Thursday, January 16, 2020

Blog Tour: Finding Mr. Better-Than-You - Shani Petroff


Finding Mr. Better-Than-You 
Shani Petroff
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Camryn has been dating Marc FOREVER—since freshman year! She dropped out of volleyball to go to all his games, switched her schedule around to be in his favorite class, and has been busting her butt to get into Columbia so they can go to the same college. So when Marc suddenly, and very publicly, breaks up with her a week into their senior year so that he can date the new transfer student, she’s absolutely devastated.

But why be sad, when you can get even? Inspired by her favorite movies, Camryn decides that the best revenge is a Senior Year well lived, starring a boy who is ever so much better than her ex. With a little help from her friends, Cam is going to have the Best. Senior. Year. Ever.

Or else!

Cam was so excited to be starting her senior year, but things didn't look like they would be going her way. First, her guidance counselor tried to dash her hopes of getting into Columbia, and then her boyfriend of three years publicly dumped her.  Feeling lost, crushed, and dejected, Cam turned to her friends for help in finding a replacement boyfriend in order to make this a year to remember, but instead, what she found was a deeper understanding of herself and the value of friendship.

I think it's important to read this book with the proper expectations. This was not a romance. Well, at least, it wasn't a traditional type of romance. This was a friend-mance, which celebrated friends, old and new, and I rather enjoyed it.

Cam had been dating Marc since the beginning of high school. She supported him in his activities, and his friends became her friends. She was applying to the same college as him, and she even tricked her way into one of his classes. When he broke up with her, Cam felt a bit lost, and for good reason. At some point, Cam made the decision to give up parts of herself as she became Cam+Marc. She just never realized it until after the breakup.

Not only had she eschewed her own activities and interests, she also began to hold back parts of her personality. She became less daring and outgoing, because she thought this was who Marc wanted her to be. However, once she was on her own again, the old Cam started to re-emerge, and this Cam was someone people wanted to know better. She was trying new things, going new places, and making new friends. She thought she needed a boyfriend in order to have the best senior year ever, but really, all she needed was her friends and to be herself.

The friendships were probably my favorite element of this book. Cam had three very close friends, who were wonderful and supportive. They seemed to come without being called, and it was easy to see that this friendship was built on a strong foundation. Cam also made a bunch of new friends, most notably, she became close friends with a group of cheerleaders, who she had originally written off. These women ended up being some of her biggest champions, and I am such a fan of seeing unlikely relationships form.

Overall: This was a fun and humorous story of self re-discovery and fostering friendship, which put a smile on my face.



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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shani Petroff is a writer living in New York City. She's the author of the “Bedeviled” series, which includes Daddy’s Little Angel, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Dress, Careful What You Wish For, and Love Struck, and is the co-author of Ash. She also writes for television news programs and several other venues. When she’s not locked in her apartment typing away, she spends a whole lot of time on books, boys, TV, daydreaming, and shopping online.














Do you have a favorite rom-com?
Let us know in the comments!

29 comments:

  1. A friend-mance? Interesting! I'm so happy you mentioned that, because I would have totally gone into this one thinking romance. I know Karen read it recently and said it was a quick, fluffy read that she enjoyed. :) I'm also a huge fan of positive and fleshed-out friendships, since I typically enjoy more character-driven books. <3

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬

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    1. I started reading this expecting a romance, and saw, pretty early on, that it wasn't really going in that direction, though, there are many romantic elements and side plots. Once I adjusted my expectations, I was able to enjoy it for what it was. Petroff definitely leans fluffy, and it's why I will always pick up her books. I must admit, I was really interested in what was beginning towards the end of the book.

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  2. Hooray for supportive female friendships! Especially when they come from unlikely sources (considering she had written off the cheerleaders).

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    1. I liked that plot point a lot, and I appreciated that the MC reflected on how she so easily misjudged a whole group of women without even really knowing them.

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  3. This sounds wonderful! I like that this story is about finding yourself after a big breakup. This might be the kind of story that people really need. I think that the emphasis on friendship is another big plus. Great review!

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    1. That's really what the book was about. Adjusting to the new normal, without someone, who had been your other half, and who you had allow to define you in so many ways for so long.

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  4. I can't wait to read this! I just got it in the mail from a fellow bloggy buddy. I'm glad to hear it was a good one!

    Ash@ JennReneeRead

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    1. I hope you enjoy it! Petroff's books are always cute and sweet, and I like them a lot

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  5. This sounds brilliant Sam, I love books that focus on friendship and support, especially during your teens years it feels like a much more realistic portrayal of relationships rather than meeting the one and finding that happily ever after. I've been seeing this one flooding Instagram and so glad that you've enjoyed it Sam, going to check it out!

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    1. It was interesting to watch the MC evolve so much over the course of the book. Not only did she rediscover herself and how she had been shortchanging so many of the important people in her life, she eventually took a very mature approach to her breakup and got some closure

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  6. It's so interesting how people in love "merge" into each other! That's why breakups are so hard! Love books about friendships!

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    1. I definitely made that mistake, when I was younger, and it's a good perspective to offer to young adults.

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  7. Great review, Sam! This sounds really charming and full of personality! So happy you liked it! :)

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  8. I am all about friend-mances (I love that word -- thank you for crafting it!) I personally think this sort of book should be more available for high schoolers. They need to know romance isn't everything! Great review. I'm definitely looking forward to reading this.

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    1. Not sure if I crafted it, but it fit this book to a tee. I know I fell into many of these situations, when I was younger, when romantic relationships were a newer thing, so I like that we are seeing it in books targeted for this age group.

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  9. I'm not big on revenge plots, but this novel sounds cute. I like that it's about powerful friendships, too.

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    1. It may have been described like that, but it was far from a revenge type book. The MC set out to just find a replacement boyfriend, but it ended up being less that and more about finding herself, reconnecting to her life before the boyfriend, and valuing what she learned from the experience.

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  10. This sounds like a wonderful story Sam! I like the focus on Cam's friendships as well as her becoming true to herself, by not holding back who she was or changing herself for someone else. Wonderful Review!

    Lindy@ A Bookish Escape

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    1. It took a bit for me to realize where this was going, but I throughly enjoyed how it played out.

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  11. Sounds really good, thanks for the great review!

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    1. Once I accepted that this wasn't going to be a traditional romance, I was able to enjoy the story for what it was, and it was a great story about friendship and learning from mistakes and not losing yourself in relationships

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  12. I love the title of this one! Glad you enjoyed it.

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    1. It is a cute title, and though, not exactly what I was expecting, very cute

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  13. Sorry I forgot to answer the question; my fav rom-com is Return to Me

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    1. I am surprised I never saw this movie. I don't really go to films any longer, but this one was older, and it has a really great cast.

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    2. It's really sad at the beginning but also has some really funny moments as well, a definite must see!

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  14. I love a good revenge story like the next reader :D But more than that, I am a huge fan of books with strong friendships in them. I think all of my favourite books at least have one great friendship in there. So I am glad that this is the kind of book which focuses on that first and foremost above all the romantic storyline!

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    1. I feel like most people have been part of a friendship at some point, and can relate to that. Maybe that's why so many of us love a good friendship story

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