Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris Published by Entangled: Teen in March 2019
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
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Look up the word “nerd” and you’ll find Lily Bailey’s picture. She’s got one goal: first stop valedictorian, next stop Harvard. Until a stint in the hospital from too much stress lands her in the last place a klutz like her ever expected to be: salsa dance lessons.
Look up the word “popular” and you’ll find Stone Torres’s picture. His life seems perfect—star of the football team, small-town hero, lots of friends. But his family is struggling to make ends meet, so if pitching in at his mom's dance studio helps, he’ll do it.
When Lily’s dad offers Stone extra cash to volunteer as Lily’s permanent dance partner, he can’t refuse. But with each dip and turn, each moment her hand is in his, his side job starts to feel all too real. Lily shows Stone he's more than his impressive football stats, and he introduces her to a world outside of studying. But with the lines blurred, can their relationship survive the secret he's been hiding?
Note: I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review in any way. All opinions shared are my own.
As a former valedictorian and as a fan of Dancing with the Stars, I had a gut feeling Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris would be a story I’d enjoy, and I was not disappointed. It’s about Lily Bailey, a girl striving to be valedictorian and recovering from a hospital stay due to excess stress, and Stone Torres, the popular QB that agrees to become Lily’s dance partner in hopes of saving his mother’s dance studio.
People will probably say that Eyes on Me had its cliché moments and was at times predictable. I’d totally agree with that. However, Harris created a story that just filled me with feel-good feelings from start to end. I absolutely adored reading about Lily and Stone’s budding relationship and growth. It was fun, had a great over-arching message, and was totally what I’d consider fluffy romance.
I absolutely loved Lily and Stone, but Eyes on Me also had a couple of strong supporting characters, which I truly appreciated. Particularly, I enjoyed Angéla, Stone’s twin sister and self-proclaimed Lily’s future bestie. I thought she was a well-developed character, that definitely begs for her own story. (Honestly, if Harris ever writes a follow-up story about Angéla, I’m going to read it.) I particularly enjoyed her love for movies and movie references, which probably is also why the story had it’s cliché moments.
If you’re in the mood for a fun YA contemporary romance, I’d highly suggest checking out Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris. It’s a fun, romantic story, which was difficult for me to put down. I hope you fall in love with Lily and Stone just like I did. If you’ve already read Eyes on Me, I’d love to hear your thoughts also! Feel free to leave a comment. 🙂
