Book Review: 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

I purchased this book with my own money. There was no obligation to post/give this book a certain rating. This gifting in no way alters my review and I remain impartial.

Published: October 1st 2019 by Disney-Hyperion
Rating: ★★★★ (4)
Genre: Young Adult // Romance, Contemporary
Quick Thoughts: Funny and cute family vibes mixed with festive fun.

About The Book: Sophie wants one thing for Christmas-a little freedom from her overprotective parents. So when they decide to spend Christmas in South Louisiana with her very pregnant older sister, Sophie is looking forward to some much needed private (read: make-out) time with her long-term boyfriend, Griffin. Except it turns out that Griffin wants a little freedom from their relationship. Cue devastation.

Heartbroken, Sophie flees to her grandparents’ house, where the rest of her boisterous extended family is gathered for the holiday. That’s when her nonna devises a (not so) brilliant plan: Over the next ten days, Sophie will be set up on ten different blind dates by different family members. Like her sweet cousin Sara, who sets her up with a hot guy at an exclusive underground party. Or her crazy aunt Patrice, who signs Sophie up for a lead role in a living nativity. With a boy who barely reaches her shoulder. And a screaming baby.

When Griffin turns up unexpectedly and begs for a second chance, Sophie feels more confused than ever. Because maybe, just maybe, she’s started to have feelings for someone else . . . Someone who is definitely not available.

This is going to be the worst Christmas break ever… or is it?

First Thoughts

This little book has been on my TBR stack for so long. I don’t know why I haven’t read it yet! There is a lot of hype around it and it’s a favourite for many YA lovers. There’s no time like the present, and since this is my last read of 2021 (!!) I dived straight in!

My Review

Sophie is, for the most part, looking forward to some time away from her protective parents. They’re heading to spend Christmas with her very pregnant older sister, and while they’re gone, she’ll be spending the festive season with her grandparents. Before she heads over there though, she has other motives: finally getting alone time with her boyfriend Griffin. But then, disaster. She overhears him confessing to wanting to break-up, and utterly broken, goes straight to her grandparents house where her very large extended family is gathered for the holidays.

Wanting to cheer her up and get the Sophie they know best back, multiple family members set her up on blind dates. From cousins to aunts, the dates range from sweet to downright crazy. But there’s someone she develops feelings for over the course of the holidays . . . and he is already taken. Her life gets shaken again as Griffin turns up, though, begging for a second chance at what they had. Only, faced with everything that has happened since their split, Sophie has more than a lot to think about: give up what isn’t certain or go back to something that was good until it was gone.

Overall, 10 Blind Dates was a really, really cute read. I loved the family vibes and Sophie’s narration was absolutely perfect. I did struggle to bond with the storyline at the beginning, but once I got into the groove of the book and the pace picked up toward the middle, I found myself definitely hooked. Even though I sort-of guessed the ending (or what would happen) I still loved this book, and it was such a beautiful ending to my 2021 reading year! If you love funny and cute family vibes mixed with festive fun, this is perfect for you.