Since their early high school days, Alison Sanger and Ethan Molloy have been the fiercest rivals and competed on everything from AP classes to the school paper, even popularity contests. Alison cannot wait to graduate and get rid of Ethan, if only the two of them didn’t both apply for Harvard. Being around each other 24/7 because they share everything from extracurricular activities to class, Alison cannot escape Ethan. So when their principal decides to put the two of them in charge of planning a previous classes’ ten-year reunion, both of them are pushed to the brink, sharp words and perfectly placed digs flying all around.
Yet, the more time the two rivals spend together, building a reluctant friendship, the more Alison realises that getting into Harvard isn’t the only thing she wants anymore…and that more than winning their little contests, Alison has her heart set on another prize – Ethan.
To put it plainly, this book is what would happen if Paris Geller from Gilmore Girls ever met the male version of her. Rivalry till death do us part could very well be Ethan’s and Alison’s motto.
Though I was captivated by their feud, I will say that the pacing of the book dragged in the beginning and I had a hard time staying invested. The altercations between Ethan and Alison turn repetitive pretty quickly in the first half of the book because it is almost entirely dedicated to establishing their hatred of each other without ever deviating from it or introducing new aspects of their ‘relationship’.
In fact, Ethan is characterised as devil incarnate so much that to me, he didn’t have any redeemable qualities for the most part of What’s Not to Love. A lot of the stunts he pulled were unforgivable to me, which I guess does cement how great the enemies aspect of this book is, but ultimately, it was why I wasn’t immediately sold on the romance when Alison and Ethan got together. Long after Alison has feelings for Ethan that are reciprocated, I still felt iffy towards Ethan, especially since the both of them do continue to fight about their past behaviour but real apologies for things that could have hurt each other’s future are sparse and I’d be lying if I didn’t say it left me speechless while reading. It’s a gamble on the authors’ part to make the enemies part so overbearing but it does work if you stick with the book till the end.
Because even though it took me ages to come around on Ethan’s intentions, I still was rooting for Alison and him to get together because they make an excellent couple. Their interactions were so riveting, I had to reread scenes just because they were so engaging. Watching them push each other to the brink time and time again was so entertaining, it left me feeling out of breath sometimes. And when the two of them finally combine their forces for the reunion they have to plan, you could really see how their dynamic worked well in achieving goals outside of outshining each other.
I also loved the storyline involving Alison’s sister who, after ostensibly having lived the perfect life with a great degree, a lovely fiancé and a dream job, returns to live at home while she figures out her next steps. The juxtaposition of Alison who’s so sure that getting into Harvard will have been worth all the sleepless nights and missing out on traditional school experiences with her sister who now realises how empty that life of achievements without a support system can be, was one of my favourite parts. It just goes to show that one path does not fit all and their dynamic, beside Alison’s relationship with her best friend who also struggles in her own ways in this book, were an absolute highlight for me.
The discussions surrounding academic goals, the pressure you put on yourself to get into a top school and the friendships that you want to hold on to even beyond high school were so relatable. Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka excel at putting the anxiety students feel just before they graduate into writing. This was already apparent in The Time of Our Lives but it really comes to fruition in this riveting novel.
Perfect for fans of Kasie West and Morgan Matson, What’s Not to Love is the perfect romcom that everyone who ever had a crush on Paris Geller needs in their lives. With sharp tongues and academic determination, Alison and Ethan are the ultimate enemies-to-lovers ship.
What’s Not To Love is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 20th 2021.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
An academic enemies-to-lovers YA with all the nerdy drama, high school antics, and heartpounding romance of the Netflix original series Never Have I Ever
Since high school began, Alison Sanger and Ethan Molloy have competed on almost everything. AP classes, the school paper, community service, it never ends. If Alison could avoid Ethan until graduation, she would. Except, naturally, for two over-achieving seniors with their sights on valedictorian and Harvard, they share all the same classes and extracurriculars. So when their school’s principal assigns them the task of co-planning a previous class’s ten-year reunion, with the promise of a recommendation for Harvard if they do, Ethan and Alison are willing to endure one more activity together if it means beating the other out of the lead.
But with all this extra time spent in each other’s company, their rivalry begins to feel closer to friendship. And as tension between them builds, Alison fights the growing realization that the only thing she wants more than winning…is Ethan.
