The final book can’t be classified as a romance, but a cautionary tale about toxic relationships. Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell put together a stark, heartbreaking story about what happens when the person you love isn’t a great person. Laura Dean seems to be the most popular person in school, with whom our protagonist, Freddy Riley, is very much in love.
Freddy Riley is powerless and emotionally strung along by Laura Dean, who plays at being a casual lover. Unfortunately, it costs Freddy more than she is aware, including her independence, her integrity, and her friendships.
Mariko and Rosemary have borrowed a heavy influence from the Manga style in both writing and art. They also barrel headlong into adult themes that so many creators tend to avoid, including some common trials of same-sex relationships and abortion.