“And life was too short to play chicken with something as important as the person you loved.”
Book Details
Title: Only Mostly Devastated
Author: Sophie Gonzales
Date Published: March 3, 2020
Number of Pages: 288 pages
Publisher: Wednesday Books
📚 Series: No, standalone.
📚 Genre: YA LGBT Romance.
📚 Cliffhanger: No.
⚠ Content Warnings: homophobia, cancer, grief, being closeted, body shaming, underage drinking
⚠ Read if: you love Grease!!!
Book Blurb from Goodreads
SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA meets CLUELESS in this boy-meets-boy spin on Grease
Summer love…gone so fast.
Will Tavares is the dream summer fling―he’s fun, affectionate, kind―but just when Ollie thinks he’s found his Happily Ever After, summer vacation ends and Will stops texting Ollie back. Now Ollie is one prince short of his fairy tale ending, and to complicate the fairy tale further, a family emergency sees Ollie uprooted and enrolled at a new school across the country. Which he minds a little less when he realizes it’s the same school Will goes to…except Ollie finds that the sweet, comfortably queer guy he knew from summer isn’t the same one attending Collinswood High. This Will is a class clown, closeted―and, to be honest, a bit of a jerk.
Ollie has no intention of pining after a guy who clearly isn’t ready for a relationship, especially since this new, bro-y jock version of Will seems to go from hot to cold every other week. But then Will starts “coincidentally” popping up in every area of Ollie’s life, from music class to the lunch table, and Ollie finds his resolve weakening.
The last time he gave Will his heart, Will handed it back to him trampled and battered. Ollie would have to be an idiot to trust him with it again.
Right? Right.
About the Author
She is the author of The Law of Inertia, which released 2018 with Amberjack Publishing. Her debut YA rom-com, Only Mostly Devastated, is slated for Winter 2020 through Wednesday Books / Macmillan.
When she isn’t writing, Sophie can be found ice skating, performing in musical theatre, and practicing the piano. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia where she works as a psychologist. She is represented by Moe Ferrara of Bookends Literary Agency.
My Review
Much thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own. Also, all quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
Only Mostly Devastated is the story of two cute boys who had spent the summer doing couple-y things. They believed they had to say goodbye at the end — only to find out that the universe conspired to have them reunited when Ollie had to transfer to a new school aka Will’s school.
First off, this book is a loose retelling of Grease, which is one of my favorite musicals (sexist & misogynistic themes aside)! It is evident in the characterization, especially with the friends groups, but it all ends there. The book shares a beautiful and original story, way beyond what Grease was.
Bonus points for diverse characters!!! We love some POC leads.
This book offered something light and fluffy, with lots of funny moments. The writing style and most of Ollie’s thoughts and words gave the entertainment factor. But, the story goes beyond all of that. It gets very deep at times, too.
The fact that it gets quite deep is one of my favorite parts — especially in the family aspect. The author also did a good job on the sexuality aspect of the story (in my opinion only, you can check an #ownvoices reviewer for a better judgment.)
Overall, this book was a quick read with a healthy dose of sweetness and an authentic story that you can carry with you for a long time.
My Book Rating Breakdown
🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
☁ FINAL VERDICT: 4.27/5 ☁
⭐⭐⭐⭐
♡ , Yna the Mood Reader
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Yna the Mood Reader 
Romance isn’t my typical genre, but when I saw the comparison to Simon, I couldn’t pass this up. I enjoyed every minute of it – loved Ollie’s voice and the way such difficult topics were handled. Great review!
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Glad you enjoyed this one! x
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Great review! I’ve been hearing so many good things about this story!
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You should check it out. 🙂 You might have a good time!
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Can’t wait to read this!!
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