Perfect on Paper: A Novel

Sophie Gonzales

Mar 2021 · Sold by Wednesday Books

About this eBook

“Perfectly wonderful.” —Becky Albertalli, New York Times–bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

“An electrifying love story.” —Booklist

FROM NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY-BESTSELLING AND INDIE NEXT PICK AUTHOR Sophie Gonzales comes Perfect on Paper: Leah on the Offbeat meets To All the Boys I've Loved Before in this YA romcom, where a bisexual girl who gives anonymous love advice to her classmates is hired by the hot guy to help him get his ex back

Her advice, spot on. Her love life, way off.

Darcy Phillips:
• Can give you the solution to any of your relationship woes—for a fee.
• Uses her power for good. Most of the time.
• Really cannot stand Alexander Brougham.
• Has maybe not the best judgement when it comes to her best friend, Brooke...who is in love with someone else.
• Does not appreciate being blackmailed.

However, when Brougham catches her in the act of collecting letters from locker 89—out of which she’s been running her questionably legal, anonymous relationship advice service—that’s exactly what happens. In exchange for keeping her secret, Darcy begrudgingly agrees to become his personal dating coach—at a generous hourly rate, at least. The goal? To help him win his ex-girlfriend back.

Darcy has a good reason to keep her identity secret. If word gets out that she’s behind the locker, some things she's not proud of will come to light, and there’s a good chance Brooke will never speak to her again.

Okay, so all she has to do is help an entitled, bratty, (annoyingly hot) guy win over a girl who’s already fallen for him once? What could go wrong?

Ratings and reviews

4.5 stars Perfect on Paper was smart, thoughtful, funny, and everything I love about YA and more. This is my first book by Sophie Gonzales and I loved the writing style and humor. I thought the author also did a fantastic job with representation and diversity. The relationship advice and love tutor/coach premise has been attempted in books before, but Gonzales put such a fresh spin on it that it felt very new and exciting. The characters and situations were layered and complex, and were laid out in such an honest and relatable way. The evolution from frenemies to lovers between Darcy and Brougham really worked and I appreciated how the author showcased those tender moments as things started to shift, but also didn't rush them along. That uncertainty and vulnerability is one of the things I love most about the YA genre. The cast of secondary characters was delightful (Finn! LOL) and I also liked the focus on familial relationships (and how positive and negative they can be). The typical YA angst and drama do pop up in their own unique ways, but I thought it was handled and presented really well. Darcy and Brougham's character arcs were done so well and I was rooting for these two to find themselves (and each other) along the way. One thing I really loved about the book is that it made me pause and reflect on my own relationships and also the relationships I want to have. It made me think about and recognize the power and consequences of my own behavior and choice of words. I can't wait to read more from this author and Perfect on Paper is definitely a book not to be missed! CW: divorce, toxic parents, biphobia, internalized biphobia, drugs, alcohol *I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

This was a book that I just kind of stumbled across and after reading the blurb my attention was fixed and I knew I had to give this new to me author and this intriguing book a try. And I am so incredible happy that I did! This book was clever, fresh, fun, genuine and honest. A smart read that is 100% pure enjoyment but delivered with a sharp edge that will hit you with moments to pause and ponder. While this book is marketed to teens and the YA market, I firmly believe the more mature audience (of which I'm one of) will also fall in love with these wonderful characters and the story being told. No cookie cutter characters need to apply for this book and that my friends was a good thing! I adored the level of originality that made this book so unique. While overall this book is lighthearted and effervescent, I don't feel that I am wrong in saying that it also brilliantly shines a light on the important subject of sexuality. This heart stealing rom-com easily won a place on my keeper shelf. This is my impartial, independent review.

About the author

SOPHIE GONZALES is a YA contemporary author. She graduated from the University of Adelaide and lives in Melbourne, Australia, where she currently works as a psychologist. When she isn’t writing, she can be found ice skating, performing in musical theater, and practicing the piano. She is also the author of Only Mostly Devastated and The Law of Inertia.