Melt With You Review: Is It Worth Reading?
Jennifer Dugan’s YA ice cream truck road trip has a lovely premise and a Booklist star, but readers keep tripping over its miscommunication plot. Here’s what the evidence says.
Jennifer Dugan
Playing for Keeps Review — Is It Worth Reading?
Verdict: A cute, grief-tinged YA romance between a cocky pitcher and a determined student umpire, with a fun premise and two out, accepted leads. But many readers say the rivals-to-lovers setup collapses into instalove, the teens’ miscommunication grates, and the chemistry never quite catches. Best for: Teen readers and adults who enjoy messy, emotional YA … Read more
Some Girls Do Review — Is It Worth Reading?
Verdict: A hugely popular YA romance between an out track star and a closeted bisexual pageant girl, with strong queer representation and a heartbreaking look at an abusive home. But it divides readers sharply over instalove, poor communication and Morgan’s pressure on Ruby to come out — and there is little track on the page. … Read more
Bite Me Review — Is It Worth Reading?
Updated on October 9, 2026 Verdict: A gorgeously drawn sapphic YA vampire graphic novel with a killer hook and a found family worth staying for, let down by a romance that barely gets page time and a second half that runs out of room. Best for: Teen and adult readers who want a quick, moody, … Read more
Girls Like Us Review — Is It Worth Reading?
Updated on October 9, 2026 Verdict: An honest, character-first YA sequel about a first-year long-distance relationship that feels true to that age, undercut by a miscommunication engine that frustrates a large share of its readers. Best for: Readers who loved Ruby and Morgan in Some Girls Do and want to see what happens after the … Read more
Anderson in Bloom Review — Is It Worth Reading?
Updated on October 5, 2026 Verdict: A yearning-soaked second-chance romance between two former child stars, with a sharp eye for what early fame does to people, held back by a couple who spend most of the book avoiding the one conversation they need to have. Best for: Readers who want angst and longing more than … Read more