Review: A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together. Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. 

Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out.  But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes in their relationship.

Surely Gabe and Lea will figure out that they are meant to be together…

Goodreads | Source: Copy provided by Swoon Reads for my honest review

Review: Ever since I really got into reading romance, I tend to go out in the world and see strangers as characters of a romance novel. I have a very emo local Starbucks where people are always in the parking lot crying and hugging, so it lends it itself to my romantic fairy tales that I’m writing in my head for them. Reading A Little Something Different was like one of my little stories coming to life and was so dang adorable!

Told from 14 POV’s, including an acorn obsessed squirrel and a cranky bench, we get to see Lea and Gabe’s love story unfold. I thought so many different POV’s would be annoying but it allows the reader to see Lea and Gabe through different sets of eyes, friends, teachers, schoolmates, crushes, and family, thereby getting to know them better, since we never hear from our couple directly. It just works for some reason. Even the squirrel and bench. Trust me. 

Gabe is painfully shy, as is Lea to a certain extent, so this is a really slow building romance. At times I started getting a little frustrated by their missed opportunities and crossed signals but the character POV’s telling the story express their frustration as well, so I felt like I was *in* on it with a group of friends which was a lot of fun and kept the story moving at a fast pace.

The second half dragged a tiny bit but the sheer cuteness of everyone seeing how perfect Gabe and Lea were for each other and watching their relationship spark to life overcame any of those issues.

Read A Little Something Different if you need a "palette cleanser" type of book. Pure sweetness and and fun.

And that cover is so perfect for the book! All those little details like the coffee cup, chinese food take out box, books, squirrel and bench are all part of this unique little love story.