This book was so perfect. I will be honest I was three chapters in and ready to quit given Merrilee's insistence on thinking Romeo and Juliet was a romantic story and her like of a boy who says 'love' as a term of endearment and is not British, but soon the book found it's rhythm. Nothing is as easy as it seems for middle child Merrilee as she starts a new prep school. She and her friends are full of fun as she tries to navigate a new school and search for her prince charming. Fielding could use a better name, and poor Toby and Eliza need actual plot lines, but I loved the sisters dynamic and Merrilee's intelligence and wit.

I love the premise of living out the story of a classic book, and I thought Ms. Schmidt executed it very well. I was a bit leery of the Romeo and Juliet story line, but then I fall into the category of that not being a favorite despite loving Shakespeare in general. However, as the story progressed, I was satisfied. And then came Pride and Prejudice, made even more perfect by the fact that Merri was reading it as she experienced it and so didn’t already know what to expect. So well done!

Maybe some readers would find it cheesy, but I thought there was just the right amount of magic in the story, leaving me wondering how much the characters themselves directed and how much was magic.

A delightful cast of characters surrounded Merri, but I especially enjoyed her two best friends and her struggle to balance them. On top of feeling torn between the two friends, there was the added tension of her boy best friend having feelings for her that she had to delicately rebuff. I liked the way it was handled on all fronts.

Just as Pride and Prejudice is about Elizabeth learning to see many people in her world differently, Merri has to realize her prejudices toward certain characters are either unwarranted or skewed. It was nice that the similarities weren’t just in the romance.

I loved how the romance developed, particularly since Merri starts out longing for a romance and learning she doesn’t necessarily want the sort of romance you read in a book.

This was sort of a retelling of Pride and Prejudice which is one of my favorite classics. I really enjoyed it. It was funny and cute.

I really enjoyed this book. I went into it expecting one thing and was given something totally different. I loved the cliched theme here with the book boyfriend's. It was very enjoyable.

I really, really wanted to like this book. I love a good classic retelling and "Pride and Prejudice" is a personal favourite novel of mine. But I just couldn't connect to the characters. They all felt a bit two dimensional, just serving their role in moving the story along. I especially couldn't warm up to Fielding, never really got past his dickishness in the beginning. That being said, I did enjoy the classic literature references so it was a fun read? I just won't be hurrying back to re-read this one.

DNF at 25%. Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. Too many adjectives and frankly a really ridiculous first kiss scene. I was boy crazy and book crazy in high school too but Merri is both of those things in bright flashing neon lights. It's too much. I'm also not a big fan of the writing style.

I loved this book, it was so cute and funny and it also features book boyfriends so what's not to love!
The main character Merrilee is an avid reader. She constantly has a book in hand and thinks 'boys are better in books.' (So relatable!)
Merrilee, her younger sister Rory and her best friend Eliza are about to start at 'Hero High' (I know right!! The school even has modern-day knights, I mean how could you not love this book!) where she meets a 'magic' English teacher and soon finds herself right in the middle of her own classic book adventure.
I would say this book is a retelling as it follows a certain classic novel but I won't say which as I don't want to spoil anything, even though the cover gives it away. (Just read the book! Trust me!)
Merrilee is a quirky character that you just can't help fall in love with. Slightly clumsy, huge romantic, wherever she goes hijinx ensue, which makes this book charmingly hilarious.
Eliza is the exact opposite to Merrilee and they balance each other perfectly and I truly loved their friendship. How they were constantly looking out for one another. I do wish there had been more  about Eliza but as this is a 2 part series hopefully the next book will be about her.
At the same time I found Merrilee's younger sister Rory an interesting character and would like to hear her story as well. Tiffany please make this more than just a 2 part series! I need more on all the characters mentioned. Plus I wouldn't mind a story that redeems the 'villain' of this book, if that is even possible.
The main love interest is definitely one I will be adding to my bookish boyfriend list as I am sure anyone who reads this will do too.
4.5 stars!!

I have to admit, as a lifelong reader I’ve had my share of bookish boyfriends. I’ve had cause to agree with the statement, “Boys are so much better in books”. You all know what I’m talking about, and we’ve all got our favorites. Mr. Darcy? Mr. Rochester? Name your poison. This book takes that very sentiment and runs with it.  

I will admit that this book is simply not written for me. I had hoped that the references to books and familiar heroes would carry me through this story but I am an older woman, and this book is very much for teens. I would even venture to say that it is primarily for younger teens, not college age readers.  It was a pleasant and easy read, but I found it hard to generate any enthusiasm for the main character in particular. Merrilee is a girl who is obsessed with books, is quite boy crazy and as such she did not appeal to me. Merrilee is also astoundingly selfish. I found that hard to get past.

The book feels like an extended bookish meme come to life. The characters directly correspond to characters in Romeo & Juliet and Pride and Prejudice. Those similarities in characterization and plot can be heavy handed but are also somewhat superficial. It feels not so much like a re-telling as a direct translation into millennial terms.

I don’t think this is a badly written book. The author shows skill with pacing and delivery. She consistently held my interest and this book was never even close to becoming a DNF. In fact, I found myself anxiously waiting for bedtime when I could continue reading. I would like to see this author branch out and write something completely original and not tie herself to the confines of a plot and a reader that is expecting the same old story. I believe Ms. Schmidt will be good at something new.

Song for this book: Hang with Me (acoustic) – Robyn

Cute, funny, and a nice fast read. This title will make a great summer pick for my teens.

I received Bookish Boyfriends by Tiffany Schmidt from Netgalley (and the publishers) in exchange for an honest review.

Bookish Boyfriends was pretty much all I had expected it to be and more. At one point between 20-40 percent of the book it had gotten really cliche and my reading time with it was very slow paced. I had almost put it down because the romance between Merrilee and Monroe bugged me. But then it got SO much better. 

I like how she decided she didn't want anything like Juliet in the end and she took her time to grow as a character in the book. All of the other characters in the books were very likeable. Fielding was one of my favorites as well as Toby. I liked that Pride and Prejudice was in the book even though I have never read them. I'm not really much for classics, but this book almost makes me want to pick a few up. ALMOST. I don't know if I actually ever will since they aren't my cup of tea, but I thought the author did good for getting me almost curious enough.

This book was just so adorable, and everything I had hoped it would be (minus the slow part I had hit in the early stages.) It was very well written so it is definitely a five star read.

I'd definitely recommend it to anybody who loves YA romance and books about books.

Thanks again for giving me the chance to read and review!

I felt that the premise was cute, but all the angsty relationships were drawn out too long. It was tiresome to continue to read that Merri and Rory would not have been admitted to Hero with the senator’s influence. The headmaster was way too overbearing and unrealistic. There were cute parts and I loved all the literary references. Thanks for allowing me to be an early reader.

*Slight spoilers ahead*

Let me start by saying that this book has a really cool concept. A possibly magic English teacher, and Merilee’s life seeming to mirror a book’s plot? However, the book was almost too frilly for me. Merilee is instantly wooed by Monroe - they know each other for one day and they’re already dating? It just seemed unrealistic to me, but that was kind of the point - showing how ridiculous Romeo & Juliet is as a love story. I feel like it spent too much time on the Wickham (aka Monroe) plot line. Obviously this was a Pride and Prejudice adaptation - I mean, a brooding, handsome boy who seems to hate her for some mysterious reason? I was confused when the plot seemed to follow Romeo and Juliet, but the students at Hero High have their own book that they’re living out, and Monroe’s is Romeo and Juliet, so that cleared up the confusion for me. I love how Rory’s book is revealed to be Little Women right at the end, and the whole Toby’s unrequited love plot is tied up through that.
4.5/5

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two stars for the idea, which is brilliant -- a fact that makes the sloppy execution and unbelievable characters even more disappointing.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review BOOKISH BOYFRIENDS. Tiffany Schmidt never disappoints!
That was adorable and loads of fun! Merrilee’s enthusiasm for all things books, boys, and swoon-worthy romance was palpable. (And completely relatable.) Do your-bookish-self a favor and read it.

3.5 stars

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So, this was a cute book overall, and I was intrigued by the idea of the book.  I think the execution suffered a little, though, which knocked my rating down a little. Also, I found Merliee, the main character, to be a little too flaky and she comes across a little young. I think the book will appeal more to younger YA readers (as in middle school/early high school age). Overall it was cute and had good examples of friendship, diverse characters, and some other great things going for it, so it I liked it well enough. I would definitely recommend it to younger YA readers wanting a cute, light romance.

Okay. I was immediately attracted to Bookish Boyfriends. The premise just sounded way too cute, and I knew that if it was half as adorable as it sounded, I'd be on board. I had NO IDEA how much I would love this book.

The writing is so. effing. cute. Fun, hilarious, intelligent. The word that comes immediately to mind is effortless. The tone is so lighthearted that I flew through the pages easily and readily. At no point did it slow down or become less interesting for me.

The characters are just completely phenomenal.

Two pages in, I made a note about how much I adore the relationship between Merrilee, our narrator, and her best friend Eliza. I LOVE girl friendships. Love them. The good, the bad, the in between. I want them all. This one is possibly one of my favorite friendships in all of YA.

I could write an essay about how much I love Merrilee, our narrator, who is fifteen and boy crazy. What is refreshing is that she's boy crazy for boys in books, hence bookish boyfriends. She is SO quirky (describing her style as "toddler-chic" is something I love), SO silly. But also brilliant and unapologetically herself. We could all stand to be more like Merrilee. I'd like more girls to be comfortable with being both math geniuses and romance junkies. Her loyalty and friendship to Eliza is admirable and gorgeous and something all people should aspire to.

We have Eliza, a gorgeous girl obsessed with biology who is an excellent friend to Merrilee, even if she doesn't get the romance thing.

And a whole slew of side characters all distinct and beautiful. I won't even get into the leading men, except to say that I love them, also.

I'm also OBSESSED with Merrilee's English teacher, though this is an area where I'm extremely biased.

This book has SO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT WOMEN. It is subtle; feminist undertones are there, constantly, but it isn’t enough to be off-putting to those less inclined to our ways. I LOVE loud, bold, in-your-face feminism but I also love that I'm seeing a lot of this, like, thinly veiled girl power in YA.

I love that the female characters in this book give you a ton to think about. We tend to think of girls (and ultimately women) as one thing. People are told to forget how multi-faceted teenage girls can be, and I think Bookish Boyfriends is a great example of their complexity.

I LOVE books like this where the tone is just so fun and lighthearted. No apocalyptic stakes, no end of the world around the corner. A girl and her life and her friends and her first experiences with dating.

I think this is great for people who like the softer side of YA. No cursing, no partying, no drugs or drinking. The kids are 15, so I think this is super fitting.

All in all this is just a great, quick read and I can't wait for the next book!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for advanced access to this book in exchange for an honest review!

I knew as soon as I read the description that I was going to absolutely love this book! I mean I've only wished a thousand times that Rhysand and Jace Wayland were real.

Merrilee is a 16 year old girl that thinks boys in books are way better than boys in real life. (Who could blame her?)

Merrilee, her best friend Eliza, and her little sister Rory transfer to a new school where their fantasies come true. I am a bit disappointed that of all the things focused on in English class for Brit Lit, Romeo and Juliet was chosen and was the main focus for about 60 percent of the book *gag* but then a way better classic comes in. You will seriously not be disappointed.

Merrilee is definitely a modern-day Belle, with her love of books. This book was seriously too adorable. This will be one I re-read a thousand times.