3.5 Stars

Perfect Couple is the second book in the Superlatives series and just for the record I haven't read the first book in the series Biggest Flirts and did not feel like I missed much since each book in the series will be about a different couple, although the characters from the previous book made quite a few appearances in Perfect Couple so it would have been nice to know their story as well. Also this was my first Jennifer Echols book, I've been meaning to read her books for quite some time and felt like this was a great introduction to her writing and will definitely be checking out some of her previous books and whatever she writes in the future.

So it's senior year and Brody and Harper have just been voted the Perfect Couple that Never Was. These two are complete opposites and both of them are dating someone else but after being voted Perfect Couple that Never Was they start thinking of each other in a way they never had before.

It was pretty obvious Brody and Harper weren't that into the people they were dating to begin with. Brody's relationship wasn't even serious and Harper clearly was dating a jerk so it all made it very easy to root for the two with their flirtatious ways towards each other. I wasn't a fan of how Harper thought she had to get a makeover just to get Brody's attention she was amazing the way she was and I liked that Brody let her know it in his own way when he asked her how come she doesn't wear her glasses and how he thinks she looks beautiful with them on. I loved both Harper and Brody they had great chemistry together.

There was one character that I wanted more of and am very excited to read the next book in the series ...Sawyer. This boy was just a secondary character but he is a lot of fun and I can't wait to read more about him. Another thing I liked in regards to the characters in general was the diversity.

Overall Perfect Couple is the perfect book if your looking for something fun and light with some really well developed and likable characters.

I loved this book. I love Jennifer Echols writing. I have to say that I liked the first book more than this one, but this one is still in my favorites list. I could relate to the characters and had fun from start to finish. The plot wasnt boring or hackneyed and the characters were lovable.

I loved Brody and Harper together and how there wasnt much angst and drama that drags for forever. It was simple, fun and I didnt want to put the book down. However, my favorite character still stays Sawyer as it was with the first book. We didnt see him as much as in the first book but the last book is about him so I would see plenty of him.

Overall, I loved it as I predicted and cant wait till August when the third and final book is released!

1.5 stars

I had issues with it because it's so conflicting, and doesn't seem to flow well. The biggest issue is conflicting character traits, particularly with the female lead. The plot (or pacing) was really off, too, in my opinion.

I read this mainly so I could read book three, which has my most liked male character of the series as a love interest.

Spoiler

Please don't disappoint me.

3.5/5

Visit Stay Bookish for more book reviews!

If someone ever elected me as Perfect Couple That Never Was with one of the hottest, most popular guys in school, I would have been so self-conscious around this person and would probably have developed a slight obsession. And that was the case with Harper too, who garnered the superlative with none other than Brody Larson, star quarterback. As they get to know each other a little better, their superlative title starts feeling less like a class prank and more… right.

“The world is beautiful exactly like it is,” I said. “You just have to know how to frame it, and bring it into focus.”

I knew from reading Biggest Flirts, the first book in the Superlatives series, that Harper was a a kindred spirit. She’s introverted, timid, and has a passion for photography. I was so excited to get to know her in Perfect Couple! We get to know her pretty well, in fact, and learn about how she cares too much about how everything looks (a very relatable flaw, I think) and though I connected with her more often than not (most especially when she was in photographer mode), I disconnected when she was making really bad decisions and being quite the pushover. I feel like the story really could have done better off without her asshole boyfriend, Kennedy. That said, Harper’s POV still somehow felt genuine and effortless.

“In football, when somebody ask you how you feel, you answer with a sex joke.”

On to the love interest, Brody. He’s the hot, sexy football jock with a bad dating reputation. I’ll admit it was hard for me to see what’s underneath, but Brody has his moments. Speaking of, I feel like the book is sprinkled with moments- laugh out loud and swoony ones that ultimately just made me like the book, despite several misgivings.

“I don’t know,” I spoke up. “If you manage to get somebody’s bathing suit off, I think you should gain a yard because that would be pretty difficult and you should get a prize.”

“Harper,” Brody said over the laughter, “you are my kind of girl. You’re on my team, by the way.”

My favorite thing about companions series such as this one is seeing more of the rest of the cast and boy, did I adore the character appearances in Perfect Couple. We read about Will and Tia and their now almost serious relationship! We get to read about Kaye too but of course, what I truly loved is reading about my favorite boy, Sawyer ‘dammit’ De Luca. I loved him in Biggest Flirts, and I don’t know if it’s just me but I loved him even more here. Seriously, totally, absolutely can’t wait for his story.

“I felt like I needed to wear glasses so my face would have something in it. It just looks kind of blank to me, not pretty.”

“We all have issues,” Sawyer said, almost kindly. I nodded. “But that is the most fucked-up thing I’ve ever heard. You thought you weren’t pretty, so you wore glasses? That’s pathological.”

In true Jennifer Echols fashion, Perfect Couple turned out to be a fun and sweet read! Those who’ve read the first book will most like enjoy this second installment. With that, I’m so looking forward to reading Most Likely To Succeed!

3.5 stars | I liked this book better than the first in the companion series (for the most part) but DAMN these people make some dumb choices. Drama drama drama. I don't get it. I thought at first that this one was much more realistic than the first, but that kind of faded away throughout. I like that it set up for the final book a lot because it kept things interesting and connected better than book one with book two. Regardless I'm not sure what high schoolers act like these but Jesus they need some lessons in how to operate like normal human beings. This was pretty cute overall and I liked the main romantic elements, despite the cheating, so that was good. A lot of randomness seemed to be thrown it at the end as well.

Text message exchange between my friend SS and me:

Me: Back to this book. I'm not buying this part where she wants to break up because the votes were tallied wring. WTF? Where is the logic there?
SS: I know! She's such a rule follower? Not terribly logical. I liked book three better.
Me: I do appreciate this author for normalizing health sexual behavior as well as enlightened male culture. Sawyer just told Brody to back off of Harper because he's taller and it looks bad. I've got the third book on hold. Hopefully I will like it better.
SS: I agree that the author has found a pretty sweet balance there.
Me: Oooo! This girl just talked to her mom about getting on the pill!! So good! And the last book had a girl character not-a-virgin while the boy character was a virgin. That is INCREDIBLY rare
SS: I know. I kind of felt like I hit the jackpot when I read the first one. I just KNEW it was for you!!! Oh, and drum corps!! Oh and the female as the LEAD drummer. What? What?
Me: The drum corps stuff was gold. And it was a female band teacher too.
[Includes picture of page where there is a daughter/mother conversation about the pill] Like these two paragraphs! Would that every female have this response to wanting to prepare for sex!
SS: And a pretty awesome mom response too.
Me: Right???
SS: Like seriously, these books would have been so good for teen SS
Me: Me too!
SS: Swoony and romantic to a point, but all of this other goodness too.
Me: She's more explicit about the sex, too, without reinforcing traditional gender roles.
SS: I appreciate that she makes my toes curl when I read it. Again. Teen SS could have benefited from seeing good healthy and enjoyable sex that was good for the girl. Admittedly, it is premarital, but still.
Me: Yup. I think this conversation is going in the Goodreads review.
SS: I think it's important to note that while some of the characterization is flawed, the overall qualities of the book are great!
Me: Right? Like overall, I would give this a two-star rating, because of weird and random character motivations. But I like the other stuff she's doing so much I'm bumping up the rating.

This book made me roll my eyes so bad, I think I have a headache.

However, I still enjoyed this book. Just not as much as [b:Biggest Flirts|16140838|Biggest Flirts (Superlatives, #1)|Jennifer Echols|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377033166s/16140838.jpg|21971982].

When I read the excerpt for this book, I was really excited. I thought Harper's story held a lot of potential. I thought I would be able to connect with Harper, because she kind of reminded me of myself.

Needless to say I was sort of disappointed. Harper is probably the biggest fake I've ever seen. She pretends she's above everyone else because she's just so good, but quite honestly, she's no better than anyone. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at everything she said or thought. I even started to hate her at some point. The only thing that made this book redeems itself was Brody. He's more than he lets on. I think I would have liked this book a lot more if it had been written from his point of view.

Even though I really shipped these two together at first, this relationship kind of made me go crazy (and not in the good way). Maybe it's because I could read Harper's every thought, but what started with a perfect beginning has gone awry.

Just like its predecessor, this book is full of clichés. The story was predictable, but there were a few plot twists that definitely hadn't seen coming.

Spoiler

The fact that Harper and Brody weren't actually voted "Perfect couple that never was" made me laugh my ass of. And yes, I think that Harper was stupid as hell for breaking up with Brody just because the vote wasn't true. Fake much?

In the end, I still liked the story, but I thought it was lacking something the first one had.

I'm really excited for the third and last installment though! It's the only reason I even started this series in the first place, and the little hints we have gotten about it makes me want to start reading it as soon as possible! Let's hope I won't be too disappointed.

3.5 stars