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Tilly in Technicolor
Tilly Twomley is desperate for change. White-knuckling her way through high school with flawed executive functioning has left her burnt out and ready to start fresh. Working as an intern for her perfect older sister’s start up isn’t exactly how Tilly wants to spend her summer, but the required travel around Europe promises a much-needed change of scenery as she plans for her future. The problem is, Tilly has no idea what she wants.
Oliver Clark knows exactly what he wants. His autism has often made it hard for him to form relationships with others, but his love of color theory and design allows him to feel deeply connected to the world around him. Plus, he has everything he needs: a best friend that gets him, placement into a prestigious design program, and a summer internship to build his resume. Everything is going as planned. That is, of course, until he suffers through the most disastrous international flight of his life, all turmoil stemming from lively and exasperating Tilly. Oliver is forced to spend the summer with a girl that couldn’t be more his opposite—feeling things for her he can’t quite name—and starts to wonder if maybe he doesn’t have everything figured out after all.
As the duo’s neurodiverse connection grows, they learn that some of the best parts of life can’t be planned, and are forced to figure out what that means as their disastrously wonderful summer comes to an end.
Tilly in Technicolor is Mazey Eddings's sparkling YA debut about two neurodivergent teens who form a connection over the course of a summer.
Oliver Clark knows exactly what he wants. His autism has often made it hard for him to form relationships with others, but his love of color theory and design allows him to feel deeply connected to the world around him. Plus, he has everything he needs: a best friend that gets him, placement into a prestigious design program, and a summer internship to build his resume. Everything is going as planned. That is, of course, until he suffers through the most disastrous international flight of his life, all turmoil stemming from lively and exasperating Tilly. Oliver is forced to spend the summer with a girl that couldn’t be more his opposite—feeling things for her he can’t quite name—and starts to wonder if maybe he doesn’t have everything figured out after all.
As the duo’s neurodiverse connection grows, they learn that some of the best parts of life can’t be planned, and are forced to figure out what that means as their disastrously wonderful summer comes to an end.
Tilly in Technicolor is Mazey Eddings's sparkling YA debut about two neurodivergent teens who form a connection over the course of a summer.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 2023
About the author
Mazey Eddings
7 books1,985 followersMazey Eddings is a neurodiverse author, dentist, and (most importantly) stage mom to her cats, Yaya and Zadie. She can most often be found reading romance novels under her weighted blanket and asking her boyfriend to bring her snacks. She’s made it her personal mission in life to destigmatize mental health issues and write love stories for every brain. With roots in Ohio and North Carolina, she now calls Philadelphia home.
Her debut novel A Brush with Love is being published by St. Martin’s Press.
Her debut novel A Brush with Love is being published by St. Martin’s Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,243 reviews
May 7, 2023
oof. okay. this is a classic case of a good story let down by a bad ending.
but lets start by talking about the first 85% of the book, which is actually quite cute. the representation is top notch. the characters are great portrayals of what it means to be neurodivergent and having to adapt to the world. i enjoyed seeing both tilly and oliver grow individually and together. the plot is fun, the writing is easy to read, and the pacing is good.
but everything thats been building up over 300 pages is suddenly over in literally one chapter. like, where did the resolution go? all of the problems are basically swept under the rug and then its suddenly “the end.” its very brief, very rushed, and did a wonderful job at making me lose faith in the entire story.
im hoping this will be reworked before final publication, because there actually is a lot to adore about this story.
thanks for the ARC, st. martins press/wednesday books!
↠ 2.5 stars
but lets start by talking about the first 85% of the book, which is actually quite cute. the representation is top notch. the characters are great portrayals of what it means to be neurodivergent and having to adapt to the world. i enjoyed seeing both tilly and oliver grow individually and together. the plot is fun, the writing is easy to read, and the pacing is good.
but everything thats been building up over 300 pages is suddenly over in literally one chapter. like, where did the resolution go? all of the problems are basically swept under the rug and then its suddenly “the end.” its very brief, very rushed, and did a wonderful job at making me lose faith in the entire story.
im hoping this will be reworked before final publication, because there actually is a lot to adore about this story.
thanks for the ARC, st. martins press/wednesday books!
↠ 2.5 stars
August 16, 2023
This book is more than just a swoon-worthy, sweet, and extra cute romance between two young lovers! Mary Eddings' informative, honest, and poignant approach to neurodiverse characters makes her books engaging, heartfelt, bold, and captivating.
Both Tilly and Oliver are amazing characters who you'll want to give millions of hugs to. They both have a hard time fitting into the norms society expects of them. Tilly is diagnosed with ADHD, which has caused heartbreak for her parents. They act extra protective around her, putting pressure on her to make realistic choices about her future, like her highly accomplished, Ivy League-graduated sister, Mona. Tilly is exhausted from being criticized, lectured, and pushed hard to adapt, compared to her sister. She needs her freedom to find out what she wants to do with her life and how she will shape her own future. She's vivid, energetic, colorful, smart, observant, original, creative, and enthusiastic.
The intern position at her sister's new startup nail polish company, Ruhe, provides Tilly with the opportunity to spend three months throughout Europe to work on the company's social media outlets as a hand model. It's part of her graduation and birthday gift, but there are a few catches, including the fact that her sister has no intention of going easy on her, and she has to make arranged calls to her parents, keeping them informed about each step she takes. At the end of the trip, she'll meet with her mother to decide which colleges she's going to apply to, even though she has no intention of going to college.
Tilly has no idea that her path will cross with Oliver Clark's, the same grumpy boy who was her seatmate throughout her flight to London. Oliver is a graphic designer and the other intern who is hired by Tilly's sister and partner. He's organized, focused, and has mapped out his future by being placed in a prestigious design program. This internship will help him to build up his resume and improve his photography and editing skills. He's autistic and perceives the world from a different spectrum, having a hard time interpreting social cues. When he finds out he has to spend three months with the girl who made his flight to London the most tormenting and disastrous experience of his life, he just wants to curse his luck. Unfortunately, that girl starts to awaken feelings he's never experienced before. When he sees her smile, he feels like his heart will explode out of his chest. Why does he feel like that? What is she doing to him?
And Tilly has the same complex feelings she cannot name. She feels drawn to this boy who seems like he cannot stand to share the same space with her. Could she be misunderstanding his reactions? What if her feelings are not unrequited for him?
I adored reading Tilly's blog parts. I enjoyed her brave, unique, intelligent, and emotional voice. She literally poured out her feelings into words, and it was impossible not to hear her inner screams telling the world that she's in pain and that she's lonely in the crowd.
The neurodiverse connection between the characters couldn't be written more realistically and adorably. The confrontation between the sisters was also one of my favorite scenes in the book.
Overall, this book is meaningful, powerful, inspirational, informative, and well-executed. I highly recommend it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for sharing this lovely book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Both Tilly and Oliver are amazing characters who you'll want to give millions of hugs to. They both have a hard time fitting into the norms society expects of them. Tilly is diagnosed with ADHD, which has caused heartbreak for her parents. They act extra protective around her, putting pressure on her to make realistic choices about her future, like her highly accomplished, Ivy League-graduated sister, Mona. Tilly is exhausted from being criticized, lectured, and pushed hard to adapt, compared to her sister. She needs her freedom to find out what she wants to do with her life and how she will shape her own future. She's vivid, energetic, colorful, smart, observant, original, creative, and enthusiastic.
The intern position at her sister's new startup nail polish company, Ruhe, provides Tilly with the opportunity to spend three months throughout Europe to work on the company's social media outlets as a hand model. It's part of her graduation and birthday gift, but there are a few catches, including the fact that her sister has no intention of going easy on her, and she has to make arranged calls to her parents, keeping them informed about each step she takes. At the end of the trip, she'll meet with her mother to decide which colleges she's going to apply to, even though she has no intention of going to college.
Tilly has no idea that her path will cross with Oliver Clark's, the same grumpy boy who was her seatmate throughout her flight to London. Oliver is a graphic designer and the other intern who is hired by Tilly's sister and partner. He's organized, focused, and has mapped out his future by being placed in a prestigious design program. This internship will help him to build up his resume and improve his photography and editing skills. He's autistic and perceives the world from a different spectrum, having a hard time interpreting social cues. When he finds out he has to spend three months with the girl who made his flight to London the most tormenting and disastrous experience of his life, he just wants to curse his luck. Unfortunately, that girl starts to awaken feelings he's never experienced before. When he sees her smile, he feels like his heart will explode out of his chest. Why does he feel like that? What is she doing to him?
And Tilly has the same complex feelings she cannot name. She feels drawn to this boy who seems like he cannot stand to share the same space with her. Could she be misunderstanding his reactions? What if her feelings are not unrequited for him?
I adored reading Tilly's blog parts. I enjoyed her brave, unique, intelligent, and emotional voice. She literally poured out her feelings into words, and it was impossible not to hear her inner screams telling the world that she's in pain and that she's lonely in the crowd.
The neurodiverse connection between the characters couldn't be written more realistically and adorably. The confrontation between the sisters was also one of my favorite scenes in the book.
Overall, this book is meaningful, powerful, inspirational, informative, and well-executed. I highly recommend it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for sharing this lovely book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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April 2, 2024
"Tilly," I say, taking a step toward her and placing my hands on her cheeks. Her eyes are wide. Vulnerable. I love her so much it seems impossible. "I didn't want to break up when we talked earlier. I don't want to break up now. I don't want to break up ever. I love you. I'm comfortable with in in way I never even hoped to experience with another person. Being around you--seeing the way you shine--is like discovering a new color of the rainbow every single day."
This was such a cute story with two neurodiverse main characters. Admittedly, Tilly's character definitely took some time to get used to. She's very all over the place and her internal dialogue was, at times, abrasive, but I think that's the point...to show someone with her level of ADHD and how that looks for someone internally.
And Oliver was so adorable. I love seeing MMC's like him every so often. And it wasn't even that he wasn't confident or sure of himself; I loved that he was autistic and mostly just owned it and knew that some interactions weren't going to be smooth sailing but he was, for the most part, comfortable in who he was and how he interacted with others.
Continued kuddos to ME for tackling mental health and neurodiversity in ways that always makes her readers feel seen and vindicated.
This was such a cute story with two neurodiverse main characters. Admittedly, Tilly's character definitely took some time to get used to. She's very all over the place and her internal dialogue was, at times, abrasive, but I think that's the point...to show someone with her level of ADHD and how that looks for someone internally.
And Oliver was so adorable. I love seeing MMC's like him every so often. And it wasn't even that he wasn't confident or sure of himself; I loved that he was autistic and mostly just owned it and knew that some interactions weren't going to be smooth sailing but he was, for the most part, comfortable in who he was and how he interacted with others.
Continued kuddos to ME for tackling mental health and neurodiversity in ways that always makes her readers feel seen and vindicated.
October 31, 2023
the setup…
Tilly Twomley is at a crossroad and she’s only 18-years old. The trouble is, that crossroad has a lot of intersections and she has no idea what she wants to do with her life. But Tilly knows it’s not the path her mother wants her to take, going to college and becoming a business success like her older perfect sister Mona. There’s no way she’s going that route after struggling through high school and her ADHD diagnosis but maybe her summer internship in London with Mona’s startup will help her figure it all out. Oliver Clark is quite the opposite, knowing exactly what he wants to do. Being autistic may have created difficulties for him socially but his exceptional talent with color theory connects him to the world in unconventional ways. When he’s seated next to Tilly on the plane back to home to London, it starts off disastrously but by the time they land, he’s come to see her in his own unique way. And, they both have a surprise in store.
the heart of the story…
I’ve only recently become familiar with the term neurodivergent and it perfectly describes these two young people. Tilly and Oliver are fascinating in their individuality but together? They are indescribable. The idea that someone with autism could find a connection with someone with ADHD didn’t seem at all likely but at the heart of their relationship was how they “saw” each other exactly as they are. Most of the world relates to their differences and Tilly especially has grown up in an environment where there’s constant pressure to conform to “normal.” Being with Oliver, who saw her many colors as vibrant and valuable, gave Tilly the confidence to fully embrace her talents and expression. She fell for him early, and he her, but it was hard for him to convey that and for her to see it.
the narration…
I loved the two performances as they embodied Tilly and Oliver so beautifully. They provided voice distinctions nicely for everyone else but it didn’t matter because they were so believable in capturing these two wonderful characters.
the bottom line…
I rarely read YA but was convinced to try this story after reading a review by a friend that promised something special. I found that Tilly and Oliver taught me how to “see” them, experience them as different, unique and as individuals. Most importantly, to not see them as abnormal. This is a fun story but it’s absolutely beautiful in its purity and authenticity. Tilly and Oliver’s friendship came first and it was just lovely. Of course it had not choice but to turn romantic and I’ll never forget these two. 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
Tilly Twomley is at a crossroad and she’s only 18-years old. The trouble is, that crossroad has a lot of intersections and she has no idea what she wants to do with her life. But Tilly knows it’s not the path her mother wants her to take, going to college and becoming a business success like her older perfect sister Mona. There’s no way she’s going that route after struggling through high school and her ADHD diagnosis but maybe her summer internship in London with Mona’s startup will help her figure it all out. Oliver Clark is quite the opposite, knowing exactly what he wants to do. Being autistic may have created difficulties for him socially but his exceptional talent with color theory connects him to the world in unconventional ways. When he’s seated next to Tilly on the plane back to home to London, it starts off disastrously but by the time they land, he’s come to see her in his own unique way. And, they both have a surprise in store.
the heart of the story…
I’ve only recently become familiar with the term neurodivergent and it perfectly describes these two young people. Tilly and Oliver are fascinating in their individuality but together? They are indescribable. The idea that someone with autism could find a connection with someone with ADHD didn’t seem at all likely but at the heart of their relationship was how they “saw” each other exactly as they are. Most of the world relates to their differences and Tilly especially has grown up in an environment where there’s constant pressure to conform to “normal.” Being with Oliver, who saw her many colors as vibrant and valuable, gave Tilly the confidence to fully embrace her talents and expression. She fell for him early, and he her, but it was hard for him to convey that and for her to see it.
the narration…
I loved the two performances as they embodied Tilly and Oliver so beautifully. They provided voice distinctions nicely for everyone else but it didn’t matter because they were so believable in capturing these two wonderful characters.
the bottom line…
I rarely read YA but was convinced to try this story after reading a review by a friend that promised something special. I found that Tilly and Oliver taught me how to “see” them, experience them as different, unique and as individuals. Most importantly, to not see them as abnormal. This is a fun story but it’s absolutely beautiful in its purity and authenticity. Tilly and Oliver’s friendship came first and it was just lovely. Of course it had not choice but to turn romantic and I’ll never forget these two. 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
February 1, 2024
4⭐
Genre ~ YA debut
Setting ~ London, Paris
Publication date ~ August 15, 2023
Est page Count ~ 313 (43 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 33 minutes
Narrator ~ Justis Bolding, Chris Nelson
POV ~ dual 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ neurodivergent 18 year olds, just kissing, no steamage
Tilly & Oliver
She has ADHD and he is autistic. They don't get off on the right foot when they meet on a plane. Turns out they were both headed to the same place to work. Will they be able to get along and work together?
They both bring uniqueness and individuality to the story and I thought that made them a beautiful match.
Tilly's relationship is a bit strained with her mother, but I'm happy with how they eventually come to an understanding. Oliver was a delightful young man with a passion for photography.
Overall, I recommend to those YA readers that are looking for something a little different.
Narration notes:
They did a pretty good job. I thought their voice tones fit the characters perfectly.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ YA debut
Setting ~ London, Paris
Publication date ~ August 15, 2023
Est page Count ~ 313 (43 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 33 minutes
Narrator ~ Justis Bolding, Chris Nelson
POV ~ dual 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ neurodivergent 18 year olds, just kissing, no steamage
Tilly & Oliver
She has ADHD and he is autistic. They don't get off on the right foot when they meet on a plane. Turns out they were both headed to the same place to work. Will they be able to get along and work together?
They both bring uniqueness and individuality to the story and I thought that made them a beautiful match.
Tilly's relationship is a bit strained with her mother, but I'm happy with how they eventually come to an understanding. Oliver was a delightful young man with a passion for photography.
Overall, I recommend to those YA readers that are looking for something a little different.
Narration notes:
They did a pretty good job. I thought their voice tones fit the characters perfectly.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
August 18, 2023
Not gonna lie, I think autistic person x ADHD person is my favourite pairing.
This was my 4th Mazey Eddings book, and I think I already said in my last review that I thought it would be safe to call her a favourite author, but she definitely is one now! If you don't end up loving Tilly and Oliver, I just don't know what to tell you. This is such a fun and adorable YA romance, and their trip around Europe only added to the fun.
I especially loved and appreciated how the romance didn't automatically make the characters communicate smoothly, and falling in love never erased their neurodivergence, which I feel is sometimes the case. No matter how much you love a person, and no matter how connected you feel to them, that doesn't erase communication struggles or sensory issues, and I really appreciated how carefully that was shown here. I loved that the characters took care to learn how the other communicates.
This was my 4th Mazey Eddings book, and I think I already said in my last review that I thought it would be safe to call her a favourite author, but she definitely is one now! If you don't end up loving Tilly and Oliver, I just don't know what to tell you. This is such a fun and adorable YA romance, and their trip around Europe only added to the fun.
I especially loved and appreciated how the romance didn't automatically make the characters communicate smoothly, and falling in love never erased their neurodivergence, which I feel is sometimes the case. No matter how much you love a person, and no matter how connected you feel to them, that doesn't erase communication struggles or sensory issues, and I really appreciated how carefully that was shown here. I loved that the characters took care to learn how the other communicates.
March 15, 2024
It was cute and entertaining 🫶🏻 tbh i was going to gave it 4 stars but then the ending happened and i hated how rushed it was, so it kinda of ruined the book for me.🙂
But oliver and tilly relationship was so adorable and their banter was very beautiful and funny. I love them🥹🤍
Quotes
” but when I’m writing or reading, I never feel alone. I melt into the pages, my world morphing into safety of a story. I feel seen and understood as my eyes dance over lines of text; like i have a chance to be loved. To live and scream and exist just as I am and be the right amount of enough for someone”
“ when it comes to Tilly, I’m the tide and she’s the moon; i go wherever she wants me to go”
“ I didn’t want to break up when we talked earlier. I don’t want ti break up now. I didn’t want to break up ever. I love you. I’m comfortable with you in a way i never even hoped to experience with another person. Being around you-seeing the way you shine- is like discovering a new color of the rainbow every single day”
“ you could tell me you’re moving to brazil. Or back to Cleveland or something moldy cave in a forest, and I’d love you all the same. You’ll always be the place that feels most like home”
But oliver and tilly relationship was so adorable and their banter was very beautiful and funny. I love them🥹🤍
Quotes
” but when I’m writing or reading, I never feel alone. I melt into the pages, my world morphing into safety of a story. I feel seen and understood as my eyes dance over lines of text; like i have a chance to be loved. To live and scream and exist just as I am and be the right amount of enough for someone”
“ when it comes to Tilly, I’m the tide and she’s the moon; i go wherever she wants me to go”
“ I didn’t want to break up when we talked earlier. I don’t want ti break up now. I didn’t want to break up ever. I love you. I’m comfortable with you in a way i never even hoped to experience with another person. Being around you-seeing the way you shine- is like discovering a new color of the rainbow every single day”
“ you could tell me you’re moving to brazil. Or back to Cleveland or something moldy cave in a forest, and I’d love you all the same. You’ll always be the place that feels most like home”
December 4, 2023
Great read...
Withholding my review for the current boycott of SMP and Wednesday Books.
Withholding my review for the current boycott of SMP and Wednesday Books.
August 15, 2023
At this point, I will read ANYTHING that Mazey Eddings writes. She brilliantly executes another romance novel where neurodivergence (ADHD and Autism) is front and center, but this time, it's a vibrant coming of age story geared towards young people.
This story follows Tilly (ADHD), a fresh high school graduate who is utterly burnt out of school and has no idea what she wants for the future. Tilly begrudgingly agrees to intern for her perfect older sister for the summer since it means that she will get to travel throughout Europe. Along the way, Tilly meets Oliver (autistic)…her polar opposite who seems to have his whole life figured out…or so he thinks.
What I loved most about this book was watching two neurodivergent teens fall in love who still struggled with communication and their feelings. While being neurodivergent gave Tilly and Oliver their initial deep connection, it didn’t mean that things would be easy for them or that they automatically understood each other’s neurodivergence.
I related so much to Oliver as an autistic, and this story really brought me back to my childhood. His POVs put me through all of the feels knowing that I had very similar experiences but went undiagnosed for so long.
Tilly reminds me so much of my spouse, and I absolutely adored her. She’s so passionate, creative, and a bit erratic, but she has such big feelings.
The one thing that I struggled with during this story were the interactions between Tilly and her mother because Tilly’s mother embraces a lot of the ableist garbage that is thrown at neurodivergent folks. However, it is spot on and something that a lot of people experience.
Overall, this is both an empowering and swoon worthy coming of age story that will have you rooting for Tilly and Oliver.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
This story follows Tilly (ADHD), a fresh high school graduate who is utterly burnt out of school and has no idea what she wants for the future. Tilly begrudgingly agrees to intern for her perfect older sister for the summer since it means that she will get to travel throughout Europe. Along the way, Tilly meets Oliver (autistic)…her polar opposite who seems to have his whole life figured out…or so he thinks.
What I loved most about this book was watching two neurodivergent teens fall in love who still struggled with communication and their feelings. While being neurodivergent gave Tilly and Oliver their initial deep connection, it didn’t mean that things would be easy for them or that they automatically understood each other’s neurodivergence.
I related so much to Oliver as an autistic, and this story really brought me back to my childhood. His POVs put me through all of the feels knowing that I had very similar experiences but went undiagnosed for so long.
Tilly reminds me so much of my spouse, and I absolutely adored her. She’s so passionate, creative, and a bit erratic, but she has such big feelings.
The one thing that I struggled with during this story were the interactions between Tilly and her mother because Tilly’s mother embraces a lot of the ableist garbage that is thrown at neurodivergent folks. However, it is spot on and something that a lot of people experience.
Overall, this is both an empowering and swoon worthy coming of age story that will have you rooting for Tilly and Oliver.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
February 4, 2024
Non seulement je l’ai lu en 2h top chrono là tout de suite dans le train, mais en plus les deux bébéchou ont fait leur 1ere fois à LA CIOTAT et c’est réel mdrrr. Une romance YA avec deux persos neuroA. C’est ownvoices. C’est doux et émouvant. La maman a été trop facilement réglée à mon goût, mais à part ça c’était la parfaite petite romcom réconfortante. J’ai envie de me renseigner sur les pantones maintenant hehe ✨
March 13, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC!
I’m going to try to articulate my thoughts on this book as best as I can because I have a lot of them. So let’s jump in first with what I liked!
Oliver. I really enjoyed reading his chapters for most of the book. I liked his take on color and his passion for it; it was fun and interesting to hear his long in-depth descriptions. ❤️ And I enjoyed how she wrote his autism - how it manifested within the conflicts of the story. It all was very beautifully done.
Some aspects of Tilly. I liked again how her ADHD was a part of the story; I liked how she was portrayed and it was enlightening for me. Most of the time, I just wanted to give both of these little babies biiiiig hugs. And I think that was a huge win for Eddings.
The romance. It was tender and sweet and a cute little slow burn for these two. I enjoyed a lot of the middle of this book from like 10/15% to 70% - where the slow burn was happening. These two darlings were growing and learning more about each other and it was sweet and wholesome! ❤️
Okay, moving on to what I didn’t like:
Tilly’s parents. First, they are only in the book for a total of maybe 8-10% and they are the worst people ever. I get having the juxtaposition of her awful parents with Oliver’s understanding ones but it was overwhelming every single time her mom was present. And the worst part about it all was the underwhelming wrap up of this issue. Her mother reads Tilly’s blog posts and suddenly has this revelation and all of her horrible ways are behind her…. 🤔 Um huh? It was so weird to read that ending portion and I was very confused. So we’re implying that her completely disrespected her daughter and calling her Tornado Tilly was her way of protecting her? I’m sorry; you can’t throw in horrendous parents who just don’t listen to their daughter and then wrap it up in four pages. I don’t buy it.
Next… and this will be controversial. It felt like a LOT of the talking about ADHD and autism was just that: talking, being told, explanation. It was a LOT of explaining. There were times when I felt like I was reading a memoir instead of a fictional YA romance. And I had this same problem with Ophelia After All. This felt like a book where we are being taught what neurodivergence is. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this and honestly it may help a lot of young readers understand Tilly and Ollie. But it’s just not my cup of tea.
Following up on that, at times this book felt like it was focusing SO much on these two characters and their neurodiversity that the plot was mainly that. It didn’t feel like there was much plot besides this. These four people traveled across Europe and I remember very little of any of their experiences (except for those $200 clogs…) and I don’t know much at all about Tilly’s sister and zip about Amina. They felt like plot devices instead of characters. The reason for Tilly and Oliver to hang out. 🤷♀️ So if you want a book with so much characterization that it overshadows everything else, this is it.
Finally…. I can have some suspension of disbelief in YA. A kid having 120,000 followers on his COLOR INSTAGRAM? (For reference, Brandon Sanderson, who writes YA and Adult books has 188,000 followers so like…. WHAT?)
Yeah, sure, I’ll let that slide for the purposes of this particular plot.
But an 18 year old girl with zero prior experience writing except for her 2 month old blog and no college education and nothing mentioned about school-related clubs or magazines - getting a writing job with a magazine in PARIS?? 😱 I’m sorry. What? What? WHAT? I can’t even be happy for her because I don’t believe that AT ALL. And these types of superfluous things irk me in YA because you’re molding young minds. I actually liked her sister offering her to stay in to help with the nail polish company for a while. I wish she had maybe done a 6-8 months or 1 year later of maybe then she gets some kind of writing thing? After maybe her blog gets bigger? It just… didn’t make sense to me how it happened. Congratulations- you’re a lucky person? 🙄
All in all, I’m ending up with a 2.5 / 3 rating. I may lower this if my brain decides later…. But I think it’s fair. There were good points to this book and things that didn’t work for me. And I think those things could work for other people. :) I have one of Edding’s adult books still to read but I will probably refrain from buying more until I get a better idea of her style. I am willing to give her books another go at least!
I’m going to try to articulate my thoughts on this book as best as I can because I have a lot of them. So let’s jump in first with what I liked!
Oliver. I really enjoyed reading his chapters for most of the book. I liked his take on color and his passion for it; it was fun and interesting to hear his long in-depth descriptions. ❤️ And I enjoyed how she wrote his autism - how it manifested within the conflicts of the story. It all was very beautifully done.
Some aspects of Tilly. I liked again how her ADHD was a part of the story; I liked how she was portrayed and it was enlightening for me. Most of the time, I just wanted to give both of these little babies biiiiig hugs. And I think that was a huge win for Eddings.
The romance. It was tender and sweet and a cute little slow burn for these two. I enjoyed a lot of the middle of this book from like 10/15% to 70% - where the slow burn was happening. These two darlings were growing and learning more about each other and it was sweet and wholesome! ❤️
Okay, moving on to what I didn’t like:
Tilly’s parents. First, they are only in the book for a total of maybe 8-10% and they are the worst people ever. I get having the juxtaposition of her awful parents with Oliver’s understanding ones but it was overwhelming every single time her mom was present. And the worst part about it all was the underwhelming wrap up of this issue. Her mother reads Tilly’s blog posts and suddenly has this revelation and all of her horrible ways are behind her…. 🤔 Um huh? It was so weird to read that ending portion and I was very confused. So we’re implying that her completely disrespected her daughter and calling her Tornado Tilly was her way of protecting her? I’m sorry; you can’t throw in horrendous parents who just don’t listen to their daughter and then wrap it up in four pages. I don’t buy it.
Next… and this will be controversial. It felt like a LOT of the talking about ADHD and autism was just that: talking, being told, explanation. It was a LOT of explaining. There were times when I felt like I was reading a memoir instead of a fictional YA romance. And I had this same problem with Ophelia After All. This felt like a book where we are being taught what neurodivergence is. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this and honestly it may help a lot of young readers understand Tilly and Ollie. But it’s just not my cup of tea.
Following up on that, at times this book felt like it was focusing SO much on these two characters and their neurodiversity that the plot was mainly that. It didn’t feel like there was much plot besides this. These four people traveled across Europe and I remember very little of any of their experiences (except for those $200 clogs…) and I don’t know much at all about Tilly’s sister and zip about Amina. They felt like plot devices instead of characters. The reason for Tilly and Oliver to hang out. 🤷♀️ So if you want a book with so much characterization that it overshadows everything else, this is it.
Finally…. I can have some suspension of disbelief in YA. A kid having 120,000 followers on his COLOR INSTAGRAM? (For reference, Brandon Sanderson, who writes YA and Adult books has 188,000 followers so like…. WHAT?)
Yeah, sure, I’ll let that slide for the purposes of this particular plot.
But an 18 year old girl with zero prior experience writing except for her 2 month old blog and no college education and nothing mentioned about school-related clubs or magazines - getting a writing job with a magazine in PARIS?? 😱 I’m sorry. What? What? WHAT? I can’t even be happy for her because I don’t believe that AT ALL. And these types of superfluous things irk me in YA because you’re molding young minds. I actually liked her sister offering her to stay in to help with the nail polish company for a while. I wish she had maybe done a 6-8 months or 1 year later of maybe then she gets some kind of writing thing? After maybe her blog gets bigger? It just… didn’t make sense to me how it happened. Congratulations- you’re a lucky person? 🙄
All in all, I’m ending up with a 2.5 / 3 rating. I may lower this if my brain decides later…. But I think it’s fair. There were good points to this book and things that didn’t work for me. And I think those things could work for other people. :) I have one of Edding’s adult books still to read but I will probably refrain from buying more until I get a better idea of her style. I am willing to give her books another go at least!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2023
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
Mazey Eddings is quickly becoming a favorite author! I have enjoyed her adult titles and was excited to read this new YA novel. I am proud to report that this book was just as good as I had hoped it would be! I knew that I was going to have a great time with this book when I found myself laughing out loud during the first 30 minutes of listening. I think the smile I had may have stayed on my face until the very end of the story.
Tilly and Oliver were wonderful characters who seemed destined to find each other. There were a few scenes that made me laugh and other moments that touched my heart. Tilly has ADHD and her family doesn’t always help support her in the best way even though they do care for her. Oliver has dealt with autism which can make it hard to make connections with others. I thought that the author did a phenomenal job of illustrating exactly what these two neurodivergent teens go through on a daily basis and I loved how they saw each other.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Justis Bolding and Chris Nelson did a great job with the story. I liked the way that they were both able to bring these wonderful characters to life through their narrator. I feel like their voices complemented each other’s very well and I found both to be very pleasant. I liked that they were both able to add just the right amount of emotion to their reading. I do believe that their narration added to my overall enjoyment.
I would recommend this book to others. These characters quickly worked their way into my heart and I found the story to be incredibly entertaining. I cannot wait to read more of this talented author’s work!
I received a review copy of this book from Wednesday Books and Recorded Books, Inc.
Mazey Eddings is quickly becoming a favorite author! I have enjoyed her adult titles and was excited to read this new YA novel. I am proud to report that this book was just as good as I had hoped it would be! I knew that I was going to have a great time with this book when I found myself laughing out loud during the first 30 minutes of listening. I think the smile I had may have stayed on my face until the very end of the story.
Tilly and Oliver were wonderful characters who seemed destined to find each other. There were a few scenes that made me laugh and other moments that touched my heart. Tilly has ADHD and her family doesn’t always help support her in the best way even though they do care for her. Oliver has dealt with autism which can make it hard to make connections with others. I thought that the author did a phenomenal job of illustrating exactly what these two neurodivergent teens go through on a daily basis and I loved how they saw each other.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Justis Bolding and Chris Nelson did a great job with the story. I liked the way that they were both able to bring these wonderful characters to life through their narrator. I feel like their voices complemented each other’s very well and I found both to be very pleasant. I liked that they were both able to add just the right amount of emotion to their reading. I do believe that their narration added to my overall enjoyment.
I would recommend this book to others. These characters quickly worked their way into my heart and I found the story to be incredibly entertaining. I cannot wait to read more of this talented author’s work!
I received a review copy of this book from Wednesday Books and Recorded Books, Inc.
May 27, 2023
“when it comes to tilly, i’m the tide and she’s the moon; i’ll go wherever she wants me”
AHMYGOD i absolutely adored ADORED this book. Tilly and Oliver both neurodivergent (adhd & autistic) at times it was like reading about myself, their romance was adorable, i’m going to recommend this book for a while because it was just filled with so much fluff and relatability. the way tilly and oliver’s romance grew and the two got to know each other + how one another function in the world was a joy to read. i will now be reading all of mazey eddings other romances because this one was so fun. this comes out in august and i will be talking about it until then, Thank You Wednesday books for the ARC!
AHMYGOD i absolutely adored ADORED this book. Tilly and Oliver both neurodivergent (adhd & autistic) at times it was like reading about myself, their romance was adorable, i’m going to recommend this book for a while because it was just filled with so much fluff and relatability. the way tilly and oliver’s romance grew and the two got to know each other + how one another function in the world was a joy to read. i will now be reading all of mazey eddings other romances because this one was so fun. this comes out in august and i will be talking about it until then, Thank You Wednesday books for the ARC!
July 22, 2023
4.5 rounded up 💫🥹
SHE’S DONE IT AGAIN 🫶👏 after LOVING her Brush With Love series I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Mazey’s YA debut + y’allllllll 😩😩
What starts as the most disastrous introduction (the exact OPPOSITE of a meet cute) turns into an epic European summer of neurodivergent LOVE for Tilly + Ollie 🫶
✨ADHD/autism own voices
✨imposter syndrome
✨sisterhood
✨super queer
✨laugh out loud moments
✨approximately 9182 quotable lines
✨so much COLOR theory
The most perfect YA book for those who have a hard time fitting in, who want to break apart from society’s norms, and the sweetest love story 💛
SHE’S DONE IT AGAIN 🫶👏 after LOVING her Brush With Love series I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Mazey’s YA debut + y’allllllll 😩😩
What starts as the most disastrous introduction (the exact OPPOSITE of a meet cute) turns into an epic European summer of neurodivergent LOVE for Tilly + Ollie 🫶
✨ADHD/autism own voices
✨imposter syndrome
✨sisterhood
✨super queer
✨laugh out loud moments
✨approximately 9182 quotable lines
✨so much COLOR theory
The most perfect YA book for those who have a hard time fitting in, who want to break apart from society’s norms, and the sweetest love story 💛
January 25, 2024
DNF @ 70% / page 218 — If you want to see me losing my goddamn mind, just go through my reading updates for this book 👇🏻🫠
CHARACTERS:
I didn’t like Tilly at all. She was really unself-aware, entitled and, honestly? A goddamn menace. I get that she has ADHD, which definitely explains some of her actions, but I’m sorry; ADHD doesn’t make a person rude and dumb. That’s on Tilly.
She would do absurd things and then be shocked they didn’t go her way. Like, she assumed she had the window seat in the plane because she refused to even LOOK at her ticket, and then was left agape when she found out that was someone else’s seat and they didn’t want to switch with her. 😑 She decided to throw rocks at a window and then was shocked the glass broke??!!!?! 🤨 She bought something without doing the currency conversion (she decided to just GUESS the price despite not knowing this currency at all, instead of… idk…. checking on her phone???) and then was FLABBERGASTED that the thing she bought was expensive… 🤦🏻 For fuck’s sake….
Sometimes Tilly also gave me Mary Sue vibes, tbh. Like, right at the start of the book Tilly decided to run away from the airplane/airport, hitting and shoving a bunch of people out of her way, yet no one (not even airport security) stops her. She’s ~sooooo gorgeous~ that MULTIPLE strangers feel the need to TELL it to her the 1st time they see her, completely unprompted…. Okay.
Perhaps one of the reasons why I didn’t like her was also because most of the terrible humour in this book came from her chapters, which made her POV even more difficult to stomach. Also, can I be petty and say that the name Tilly Twomley bothers me, for some reason? 😗✌🏻
I liked Oliver much more. It was interesting to see the world through the eyes of an autistic character, and see his struggles with relating to people and understanding social cues. Also, one of his mums is portuguese???? And he speaks (at least some) portuguese?!?! (This is only mentioned 1 time, but I’ll take what I can get). 🇵🇹����🇹🇵🇹
I didn’t care about the SCs at all. The moment Tilly sees her sister Mona interacting with her business partner she immediately assumes she likes said partner (because I guess in Tilly’s head one MUST be attracted to their coworker, if they’re hot enough……). But then Mona and the coworker actually start dating, so I guess she was right, despite having no reasons to believe they’d like each other, other than “The coworker is hot”. There was no development there, and we barely knew these characters, though, so idk how I’m supposed to care lol. 😐
The only thing I have to say about them is regarding their business: you’re telling me that they won a highly competitive business competition and received money to start their company, and are negotiating with popular stores (among both turists and locals) in places like Paris, and yet their brand only had like 100 instagram followers? The math wasn’t mathing. 🤔 Also, the fact that they hired Oliver to work for them and they make him share hotel rooms with his boss’s little sister on a fucking work trip is soooo unprofessional!!!!!! Like, that’s actually insane! I hope their business fails, because what the actual fuck????????????
Oliver’s sister and her friends were completely irrelevant. I don’t know anything about them. They just fangirled with Tilly for 1 conversation (which WE, the readers, barely saw), and they apparently became close enough to the point where they were calling Tilly to tell her about a job opportunity they thought she’d be great for because they’d been reading all of her blog posts? Was that enough for them to be that close? When did that develop??? That friendship literally wasn’t on page… Aff……..
ROMANCE:
The romance was shit, y’all. 🤠🤠🤠 The moment they see each other they’re INSTANTLY attracted to each other (Tilly mentioned Oliver’s chin/jaw like 20 times when she 1st saw him, and it was driving me nuts). And like……. FINE. Okay. I thought: “Perhaps they’re just PHYSICALLY attracted to each other! You can find other people hot! Doesn’t mean this will be insta-love, right?!”
…… RIGHT??? …………… Well, yeah. Call me booboo the fool for even having hope this wouldn’t be insta-love. It was 100% insta-love. 🤡🤡🤡 The 2nd time they meet they’re already trying to impress each other. The 3rd time she’s (and I quote) “YEARNING” for him. They’ve known each other for a total of 3 days and Oliver cannot sleep because he keeps thinking about Tilly. They were going to kiss after knowing each other for 4 days (and, mind you: in that time they’d had *ONE* decent conversation! Every other time they even tried to interact it had been a total disaster!!!).
The fact that they go from complete strangers who only have disastrous interactions to *liking each other* in only 4 DAYS is, honestly, completely absurd. Their “connection” was entirely forced. I would barely even consider them acquaintances, let alone friends , let alone LOVERS . And, by the way: just because the characters acknowledge that it’s weird to be super enthralled and completely trust a person you barely even know doesn’t make it any less annoying to read. 😪 A poorly developed romance (especially in a ROMANCE book) sucks 100% of the time. Period.
WRITING:
This book was paaaainfully unfunny, which sucks, because there was a poor attempt at comedy every other page. First of all, we have the physical comedy:
• Tilly forgetting her bag at airport security and then having to sit there while the security takes 40 panties from said bag to make sure she wasn’t hiding anything nefarious? Unfunny. 🙄
• Tilly asking for like 20 ketchup packets and then spilling it onto a stranger? Aff… 🙄
• Tilly getting nauseous and having a stranger grab her like a rag doll and shoving her in the airplane bathroom? Okay…… 🙄
• Tilly sprinting out of the airplane/airport and knocking a bunch of people over? For fuck’s sake, stop it. 🙄also wouldn’t airport security stop you???? running away like that is VERY suspicious…. but whatever
• Tilly “spraying out [her] drink like an overzealous bathing elephant, showering [her]self (and Mona’s white throw rug) in hot brown liquid.”? Not even a smile. 🙄
• Tilly getting her arm stuck under a dresser and the LI using shampoo to lubricate her arm out of there? Not even a THOUGHT of a smile. 🙄
The other (non-physical) attempts at humour were also really bad. The writing in this book is giving 2012-tumblr-text-post, and I mean that in a completely derogatory way. The following terms are all used in the *narration* of this book (not even when characters speak or type; the actual narration):
• “Le sigh.”
• “I am requesting that you gag me.”
• “I will go down with this ship”
• “*Parisian aesthetic*” (yes, with the asterisks)
It got soooo 2012-tumblr that I jokingly predicted we’d probably see a ~pterodactyl screech~ at some point. And guess what…….? THERE WAS AN UNIRONIC USE OF THE TERM “PTERODACTYL SCREECH”!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭 “A noise somewhere between a mating whale and a pterodactyl screech bursts out of my throat” BE FUCKING FOR REAL RIGHT NOW!
Yeah…. This book is the definition of ~there was an attempt~ when it comes to the humour. 🙃
Another really bad thing about the writing is the amount of telling instead of showing . They’re on a trip around Europe visiting sooo many different, incredible places, and yet we barely see any of them. 😕 They’re just ~suddenly~ in a new city. On a different chapter we learn they already visited another country. In *1 singular paragraph* the author tells us they already went to another 3 famous cities. They were just zooming through these places, which is annoying because 1) we’re not seeing any of it; and 2) because it’s a HUGE waste to not use these iconic and unique locations in your story. This book could literally take place in any random US city. They didn’t even need the traveling part, since all we’re seeing is them in hotels, restaurants, or going for a walk. 😐😐😐
As I already mentioned, the romance and friendships were also barely developed. The author just said they liked each other (after knowing each other for literally 3 days), and you were supposed to believe it, despite seeing no reason for their connection to even exist. That’s a 2 for 1: telling instead of showing + terrible pacing/development. Yey! 🙃
Overall, the writing was kinda shit. Matched the rest of the book!
CHARACTERS:
I didn’t like Tilly at all. She was really unself-aware, entitled and, honestly? A goddamn menace. I get that she has ADHD, which definitely explains some of her actions, but I’m sorry; ADHD doesn’t make a person rude and dumb. That’s on Tilly.
She would do absurd things and then be shocked they didn’t go her way. Like, she assumed she had the window seat in the plane because she refused to even LOOK at her ticket, and then was left agape when she found out that was someone else’s seat and they didn’t want to switch with her. 😑 She decided to throw rocks at a window and then was shocked the glass broke??!!!?! 🤨 She bought something without doing the currency conversion (she decided to just GUESS the price despite not knowing this currency at all, instead of… idk…. checking on her phone???) and then was FLABBERGASTED that the thing she bought was expensive… 🤦🏻 For fuck’s sake….
Sometimes Tilly also gave me Mary Sue vibes, tbh. Like, right at the start of the book Tilly decided to run away from the airplane/airport, hitting and shoving a bunch of people out of her way, yet no one (not even airport security) stops her. She’s ~sooooo gorgeous~ that MULTIPLE strangers feel the need to TELL it to her the 1st time they see her, completely unprompted…. Okay.
Perhaps one of the reasons why I didn’t like her was also because most of the terrible humour in this book came from her chapters, which made her POV even more difficult to stomach. Also, can I be petty and say that the name Tilly Twomley bothers me, for some reason? 😗✌🏻
I liked Oliver much more. It was interesting to see the world through the eyes of an autistic character, and see his struggles with relating to people and understanding social cues. Also, one of his mums is portuguese???? And he speaks (at least some) portuguese?!?! (This is only mentioned 1 time, but I’ll take what I can get). 🇵🇹����🇹🇵🇹
I didn’t care about the SCs at all. The moment Tilly sees her sister Mona interacting with her business partner she immediately assumes she likes said partner (because I guess in Tilly’s head one MUST be attracted to their coworker, if they’re hot enough……). But then Mona and the coworker actually start dating, so I guess she was right, despite having no reasons to believe they’d like each other, other than “The coworker is hot”. There was no development there, and we barely knew these characters, though, so idk how I’m supposed to care lol. 😐
The only thing I have to say about them is regarding their business: you’re telling me that they won a highly competitive business competition and received money to start their company, and are negotiating with popular stores (among both turists and locals) in places like Paris, and yet their brand only had like 100 instagram followers? The math wasn’t mathing. 🤔 Also, the fact that they hired Oliver to work for them and they make him share hotel rooms with his boss’s little sister on a fucking work trip is soooo unprofessional!!!!!! Like, that’s actually insane! I hope their business fails, because what the actual fuck????????????
Oliver’s sister and her friends were completely irrelevant. I don’t know anything about them. They just fangirled with Tilly for 1 conversation (which WE, the readers, barely saw), and they apparently became close enough to the point where they were calling Tilly to tell her about a job opportunity they thought she’d be great for because they’d been reading all of her blog posts? Was that enough for them to be that close? When did that develop??? That friendship literally wasn’t on page… Aff……..
ROMANCE:
The romance was shit, y’all. 🤠🤠🤠 The moment they see each other they’re INSTANTLY attracted to each other (Tilly mentioned Oliver’s chin/jaw like 20 times when she 1st saw him, and it was driving me nuts). And like……. FINE. Okay. I thought: “Perhaps they’re just PHYSICALLY attracted to each other! You can find other people hot! Doesn’t mean this will be insta-love, right?!”
…… RIGHT??? …………… Well, yeah. Call me booboo the fool for even having hope this wouldn’t be insta-love. It was 100% insta-love. 🤡🤡🤡 The 2nd time they meet they’re already trying to impress each other. The 3rd time she’s (and I quote) “YEARNING” for him. They’ve known each other for a total of 3 days and Oliver cannot sleep because he keeps thinking about Tilly. They were going to kiss after knowing each other for 4 days (and, mind you: in that time they’d had *ONE* decent conversation! Every other time they even tried to interact it had been a total disaster!!!).
The fact that they go from complete strangers who only have disastrous interactions to *liking each other* in only 4 DAYS is, honestly, completely absurd. Their “connection” was entirely forced. I would barely even consider them acquaintances, let alone friends , let alone LOVERS . And, by the way: just because the characters acknowledge that it’s weird to be super enthralled and completely trust a person you barely even know doesn’t make it any less annoying to read. 😪 A poorly developed romance (especially in a ROMANCE book) sucks 100% of the time. Period.
WRITING:
This book was paaaainfully unfunny, which sucks, because there was a poor attempt at comedy every other page. First of all, we have the physical comedy:
• Tilly forgetting her bag at airport security and then having to sit there while the security takes 40 panties from said bag to make sure she wasn’t hiding anything nefarious? Unfunny. 🙄
• Tilly asking for like 20 ketchup packets and then spilling it onto a stranger? Aff… 🙄
• Tilly getting nauseous and having a stranger grab her like a rag doll and shoving her in the airplane bathroom? Okay…… 🙄
• Tilly sprinting out of the airplane/airport and knocking a bunch of people over? For fuck’s sake, stop it. 🙄
• Tilly “spraying out [her] drink like an overzealous bathing elephant, showering [her]self (and Mona’s white throw rug) in hot brown liquid.”? Not even a smile. 🙄
• Tilly getting her arm stuck under a dresser and the LI using shampoo to lubricate her arm out of there? Not even a THOUGHT of a smile. 🙄
The other (non-physical) attempts at humour were also really bad. The writing in this book is giving 2012-tumblr-text-post, and I mean that in a completely derogatory way. The following terms are all used in the *narration* of this book (not even when characters speak or type; the actual narration):
• “Le sigh.”
• “I am requesting that you gag me.”
• “I will go down with this ship”
• “*Parisian aesthetic*” (yes, with the asterisks)
It got soooo 2012-tumblr that I jokingly predicted we’d probably see a ~pterodactyl screech~ at some point. And guess what…….? THERE WAS AN UNIRONIC USE OF THE TERM “PTERODACTYL SCREECH”!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭 “A noise somewhere between a mating whale and a pterodactyl screech bursts out of my throat” BE FUCKING FOR REAL RIGHT NOW!
Yeah…. This book is the definition of ~there was an attempt~ when it comes to the humour. 🙃
Another really bad thing about the writing is the amount of telling instead of showing . They’re on a trip around Europe visiting sooo many different, incredible places, and yet we barely see any of them. 😕 They’re just ~suddenly~ in a new city. On a different chapter we learn they already visited another country. In *1 singular paragraph* the author tells us they already went to another 3 famous cities. They were just zooming through these places, which is annoying because 1) we’re not seeing any of it; and 2) because it’s a HUGE waste to not use these iconic and unique locations in your story. This book could literally take place in any random US city. They didn’t even need the traveling part, since all we’re seeing is them in hotels, restaurants, or going for a walk. 😐😐😐
As I already mentioned, the romance and friendships were also barely developed. The author just said they liked each other (after knowing each other for literally 3 days), and you were supposed to believe it, despite seeing no reason for their connection to even exist. That’s a 2 for 1: telling instead of showing + terrible pacing/development. Yey! 🙃
Overall, the writing was kinda shit. Matched the rest of the book!
February 26, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
A hundred good ideas or absolutely none, you add value just by being you 💘
This was one of the cutest romance books I have ever read 🥹 I absolutely loved how Tilly and Oliver’s relationship blossomed, and how they eventually came to view each other as safe spaces. I was totally enamoured with both of them by the end of the book!
The only real issue that I have - and unfortunately, it’s a bit of a big one for me - is that we never properly got to see how Tilly and her mom’s relationship was repaired. Tilly spent the whole book ignoring her mom’s calls, only for her to show up in the last 10 pages and immediately reconcile with her. I wish we had got to see more back & forth between them to fully solidify the efforts to mend their relationship.
Other than that, I wholly enjoyed the story. The main characters were super lovable, and the side characters were great too 🥰
A hundred good ideas or absolutely none, you add value just by being you 💘
This was one of the cutest romance books I have ever read 🥹 I absolutely loved how Tilly and Oliver’s relationship blossomed, and how they eventually came to view each other as safe spaces. I was totally enamoured with both of them by the end of the book!
The only real issue that I have - and unfortunately, it’s a bit of a big one for me - is that we never properly got to see how Tilly and her mom’s relationship was repaired. Tilly spent the whole book ignoring her mom’s calls, only for her to show up in the last 10 pages and immediately reconcile with her. I wish we had got to see more back & forth between them to fully solidify the efforts to mend their relationship.
Other than that, I wholly enjoyed the story. The main characters were super lovable, and the side characters were great too 🥰
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2024
[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: August 15, 2023
Tilly in Technicolor is Eddings YA debut, told in dual pov, featuring two neurodiverse main characters. Tilly has ADHD, and Oliver is autistic.
Tilly and Oliver met on a flight from Cleveland to Europe, where they’ll both be interning for Tilly’s older sister’s nail polish brand for three months.
This book had a very rocky start for me, and I spent so much time contemplating whether I even wanted to progress past the first 10% because Tilly made me want to pull out my goddamn hair.
Much like Eddings other book called “Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake” that featured a character with ADHD, this had me in a perpetual state of feeling stressed out.
Let’s break down some of what happened within the first 10% — things like when Tilly didn’t even care to check what her assigned seat was on the flight and just assumed the position of a window seat because she thought she was entitled to it? Or the way she kept asking for copious amounts of ketchup packets from the flight attendant? Truly how unaware is she? Ever think that this is a regulated piece of transportation and that you can’t just have literal handfuls of ketchup at the blink of an eye? And then the way she just took Oliver’s napkins from him without permission? I can’t handle the air of entitlement that is coming across here, where everything seems to need to be catered to her and her only. What gives her such specific privilege?
And I get that she has ADHD and to cope with the overstimulation of other sounds she might find reprieve in a conversation with another person, but to expect a complete stranger to take on that unsolicited and unexpected burden just because you came unprepared is uncalled for. I would have likely lost my shit if I was seated beside Tilly.
And if you thought all of that bothered me, don’t even get me started on how Tilly apparently barged past and sprinted out of a flight full of passengers, and proceeded to sprint through an international airport. One, how is that even possible if you’re not at the front of the plane? It’s not. Secondly, is that not suspicious behaviour to be sprinting off of a plane and through an airport (she’s going through customs, not a connecting flight) — would a TSA agent or security not pull you aside? I guarantee you if she was a person of colour, this would not happen as blasé as it was written.
Moving on to Oliver — I loved reading his passion for colour theory and the extreme detail that went into that with the hyper specific Pantone colours. It made for an effective and immersive visual experience.
The romance here to me felt forced. I think the story would have still been just as good had it been strictly platonic because both Tilly and Oliver were not well versed in having friends, so navigating this space together with their shared understandings already provided growth.
I felt like everything was crammed into the last 30%. The mother and sister just suddenly turned a new leaf towards Tilly and it wasn’t believable, at least not with how less than fleshed out it was for the reader.
I also wish that the blog posts were italicized as a way to differentiate it from the regular text since it was hard to tell most of the time where it started and ended.
While I didn’t find much enjoyment in the characters or the plot, I did think this had some good moments of neurodiversity by giving examples of how someone with ADHD or autism might stim, have interludes of passionate infodumps and tangents, or not be able to pick up on ordinary social cues.
Rep: neurodiverse main characters, sapphic side characters
Tropes: forced proximity, one bed
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: August 15, 2023
Tilly in Technicolor is Eddings YA debut, told in dual pov, featuring two neurodiverse main characters. Tilly has ADHD, and Oliver is autistic.
Tilly and Oliver met on a flight from Cleveland to Europe, where they’ll both be interning for Tilly’s older sister’s nail polish brand for three months.
This book had a very rocky start for me, and I spent so much time contemplating whether I even wanted to progress past the first 10% because Tilly made me want to pull out my goddamn hair.
Much like Eddings other book called “Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake” that featured a character with ADHD, this had me in a perpetual state of feeling stressed out.
Let’s break down some of what happened within the first 10% — things like when Tilly didn’t even care to check what her assigned seat was on the flight and just assumed the position of a window seat because she thought she was entitled to it? Or the way she kept asking for copious amounts of ketchup packets from the flight attendant? Truly how unaware is she? Ever think that this is a regulated piece of transportation and that you can’t just have literal handfuls of ketchup at the blink of an eye? And then the way she just took Oliver’s napkins from him without permission? I can’t handle the air of entitlement that is coming across here, where everything seems to need to be catered to her and her only. What gives her such specific privilege?
And I get that she has ADHD and to cope with the overstimulation of other sounds she might find reprieve in a conversation with another person, but to expect a complete stranger to take on that unsolicited and unexpected burden just because you came unprepared is uncalled for. I would have likely lost my shit if I was seated beside Tilly.
And if you thought all of that bothered me, don’t even get me started on how Tilly apparently barged past and sprinted out of a flight full of passengers, and proceeded to sprint through an international airport. One, how is that even possible if you’re not at the front of the plane? It’s not. Secondly, is that not suspicious behaviour to be sprinting off of a plane and through an airport (she’s going through customs, not a connecting flight) — would a TSA agent or security not pull you aside? I guarantee you if she was a person of colour, this would not happen as blasé as it was written.
Moving on to Oliver — I loved reading his passion for colour theory and the extreme detail that went into that with the hyper specific Pantone colours. It made for an effective and immersive visual experience.
The romance here to me felt forced. I think the story would have still been just as good had it been strictly platonic because both Tilly and Oliver were not well versed in having friends, so navigating this space together with their shared understandings already provided growth.
I felt like everything was crammed into the last 30%. The mother and sister just suddenly turned a new leaf towards Tilly and it wasn’t believable, at least not with how less than fleshed out it was for the reader.
I also wish that the blog posts were italicized as a way to differentiate it from the regular text since it was hard to tell most of the time where it started and ended.
While I didn’t find much enjoyment in the characters or the plot, I did think this had some good moments of neurodiversity by giving examples of how someone with ADHD or autism might stim, have interludes of passionate infodumps and tangents, or not be able to pick up on ordinary social cues.
Rep: neurodiverse main characters, sapphic side characters
Tropes: forced proximity, one bed
Read
August 14, 2023This was such a heartwarming, sweet book in all the very best senses.
Tilly, our heroine, has been over-protected (stifled) by her mom all her life. Now out of high school, Tilly wants to experience the world before being overcommitted and micromanaged through college, when she isn't really certain what she wants to do...except write.
Her sister has always been held up to her as perfect, the role model Tilly ought to aspire to and consistently fails to achieve. Tilly gets a chance to get away, spending the summer as an intern at her sister's new startup nail polish company, Ruhe. Tilly serves as a hand model, but gradually gets more chances to work on the company's social media outlets as they travel through Europe.
Tilly has no idea that her path will cross with Oliver Clark's, a very grumpy grumpy boy she met on her flight to London. Oliver is a graphic designer and the other intern hired by Tilly's sister and partner. He's organized, focused, and has mapped out his future by being placed in a prestigious design program. He finds Tilly chaotic in the extreme, but gradually he sees that chaos in terms of colors, which is his way of engaging with the world.
This is the story of two creative, bright, neurodivergent teens on the cusp of adulthood. Eddings presents them believable, with sympathy and warmth and tons of humor. The romance might be a tad wish fulfillment, but I'm good with that. It just added to the overall magic of the story.
I really enjoyed it a lot.
Tilly, our heroine, has been over-protected (stifled) by her mom all her life. Now out of high school, Tilly wants to experience the world before being overcommitted and micromanaged through college, when she isn't really certain what she wants to do...except write.
Her sister has always been held up to her as perfect, the role model Tilly ought to aspire to and consistently fails to achieve. Tilly gets a chance to get away, spending the summer as an intern at her sister's new startup nail polish company, Ruhe. Tilly serves as a hand model, but gradually gets more chances to work on the company's social media outlets as they travel through Europe.
Tilly has no idea that her path will cross with Oliver Clark's, a very grumpy grumpy boy she met on her flight to London. Oliver is a graphic designer and the other intern hired by Tilly's sister and partner. He's organized, focused, and has mapped out his future by being placed in a prestigious design program. He finds Tilly chaotic in the extreme, but gradually he sees that chaos in terms of colors, which is his way of engaging with the world.
This is the story of two creative, bright, neurodivergent teens on the cusp of adulthood. Eddings presents them believable, with sympathy and warmth and tons of humor. The romance might be a tad wish fulfillment, but I'm good with that. It just added to the overall magic of the story.
I really enjoyed it a lot.
August 16, 2023
Mazey Eddings knocked this YA summer romance featuring two neurodiverse teens right out of the park!! It was already one of my MOST anticipated YA books of the year and listening to an early audio copy was a PURE delight!!
The author does such a great job depicting the nuances and variations of neurodiversity. Tilly has ADHD while Oliver is Autistic. Together they are able to find a common ground once they work past their grumpy/sunshine differences in this workplace, forced proximity, dual POV, travel romance.
I seriously couldn't get enough of these characters whi were trying to figure out what they want out of life, falling in love for the first time and finding a common bond in their differences.
I also thought the author did a great job writing the complex relationship between Tilly and her mom and the hurtful parental expectations her mom placed on her to pursue a traditional career path when her true love was writing.
Great on audio narrated by Justis Bolding and Chris Nelson. I cannot recommend this #ownvoices YA romance enough, especially for fans of other YA #ownvoices autism books like Something more by Jackie Khalilieh.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital and audio copies and Wednesday books for sending me a beautiful finished copy with cute stickers! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all opinions are my own.
The author does such a great job depicting the nuances and variations of neurodiversity. Tilly has ADHD while Oliver is Autistic. Together they are able to find a common ground once they work past their grumpy/sunshine differences in this workplace, forced proximity, dual POV, travel romance.
I seriously couldn't get enough of these characters whi were trying to figure out what they want out of life, falling in love for the first time and finding a common bond in their differences.
I also thought the author did a great job writing the complex relationship between Tilly and her mom and the hurtful parental expectations her mom placed on her to pursue a traditional career path when her true love was writing.
Great on audio narrated by Justis Bolding and Chris Nelson. I cannot recommend this #ownvoices YA romance enough, especially for fans of other YA #ownvoices autism books like Something more by Jackie Khalilieh.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital and audio copies and Wednesday books for sending me a beautiful finished copy with cute stickers! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all opinions are my own.
February 6, 2024
dnf - 80%
↳ 𝟐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔
ok. where do i even begin.
so this is kinda an impromptu review coz i hadn't really planned to review this book, but here i am - i'm going to keep this review short and (not really) sweet.
the plot 💌
ok. so, if i'm being honest, the plot was really good. this could have been an amazing beautiful story, had a few things been better.
essentially, this book was about two neurodiverse teens who seem to think that nobody will ever understand them. until they meet each other. though, at the beginning they really despised each other. it only took a few days for them to start liking each other.
so that's problem #1. just why do they even fall in love? there was absolutely nothing that happened that could've made this happen. for some reason, it feels like they force themselves to notice things about each other - in fact, the entire relationship seemed forced. and tbh, even their arguments weren't banter-y. they were just plain awkward, like all of their interactions, so the rapid transition from that to super-cute-lovers seemed so so forced :/
the writing ✍️
i'm sorry this was horrible 😭 like, there were so many parts in this book where it seemed like the author was admiring her writing, coz it was being shown as some "bEauTifUl MagEstIc wRitiNg 😍😍🥹" when really, the writing was so basic and lacking in EVERYTHING. i literally would skip these bits altogether. there was nothing interesting or captivating about it
the characters 💃
tilly twomley:
oliver clark: he wears all black, is british, is a photographer. that's kinda like dream book bf material, but honestly, besides that, ollie had no personality whatsoever 😭 take it like this: he's like a chocolate rabbit; pretty on the outside, hollow and empty on the inside.
mona and amina: i literally could not care about these two less. so much so i decided to put them together rather than analyse them separately 🙈 they're like, smart 🤓 and business-y 👩💼 amina had waaay more charm and slay moments than mona ✨💅
conclusion ⭐
the idea was so cute, if it was developed a little better this would've been an awesome book. i think if mazey focused more on her writing, characters, their development and interactions rather than the MOUNTAIN of tswift references, this could've gotten five stars 🤩
moral of the story: taylor swift references don't make a book better 🥲
↳ 𝟐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔
ok. where do i even begin.
so this is kinda an impromptu review coz i hadn't really planned to review this book, but here i am - i'm going to keep this review short and (not really) sweet.
the plot 💌
ok. so, if i'm being honest, the plot was really good. this could have been an amazing beautiful story, had a few things been better.
essentially, this book was about two neurodiverse teens who seem to think that nobody will ever understand them. until they meet each other. though, at the beginning they really despised each other. it only took a few days for them to start liking each other.
so that's problem #1. just why do they even fall in love? there was absolutely nothing that happened that could've made this happen. for some reason, it feels like they force themselves to notice things about each other - in fact, the entire relationship seemed forced. and tbh, even their arguments weren't banter-y. they were just plain awkward, like all of their interactions, so the rapid transition from that to super-cute-lovers seemed so so forced :/
the writing ✍️
i'm sorry this was horrible 😭 like, there were so many parts in this book where it seemed like the author was admiring her writing, coz it was being shown as some "bEauTifUl MagEstIc wRitiNg 😍😍🥹" when really, the writing was so basic and lacking in EVERYTHING. i literally would skip these bits altogether. there was nothing interesting or captivating about it
the characters 💃
tilly twomley:
oliver clark: he wears all black, is british, is a photographer. that's kinda like dream book bf material, but honestly, besides that, ollie had no personality whatsoever 😭 take it like this: he's like a chocolate rabbit; pretty on the outside, hollow and empty on the inside.
mona and amina: i literally could not care about these two less. so much so i decided to put them together rather than analyse them separately 🙈 they're like, smart 🤓 and business-y 👩💼 amina had waaay more charm and slay moments than mona ✨💅
conclusion ⭐
the idea was so cute, if it was developed a little better this would've been an awesome book. i think if mazey focused more on her writing, characters, their development and interactions rather than the MOUNTAIN of tswift references, this could've gotten five stars 🤩
moral of the story: taylor swift references don't make a book better 🥲
March 30, 2023
I’m at the point now that I would happily read Mazey Eddings’s grocery list. I have loved all of her contemporary romances, and her YA debut is no different.
Tilly is such a delightful character, and I loved how she and Oliver opened up to one another. I was particularly proud of her as a character when she had her hard conversations with both Mona and her mother (who I did not like for a majority of the book). I also laughed at loud at all of the mishaps Tilly dealt with!
The side characters in this one were A+ and of course, the representation is top notch. Really hoping for more from Eddings in this genre!
Tilly is such a delightful character, and I loved how she and Oliver opened up to one another. I was particularly proud of her as a character when she had her hard conversations with both Mona and her mother (who I did not like for a majority of the book). I also laughed at loud at all of the mishaps Tilly dealt with!
The side characters in this one were A+ and of course, the representation is top notch. Really hoping for more from Eddings in this genre!
December 4, 2022
3.5 stars
Tilly in Technicolor is Mazey Eddings YA debut about ADHD girl and autistic boy who form a connection over the course of a summer. I have say I liked more then her contemporary romance, it was definitely a cute book. The wholesomeness between Tilly and Oliver was actually super adorable, I actually like their connection and their relationship made sense.
This was overall very enjoyable and I hope Mazey Eddings continues writing more YA books.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Tilly in Technicolor is Mazey Eddings YA debut about ADHD girl and autistic boy who form a connection over the course of a summer. I have say I liked more then her contemporary romance, it was definitely a cute book. The wholesomeness between Tilly and Oliver was actually super adorable, I actually like their connection and their relationship made sense.
This was overall very enjoyable and I hope Mazey Eddings continues writing more YA books.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 4, 2023
*Update: removing my reviews and ratings from the book and every other book by this author. I read, made my usual review posts (2nd book that I share of theirs on my page) only to receive a rude comment by this author followed by a block…all I posted was the genre/tropes, synopsis and rating…I didn’t even include the review in my post, a simple comment or message from them feeling uncomfortable or not liking to be tagged would’ve been enough? I’m just speechless……
January 31, 2023
Trigger warnings: ableism in regards to adhd and autism, alcohol mention, sexual content mention
Mazey Eddings writes neurodiverse books that scratch my brain like no other. The mannerisms, descriptions, thought processes, and all around chaos vibes are so up my alley.
Tilly and Ollie were such soft and cute characters to follow through this book. Their confusion on feelings and sensations resonated with me despite me being a whole eight years older than they are. Their tentative connection over neurodivergence and subsequent romantic development was so tender and innocent. I loved them so much.
Tilly’s growth as a young girl finding her independence alongside unmasking her ADHD was a really heartwarming emotional journey to follow. I loved seeing her come out of her shell, shrug off the weight of others watching and scrutinising her, making choices that made her happy.
Superb book. Can’t wait for my physical copy!!
Mazey Eddings writes neurodiverse books that scratch my brain like no other. The mannerisms, descriptions, thought processes, and all around chaos vibes are so up my alley.
Tilly and Ollie were such soft and cute characters to follow through this book. Their confusion on feelings and sensations resonated with me despite me being a whole eight years older than they are. Their tentative connection over neurodivergence and subsequent romantic development was so tender and innocent. I loved them so much.
Tilly’s growth as a young girl finding her independence alongside unmasking her ADHD was a really heartwarming emotional journey to follow. I loved seeing her come out of her shell, shrug off the weight of others watching and scrutinising her, making choices that made her happy.
Superb book. Can’t wait for my physical copy!!
October 23, 2023
4.5 Stars
So much to love about this book! Having just graduated from high school, Tilly is sent to Europe to intern for her sister's nail polish company alongside, as it turns out, her grumpy seatmate from the flight there. I loved the representation for both ADHD and autism, and Tilly and Oliver stole my heart. They complement each other well, and I found that they are realistic and well-developed characters. Tilly's relationship with her sister especially touched me, and I enjoyed the way it changes throughout the book. This is a heartwarming read that will leave any reader with a smile.
So much to love about this book! Having just graduated from high school, Tilly is sent to Europe to intern for her sister's nail polish company alongside, as it turns out, her grumpy seatmate from the flight there. I loved the representation for both ADHD and autism, and Tilly and Oliver stole my heart. They complement each other well, and I found that they are realistic and well-developed characters. Tilly's relationship with her sister especially touched me, and I enjoyed the way it changes throughout the book. This is a heartwarming read that will leave any reader with a smile.
August 17, 2023
"Tilly in Technicolor" by Mazey Eddings is an incredibly touching and genuine story that had me both laughing and tearing up. The characters are not only endearing and relatable but also wonderfully diverse in their personalities and experiences. Tilly and Oliver's dynamic, with all its wit, innocence, and vulnerability, truly brought the book to life.
The novel's focus on neurodivergence is thoughtfully woven throughout the narrative, giving readers insights into the challenges that often go unnoticed. Tilly's blog posts and Oliver's explanations of his hyperfixations provide windows into their worlds, enhancing the authenticity of their characters.
The blend of the heartwarming story and the travel elements creates an enjoyable and quick-paced read. However, the ending did feel a bit rushed and unresolved. Nevertheless, the impact of the characters and the heartwarming community that Tilly finds among her friends leave a lasting impression.
Mazey Eddings skillfully brings attention to the complexities of life while crafting a sweet and swoony romance. "Tilly in Technicolor" explores the idea that sometimes, the most beautiful and meaningful parts of life can't be planned. If you're looking for a heartfelt and relatable rom-com that dives into unique perspectives, this is definitely a book to pick up. The characters and their journey will remain in your heart long after you turn the last page.
Arc review
The novel's focus on neurodivergence is thoughtfully woven throughout the narrative, giving readers insights into the challenges that often go unnoticed. Tilly's blog posts and Oliver's explanations of his hyperfixations provide windows into their worlds, enhancing the authenticity of their characters.
The blend of the heartwarming story and the travel elements creates an enjoyable and quick-paced read. However, the ending did feel a bit rushed and unresolved. Nevertheless, the impact of the characters and the heartwarming community that Tilly finds among her friends leave a lasting impression.
Mazey Eddings skillfully brings attention to the complexities of life while crafting a sweet and swoony romance. "Tilly in Technicolor" explores the idea that sometimes, the most beautiful and meaningful parts of life can't be planned. If you're looking for a heartfelt and relatable rom-com that dives into unique perspectives, this is definitely a book to pick up. The characters and their journey will remain in your heart long after you turn the last page.
Arc review
November 20, 2023
an ♾️ star book for me <3
— this book means so much to me!!!
a heartwarming story full of neurodivergent representation (adhd & autism), love, humor, chasing your dreams, & growth.
mazey eddings did an incredible job at showing the highlights and the downsides to both adhd & autism, the similarities that oliver (autism) & tilly (adhd) both shared, & what life looks like for two people navigating a world that doesn’t operate the same way they do.
as someone with adhd, i felt so incredibly seen by tilly’s character. i have always struggled to find the words to describe how it feels to live with my brain, but this book did it perfectly. through tilly’s blog posts we get insight into the inner workings of her mind, her emotions, and what it feels like to live and see differently. her big, overwhelming emotions, her hyperfixations, sensory issues, & the abundance of thoughts, passions, and energy. i loved her character so dearly! i am her, she is me, we are one.
oliver’s character was so well done. the insight into the complexities and highlights of having autism was so beautiful. not only did this book show the similarities between autism & adhd, but it also allowed me to understand the more deeper & hidden parts of it as well. i loved oliver so much. his passions, his straight forward nature, his kindness, the way he feels & expresses his love and care.
getting to see tilly & oliver overcome their differences & find understanding & love within each other was so special. their banter, chemistry, & compatibility was so great. finding someone who understands you, supports you, and loves you BECAUSE of the things that make you different, not despite them. i LOVE them. they are everything to me.
this book is full of humor & wit, family dynamics, self-discovery, and adventure. i loved the travel x work aspect, it made it feel fast paced & added more to the story. this book had me laughing, crying, & kicking my feet. i want to give this book the biggest hug.
i love this book so much. this is truly a book that will stick with me forever. it made me love to complexities of my lil brain even more!!
— this book means so much to me!!!
a heartwarming story full of neurodivergent representation (adhd & autism), love, humor, chasing your dreams, & growth.
mazey eddings did an incredible job at showing the highlights and the downsides to both adhd & autism, the similarities that oliver (autism) & tilly (adhd) both shared, & what life looks like for two people navigating a world that doesn’t operate the same way they do.
as someone with adhd, i felt so incredibly seen by tilly’s character. i have always struggled to find the words to describe how it feels to live with my brain, but this book did it perfectly. through tilly’s blog posts we get insight into the inner workings of her mind, her emotions, and what it feels like to live and see differently. her big, overwhelming emotions, her hyperfixations, sensory issues, & the abundance of thoughts, passions, and energy. i loved her character so dearly! i am her, she is me, we are one.
oliver’s character was so well done. the insight into the complexities and highlights of having autism was so beautiful. not only did this book show the similarities between autism & adhd, but it also allowed me to understand the more deeper & hidden parts of it as well. i loved oliver so much. his passions, his straight forward nature, his kindness, the way he feels & expresses his love and care.
getting to see tilly & oliver overcome their differences & find understanding & love within each other was so special. their banter, chemistry, & compatibility was so great. finding someone who understands you, supports you, and loves you BECAUSE of the things that make you different, not despite them. i LOVE them. they are everything to me.
this book is full of humor & wit, family dynamics, self-discovery, and adventure. i loved the travel x work aspect, it made it feel fast paced & added more to the story. this book had me laughing, crying, & kicking my feet. i want to give this book the biggest hug.
i love this book so much. this is truly a book that will stick with me forever. it made me love to complexities of my lil brain even more!!
July 26, 2023
I received an ARC and I’m leaving an honest review.
“A hundred good ideas or absolutely none, you add value just by being you.”
I'm absolutely losing my mind over this book. Five starts will never be enough for it, this is a 10 out of 10, at least.
I enjoyed Oliver's chapters more because he felt more relatable to me personally (because of the autism), but both of them were extremely relatable and it felt so good to feel seen.
There were times when I was laughing at loud and kicking my feet, and others when I was straight-up crying. It’s actually embarrassing how much I literally sobbed over a book that is not even supposed to be sad.
Neurodivergent love is so fucking beautiful. I'm an emotional mess.
A small detail that I obsessed over: I love the fact that Oliver has two moms so freaking much, especially since they’re so sweet and supportive of him. Well, I adored Oliver's sister too eheh.
“But you know what they say. Couples that stim together stay together.”
Content warnings: ableism, a bit of (accidental?) miscommunication, strained parent-child relationship, very minor side toxic relationship, mention of bullying, vomit, alcohol.
Representation: female mc with ADHD, autistic male li, multiple queer side characters.
“A hundred good ideas or absolutely none, you add value just by being you.”
I'm absolutely losing my mind over this book. Five starts will never be enough for it, this is a 10 out of 10, at least.
I enjoyed Oliver's chapters more because he felt more relatable to me personally (because of the autism), but both of them were extremely relatable and it felt so good to feel seen.
There were times when I was laughing at loud and kicking my feet, and others when I was straight-up crying. It’s actually embarrassing how much I literally sobbed over a book that is not even supposed to be sad.
Neurodivergent love is so fucking beautiful. I'm an emotional mess.
A small detail that I obsessed over: I love the fact that Oliver has two moms so freaking much, especially since they’re so sweet and supportive of him. Well, I adored Oliver's sister too eheh.
“But you know what they say. Couples that stim together stay together.”
Content warnings: ableism, a bit of (accidental?) miscommunication, strained parent-child relationship, very minor side toxic relationship, mention of bullying, vomit, alcohol.
Representation: female mc with ADHD, autistic male li, multiple queer side characters.
December 4, 2023
ENORME COUP DE COEUR. J'ai senti très vite que j'allais adorer ce roman et, effectivement, je suis tombée amoureuse de cette histoire, de ses personnages, de son style et de cette romance qui est parmi l'une des plus adorable et douce que j'ai jamais lues. Je ne suis pas la mieux placée pour parler de la représentation dans ce livre mais j'ai trouvé ça hyper intéressant et je me suis tellement attachée aux personnages au fil des pages que refermer le livre a été un crève coeur. J'aurais voulu qu'il dure encore 200 pages de plus pour poursuivre dans cette ambiance très cocooning qui était tout à fait ce dont j'avais besoin à ce moment là.
Bref un vrai beau coup de coeur.
Bref un vrai beau coup de coeur.
August 14, 2023
I was so baby for Tilly and Ollie! Two neurodivergent teens falling in love. Loved the ADHD/autism rep. It’s an adorable YA romance with all the feelings of discovering yourself and each other. It’s definitely on the YA caliber with unique family dynamics and personal growth! I was very “awwww” reading this and appreciated everything about the colors throughout the story! 🎨 just baby babyyyy for these babies.
“The gentlest glow of pink warms the spot I touch. Pantone 12-1305, Heavenly Pink. All of a sudden, I’m convinced the color was named only after Tilly gifted it to the world.”
“The gentlest glow of pink warms the spot I touch. Pantone 12-1305, Heavenly Pink. All of a sudden, I’m convinced the color was named only after Tilly gifted it to the world.”
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