Effortless With You

Effortless With You is a perfect book for young readers, especially girls. Girls today are searching for people who understand what they are going through, Lucy is a great companion for them. She describes her struggles with bullying, boys and her parents in a relatable and down to earth way. Lucy is a good role model for girls today because she is strong, funny, and real.

I spent a delightful afternoon reading this book. The characters are likeable and believable and the story is so sweet. It was a very realistic depiction of adolescent struggles with peers and family. Well done!

A delightful young adult romance novel . The story of Justin and Lucy will melt your heart! LOVE that this novel touches on serious real life teen issues like bullying. Well done, Lizzy Charles! A superb debut novel.

The first thing I noticed was the cover, catchy covers always seems to make me want to read the book, although, I do believe in not judging a book by it's cover. I liked reading this book, it reminded me about typical high school drama in the first chapter so I wasn't sure if I would like it, but as the novel progressed further - I really liked enjoyed reading it.

Lucy's character is so real and believable. She's blunt, and sometimes horrible, but you can't help but sympathize with her. She's not a true mean girl, incidents in life made her harsh towards others. Although, she doesn't bully others, she doesn't step in either to stop bullying. She's one who watches like a bystander, wishing she should do something, but doesn't have the courage. I find her quite similar to half of the high school population, a lot of people feel guilty but never step in to help others. At least they still have a conscience. Many people believe if you think something is wrong, but don't speak out against it - it's like doing the actual crime. I disagree with that. It's called being human, some people are just scared and can't find the voice at that time. I still believe, you should always speak out against what's wrong though.

In Effortless With You, Lucy reinvents herself after being called a "loser" in the freshman year, even though she was on the basketball team. She was bullied severely, so she ultimately chose to leave sports behind and became a different person. This was a love story. The male interest Justin, was kind and sweet- he is portrayed as a jock and the most popular guy at school, but I'm glad he has a useful brain. Sometimes, I felt he was too kind for his own good. I loved reading about the relationship between Lucy and her parents the most. Lucy doesn't get along with her mother, and they constantly has bitter fights which was upsetting to read about.

I liked that Lucy's character isn't acclaimed perfection, she has flaws. I thought she lacked common sense in the beginning due to her boyfriend incident, but as her character progressed, you begin to understand her better. Effortless With You is a great novel, that I would recommend. It has high school reality of bullying, homosexuality, love, and child- parental issues. The ending was good, but I was expecting something a little more different. This novel have a sequel, so I do look forward to reading more of the author's work. It's a four stars from my side.

*Disclosure: Review Copy was sent free of charge courtesy of the author Lizzy Charles.

Effortless With You is one of those books I bought when it was first released because it sounded like it would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, between review copies and other books, it got shoved to the side and sadly forgotten about. It wasn't until I signed up to participate in the blog tour for the second book in the series, Perfectly Messy, and the publisher sent me a review copy of this book to read in preparation that I realized I had never gotten around to reading it. Now I'm kicking myself for waiting this long to read it, but happy I was able to read the second book in the series nearly immediately following finishing the first, while the characters were still fresh in my mind.

I absolutely adored both Lucy and Justin, despite wanting to scream at them at times. Lucy was a bit of a spoiled brat on the surface, but there was more to her than met the eye. She was a lot stronger than she appeared and I enjoyed watching her character develop during the course of the summer. Justin was hot and sexy, with a bit of an attitude, but not so much of an attitude that it made me dislike him. There was more to him than met the eye as well. He's hard-working and thoughtful and an all-around good guy.

The romance in this book was sweet and charming. I love the friends first trope and the slow burn of a new, building relationship. Lucy and Justin both had significant others when they began working together and they slowly built a friendship. After Justin saves Lucy during an intense situation while on the job, Lucy thinks she might have more than friendly feelings, but Justin quickly makes it known that they are just friends. Things start to shift between them after a betrayal of the worst kind (that wasn't exactly surprising) and after some secrets are revealed. Justin and Lucy had great chemistry and I enjoyed their banter.

I'll classify this as a romance, because that was certainly part of the story, but there was definitely more to this book than just that. The character growth and development for both Lucy and Justin was great. It was a summer of learning – and love – during which Lucy really came into her own. She learned what was really important in life, who she could rely on and, most importantly, who she really was.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"You are effortless for me to love. You always have been and always will be."

Lucy is your everyday high school student. She is doing everything she can to fit in and make new friends. School has just released for the summer and Lucy couldn't be more excited! She has a hot new boyfriend and a great best friend that she plans to spend every minute with... going to parties, laying out by the pool, and even a few romantic dates! But when she finds herself in trouble with her parent yet again, her summer is over because she has to get a job! If it could get any worse, the job her parents got her is painting houses with the most popular and egotistical guy in her school, Justin. She can not stand Justin...he is a jerk and way too cocky! But he is beautiful and makes Lucy forget why she is trying so hard to fit in, and maybe there just might be more to Justin than she thinks.

"When exactly did my life goal become being ordinary?"

Throughout the summer Lucy begins to learn that she has no idea where she fits in and who is really there for her. Disasters, accidents, heartbreaks, and backstabs are just a few of the things that keep happening to Lucy. And one thing is for sure she will have to figure out who she is and only then will she be able to see who truly loves her and always will!
This summer may not be happening how she planned, but it may be even better in the end!

"I can choose to be strong again. I can choose to have values and stand for them. I can choose to be kind and loving."

If you are looking for a light, fun, quick read... then look no further! I really enjoyed going on this journey with Lucy! I loved all of the characters and hope (and beg) that Alex gets a book because he is AWESOME! But this is a great YA read that will have you hooked from the beginning. Now you all know I love me some spice and this book is lacking in that area, but it is a cute love story that you can't help but FALL IN LOVE WITH! Go check it out!

4 LOVEABLE STARS!

EFFORTLESS WITH YOU by Lizzy Charles is an incredible contemporary YA complete with a genuine and lovable heroine, a swoon worthy male lead, and a slew of real-world problems that occur when you're sixteen.
There are tons of reasons why I love this book. I could go on and on about the amazing writing technique of Charles, about the sharp and crisp dialogue, or about how round her characters are, but instead I'm going to narrow it down to the three main reasons why I couldn't put this book down.
First reason: Lucy.
Our main character is a realistic high-school girl that is incredibly easy to relate to. She has the stunning ability to be completely clueless about how amazing she really is, yet it is evident to everyone around her because she quickly becomes the target of blatant bullying and covert undermining from her supposed best friend. Lucy only begins to understand who she really is and what she stands for when she is forced to take a job with a crew of guys painting houses. It is here that she gets to know Justin―the most popular and super hot boy from her school, who she had always thought of as an egotistical jerk. Through getting to know the real him, she finds the real her, and is finally able to face the demons that have haunted her both at school and at home. Her journey to self-discovery is intense and riddled with social land-mines, heart-wrenching family conflicts, and an unexpected love worth risking everything for.
Second reason: The family dynamics.
Charles does an incredible job of creating a realistic family for Lucy and the role they play is a huge factor in Lucy finding herself. This aspect―for me―is a fresh take for the YA genre where more often than not the familial aspect, including parents, are almost non-existent. Lucy's parents take an active role in her life, not only showing their love for her, but making their character's more realistic and relatable. The fact that they are still married and act as a team to help guide their teenage daughter going through one of the hardest periods of her life―despite it driving Lucy nuts―gives the story an authentic edge that I believe any teenage girl can relate to.
Third reason: Justin.
Our male lead is not just swoon worthy. Charles has given him a wide range of depth and emotion―something that shocks Lucy as she gets to know him. Justin has a wealth of good qualities that could make any girl fall in love, but Charles reveals them in quick snippets throughout the novel, adding to his mystery and fueling Lucy's intrigue. Charles' technique in this matter is flawless―making the discovery of why Justin is such an amazing character as rewarding as dipping a pale in the shallow of the ocean and each time finding a different beautiful seashell waiting at the bottom.
The dynamic between Justin and Lucy is filled with witty banter, genuine compassion, and some serious heat. As their friendship grows stronger, Justin is able to pull Lucy out of the shell she'd retreated into as a result of bullying and family problems. With Justin, Lucy finds herself again and the person she discovers is humble, non-judgmental, and has a sense of maturity well beyond her years. The characters complement each other in an effortless way, each one bringing out the best in the other, giving readers a complex relationship that blossoms from a solid friendship.
Add to the above tangible antagonists, heartbreaking mother-daughter fights, and a crew of goofy guys who quickly turn from co-workers to confidants, and readers will be left shouting the iconic "I Love Lucy!" for an entirely new reason.

******4.5******

Effortless With You was just the kind of read I was looking for this summer :D!

The main character, Lucy, is your typical 16 year old girl trying to fit in. My relationship with Lucy was a hate and love relationship. I disliked her character in some parts in the story. Why? Well she was just too snarky with her parents and she did not have a spine of her own. But I loved that her character matures as the story progresses. She learns to heal the broken relationship she has with her family. She grows a spine of her own, by finding herself again and learning who she truly is. Overall, I loved that Lucy's character matures by the end of the story and that she is able to become a strong, independent teenager :D!

Where to begin with Justin?!?!?! This boy just swooned me throughout the whole story. He is just the most sweetest, caring, thoughtful, and giving guy. I absolutely LOVED Justin's character. At the beginning of the story I thought he was really full of himself. I was completely wrong with this. He cares for others and he works so hard to prove himself worthy of others respect. Why? Well because his father is really important and is going to become senator, so everyone thinks that he gets everything served in a platter. But that is so not true. Justin is the one who helps Lucy get back on track with her life. He always offers Lucy his shoulder to lean on, even if she doesn't realize it or wants to acknowledge it. Plus he is such a gentlemen with Lucy. I would love to have a guy like Justin in my life :D!

Lucy and Justin's relationship does not start off smoothly. Lucy actually hates Justin and believes that he is just one of those guys that think that people should bow down for them. How does their relationship develop? Well Lucy's parents get her a job in a house painting company, and guess who works there? Justin of course, and he gets to pick up Lucy every morning to take to work. There interactions with each other at the very beginning are just Justin annoying the hell out of Lucy (this is how Lucy's character sees it). But Lucy's annoyance towards Justin develops into love. She realizes the amazing guy Justin truly is.

Effortless with You by Lizzy Charles was just a really enjoyable read right from the beginning and all the way to the end. There is love, friendship, romance, betrayal, summer, and trying to find who you truly are to live the life you always wanted to live. I recommend everyone to add and buy Effortless With You by Lizzy Charles. I know I have an arc, but I am still going to buy it. Why? Because this is a book that I can see myself re-reading before the summer is over :D! Thank you Lizzy Charles for delivering an enjoyable summer read, with lovable characters.

EFFORTLESS WITH YOU by Lizzy Charles is an incredible contemporary YA complete with a genuine and lovable heroine, a swoon worthy male lead, and a slew of real-world problems that occur when you're sixteen.
There are tons of reasons why I love this book. I could go on and on about the amazing writing technique of Charles, about the sharp and crisp dialogue, or about how round her characters are, but instead I'm going to narrow it down to the three main reasons why I couldn't put this book down.
First reason: Lucy.
Our main character is a realistic high-school girl that is incredibly easy to relate to. She has the stunning ability to be completely clueless about how amazing she really is, yet it is evident to everyone around her because she quickly becomes the target of blatant bullying and covert undermining from her supposed best friend. Lucy only begins to understand who she really is and what she stands for when she is forced to take a job with a crew of guys painting houses. It is here that she gets to know Justin―the most popular and super hot boy from her school, who she had always thought of as an egotistical jerk. Through getting to know the real him, she finds the real her, and is finally able to face the demons that have haunted her both at school and at home. Her journey to self-discovery is intense and riddled with social land-mines, heart-wrenching family conflicts, and an unexpected love worth risking everything for.
Second reason: The family dynamics.
Charles does an incredible job of creating a realistic family for Lucy and the role they play is a huge factor in Lucy finding herself. This aspect―for me―is a fresh take for the YA genre where more often than not the familial aspect, including parents, are almost non-existent. Lucy's parents take an active role in her life, not only showing their love for her, but making their character's more realistic and relatable. The fact that they are still married and act as a team to help guide their teenage daughter going through one of the hardest periods of her life―despite it driving Lucy nuts―gives the story an authentic edge that I believe any teenage girl can relate to.
Third reason: Justin.
Our male lead is not just swoon worthy. Charles has given him a wide range of depth and emotion―something that shocks Lucy as she gets to know him. Justin has a wealth of good qualities that could make any girl fall in love, but Charles reveals them in quick snippets throughout the novel, adding to his mystery and fueling Lucy's intrigue. Charles' technique in this matter is flawless―making the discovery of why Justin is such an amazing character as rewarding as dipping a pale in the shallow of the ocean and each time finding a different beautiful seashell waiting at the bottom.
The dynamic between Justin and Lucy is filled with witty banter, genuine compassion, and some serious heat. As their friendship grows stronger, Justin is able to pull Lucy out of the shell she'd retreated into as a result of bullying and family problems. With Justin, Lucy finds herself again and the person she discovers is humble, non-judgmental, and has a sense of maturity well beyond her years. The characters complement each other in an effortless way, each one bringing out the best in the other, giving readers a complex relationship that blossoms from a solid friendship.
Add to the above tangible antagonists, heartbreaking mother-daughter fights, and a crew of goofy guys who quickly turn from co-workers to confidants, and readers will be left shouting the iconic "I Love Lucy!" for an entirely new reason.

******4.5******

Effortless With You was just the kind of read I was looking for this summer :D!

The main character, Lucy, is your typical 16 year old girl trying to fit in. My relationship with Lucy was a hate and love relationship. I disliked her character in some parts in the story. Why? Well she was just too snarky with her parents and she did not have a spine of her own. But I loved that her character matures as the story progresses. She learns to heal the broken relationship she has with her family. She grows a spine of her own, by finding herself again and learning who she truly is. Overall, I loved that Lucy's character matures by the end of the story and that she is able to become a strong, independent teenager :D!

Where to begin with Justin?!?!?! This boy just swooned me throughout the whole story. He is just the most sweetest, caring, thoughtful, and giving guy. I absolutely LOVED Justin's character. At the beginning of the story I thought he was really full of himself. I was completely wrong with this. He cares for others and he works so hard to prove himself worthy of others respect. Why? Well because his father is really important and is going to become senator, so everyone thinks that he gets everything served in a platter. But that is so not true. Justin is the one who helps Lucy get back on track with her life. He always offers Lucy his shoulder to lean on, even if she doesn't realize it or wants to acknowledge it. Plus he is such a gentlemen with Lucy. I would love to have a guy like Justin in my life :D!

Lucy and Justin's relationship does not start off smoothly. Lucy actually hates Justin and believes that he is just one of those guys that think that people should bow down for them. How does their relationship develop? Well Lucy's parents get her a job in a house painting company, and guess who works there? Justin of course, and he gets to pick up Lucy every morning to take to work. There interactions with each other at the very beginning are just Justin annoying the hell out of Lucy (this is how Lucy's character sees it). But Lucy's annoyance towards Justin develops into love. She realizes the amazing guy Justin truly is.

Effortless with You by Lizzy Charles was just a really enjoyable read right from the beginning and all the way to the end. There is love, friendship, romance, betrayal, summer, and trying to find who you truly are to live the life you always wanted to live. I recommend everyone to add and buy Effortless With You by Lizzy Charles. I know I have an arc, but I am still going to buy it. Why? Because this is a book that I can see myself re-reading before the summer is over :D! Thank you Lizzy Charles for delivering an enjoyable summer read, with lovable characters.

Lucinda Zwindler is introduced to us as a poster child for teenage-rebellion. As a victim of bullying, betrayal and the cruel nature of high-school cliques, Lucy has adopted a bad attitude as a protective shell and has developed the knack of making poor choices. Her parents reach their boiling-point, step in and mandate her to a summer job painting houses in hopes to teach her some responsibility and get her back on track.

Justin Marshall is your cocky, stereotypical jock. He's popular, he's got the ego the size of his head and he's got the looks to back it up. Justin embodies everything Lucy hates--he's a popular, egotistical jerk. Every guy wants to be him and every girl wants to be with him. Every girl, that is, except for Lucy. The story gets interesting when Justin shows up at her front door to take her to her new painting job. Even though the two spend every day together, Lucy can't seem to figure Justin out. He just frustrates the crap out of her!

Slowly but surely, Lucy gets to know the ins and outs of Justin. The more she learns, the more her image of him changes--for the better! Her annoyance with Justin slowly diminishes and emotions she can't control continue to grow despite all her efforts to deter them. Will Lucy listen to her head and be able to write those feelings off or will Justin make her see that there are some things in life that doesn't suck?

What a novel to debut with, Lizzy! I loved the story and definitely had a few late/sleepless nights trying to finish it! It touches on a few very real themes (bullying, mental health and growing up just to name a few) which make the book very relatable.

I definitely enjoyed watching the summer unfold as one of self-discovery for Lucy. She goes through her ups and downs to amend broken relationships, forge new ones and in doing so, learns a whole lot about herself during her healing process. It's fun to see Lucy slowly come to the conclusion that everyone else can see from the first chapters!

The characters introduced in this novel leave more stories to tell--*hinthintnudgenudge* I want a story about Alex!!

EFFORTLESS WITH YOU is a beautiful story about Lucy, a young girl who reinvented herself after a year of constant bullying. Unfortunately, the transformation from bullied basketball player to popular party-goer comes with consequences. Though she now eats in the cafeteria instead of the janitor's closet, Lucy quits the basketball team, her grades suffer, and her relationship with her parents slips from non-existent to hostile.

This is what makes EFFORTLESS such a great read. Though Lucy is cheated on, embarrassed by her parents, and used by a manipulative best friend, her anger and resentment is overcome by a new love, new friends, and a new relationship with a mother who could never show just how much her daughter meant to her.

Lizzy Charles writes with pure emotion, and Lucy's character experiences what could happen to any high school girl. The narrative is powerful, heart-felt, and lovely. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Review Originally Posted At: The Y.A. Bookworm Blogger

I was really excited to read this one because I had read some really great reviews and I'm so glad it was as romance-y and addicting as I hoped it would be! Don't plan on getting anything done once you start Effortless With You because I guarantee you won't be putting it down until the very end!

Lucy is a sixteen year old girl, who after befriending the attention-seeker Marissa, is grounded and thrown into a summer exterior painting job set up by her parents. It is here that Lucy really starts hanging out with Justin. At the beginning of the novel, Lucy seems to be living in Marissa's shadow as she desperately thrives for a better social life than her horrific shoving-locker-filled freshman year. However as the novel progresses, Lucy evolves with confidence and starts to independently shine--it was refreshing to see. Throughout the entire novel, Lucy provides humour and shows compassion despite being originally surrounded by people who only care about popularity. In addition, seeing Lucy mend her strained relationship with her mother further showed how much Lucy was growing into herself.

Initially, Lucy's attitude towards Justin is one filled with anger. She frequently insults him and shows on numerous occasions that she's not like every other girl that falls head over heals for the good-looking, egotistical boy. However, as we see more and more of Justin and Lucy together, we learn alongside Lucy that Justin isn't the guy Lucy once thought he was. Instead, there's a lot more to Justin than just meets the eye and as Lucy discovers this, her feelings toward him change. Their conversations were just so amusing and flirty-- you can't help but root for them (even though Justin already has a girlfriend ;P)!

Effortless With You is a flirty yet deep romance filled with great comedy, tough struggles and an ending that is sure to warm your heart! I definitely will be recommending this one to all you Contemporary Lovers out there!

*Copy was given to me in exchange for an honest review*

Lizzy Charles has brought together one of the toughest problems any child will have to face and mingled it with one of the sweetest. The main character, Lucy has endured bullying back when she was a Freshman now a so-called friend publicly backstabs her over a boy. She finds an unexpected savior who secretly love her helps her to show herself to be the bigger person. Bittersweet to the end. I don't normally read serial books back to back but I couldn't resist reading the next book, Perfectly Messy straight after. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Effortless With You is the perfect title for a book that is effortless to read. Definitely a great summer read, this romantic, sweet YA novel is perfect for teens (or older YA book lovers) who want to sit back, relax and enjoy a nice light read.

The narrator has just enough spunk to keep your flicking the pages, but a soft side to make you linger, basking in the feelings of teen love, friendship and lazy summer days. Balanced with a few darker spots in the plot, Effortless With You is a well-crafted, enjoyable novel definitely worth keeping on your bookshelf. :-)

I think this book is fantastic. I started and finished it in one day. I had to. Lucy is such a well developed character and the secondary characters surrounding her were fabulous as well. The pacing was spot on.

Justin is a typical YA guy, yet so much more. His hotness and popularity are what make Lucy dismiss him as just another guy not worth her time. Justin's many layers surprised me, as does it surprise our leading lady.

Overall, a fantastic read. Makes me want to paint some houses!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this awesome novel from debut author Lizzy Charles. Seriously, I stayed up laaate at night just so I could find out about what happens between Lucy and Justin! The characters are extremely relatable and real. The dialogue is funny and the plot moves along at a good pace.

As a 22 year old, I don't usually enjoy books geared towards the young adult audience as I tend to find the characters shallow and immature and/or the content too racy or dark for the target audience which creeps me out. This is not the case at all with this novel - I was thoroughly intrigued and wrapped up in the storyline. The content is also not too mature for young readers, which is a plus. Tweens as well as 20 and 30 somethings will love this book!

Wow. This book is amazing. Effortless with you is my absolute all-time favorite book. I just could not put it down! When I went to school the day after I started reading it, all I could think about was this book. I just wanted to go home and finish it! I fell in love with Justin and Lucy, and I wish I could find a guy as great as Justin and be his Lucy one day. I still haven't stopped thinking about this book, and I finished it around two months ago! Highly recommended! Just read it. You'll thank me later. Once again, I loved loved loved this book. 5 stars (I wish i could give it 10). <3