Reading Metrics
Description
Carlotta is a teen who's determined to become a romance writer, so she launches a research project to decode love. Her mother crisscrosses the East Coast selling hand-crocheted Easter bunnies while her boyfriend battles sobriety, throwing Carlotta's home life into upheaval. As she navigates her own tentative relationships amid this chaos, Carlotta discovers that real love rarely follows the tidy formulas she's trying to capture on the page.
Quick Summary
Carlotta's quest to write the perfect romance gets tangled in her mom's boyfriend's fight to stay sober and a mother who's constantly crisscrossing the East Coast selling hand-crocheted Easter bunnies, turning what could be a straightforward love story into a funny, messy family adventure. The blend of snarky teen narration, real-world struggles, and the occasional absurd situation makes it a perfect fit for older high-school readers who enjoy humor mixed with genuine emotion. If you liked the mix of humor and heartfelt moments in books like *The Princess Diaries* or *Flipped*, you'll find this one a quick, satisfying read that still packs some real punch. Parents should know there's a bit of teenage drinking and honest talk about recovery, but overall the tone stays light-hearted and age-appropriate. Carlotta spends her time interviewing classmates, staging ridiculous dating experiments, and dealing with her own crush, keeping the story moving without spoiling any big twists.