To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1
Genre: Contemporary
Release Date: August 7, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: Bought
Add it: Goodreads
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Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. One for every boy she's ever loved. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control...

I bought To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before back in September when Tatum and I went on a book buying spree and I got a bit carried away. I had enjoyed Han’s previous two series – Burn for Burn and Summer – so when I saw that this book was on sale I decided to pick it up. But as is the case with most of my book purchases, I was never really in the mood to read it. That is, until I sought out a light contemporary novel to read in between some giant fantasy books last month. And ohmygod, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is exactly what I wanted.

I know that a lot of people have been saying that Lara Jean, our main character, sounds a lot younger than other YA protagonists. I have to disagree with you all there. I don’t think Lara Jean sounds particularly different to other protagonists in YA, especially in contemporary fiction. I wouldn’t be put off by the reviews that say she sounds young and innocent because that wasn’t my experience with the book at all.

I pretty much loved the whole book, aside from Fucking Josh who needs a punch in the face. The ship was my favourite bit because ERMEHGERD THE CHEMISTRY. Jenny Han is great at chemistry. I don’t know how she does it. Like with Reeve and Lillia in the Burn for Burn trilogy, Lara Jean and Peter have intense, off the charts chemistry and I spent the whole book rolling around on the floor because of them.

Josh, though. I cannot bloody stand it when guys are all “I deserve you why don’t you like me back when you like HIM he’s an arse” because, mate, you’re the biggest arse in the room. I swear to the gods, if Josh is a bigger character in the sequel I will burn his fictional house down. He just makes me so angry!

I was expecting the letters to be a bit more relevant, but really they just worked as a set up and then Lara Jean did her own thing, with the letters occasionally coming up (and there was a “big” “reveal” regarding them but honestly, who didn’t see that coming?). It kept the plot flowing quickly and easily, making To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before a quick read that I fell in love with. 9/10, would recommend.