The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly

This was a sweet debut. Women in history are often ignored and forgotten. There were women in battle but media rarely shows it. Kit Sweetly knows this erasure being a history nerd and working at a medieval fast food and entertainment joint. It's nice to see that Jamie Pacton has written about lower income protagonists in both of her YA contemporaries. The struggles being poor brings. I love how friendships and found family is a huge part of this debut, which is a repeated theme in her second book ( lucky girl 5/5) and most likely in her newest one this fall “ the vermillion emporium “- a ya fantasy debut.

Because the book happens in a span of two weeks. Not every side character could be fully fleshed out but you still feel the essence of the characters. The romantic tension and subplot felt believable. Friends to lovers for the win. Jett is such a sweet guy.

Totally read kit sweetly for the tackling gender roles, the friendship dynamics, bits of romance and the desire to eat pancakes right after. Damm I really want

Technically only 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up because I feel sorry for this book.

Its a nice bit of fluff but the pacing is uneven and everything was just so damn predictable. Also making Jett a brown boy seemed like tokenism and it loses marks for all the pop culture references. Still, the plot is cute enough and while not meaty, there's enough to carry the story and characterization of major players is solid. Given this is the author's debut novel, I would read future efforts.