Author: Kelly Quindlen
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
I picked this up because I wanted a sapphic YA to distract myself with and was surprised to discover that it was so much better than I thought it'd be. Admittedly, I'm not the biggest fan of romance books but, after some experiments, I think I just don't like straight romances. I adored that Late to the Party is a "strangers to friends to lovers," which is my absolute favorite dynamic because the reader can see how the relationship is formed and how it develops. On the other hand, if you're someone who likes instalove narratives or the tension of "enemies to lovers" better, this might not be the book for you.
The novel is much more a coming of age than a romance, where the protagonist is figuring out who she is and what parts of herself she wants to change. A great surprise was seeing Codi reevaluate her friendships, their dynamics, and how you can truly love somebody but feel like you're at a better place when you're not interacting with them. This has such a good message, it says that it's okay to need time and space for yourself when you're changing and growing. The period between being a teenager and becoming an adult (17-20) can be really confusing and stressful, and I think this book captures it perfectly.
It was also just a plain, fun read: there were parties, silly games, midnight road trips, and tiny adventures that you go on with your friends when you're all giddy and excited about life. The relationship that we see develop between Codi and Ricky is so pure and fun and it reminded me so much of that period when you're getting to know a new friend and you begin to bond and discover little things about them. Quindlen captured both the good and the bad about being a teenager, or, at least, she captured everything that I remember from my teenage years and it was interesting to look upon those things from a different perspective. I'm an only child, so I can't say for certain if the relationship between Codi and her brother is a good portrayal of how real siblings behave, but it added a nice layer to the story and it helped round up the protagonist's personality.
All in all, 100% recommend picking up Late to the Party.
Originally written in August/2021
For Trigger Warnings click here.
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