To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han is a charming love story centered around sixteen-year-old girl, Lara Jean, who learns to become more comfortable with herself and the people around her when the secret love letters that she’s written to all the boys that she has loved throughout her life are accidentally mailed and sent to all five, clueless boys.

Lara Jean, who is the type of girl who would rather stay home on a Friday night to bake cookies or scrapbook or read than go out and party with her fellow classmates, has to figure out a way to get her letters back before her social life – and her love life – goes from nonexistent to virtually out of control.

However, when a devious plan that she schemes up with Peter K - one of Lara Jean’s used-to-be crushes who has a jerk-of-a-jock type of reputation at her high school - goes way too far and things between the both of them start to heat up, Lara Jean realizes that Peter actually isn’t that bad of a guy and she begins to question exactly what she wants to be able to take out of her high school experience: will Lara Jean go back to her somewhat-lonely life of makeshift mother to her rambunctious little sister, Kitty, or will she take her best friend – and pretty much only friend’s – advice and learn to let loose and live?

Despite the enormous amount of hype around this book, I still didn’t foresee exactly how good this novel would be until I picked it up and finished it within the day.

Jenny Han portrays Lara Jean’s life beautifully and perfectly and the realism and relatability of the story combined with the delightful characters – from Lara Jean to her strict, older sister, Margot, to spontaneous Kitty to her mellow Dad to the charismatic love interest, Peter Kavinsky himself – makes for a wonderful story about a teenage girl who is learning to accept herself and to let others in.

Additionally, Lara Jean’s endearing sentimentality plus one of the themes of living in the present and enjoying life as it comes goes quite well with Han’s use of the present tense throughout this novel. This, combined with Lara Jean’s curiosity and witty personality – which she starts to show more of as she becomes closer and closer to her could-be boyfriend - makes her a lovely protagonist in this story of change, growth and love.

Once you start reading the first page, you won’t be able to help but fall in love alongside Lara Jean, as you explore her world, her life and her first love(s).