Alex, Approximately by Jenn BennettPublished by: Simon Pulse on April 4, 2017
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 320
Source: NetGalley
Book Details
Rating: ★★★★★
In this delightfully charming teen spin on You’ve Got Mail, the one guy Bailey Rydell can’t stand is actually the boy of her dreams—she just doesn’t know it yet.
Classic movie buff Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent half of her junior year falling for a sensitive film geek she only knows online as “Alex.” Two coasts separate them until she moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush.
Faced with doubts (what if he’s a creep—or worse?), Bailey doesn’t tell Alex she’s moved to his hometown. Or that she’s landed a job at the local tourist trap, the oddball Cavern Palace Museum. Or that she’s being tormented daily by Porter Roth, a smart-alecky yet irritatingly hot museum security guard. But when Porter and Bailey are locked in the museum overnight, Bailey is forced to choose whether she should cling to a dreamy fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex. Approximately.
Alex, Approximately was the perfect blend of fun/fluff and intensity. On the fluff side, it was a super fun and sweet summer romance filled with awkward maybe-dating, summer jobs, and new best friends. But on the intense side, there were unresolved fears/traumas, trust issues, and social awkwardness. The characters had real fun, but also real problems.
I was first super interested in Alex, Approximately because my husband and I met online, just like “Mink” and “Alex”. I loved seeing the similarities there, like how my husband and I used to do “watch-alongs” where we’d watch the same movie/TV show at the same time, or how we also had to go through the awkward part of meeting in real life at the same time.
One of the things I love about a book like this, is that it’s a bit like watching something memorizing happen in slow motion. You know something bad and awkward is coming and you’re so nervous about it, but also maybe a little excited, but you have to read through the whole book to get there.
Alex, Approximately also had peeeerfect characters.
- Bailey’s dad was sooo sweet!
- Grace kind of becomes Bailey’s new BFF and is adorable. She’s pretty much a perfect BFF.
- Porter’s mom is so comforting, and his dad is a bit scary but a good guy.
- Porter’s sister is a pretty cool badass surfer.
- There’s a horrible bad guy.
- ..and more!
And I looove this from the acknowledgements:
And to my readers, thank you for giving me a reason to believe in myself. I hope I can return the favor through the words in this book, even in a small way.
*sobs* YES YES YES ♥
Reasons to read Alex, Approximately
- Beach
- Summer
- Museums
- Churros
- Best friends
- Old movies
- Awkwardly meeting someone you’ve only spoken to online
- First impressions
- It’ll make you melt with happiness.
This book sounds adorable! I’ve seen it pop up quite a bit lately, but was worried about wanting to give it a try since I’ve never seen You’ve Got Mail (crazy I know lol). This is definitely one I’ll still give a shot!
I’m so glad you thought this was a cute summer romance, because the cover gave off some serious summer vibes. I was kind of on the fence on picking this up, but I’m definitely going to now! I’m always in the mood for a cute romance in the summer, and I think this book will be the perfect fix! Great review!
I hope you love it, Amanda! 🙂
That was a great review! ❤ It urged me to get this book straight away! I hope I like it, though summer’s almost over. 🙂