I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo | Rating: ★★★★★

“You can always control how hard you fight.” 

YOU GUYS, HELP! This book was so cute. I've fallen. How can something be so freaking cute? Not only is the cover-art dreamy, I Believe in a Thing Called Love is, too. And it's definitely one of my favourite contemporary releases since To All the Boys I've Loved Before, You Know Me Well and Anna and the French Kiss. Needless to say, if you are a fan of any of the others who penned the above releases: you NEED to pick up this book.

First things first--I have only watched one K-drama in my life (entirely because most days I cannot for the life of me sit still during television or films, for whatever reason) but I definitely see the appeal. Once you get roped into something, you're glued--and that's exactly how to describe Desi's love of K-dramas. And this little attachment (see: addiction) of hers sparks some massive changes in her life--I.E., a list of ways to snag the cute boy she has her eyes on, that may only be better in theory. Desi is willing to take that risk, as her love life up to this point was non-existent.

You see, Desi is not just bad at love, she is practically hopeless when it comes to flirting with anyone. It's so endearing and definitely something anyone can relate to--if you've dated someone or had a simple crush, it is likely that you've had embarrassing moments.

While my moments were less frustrating than Desi's (see: the cute freshmen boy who tried asking her out while she was sick vs. me LITERALLY RUNNING AWAY from the first boy who asked me out), it's very easy to connect with her. What I loved about her was that she was an overachiever; smart and lively, but completely flawed.

In short? She is a regular teenager who has a lot of dreams and of course complexities.

I loved how her love interest came into her life. There's something so comical about it all, but their first meeting is my personal favourite. Goo crafts him with the same care and honesty that she did with Desi and that's always a plus. Luca, too, comes to life before your eyes and is exactly as he is meant to be--a teenage boy.

Their relationship was so cute. Normally, I'd be a little uncomfortable with how much planning Desi did to snag Luca. Maurene Goo, however, manages to make some questionable choices seem logical. Desi is much less experienced in love when compared to Luca and it makes sense that, once she got the ideas in her head, she would plan as extensively as she did. The list, her goals, made her human and I appreciate that.

What I enjoyed most (beyond the relationship of Desi and Luca which, again, was so cute) was the balance that I Believe in a Thing Called Love created. Plus, all of the relationships (family, friends, significant others, slight enemies) were wonderfully painted. I loved how everything connected and where certain ties were made.

Overall, I Believe in a Thing Called Love was super adorable and fast paced. I was swooning, I was laughing and I was cringing throughout it. It's the perfect contemporary for a sunny day.