Mai Senn knows Anthony Adams is no good for her – no matter how hard she might crush on him. She’s valedictorian; he’s a surf bum. She’s got plans, he’s got his art. Complete opposites in every way. Vinegar and baking soda, they once joked. A chemical reaction that bubbled. Yeah, they bubbled. Maybe still do. Good thing Anthony’s got the perfect plan: two weeks to prove just how not good they … how not good they are together. Whoever can come up with the worst date–something the other will seriously hate, proving how incompatible they truly are–wins.
Like taking a snake-phobe to the Reptile House at the zoo (his idea).
Or a cooking class where they don’t even get to eat the food (her idea).
It’s all about the competition, and it’s meant to help them finally crush their crushes. But it wasn’t supposed to be so hot. Or so fun. And when Mai’s future becomes at stake, will she be able to do the right thing and quit Anthony forever?
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Absolutely loved this story.
Anthony and Mai are complete opposites and they don’t make sense on paper. Now, if they could only convince themselves of that and so they decide to have a 2 week fling to make each other hate the idea of being together. I LOVED this premise!
Anthony. I swooned so hard over this guy. And you just love him more and more as the story goes on.
Mai is a level headed, goal oriented gal ready to head off to college after graduating.
There are so many lessons that can be learned in this story and it’s perfect for teenagers.
I just had so many feels and by the end, I was an emotional pile of mush.
I love this book so much. I love the characters, the flirty banter, and just the whole story. It’s an enemies to “lovers” story with a little something extra. Mai is driven. And that’s an understatement. She has a plan for everything, knows what she will do with her life down to the most minute detail, and absolutely doesn’t take risks. There are reasons for this, reasons that make Mai so much more than a one-dimensional character. Anthony is the complete opposite. For his own reasons, he is an inherent risk taker, he has no plan for his future, and lives life in the moment, never knowing what tomorrow may bring. What these two do have in common is an inexplicable attraction to one another that is one part chemistry and one part something neither of them truly understands. With Mai leaving for college soon and Anthony heading out on a quest with no particular plans beyond this, these two need to get each other out of their systems. They agree to a two-week immersion to really prove to themselves and each other why they’re so wrong together. Each plans alternating dates they absolutely know the other will hate, resulting in truly hilarious moments. But instead of pushing them further away, it appears to have the opposite effect. These two couldn’t be more different, but you know what they say — opposites attract!
Plot
The author does a great job of plotting the story so it never drags. The “hate” dates add comedy throughout and keep the story from even devolving into a sagging middle section. Instead, the pacing is spot on, and the character development and sprinkling of moments that help us understand the characters’ backstories is never tedious.
The Characters
The characters are the best part, and that’s saying something. Mai was hard for me to really identify with it first, but it didn’t take long for me to really get her on a much deeper level. As the only adopted child in her family, she not only looks different than her parents and brother, she feels different. She knows she was chosen, but she also knows she was abandoned by her birth parents. Her need for roots is so understandable, I just wanted to reach out and hug her so many times. Anthony recently lost his father to a short battle with cancer, proving that nothing in life is permanent. He believes in never looking to the future when you can live in the now, because the future isn’t guaranteed. While I’m more like Anthony naturally, rather than through circumstance, I found myself really empathizing with Mai. I was rooting for these two so hard from nearly the first chapter.
Top Five Things I Loved About HOW TO QUIT YOUR CRUSH
1. Mai. She’s so uptight she’s practically a statue, and yet there is so much underlying all of that which makes her easy to love.
2. Anthony. He’s my “live in the moment” soul mate, and I was pulling for him to unwind Mai the whole time.
3. Hiking. I live in Southern California, so hiking is pretty much a way of life here, too, although not nearly as hot as in Phoenix! I loved the trail scenes the most.
4. Chemistry. Mai and Anthony have it in spades and it was raw and refreshing.
5. Witty banter. The dialogue was among the best I’ve read in a long time.
Bottom Line
An adorable romance with amazing characters and many laugh-out-loud moments. One of my top reads of 2020 so far.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
This was such an adorable story that intrigued me from the very start. The amusing synopsis is what hooked me but I stayed for the wonderful characters and excellent storytelling.
I was really a fan of the author’s writing style. It was easy to follow and felt very natural. The plot of the story was intriguing from the start and worked itself out quite well.
I enjoyed these characters so much. Mai is a character that travels the straight and narrow, always has a plan, and meets the perfect expectations set by her parents. Anthony is a character that is still reeling from the loss of his father three years ago, struggling to let anyone in. Both of them really had such different and distinct personalities. I loved how much depth the characters had as well as their incredible character growth. I liked that while this was a romance book, the main characters still had things that they had to overcome as individuals in the story.
Mai and Anthony couldn’t be more different but they chemistry that they have together just worked. I loved how they both really brought out the best parts of the other without even trying. Their relationship had a lot of ups and downs but the fact that they both cared about the other was ever-present in the story. Mai and Anthony had this pull towards each other that they couldn’t get away from. They had the cutest banter and such a strong connection.
The fast-paced flow worked well for this story but I wish that the book had been a little bit longer. I felt that the ending was a little rushed. I honestly didn’t feel like I got enough closure.
Overall, this is an entertaining opposites-attract story that was packed with plenty of emotion. This was a sweet YA romance with humor, insightful moments, and a romance that will put a smile on your face. I’m excited to read more from this author.
~4.5 STARS~
Mai and Anthony’s story is an opposites attract romance. On the surface, these two make absolutely no sense, but for some reason they feel a pull toward one another in Amy Fellner Dominy’s teen/coming of age novel!!!
Mai knows Anthony is exactly what she doesn’t need! But, tell that to her traitorous heart!!!! If only she could listen to her mind. She is the valedictorian of her class, and she has plans to go away to college and take the world by storm with her intellect. Anthony doesn’t really have any plans…maybe travel and surf. He doesn’t need academics; he has his art. He certainly doesn’t need an uptight girl like Mai to bring undue stress to his easy-going life.
Neither one of them can keep their mind off the other, so they brilliantly come up with the idea of terrible dates to get over whatever feelings they have for one another. Both of them are so sure it will work since they are such polar opposites. Instead, the dates aren’t so bad. In fact, they are pretty good. They begin to learn not only more about each other but about themselves.
This is a really sweet read with some spicy, but not over the top, moments. It reminded me of what it’s like to fall in love for the first time, giving me butterflies in my stomach. Amy Fellner Dominy gave her readers a great coming of age novel that reminds you of what it was like when you were on the verge of becoming an adult and the world was yours for the taking!!!!
Mai has her whole life organized and planned and does everything to please her demanding parents. SHe wants to be the ideal and perfect daughter but in the last vacation she ends up going out with her crush Anthony, a boy who, in her opinion, does not match either her or her parents’ desires.
The point is that after enjoying a lot of good times together, Anthony is neither prepared nor willing to lose Mai and will do anything to win her over. Anthony is a boy who suffers from the recent loss of his father. He’s one of the cutest guys I’ve ever read. Playful, gentle, sensitive, polite and handsome … an ideal boyfriend and tries in every way to fit Mai’s standards.
They end up getting involved again in a game of cat and rat and as they get closer and closer to each other they fall in love and what was a crush turns into something much stronger that will disrupt all of Mai’s plans and Anthony’s lack of plans.
Although I didn’t like the way Mai treats Anthony in most of the book, I really liked how the writer managed to resolve the conflict point and loved the super cute ending.
“I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”
4/5 stars
You can’t. I know, I know. You are thinking abojt all the crushes you’ve had and discarded. But think about it, you didn’t quit it. You may have found a trait you hated. You may have found someone else to crush on. Or you just grew out of it.
No one has ever quit their crush. Mai and Anthony didn’t do so well either!
Over achiever and top of eveything, Maya is valedictorian, super smart, and going places. In her mind, Anthony is absolutely appallingly her opposite.
I guess she never contemplated the saying opposites attract.
How to Quit Your Crush is an adorably sweet story with both our leads learning to be themselves instead of what they think they need to be. One bad date at a time…
How to Quit Your Crush is a good sweet read. This is Mai and Anthony’s story and we get both their POVs. I love that we could get in both their heads. Mai is goal focused and a hard worker. Anthony is kind of a free spirit. He doesn’t really have after school plans. Mai has a crush on him but he doesn’t check off any of her boxes when t comes to her list of Necessary Qualities in a Boyfriend. They have great chemistry. They come up with a plan to spend two weeks to prove just how not good they are together. I loved them together and was so rotting for them to be together. This book was the first one I read by this author and I will definitely checking out more now.
This was such a cute book and really did enjoy it. It didn’t quite grab my attention immediately, but once I got into it, I could not put it down. Mai was adopted as a child into the Senn family and from a very early age, she thought that because her mom left her that if she disappointed the Senns, they would get rid of her too.
After graduation, she spends two weeks doing a project before she heads off to college. There, her family friend as well as her high school crush both join her. Her and Anthony (the Crush), decide that to get over their attraction to each other they will have a summer fling of bad dates. Can Mai convince not only her heart, but also her family that she can make her own decisions?
How to Quit Your Crush is Mai and Anthony’s story–yes, the Mai who dragged Josie to the baseball game that kicked off the events in her book, Announcing Trouble . If you read that one and wanted to know what was going on with that Mai girl and her crazy he’s-not-in-my-future-but-he’s-so-hot-I-can’t-help-myself crush? Then this is definitely the book for you.
Haven’t read Josie and Garrett’s book yet? Not a major problem, you could totally start here. But I think you’ll appreciate Mai and Anthony’s story that much more, having seen it at least partially from someone else’s view first.
I had a heck of a lot of fun reading Mai and Anthony’s book. Even when I wanted to clunk one or both of them upside the head for acting like dolts, I still really enjoyed myself. It helped that they were both equally ridiculous about things, that they both were at fault when it came to breaking up (or at least, they took turns), and that they both realized that they each had work to do on themselves if they wanted to get to their HEA together.
In between the what are they thinking? bits, I LOLed a heck of a lot. And made plenty of highlights in my ecopy. And then Anthony’s mom gave him that talking to toward the end (spoiler alert: I loved Anthony’s om!) and I was in tears. Tears! I might have a tiny girl crush… Anyway, the exasperating parts were more than made up for by the sigh-worthy ones. I honestly had to make myself stop reading a few times, because I didn’t want to get to the end too quickly. I had that much fun reading it.
Plus–bonus! We get POVs from both Mai and Anthony this time! Woot!
If Ms Dominy wants to give any of the rest of Garrett and Anthony’s friends HEAs, I’m here for it. If she wants to try her hand at making Mai’s priggish and elitist brother seem more human (losing it for a girl would probably help) I’d show up for that too. Though she’d have a lot of work to do with that one, because whoa, is he a piece of work… 😉
Rating: 4 stars /B+
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My apologies, but I’m going to have to gush a bit here: what a great, often hilarious, emotionally intelligent (and just plain intelligent) read this was! I love Amy Fellner Dominy’s writing. Her world building, her sassy, snappy characters, and witty dialogue always have me coming back for more. She gets better and better with each new book. (I guffawed when I read her tribute to her long-suffering husband in her Acknowledgement, and what he has to endure when she is in the process of writing a book. Amy Fellner Dominy, simply put, has a way with words! Some of the one-liners just floored me, they were so brilliant.
Mai (Maya) Senn and Anthony Adams – what a pair! They appear to have absolutely nothing in common. She is brainy, goal-oriented and focused. She also has a “good girl” complex. Anthony doesn’t like rules or plans. But for some reason, these two have sizzling chemistry and can’t stay away from each other. In the end, Mai realizes that, despite their glaring differences, Anthony helps her to be “her more authentic self,” to take risks and challenge herself physically as well as mentally.
Both of these adorably sweet new adults are facing uncertain futures: work, college, travel. But both are haunted by events in their pasts that affect the way they approach decision-making in their lives. Maya was adopted (she was left at an orphanage in Guyana, South America when she was a baby.) At first, she was the usual outgoing, rambunctious child growing up, but one day she wandered off and got lost on a family hiking trip when she was seven years old and she still has not gotten over the fear that popped into her fearful little head that her parents might have been relieved that she was gone and could then look for a better, more well-behaved child. Since then, she has curbed her natural outgoing instincts and has toed the line, trying to blend in with her adopted family. But Mai’s exuberant, witty personality can only be smothered for so long – her undeniable attraction to Anthony is the catalyst that forces her to admit that she has been making choices that fit in with her parents’ expectations, rather than her own.
Anthony was always “chill” about everything, but he used to be more goal-oriented and involved with life -before his father died of prostate cancer. Anthony never wants to be so invested in or excited about anything again, because it hurt too much when people died, dreams ended or plans failed. Anthony’s mother is struggling with her husband’s death just as much as Anthony is, but in the end, they both come to the realization that you can’t live in fear of being hurt again. Yes, take precautions, make wise decisions – but keep taking those chances, say yes to love, and live life to the best of your ability.
I enjoy reading YA and NA books for this very reason. Life teaches us many lessons:, and as we get older, most of us become more cautious and less enthusiastic about risk taking. But Anthony and Mai are vivacious, intelligent young lovers who needed to learn to make decisions for themselves and to take risks that are both physically and mentally challenging. Mai’s parents may not approve of Anthony, but Mai finds the courage to defy and shatter their expectations by taking a stand and putting her needs first. I love that the ending is very realistic – but oh so satisfying. I was always happy to return to this book after diligently slogging through my set work hours each day. The witty banter pulled my spirits up so many times during this Quarantine.. I absolutely encourage everyone to read this book. All the stars and then some!
Announcing Trouble was hands-down the best YA book I read last year. So you can imagine how stoked I was to get my hands on How to Quit Your Crush. I was pumped to get some more time in this world, with these characters, and this completely delicious storytelling.
Amy Fellner Dominy did not disappoint. The magic that I found in Announcing Trouble was not a fluke. I was just as enchanted with this story, every bit as charmed by the writing, and completely in love with the characters. There is such an authentic feel in the way these stories are told – the voice is not too old, and not too young. It feels so realistic and, since my heart will never tire of falling in love for the first time (hence, my romance addiction), I was utterly addicted Hooked from the first page to the last.
Mai and Anthony were so much fun. They’re both carrying around a fair amount of baggage, so there are some heavier undertones to their story. Their interactions were a delight – full of sparky banter, heartfelt caring, and a flirty physical chemistry that set my heart aflutter. I loved how the characters grew and matured over the course of the story. I loved how they sorted through their own baggage and gave themselves space to grow separately so they could be better for each other together.
How to Quit Your Crush proved Amy Fellner Dominy to be a new favorite author, and a new favorite YA voice for sure. This was another piece of YA perfection – delivering more heart fluttering, smile-inducing swoons than I ever could have asked for. There is so much goodness tucked into these pages, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
This is my first book from this author and I enjoyed it a lot. The characters were good, the story-line was great and the writing was fantastic. There was never a moment where I wanted to quit reading this story. I was intrigued from beginning to end. I especially loved Anthony, he was funny, sweet. carefree and charming and had you rooting for him. Maya “Mai” was a good character. I thought she was a little judgmental at times but after you really get to know her character, you get to understand why she acted the way she did and you feel sorry for her. It’s hard to live up to the standards that people place on you but there comes a time when you must decide if you want to live up to their standards or yours. Josie, Garrett, Tucker, Cooper and Grant were great side characters. I’m I’m still not sure how I feel about Ethan and his parents but I loved Anthony’s mom. I laughed a lot while reading this story. It really is a sweet and funny romance read that will brighten your day and have you wanting more. I look forward to reading Josie’s story.
Would I recommend this book? Yes!
Would I purchase it for a family member or friend? Yes!
Would I read more books from this author? Absolutely!
I’ve been struggling to read lately and this adorably fun book was exactly what I needed. Entangled Teen Crush stories never fail to make me smile, laugh, swoon, and just have a great time. How to Quit Your Crush by Amy Fellner Dominuy was no exception and I absolutely loved this delightful teen romance that had feeling giddy and hooked from the start.
I absolutely adore this story and the characters with all my heart! I found myself engrossed and enchanted by everything and completely loved spending time with Mai and Anthony. From the very beginning, I knew I would have fun with this book and I definitely did and so much more. The plot has everything I love and enjoy in romance stories – humor, banter, a little drama here and there, and plenty of adorable and heartwarming moments. I love stories about “first loves” especially the ones that are forbidden or opposites attract, so this one totally hit all the feels for me. It’s cute, it’s sweet, it’s wonderful, and it has heart. I was completely smitten and I couldn’t stop smiling while reading this book.
I think the characters are charming, realistic, and relatable. Mai and Anthony are fantastic leads and the side characters are pretty okay too. Both Mai and Anthony had their own insecuritie and issues and it was lovely to see them mature and be there for each other. I loved their chemistry, their flirting, their bantering, and all their cutesy moments together. They’re just so adorable and perfect and all their interactions had my heart dancing and skipping and oh my the swoons!
How to Quit Your Crush by Amy Fellner Dominy is such a sweet, cute, and delightfully fun teen romance that had me turning the pages. I enjoyed the easy to read writing style, the wonderful storyline, the lovely characters, the romance, and all the beautiful moments that made me smile. This deliciously swoony and heartwarming YA romance is the perfect summer read and I honestly can’t recommend it enough.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher, Entangled Teen Crush via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts, opinions, smiles, and swoons are my own.
I’ve been in a bit of a book slump lately and while I’ve read good books, nothing was hitting me in the feels really. Until I read this. From the moment I started Mai and Anthony’s story, I was hooked.
These two aren’t supposed to meant to be. The Uber planner and just chill and go with the flow guy. They don’t mesh, except they do. Perfectly. They take each other out of their carefully crafted boxes and challenge the other.
I have never read a book by this author before so I didn’t know what to expect. What I got was a book packed full of emotion and connection that I don’t tend feel when I read YA. I’m going to have to go back and read Josie and Garrett’s story now!!
Amy Fellner Dominy’s How to Quit Your Crush is a sweet YA romance with endearing characters.
On paper, Mai Senn and Anthony Adams couldn’t be more different. Goal-oriented to the max, Mai has her future mapped out all the way to grad school. Reeling from his father’s death, Anthony is determined to live his life one day at a time. In spite of all of their differences, they have chemistry— an inexplicable attraction that they’re both desperate to shake. So they make a pact: two weeks of the worst dates ever, and then they’ll go their separate ways. Except they soon find that their pact isn’t diminishing their attraction at all; it’s growing.
I thought the premise for this novel was thoroughly charming, and the narrative arc took me places I wasn’t expecting. I think the choice to have the book be told in a first person dual narrative format was also the right call; it helps the reader get into the minds of both Mai and Anthony in ways they otherwise couldn’t. And it helps the reader better understand the pressures and baggage that both characters are experiencing. It’s a sweet little love story with brave characters that feels age appropriate. This is the first novel I’ve read by Dominy, and it won’t be my last.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Mai and Anthony are opposites. Mai was a bit high strung for my typical female character and her parents were just not at all likable for me. The reason it was a five was Mai and Anthony together. They just worked. Their volunteering was a little unique and I even learned a thing or two about trails. It was nice seeing Josie again too. Story was steady paced and had perfectly imperfect finish.
How to Quit your Crush by Amy Fellner Dominy a five-star read that will crush you under the chemistry. Mai Senn and Anthony Adams are just the sweetest pair, they are just coming into that age where life seems like it will end in a heartbeat, but on the flip go on for thousands of heartbeats and be never ending. This story is just like that emotion, you will be there with them on the trail, sneaking glances and denying your heart. This is sweet and filled with emotion, I really enjoyed this one, it just had so much heart and soul to the story. If you like your romance sweet and pure then pick this up as it’s a really great example of great writing.