10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston: Your New Favorite Holiday Read!

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I've read two books by Ashley Elston previously, This is Where it Ends and The Lying Woods, both thrillers, and both of which I gave 5 stars. 10 Blind Dates is Ashley's first strictly contemporary novel, so I went into 10 Blind Dates expecting to like it, but not love it. Surprise! I loved it!!

 10 Blind Dates follows out main character Sophie, a senior in high school, who is excited to spend the holidays with her boyfriend without her parents' presence, as they are going to stay with Sophie's older sister, who is having a difficult pregnancy. However, Sophie's boyfriend Griffin breaks up with her within hours of her parents' departure, resulting in Sophie fleeing to her grandparents' house. Sophie comes from a HUGE, overbearing family, and they decide the solution to Sophie's heartache is to set her up on 10 blind dates. Only, she has some really weird and annoying family members choosing her dates, Griffin shows up wanting to get back together, and Sophie is having feelings for the one boy who isn't available.

 I just loved this book so much, and it has definitely joined The Afterlife of Holly Chase as on my list of favorite holiday reads! I adored the family dynamics within this book; Sophie has such a great relationship with her older sister Margot, and that was one of the highlights of the book for me. She also becomes close again with her cousins Charlie and Olivia and their mutual friend Wes, and their friend group is just so awesome. Did I mention this book is hilarious? Because it is! I won't spoil to much for you but Sophie's dates may or may not include a reenactment of the nativity scene with a freshman boy nicknamed Hundred Hands Harold and a date at a drive-in porn theatre arranged by her evil twin cousins. 10 Blind Dates is just so much fun, and it's also a really fast read. It's a less cheesy version of your favorite Hallmark movie, and I can't wait to see what the Netflix adaptation looks like! I can definitely see it being a hit the likes of To All the Boys I've Loved Before!

 10 Blind Dates comes out October 1st, so definitely preorder a copy!

XOXO,
Isabella

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