Hello everyone! I’m so glad you’re here. 🥰 Today I’m talking about one of my funniest recent reads, Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda Dewitt. Released in 2023, this book made its way onto my TBR because the main character is asexual, so as someone under that umbrella, I love finding characters to connect with!
Summary
Wren Martin is student council president. Only on a technicality, but still, he is president and he’s going to make a difference at Rapture High. He’s going to abolish the school’s Valentine’s Day dance and redirect the funds to fix up the school. His biggest obstacle: Leo Reyes, student council vice-president and annoyingly perfect student. And Leo has the perfect solution for Wren’s budget problem. A sponsorship from Buddy, the “not a dating” dating app.
So now, instead of destroying the dance (and by extension, his social life), Wren is now hosting the biggest dance Rapture High has ever seen. He even signed up for Buddy! For research purposes of course. Wren decided that dating while asexual isn’t worth the hassle. But then he starts developing real feelings for his anonymous match (lovingly nicknamed “buddy boy”), things start getting complicated and spiral out of control. With the dance fast approaching, Wren isn’t sure what will kill him first: the dance, his relationship drama, or the growing realization that perfect Leo Reyes might not be so perfect after all.
Totally Predictable Plot in the Best Way Possible
When I read the summary of this book, I knew exactly where this was going. It’s hard not to figure out who “buddy boy” is. But hey, not every story needs to be a dramatic romance that leaves you in tears at the end (looking at you, Song of Achilles). Sometimes, we need a predictable little romance to brighten up the weekend and make us giggle a little bit!
That’s exactly what Wren Martin Ruins It All is. A totally predictable rom-com. But queer! It’s a nice change from all the straight rom-coms I’ve seen all my life. I never liked the predictability of them. But after this book, I totally see the appeal! I suppose it’s another reason why representation is so important in media, it’s fun to see your experience reflected in a sappy comedy. And while the twist may be obvious to us readers, it’s fun to watch Wren figure it all out for himself.
If I had to pick one movie this reminds me of, it would have to be 2004’s A Cinderella Story with Hillary Duff. Duff’s character looks forward to meeting her internet crush at her high school’s Halloween Dance. A fun parallel to Wren and Buddy Boy. It’s also the source of this iconic cinema moment:
Hilarious Narration Makes It Hard to Put Down
Wren is a hilarious narrator. He is sassy and smart, but also an annoying teenage boy. He pretty much always has a comeback or a sly remark. That mouth of his gets him into trouble a few times. Overall though, it only adds to his character and story and makes the sappy moments all the more sweet because his mask falls away and the words come from the heart!
His sassiness makes him relatable as he often says what everyone else is thinking. His quips and attitude make for entertaining chapters that make it hard to put the book down. I had to make sure I didn’t stay up too late reading. I was having so much fun with this book!
The fleshed out cast of characters also adds to the enjoyment of this book. Wren’s best friend Ryan is my favourite eclectic fashion queen and the twins Archer and Maggie are great additions to the cast. Especially Maggie, the supportive and protective best friend of Leo, who hates Wren with a passion (and good reason, in my opinion).
Final Thoughts
This is a sweet, queer book that started to change my mind about rom-coms. Even with a predictable plot, I found Wren Martin Ruins It All to be an enjoyable distraction from college classes. It made the reveal worth every cringe moment. This is the romantic-comedy for the girls, gays and theys in the era of dating apps. If you’re looking for cute books to read during your lunch break, this is a good one to start with. If you read this, let me know what you think!
4.5/5 ⭐
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