I just sat and read this entire book in one sitting, from the first page i was hooked!!! Juliet and Ronan have my heart, they’re so cute. Ronan googling arthritis to understand Jules more made my heart burst. I just loved every second of this book, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. If you love a Cinderella story and Queens Gambit you will LOVE this as much as i did!

Ok this was a really cute read. Loved the disability rep (though I don't know much about it myself so can't say how accurate it is) and I learned a fair amount from reading it. I thought Juliet was insufferable at times, there was miscommunication AND a third act break up, both of which are tropes I don't enjoy lol.

I would have liked a little more at the end to make up for all the cuteness we missed out on in the third act, but overall was cute and I liked it.

3.5*

tbh, I requested it because the cover is stunning, even though I haven't been into YA as much as I used to, but it's pretty cute, if a little cheesy. Juliet and Michael's friendship is wonderful.

Juliet and Ronans' online chess exchanges are pretty sweet. I expected a lot of chess terms, but I still enjoyed it. But what I like best about it is Juliet, who has arthritis but refuses to give up. Also, the dual pov and short chapters make it difficult for me to put it down.

It was so cute, fluffy and sweet. I don’t really read YA but this makes me want to get into genre more. This was definitely a Cinderella story x Queen’s Gambit themed. That’s spot on. It was so good - like this is a book I’d recommend to a younger version of me. My problem with most YA books being that they’re cringy - this wasn’t at all. I love the rep. It’s great and not harmful. Sheds light on what it’s like living with the disease and what it’s like for the people around you- yes young people can have it too. Delicate topics were well handled. I didn’t think it would be such an emotional read. The characters are three dimensional and very loveable. Yes, there’s the cliché queen bee and the gay best friend but I ate it up. I loved Juliet and Micheal’s friendship. He was there for her and was a true friend to her. I loved the healthy portrayal of her relationship with her parents and how they supported her.

I definitely didn’t expect it to be a deep book. It wasn’t just romance. It deals with some dark topics and it hit so close to home. ( Check TWs). It was an emotional read for me.

I like how matters were handled , nothing too dramatic to thicken the plot. The romance was cute and wholesome. It was a great read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher fir an opportunity to review this book.

I'm 26 y/o but I really enjoy YA novels - they're pure and sweet, and definitely a great break from all the heavy-topic novels I usually read.
Even though this story is a bit cheesy and contains few cliches (hence 4 stars), I really enjoyed it! The characters are very likeable, the writing is great and the getting to know someone online (while knowing them offline) always - ALWAYS - gets me ('You Got Mail' vibes, am I right?). Apart from that this is the first time I'm reading about a character with arthritis!

I will definitely recommend this book to my cousins, I think they're gonna love it :D

thank you netgalley for this arc.

If you’re looking for a book with arthritis rep this is the book for you💗

I don’t normally read YA romance, but I really enjoyed this one! Just from the cover of this book I knew it was going to be amazing and I was not disappointed. A book with two unknown people connecting over the app chess life.

Jenny Ireland gives you characters that are multidimensional; Jules a 17 year old with arthritis, Ronan living with the aftermath of drug issues, Micheal the ever supportive gay friend and Jules best friend Tara having issues at home.

The only reason why this book isn’t 5 stars is because I did find it cheesy with the cliches at times but that’s because I’m used to reading adult romances and I know other readers would enjoy those parts.

I’d definitely buy a copy of this book for my younger sister who has perhes disease as this novel is really relatable and shows you can do what everyone else does

I'm not the target audience for a YA romance, but who cares? The gorgeous cover immediately drew me in.

Seventeen-year-old Jules (real name Juliet - her mum's obsessed with the Baz Luhrmann film) is a bit cut off from her peers due to her arthritis (yes, young people can get it too). It could be worse - she has loving parents and her friend Michael is ever loyal and supportive. Other friend Tara is a little less so (but has her own issues).

Ronan has just moved to the school from the other side of town after a family tragedy - keeping himself to himself (or trying to), he's not keen on letting anybody get too close. When Jules and Ronan meet, unbeknownst to each other, on a online chess site, an immediate connection is made, but can it survive in the real world?

There are a few cliches here - the gay best friend, the online chat with a "stranger" who turns out to be someone you know - but this was a brilliant read which I thoroughly enjoyed. The whole part where they are figuring out each other's real identities had me on the edge of my seat!

I'm going to buy a copy for my sixteen year old daughter when it's published - I think she'll love it.