Blog Tour & Review: Dating The It Guy by Krysten Lindsay Hager

Today, I'm reviewing on the blog tour for Dating the It Guy, a contemporary YA romance, by Krysten Lindsey Hager!

Emme is a sophomore in high school who starts dating, Brendon Agretti, the popular senior who happens to be a senator’s son and well-known for his good looks. Emme feels out of her comfort zone in Brendon’s world and it doesn’t help that his picture perfect ex, Lauren, seems determined to get back into his life, along with every other girl who wants to be the future Mrs. Agretti. Emme is already conflicted due to the fact her last boyfriend cheated on her and her whole world is off kilter with her family issues. Life suddenly seems easier keeping Brendon away and relying on her crystals and horoscopes to guide her. Emme soon starts to realize she needs to focus less on the stars and more on her senses. Can Emme get over her insecurities and make her relationship work? Life sure is complicated when you’re dating the it guy.

ebook.



Full length novel.

First person.



No, unless you're particularly sensitive on the topic of dementia.



No.

Yes, a happy for now.
(They're young!)



No, just teenage angst.



No.



What I Liked:
The accurate depiction of the life of a teenager. Emme was self-absorbed, quirky, flighty, over thought everything, over dramatised everything and generally got on my nerves... But I liked her. That may sound strange but I did. She was real and the author perfectly captured what it was like to be young with the world revolving around you even when you're old enough to know it doesn't.

Her relationship with Brandon was innocent and sweet. It reminded me of the simpler days and the rollercoaster of first love.

What I Didn't Like:
It was too young for me. I knew this was a YA book when I read it but it wasn't what I was expecting from a YA book. Maybe it was because I typically read YA paranormals, rather than contemporary, but, yeah, it was too young. While I could read Emme's story and reminisce about it was like to be that age I couldn't really relate, plus I like more passion and intensity in my books and less rambling about lip gloss and horoscopes.

Other Thoughts:
I don't think I'd recommend this book to adult readers but I'd definitely recommend it for a teenage audience especially if you're a parent concerned about 'the sexualisation of children' or 'the influence of media corrupting the youth' for this is most definitely a 'clean' book.

Dating the It guy doesn't venture into controversial topics, it isn't dark and twisty, and despite being 'typical' teenagers the characters are pretty well adjusted. Plus, it covers off sensitive issues - like death and illness of elderly relatives - pretty well.

I adored the cover! 😍

Besides mining her teen years and humiliating moments for her novels, Krysten is also a book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. Krysten writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, and Competing with the Star (The Star Series: Book 2). Her debut novel, True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book. Krysten's work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times and on Living Dayton.