You, wIth A View by Jessica Joyce

You, wIth A View by Jessica Joyce

Title: You, with a View

Author: Jessica Joyce
Publisher:  Berkley 
Genre:  Romance, Women's Fiction
Format:  Kindle
No. of Pages:  378
Date of US Publication:  11 July, 2023
My Rating:  5 Stars

My Thoughts 

Ordinarily, a plot involving the words "viral TikTok" and "high school nemesis" wouldn't grab me. But the star-crossed ölovers, the road trip honoring a grandparent, and the grief over the loss of that much loved and appreciated grandparent struck me (Ms. Joyce writes this type of grief beautifully, with compassion and sensitivity).

By the time I was 8% into this one, I had both laughed and teared up. 

9%, and the cringe laughter is so real. 

10%, and I already know that Jessica Joyce is a debut author I will absolutely read more by, once written. 

The chemistry between Noelle and Theo is fantastic (rivals to lovers and slooooow burn). Many of the relationships are #goals and I loved them -  Noelle's relationship with her parents, Theo's with his grandfather, Noelle's relationship with her brother and best friend, her growing relationship with Paul, and the character development and burgeoning relationship with Theo. 

** bonus - Theo's appreciation of Radiohead. 

Though I loved Theo and Noelle together, I also felt frustrated and saddened over Kat and Paul's relationship. 

Engaging current day combined with historical novels are a particular weakness of mine and I read this over a lazy weekend. I unequivocally full-on adored this one. Sweet, bittersweet, hot, laugh out loud funny in parts, and and a great reminder that I've been wanting to begin a sourdough starter for about 4 years now. 

I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to read an advance of You, with a View - this one is now on my favorite books of 2023 list ❤️ and I wholeheartedly recommend it. 

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the DRC!

Description

"Jessica Joyce is a new and forever fave!"—Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically

Two high school enemies must reunite for a road trip inspired by their grandparents’ broken engagement in this electric debut romance.

Noelle Shepherd is unemployed, living with her parents, and grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother when she discovers decades-old photos of Gram and a smitten man, tucked alongside a love letter. She creates a TikTok to search for the mystery man, which goes viral, and she’s shocked when his grandson responds—a man who happens to be her high school nemesis, Theo Spencer.

Noelle refuses to let Theo’s annoying accomplishments in adulthood—or his sexy smirk—stand in the way of meeting his grandfather and unlocking the secrets he knew about her gram as a young woman. When she learns that their plans to elope were thwarted, Noelle decides to take the honeymoon road trip they planned but never got to carry out. There’s a catch, though: Paul, Theo's grandfather, asks to come with her, and he insists that Theo join them.

It’ll be a miracle if they make it through the trip without Noelle throwing Theo out of the moving car—or the bed they end up sharing. As the miles tick by, the tension simmers hotter between them...until she discovers that Theo’s hiding a secret that could cause their tenuous relationship to end before it can restart.