10 Blind Dates is the YA Christmas Book We Didn't Know We Needed

This is a solid 3 stars: Is it literary brilliance? Undoubtedly not. But was it a lighthearted read and just the cheesy Christmas rom-com you want to read during the holidays. Yes.

My biggest problem with the book was the side plot with Sophie's sister. It just felt out of place in such a fluffy YA rom-com. I think the author did a nice job; however, of incorporating it towards the end, but it just felt a little heavy. My least favorite parts of the book are when the plot deviates from the main storyline to the Margot side-plot.

I really loved the description of the family. There were so many characters but they all had distinct personalities and I think Elston did a wonderful job describing the fun chaos of the house. It was definitely the highlight of the book and where the story's heart was, which I loved.

The way the chapters are set up makes it a very quick read. The book is not exactly a page turner but the story, for the most part, is well paced.

The holidays were incorporated very well. I liked how it spanned Christmas break and used the days in a good way that never made it feel like it peaked. In Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, for example, the calendar is set up in a very weird way (which they fixed in the Netflix show) but this one flows very well with the story. I recommend this book over Dash and Lily (watch the miniseries instead).

The love story is not the best but I have certainly read worse. I guess I am not the biggest fan of the tropes used in this book, plus, it was extremely predictable. I don't think Elston ever tried to make it not predictable, but it just became annoying when it became increasingly clear and no one was doing anything about it.

All in all, this book is the quintessential 3 star read: simple, fun, and perfect for the holidays.