My Favorite Color is Your Something Blue
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My Favorite Color is: Your Something Blue by Ava Austin is a teen/young adult romance novel. Austin is a Christian author writing YA romance novels that are innocent and clean. While I am not a fan of romance novels, this one is a stark contrast to the last YA romance I read titled Better Than the Movies. There is clearly a market and need for clean romance novels for younger readers, and I appreciate Austin filling that space.
The premise of the book is a weekend summer wedding in Oklahoma. Ava and Hudson are the happy couple. The main characters of the book, Morgan (age 18) and Will (age 18/19), are attending the wedding as bridesmaid and groomsmen, but they are getting more from the weekend than expected. Ava used to babysit Morgan when she was little, so there is a clear age gap as she is the youngest in the bridal party. Morgan and Ava are clearly friends. Will and Hudson are cousins. Will has recently graduated high school and is planning to attend Oklahoma University in the fall.
On their way to the happy weekend full of events, Morgan stops at a gas station to pick up a blue ICEE for Ava. At the same time, Will is getting a cup of coffee to keep him awake for the last bit of the long drive. In a comedic scene of one entering and leaving the gas station convenience store, the ICEE and coffee collide and ruin the clothing of both Will and Morgan. After a heated exchange in frustration, they leave, only to find that moments later they arrive at the same dinner event for the happy couple.
If managing the awkwardness between the two isn’t enough, the wedding planner, Evelyn, becomes ill and Fran, Ava’s mother, tasks Morgan with stepping in to finish out the wedding “to do” list. Will offers to help her. Through a series of events, the ice between Morgan and Will begins to melt, but it can’t be that easy. Morgan’s ex-boyfriend is calling her, and he wants to rekindle their relationship, which leaves Will in an awkward position.
Of course, all ends well in this romance novel that is a bit of comedy of errors at the start. The novel ends with Will and Morgan dating and just waiting to see where things go.
Other Specific Notes/Quotes:
In the opening chapter of the book there are some younger girls (13ish) who are giggling about how cute Will is. Will tries to act like he is on the phone, but then it rings (3).
“‘This is why I’ve sworn off dating until I get to college. Boys are idiots, and they’re rude. And pushy. Even the cute ones.’
‘Too true,’ Dad agrees. He’s probably smiling, which further annoys me. ‘In fact, you shouldn’t date until you’re thirty’” (7).
Ava and Hudson have a plan to actually set-up Morgan and Will at the wedding. This is a bit of contention between Will and Morgan. Will claims “set-ups” don’t work, and Morgan has sworn off dating until college.
There are several references to Morgan being “easy on the eyes” and the attractiveness of Will. Certainly a heavy focus on the physical attractiveness of Morgan and Will to each other in a majority of the story. It does later extend to their personality, but it begins with physical attraction.
It is a romance novel and there is kissing involved and the electric feelings of those first kisses and interactions; however, the details are not provocative in any way, but depending on the age of your reader it will matter if you want these ideas or thoughts exposed to your reader.
There are a few references to Fran, Ava’s mother, drinking too much in the story (20)
Ava’s advice to Morgan, “Some are good ones, like mine. Some aren’t. The tricky part is determining who’s who. They’re all the same in the beginning. How can you decipher the great ones from those who are killing kime until they break your heart?” (23).
There are a few references to biblically related things:
“‘Two wrongs don’t make a right. Do I need to quote a Bible verse about forgiveness?’” (33).
Ava and Hudson are married in a church.
Ava and Morgan are texting each other and sending “Kissy face” emojis as there is teasing about Morgan spending time with Will (61).
There are a couple jokes about “making out” (73, 146)
Morgan and Will have to pick up the rings from the jeweler and must pretend to be the bride and groom. As such, the owners will not let them leave without taking photos of the “happy couple” and one in which they must kiss. Morgan and Will do kiss and this is where they start to more so like each other in a more rational way.
“He leans toward me, and my eyes drift closed. Our lips meet hesitantly at first, the initial contact sending unexpected sparks through my body. As his lips move against mine, all thoughts of our current predicament fade. I rise onto my toes, my fingers gripping his hideous shirt. His free hand moves to my neck, his thumb brushing my jaw. And what was supposed to be a brief moment turns into something else. When our lips finally separate and my eyelids flutter open, either of us moves away” (94).
After this event, they each have moments where they are thinking back on the kiss that took place (97, 106, 115).
The two kiss again towards the end of the novel when meeting back at the famed gas station that started it all. “We’re both smiling as our lips meet. My eyes drift closed, and he wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me closer, crushing his boutonniere between us. I grip his white dress shirt, and we share our second perfect kiss right there between the ICEE machine and the coffee maker” (182). There is a third time on page 190.
“Ava was right. Love is messy. It isn’t perfect. I’m not sure what this is just yet, but there’s definitely something here. It might be nothing. But just maybe…it might be something” (190).
Overall, not exactly my genre of reading, but as far as YA romance goes, it is a good clean romance story for teen girls that isn’t smutty or provocative. There are other books in the My Favorite Color is series. I’m not sure how many I may read, but this was a pleasant enough experience that I am sure to pick up at least one or two more.
