“Tweet Cute” is a charming, captivating, and impressive debut novel by Emma Lord that came out in January of 2020. Lord brings a refreshing and new take to the world of YA romance novels.
The main characters of this novel are Pepper Evans and Jack Campbell, two high school seniors living in Manhattan, New York. Pepper and Jack’s lives are intertwined in many complicated ways, some of which are unbeknownst to them as the book unfolds. But foremost, Pepper helps run the Twitter account for her family’s big fast-food chain restaurant, Big League Burger; similarly, Jack runs the Twitter for his family’s small business, a grilled cheese restaurant, Girl Cheesing. When Big League Burger launches an item remarkably similar to an item on Girl Cheesing’s menu, a Twitter feud begins, and it quickly becomes larger than life. Between the feud and them being the respective captains of their swim and dive teams, they’re spending more time together than ever before. As time progresses, their feelings toward each other become more complicated and they discover more secrets than they were ever expecting.
To me, what sets this book apart from others in the genre, is that it remains grounded in the fact that the main characters are teenagers. Oftentimes, dramas and romances across mediums will forget how teenagers act, either dramatizing them into caricatures of themselves or treating them like they’re full blown adults. Lord does an amazing job of capturing the awkward and tense essence of adolescence, never once wavering in this ability. Covering topics like family drama, college applications, unrequited crushes, competition between peers, and feelings of inadequacy, “Tweet Cute” fully captures the mindset of a teenager.
This book is narrated by the both of them, flipping back and forth between their perspectives throughout the novel. Lord does an amazing job of writing both characters’ point-of-view distinctly and develops their individual voices with ease.
This book is just too cute. Granted, I love romance novels, but the plot alongside the romance was just as interesting as the romance. Although not far removed from my adolescence, this book took me back and put me in the mindset of my 17 year old self.
I rate “Tweet Cute” five stars, I mean, how could I not? I highly recommend this as a fun and fast read. If you haven’t read in a while, this would be a great book to get you back into the swing of things.
Happy reading,
Caitlin
