From teenage angst to bedroom farce, Nina Kenwood's debut romantic comedy for young adults is a winner.
Eighteen-year-old
Natalie's world is coming apart. Her wonderful, supportive parents have
told her they're separating. Then there are problems brewing with her
tight-knit group of friends. She met Lucy and Zach at a writing camp.
The three of them were best friends, but then things got more serious
between Lucy and Zach. Natalie, without a boyfriend of her own, feels
like a third wheel. On top of this there are all of Natalie's personal
problems and vulnerabilities. She's terribly introverted, obsesses over
the smallest thing and finds social situations – especially parties –
mortifying. An acne problem in her younger years has left some scars,
both physical and emotional. She hates the idea of showing her body to
anyone.
Along
comes Alex, a boy one year older than her, who starts to take notice.
Through a series of farcical mix-ups, where Natalie and Alex are forced
to share a bedroom, the two get to know each other. There are
misunderstandings that follow, and when Natalie finds out some
unpleasant details from Alex's past, she wonders if she can ever be his
boyfriend.
Nina Kenwood's debut It Sounded Better in My Head is
a charming, funny, all-too-human coming-of-age story. The novel
perfectly captures those awkward, uncertain teenage years when emotions
are constantly on the boil. The plot is simple yet cleverly crafted and
paced, making it a dream to read.
Genuine, true to life and often quite funny, It Sounded Better in My Head is a winner that deserves wide appeal.
Reading age: 14 +
It Sounded Better in my Head, by Nina Kenwood. Published by Text. $19.99
First published September 2019 at northmelbournebooks.com.au
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