An Australian teen embarks on romance in the wake of her parents' divorce. Natalie never knew anything was wrong with her parents' marriage, let alone that they were on their way to divorce. But here it is, Christmas Day, and Natalie's parents have sat her down and told her the honest truth: Their family is no more. Dad's moving out, Mum is selling the house, and Natalie will be on her own, off to university. She does her best to move forward, supported by best friends Zach and Lucy and buoyed by flirty exchanges with Zach's sexy older brother, Alex. Alex and Natalie's romantic involvement unfolds in a way that may feel familiar, but what sets this novel apart is the courage this requires on Natalie's part. Natalie's early adolescence involved extremely heavy periods and cystic acne on her face and body that caused physical and emotional pain and left scars. The constant anxiety this caused led her to avoid leaving the house and invited unsolicited advice from peers and harassment from strangers. Natalie's struggles with internalized self-hatred as well as knee-jerk judgment toward girls with flawless skin mean her physical relationship with cool, popular Alex depends on genuine trust. Young people, especially those who know the pain of feeling unattractive in an age of social media, will resonate with this sympathetically told journey. All characters seem to be white. A cute romance featuring a heroine who never before got to feel cute. (Romance. 13-16) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 8 Up--Natalie's world is turned upside-down when her parents announce on Christmas day that they are separating. She is still adjusting to the shifting dynamics of her two best friends, Zach and Lucy, dating. Natalie is pulled even further outside her comfort zone when she begins a tentative romance with someone unexpected. Natalie is a refreshingly complex and relatable character. She is strongly affected by her experience of suffering from severe acne as a younger teen. Though she has undergone successful treatment, the scars, both emotional and physical, linger. As a result of years of hiding, Natalie is more sheltered and insecure than most 18-year-olds. Though she is smart and funny, with friends and family who love her, she still doubts her worth. Motivated by her blossoming romance and the changes in her family, she tries to explore new things and reveal more of herself to those outside her inner circle. It is rewarding to see her open up and become more confident throughout the book. Severe adolescent acne is not often covered in YA fiction and readers who have experienced this will feel seen within the pages of this book. VERDICT An authentic coming-of-age story that perfectly captures the awkwardness and self-doubt many young adults feel. Teens will see aspects of themselves mirrored in Kenwood's debut.--Kimberly Tolson, Millis Public Library, MA

Natalie likes to keep her head down. This is because she likes things quiet and calm, but mostly because years of painful acne have left their scars (angry ones on her back, and even angrier ones on her sense of self). When her parents announce (on Christmas!) they're getting a divorce just a month before she'll get her college decision letters, she decides to force herself to look up. She just didn't expect to find her best friend's older brother looking back. It Sounded Better in My Head is a wonderfully fresh rom-com. Debut author Kenwood has created a character who's still deeply shaken from puberty and all the changes she underwent, physically and mentally, but any of her self-pity is quickly tempered with her charming wit. The novel perfectly captures the terror of being in-between, caught both in the liminal space between adolescence and adulthood, and in that befuddling period where a friendship might be turning into something more. A perfect pick for fans of Jenny Han's To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2014) who are looking for their next quirky romantic heroine.

Kenwood's well-written, Melbourne-set debut follows Natalie, 18, whose life has improved since puberty, during which a growth spurt, heavy periods, and painful cystic acne had left her feeling "messy, leaking, uncontained." Now, her acne is under control; she has two best friends, Zach and Lucy; and she's waiting to hear from universities. But her parents are splitting up, and years of feeling awful about herself has left marks, both physical (acne scars pit her back) and psychological (she's insecure, still a bit of "shut-in," and has never had a romantic relationship). It's both exciting and terrifying for her when a series of events nudge Natalie toward Zach's older brother, Alex, whom she's written off as the kind of popular guy it's best to avoid. No one thinks Alex and Natalie should be together, but not for the reasons she assumes. Natalie conveys the difficulties not only of puberty but of moving past internalized negativity in a voice that's sharp, funny, and self-aware, making it even more satisfying for readers to see her realize that she can be the star of her life, not just the sidekick. Ages 12--up. (Apr.)

At age eighteen, Natalie feels "light-years away from being an adult." For instance, she's only ever kissed one guy; she blames her lack of romantic experience on cystic acne when she was younger. Still embarrassed about her scars, Natalie prefers to spend time with her parents or with her best friends, Zach and Lucy. But as the novel opens, her parents announce they're separating -- amicably, but still -- and Zach and Lucy, a couple as of nine months ago, sometimes make Natalie feel left out. Enter cute, outgoing Alex, Zach's older brother. Alex's possible interest in Natalie terrifies her, but after a New Year's holiday in which they accidentally (at first) share a bed, Natalie realizes just how much she likes him back. This opposites-attract Australian import is sweet, and the romance is endearingly awkward, sometimes hilariously so (e.g., when Alex's mother discovers Natalie in his bed, prompting a cringeworthy family discussion). Natalie's deadpan narration is consistently funny, even when she's describing something as serious as her parents' breakup; she is a self-deprecating, self-sabotaging, and self-conscious protagonist. Alex makes a good match: not only does he accept her as she is but, as popular as he is, he has insecurities of his own. Of course, theirs is a happy ending -- albeit, perhaps, an uncertain one. "Probably everything will be terrible and we'll never last," Natalie acknowledges with characteristic cheer, "but right now...it feels like it could be something wonderful." Rachel L. Smith September/October 2020 p.95(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.