Ros will do whatever it takes to get the guy. At least… she thinks she will.

Sixteen-year-old Ros is a go-getter. When she wants something, she makes sure she gets it. 

But a lingering rumor (and maybe some ambivalence about her half-Turkish heritage) has kept Ros from achieving the kind of reputation she deserves. So, after years of plotting her big comeback, she just needs one thing: a hot, adoring guy on her arm at junior year homecoming. And when she meets charming new classmate Aydın at the Pine Bay resort over the summer, she thinks she’s found The One. 

It doesn’t work, though. And things get messy when Ros’s plan ends up hurting the only friend she has left… poor, sweet, forgiving Eleanor. This has happened before—things tend to get messy with Ros around—and it’s getting harder for her to ignore the pattern of hurt feelings. Plus, it seems like Ros and Aydın aren’t really meant to be. What kind of a plan results in everyone ending up unhappy? Not a very good one. 

A not-quite rom com starring a bold, outspoken antiheroine, this Turkish-American Romeo and Juliet remix is refreshingly snarky. Witty, whip-smart dialogue plays with the complexities of multicultural identity and female friendships, from Ros’s very first screw-up to her unconventional happy ending.

Ros is quite unlikable, I have to get that out of the way. But I applaud Brittan for going the antiheroine route and sticking with it. Oftentimes, “difficult” female characters don’t seem to earn the moniker because their difficulties are just snarkiness or rightfully pushing against an ignorant world. Here, Ros is actually unlikable and tough to root for.

Ros feels a lot, and when she feels angered or wronged, she lashes out at the person. Sometimes her revenge is disproportionate to the slight, and then she holds a grudge about it, projecting it on the other person as being the overly hostile one that won’t let go.

This primarily affects her friendship with sweet Eleanor and her relationship with Aydin. Which comes under another cavet that while she has genuine feelings for Aydin, some of it is part of her grand plan to be part of a popular couple to win Homecoming King and Queen. That’s another thing about Ros, she has very definate plans for what she wants her junior year to be and won’t deviate from it.

This is where some of the understandable insecurity for her feelings come from. She’s been truly hurt before, a target for slut shaming rumors, and becomes guarded against others, especially girls like her ex-BFF. She also feels like she’s always been in the background at her school.

She’s always second. She’s smart, but not the smartest compared to Eleanor. She can act, but she doesn’t get the lead roles like Lydia. She’s half-American in a rich, WASPy town, but Chloe Choi is prettier, more popular, fits in more than she does even though she spent most of her high school life disassociating from her Turkish identity to blend in.

That’s another strike for Ros. She cares a lot about what others think in terms of popularity and fitting in, but is not at all kind when it comes to considering other’s feelings.

Luckily, Brittan nicely round out Ros’ life with likable people like Eleanor. God, she’s too sweet for words, and I was on her side every time she called Ros out for limiting her (Ros primarily views Eleanor as naive, timid and ultra studious, and that it’s her job to give Eleanor a social boost), and selfishly choosing herself in every scenario. Eleanor gives Ros a much-needed reality check and is the catalyst for Ros to truly look at her behavior and earn forgiveness because Ros’ first two apologies don’t cut it.

Aydin is also adorable, and its easy to see why Ros would fall for him. He also has some nice depth in not only sympathesizing with Ros over their conflicted feelings on their Turkish identity but for working through his social anxiety, his love of soccer, and so much more. Aydin is the best, and I’m glad grew a little and helped Aydin find his happy ending even though it wasn’t with her.

Because this story is not so much about romance as it is about Ros learning to navigate her own complicated feelings and appreciation for platonic friendship. Becoming someone who is okay with herself rather than fitting in.

There are some nitpicks because Ros can be hard to follow at times and I can understand if other readers might quit because Ros doesn’t learn her lesson until late, late in the book. Over 2/3rds of it take place in the last week of summer, and then speeds through Homecoming campaign so the pacing feels fast even though I’m glad Ros’ attempts at fixing things take a couple of tries so it doesn’t feel like she had a rushed redemption.

Also, even though her Turkish heritage is a sticking point to her and has led to a slightly complicated relationship with her parents (it’s like the silent elephant, they don’t talk about it), her relationship with her parents are not explored which feels like a missed opportunity.

This is a unique book in the YA world, a book with romance but it’s not the focus or the endgoal for the truly unlikable antiheroine, it’s working to improve one’s flaws and character that is paramount.

3 stars.