Hey guys, I'm back with another great book called, Bookish Boyfriends. Now the first thing I noticed was the cover. I mean come on it's a masterpiece. The next thing I noticed was the title, Bookish Boyfriends. Who here hasn't fallen in love with a fictional character? I mean in my head I'm married to Edward from Twilight. Who wouldn't want to be in love with a vampire? But all readers must face the awful fact once they turn the last page that these guys are just fictional characters and we will never be with them. Heartbreaking I know.

In Bookish Boyfriends Merrilee finds herself in a new private school. Most would be terrified but not her. She's hoping to meet her prince charming and get head over heels in love.

I love how the Author Tiffany Schmidt includes the classics of Romeo and Juliet and Pride and Prejudice. Something we notice is on the cover.

Merrilee is so eager to fall in love that she doesn't notice that there's so many things wrong with their relationship. But with the help of her English teacher she realizes he's not the one for her. At first Merrilee believes that they are Romeo and Juliet in real life but she soon realizes that the story of Romeo and Juliet was a tragic one and not a happy ever after. Her teacher tells her that her story is no Romeo and Juliet but Pride and Prejudice.
I feel instantly in love with the main character. I could relate to her so much because I've always been a lover of books and anything bookish. My Instagram is full of bookish accounts. But I could also relate to wanting to find that special someone who makes me feel the same way as my favorite characters.
I give this book five stars.

I recommend this book to any lover of the classics and anyone who has ever fell in love with a character from a book.

I liked this book. I didn't at first. I found the characters somewhat annoying. But, as the story went on, I liked them more and more.
My favorite part of the book is the references to the classics. I'm always curious as a former English teacher about connecting today's readers with the classics. Novels like this one are one way to bridge the gaps.

Overall, it's a fun read. Great for upper middle school.

I received this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

There are so many wonderful things to love about this book. A main character that is smart, funny and likable, a great message, as well as swoon-worthy romance that doesn't make you blush. As a school librarian I am always looking for new stories that I can feel good about handing my students; I will be happy to recommend this to anyone looking for a beautiful, fun story!

I had a lot of fun with this. Tiffany has definitely worked out some good bookworm bait with this concept, but it was done well. Merrilee reads so many books and always swoons at her ‘book boyfriends’ so when she starts at a new (co-ed!) school, she’s in la la land. She’s a romantic at heart of course, but has never been kissed or had a boyfriend. So when she finds herself the object of a boy named Monroe’s quick obsession, she starts to realize that the perfect literary love story isn’t usually realistic. It gets wittier and cuter from there, so keep your eyes peeled and add it to your TBR! It’s also the planned first of a duology, so I’m happy I’ll get to read of Merrilee and her classmates again.

I'm going to be perfectly honest, I nearly didn't bother reading past the first chapter. I found Merrilee to be irritating and the kind of flighty us bookworms are always accused of being, her obsession with books I could handle, it was her boy-focused brain I found hard to accept. Her instant connection with Monroe was offputting and the rest of the character seemed so one dimensional that I almost stopped reading. I did carry on, however and I am so glad I did.
It took a few chapters but Merri grew less flighty, less annoying. Her sisters gained personalities and depth and the story really took off. There were a few moments where I was cringing at the tropes but on the whole it was really enjoyable. I loved how you could identify the characters with their own love stories (Rory picking up Little Women legitimately made me giggle out loud) but was still wondering how such a devoted reader as Merri had never come across Pride and Prejudice before.
Also the naming of characters was a bit much. Merrilee, Monroe, Fielding, Seraphina, Aurora? Isn't anyone named Jack anymore?
That said I enjoyed it and would recommend. Just get past the first few chapters.

This book was so perfect. I will be honest I was three chapters in and ready to quit given Merrilee's insistence on thinking Romeo and Juliet was a romantic story and her like of a boy who says 'love' as a term of endearment and is not British, but soon the book found it's rhythm. Nothing is as easy as it seems for middle child Merrilee as she starts a new prep school. She and her friends are full of fun as she tries to navigate a new school and search for her prince charming. Fielding could use a better name, and poor Toby and Eliza need actual plot lines, but I loved the sisters dynamic and Merrilee's intelligence and wit.

I love the premise of living out the story of a classic book, and I thought Ms. Schmidt executed it very well. I was a bit leery of the Romeo and Juliet story line, but then I fall into the category of that not being a favorite despite loving Shakespeare in general. However, as the story progressed, I was satisfied. And then came Pride and Prejudice, made even more perfect by the fact that Merri was reading it as she experienced it and so didn’t already know what to expect. So well done!

Maybe some readers would find it cheesy, but I thought there was just the right amount of magic in the story, leaving me wondering how much the characters themselves directed and how much was magic.

A delightful cast of characters surrounded Merri, but I especially enjoyed her two best friends and her struggle to balance them. On top of feeling torn between the two friends, there was the added tension of her boy best friend having feelings for her that she had to delicately rebuff. I liked the way it was handled on all fronts.

Just as Pride and Prejudice is about Elizabeth learning to see many people in her world differently, Merri has to realize her prejudices toward certain characters are either unwarranted or skewed. It was nice that the similarities weren’t just in the romance.

I loved how the romance developed, particularly since Merri starts out longing for a romance and learning she doesn’t necessarily want the sort of romance you read in a book.

This was sort of a retelling of Pride and Prejudice which is one of my favorite classics. I really enjoyed it. It was funny and cute.

I really enjoyed this book. I went into it expecting one thing and was given something totally different. I loved the cliched theme here with the book boyfriend's. It was very enjoyable.

I really, really wanted to like this book. I love a good classic retelling and "Pride and Prejudice" is a personal favourite novel of mine. But I just couldn't connect to the characters. They all felt a bit two dimensional, just serving their role in moving the story along. I especially couldn't warm up to Fielding, never really got past his dickishness in the beginning. That being said, I did enjoy the classic literature references so it was a fun read? I just won't be hurrying back to re-read this one.

DNF at 25%. Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. Too many adjectives and frankly a really ridiculous first kiss scene. I was boy crazy and book crazy in high school too but Merri is both of those things in bright flashing neon lights. It's too much. I'm also not a big fan of the writing style.

I have to admit, as a lifelong reader I’ve had my share of bookish boyfriends. I’ve had cause to agree with the statement, “Boys are so much better in books”. You all know what I’m talking about, and we’ve all got our favorites. Mr. Darcy? Mr. Rochester? Name your poison. This book takes that very sentiment and runs with it.

I will admit that this book is simply not written for me. I had hoped that the references to books and familiar heroes would carry me through this story but I am an older woman, and this book is very much for teens. I would even venture to say that it is primarily for younger teens, not college age readers. It was a pleasant and easy read, but I found it hard to generate any enthusiasm for the main character in particular. Merrilee is a girl who is obsessed with books, is quite boy crazy and as such she did not appeal to me. Merrilee is also astoundingly selfish. I found that hard to get past.

The book feels like an extended bookish meme come to life. The characters directly correspond to characters in Romeo & Juliet and Pride and Prejudice. Those similarities in characterization and plot can be heavy handed but are also somewhat superficial. It feels not so much like a re-telling as a direct translation into millennial terms.

I don’t think this is a badly written book. The author shows skill with pacing and delivery. She consistently held my interest and this book was never even close to becoming a DNF. In fact, I found myself anxiously waiting for bedtime when I could continue reading. I would like to see this author branch out and write something completely original and not tie herself to the confines of a plot and a reader that is expecting the same old story. I believe Ms. Schmidt will be good at something new.

Song for this book: Hang with Me (acoustic) – Robyn

Cute, funny, and a nice fast read. This title will make a great summer pick for my teens.

I received Bookish Boyfriends by Tiffany Schmidt from Netgalley (and the publishers) in exchange for an honest review.

Bookish Boyfriends was pretty much all I had expected it to be and more. At one point between 20-40 percent of the book it had gotten really cliche and my reading time with it was very slow paced. I had almost put it down because the romance between Merrilee and Monroe bugged me. But then it got SO much better.

I like how she decided she didn't want anything like Juliet in the end and she took her time to grow as a character in the book. All of the other characters in the books were very likeable. Fielding was one of my favorites as well as Toby. I liked that Pride and Prejudice was in the book even though I have never read them. I'm not really much for classics, but this book almost makes me want to pick a few up. ALMOST. I don't know if I actually ever will since they aren't my cup of tea, but I thought the author did good for getting me almost curious enough.

This book was just so adorable, and everything I had hoped it would be (minus the slow part I had hit in the early stages.) It was very well written so it is definitely a five star read.

I'd definitely recommend it to anybody who loves YA romance and books about books.

Thanks again for giving me the chance to read and review!

I felt that the premise was cute, but all the angsty relationships were drawn out too long. It was tiresome to continue to read that Merri and Rory would not have been admitted to Hero with the senator’s influence. The headmaster was way too overbearing and unrealistic. There were cute parts and I loved all the literary references. Thanks for allowing me to be an early reader.

*Slight spoilers ahead*

Let me start by saying that this book has a really cool concept. A possibly magic English teacher, and Merilee’s life seeming to mirror a book’s plot? However, the book was almost too frilly for me. Merilee is instantly wooed by Monroe - they know each other for one day and they’re already dating? It just seemed unrealistic to me, but that was kind of the point - showing how ridiculous Romeo & Juliet is as a love story. I feel like it spent too much time on the Wickham (aka Monroe) plot line. Obviously this was a Pride and Prejudice adaptation - I mean, a brooding, handsome boy who seems to hate her for some mysterious reason? I was confused when the plot seemed to follow Romeo and Juliet, but the students at Hero High have their own book that they’re living out, and Monroe’s is Romeo and Juliet, so that cleared up the confusion for me. I love how Rory’s book is revealed to be Little Women right at the end, and the whole Toby’s unrequited love plot is tied up through that.
4.5/5

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two stars for the idea, which is brilliant -- a fact that makes the sloppy execution and unbelievable characters even more disappointing.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review BOOKISH BOYFRIENDS. Tiffany Schmidt never disappoints!
That was adorable and loads of fun! Merrilee’s enthusiasm for all things books, boys, and swoon-worthy romance was palpable. (And completely relatable.) Do your-bookish-self a favor and read it.