Review: The Girlfriend Request by Jodie Andrefski
Note: This ARC was provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
The Girlfriend Request is a standalone young adult (YA) romance from author Jodie Andrefski and is a best friends to something more story. Emma Kurtz and Eli Perry have been in each other's lives since Eli caught Emma moping outside the house she and her family had just moved into and he offered her a Gobstopper. Best friends forever, the two share a lot in common, and many girls would probably be happy to simply be stuck in the friend zone, but Emma's had feeling for Eli for years, and now, she's decided the rather silly plan of creating a fake Facebook account and getting Eli to fall for her online persona is the best way for her to push them both out of that zone. From the second the plan is mentioned in the story, it's clear that it's going to be one that'll fail, but who said it falling apart won't be the best possible result?
There's an air of familiarity to the story--the occasional bullying, feelings of insecurity, teens going about their problems the wrong way, etc.--but it did have things that were new, at least to me. The fake Facebook profile certainly wasn't a stroke of genius, but it is what presents the possibility of Emma and Eli becoming more than friends. As best friends, these two were at their most comfortable because they didn't feel it necessary to put on a facade, pretending to be better than they were simply to keep the other person interested. Even taking that chance into being boyfriend-girlfriend could lead to their friendship changing, so I get why there was all the back-and-forth and plan-hatching going on. There's a bit of immaturity and a lack of better sense, but that's kind of expected when it comes to teens who are overly angsty and reactive.
I liked the pacing of the story and I liked the cast of characters, each one playing a role that pushed the romance between Emma and Eli forward. This story highlights just how important communication is in any kind of relationship and regardless of what age group you belong to. Yes, there's a saying that goes "Actions speak louder than words," but if those actions are purely reactive and there isn't any actual talking and exchanging of thoughts and feelings going on, then the actions can wreak havoc. Emma and Eli are teenagers and they act accordingly. Expecting them to be far more mature than their years is silly. There have been and will probably always be friends-to-lovers romance novels out there, whether YA, NA, or older, and The Girlfriend's Request had its own unique take on it. For that and more, it gets four stars. ♥
Release Date: 11 January 2016
Date Read: 10 January 2016
Learn more about Jodie Andrefski.
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