Review by Booklist Review
Charlotte Wu's sworn enemy, golden boy J. T. Renner, has been a thorn in her side from the time he stood her up for Freshman Homecoming all the way to his swift victory when they both ran for student council president their senior year. But then a prom-decorating mishap sends the two into a wormhole, where they wake up in bed together in 30-year-old bodies in a home they share a week before their wedding. Thrust together as a team, they scramble to remain undetected as fake adults and to find the key that will send them back to 2024, all while they encounter shocks and surprises about their adult futures and about each other. Lea's upbeat enemies-to-lovers story plays both the body-swap and romance tropes to great effect. Char's first-person narration is snappy and vivid, and the insights behind Renner's charming persona are revealed slowly and with sensitivity. A fun, easily sharable, widely appealing romance that will have a big audience thanks to Mindy Kaling's cover endorsement.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Lea (Set on You) takes a cue from 13 Going on 30 in this amusing coming-of-age story laced with cute pop-culture references. High school senior Charlotte Wu has everything planned to a tee, unlike her free-spirited mother. Attending prom, finally obtaining her driver's license, and calling back her estranged father are all on her shortlist of things to do before graduating. The only person standing in her way is J.T. Renner, her hot nemesis who beat her out for student body president, stood her up for the freshman year homecoming dance, and loves to undermine her. While the pair are decorating the gym for prom, Charlotte falls off a ladder onto J.T. and they both get knocked out. When they wake up--in bed next to each other--they're shocked to find it's 13 years in the future and one week before their supposed wedding date. The bewildered and bickering duo can't remember anything from the intervening years, and they'll do whatever it takes to find a way back to the past. Lea has a sure hand with the slow-burning enemies-to-lovers relationship between her leads, making their path toward each other both entertaining and endearing. Romance fans will eat this up. Agent: Kim Lionetti, BookEnds. (Sept.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
High school student Charlotte Wu has been heavily influenced by her parent's divorce when she was young. When her father reaches out to her after years of estrangement, Charlotte ignores his request and focuses on her high school bucket list item: ensuring that her senior prom is perfect. However, her plans are derailed when she is forced to work with well-liked, popular student J.T. Renner, Charlotte's nemesis ever since he stole her position as student council president. After an accident while decorating for prom, Charlotte and J.T. find themselves transported to the future, unraveling their life events of the last 13 years and learning essential life lessons along the way. Another accident sends them back in time to their 17-year-old selves, giving Charlotte a chance to make different choices, including prioritizing her relationship with her father, reconciling with her best friend, and confessing her feelings to J.T., who reciprocates them. VERDICT Lea's (Exes and O's) novel explores the themes of self-discovery, friendship, and the complexities of family relationships. It is a must-read for anyone looking for a heartwarming coming-of-age romance.--Michelle Mistalski
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A high school senior hits her head and wakes up as a 30-year-old--and she's in bed with her now-adult high school nemesis. Charlotte Wu might be a bit of a control freak, but she knows how to get things done. One of her last tasks before graduating from high school is organizing the perfect prom--but unfortunately, she has to do it with help from her No. 1 enemy, J.T. Renner. He's been a thorn in her side ever since he stood her up for freshman homecoming, and he seemingly lives to irritate her. But when she falls off a ladder (and right into Renner) as they're decorating for the big dance, she wakes up in an unfamiliar house--with an adult, bearded Renner beside her in bed, just as confused as she is. It turns out they're 30 years old and engaged. Time travel is hard enough for Charlotte to understand, but the idea that she'd ever marry the boy she hates more than an unchecked to-do list is unfathomable. As Charlotte and Renner try their best to make it back to their 17-year-old selves, they're forced to keep up appearances in 2037. They go to work at their former high school (where Charlotte is a counselor and Renner, a gym teacher), hang out with their friends (all of whom have gone through their own changes in the past 13 years), and project the image of a happy couple at their joint bachelor/bachelorette party. As the two of them spend more time together, Charlotte sees a side of Renner he'd never shown her before--but she realizes that maybe she didn't see it because she was so focused on hating him. Soon, Charlotte is desperate to get back to 2024 so she can make changes in how she lives her life--but will she and Renner be able to travel through time again? Lea creates a story that is part 13 Going on 30, part To All the Boys I've Loved Before (both referenced in the pop-culture savvy text), and 100% swoony fun. Charlotte and Renner have charming chemistry that would be right at home in a classic teen rom-com. A fun, nostalgic story that's perfect for anyone who wants to take a trip down Memory Lane. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
