Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for this lovely ARC!
Bel is the new girl at school and somehow her lack of participation has landed her a spot on the robotics team. Teo is ‘that guy.’ Everyone loves him and not just because he’s the soccer caption and resident robotics all-star. What will happen when these unlikely teammates are forced to work together? Will sparks fly? And I’m not talking about the robots… 😉 Let’s find out!
Read if you like: YA contemporary romance, rivals to lovers, girls in STEM, finding your potential, pretentious teen drama, first-person stream of consciousness, quirky girls, and infuriatingly charming boys.
Bel is sweet and so lost when it comes to what to do with her life. She’s still trying to cope with a bunch of family changes and a new, fancy school. She’s not even worried about fitting in. She just wants to get this year over with. But one excellently executed, last-minute assignment catches her physics teacher’s attention and her year is about to drastically change.
Teo goals, plans, and a truckload of expectations from quite literally everyone who knows him. He understands that he was born into a life of privilege and because of that he constantly strives to do his best in everything he does. The problem is… he does everything. But robotics is the one bright spot that he chose for himself. But now there’s an unplanned and eccentric entity in his inner circle. How will this new girl affect his perfectly planned future?
Has a rom-com book about robotics competitions ever made you cry real tears? No? Because this one did and you want to read it, trust me. I don’t read contemporary romance often, let alone YA contemporary, but this one had me hooked. I got some deliciously nostalgic 10 Things I Hate About You Vibes (no fake dating), the characters vaguely remind me of Blue and Gansey from The Raven Cycle, and who doesn’t like an underdog/ finding your passion story!? It was sweet, funny, and the romantic tension was so awkwardly real. You get ALL of this PLUS, a powerful story of girls’ struggles in STEM academia AND a diverse POC cast. The exclusive setting made me lament my own upbringing and lack of educational resources, but someone has to populate the rural areas. I guess.
Basically, this book has it all. I laughed out loud. I cried. I love the multicultural characters. I love the academics and high-pressure setting. And this YA romance had just enough steam to keep it sweet. Make sure you look for My Mechanical Love coming on May 31, 2022
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