My Best Friend (ARC)

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date: December 10, 2021

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Blurb:

Persephone. 

Life is a box of chocolates!

Well, if so, mine have gone thoroughly stale. In fact, they went on the turn over a decade ago, on the night I gave my virginity and my heart to my best friend, Henry Morgan. The very next day, the boy took everything with him to Hollywood, where he is living it up as one of the world's most celebrated Oscar winning actors. 

I should have ditched that box ages ago. 

But I can't. 

Not while Henry still sits in there, even if only from a distance. 

Henry

If life is a box of chocolates, then mine has been an awesome collection! I've transformed from the nerd targeted by bullies to an Oscar-winner. 

There's just one problem - my best friend, Persephone Hill. 

At seven years old, the girl saved my life by sharing a comic and a handshake. Ever since I've been hopelessly devoted to her. 

Back when we were closer than close, I was too afraid to tell her how I really felt. So, friendship is where I've stayed. 

Yes, life has been a box of chocolates, only the best flavour has been missing.

But that's about to change. I'm finally going to claim Persephone as mine. 

Review:

I received this ARC through Booksprout in exchange for my honest review. 

This book had so many hilarious parts that I found myself giggling through a good majority of the book. I love that while it is a Romantic Comedy, it does touch on deeper issues and doesn't shy away from addressing those issues. I found myself reading way later into the night than is acceptable to get through the trauma of Henry's teenage experience. There was heart, depth and comfort that came from reading about what happened and it only added to this great story. 

I really enjoyed the characters and their personalities. Persephone is such a unique character and getting to watch her develop with flashbacks of her childhood was such a treat. After giving her virginity to her best friend, Henry, she loses her confidence in herself and becomes a shell of the confident girl she once was. Henry on the other hand goes from being bullied in school to becoming an A list celebrity. He goes in the opposite direction after feeling rejected by Persephone, sleeping around and getting attention as a Hollywood heartthrob. Although, when he's interacting with Persephone, he goes back to being the gangly teenager in love with his best friend. 

Taylor K. Scott does a great job telling a story, getting the book from both POVs helped me see what thoughts were going through each characters' heads when I wanted to reach into the book and make them fix things. I also enjoyed the third person POV for the flashbacks and absolutely LOVED the ending when it makes sense why the story is sometimes told from a narrator's side. What a great way to close out the book, it was unexpected but absolutely perfect for Persephone and Henry. 

One thing to note, this book is written from a super talented author "across the pond" so there were sayings and slang words that I was not familiar with, being American, but it did NOT take away from enjoying this book at all. In fact, it just added to the hilarity that is Persephone. Wonderful book and I'm so glad I received the ARC. 

My Best Friend

Taylor K. Scott