The Bibliophile's Bookshelf

Title: I Hope This Doesn’t Find You

Series: Standalone

Author: Ann Liang

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Rivals to Lovers

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review:

Sadie Wen is perfect on paper; she is the valedictorian and school captain. It’s not always easy, and she channels her frustrations through her email drafts. She would never send them, but it is a relief to write them. Most of her more vehemently worded emails are addressed to her cocaptain, Julius Gong, who Sadie has been rivals with for the past ten years. She doesn’t have to be careful with her emails because no one will ever read them. Until they accidentally get sent out. Now everyone knows what Sadie really thinks of them, and they’re not afraid of saying what they think of her. But there is one person who appreciates the “real” Sadie- Julius, the boy she has hated for the past ten years.

This is a reread for me and I have some new thoughts! First, Ann Liang is becoming one of my all-time favorite authors. I cannot recommend her books enough! Second, I think I mis-rated this book the first time I read it.

I gave this book a decent review when I first read it, but there was definitely a feeling of disappointment clouding the air. I was so hopeful for this book but it wasn’t as good as This Time It’s Real, which I read before I read this book. I still liked it, but it didn’t live up to my expectations at the time.

The second time around and my love for this book has grown. It was so good! There were parts where I was laughing out loud, and some where I was gasping, and others where I was just loving it!

I have said this before, and I’ll say it again: I am not the biggest fan of contemporary romances. I like the action and adventure of romantasy. This is one of those books that is an exception. The characters are wonderful, and the story is just amazing.

Why someone would write their frustrations about their classmates and teachers in ADDRESSED emails, is beyond me. But it sure does make a wonderful story! It is also reminiscent to All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, just about hate instead of love!

Sometimes the constant need to be a people pleaser from the main character, Sadie, was a little irritating, but other than that, she was a wonderful character. I also really enjoyed Julius. I especially liked the interactions between these two characters. They had wonderful banter and chemistry!

In If You Could See the Sun, the romance felt sudden. In this book the romance didn’t become a thing until the very end, but there was more of a growth to it.

Ann Liang writes such realistic characters. I absolutely love all the characters and their flaws. In some books, I think the characters are realistic but not real. That was not the case with these characters, especially Sadie. If Sadie magically popped out of the book and said she was real, I would be hard pressed to disagree.

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You is a wonderful young adult, rivals to lovers’ novel. It has realistic characters and an entertaining storyline! I highly recommend this wonderful book!

Quotes

“If you knew the effect you had on me, how often I think about you, the things I would do for you… I wouldn’t stand a chance against you ever again. You would have taken everything from me. Not just a debating championship or some points for a test or a fancy award or a spot in a competition- but my whole heart. My pride. God, my sanity. It would all be over. You would annihilate me.”

“I want you to hold me like a grudge, keep me like a promise, haunt me like a ghost.”

“You will never be inadequate. You will never be anything but good.”