Rom-Com on the Emerald Isle? Yes, please.

First off, the blurb is deceptive. When I first came across Cori McCarthy's Now A Major Motion Picture on NetGalley, I thought it would be a "dessert book"- sugary sweet, slightly fluffy, and without much depth. Don't get me wrong, I love a good dessert book. They're worth all of the smiles, laughs, and romantic-moment-induced sighs in the world.

Luckily for me, NAMMP is so much more than a dessert book. It still brings smiles, laughs, and RMI sighs, but it's a book that brings in the real depth that is sometimes missing from YA fiction.

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McCarthy weaves a relatable story from the moment Ryder and Iris get depart from Aer Lingus. As one of four siblings, the scenario of herding a younger brother gave me post-traumatic flashbacks. Iris comes off as a bit of a grump but nonetheless lovable for it. Above all else, her devotion to her brother rings clearly through, immediately showing that there's more to her than her prickly exterior.

Iris and Ryder have found their way to Ireland to join the cast and crew who are filming a movie adaptation of her grandmother's fantastical legacy, Elementia. For Ryder, this trip is therapeutic, a dream causing him to almost burst off the pages in his bubbly excitement. For Iris, on the other hand, the Emerald Isle is holding nothing but nightmares and the overwhelming shadow of her grandmother's fame and fandom, a shadow that has brought gloom to her entire life.

As Iris is immersed in what she's sworn to despise most- fantasy, magic, and elves in all of their glory- she has to confront some ugly truths about her life. In the midst of the beautiful Irish cliffs and waves, she not only finds her future path, but also reclaims the shards of her identity that she's hidden away at the behest of her father.

Her experiences with the cast and crew give her a real feeling of what it's like to fit in and make real connections. She goes through a lot of growth, and it's a treat to see more than the prickly Iris who first arrives in Ireland. McCarthy's supporting cast is also unique; I can honestly say that I loved them all. Eamon's kindness and wit will make many a YA reader cheer for their romance, and Julian and Shoshannah provide some fresh humor and contrast to Iris's prickly nature and wounded soul; together, they're all the medicine she needs to get on her track to a new life. Not to mention Cate's fiery determination and unrelenting personality are the role model and strength that many girls can benefit from.

Sweet but still savory...

NAMMP is a story of identity, of learning how to see, acknowledge, and overcome what's "ugly" inside yourself, and how to forge a path that rings brightly in your soul and will bring you joy. I celebrated Iris's triumphs with her, and I think other readers will too. What more can you want than a main character you can root for? A main character whose struggle is kindred to what many of us go through, young adult or not. What I liked most was that for all of Iris's flaws or mistakes, she finds strength in herself to be creative and becomes willing to take the risks she needs in order to save what she comes to love.

Before today, I'd never read any of McCarthy's books before, but you better believe I'm going to check out some others now.