#LilysJustFine from @GillStewart2 is a deceptively deep #UKYA romance about a girl who seemingly has it all & a boy with a chronically ill sister. Beginning of the #GallowayGirls series, I'm really enjoying it so far! Thanks @SweetCherryPub for the proof (out now!) https://t.co/34TTZxFXwt

A cute read that covers some serious topics most teens experience. Definitely recommend this to teenagers.

Sadly, I didn't manage to finish this one. I made it to the 15% mark and had to stop. I know that characters develop over time but Lily was such an abrasive, bossy, and bullying character that I couldn't stand it. Also, there's a real lack of depth in this book. We just seem to be flitting from plot point to plot point which drives me up the wall. There's no background and no time given for us to see who the characters are outside of plot points.

To be fair, I'm a Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Dystopian reader about 75% of the time with the remaining 25% being YA Contemporary so I don't spend a lot of time in this genre as a whole. So, maybe it's me more than the actual book itself. I'm very thankful that the publisher let me have an ARC of the book and don't want to seem unappreciative. I just couldn't manage to force myself through the book. Which is disappointing considering how short it is.

Again, I understand that the character I have such a problem with is probably going to develop during the story and become a much kinder and more relaxed person. I just don't want to spend my team reading something I won't enjoy when there are so many books out there.

Such an adorable and lighthearted YA book. Really loved the characters and the way the story was written from the perspective of two different characters. Also thought it was great that this book touched upon important subjects such as mental health and LGBT.

Good choice for a summer read. An interesting mix - it's a fluffy romance with some fire in its belly and doesn't shy away from tackling some important issues.

Lily's Just Fine is a fluffy summer romance starring Lily Hildebrand, the event orchestrator, and Tom Owen, the reluctant follower. At first I loved their banter and I thought I would become invested in the slow-burn romance, but eventually I began to think that if they spoke constantly of how annoying the other was, I would never believe the romance. I think the main storyline suffered from a lack of chemistry between Tom and Lily, and therefore the emotional stakes fell short of expectations.

Where the book shone was its side characters. Gemma, Lily and Tom's best friend, was relatable in her anxiety, and I loved her support of Lily and Tom. I think my favorite character was Sarah, Tom's little sister. She has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and I liked that she was included in the group regardless and that she got to be a person outside of her illness. (I would have loved to see representations of the art she drew for the gala as an extra in the back of the book!) Sarah was probably the most well-rounded character, and I read mostly for her scenes. Because she was supposed to be a secondary character, that actually becomes a problem.

The second most developed character was Lily, and I appreciated her can-do attitude and relentless energy, but I also felt that some plot points suffered because of her steam-roller personality, and that some of her actions should realistically have had more consequences, especially when other people had problems with her opinions. I struggled to believe some of the scenes.

Tom felt a bit two-dimensional at times, despite the fact that the POV was split between him and Lily. Many of his chapters were filled with his annoyance at Lily, which wasn't a great start to their romance.

I did like how the book featured mental health and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Lily's mom has depression, and despite how much Lily takes on outside her house, she still wants to help her mom get better. She also campaigns to add a Pride Parade to the gala parade to help her town be more inclusive. I liked the addition of the Gala King and the Queer Gala King and Queen as well as the town's more traditional solo Gala Queen that she proposed.
​
Despite some of my issues with the romance, Lily's Just Fine is still a fun beach read for those seeking a light summer book. 3/5 stars.

I enjoyed reading this book, however it wasn’t something memorable. I found this to be another regular contemporary about teen problems. All the characters seemed to be regular with nothing special to make them stand out in my mind. Overall I liked the writing style and the story did talk about certain topics that are important and I really enjoyed that.

This is just okay. As a teen romance, it's got its fair share of twists and an extra bit of drama that only a high school romance can bring. It did bug me because Lily is extremely out there, but her co-lead is not, he's more into saving his sister than the world. It was almost as if Gill Stewart thought, "what if we had a story that saw through a manic pixie dream girl's eyes?" There was some depth here, because, while Tom learns a lot from Lily, he's still the more grounded of the two. He's the one who reminds Lily to stop being so extra, to learn to chill out. Lily, does teach Tom to care a little bit more about the world around him, but she still had a tendency to treat people as if they were game pieces.

I can see where teens would enjoy this story, and there were some highs, but it is just an okay romance, with some small lessons mixed in.

While I dabble in YA books, it has been a while since I've read a book in this genre. I am glad I gave this story a chance, but it was not at all what I was expecting based on the provided synopsis. I appreciate that Gill Stewart incorporated some topics that have been more recently making their way into mainstream literature. Bringing to light not only the issue of mental illness and how it is not only visible was nice to read. Also, the integration of the characters challenging norms and empowering others by pushing for the integration of the LGBT community in the gala was included. My only hope was that there was more of an emphasis on the inclusion of the LGBT community instead of the relationship between Lily and Tom.

I didn’t really enjoy this, there was nothing wrong with the writing at all I just think it was aimed at a much younger target audience, although I enjoy YA this just felt far too young

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This was a cute YA book. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but I still enjoyed reading it. I liked the writing style. I felt that there was so much going on with some of the minor characters, and some of that kind of came out of the blue and seemed random or that the author felt the need to get too many themes into this book. Thank you Netgalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for an arc of this title.

I wanted to read this book, because the title just really caught my attention. Also the cover seemed to be with a lot of summer vibes, so a perfect holiday read!
The writing style was a little bit unusual at first, but by the time I had read a few pages I also had get used to it. Lily was a character that was sympathic at first but then really changed to the negative side, because often she just was way too much and there were a few situations in which her behavior really annoyed me. Tom was the exact opposite of Lily. He was sometimes very cute and understandable but sometimes I just couldn't really follow his thoughts and the descisions he made.
The story was a little bit slow at first and then way too fast, because so many things happened in so less time and sometimes the author skipped some days without me realizing it at first.
But there is an important message in book, which was very suitable because I read this book during Pride Month.
All in all it's a book I expected more from and something different also, but maybe it's just me and some people will get along with Lily just fine (see what I did here???).
For me the characteres were just not my type of characters that I enjoy in books.
When you get along with the characters very well & like books with a summerish vibe, then I can definetly recommend this book to you, but I didn't quiet enjoy it.

DNF AT 37%

I am so sorry to say that I couldn't get into this book.

Lily was too enthusiastic of a character for me to relate to while Tom was too melancholic.
This book felt filled with a lot of extremes and so, I just couldn't read more than 40%.
The characters could have balanced each other out if written better but they seemed opposite in an unattractive way.

The writing style was pretty good but it couldn't keep me hooked and I sadly had to give up on this book.

I was able to make it a few chapters in, unfortunately I couldn't get into the book and haven't picked it up again. I will definitely give it another try at a later time.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review. All of my opinions are of my own personal views, and do not reflect on the talented author at all, but unfortunately for me, I just could not finish the book.

I struggled to connect with any of the characters on any level at all, and I actually disliked the main character in the book, Lily.

For me the story needed more angst, as it just felt that the storyline wasn’t actually going anywhere fast. I would get exited at some points during the read thinking that there would finally get to be something to sink my teeth into, yet it would never happen.

Again, my opinion in no way reflects upon the story or the author at all, as I feel that this book would be perfect for a younger teen/younger audience than my 37 years. This is why I did not think that the story deserved a lower rating than three.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A fluffy YA book that touched on important topics such as mental and physical health, and inclusivity.

It not only includes romance, but touches on friendship and family too. The main character, Lily, is strong-minded, which is something that isn't seen in a lot of YA contemporaries! The characters made this story grow on me, whilst keeping the plot light enough for a light read.

Rating: 4/5

(This review will feature on my blog on July 4!)

Excellently written novel.
The characters, their progression, the plot, the emotions, the whole novel was very absorbing.
Funny and absolutely endearing to the reader. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series.

A beautiful feel good book, it’s wonderfully written.
I enjoyed this book so much,
Thank you to NetGalley for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review

This is a teen “beach read” with some depth to it. It discusses topics such as depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. I think teens will be able to connect with these characters and some serious issues, while also escaping into a sweet, heartwarming story.

This book would be ideal for teenagers aged 13+, wanting a light and easy read for over the summer. But where I am at currently with my reading preferences, this just didn't hit the mark for me and I'm DNFing at 50%. This was something that I thought about for over a week. If this was 13 year old me, I probably would have enjoyed this and can see how it would be enjoyable.

There were main issues that have led me to DNF are:
1. Lily.
2. The building of the 'relationship'.

Lily.
She's a super controlling character to the point where she micro-manages every little last detail. Sure, she's strong, independent, likes to get stuff done - but it was taken to a whole new level. Coercing school mates to join this event. Then takes over the event. Then gives those school mates jobs for the entirety of the summer without ever asking if it's okay, when they're available, do they even want to do it... She's also super oblivious to her mothers depression (whether this is the author making a statement about ignoring other's illnesses, etc, I don't know) it just annoyed me.
Of course, with all this I was super intrigued to see her character arc and how she'd change over the course of the novel, but... yeah.

My other issue is the 'romance' between Lily and Tom. It's a given they were going to have something. I wished there had been a build up. They're still part ignoring each other, still getting annoyed by each other when they kiss. And then right after their kiss they are both like, "I've liked him/her for so long now, she/he is so cute, I love her/his eyes." My favourite part about any romance is watching those initial steps form, but there was nothing, and then all of a sudden everything shifted. But after the kiss. It just didn't work for me.

Whether anything changes throughout the rest of the book, I don't know. I can see how this would be enjoyable to others, but it got too much for me and I had to DNF.