How to Speak Boy by Tiana Smith
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Publication Date: January 7, 2020
Genres: Romance, Young Adult

How to speak boy is my favorite kind of YA: swoony, somewhat predictable, and filled with likable characters you want to root for. It follows two debate team rivals: Quinn and Grayson.

Quinn is the protagonist and the story is told in the first-person from her perspective in a quintessentially YA romance fashion. Quinn may be the captain of the debate team, but she’s not doing great at AP American Government. When she checks her mailbox at school and discovers that her test has been swapped with another student’s, the two become a kind of pen pal, leaving notes in the box of the other. There’s only one problem, she doesn’t know who her mysterious pen pal is. But Quinn has enough problems, namely her team co-captain Grayson. The two have always been competitive, but now it’s their senior year and all bets are off. As the two compete they develop an unlikely friendship and Quinn must decide how much she’s willing to risk to follow her heart.

I really liked How to Speak Boy. I’ve never read a book in which characters were members of debate and between that and the fact that it’s set in Boise, Idaho, it had a unique feel. I also loved the two main characters, especially Grayson. He’s the perfect mix of competitive and sweet.

I thoroughly recommend How to Speak Boy to other fans of Young Adult Romance! It’s definitely one to check out!

Thank you to XPresso Reads and Netgalley for my review copy!