Swoon Reads
October 20, 2015
288 pages
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The author of A Little Something Different brings you the most adorkable romance ever.I have been pleasantly surprised by the Swoon Reads books I have read so far. I don't know if I've been expecting them to be lighter and fluffier because of the imprint name, or what, but . . . Signs Point to Yes has more depth, though, and a real richness to its characters and their lives.
Jane, a superstitious fangirl, takes an anonymous babysitting job to avoid an unpaid internship with her college-obsessed mom. The only problem? She’s babysitting the siblings of her childhood friend and new crush, Teo.
Teo doesn’t dislike Jane, but his best friend Ravi hates her, and is determined to keep them apart. So Teo’s pretty sure his plans for a peaceful summer are shot. His only hope is that his intermittent search for his birth father will finally pan out and he’ll find a new, less awkward home. Meanwhile, at Jane’s house, her sister Margo wants to come out as bisexual, but she’s terrified of how her parents will react.
In a summer filled with secrets and questions, even Jane’s Magic 8 ball can’t give them clear answers, but Signs Point to Yes.
Jane is a fangirl - she reads writes fan fiction, has a Doctor Who poster and gets distracted by Veronica mars. Well, okay, she gets distracted by a lot. Especially, if it means avoiding her mother's constant questions about college, applications and what Jane wants to do with her life.
The babysitting job is supposed to get her mom off her back - and keep her mom-free for the summer. Except, that it is a job babysitting Teo's little sisters. She and Teo sort of used to be friends, but then they got older, Teo's best friend actively hates her and they no longer speak.
It would all be so much easier if Teo weren't so good looking and if babysitting at his house didn't mean so much time around Ravi, his best friend.
I loved Jane and Teo's relationship. That they were acquainted with each other and, even, knew things about each other's pasts but weren't close now. It made their awkwardness around each other all that much better - and adorable.
The characters' different motivations for things, their secrets and how they are with each other was great. They are not these perfect, suave characters, never putting a foot wrong. Even when their intentions were good, they messed up. Or, when nothing bad had actually happened, they thought they had messed up.
It wasn't limited to Teo and Jane, either - though I loved how they were together: sweet, cute, awkward, unsure, but oh so great. Jane's sister Margo has her own quirks (probably don't get in a car with her), her own secrets but wants to be there for her sister. There was even some story to Ravi, Teo's best friend's, hatred of Jane.
I really loved how these characters lives and their stories intersected and impacted each other to form Signs Point to Yes. You don't need to consult your Magic 8 Ball to know that It Is Decidedly So that you will enjoy Signs Point to Yes.
thank you to the publisher for my earc to review, through NetGalley
The idea of how childhood friends part ways and sometimes reconnect is an interesting place to start a story with characters...it is a unique kind of relationship, and I feel like Paper Towns and Emily & Oliver are the only real big books that built on it. Thanks for the review!
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