Finally Fitz by Marisa Kanter is about a young woman, Ava “Fitz” Fitzgerald who plots with her childhood best friend, Levi Berkowitz, to win back her girlfriend after a devastating breakup. Fitz has worked hard to try and craft the perfect life she has always wanted. She used her passion for sustainable fashion and upcycling to create a popular Instagram page while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. When she isn’t focused on her social media account, she spends every free moment with her girlfriend, Dani. This summer Fitz plans on telling Dani that she loves her and that their relationship can last when Fitz returns to Boston to finish out school.
Fitz was accepted into a prestigious summer fashion program at FIT in New York City. She knows this program can give her a boost to build her brand and social following. However, right before classes start, Dani breaks up with Fitz and accuses her of caring more about her growing social media presence than their relationship. Fitz is heartbroken unable to focus and feels blocked creatively.
Fitz is desperate to get back together with Dani, and to prove how much Dani means to her, she is willing to take a break from social media. However, as she puts her plan into action, a chance encounter on the subway has reunited her with her childhood best friend, Levi, who she hasn’t seen since elementary school.
Levi is also going through a heartbreak. After reconnecting, Fitz devises a plan on how they can both get back their partners using social media. They will pretend that they are in a relationship and post photos of their “dates” on social media to make their respective partners jealous. Fitz is confident that she can win back Dani with her fake relationship with Levi. As their fake relationship progresses, Fitz starts to learn that not every plan can go according to their wishes. Is Fitz willing to let go of her idea of picture-perfect to choose what is best for her?
I thought the novel was a fun and relatable read. As a native New Yorker, it was fun reading about the main characters’ different experiences around the city. At times, I found myself annoyed at Fitz. She complained about other people not allowing her in and connecting with others, but then she puts a filter on and keeps others at a distance. Then for some people, she didn’t even give them a chance to be vulnerable and open. For example, she was surprised that her classmates made bets about her but then she kept shooting them down at times when they tried to be friendly or was surprised that they wanted to help her. Another time, Dani, whom Fitz supposedly loves and wants to be in a relationship with, didn’t even know Fitz had a sister in the city. I found this odd because while you can set boundaries with people, it wasn’t like her relationship with her sister was a sensitive issue. She claimed that she wants a sisterly bond with her sister, but it seemed when she’s at her sister’s apartment, she barely attempted to get to know her. I felt that the author could have spent more time building out their sister bond. I thought the book was a cute read and I would be open to reading more books by the author.
**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**
DON’T MISS MARISA KANTER’S IN-PERSON TOUR:
Saturday, 04.20.24 and Sunday, 04.21.24
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (Los
Angeles, CA)
Tuesday, 04.23.24 at 7:00pm PT
The Ripped Bodice (Culver City, CA)
In conversation with Amy Spalding
Friday, 04.26.24 at 7:00pm ET
The Ripped Bodice (Brooklyn,
NY)
In conversation with Kelsey Rodkey
Monday, 04.29.24 at 7:00pm ET
Porter
Square Books (Cambridge, MA)
In conversation with Jenny L. Howe
Wednesday, 06.05.24 at 7:00pm PT
Barnes & Noble at The Grove (Los
Angeles, CA)
In conversation with Rachel Lynn Solomon and Morgan Matson
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