BOOK TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Solving for Ex by LeighAnn Kopans

Feb 27

Posted by Carrie

Solving for Ex

by LeighAnn Kopans

YA Contemporary/Retelling

Book Description

1 crush on your best friend +

1 gorgeous, scheming new girl +

1 Mathletics competition =

1 big mess

SIMPLIFY.

Ashley Price doesn’t have much in life after being bullied so hard she had to leave her old school to live with her aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh. But the camera she borrowed from her best friend and secret crush Brendan, and her off the charts math abilities, make things a lot more bearable. Plus, since Brendan is the captain, making the school Mathletes team should be easy.

But when gorgeous new girl Sofia rolls in and steals Brendan, Ashley’s place on the team, and her fragile foothold on the Mansfield Park Prep social totem pole, it’s on. Sofia is everything Ashley left her old school to escape. The only thing Ashley didn’t count on is Sofia’s sexy twin brother Vincent.

Vincent is not only the hottest boy in school, he’s charming, sweet, and he’s got his eye on Ashley. He’s also not taking no for an answer. There’s no real reason Ashley shouldn’t like Vincent, but with the battle lines being drawn between her and Sofia, Ashley’s not sure which side he’s on. Or which side she wants him to be on.

She does know Sofia is trouble with a capital T, and she’s determined to make Brendan see it.

MY THOUGHTS: 3 OUT OF 5 FLEURS DE LIS

I just kind of skimmed the synopsis of this book, so I didn’t exactly catch that it was supposed to be somewhat of a retelling of a Jane Austen novel. To be honest, it wouldn’t have mattered. I’ve never read Mansfield Park. The “Mean Girls meets Clueless” part was what got me interested. Unfortunately I didn’t see much of either movie in this book.

The main character, Ashley, was just OK to me. She seemed very very meek at times, then at others she had this fierceness that kind of came out of nowhere. Problem is, by the time she decides to do something about an issue and stand up for herself, the stuff has already hit the fan.

Ashley is in love with her best friend/neighbor Brendan. They are both super smart and hope to bring the school’s Mathletes team to the state championship. Problem is, Brendan seems to be totally oblivious to Ashley’s feelings for him. The relationship between the two started out in a very promising way. There is obviously a chemistry between them, and the fact that they are already friends is very helpful. But both of them make some very bad decisions that cause unnecessary complications.

Although I read this book quickly, I was disappointed by several things. Ashley had to leave her family and previous school because of bullying that got way out of hand. She was being bullied because of a rumor someone started that she slept with a guy, which she did not. Really? Things got this bad over a rumor? And just Ashley was the one being bullied, not the guy? I’m not saying things like this don’t happen in real life, but this scenario really burned me up. Ashley barely has any contact with her parents and siblings after she leaves. I can’t believe her mom would just let her go like that.

There were a few funny and cute parts, though. At the end of every chapter, a little math equation was shown that ended up making me smile.

I am still not sure if I approve of the way this book ended. Without spoiling too much, I feel like the characters jumped into things way too fast. But, like a lot of things about the book, I predicted it.

Overall, I can’t say that I do or don’t recommend this book. Maybe I’m the wrong audience for it because I didn’t know or care that it was a retelling. Fans of Jane Austen may like Solving for Ex more than I did.

About the Author

Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen. Solving for Ex was born of her love for Jane Austen’s classics, and how they taught her that love stories could be funny and wickedly smart.

Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)

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