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Title: Better Off Friends
Publisher: Point / Scholastic
Genre: Young Adult- Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Release Date: February 25, 2013
Source: checked out from library – review policy here.
Synopsis via Goodreads:
For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.
Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?
Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?
Sweet... so sweet... a story of boy likes girl and girl likes boy but, alas, timing is everything.
"When you’re comfortable with someone, you don’t need to always fill the void with noise."
Macallan and Levi are best friends beginning in eighth grade with an unexplainable connection from day one. As they grow up the challenge of being just friends seems impossible to the outside world as they take on boyfriends and girlfriends, develop separate interests, and their families become cemented together.
“I would find it odd if anybody didn’t want to take you anywhere you wanted to go.”
The story is told from altering points-of-view and from the recall tone. Between each chapter we're greeted with present day bantering between Macallan and Levi reflecting the previous chapter's revelations. Unfortunately, we don't know at what point they are recalling these stories. Which drives me crazy because I want to know where they are now! My favorite quote actually comes from Stacie, a Levi girlfriend, who says something so simple, so obvious, and so true for any girl who has ever watched a romantic comedy.
The writing and dialogue is priceless. It's all so innocent that it becomes surreally nostalgic and every time they hit a bump, a little pang hit my heart. In the end there were happy tears, a part of my middle school/high school self had awoken, and I wanted more of Macallen and Levi's story.
The worst part of this story is that is ends during their Junior year avoiding the whole HS to college transition. I want this story, I NEED this story. I have a sneaky suspicion this story would be a lot like My Best Friend's Wedding... but we'll never know.
4.5 Stars: You need this story.
You need these laughs, these hurts, these swoons... basically, ALL.THE.FEELS.
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