It Sounded Better In My Head is a sweet YA/NA story from Nina Kenwood that follows the adventures of Natalie, an eighteen year old young woman whose parents choose Christmas Day to announce their divorce. Aside from the domestic issues at home ,Natalie is hugely lacking in self esteem and self confidence because of her severe acne, so when she goes to a party and gets some attention from an unexpected source she struggles to believe it is genuine. To further complicate matters, she is starting to feel like a third wheel since her two best friends hooked up and became a couple. This is a very real and honest coming of age story, not afraid to dwell on what it is like to be awkward and unsure of yourself, or to be out of step with the rest of the crowd. I also liked the way that Natalie's acne was incorporated into the story, it is something that commonly affects teens, and when it is as severe and painful as described here, the psychological damage should not be underestimated, so I am glad that the author included it in the story. Although I described the book as sweet, it is not overly sugary, there are plenty of less than glamorous moments, including an alcohol induced vomiting session in the back of a car, and issues like virginity, consent and betrayal are also touched on. There is a lot of humour, most notably from Natalie, who has a great sarcastic and witty tone throughout the book., Despite the age of the main characters, there is nothing here that I would consider unsuitable for a teen. I am very impressed to note that this is a debut book, and I look forward to reading more of the author's work.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This was an easy read about love, friendship and the struggles people have in everyday life. The book covered self doubt very well, showing how scarring and acne can affect the way a person sees themselves and how they can overcome some of those struggles when they have positive people around them. Throughout this book you could relate to all characters in ways such as getting into university, first love and falling out with friends. Something we have all ben through and it made the characters so much more relatable. Overall this book was an enjoyable read and i gave it 4 stars.

"It Sounded Better In My Head" is an honest, relatable book. I really found Natalie so real and I caught myself smiling while reading, sometimes nodding and sometimes living through the sadness of the characters. I think many teens and adults can see many resemblances to their own life and experiences.
I liked how this book concentrated on more than just Natalie's relationship with her parents and how she is dealing with their divorce. It was about friendships, first boyfriends and her struggles to like and accept herself for who she is.
Great book! Will be recommending to my teen patrons!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

It Sounded Better In My Head is so easy to connect with, the main protagonist is slightly dramatic but as the story unfolds you see why and she becomes very relatable to.

It's a story we've all been through in form so it was easy to put yourself in her shoes.

A great read about growing up. finding yourself and first loves.

Rating: 4/4,5 stars!
"It Sounded Better In My Head" is an honest, relatable book. I caught myself smiling while reading, sometimes nodding and sometimes living through the sadness of the characters. Especially with Natalie, she felt so real and I could see many resemblances to my own life and experience.
Although I expected that the storyline would be more about Natalie's relationship with her parents and how she is dealing with their divorce, however, it was more about friendships, first boyfriend and, her struggles to like and accept herself for who she is.

Natalie's parents have just announced they are separating, her best friends are dating, and she's waiting to hear whether she's gotten into her top choice university. She has a lot of uncertainty to deal with — plus, there's a new romantic interest in her life and she's not sure how to handle it.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought Natalie's voice was so honest and cringey, in the best way. She felt so real. I appreciate that the author didn't shy away from the messy parts — the parts where the MC is acting selfishly, or is overreacting, or can't just rationalize herself out of insecurities. All of these feelings are so real and so true, especially for young women faced with expectations set by airbrushed models on media, and it was so refreshing to have such a wonderfully true and flawed main character. Especially because in other moments she was delightfully clever, compassionate, and introspective. I loved the balance. I also loved her relationships; I'm always here for strong friendships, and for giving people the benefit of the doubt, only to find out that they're wonderful.

I'm rooting for things to work out for all of these characters, but I appreciated that the story ended with some uncertainty, that it didn't tie up all the bows but instead assured the reader that it's good to hope for the best, but it'll still be okay no matter what.

I really appreciated how the theme of Natalie's insecurities was dealt with. Bad acne has obviously left her with physical and psychological scars and I think it's important to talk about that.
But what I didn't like was how annoying she was and I also could not take her asking lots of questions to Alex like it was an interrogation instead of a normal conversation. Also, if you don't like something it's okay, but that's not a reason to storm out and to say that you hate everyone at a party.
Something that left me a bit lukewarm was the relationship between Natalie and Alex. My problem wasn't the fact that they have not much in common, but how abruptly their attraction for each other started, especially on Natalie's part.
Overall for me it was just an okay read, nothing more.

I'm obsessed with this story! I read it in one single day and if it wasn't because I had to get up early I could have easily finished it in one night. That's how good it was! I loved Natalie as our main character, and how relatable she made it all seem. Insecurities, first love, uncertainty, we've all been there at some point. I hope everyone reads this book, and falls in love with Natalie and Alex's love story, how Natalie navigates a worl of firsts times and how she embraces all the changes that are happening in her life.

I would highly recommend this book! Definitely in my top 5 of the year.

This is a new genre of books for me. I haven't ever read a Young Adult (YA) book before so I wasn't sure what to expect.
I enjoyed reading this, it had bit that made me laugh and parts that made me think back to my teenage years too! I liked all the characters and the friendships. Young love and excitement and a little heartbreak... What most teenagers lives are full of! Overall I would give this a 5 star rating.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read this early release book
This is my honest review

I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I could relate to the main character of "It Sounded Better in My Head" by Nina Kenwood, Natalie, quite a lot. Though I don't claim to have as bad a case of acne as she did, I did have my days in college where I roamed around hallways with painful pus-filled boils, wondering whether 16-17 year old testosterone-raging boys would ever be interested in an ugly elf like me. Natalie has the same concerns too. Her best friends Lucy and Zach have started dating each other, leaving her to wonder whether things could have ever sparked for Zach and her as well? But putting it all down to her "ugly"looks, she's okay with being the third-wheeler for the couple.

However, when her parents tell her that they are considering divorce (and that they had been considering the same for almost the entire year), Natalie feels betrayed. An entire year went by and she never even guessed it? Sparks flew between her bestest friends and she remained clueless? To add to this mess, their university admission results would be out soon. Would the three of them remain together forever without a change, as Natalie had hoped?

Natalie decides to go for a party hosted by one of Zach's older brother, Alex's friends. And her life surely takes a turn after that! Whether it is a pleasant surprise or not, you'll have to read the book to find out.

This book does cover a lot of themes which are pertinent to the YA genre - body positivity, or the lack of it, bullying from peers for having an acne-ridden face, your parents' impending divorce, the whole razzmatazz of popping your cherry, the lame fun at boozy-jell-o-shot high school parties. The language in the book is pretty simple and colloquial. The characters are likeable and friendly.

Saying that, it's my personal opinion about not quite enjoying the book as much as I should have. (Spoiler Alert)I did not like the toxic nature of the relationship that Natalie had with Alex (I thought it was toxic for a multitude of triggering reasons. (Spoiler Alert End)

All in all, I would give this book a 3.5 star rating and recommend it to young adults looking for a frilly romance.

I thought "It Sounded Better in My Head" was utterly delightful.

I read this whole book in one day and my only complaint is that I wish it had been longer so that I could have gotten to meet and connect with the characters more because in the end, I felt like I had connected with Natalie, but sadly not so much with Zach, Lucy and Alex.

Natalie is a completely relatable character who is very insecure in her body due to her acne scars and her issues with acne in her early teens. I have read so many books in which the main characters were supposed to be insecure and introverts but actually really weren't so it was incredibly refreshing to read a character who is really, definitely uncomfortable at parties and who does hide her face and back from people - even her best friends.

The fact that she has had to deal with - in her eyes - "perfect" girls all her life, didn't help her cause and she is constantly overthinking every step she takes.

I immediately felt very much in love with Natalie and loved following her narrative. I wished that there had been more depth or explanation to her and Alex' budding romance - especially because the two of them have known each other for several years and Natalie does hang out a lot at their house, but as a reader, I got the feeling that her and Alex' communication starts exactly when it does in the book. I would've wished that the two of them have had some kind of a casual relationship because he is her best friend's brother, especially because that would've meant that the reader gets to know him more than I ultimately did.

However, my complaints are honestly minor because I absolutely loved this book and now wish I would have taken my time reading it instead of finishing it in one day. I don't want to let Natalie go yet... :)

It Sounded Better in my Head, a sweet story about a girl and her two best friends, trying to navigate the ins and outs of life after Graduation. What they thought their futures would look like and relationships, not just romantically, but the hard truths in their friendships as well. Also difficulties when it comes to parents divorcing, how ones appearance looks to their peers, anxiety and an obsessive amount of self sabotage! (High-key me!)

I found this story unbelievably relevant to my own life. The main character suffers from polycystic ovarian syndrome, really bad acne and anxiety. I felt everything she felt growing up. The difficulties with hiding things you don’t like about yourself, trying to figure out if you’re worthy of being desired by a crush—who is way out of your league—and going to parties where you lock yourself in the bathroom because you don’t know anyone and your anxiety is getting the better of you—been there don’t that!

I enjoyed the love interest for Natalie. I liked the storyline and I liked that it didn’t feel forced. It felt natural and something that would happen in real life. The inner monologue parts were pretty interesting, sometimes a little long, but I did enjoy the ramblings. It felt like I was getting to know Natalie on a very personal level and I got really attached to her character. I was rooting for her happy ending!

I honestly enjoyed this book, I highly recommend! It reminded me of a Freeform type tv show, I’d totally watch that! If this sounds like something you’d be interested in reading, this book will be available on Tuesday, April 7th!

I was sent a copy of “It Sounded Better in my Head” by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars is not enough for this book. I want to give it 500 stars. I am tempted to reread it again right now, that's how much I absolutely loved this YA book. It reminded me of those awesome 80s movies from my youth, Sixteen Candles, Say Anything, etc.

This is a book about Natalie, who is just finishing her last year of high school before university. She's dealing with her parents divorcing while her best friends are dating. It's a wonderful coming of age story.

Natalie was so funny, I can't count the number of times I just giggled out loud from her witty dialogue or her the thoughts circulating in her head. There were times when a smile was just perpetually plastered on my face. Other times I was literally laughing out loud.

Natalie is an introvert and it was entertaining to read about her awkwardly navigating various social situations. Her awkwardness was mostly in her head and I think a story like this gives hope to others who may struggle under certain circumstances.

Thank you Netgalley, Text Publishing and Nina Kenwood for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a book that I desperately wish I had when I was a senior in high school. Natalie is the type of character that you want to cheer for, even when she is making the biggest mistakes. I love that she is this paranoid, anxious individual and no matter what she goes through...there is no immediate rush to fix that. While she finds some growth in her time with her friends, Alex, and her parents’ divorce, it is not a dire need to fix all of her problems in a 300 page time span. I loved this. I definitely cheered for Alex and Natalie throughout the whole book. Would highly recommend to anyone!

With a protagonist that has a clear voice and relatable issues revolving around body image, confidence, and relationships, this fast paced story was a genuine pleasure to read.

Natalie's struggle with Cystic acne has made her awkward and introverted. Her world revolves around her loving parents and her two closest friends. But when her parents announce that they are splitting up, a truth they have been hiding from her for almost a year, and with her two closest friends in the honeymoon stage of their romance, Natalie feels abandoned. She now has to discover who she outside of the story she had previously written out in her head. And when a surprising love interest comes along and makes her feel beautiful and desired, for the first time ever, can she get out of her head and out of her own way to find the happiness of which she has always dreamt.

Teen Love. Best Friends Brother. University. Acne. Relationshipd

Natalies parents have just told her they are seperating but have been actively seperated for 10 months before telling her. Natalie has had confidence problems after suffering from painful and scarring acne. Acne, her confidence, her 2 best friends getting together, having her first boyfriend and going to her first party this book has it all.

I really enjoyed this book it was a really quick read, you fall in love with all the characters even if they annoy you in one chapter, you fall in love with them all over again in the next chapter.

thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for sending me an E-Arc.

I have conflicted feelings about this book. It did some things really well, but other things were really irritating.

Natalie, the main character, has struggled with bad skin since puberty. I really felt for her, and I thought the author did such a great job of showing how this emotionally and physically affected Natalie. It’s rare to talk about acne in YA fiction, so I appreciated how it was done in this book.

What really bugged me though was how often the main character talked and thought about sex. Sex seems to be a really casual thing that is done throughout this book, which I found to be really disappointing. I think sexual intimacy is a beautiful thing, but it shouldn’t just be viewed casually.

There was also a lot of swearing in this book, including the f and the s words multiple times.

In conclusion, I appreciated the author taking on the challenge of talking about body positivity through the lens of a character who used to struggle with bad skin. But this book just wasn’t for me. I was really disappointed by how casually physical intimacy is viewed throughout the book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a fun read! The main character, Natalie, is so funny and relatable. I loved reading about the friendship between Natalie, Lucy, and Zach. Highly recommend for fans of Jenny Han and Jenn Bennett.

I had an absolute blast reading It Sounded Better in My Head! This was one of those books that I couldn’t put down. When I had to take breaks all I thought about was these characters. I could honestly read 500 more pages about their lives!

In this book we follow Natalie, who’s parents just told her they are separating. To make matters worse, her two best friends hooked up. Everything is changing and nothing makes sense anymore. Then an unexpected romance comes along and shakes things up even more…

Our main character Natalie had a very rough time during puberty. It was not kind to her at all. She developed severe acne. I really appreciate that the author chose to discuss this topic. I was very lucky not to experience much acne growing up so this story showed me exactly how much of a toll it can put on someone. It affects not only your appearance, but your mental health. Natalie talks about having to take medication to calm the acne. She also shares all the side effects she had because of the medication. It is a lot and I couldn’t imagine being in her position.

Her self confidence is also affected by her troubles with acne. She doesn’t like wearing certain clothing because it shows her scars. She has to make sure her makeup is applied well so it covers everything. She will cancel plans if she has a pimple. So much of her time is consumed by worrying and second guessing everything. It broke my heart. Throughout the book though, she really grows and starts to love who she is.

Natalie‘s parents were the best! I loved how supportive and involved they were. They wanted her to experience all the good and bad that life has to offer. At the very beginning of the book, they tell Natalie that they are separating. She takes it pretty well at first, but of course deep down she is truly upset. There is a point when her mom decides to start dating again and Natalie is very angry about it. I understand why she felt the way she did, but there was no reason to make her mom feel like a terrible person. She was just trying to be happy. I don’t feel like their argument was ever really resolved so that is my only issue I had with the book.

The friendship between Natalie, Lucy and Zach was interesting to read about. I mean, I have been in Natalie’s place. It sucks to have a friend group of three and then the other two friends start dating. There’s nothing fun about being the third wheel. With all the changes going on, things get pretty rocky. Every friendship has its ups and downs, but at the end of the day, the three friends were always there for one another. I loved how protective Zach was and how encouraging Lucy was. Such a great group!

Okay now for the best part of the book…the romance! I don’t want to spoil who Natalie meets, but ugh they were so cute. The love interest is swoon worthy for sure. The chemistry between the two is 10/10. Natalie is very new to everything that comes with dating so I loved all the awkward things that happened. It was so realistic. The couple’s relationship isn’t perfect by any means. It gets messy, but you can bet that I was rooting for them the whole time!

Overall, It Sounded Better in My Head was everything that I wanted it to be plus more. If you are looking for a fun and quick contemporary that has depth and a sweet romance…look no further!

This book was so sweet. It was a really quick, feel-good contemporary romance.
It features some of my favourite tropes (one bed, tight knit friendship group) and it was a purely wonderful read that put a smile on my face consistently and gave me some exciting in such a dark time.

I found myself in this mean character - she doesn’t like to party, she has body issues and a lot going on in her mind. An introvert who prefers to read than go out? Yep. It has been on my radar for a while, but I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I actually did. What a pleasant surprise.

Holding out for a sequel maybe? I’d love to carry on following these characters, but at the same time I wouldn’t want it to water down this wonderful book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book for an honest review.

4.75 ⭐️