Friday I'm in Love by Camryn Garret is a funny, emotional, heartfelt read. This book balanced real life struggles - financial problems, familial issues, friendship growing pains. The book looked at queer joy yet balancing that still with the fear of not being accepted by those nearest and dearest to you. I loved how this book commented upon that people should not need feel forced to come out, or have to state their sexuality (why is straight the default?) and yet did not deny Mahalia wanting to celebrate announcing her sexuality on her own terms.

I really enjoyed the romance in this! I loved how it developed slowly (maybe on not Mahalia's part, that was basically lust as first sight) and how it grew authentically. It wasn't always easy with them - but I loved how Mahalia and Siobhan were patient with each other, even if they didn't understand. And there were some issues - Siobhan had a habit of ignoring Mahalia when things got tough, but I liked how this was talked about between the two characters.

I didn't always get on with Mahalia. Some points in the book she made me mad, I thought she was being selfish and inconsiderate - particularly when it came to her mums' financial problems. But on the other hand, I understood her anger and her frustration and that this was her lashing out. And while I don't agree with her behaviour, and do still think at points she can be unlikeable, I think this was a good thing. She's a teenager, she's learning, she's growing. And people aren't likeable all the time lol. I think it made the book feel more realistic and authentic to show this teenager with issues (issues that many teens deal with - family issues, financial problems, school stress) not always navigate them perfectly, but still come out on the other side of it.

I really liked the addition of Mahalia's bank balance at the beginning of each chapter. It was a simple thing to do, but it reminded me of the pressure she was under when seeing her bank balance, compared next to the amount of money she wishes to have saved for her party. I also really liked the addition of the text message elements / song titles / playlist. I think it broke up the prose nicely, and it contributed to the storytelling well.

The reason why I haven't rated this a full 5 stars is because at times I found some parts to be a little rushed, jumping from one part to another without fully exploring the consequences or the characters emotions.

But overall, I really did enjoy this, and I think Camryn Garrett is a powerhouse of an author. I look forward to her next.

3.5 stars

If you love cheesy books, I think you'll really like this! For me it was a little too cheesy, and read a bit too young, but I can totally see it working for other people. I just felt annoyed by the main character a lot of the time - she struck me as pretty self-centred, and it frustrated me, but at the same time I get it, because she's only 16 and she's dealing with a tough money situation at home. The romance is really sweet and heartfelt, and I also thought the friendship Mahalia had with her best friend was great as well. I think my issue was that I loved the author's previous work, Off the Record, so much, that I was expecting to love this one as much too and I'm just left a bit disappointed.

Friday, I’m in Love is a celebration of everything YA should stand for.

Camryn Garrett is one of those authors that just has it. Her spark and determination to place pressing issues at the forefront of her writing is commendable, while also creating wonderful characters and storylines that bring hope and joy.

This is an unashamedly joyous look at queer joy, Black pride and coming of age, mixed with a realistic look at family, financial struggles and friendship. It is what rom coms wish they could be. That love letter to the beauty and vivacity found in our comfort films and books is deeply felt here. It captures the magic of that first glance and the slow build of a romance, while also celebrating friendship. The balance of those types of love is brilliant to see, emphasising the importance of platonic bonds and reaching out to your future.

Mahalia is a fantastic protagonist, learning and trying to find her way. Her voice was so engaging and relatable, with an infectious joy at times and a heart-breaking honesty at others. She has that head over heels type love that endeared me to her completely, though she does recognise eventually that she cannot just be consumed by love. Garrett just creates these snapshots of life that are so realistic. Here, Mahalia’s relationships with her parents form a key dramatic tension. With her dad, there is no easy resolution or magical happy ending, but an authentic realisation of her worth.

Friday, I’m in Love highlights just why Garrett is such an underrated force of nature in YA contemporaries. She just has that ability to capture a moment and let it sparkle.

I really loved this book. Such a cute romance and a story full of heart. I really loved the main character and the time I spent in her world

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Friday I'm In Love follows Mahalia, a Black bisexual (though questioning) plus-sized (I think? slightly ambiguous) teen who is closeted to everyone except her best friend. She missed out on having a Sweet Sixteen party due to financial issues in her single-parent household, so she wants to save up and throw herself a 'coming out party'. The book follows her quest to save up enough money while also dealing with a massive crush on the new girl at school. 

This was really cute and really refreshing to see such diversity in what boils down to a teen romance novel. I'd recommend this for any fans of YA romances and for anyone wishing to diversify their bookshelves. Warning: several rather cringey scenes.

It touched on a lot of relevant issues for today's teens, such as growing up in a single-parent household, financial worries, disappointing fathers, dealing with white teachers who refuse to have a constructive conversation about race, coming out to parents... 

Mahalia as a character was very frustrating at times, her lack of empathy towards her mother's financial issues came across as incredibly selfish as her only care was spending money on a party. There was also a very cringey scene in the supermarket where she works where she made really insensitive comments towards a man who was in tears. It made her come across as a rather immature and unlikeable 16 year old, and this is my reason for bringing down my rating to 4 stars. 

Aside from that I really enjoyed this book!

What a lovely, heart-warming book! I was obsessed from the first page, and like the Grinch I am my heart grew three times larger in my chest at the end when I was sobbing with queer joy.

I fell in love with the characters from the very start, and I was desperate for Mahalia to get the happy ending she deserved. The dynamics between her and her friends and family were the real hero of this book; her best friend, the girl she fancies, and her mum, all had complicated relationships that evolved over the course of the story. I particularly enjoyed the way her relationship with her dad and his family was explored in the last few chapters, opening up her world to us in an unexpected way.

The book was filled with wonderful details. My favourite was the inclusion of Mahalia’s bank balance and statement at the start of each chapter, which was a really nice way of reminding us of the ongoing struggles she was facing and keeping them present while balancing them with the other aspects of her story.

This was a joyful read, and a great addition to the growing collection of queer YA books.

I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC of 'Friday I'm in Love' by Camryn Garrett.

'Friday I'm in Love' by Camryn Garrett is one of those perfect books that is easy to follow along but means the absolute world. Queer black representation is so necessary in this world and our main character is probably one of the most realistic and the most easy to love. The story was such a short read and from the story was heartfelt and beautiful. I'd highly recommend.