Expected Publication: May 7th 2019

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Genre(s): Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Pages: Hardcover 320 pages

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 POWELL’S – MACMILLAN

Lights, camera—all Maeve needs is action. But at eighteen, a rare form of muscular dystrophy usually stands in the way of romance. She’s got her friends, her humor, and a passion for filmmaking to keep her focus off consistent rejection…and the hot older guy starring in her senior film project.

Tall, bearded, and always swaying, Cole Stone is everything Maeve can’t be. And she likes it. Between takes, their chemistry is shockingly electric.

Suddenly Maeve gets a taste of typical teenage dating life, but girls in wheelchairs don’t get the hot guy—right? Cole’s attention challenges everything she once believed about her self-image and hopes for love. But figuring this out, both emotionally and physically, won’t be easy for either of them. Maeve must choose between what she needs and what she wants, while Cole has a tendency to avoid decisions altogether. And her failing lungs might not wait for either.

Didn’t totally capture my heart, but it was honest, realistic and emotional 

The premise for this book sounded really wonderful to me. A teenager with muscular dystrophy falling in love for the first time while dealing with her disability seemed like a moving and riveting story. I was looking forward to a heartfelt cute romance with tons of emotions and even some tears. It just seemed like it would be that kind of book and I was really excited. Well, this book just didn’t really charm me like I thought it would. It wasn’t horrible at all and it had its moments. Personally, it just wasn’t the most satisfying or perfectly adorable teen romance. However, I felt that the story as a whole was quite enjoyable and I appreciated the message S.C. Megale was trying to convey.

Snarky and blunt, eighteen year old Maeve loves filmmaking, hanging out with her friends, and crushing on boys. She’s also very passionate, driven, and even kind of funny. Sadly, not everyone can see past her wheelchair and disability…most especially boys her age. But, maybe her luck is changing. While working on her senior film project, Maeve meets a hot older guy, Cole, who seems to be romantically interested in her. He gives her the swoons and suddenly Maeve find herself flirting and entertaining the idea of dating. Will Maeve get her happily ever after with Cole?

Okay, so Maeve isn’t really an easy character to like and I personally couldn’t relate with her not because she has a disability. Her personality just comes off too strong for me. There were also moments when I was quite surprised with what she says and how she acts. I personally don’t think I can ever be around someone like Maeve… at least not for a long time. But, that’s just how I feel based on who I am. I’m in no way saying Maeve is a horrible person. In truth, I was never frustrated or annoyed with her. I actually felt heartbroken for what she’s going through. I felt that she just really wants to do normal teenager stuff and be happy in whatever way she can. She’s misunderstood and judged like any other teenager and she’s reacting the way she knows how. Maybe that makes people like her less. I can’t say that I love Maeve as a character, but I was definitely rooting for her.

Cole is not dreamy or charming and I wasn’t impressed at all. I honestly did not like this guy and could not understand why Maeve is so attracted to him. He’s a forgettable love interest and there isn’t really much to say about him.

I love cute, fun, and well-written teen romances. The feel good kind that gives you butterflies and swoons. This was definitely not like that and I didn’t enjoy it at all. There was no excitement and that was utterly disappointing. The story does have flirting scenes, sexual tension, and moments that would have been adorable, but with a dull love interest and awkward dialogues, I just wasn’t into it.

There’s quite a few more hiccups that affected my feelings and reading experience and I’m quite sad that this didn’t completely work out the way I had expected. I wasn’t in love with most of the story, the characters were flat, and there were some strange relationships that made me feel uncomfortable. That being said, I still found some parts enjoyable. I liked seeing how Maeve deals with her disability and just being part of her journey. It wasn’t always perfect, but I thought the author tried to be as realistic as possible and I appreciated that. I liked that there was a little humor and there were moments that I found quite endearing. It wasn’t the best, but it also wasn’t the worst.

This is Not a Love Scene didn’t totally capture my heart. The concept of the story seeemed absolutely promosing and I wanted it to be, but the execution just didn’t work for me. However, I did enjoy some parts of the book and admired the message the author was trying to convey through Maeve’s character and story. It was honest, realistic, humorous, and emotional. For a debut novel, I think S.C. Megale wrote a belieavable story. True, it may not be completely my cup of tea, but not every story I read will be so I’m not giving up on Megale just yet and really hoping her next book will appeal to me more.

I recevied an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Note: I also surprisingly received a physical ARC of this book from the publisher through a giveaway (which I can’t remember). So thank you Wednesday Books!

S. C. MEGALE is an author and filmmaker. She’s been profiled in USA Today, The Washington Post, and New York Newsday, and has appeared on NBC’s “Today Show” and the CBS Evening News for her philanthropic and literary work. As a humanitarian, she’s spoken on the USS Intrepid, at the NASDAQ opening bell, and to universities and doctors nationwide. She enjoys making connections all over the world.

Megale was raised in the long grass of the Civil War, hunting for relics and catching fireflies along the banks of Bull Run. A shark tooth, flutes, and a flask are some of the items that hang from her wheelchair, and she had a fear of elevators until realizing this was extremely inconvenient. She lives with her family which includes her parents, sister and brother, service dog, and definitely-not-service dog.

This is Not a Love Scene is her first published novel.