Me being the shallow gal that I am, I definitely "knew" I "needed" to read It Sounded Better in My Head when I saw the cover. Oops! (Look, sometimes it pays to be shallow. It does here because this book was super fun.)


It Sounded Better in My Head 
by Nina Kenwood

From debut author Nina Kenwood comes a tender, funny, and compulsively readable novel about first love and its confusions, and all of the awkwardness of teen romance.

When her parents announce their impending divorce, Natalie can’t understand why no one is fighting, or at least mildly upset. Then Zach and Lucy, her two best friends, hook up, leaving her feeling slightly miffed and decidedly awkward. She’d always imagined she would end up with Zach one day―in the version of her life that played out like a TV show, with just the right amount of banter, pining, and meaningful looks. Now everything has changed, and nothing is quite making sense. Until an unexpected romance comes along and shakes things up even further.

It Sounded Better in My Head is a compulsively readable love letter to teenage romance in all of its awkward glory, perfect for fans To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Emergency Contact.


What a debut! It Sounded Better in My Head is truly a sweet little gem and a total must-read for you YA contemporary lovers out there. While it didn't necessarily wow me to favourite status, it certainly had me smiling and feeling the warm and fuzzies. And I'll definitely be keeping my eyes on Nina Kenwood!

First of all, this book totally captured the essence of youth and all the angst that comes with growing up. It was, at times, painfully awkward. Other times, it was delightfully eager and indulgent and full of light. It Sounded Better in My Head really goes all out on capturing those feelings that come with being a teenager and it makes the experience all the more fun.

Fun is the absolute best way to describe this novel. If you want to get simple, and have a one word review? It's FUN. Fun, fun, fun. Not necessarily sweet. Not overbearingly harsh. It's right smack in the middle; honest, fun, and sparkling with life. It Sounded Better in My Head plays out like a classic teenage flick--you can all but hear the upbeat indie-rock pulsing in the background.

In this times of great uncertainty and fear, we could all use any ounce of escapism we can get our paws on. It Sounded Better in My Head truly is one of those novels. Readers of all ages can flock to this sweetly written story and lose themselves to the world for a moment. Coming of age stories are almost always good on their promises of entertainment and Kenwood really succeeds at this.

It will likely be one of the first, truly genuine smiles for a lot of younger readers in a long time, and I can't stress how important that might be. Because at the end of the day, what they need most is a sense of happiness and entertainment; pure and simple. It Sounded Better in My Head truly delivers on this and then some.