I really struggled with this book. There are a lot of good things in it, but it was very slow at times and I almost DNFed it. I never do that!
I struggled with the way Audrey's father treated her, her mother, and her brother. I also did not like that Harry was similar to her father in the way he treated Audrey. I had such high hopes for this book.

Another reviewer caught on to this, and I did as well. SPOILERS! At the end of the book, the relationship between our main characters ends because one of them cheats. But he can’t remember it. Whether it was a poor plot device or the author chose to do this for a quick and easy explanation as to why it didn’t work out “like in the movies” I find this extremely worrying and problematic. If he can’t remember or was drunk, he was raped. He cannot give consent while under the influence. The fact that it was a throwaway line used to make the female break up is gross. I repeat, if he was under the influence he cannot give consent. Sorry, but the way this book treats this concerning circumstance is laughable and not okay.

Decent YA romcom with zombies.  Why not?  There's the usual BFFs and ex-drama/trauma, plus movies.  Nothing incredibly special, nothing wrong, just decent romance.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

This is not a spoiler free review because there is something that happens at the end that I find _very concerning_. I have indicated where the spoilers occur. 

This book was a very fast paced read and had the potential to be great. Unfortunately, I did not love it, and I had a very negative reaction to the (almost) end. I did finish the book because it was a very fast-paced read and I kept hoping it would get better (it didn't).

I had several issues with this book. First of all, the main character seems to use and discard her friends very easily and when it's convenient to her, and even admits to this throughout the book. She talks about the movie trope of the gay bff, and then proceeds to re-enact this trope in her own story. I understand this was most likely tongue-in-cheek and all that, but I found the MC often judged things very harshly while she herself engaged in the same behavior, which quickly turned me off from her. 

Another example is her anger and frustration regarding the fact that the boy she starts to date does not really try to support her or try to understand what she is going through with her family. However, she also knows that he is going through several difficult things with his family (this is mentioned many times by other characters) and she never tries to give him the support or understanding that she expects from him. 

Additionally, she rejects her original group of friends, cuts them out of her life, and is borderline mean to them. And yet she pops back over to their table whenever she decides is convenient for her, only to be mean to them again, and then return when it is once again convenient. 

********SPOILERS BELOW********

The "relationship" ends because the love interest has a sexual encounter with someone else. However, there is also talk about him "not remembering" what happened because he was so intoxicated. This seems to be glossed over and the love interest is merely seen as a "cheater." However. This is rape. Men can be raped, and excusing the fact that he was too drunk to give consent because he's a guy simply perpetuates the myth that men can't be raped. This is incredibly problematic and I was dismayed by the fact that this was never addressed. The couple not ending up together didn't disturb me because they were truly Not Good for each other. But it seemed obvious that both characters needed outside help and this is never acknowledged.

This was a fantastic YA novel that focuses on romance in film vs real life. I read this one in a single sitting, because once I started I couldn't stop. 

This book frustrated me, made me laugh and gave me all the feels. I loved the characters, and the portrayal of mental illness/alcoholism of the mother was done respectfully. 

Also, I don't want to spoil anything, but I found the last few pages surprisingly perfect. The conclusion of this book was what gave it that extra star rating! 

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this E-book to review via Netgalley.

(thanks to netgalley for helping me get an arc of 'it only happens in the movies' by holly bourne) 

when i first started reading the book, i had low expectations, considering it was the basic "good girl falls in love with bad boy" cliche, but i was pleasantly surprised. the author does an amazing job of making the book seem real, and so much more heartfelt than any other book. the ending made me cry because it was so perfect, it truly couldn't have been any better. 

the characters were great, and it is almost like they're real people. audrey is so sweet and kind, but i can tell that she closed herself off after her parents began to have problems. i really love the variety of friends that she has. henry, as stated does act like an fboy, but he tries to change for audrey and support her. he has a bad rep, but he ends up caring for audrey so much.

the plot is quite clear from the very beginning, but it's the little things that add character to the novel. i especially liked the following quote from the novel :  "love isn't just a feeling. love is a choice too." it was so raw, and really shows that the author has something to say.  overall, this is a great book, and i highly recommend it to teens interested in ya contemporary novels.

I really liked this book - I thought it was a great ending and super realistic. I think teenagers would love this book because it talks about issues of sex and romance really frankly and honestly. Audrey is the best and a role model for young girls. Highly recommend! It is probably too explicit for a classroom (I think), but would be awesome for any high school gal.

Here’s what we have for our literature menu:
Feminism vibes and realistic touch to the sensitive issues like mental health, drug addiction, divorce✅
Smart criticism of romcoms ✅
Witnessing an average heroine’s turning into a badass one who stands for herself including asshole cheating father like a rabbit’s transformation into a roaring lion✅
Good, supportive girl friendship ✅
Positive messages including choosing yourself and learning self acceptance✅

I filled all my check boxes. I always love good written, realistic, powerful, promising books. Even though it is written like a romcom format, romance story line is the secondary. 

And I’m not gonna give spoiler but ending may be the most satisfying part of the book. 

Audrey was broken heroine after dysfunctional family issues, divorce and being dumbed by boyfriend. But falling hard for coworker Harry was the most unexpected thing for her. That’s the plot line makes you thing this is a sweet romance. But it’s not! It’s about a girl power, learning from mistakes and rising from the ashes kind of motivational book with the background song: Katy Perry’s “Roar”

Fast, easy, enjoyable reading that I highly recommended for the genre lovers and author’s die hard fans!

Special thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for a Young Readers for sharing this powerful ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

tw: drug use, depression, parental divorce.

Wow. It Only Happens in the Movies was a great YA read. It's powerful, entertaining, and well-written. As someone who is a huge fan of movies (especially romcoms) I loved how the author tied classic romance movie tropes & scenes into this book. Such as the classic movie kisses, the chance encounters, the grand gestures, and so on. But putting a realistic twist on it.

I really enjoyed the characters, especially Audrey. She's a very relatable teenager. She has insecurities, she doubts herself, but she also knows who she is, as much as she can at her age. She's a strong female lead, and my favorite scene in the entire book is a scene I can't talk about without a huge spoiler. But she's a badass, and I loved her.

This story was enjoyable, and tackles love, heartbreak, friendships, and more. I highly recommend if you love YA contemporary romance novels. So good!

Within a chapter or two I knew that I loved the writing. The smart and crisp style was what made it such an easy read for me, but the banter was what had me smiling and chuckling. It didn’t hurt that I was easily captivated and enchanted, thanks to an original plot, and lots of wonderful characters. If you're looking for books about female friendship, It Only Happens in the Movies is an excellent place to start. It has one of the most honest accounts of friendship I've read so far. 

Hands down, my favorite element of If Only Happens in the Movies was the relatability and realness of all of the characters. Bourne truly imbued vulnerability into each character, which made the story feel more authentic and really come alive. On the surface, this seems a deceptively shallow and fluffy read. I had wrongly assumed the emphasis would be on boy drama and an overdose of teenage angst. In reality, this is actually a tragic and endearing account of how life progresses after a traumatic episode in someone's life.

I thought that this book was beautifully written; each of the characters, even the unlikeable ones, terribly realistic; Holly Bourne writes from the young person's perspective so well. Her characters' feelings towards their parents and their parents' reactions are very real. I remain impressed.

I was instantly sucked in by the title and popcorn on the cover! I enjoyed the references and the commentary on romance in films. I liked how several scenes occurred in a movie theater and how the staff often made remarks about the popularity of Marvel and interest in Oscar nominations.  Audrey's school thesis tied in well and many chapters began with her reflection on the typical movie cliches and how they adhere to a specific formula. It was clear she was jaded from her own personal experiences with love and the collapse of her parents' marriage.  I appreciated the portrayal of relationships and how they are not so cookie cutter. While it made sense that a book about movies included the making of a movie, not being a fan of zombies caused me not to enjoy the subplot.  I'm glad the scene with the counselor was included and how it brought an adult perspective of how love is a choice and most movies end before the development of a full relationship really begins to take place. While some may not like the ending, I wouldn't have expected it to end any other way if it really wanted to stay true to the theme.

This book was a somewhat cynical approach to romance and finding love. The ending was different from a typical romance movie, but that was expected because the protagonist discusses how she does not like typical romance movies throughout the book. 

Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group & NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Welp even though I did some skimming, I still feel like I wasted my time on this one. And while I appreciate that this book tells the story of a more realistic teen relationship, it’s just not for me at all. And if you are the type that likes a HEA or a HFN ending, then this book won’t be for you either.

The main character, Audrey, has a lot on her plate. Her parents are divorced and her father is remarried and has twins with his new wife. Audrey’s mom isn’t handling this well and has a lot of mental issues. And it falls on Audrey to take care of her, even though she is only a senior. She is also dealing with a heartbreak- her boyfriend dumped her shortly after she lost her virginity to him.

She gets a job at a cinema, mainly to get away from her mom, and meets Harry. He’s too charming for his own good, but Audrey has sworn off boys and love.

But of course, Harry wins her over.

I’m not sure how though. I never really felt the connection between the two of them. He’s stoned out of his mind in the majority of their scenes together. So their conversations consist of how they can’t have a conversation because he is so high, or a fight happens because he got high with his on again off again f-Buddy, Rosie, and tells her everything about his relationship with Audrey.

He never once won me over, and I always felt Audrey could do better. Maybe that was the point?

Then the ending. I hated it. Yet at the same time, given what happened, it made sense.

A refreshingly honest look at love. Audrey (as in Hepburn) knows life isn’t like the movies. Her parents nasty divorce saw to that. She even decides to do a school project on how bad rom-coms are. When she gets a job at the movie theater and meets Harry, she finds that love is even better...and worse...than she ever portrayed on the silver screen. A poignant and agonizingly real YA romance.

It Only Happens In The Movie is a great young adult book. With funny characters and a great romance, this will be a hit. Audrey and Harry are adorable and I loved the story and couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read another book by Holly.

It Only Happens in the Movies is a breathtakingly funny and emotive read that explores the realities of love, and how relationships are not like the movies and don't always have that fairy-tale happy ending. It's an original story with engaging characters and situations many will relate to.