[Nav’s Foolproof Guide releases April 29, 2025]
I’ve been following Jessica Lewis’ books since her debut, and I was so excited to see what she’d do with a romance. Suffice to say I was not disappointed! Nav’s Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love feels like a warm squishy hug and builds the tension between Nav and Gia so wonderfully.
Nav doesn’t believe in love, especially not anything lasting after her mom left “for space” three years earlier, but her best friend Hallie loves to fall in love and be in relationships. When her latest breakup leaves Hallie devastated in a bigger way than before, Nav isn’t quite sure how to make her feel better, especially when she never liked Peter for her anyway. Enter Gia, a recent transfer who thinks Hallie is her dream girl but has such bad anxiety that she can’t get a single word out around her. Nav got denied a spot for a summer camp that Hallie is going to, so she makes a deal with Gia that she’ll help her have a successful date with Hallie if she gives up her spot at the summer camp for Nav so she can be there to protect Hallie. What follows is a great story of friendship and falling in love and finding your own inner strength.
I loved so much about this book and the tension between Nav and Gia as the story progressed had me wanting to squish them together while screaming “KISS!” I really liked how Gia’s anxiety was presented (oof, relatable) and the way it was never about fixing her, but finding adaptations and ways to make the idea of spending time with Hallie more comfortable and familiar. Nav was really good about pushing Gia out of her comfort zone in gentle ways, but also listening when something absolutely couldn’t be or needed to be adapted.
Another thing I really liked was Nav’s dynamic with her dad. When her mom left them, her dad shut down and wasn’t there for her at all. It got to the point that Nav believed he didn’t actually care about her and so long as she stayed out of his way, everything was copacetic. Except suddenly he’s trying to parent her after three years, and this creates a lot of conflict because why does he suddenly care now? The two of them learning to talk to each other again and Nav recognizing that her dad always cared and loved but was dealing with his own grief was a really emotional subplot that I really appreciated.
All around Nav’s Foolproof Guide is a great exploration of growing up and changing, and growing a support network of more than one person. I also loved that in the end everyone has therapy, and this was another way Nav and Gia support one another. This truly is so full of sweet moments of support and love in all its forms, and I had such a great time with this book. Jessica Lewis continues to prove herself an auto-read for me and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next!
[I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley; this in no way influences my review]
[CNs: grief, parental abandonment, parental neglect, fighting (non graphic), injury, underage alcohol consumption, inebriation, mention of recreational drug use, anxiety, ableism, discussions of families of color not believing in therapy]