A very cute and light YA romance. The main characters are thrown together after Jane takes on the job of babysitting Teo's younger sisters. There's Teo's best friend who inexplicably hates Jane's guts, Teo's search for his birth father (and his heritage), Jane's inability to communicate to her mother effectively her post-high school plans, and Jane's sister Margo who is deciding how to come out as bisexual to her parents.

Despite all the moving pieces, the story was pretty simple and easy. The characters seem to live in super sanitized world in which everybody is fairly bland and not too quirky (Jane's nerdy, but not TOO nerdy, for example, as her crossover fanfiction hobby is pretty glossed over). For the most part, the author seemed to rely on giving the characters some defining trait or mission in order to differentiate them rather than fleshing out personalities (Margo's clumsiness, Ravi's animosity to Jane, Teo's quest for his father). Though honestly, Ravi seemed to have the most personality of any of the characters, mainly because he was so over the top.

A quick read that I liked but I didn't find too memorable. I did appreciate the diversity in the cast of characters. ( )

Disappointed after her first one, which I loved. Sophomore slump? ( )

Very cute! ( )

This review was originally posted on Bookish Things & MoreExcerpt
“I know you’re not going to understand this, but I’m really going to miss him.”
Jane looked over at Teo, shocked. “Of course I get it. My best friends are off at sleepaway band camp for the summer, where there’s no cell service and the Wi-Fi signal is on serious lockdown, while I spend my days regretting that I quit playing the glockenspiel in fifth grade.”
“So you do get it,” Teo said.
“At least we have each other,” Jane said, taking a calculated risk.
It paid off when Teo smiled so broadly his dimple made an appearance.
Jane sat on her hands so she wouldn’t push her finger into it—that was how adorable his dimple was. She could barely resist the urge to touch it.
“So did you save me any cookies?” Teo asked, gesturing to the empty plate in front of her.
“No,” Jane said seriously. “But I did hear that your mom made you a plate of leftovers and put it in the fridge.”
“My fridge?”
“That’s the rumor.”
“Want to come watch me eat?”
“Only if I can bring more cookies.”
“What about brownies?” Teo asked, looking over at the dessert table. “Or maybe that apple pie no one has even touched yet.”
“It’s hard to say no to pie,” Jane said.
They stood up and walked over to take the pie.
“Wait,” Teo said, grabbing Jane’s arm. “Is there ice cream available for the pie?”
“I don’t think so. Ice cream doesn’t really go with this amount of heat,” Jane said.
“Ah, take the pie anyway. I think we have ice cream at my house.”
Jane grabbed the pie, and Teo walked in front of her like a bodyguard until they were around the corner and safely inside his house.
He held up his hand to high-five Jane, but she got so flustered she fist-bumped it.
“That’s an interesting option.” Teo looked at his hand where Jane had basically just punched him.
“I hate myself sometimes,” she said.
“Do over?” Teo offered.
“Do over.” Jane held up her hand, and this time Teo fist-bumped her palm.
“Thanks for that,” she said.
He winked dramatically and then went to rummage in the fridge.

 

 

 

 
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Jane's been overshadowed by 'perfect' older sister Margo all her life. Her mother never listens and it seems like her dad takes the easy path by not supporting her ever more frustrating attempts to be heard. She isn't sure going to college is the best path to take, but her college professor mother insists it's the only way to go, even to signing her up for an unpaid summer internship that Jane knows will be boring and uninspiring.
Desperate for an alternative, she answers an ad looking for a babysitter. When it turns out to be for her mom's good friend Connie who is also mother to Teo, the boy she's been crushing on for ages, it's both scary and exhilarating. She gets the job, watching Teo's three stepsisters. It comes with mixed benefits. The pay is good, the girls are easy to handle (most of the time) and Teo is great eye candy, but his best friend Ravi is included. He's been ultra-mean to Jane for a long time with no explanation.
Teo has his own baggage. He's never known his real dad and has issues with Buck, his stepfather. He's made a series of halfhearted attempts to search for his dad online with no success. Ravi takes an unexpected trip overseas to accompany his mother when his grandmother becomes ill, leaving Teo feeling like there's no one to confide in. Suddenly Jane is more than the girl babysitting his step-sisters. As they become more comfortable talking, it's obvious to everyone but them, how strong their attraction is. What happens with that, as well as the dilemma Margo is wrestling with and why Ravi has been on Jane's case all this time, make for a fun read with some unexpected surprises.
Sandy's first book, A Little Something Different was a great debut and I was concerned there might be a letdown here, but this book is just as much fun to read. Teens who like romance, identify with parents who don't listen to teen concerns, or who have step-sibling issues will relate well to the characters. A good addition to both school and public library collections. ( )