5 out of 5 stars 

Reviewed Twinkle Twink Little Star on 15 March 2023

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The first thing I can think of when summarizing this book is hilarious, and the second thought I have is that it’s one of the spiciest books I’ve ever read. If you’re a fan of either of those things stop reading this and go get this book now.

Books in journal or diary format are always a blast for me. That style works perfectly for a book like this, as Shawn documents his dating escapades, talks about his slightly over invested but lovable parents, and navigates college and coming of age with his memorable friends. There’s not a lot of heavy plot, mostly a series of anecdotes tied loosely together. Almost every chapter had a surprise twist toward the end that had me laughing out loud.

There’s plenty of good excerpts to pull, but I don’t want to spoil the enjoyment for anyone else. And it was very nice to read something on the lighter scale, not bogged down by drama. I’d still say this book is quite sensational and I read fast out of excitement for what was…uh…coming next.

We don’t get to know the characters super well but that felt authentic to a journal or diary because it felt true to dropping in on someone’s life for a period of time and added to the fun of everything that was happening. I admired Shawn’s confidence and opennness to new experiences and got a kick out of his best friend Ainsley. Shawn’s supportive and dolting parents were also highly entertaining.

I haven’t decided if I’m satisfied by the ending. When it was going to go one way I thought it might have been a little too Hallmark, then the actual ending went (literally) all in and I found that more believable to the story. Somehow I still wanted a little more to the conclusion, but that was probably the point. I had a great time reading something slightly different than I usually read and highly recommend this one. And I absolutely adored the Britishness of it all.