Admittedly I went into this one a little skeptical - I havent read many co-authored books, and the ones that I have read have fell flat - but this was such a quick and easy summer read - fast paced, and generally just enjoyable. There wasn't any key moments that I can think of where it really had me feeling obsessed, but that is okay!

I love that the book shone a light and really carried disability awareness - without tokenising or either up or downplaying any element of it. It was REALLY well done and resulted in me finishing this book feeling a little more educated on certain things than I did beforehand. Props to Tasha
Ghouri and Lizzie Huxley-Jones!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this one! :)

I didn't end up finishing as the writing style wasn't for me, maybe I'm too old for the demographic this is aiming for but I felt like you could really tell this was written by a Love Island contestant. I felt the parts about the main character being deaf were really insightful and written with care and from the perspective of someone who had shared those experiences but the rest of it fell a bit flat for me unfortunately.

**Book Review: Hits Different by Tasha Ghouri and Lizzie Huxley-Jones**

Hits Different is a really engaging and heartfelt read that dives into the dance world with a fresh perspective. It follows Cassie, a deaf girl who dreams of becoming a backing dancer but has never found the courage. That is until her best friend makes the decision for her.

What I loved about this book is how it brings Cassie’s world to life. She’s determined and passionate, and even though she faces skepticism and challenges because of her deafness, her journey is incredibly inspiring, informative and emotional, undoubtedly drawing on Tasha's experiences living with a cochlear implant.

The book also introduces a diverse group of characters who each have their own stories to tell: Cassie's friends represent non binary, transgender, epileptic and people of colour. Each character is so well written and really engages the reader with their backstories, hopes and dreams.

Cassie's terrible current boyfriend and flirting with the sweet and understanding Levi meant that the romantic plot of the book was quite predictable but it was lovely all the same. Cassie and Levi's relationship develops nicely and shows the importance of having someone who truly understands and supports you.

Overall, Hits Different is a fantastic read. It’s not just about following dreams but also about embracing who you are and supporting others along the way. If you’re into stories that mix personal growth, romance, and a bit of sparkle from the dance world, this book is definitely worth checking out.

25. Hits Different by Tasha Ghouri and Lizzie Huxley-Jones

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m not usually a romance girlie but I loved this! Such a fun read and Cassie is such a lush protagonist.

🌴 Deaf representation (I loved and learnt a lot from this!)
🌴 Toxic and healthy relationships
🌴 LGBTQ+ representation
🌴 Lush friendships

This book left me feeling all warm and fuzzy 🩷

This could be sweet but goes overly hard with the self-help, almost "woke" vibe that it loses a lot of what should be such a good plot with representation simply woven in. Such a shame!

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

I have started this book 5 times in the last six months. I was so excited to read it but I think that the writing style just isn't for me. DNF 17%.

"Hits Different" by Tasha Ghouri and Lizzie Huxley-Jones is a vibrant and emotionally resonant novel that beautifully captures the complexities of love, friendship, and self-discovery. The collaboration between Ghouri and Huxley-Jones results in a narrative that is both fresh and relatable, filled with characters who feel authentic and deeply human. The story navigates the highs and lows of relationships, exploring how different connections can leave lasting imprints on our hearts. With its engaging dialogue, relatable themes, and moments of both joy and heartbreak, "Hits Different" is a captivating read that will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced the unpredictable nature of love.

I loved the diversity in this book. I liked the storyline a lot. It was interesting to go on the journey Cassie & Pen took to discover themselves. I liked that Cassie was learning to accept her differences. This book is very educational about disabled people and I suppose it will help disabled people feel more accepted but it definitely makes people who aren't disabled feel more privileged.

I didn't like how long it took Cassie to break up with Mason and move on with Levi because I felt like there weren't enough scenes of her with the right man.

Overall it's a good book with loads of diverse characters and a good ending.

Thanks Netgalley, Bonnier Books UK & Hot Key Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my thoughts on it.

Cute, fluffy and wholesome summer romance that, while not entirely memorable, is jammed full of diversity and good times.

Cassie, our main girl, is a cochlear implant wearing dancing queen. She spends her days daydreaming about dancing on tour, globe trotting around the world. However instead she's stuck in a dead end restaurant job, with a boyfriend who won't commit and seems really overbearing. Enter Pen, non binary best friend, who applies to an advert on Cassies's behalf to act as an understudy for a major pop superstar's global tour. And guess what? She gets it. And guess what? The training is in Ibiza for the summer.

This was exactly what I would pick up read if I was jetting off somewhere sunny for thr summer. It's lighthearted and fun, with some sizzling chemistry between Cassie and love interest Levi, and full of interesting characters. Cassies's best friend is non binary, and her housemates are from a mix of ethnicities or disabilities. As well as being entertaining I also learnt a lot about about approaching disability and deafness in a respectful way, and for a romance it does a great job of centering Cassie as a person with a cochlear implant instead of it becoming her whole personality. I wish more romances would do this, and bring something insightful to the table.

I also really loved the setting, and found the descriptions of the beaches, sunsets and amazing food really helped set the scene. However, I will say that the writing itself wasn't amazing. It was quite clunky at times, and the overall plot is very predictable. However, don't let this put you off. If youre looking for a fun summer romance, this is perfect.

It takes a while to get into the book but overall a fun read! The writing was very easy to understand and the vibes were so fitting to be read in the summer!

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5

I love the representation in this book, and I really like Tasha.
The mesh of writing styles really helped the story flow with depth and was such a cozy and fun story.

This read has helped me get into the summery mood that the weather hasn't provided!
It is a great, inclusive summer romance and the disability awareness was spot on that I felt more educated after reading it.
If you're off on holiday or trying to get that holiday feel at home, pick this book up!

This was such a beautifully written book with love and inclusivity at its heart. I love Lizzie and Tasha’s writing style in this book you can tell they have an emotional connection to the narrative. This is such a wonderful story of dreams coming true, acceptance and self-love. I would highly recommend reading this book if you want a positive, cosy that deals with serious issues in a perfect way.

I really enjoyed this book and loved the characters. I adored all of the representation in it too and how the story unfolded for Cassie, with her belief in herself growing.!

A gorgeous inclusive summer read!
This story grabbed me immediately and I couldn’t put it down!!
I read the whole thing in about 3 hours! Such an amazing storyline about believing in yourself and the power of friendship!
Cassie dreams of being a dancer but thinks because she’s deaf she won’t be able to fulfil her dreams! Her boyfriend doesn’t believe in her but her ever supportive best friend Pen does and applies for Cassies dream job on her behalf! Can she get over her fears of being different to succeed in her dream job?

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

With the warm, cosy and very queer writing of Lizzie Huxley-Jones and the deep insights into what it means to be D/deaf and wear a cochlear implant from Tasha Ghouri, this is a book with a very clear message that it’s okay to be different.

For a book with a girl/ guy relationship at it’s centre, this was a beautifully queer book. The love interest defined himself as “slightly fruity”, there was a non-binary best friend, a trans side character. The main character was the basically the only straight character in the whole book. There were also different races, disabilities and body types so inclusivity was definitely one of the big aims of this book!

I also just completely love Huxley-Jones’ writing. They do such a good job of pulling the reader in and filling them up with warmth and delicious food descriptions. They also make really great friend groups that you wish you were part of.

This is such as beautiful story of dreams coming true, acceptance and self love. Great for curling up on the couch but also the perfect beach read.

This book was a lovely read. It was light hearted but with a deeper message and lots of light shining on all kind of diversity. I honestly enjoyed everything about this book especially as Cassie’s story was beautiful to read about. I highly recommend this book.

Love Island star and deaf advocate Tasha Ghouri has teamed up with Lizzie Huxley-Jones to produce Hits Different, which follows Cassie as she jets off to Ibiza to pursue her dancing dreams.

Billed as a contemporary romance, I would class this more as YA myself. The narration is very young (actually younger than I would expect given that the character is in her 20s) and the characters take centre-place in the story. The story itself is more that of self-discovery/personal journey, with the romance aspect weaved throughout. In fact, I much preferred the depiction of friendship in this than the romance aspect! (I really loved Pen, our supportive non-binary best friend to the main character).

Notwithstanding the above, this is a very informative read. The authors really spell out what everyday life is like for those with cochlear implants. I think this book will resonate with a lot of people in the deaf community and is a great representation for them.

This book does include a lot of ‘faff’ though, and could have done with being edited down. Some conversations just weren’t necessary, with almost every plot-line spelled out for the reader. I like to be left wondering, especially in a book like this, so that was irritating.

Although I have issues with how this book was advertised (it’s not the ‘Must-read Feel-good Romance of the Summer’), it’s a good debut which many readers will find easy to read.

Thanks to @hotkeybooks @bonnierbooks_uk for sending me an ARC via @netgalley. Hits Different is out now. ☀️