Pink Polka Dot Books: Finding Mr. Better-Than-You: Interview w/ Shani Petroff + Giveaway!!

Finding Mr. Better Than You

by Shani Petroff
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Release Date: January 14, 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Camryn has been dating Marc FOREVER—since freshman year! She dropped out of volleyball to go to all his games, switched her schedule around to be in his favorite class, and has been busting her butt to get into Columbia so they can go to the same college. So when Marc suddenly, and very publically, breaks up with her a week into their senior year so that he can date the new transfer student, she’s absolutely devastated.

But why be sad, when you can get even? Inspired by her favorite movies, Camryn decides that the best revenge is a Senior Year well lived, starring a boy who is ever so much better than her ex. With a little help from her friends, Cam is going to have the Best. Senior. Year. Ever.

Interview

Can you briefly describe FINDING MR. BETTER-THAN-YOU and the main characters?

FINDING MR. BETTER-THAN-YOU is about a girl who gets dumped at the start of senior year and is determined to find someone better than her ex. However, along the way she learns there are some things more important than boys. Cam, the main character, is rom-com obsessed and wants her life to be just like the movies, but when things don’t go according to plan, she is forced to reevaluate.

What favorite movies inspired this book? (It says in the Goodreads synopsis, that it is inspired by your favorite movies).

There isn’t one or two per se, it’s more all the movies I grew up loving. However, I think it is important to note that while FINDING MR. BETTER-THAN-YOU has a lot of rom-com elements and a feel good ending—it is not a romance book. It’s more, as one blogger wrote, a friend-mance story. (I call this one my friendship book!)

What were your favorite books in elementary/middle school?

I LOVED Judy Blume growing up (she’s still one of my favorites). And when I got into middle school I found Francine Pascal and Christopher Pike books, and I couldn’t get enough.

If you could go back and tell your YA self one thing, what would it be?

My dad was in and out of the hospital for his heart as I grew up, so I always had a sense of make the most of the moments that you have because you never know when they may end. But I think I’d remind myself to take that to heart, not to sweat the small stuff, enjoy the moment, and try to see the good in things. (One of my embarrassing moments turned into my book ROMEO & WHAT’S HER NAME and a breakup sparked FINDING MR. BETTER-THAN-YOU—so sometimes the bad stuff really does have a silver lining.)

What are your 3 favorite books that you read in the past year?

I read about 150 books last year (I always aim to read a lot – some years I do better than others. This was a good year for me), and there were so many amazing ones – here are just a few:

I can’t stop talking about THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE by Sandhya Menon—I absolutely adored this book. It made me laugh, cry, and smile!

Everything Marie Lu. I was late to the game in finding her books, but once I did, I couldn’t stop reading them—they are so good! I read both the LEGEND series and the WARCROSS duology last year. (Not sure which out of them was my favorite – so I’m just going to pick all of them!).

And LOVE A LA MODE by Stephanie Kate Strohm. It was such a fun, sweet read!

If you could choose one song to describe your book, which one would it be?

I think Thank U Next by Ariana Grande is definitely on point!

What 3 hashtags would you most associate with your book? (Could be a word or phrase or anything that would instantly make you think of FINDING MR. BETTER-THAN-YOU.)

#FriendshipGoals #FindingMyself #OnToBiggerAndBetter

Are there any recommendations you could give your readers to be in the “perfect mood” to read FINDING MR. BETTER-THAN-YOU (spe-cific music, snacks…)?

I think just going into knowing it’s a book about friendship and finding yourself sets the mood. (But if you do want some music – I made a Finding Mr. Better-Than-You Spotify playlist that has songs that remind me of the book!) https://open.spotify.com/user/gvuuj0a0q4wmcolywg2fk5t3s/playlist/6R9vQWm2FzPdBAgyYYbwey?si=l7RZLcQJTm288ukrxq3JgA

What’s next for you?

I’m working on another Swoon Reads book – a supernatural mystery!

ME: I was a HUGE Judy Blume & Christopher Pike fan!! I also read the Sweet Valley Twins books, so Francine Pascal was a big YES for me. Also, I love the song you picked.... I think it totally sums up this book (which I just finished reading!!). Thank you so much for being on my blog and sharing a little about you and this book!

Shani Petroff is a writer living in New York City. She's the author of the “Bedeviled” series, which includes Daddy’s Little Angel, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Dress, Careful What You Wish For, and Love Struck, and is the co-author of the "Destined" series which includes Ash and Ultraviolet. She also writes for television news programs and several other venues. When she’s not locked in her apartment typing away, she spends a whole lot of time on books, boys, TV, daydreaming, and shopping online.