There's nothing like a sweet contemporary YA book for summer relaxation. I decided to read Jenny Han's novels after graduation and a slew of work placements as a reward for my hard work these past months (pats shoulder). Han's duology has made the rounds with book bloggers and vloggers, and after only hearing good things about it, I had to see what the fuss was about.
Initially the intimation that there might be a love-triangle set-up (or even more than one) put me off, as so many YA novels have featured this element of late (see this rant on Book Riot for more on this subject). Yet I found that it worked in these novels. When reading YA as an adult, one must attempt to recall what it was like as 15 or 16-year-old experiencing love for the first time. If I remember correctly, it was more than plausible for a girl at that age to have feelings for multiple boys. This is the age when many girls are simply in love with the idea of being in love, and Han's novels capture that feeling perfectly. These are not momentous ever-lasting love stories. This is not Romeo and Juliet. But it has a sweet realism to it that nonetheless provides perfect literary escapism.
However, if this were simply a high school love story, it would not have kept me interested to the degree that it did. Two additional elements made these books worthwhile for readers of all ages; the family background and the subtle humour in the narrator's voice. The protagonist, Lara Jean's family is less than perfect, but still endearing in its disfunctions and quirks. The family characters were fleshed-out well and made me want to spend time at their home, baking cookies and lightly poking fun at each other. The humour in the novel was not of a laugh-out-loud kind, yet it lightened the tone of the book and often made me smile.
Overall I would recommend these novels to anyone looking for a glimpse into the past, when high-school love and family drama were the sole occupants of one's mind.
