advanced reader copy of this book. I was provided a copy in exchange for an honest opinion – this has not impacted my views at all.

At 16 years old, Katie Camilleri has never been kissed. It’s something she’d like to change as soon as possible. Preferably with Declan Bell Jones – the boy she has a crush on. But he’s been kissing the most horrible person Katie knows – Mikayla, bully extraordinaire.

One evening, Katie and her best friend, Libby, decide to create the perfect boy.

It’s all in jest, of course.

Until it it’s alive and awake in Katie’s bed.

Naked.

Guy is literally the perfect boy. He’s handsome, kind, loves dogs, and the best part? He’s already head over heels in love with Katie!

So why is she still thinking of kissing Declan Bell Jones?

*

I honestly do not remember the last time that I laughed that hard and out loud so many times than when I was reading You Were Made For Me.

The story itself was simplistic but so wonderful. It was peppered in with amazing anecdotes, and my favourite Aussie-isms.

I don’t want to say too much because this book isn’t out in the world yet – soon, though! You can pre-order a signed copy of the book from Booktopia via the link above.

This is going to be one of my top books of the year, I know that much for sure.

I laughed so hard that I cried – more than once! I couldn’t get over just how utterly incredible this book was.

There were so many “oh my god!” and face-palming moments throughout this hilarious book. When I think of this book, I can’t stop myself from smiling.

I had family visiting while I was in the middle of reading this book, and I was telling my 16 & 17 year old nieces about it because it was that funny. Both of them want copies because they loved the sound of it.

I highly recommend this book to any human, young or old. There is something for everyone in here, I think.

I was delighted to receive a copy of Jenna Guillaumes' second novel, You Were Made For Me. And rightly so! Immediately you are submersed into teenage angst, a protagonist and her best friend who are laugh-out-loud funny and that classic Guillaume writing style that is so easy to read.

You Were Made For Me is a light and fun read, it broaches subjects like bullying and family loss in a gentle way, as well as the dangers of social media. But at its heart it is a warm and fluffy novel about a girl who wants to be loved perfectly, and through her rose tinted glasses, she is blinded to what she already has.

I think I am a little too old to fully enjoy what creative genius this book is. 16 year old me would have loved this, would have read it over and over. The creative way it has Kate and Libby interjecting over the story breaks through the traditional style of wrtiting and makes it fun and feels more real. This will definitely be a hit for those on the younger side of the Young Adult age range.

Kate and Libby's friendship is what gives this book its substance. It is warm and real. Libby's sarcastic nature gives You Were Made For Me, the down to earth addition that it needs. And don't even get me started on the spud that is Theo. He is kind and gentle and honest. He is literally the perfect boy next door.

You Were Made For Me is a heart warming, coming of age title, with some science stuff thrown in for good measure. We see Kate grow so much throughout this book and even though I saw the ending coming from the very first page, I still loved it and it was still adorable.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for sending me a review copy of this title. All thoughts are my own.

Another great YA romcom from Jenna Guillaume! Filled with her trademark humour and heart, You We’re Made For Me was an absolute romp!
Instant favourite!

What a light-hearted, fun and just down right adorable read this was from Jenna Guillaume! This was the perfect book to read whilst in lockdown as it had me laughing out loud all the way through 😂 I loved how the book was written in a fun way but also mixed in more serious topics as well such as inclusion, perfectionism, bullying and sexuality in a way that will resonate with the teens who will read this book! My only tiny criticism is that I found the parts where it jumps into conversation between Katie and Libby a little clunky at times which took a while to get used to but I still think this is a wonderful YA read!
.
.
A big thank you to Netgalley and PanMacmillan Australia for this advanced digital copy to read and review! You Were Made for Me is out TODAY! ✨

The plot of this reminded me a little bit of the 80s movie Weird Science, where a couple of geeks create a ‘perfect woman’ through computer hackery and an accidental power surge. In You Were Made For Me, it’s two girls, Katie and Libby, who create a ‘perfect boy’ through a combination of Katie’s clay modelling skills and some accidental alchemy from Libby. Katie’s the driving force here, the primary storyteller (though Libby interjects occasionally) and the one who needs a ‘Hemsworth’, because Katie has never been kissed, and at sixteen, she thinks it’s about time.

This is just utterly, completely charming. Though it’s delicately infused with Australian flavour, many of the story’s themes would be relatable to teens the world over - cyber bullying, relationship drama, struggles with figuring out one’s sexuality (or lack thereof - lovely to see an asexual character represented), figuring out a teen’s evolving place within different kinds of family units. It has the feel of a teen movie - I was imagining the young Heath Ledger from 10 Things I Hate About You in the role of Guy - and I genuinely hope it does actually get made into a movie, hopefully in Australia because the local flavour of it definitely adds to its charm. Everything about it was an absolute delight.

Five stars for a wonderfully imaginative and funny Australian YA story with a relatable heroine and an awesome cast of diverse characters.

One night, feeling disillusioned with the lack of romance in her life, Kate dreams up the perfect guy with her friend Libby. Tall, six pack, floppy hair that sits jusssst right, eyes the colour of a clear blue sky, looking like a long lost Hemsworth brother...⁣
⁣
...and that’s exactly what Kate discovers in her bed that very night. She literally dreamed up a guy - aptly named Guy- who is devoted, hot, sweet and totally head over heels in love with her. Except, what does a perfect guy do all day, when you have other places to be...like school?? And more importantly, how do you keep your family from discovering him curled up under your bed??! ⁣
⁣
In between all the usual teenage and school drama, Kate learns that ‘perfect’ may not be all that it’s scratched up to be...that maybe perfection doesn’t exist, and the beautiful imperfections are what make us unique, vulnerable and able to connect with one another. ⁣
⁣
I loved loved loved this book guys! It was fun, sweet and perfectly captured the awkwardness of those teenage years with plenty of actual laugh out loud moments. It’s a coming of age story of friendships - the good kind, the shitty kind and everything in between. The characters were well developed and the dialogue was on point, which I find can be hard in this genre (teens, am I right 🙄). ⁣
⁣
I found Kate to be frustratingly self obsessed at times, a little too hung up on her own problems, but this is just a product of her youth 😅. I felt quite sorry for Guy. He was trapped in his own Rosencrantz and Guilderstern- esque hell, where he was created literally to be Kate’s perfect guy. She was his whole world, but he wasn’t hers. Which left him with nothing much to do besides looking up Wikipedia entries and having snacks all day (which actually does sound like the dream though, no?). If you enjoyed Nina Kenwood’s It Sounded Better in my Head, give this one a go! ⁣
⁣
Thanks to @macmillanaus for sending this my way ❤️.

Do you remember when you were a teenager? When you were absolutely convinced that the cool guy is never going to be into you? Not least of all because he has a beautiful, popular girlfriend who happens to be your nemesis, but also because you know you're not in his league?



I remember feeling similar things to this, and to be honest, not only as a teenager. As an adult I spent many years as a single parent and there were times I believed it wouldn't be possible for me to meet the perfect guy. Luckily, I ended up meeting my pretty much perfect guy but it did take a long time.



What I didn't ever do though is accidentally create my own perfect guy (I had to rely on book boyfriends to fulfil that role) but that's exactly what happens for Katie. She's never been kissed and the boy that she really likes is oblivious to her existence. One night, after a rough day at school Katie and her friend Libby conjure up the perfect boy. When she goes to bed she has an anatomically correct clay figurine and when she wakes up there is 6 foot of Hemsworth-like boy in her room. What else are you going to do but freak out? And then you give them a completely imaginative name like, um, Guy?

Fortunately Libby and Katie's next door neighbour Theo are on hand to help with issues like where Guy can sleep because Libby's parents would freak if he stayed at her place. Theo has been Katie's friend for years. They have been there for each other through tragedy and triumph. But will their friendship survive Guy?



But here's the thing about creating someone so perfect. Guy has no life experience of his own. He has just popped into existence. Every time he eats something, it is the best thing he ever tasted. He has never been to school, and so just waits around for Katie to come home from work or school. He has to learn about working and money. The one thing he knows is Katie. But how do you know what they see in you when you made them to love just you?





I am not the target demographic for this book at all. I am more like the parent of the target demographic, but that doesn't mean to say that I couldn't enjoy the book. I enjoyed the back and forth on the page between Libby and Katie, and, obviously suspending disbelief, I enjoyed the premise of the book. It has that same kind of feel as movies like Freaky Friday and Big. And I definitely could relate to some of the issues around self worth as I did in this author's debut novel which I read last year. I think that there are certain feelings that you have as a teenager that you don't have to dig very hard to be able to find within yourself as an adult.

There is no doubt that this book is on the lighter end of the scale, but if you are looking for a fun read with a very Australian feel that still manages to cover off serious subjects such as grief, sexuality and finding your own identity, this was a pleasure to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan AU for an ARC in exchange for a review.

I did not expect to love this book as much as I do.

I absolutely adored Jenna Guillaume’s first book, What I Like About Me (WILAM). It was so fun and lighthearted and so meaningful. In my mind, there was no way You Were Made for Me could be just as good.

I am so happy to be wrong.

You Were Made For Me is a fun, quirky and lighthearted story just like WILAM. But it’s so different to WILAM. It’s a completely different story, but it’s so good in it’s own right. I don’t think I’ve laughed so much when reading contemporary before. I ended up laughing so much I cried – it was an emotional rollercoaster, but it was just that good. I read the whole thing in one sitting - it’s so easy to get through.

I love when books are so easy to read. It makes the experience of reading so much easier and I don’t have to keep putting the book down to ask what the hell is going on :)

I remember seeing the title and cover and thinking how cute and somewhat predictable the story would be, but decided to read it anyway. Somehow I was approved for a review copy, and here we are.

The thing is, You Were Made For Me wasn’t as predictable as I thought it would be. Sure, two friends somehow Frankensteined their way into making a real-life boy (Guy) who is in love with one of them. And drama arises from that, to the point where the main character, Katie, questions Guy's affections for her.

But what I wasn’t expecting is how real the story would feel. The characters felt genuine, and their relationships with each other flowed so well. The issues they face, with Guy, typical high school bullying and general friendship and family dramas are so well written and come across so authentically. Katie’s friends, Libby, Theo, Alex and the rest of her friendship group felt so real, particularly with the way they referred to little things, like their formal not being a prom. There were all these little hints throughout the story that screamed Australia at me, and it’s always so lovely to read a story that incorporates all those things and doesn’t come off feeling silly. The relationship drama didn’t feel forced, and I liked how Libby pointed out how absorbed Katie was with Guy, and how she felt about it. The overall style of the book is really refreshing and uncomplicated as Katie and Libby add their thoughts as they write the story together. It really put emphasis on their friendship and how their friendship influenced their story – this book focused more on platonic relationships than romance.

All up, I really enjoyed this book. I am still wondering what happened to Guy since he did just disappear, but I’m not entirely sure how you could get rid of him - he's kinda like Frankenstein’s monster in that way :D

I read this book without much knowledge of what it was about and ended up finding it quiet enjoyable. I think there are a lot of topics that should not be missed in this book and a few heavy subjects that are great to learn for any young adult who comes about this book.
It was a funny & quirky storyline that did have me laughing out loud at times. A fun book with some great characters and very enjoyable!

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

"The day I created a boy started like any other"

Oh boy.

(Excuse the pun)

I honestly have no words to describe this book. It was an absolute bundle of chaotic energy, good whole-hearted humour and beautiful characters that weren't hard to fall in love with. The story itself, was so unique and special that it was difficult not to find joy whilst reading this. I enjoyed every minute and every second spent reading You Were Made For Me. If the concept (of making a dream boyfriend and all the hullabaloo that goes with it) wasn't enough to persuade you, the characters, the banter and the wit was flawless and made for an enjoyable reading experience.

Narrated by main character, Katie, the book chronicles the bizarre experience of creating a dream boy out of a clay sculpture and all of the strangeness that comes with it. Guy, is everything Katie wants in a guy: he's Hemsworth brother good-looking, he's romantic and he cares a lot for her. Despite being perfect, Katie soon begins to question her happiness with a "perfect person" like him. But most worryingly, if Guy is really the boy of her dreams.

From page 1 I really enjoyed this book. It was so quirky, fun and dynamic and the way the book was structured really helped this. Some readers, I understand, would not cope well with the structure which goes between the actual storytelling to side-conversations with Libby but in all honesty, I think the style really suited me. It read like dialogue or, aloud, kind of like when your best friend is telling you a really strange but interesting story. I enjoyed it a lot and I know I've been saying that many times throughout this review but it really was a lot of fun and it did have a lot of sarcasm, wit and humour.

My only criticism (which in all honesty isn't really a criticism) is probably the enigma surrounding how they made a boy in the first place. The wit and humour covered it all up but I was left really wanting to know more and had strong suspicions that there would be fantasy ties in this book e.g, Libby is actually a witch and out of the benefit of her own heart she pulled a full on Enchantress-from-Beauty-And-The-Beast-moment to teach Katie a lesson. Even a wacky explanation like that would've provided filling for the massive loophole in the plot.

That being said, I did enjoy the ending and how everything tied together. It left me feeling very whole and satisfied as I read the last page.

ACTUAL RATING: 4.1 STARS

You Were Made For Me follows Katie, an Aussie teenager who accidentally creates the perfect boyfriend, who's drop-dead gorgeous and completely devoted to her. But what if the perfect guy for her was next door all this time? Featuring a stellar cast of likeable characters, You Were Made For Me is a coming-of-age novel that's perfect for Australian teenagers.

While it has its cute and fun elements, it also has an unexpected (but pleasant) depth, as it explores the death of a parent, schoolyard bullying and friendship. I also loved that the book was written as a conversation between Katie and her best friend - while entertaining, it also kept the story flowing.

Thank you Pan Macmillan Australia and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I have tried to read this a few times now and I don't think it's going to be for me. I feel like the protagonist is too young for what I was looking for and it didn't click with what I was wanting. The writing was still great though and the plot seemed interesting, but I think it was something different to what I was expecting.