Here is another backlisted book review! I have been meaning to read this series for a few years now and finally got around to it before I watched the final Netflix movie installment (which is a whole other story!).
Synopsis: The "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" series is a trilogy about Lara Jean and her relationship with her family, her interest in boys and her life as she moves through high school. The first book starts with her little sister sending out love letters that Lara Jean had written but never meant to send to boys she was in love with at the time. Once these letters got out, her suitors began to line up. In order to protect her relationship with her sister, who is dating one of the boys who received a letter, she starts fake dating the most popular boy in school. The subsequent books continue this storyline. The second covers a love triangle between two boys who received letters and in the last book, Lara Jean decides on a boy and they consider college plans, together and apart.
Plot: I think the storyline for this series has a really cute starting point and the way the romance grows throughout the three novels is really adorable and quite wholesome. A lot of the topics covered throughout the novels – divorce, sisterhood, college, sex and love – are really important themes for young readers, and this series could be really beneficial beyond its entertaining storyline. Definitely a coming-of-age story as well as a cutesy romance and even though I was not the target audience, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this short series.
Characters: The family dynamic in these novels is really special and a highlight for me. You can really see how important a family relationship is to Lara Jean and how she prioritizes her family – and her sisters – over everything else. I don't have any sisters but I feel as though the way they are portrayed is super accurate and made me wish I did! As for the two main boys throughout the series, I have a few comments. Peter is just okay. He was fine in the first and third book but kinda awful in the second. I was definitely rooting for John Ambrose simply because he treated LJ so much better. Peter did, however, get a little bit better and their relationship reflected the ebb and flow of a real high school relationship and learning what it means to be in one. My only major qualm with the characters is her older sister Margo and her best friend Chris. These two characters are simply the worst. They are the most unsupportive, shaming pair of supposed "loving characters" I have ever read. I just do not understand why Chris was her best friend when she treated her so badly. It blew my mind. And Margo was consistently telling LJ what to do, how to live her life and slut-shaming every other woman in the book. Maybe that’s just the sisterly love that I don't understand, but, regardless, it was annoying to read.
Overall, I think these books are worth the read, especially for high school readers. They are a super-cute romance series that actually include some depth and character growth. All three are entertaining to read, and the trilogy reaches a nice conclusion.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before: 4/5 stars
P.S. I Still Love You: 3/5 stars
Always and Forever, Lara Jean: 4/5 stars
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