Day’s YA: THE PERFECT GUY DOESN’T EXIST

THE PERFECT GUY DOESN’T EXIST by Sophie Gonzales
9781250819185
3/26/24
Wednesday Books
Ages 13-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

When Ivy Winslow’s parents go out of town for the weekend, she can’t wait to invite her best friend, Henry, over to binge-watch their favorite show, H-MAD (Hot, Magical, and Deadly) together. Everything is going according to plan until Ivy wakes up the next morning to find Weston Razorbrook, one of the leads from the show, sitting in her bedroom. Except, it’s not the actor–it’s the actual character! She soon realizes she’s somehow brought him to life through the many fan fictions she’s written. Panicked, she enlists Henry and her ex-best friend, Mack, to help her figure out why Weston is now real and what they can do about it. They put their heads together to figure out how they can send him back to his fictional world, but in the meantime, they disguise him while they teach him about the real world.

In her fanfic, Ivy made Weston out to be the perfect man for her, but now that he’s standing right in front of her, she sees he’s actually not so great after all. His inorganic way of speaking and practiced mannerisms only make her uneasy. With no ID, social skills, or work experience, it’s clear Weston will have a hard time fitting in with the real world, and the fact that he glows like a TV screen doesn’t help, either. Although rocky at first, Mack and Ivy put aside their differences so they can solve the problem, and Henry and Mack learn to trust each other. Soon, Ivy realizes she must manifest the life she wants, rather than just write it down in her fanfics, even if that means things might get a little messy. Her confidence grows, and the payoff of her becoming more sure of herself is massive.

Told through dual timelines, the story slowly reveals how Ivy and Henry became friends during Ivy and Mack’s falling out. The relationships between the members of this unlikely trio are complicated but heartwarming as they learn to accept each others’ varying interests and quirks. They ultimately come to realize that you don’t have to have all the same interests to be best friends with someone. These three friends learn from and help each other grow time and again throughout this hilarious book. Finally, I love how Ivy challenges herself to embrace the uncertainty of life, rather than default to what’s safe and predictable. Fans of the Barbie movie, COOL FOR THE SUMMER by Dahlia Adler, and TILLY IN TECHNICOLOR by Mazey Eddings are sure to love this one!

Happy reading!
<3 Michelle

YA Resources:
2024 Books for Teens
Day’s YA Archives
2024 Adult Books for Teens