WARNING MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
Ughhhh I really wanted to hate this book. The first one wasn’t that great in my opinion, it left me just curious enough to want to continue on the Lara Jean train. Damnit Jenny Han. I still don’t know how she turned a high school love story into something so readable. In every aspect this book is your basic summer beach read: girl loves boy – they date – they have issues – they are resolved – end of book. I don’t understand why I want to keep reading about these characters so much. Lara Jean is so innocent and she never holds back what she’s thinking, to the reader or the other characters. She’s the adorable 16-year-old that every girl was or wanted to be. I still don’t understand how she had two guys fighting over her though. THAT seemed a bit much…but I still wanted to read it!! All the feels! This book has all the feels!!
But before I get too far, let’s back track…Lara Jean is dating Peter and they are in the puppy love stage of the relationship. They just recently became official and this is LJ’s first relationship ever. She wants to do everything right, but Peter just got off a bad break up with his on-again, off-again ex: Gen. Gen is the girl that every other girl compares herself to in high school. Pretty, rich, has it all, etc. LJ just doesn’t feel like she can ever measure up to Gen so relationship drama ensues. *Cue entrance of other insanely hot guy* (because what would a love story be without a triangle??) New guy John is super into LJ from day 1 and she’s the only one who doesn’t see it…naturally. Peter is so jealous of John while LJ is super jealous of Gen…see where this is going? Yeah, this is the same old high school love story but it’s also not. AND IT’S BUGGING ME THAT I CAN’T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT.
Part of the reason I thought I wasn’t going to like this book is because halfway through I realized that this was literally the same story as book 1. Except Peter and LJ decide to be real from the beginning – sort of. They still make a contract for their relationship, they’re still trying to get everyone’s approval (both at school and at home), and LJ still measures herself against Gen constantly (to the point of this could have taken a turn towards a lesbian relationship early on). I was basically reading the same book.
Once things finally got interesting *John ;)* the story started to pick up a little. Finally, we are seeing the fruits of labor after reading 4 or 500 something pages. I liked the back and forth of LJ and Peter and LJ and John. It finally showed that she wasn’t such a goody-two-shoes, and it forced her to grow up a little.
The part I didn’t like was whenever the ‘assassin game’ entered the picture. The time capsule was great, almost rekindling of old relationships was great, but then whoever’s idea it was to start that stupid game is permanently on my blacklist. LJ took that thing so serious it got to the point of ridiculousness. The first ‘hit’ was cute, when she teamed up with Chris; but after that…OMG girl needs to take a chill pill. She didn’t even see Peter for those days just because she thought he might have her name and would gang up on her with Gen. AND that’s the other thing I don’t understand: the winner of this ‘game’ gets a 1 wish granted from the group. LJ wants to win soooo bad, so when she does win – SHE DOESN’T EVEN MAKE A WISH!! Repeat from book 1: the story stops and now we have to wait for installment 3. Ms. Han you are seriously testing my patience with this series. Like seriously.
The ending was cute. I’ll give it that. LJ and Peter finally decide to go all in on their relationship, possible broken hearts and all. Then end of story. Ugh. Why can’t I live in a world where endings are satisfying?!?
Rating: TBD (until 2017 I guess, because that’s when the internet says I’ll get the next one)
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