Review: When In Rome...Find Yourself

When In Rome...Find Yourself by Lena Mae Hill
My rating: 1.5 stars

College student Rory is heading off to Rome for a summer study abroad trip. After a heart break in the somewhat recent past, she's sworn off all boys, so she's just there to make new friends and enjoy Europe. Of course, all of that changes when she starts to fall for her housemate, Ned.

I usually love silly teen romance novels but this was a huge miss for me. At the beginning I understood Rory's social anxiety and sympathized when she struggled to fit in with the group from her school. It went past relatable to annoying really fast, though. The breaking point was when Rory misses a few calls from her parents and then when they don't answer after she calls back, goes into a state of such anxiety that she's convinced herself she's the worst daughter ever and her parents hate her, etc. I've been there and would have understood if the anxiety had stemmed from worrying that someone at home was injured or sick, but her parents hate her? It was way too dramatic. Then there was a scene where the character gets lost in Rome and apparently never learned to read or carry a map. It was meant to be the turning point for the protagonist but, I'm sorry, you're in a different country and didn't have a map with you? Nobody could give her directions to the nearest tram stop where she could surely find her way home?

It's also hard to be a teenager and I understand being looked past and walked over all of your life, but it took Rory way too long to find herself. When she did, why did the so-called popular girls have to transform her for that to happen? At one point a character told Rory that she needs to dress nice and wear makeup in order to get a guy. Ok, technically she said to feel confident so guy would notice her, but that's more or less the same thing. I don't care if someone does or doesn't wear makeup but writing in a book aimed at teenage girls that you have to wear makeup to feel pretty just really doesn't sit well and was totally unnecessary.

Definitely a cute, if not overdone, teenage romance concept, but too many little things that turned me off to recommend When In Rome... Find Yourself.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy to review!

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