Best Rivals-to-Lovers I've Read in a LONG Time!

January 11, 2024
Now this is how you write an academic rivals to lovers trope.

I was giggling, screaming, and smiling my entire way through this book.
The romance was a perfect slow burn, every character was so real and so diverse. The magical realism was beautifully executed and I think that was what made this book stand out.

The representation was fantastic. Everyone came from different backgrounds, and the book urges you not to judge anyone by their outward appearance. Young adult novels in academic settings, in particular, can fall into a trap of stereotyping characters. If You Could See the Sun doesn’t do this at all. Alice is forced to rethink assumptions she had about her classmates she didn’t know that well to begin and each story for every person is unalike.

Alice herself is the badass main character we've all dreamed of. She doesn't fall into the huge pile of smart female MCs I've seen way too many times before, with such a recognizable and distinguished voice, and yet she doesn't give the 'not like other girls' vibe. Next is Henry. I. Love. This. Man. If Alice hadn't gotten with him, I woulda snatched him up myself. He's the perfect counterpart to her, though- he challenges her in ways that others don't, and she finds him insufferable and smug yet impossible to stay away from. He grows during this book along with Alice, and she discovers that he's much more than just a privileged prick and pretty face.

One thing I would've liked to see was writing from Henry's perspective. I almost wish there was another book in the series!