This is a great book, and one of few I've read that actually addresses bisexuality (which gets a lot less attention in literature than gay and lesbian do).
Slice of life aspects meet dark pieces of the plot in this riveting read.

The only thing I'm knocking it down a star for is certain aspects of the writing and small unneeded details that don't come up again. For example, the story starts off with Lena's first-person narration explaining how much she loves her car. Is this information relevant? No.

But overall, I loved reading this, and could barely put it down. It is perfect for fans of The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Far From Xanadu, and South of Sunshine, but is also more informational about the theme of homo/bisexuality, making it just as good for people who haven't read as many books about the subject.

The opening of Just Juliet was so stellar I would've rated it four stars. We have a cute f/f pairing where the readers could actually see them as a couple. There's also an older teen m/m couple who has a healthy functional relationship.

What made this an incredibly disappointing read is the terrible characterization of the supporting characters of color.

Lacey is the best friend of the protagonist, Lena. She's black, carefree, liberated and are often painted as the "unlikable bitch" because of her strong persona. We also have another teen of color who is Asian. She's so bland, a fade into the background character. I cant remember her name, though I faintly recall she's Japanese. (dont quote me on this) Sounds familiar? This reminds me of that dumbstruck Asian character in Pitch Perfect.

This isn't the icing on top. Lacey was seen several times saying homophobic things. While the Asian!character is also lowkey homophobic. I'm not saying homophobic poc doesnt exist. My point; however, is given how this is being promoted as progressive, I hoped the poc would get a decent treatment. Nope, they were botched.

Aside from the lack of LGBT of colors, the narrative also implied that the white characters are inherently more socially aware than poc. They are here to teach us a lesson. This is white savior complex and I noticed it's damn right thriving in this genre. You can't hide this thinly veiled racism.

Verdict: This is an LGBT book written for white readers, not readers of color. I'm not recommending this to anyone.

This is honestly one of the sweetest and realest books I've read in a while. Whilst this story is about love and falling in love and finding yourself it isn't totally sugar coated and fluffy all the time. The sweet bits were relatable and real and I definitely felt a throwback to the first time I fell in love, and the ending truly solidified for me the way my first real love went. I think it's a total must read for anyone who wants that throwback to their first love and the reminder that love doesn't actually conquer all and that's okay.

It's like I was transported back to my high school days when I finally figured out a few things about myself as well. Beautifully written. The banter between all the characters was hilarious.

This was such a cute f/f romance!

I really wasn't prepared for how much I'd enjoy this one. Not only did I love Juliet and Laney but I loved all the secondary characters too. I was especially soft for Scott and Lakyn who are so freaking cute together I need to read their book because I fell in love with them.

As per the usual in f/f, things did seem to move kinda fast in terms of the "oh snap I have a huge crush on this girl" department but for some reason it didn't bother me as much in this book. I think it has to do with the author's writing style, which I really enjoyed. This book also handles talks about coming out, figuring out your sexuality much more and I thought it was all handled really well and I think that this book would be so important for any teenager or person trying to figure out where they fit in with their sexuality, telling the people you care about, etc.

The reason for 4 stars and not 5 is the epilogue. I get why things happened the way they did

Spoiler

in terms of their break up and separation for 3 years, in which they both "moved on" with other girls/boys

but I was so disappointed that it took so long for them to get together and also I needed more then an open-ended ending that leaves things up to the imagination of the reader. I really don't like those kind of endings but I know some people do so this is just my personal preference.

4.25

Sweet story

It would be nice if everyone had a place like the James’ to stay when they come out. An interesting story about finding something you didn’t even know you were missing.

Just Juliet starts out strong and is a wonderful story of self-discovery and young love. Sometimes the person perfect for you doesn't come in the package you and everyone around you expected. A great take on being an LGBT teen in high school.

received a gift from the author

In Charlotte Regan's debut novel Just Juliet, readers are introduced to Lena, a high school senior who floats between the popular and misfit crowds. She's dating a well-liked football player and her best friend is the star cheerleader, but she tends to stay to the sidelines. But when a new girl named Juliet arrives, Lena is forced out of her social shell and must take a journey of self-discovery in terms of her sexuality.

I was thrilled when the publisher of Just Juliet reached out to me-- I'm a huge proponent of diverse reading and was thrilled to see a YA book featuring a storyline about bisexuality. I flew through this book and know that I would have especially loved seeing a narrative like this when I was younger.

I also liked the fact that there were a variety of these narratives featured within the book. Some, like Lena and Scott, struggled with their sexualities. Others, like Juliet, never thought too much about it. Some parents were cruel when their children came out, others welcomed them with open arms. This shows reader that there is not one singular experience representative of sexuality-- everyone endures different challenges and copes in different ways, and that is absolutely okay.

To be honest, I did find some issues with the book that would typically make me give it a lower rating-- plot lines, writing style, etc-- but the fact is that we need more books like this one.

3.5 STARS

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an adorable book!!! I loved the development of Juliet and Lena’s friendship to romance and all the supporting characters. Mr. James was such a good parent and Scott and Lakyn were amazing characters with such a cute relationship. I did however have an issue with Lacey’s character. On one hand she was a fun character with an attitude and she did support Lena, but at the same time she made so many homophobic comments and jokes?? And it was really weird because even when Lena called her out on it it wasn’t made to be that big of a deal??? The epilogue was such an emotional roller coaster and after what I went through with reading What If It’s Us I wish that it hadn’t been so heartbreaking. And that ending! Why!!!! After that epilogue I definitely think there should’ve been a little more finality to the ending.