Review: Perfectly Oblivious by Robin Daniels

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Cameron Bates (Cam) could have almost any girl at Franklin High School…except for the one he wants. Unfortunately Bebe seems to be immune to his flirty charm and good looks, which means one of two things: a) she’s completely oblivious to how he feels, or b) she’s just not into him. If that’s the case, declaring his love would be disastrous for their friendship.

Bianca Barnes (Bebe) has a huge problem: the universe hates her. Every time she admits feelings for a boy, he ends up falling for her sweet, popular, and beautiful sister Beth. To avoid a broken heart, Bebe has sworn herself to secrecy. Nobody can know how she feels about Cam…Ever!

Neither person wants to confess their feelings, but the universe has its own plan. Out of the blue, Bebe is courted by a secret admirer. Cam has to step up his game and Bebe has to make a choice. Play it safe and accept the affections of her mystery man or challenge fate and take a chance on the boy she loves.

Content Description: This is a stand-alone YA contemporary romance with companion novels to follow. It contains minor language, innuendo, crude humor and steamy tension but is generally very clean. No sex. Recommended for ages 12 and up.

My Review

It took me a few chapters to get used to the super snarky/sassy and over-the-top style of first person narration and dialogue, but I was quickly drawn to the Cam and Bianca's vulnerabilities hidden beneath overly confident exteriors. They each have a case of what they think is unrequited love for each other, and I couldn't put the book down as I read to see how their feelings would be revealed to each other. There is plenty of humor in the male perspective from Cam, often bordering on ridiculous, but he really does grow on you. Bianca was drama central but you get the feeling that she's not normally that way... or at least to that extreme. Overall it was highly entertaining with fun twists and a great ending! A young adult novel that will definitely be enjoyed by teens, young adults, and not-so-young adults ;) The author/publisher recommends for ages 12 and up, but my personal recommendation is 14 and up.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)