To All The Boys I've Loved Before: Review and Free Printable

I like to save things. Not important things like whales or people or the environment. Silly things. Porcelain bells, the kind you get at souvenir shops. Cookie cutters you’ll never use, because who needs a cookie in the shape of a foot? Ribbons for my hair. Love letters. Of all the things I save, I guess you could say my love letters are my most prized possession.

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I finished this series two weeks ago, and I loved it! I’ve read all three books on a whim, and they have been an emotional rollercoaster. When you find yourself reading till 4 a.m. knowing you'll have to wake up at 6 (for three days in a row), that's when you know a book is good. I literally couldn’t put em down.

I have a warning though: they all begin kinda slow. For the first third of every book, almost nothing happens. All the drama is condensed in the last hundred pages. I say drama because there isn't much action, they're pretty quiet and cosy reads. I usually don't like this kind of plot pace, and I struggled a little bit at first, but it was worth it.
The story follows an often overused plot (except for the part of the letters) that I devoured anyway cause, even if I already knew how it was going to end, I craved the details and the fun, quirky moments. I flipped through the pages cause it made me laugh, and feel good, and nostalgic about the time when boys were a significant issue in my life. Plus I read it for Peter K. Oh my goodness Peter K, I totally fell in love with you.

“If love is like a possession, maybe my letters are like my exorcisms.”

Lara Jean is just me when I was sixteen. Ok, maybe fourteen. I was always daydreaming and wondering about the what-ifs. I even wrote a couple of never-sent, cringey love letters myself (which I regret letting my sister and best friends read cause they are going to tease me forever). Her behaviour made me smile at times, thinking I would have acted that same way. It reminded me how it felt being a teenager with not many friends, a passion for books, and falling for every boy that was kind to me. It's so easy and yet so hard being young and in love. Everything seems huge, a lifetime commitment. And when you realise it isn't, you feel a little bit lost, wishing you had known better.

“But the little things are what make up life.”

I think this quote sums up the vibe of the books. There's a plot weaved between the pages, but there's also a collection of little things, moments that I feel don't add much to the story but let you grow fond of the characters and take a peek at their ordinary world. That's the main reason the books are so slow-paced, cause I think Jenny Han wanted to show us every aspect of their lives. And somehow, this doesn't bother me like it usually does when there's superfluous information.

“He looks at you a lot. When you're not paying attention. He looks at you, to see if you're having a good time.”

There are many love interests in the series, but we all know who's everyone's favourite. Obviously Lucas. Seriously though, I have to admit that in book two I was struggling with my feelings. Thank you, John Ambrose McClaren.
Like Lara Jean I love Love, and the romance here is adorable. Some tropes are a bit annoying, and at times certain characters behaviours really got to my nerves, but that's the whole point! You're not supposed to always like them. They're real, they're human, and sometimes (most of the time) humans make mistakes and fuck up the things they care about for some stupid reasons they believe relevant. That's life.

“Sisters are supposed to fight and make up, because they are sisters and sisters always find their way back to each other.”

Besides all the boys, what I loved about the story was Lara Jean's family, the bond between them was heartwarming. In most of the books I read, the family has a minor role in the story, doesn't exist, or the protagonist has to go against it to gain freedom, so it was nice to read a whole trilogy where the family is united and plays a significant role. I loved the dad and Kitty, Lara Jean's little sister, the most. She's funny, sassy, and smart. You can expect to laugh a lot when she's around.

“You'd rather make up a fantasy version of somebody in your head than be with a real person.”

Raise your hand if you've been there! Being a young single mum I live most of my love life through books (the other bit through movies haha, don't judge me), so this trilogy was much needed. And although I'm older than the characters, it's always sweet to read a first love.
Sometimes I wish things were as simple as they were back in high school. Lately, I have this weird feeling I don't fit anywhere. Too old for my peers but too young for the parents' group. I love being a mum, I wanted kids since I was twelve, but despite all the happiness that fills my heart, there are moments in which I feel lonely too.

“And for a second, just for a second I forget. I forget that this isn't real.”

Overall, I enjoyed this series a lot. I liked the third book less than the others, but I discovered when I finished it that it wasn't supposed to exist in the first place, so maybe that's the reason. Although I get why people asked for another book, the second book ending as "the end" would have pissed me a lot.

Have you read the series? What do you think? I can't wait to watch the movie! When I was reading, I imagined the characters as their actors and I'm curious to see if they live up to my expectations.

In the book, Peter and Lara Jean sign a "contract", and I had fun designing it. Sadly I couldn't find Lara Jean's handwriting font, but I think it's cute anyway. You can find the high-quality printable PDF here, together with a blank contract for you to fill with whoever you want. What would you write in it?

Till next time, have a lovely week!