Weekend Writing: Reviewing Emma Lord's "Tweet Cute"

"These are the things that tether me, the things I've always been and just assumed would always be. What she's saying right now feels a lot like permission to leave it behind, and it scares me every bit as much as it relieves me." - Emma Lord, "Tweet Cute"

I have a confession: I am a sucker for a "penpal romance" novel. I love any story that reminds me of the 1998 romantic comedy, You've Got Mail. That includes Emma Lord's 2020 novel, Tweet Cute. After reading the synopsis, I knew I had to read it, and I wasn't disappointed. The story is one of the most adorable books I have read in a long time. 

In New York City, Pepper (nickname for Patricia) is the swim team captain at her private school, and she is pressured by her serious business-savvy mother to excel at her academics and become successful. At the beginning of the story, Pepper is a perfectionist who behaves like a robot at school. No one really knows the true Pepper, and she doesn't have any friends. 

Emma Lord's Tweet Cute.

Pepper moved to New York from Nashville, Tennessee, after the successful launch of the family's fast-food burger chain, Big League Burger. Pepper manages the burger chain's Twitter account, and she sometimes spends more time posting fun, creative tweets than on her schoolwork. Her mother doesn't seem to mind. She only cares about maintaining the company's image--not caring about the stress and pressure it puts on her daughter. 

Meanwhile, Jack is Pepper's classmate and fellow swim team member. He's the class clown and his family owns a small deli, Girl Cheesing. Like Pepper, he manages the deli's Twitter account. After Big League Burger steals Girl Cheesing's famous grilled cheese sandwich recipe, Jack retaliates on Twitter, inspiring a viral Twitter war between the two restaurants. Pepper and Jack compete in this war, forcing them to bond in ways they hardly expected. 

"At some point, it stopped being a war and started being a game." 

At the same time, Jack secretly develops apps, including Weazel, a social media app just for students at the private school. Pepper and Jack have no idea that they're talking (and falling for each other) online. But, are they also falling for each other in real life? What happens when they find out their real identities? Will they be like Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly in You've Got Mail, and secretly wish the other person was the same person they were chatting with online? Or, will they feel embarrassed and awkward? 

There is significant character growth in this book. Pepper is a robot at the beginning of the story. She goes to school, attends swim practice, comes home, does her homework, manages Big League Burger's Twitter account, and tries to please her mother. That's it. She doesn't even explore New York City. She's an entirely different person than her online identity, and she's aware of this dilemma. 

"On Weazel, I'm not the Pepper I am at school. I'm relaxed, and goofy, and free to say whatever I want--and the longer the app didn't reveal us to each other, the easier it got." 

Meanwhile, Jack is the class clown who feels like no one really knows the true Jack. No one knows how he feels and how much he enjoys developing web apps. As the story progresses, Pepper and Jack (Their official 'ship' name is PepperJack, which is too cute) break out of their shells. Pepper becomes more outspoken and does things out of her comfort zone. Jack loosens up and takes control of his life. It's rewarding to witness the evolution of these characters as they grow and mature. 

It was simply a fun experience reading this book. Lord's writing style is easy to follow, and very engaging and relatable. The two perspectives, told through alternating characters, allow readers to learn equally about both characters. I could relate to Pepper and Jack, which is something you always want to achieve as a writer. Pepper and Jack have amazing chemistry, and all of their interactions are entertaining. I laughed (in a good way!) several times while reading the book. 

Emma Lord (photo/Sit Down & Write - Substack).

But beneath the humor, Lord has depth to the story. Pepper and Jack are frustrated with their families and the pressure they feel about their futures. As high school seniors, they're unsure of their next chapter. They struggle to find their unique voices. They don't know what's going to happen, but they're confident about at least one thing: They don't want to lose each other and the bond they form throughout the story. 

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel. It's fun, relaxed, and compelling. It's a cute romantic comedy, and sometimes, you just need to read a book about two people who fall for each other in the most unexpected way. 

Pepper and Jack (PepperJack) proved that what happens on Twitter doesn't always have to stay on Twitter. It was fun to experience their love story in a fresh, modern way. 

Read on. 

-KJL-