Books › The upside of unrequited
The upside of unrequited
480 pages
A warm, witty, and deeply relatable exploration of the terrifying leap between crushing from afar and risking your heart in the real world.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like being wrapped in a cozy, oversized sweater while navigating the terrifying, exhilarating landscape of first love. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging clip, driven entirely by a witty, self-deprecating voice that feels instantly like a best friend. It is a story steeped in the tender awkwardness of adolescence, where the stakes are entirely emotional—the shifting tectonic plates of a twin sisterhood, the paralyzing grip of anxiety, and the quiet bravery required to finally take up space. The prose is conversational and bright, balancing laugh-out-loud humor with moments of profound, quiet vulnerability. It will deeply delight readers who love big-hearted, character-driven contemporaries that celebrate messy family dynamics, body positivity, and the triumphant joy of girls who finally realize they are worthy of being the main character.
- Mood
- cozy
- hopeful
- tender
- awkward
- Tone
- wry
- earnest
- self-deprecating
- warm
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- overcoming self-doubt · shifting family dynamics · the courage of vulnerability · body acceptance · first love
- The writing
- The narrative voice is chatty, witty, and deeply authentic, reading like a late-night confession from a close friend.
- The arc
- The protagonist moves from a place of paralyzing fear and internalized insecurity to embracing the messy, terrifying joy of being truly seen.
- Who it's for
- Perfect for anyone who has ever felt like the sidekick in their own life and craves a swoony, big-hearted romance that champions the awkward girls.
Content notes
- anxiety and panic attacks
- internalized fatphobia
- underage drinking
About the book
Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love. No matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can t stomach the idea of rejection. So she s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.
Description from Open Library.
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