Synopsis

A calculus nerd enlists her surly classmate’s help to win back her ex-boyfriend, but when sparks start to fly, she realizes there’s no algorithm for falling in love.

Marlowe Thompson understands a lot of things. She understands that calculus isn’t overwhelmingly beautiful to everyone, and that it typically kills the mood when you try to talk Python coding over beer pong. She understands people were surprised when golden boy Josh asked her out and she went from weird, math-obsessed Marlowe to half of their school’s couple goals. Unfortunately, Marlowe was surprised when Josh dumped her because he’d prefer a girlfriend who was more romantic. One with emotional depth.

But Marlowe has never failed anything in her life, and she isn’t about to start now. When she’s paired with Ashton Hayes for an English project, his black clothing and moody eyeliner cause a bit of a systems overload, and the dissonant sounds of his rock band make her brain itch. But when she discovers Ash’s hidden stash of love songs, Marlowe makes a desperate deal to unleash her inner romantic heroine: if Ash will agree to help her write some love letters, she’ll calculate the perfect data analytics formula to make Ash’s band go viral.

As the semester heats up with yearning love notes and late nights spent with a boy who escapes any box her brain tries to put him in, Marlowe starts to question if there’s really a set solution to love. Could a girl who has never met a problem she couldn’t solve have gotten the math so massively wrong?

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Review

This YA romance novel will entice many younger readers, especially if they are neurodivergent or have autism. I liked that Marlowe is different and recognizes her differences. I felt like she was portrayed well regarding her autistic traits. I have a stepson who is on the spectrum, and I saw some of him in her. It is mentioned a few times but not built upon in the story. It could have been a more significant portion of the book. That said, it is easy to see why she was so focused on her ex-boyfriend, Josh, and wanted him back. It is the obsessive trait of those on the spectrum.

Enter Ash. Marlowe is paired with him on an English project, and she uses this situation to get help trying to win Josh back. What she doesn’t realize is that Ash is interested in her. It is just like the Cyrano de Bergerac storyline. There are multiple classic tales scattered throughout the book that reference what is happening to the characters. I liked that tie-in. I also enjoyed all of the interactions between Marlowe and Ash, especially when you look at it through their eyes and not as a reader.

While Marlowe has issues to work through, she could sometimes get a little annoying. But I felt like she learned a lot about herself and that maybe how she shows love and affection is ok and doesn’t have to fit into a mold that someone else expects. I liked her two best friends, Odette and Poppy. While we learn more about Odette than Poppy, this trio of friends sticks together through thick and thin.

This book is filled with tropes and loveable characters, and we give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

Thirty-something-year-old with a love of all things sparkly, over-dramatic, and pizza-related. Serena writes books about awkward teens, the chaotic world of theater, found families, Shakespeare himself, and a sprinkle of kisses.

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