She Gets the Girl

This was a sweet, swoony read with depth. I read it in one day. Even though the relationship between the two main characters doesn’t become romantic until further in, the anticipation of them realising they’re right for each other is really satisfying and it feels well earned when they do realise it.

The issues that each main character is facing with their family add depth to their stories. Alex’s relationship with her alcoholic mother and the ramifications it causes in her own relationships was one of the more realistic, nuanced takes I’ve read. Molly’s relationship with her mother was also really interesting. I haven’t read anything in YA that touches on generational trauma related to race and adoption. Despite dealing with these heavy issues, the book didn’t feel overwhelmed by them. Both were really well balanced with the main plot, but dealt with respectfully.

I wanted read this because I read The Lucky List by Lippincott and really enjoyed it. This book was just as enjoyable and I liked that the characters were slightly older. There isn’t as much YA in the just finished high school age range. If you like books by Jennifer Dugan, Kelly Quindlen or Ciara Smyth, then you’ll like this book too.

ever since she can remember, Molly’s only friend has been her mum. and that’s why she is so excited for college, so excited for a new period of her life where she can make new friends and maybe even get the girl of her dreams, Cora.

Alex has dealt with a lot of trauma regarding her parents and she deals with this by running away. and that’s exactly what she does when her girlfriend, Natalie, tells her she loves her. she gets up, runs off into the night, and the two drift apart.

when Molly meets Alex at a college party, Alex can tell she has feelings for Cora and comes up with a brilliant plan: help Molly and Cora get together and show Natalie that she is capable of caring about other people and not sabotaging everything good that comes her way. as Molly and Alex’s 5-step plan begins, the two begin to question their own relationship and feelings for each other.

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK YALL THIS BOOK
THIS BOOK HAS 2 LESBIAN MCs, A KOREAN MC, DUAL POV, LOTS OF ENGLISH MAJOR DISCUSSIONS, AND A ROLLER SKATING DATE. THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING YOU COULD EVER WANT IN A ROMANCE, AND ITS SAPPHIC!!!!

this novel has the perfect balance of comedy and emotional complexity. both Alex and Molly are extremely relatable characters, and they’re tremendously written. this is a masterpiece. get your hands on this right tf now.

big thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia for an ARC of this via NetGalley and a HUGE THANK YOU to my newfound faves, Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick for this absolute beauty of a novel.

<i>She Gets The Girl</i> follows the lives of two girls, Alex and Molly, as they navigate going away to college and what they are leaving behind in the process.

For Molly, it’s her close-knit relationship with her mom that has slipped unintentionally into being slightly codependent and her life as a “socially inept” loner with no friends. For Alex, who has become a caretaker to her alcoholic mother, for every step forward she makes - her home life back in Philadelphia pulls her two steps back. That, combined with turbulent times with her long-distance “sort of” girlfriend leaves her with a newfound self-awareness and a desire to change for the better.

This book has so much character growth. Both girls learn to navigate setting boundaries in unhealthy parent dynamics (with different levels of severity, obviously.) which is something I have never seen in a YA novel before. This is handled so well in both instances, and I wish I had this kind of representation as a teen. Nedra Tawwab would be proud of Alex and Molly!

In addition to the self growth the girls both have individually, the book itself is so well written and the story has such a natural cadence that I was actually surprised when I was almost finished with it. This was definitely a book that I wished there was more of, and can see myself re-reading again in the near future!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is such an enjoyable and sweet read. I loved watching Molly open up, make friends and fall in love, it was so heartwarming to read. I loved Alex and all her confidence, and loved watching her fall for Molly, and see what love could be.

I think everyone longs for a fresh start, and a place to come into themselves, college is the perfect place for this. I also loved how these girls were all so open about their sexualities and that it wasn't a big deal at all. This was such a joy to read. Highly reccomend this book

Content warnings: underage drinking, internalised racism (parent), alcoholic parent, parent who left, gaslighting.

Rep: Alex is lesbian. Molly is Korean-American and lesbian. Cora (side character) is sapphic (label not specified), Natalie (side character) is sapphic (label also not specified).

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First read through review:
I loved absolutely everything about this book. I honestly don’t think that there is a single part about this book that I don’t like.

I loved how this book started, with Alex’s inability to connect with another person due to her own intimacy issues, and Molly’s lack of friends.


Alex and Molly are an unlikely pair – they seem to clash from the start with Alex being so confident, and Molly being the polar opposite. But that’s why their friendship worked so well.

I adored reading the way they got to know each other – how Alex helped Molly come out of her shell and be herself. I also loved the way that Alex was finally able to open up to someone about her own life and fears.

This book was so lovely, and I thoroughly enjoyed every single moment of it.

I was able to read it in one day and it was just amazing from start to finish.

I love Molly and Alex, and they were so cute and precious and I just love them a lot. This is my new favourite YA romcom book. There is no comparison in my mind.

6/5 stars