What happens when you’re just friends but you end up in New York, and one of you might be leaving…. what would you do, and how would you spend your time? Would you take a chance at being more and change your life?
Cole Kimball and Laila Olivet have been best friends their entire lives. Cole is the only person (apart from blood relatives) who’s seen Laila in her oversized, pink, plastic, Sophia Loren glasses. Laila is always the first person to taste test any new dish Cole creates in his family’s restaurant . . . even though she has the refined palate of a kindergartener. Most importantly, Cole and Laila are always talking. About everything.
When Cole discovers a betrayal from his recently deceased grandfather that shatters his world, staying in Adelaide Springs, Colorado, is suddenly unfathomable. But Laila loves her life in their small mountain town and can’t imagine ever living anywhere else. She loves serving customers who tip her with a dozen fresh eggs. She loves living within walking distance of all her favorite people. And she’s very much not okay with the idea of not being able to walk to her very favorite person.
Still, when Cole toys with moving across the country to New York City, she decides to support her best friend–even as she secretly hopes she can convince him to stay home. And not just for his killer chocolate chip pancakes. Because she loves him. As a friend. Just as a friend. Right?
Graphic: Death, Grief Moderate: Abandonment, Terminal Illness, Death of a Parent Minor: Sexual Content
My Review
Hilarious as always. Relatable quirky MC, but this time I honestly saw myself in the character of Laila in so many ways 😂 Best friends who are remarkably close, and a potential move separating them was an interesting conflict. Their relationship was super open – especially for a friend relationship between a guy and girl – but it was actually nice to see a somewhat healthy friendship/relationship for a change! I loved the tv and movie references thrown out in the NY setting. It was like being in on the joke. Several moments of laughing so hard I almost fell onto the floor, so you know it was a good one for me.
Would I Recommend This Book?
Yes! Bethany Turner books are always fun to read, and this was witty, heartfelt and a great time.
Similar Books You Might Like
If you are thinking what kind of books would have similar feel, themes or content, here is a list that you can consider:
Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other (Bethany Turner)
Brynn and Sebastian may “hate” each other, but I LOVED them both in Bethany Turner’s new novel.
Meet Brynn
We are introduced to Brynn first as a big time morning television star – finally! After a while of trying to get higher up the food chain, she makes it one week before accidentally putting her foot in it! So, to get back in the good graces of America, and her home town, she heads back down there to try and make things right.
First Impressions of Brynn
Right off the bat, Brynn is snarky and full of “boss babe” energy, with enough wounds to hint to a softer side that she can’t show anyone. A little brash, and more bite than bark, but somehow there’s still something interesting about her that you want to keep scratching at the surface to uncover.
Enter Sebastian
We then get to meet Sebastian, who has settled into said small town after a big life chasing very important people, in a high stress journalism type job. Now, he serves on the town council, helps out in the mechanic shop, and basically tries to ignore the desire to be glued to his phone for any and all news updates.
Turning Conflict Into Opportunity
While not thrilled to see Brynn come back and use the town to her advantage, he realises that the town he now calls home needs a boost for tourism. So, reluctantly points out that while her comments were hurtful to the people, they could spin it for their own purposes. He has a mysterious past and is determined to move forward from whatever happened.
“Would Americas freakin sweetheart please move her freakin feet and get in the freakin vehicle.”
Why This Romance Worked So Well
Enemies to lovers, a mountain small town, broadcast journalists and some amazing banter… yeah this one had it all and more.
The Banter Was Elite
The laugh out loud one liners that always accompany Bethany’s books were on point, with two characters that were like oil and water… sort of. Biting back and forth in a hilarious exchange (particularly Sebastian’s side) we followed their relationship from first first exchange to last. From Brynn’s attempt to gain back the trust of a whole nation from a live television slip up, to Seb’s mysterious past and current responsibilities, these two and the people around them were a great combination.
“It was just too fun watching her eyes grow bigger and bigger until he couldn’t help but wonder if they were going to pop right out of her head.”
Final Thoughts & Rating
While Sebastian was my favourite of the two characters – having just a bit more likability than Bryn – I enjoyed the development of all. The plot moves smoothly and we got a lovely ending to boot!
“He’d never known anyone to stick their foot in their mouth quite as often as she did.”
I had a blast listening to the audiobook this time around! I’m hoping the paperback gets released to Australia soon, and will absolutely add it to my collection!
To write a review of this without spoilers is almost impossible (pun intended)…. But let me try
I liked it overall. It took a very surprising turn that totally flipped what I thought it would look like – which was nice. The writing was good and I liked the email elements. There was a bit much swearing and other throw away attitudes that I didn’t appreciate, which contributed to at least one star down in my rating. I liked the characters and their “impossible” love story was quite interesting. The ending… I am on the fence as to how I feel about it but will say it punched me in the stomach, but by the final line, I was almost okay with it… almost. (I listened to the audiobook and loved the two voices for the two characters).
I didn’t care that this book was somewhat predictable, because I had so much fun reading it. The characters had great chemistry, they were flawed but willing to do something when they had a chance, and there was all the drama! I love books about readers and writers, so this was IT for me. Editors meeting in the margins over the course of a month and working on a book? Yes! There was a lot of really funny but genuine moments, and the BANTER was just so great. Melissa wrote this book with a great flow and it was easy to speed through and stay up way too late just to finish it!
Loved this one – it was funny, entertaining, and somehow made you forget the Groundhog Day trope being so overdone. I didn’t mind one bit, and instead got to thoroughly enjoy myself as we followed Em throughout. Funny, entertaining and relatable. I thought some of it became predictable and I could see the direction, but I enjoyed it in spite of that. The characters had a natural feeling progression and sometimes surprised you. This one was beautifully executed and I loved listening to the audiobook!
I must admit, this book surprised me. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, but the characters were fun, the story quite good and even though it was a trifle similar to many other books written in the time period, I think it stood its ground. I didn’t enjoy some POV head hopping, and I would have liked an extended ending, but otherwise it was most enjoyable.
Okay, so it’s no secret if you’ve been watching my videos on Booktube, but Bethany Turner has become one of my fav authors over the last year or so. I found one of her books and LOVED her writing, characters and stories she comes up with. While there are only about 5 books that she has currently released, I have decided to go through them all with you now and share the TOP and the BOTTOM of the list!
This is my new favourite love story. Friends to lovers is just a beautiful trope, and Bethany did an amazing job with this one. Looking at being independent and not needing a relationship to feel complete, but seeing that it can still make a meaningful difference; that work and love is possible; that family is always there even when you don’t realise it; that love and forgiveness can really make a difference – it was stunning. Funny as always, beautifully moving, and just something so incredible that it goes up as one of my favourite books of all time.
Okay, Bethany Turner is now one of my favourite authors. This was hilarious, heart warming, swoon worthy and so beautifully written. The topic of sex before marriage for Christians has always and will always be a “hot topic” so to speak, and I think Bethany handled it so brilliantly. It isn’t an easy thing to strive for, and you can have romance in a relationship without that part and it still be steamy. It is also something that walks the line in books, movies and tv shows for a lot of Christians as well. This was absolutely a story that needed to be told and it was SO STINKING CUTE! Love, love, loved it
This is my FAV Bethany Turner couple by far! I love, love, loved Max and Hadley, so very much. The enemies to lovers, dealing with overblown egos, drinking issues and perceptions of others and yourself was just *chef’s kiss 😉 I loved the progression of the story and the characters, the romance and witty banter, plus all the charm and hilarity that Bethany always injects into her stories. Can’t believe I waited so long to discover this one!
Loved it! Funny, heart breaking and warming, and swimming with coincidence.. I loved the characters and the progress. I loved that each chapter saw our characters a year later, and chose to read a chapter a day which was a fun way to experience it. Fabulous as always Bethany
Mixed feelings. The second half was definitely the best half. I don’t ordinarily like the “misunderstanding” trope, so that probably contributed to the plot not hitting as many marks as I had hoped. Bethany’s writing is always great though, and her incredible humour shone through more so in the second half. I liked the handling of the serious relationship topics with a Christian perspective. I think she did a great job. Overall, I think the first half could have been shorter, last half longer or more explored. But it was still a nice little read.
If you love a clean romance that’s funny, believable, relatable and isn’t afraid to shy away from real topics… Bethany’s books are for you! Highly recommend!!
I LOVED this movie, and I still do… but when I found out it was first a book, I had to add it to the Book Vs Movie pile!
Estimated Reading Time: 6min
I have a confession. I am secretly the Princess of Genovia…Okay, no. That’s Mia Thermopolis. But after finally reading The Princess Diaries and comparing it to the Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews movie, I discovered there were far more differences than I expected.
In fact, one of the first things that surprised me was that the movie doesn’t just adapt the first book. It actually pulls material from multiple books in the series. I reached what felt like the middle of the movie and realised I had already reached the end of Book One. So let’s talk about the changes.
As always, spoilers ahead.
The Book Is Actually a Diary
This sounds obvious, but it’s something I never really thought about until I picked up the novel. The Princess Diaries is literally written as Mia’s diary. Every entry comes directly from her perspective. Some days have multiple entries, some days are skipped, and the entire story unfolds through her personal thoughts. As someone who read quite a few diary-format books as a teenager, I actually enjoyed this style. It also makes the title make a lot more sense.
In the movie, the diary itself isn’t a huge part of the story. Outside of a few moments, including the ending, it almost fades into the background. In the book, it’s the entire framework.
Mia’s Dad Is Alive
One of the biggest changes is Mia’s father. In the movie, he’s already passed away before the story begins. In the book, he’s very much alive. The reason Mia becomes heir to Genovia isn’t because her father died. It’s because he has recently undergone cancer treatment and can no longer have children. That means Mia is the only heir. It completely changes the dynamic. Unfortunately, it also introduces a character I didn’t particularly enjoy. Mia’s father is stiff, snobbish, and deeply entrenched in royal life. While I appreciated seeing another side of the story, I definitely preferred the movie’s approach.
The Grandmother Is Nothing Like Julie Andrews
I need to talk about Grandmère. Because wow. The movie version played by Julie Andrews is elegant, strict, and occasionally intimidating, but she’s still charming. The book version? Not so much.
She mostly speaks French, expects Mia to speak French, insists on being addressed a certain way, and generally treats everyone around her as though their feelings are an inconvenience. She isn’t elegant. She’s entitled. And honestly, she was one of the most frustrating characters in the entire book. The movie took a difficult character and transformed her into someone audiences could actually enjoy spending time with. That was a very good decision.
Where Was Joe?
One of my favourite characters in the movie is Joe. His friendship with Clarisse adds so much warmth and humour to the story. So imagine my disappointment when I discovered he doesn’t exist in the book. Instead, there is a driver and bodyguard named Lars. Lars does his job. That’s about it. He lacks the personality, humour, and charm that Joe brings to the film. I missed Joe the entire time I was reading.
The Book Introduces an Important Character
One of the biggest additions in the novel is Tina. She’s the daughter of an extremely wealthy man and constantly has a bodyguard with her. Because of that, most students think she’s strange and avoid her. When Mia learns she’s a princess and suddenly has security around her as well, Tina becomes one of the few people who understands what she’s going through.
I actually loved this part of the book. Tina was kind, supportive, and brought an interesting perspective to the story. I understand why the movie simplified the cast, but Tina is one character I genuinely missed.
Being Called a Freak Matters More
The movie briefly touches on the idea that Mia is considered weird. The book explores it much more deeply. Characters like Tina help establish why being labelled a freak feels so devastating in that school environment. It’s not just a throwaway insult. It’s a social identity. The book spends more time examining how teenagers treat people who don’t fit in, and it adds another layer to Mia’s struggles.
The Supporting Characters Were Very Different
Several characters received expanded roles in the book. Mia’s teacher spends more time in the story. Lily is significantly more unforgiving. Michael and Lily are both portrayed as exceptionally intelligent. Josh is still terrible. In fact, Josh might somehow be worse. The book also spends more time exploring some of the less appealing aspects of his personality, making his actions feel even more selfish. The overall result is that many of the supporting characters feel rougher around the edges than they do in the movie.
The Makeover Isn’t What You Remember
One of the most iconic scenes in the movie is Mia’s makeover. The dramatic hair transformation is unforgettable. In the book? Not quite. Instead of transforming her hair into the sleek style from the movie, they simply cut it very short. She ends up with something much closer to a pixie cut than the glamorous movie makeover audiences remember. As a result, the scene doesn’t have quite the same impact.
The Movie Made Everyone More Likeable
A theme kept appearing while I was reading. The movie made almost everyone nicer. Mia remained likeable in both versions, but many of the people around her were far harder to enjoy in the book. Her father was less sympathetic. Her grandmother was significantly worse. Lily held grudges longer. Several relationships felt harsher and less forgiving. Meanwhile, the movie softened many of those rough edges without losing the core story.
Book vs Movie: Which Was Better?
For me, the movie wins. There were elements of the book that I enjoyed, particularly the diary format and the addition of characters like Tina. But overall, the film made smarter choices. The relationship between Mia and Clarisse worked better. Joe’s addition was fantastic. The decision to make the grandmother elegant rather than unbearable was a huge improvement.
And most importantly, the characters were simply more enjoyable to spend time with. I still liked Mia in the book. I just didn’t like many of the people around her. The movie fixed that.
Have you read The Princess Diaries or only seen the movie? Which version did you prefer?
Love letters, fake dating and a Netflix phenomenon… so I had to get on board
Estimated Reading Time 4min
When To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before hit Netflix, it quickly became one of the platform’s biggest romantic comedies. It spawned two sequels, launched plenty of internet crushes, and introduced a whole new audience to Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky. Naturally, I had to find out whether the book or the movie did the story better.
As always, spoilers ahead.
The Movie Made the Characters More Likeable
This is a complaint I seem to make in almost every book-versus-movie comparison, but this time it went the opposite direction. The movie improved the characters. A lot of the characters in the book felt more cynical, sarcastic, and difficult to like than their movie counterparts. Margot was probably the biggest example. In the movie, she came across as responsible and protective, with a genuine love for her sisters underneath it all.
In the book? She was just mean. I understood that she was trying to fill a parental role, but she lacked much of the warmth that made her work in the film. The same thing happened with Lara Jean’s friend Chris. Movie Chris is rebellious in a fun, slightly snarky way. Book Chris takes that much further, regularly skipping school and making questionable decisions. Even Peter wasn’t quite as charming in the novel. He wasn’t unlikeable, but he definitely wasn’t the Peter Kavinsky that became a fan favourite on screen.
Some of the Small Changes Actually Worked
One thing I appreciated was how the movie handled some of the setup. By including more backstory before Margot leaves for college, the film gave the family dynamics a little more context right from the start. There were also plenty of smaller changes. For example, in the book, Peter is the one who suggests the hand-in-pocket idea. It’s a tiny detail, but it gives him an extra layer of sweetness that I really liked. These little adjustments didn’t dramatically change the story, but they helped shape how I viewed the characters.
The Book Foreshadows Later Events
One thing I noticed while reading was how much groundwork the first book lays for the rest of the series. There are references to places and characters that don’t become important until later books, including the retirement home where Lara Jean eventually volunteers and reconnects with John Ambrose. The movie doesn’t include any of this setup. It’s not necessarily a problem, but it was interesting to see how much was already being established behind the scenes.
Josh’s Role Was Surprisingly Different
Josh remains much more involved in the family’s life in the book. Even after Margot leaves for college and everything becomes awkward, he continues coming over for dinner and spending time with the family. In the movie, he mostly fades into the background after the initial conflict.
Honestly, I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about this change. On one hand, he’s been part of their lives for years, so it makes sense that those relationships wouldn’t instantly disappear. On the other hand, it definitely created a strange dynamic.
Kitty Was Much Younger
Another major difference was Kitty. In the movie, she feels only a few years younger than Lara Jean and often steals scenes with her confidence and sass. In the book, she’s significantly younger. And it shows. She feels much more like a child.
Because of that, the family dynamic changes. People treat her differently, and some of her actions feel more like childish mistakes than calculated mischief. Personally, I preferred the movie version. An older Kitty brought a lot more energy to the story and made the sisterly interactions more entertaining.
The Letters Were Much Harsher
One of the most surprising differences involved the letters themselves. In the movie, they feel like private love letters that were never meant to be sent. In the book, they read much more like goodbye letters. Lara Jean isn’t simply expressing her feelings. She’s actively trying to move on. Some of the things she writes are surprisingly harsh. She lists flaws and annoyances in an effort to convince herself she no longer has feelings for these boys.
When Peter later references some of those comments, I couldn’t help thinking that reading those letters would have been genuinely painful. This was one change I actually preferred in the movie. The softer approach felt more believable and less unnecessarily hurtful.
The Ending Changed Everything
The biggest difference between the book and movie comes at the end. The movie gives us the classic romantic-comedy ending. Lara Jean and Peter get together. Everyone is happy. Roll credits. The book does something very different. It ends with them broken up. Lara Jean begins writing another letter, setting up the sequel P.S. I Still Love You. Now, I understand why this was done. The series continues.
But it felt a little manufactured. Instead of feeling like a natural ending, it felt like the book was intentionally creating drama to make readers pick up the next installment. Knowing there was another book made it fairly obvious they would eventually find their way back to each other. For me, the movie’s ending worked much better.
Book vs Movie: Which Was Better?
This is one of the rare occasions where I preferred the movie. The book was enjoyable, and it provided additional context for several moments that only receive a brief mention on screen. But overall, the film improved the characters, streamlined some of the weaker elements, and delivered an ending that felt more satisfying. That’s not something I say very often in these comparisons. Usually, the book wins. This time, however, the movie takes it. And honestly? It wasn’t even particularly close.
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