What do you think?
Rate this book
My Week with Him
"A cute portrait of agency, hope, and intergenerational trauma by Goffney. "— Publishers Weekly A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection pick! From Joya Goffney of Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry, comes a stirring YA coming-of-age, best friends-to-lovers romance about a girl named Nikki who plans to run away from small-town Texas, but ultimately finds that her oldest friend, Mal, just might be the one who’s been there for her all along. Filled with heart and humor, this novel captures complex family drama, friendship, and love. For fans of I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest and Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan. Nikki can’t wait to leave Texas and follow her dreams of a music career . . . After a painful betrayal by her sister and a heated argument with their mother, Nikki is kicked out and finds herself homeless. She decides to go to California to pursue her singing career. When her best friend, Malachai, discovers her plan to flee Texas, he begs her to spend the remainder of spring break with him. He believes that over the course of a week, he can convince her to stay in Texas, or to at least graduate high school. But their plans are interrupted when Nikki’s little sister Vae goes missing. Nikki is forced to work alongside her difficult mother as they set off in search of Vae, with Malachai’s support. Will Nikki find a reason to stay in Texas, or will this spring break be the last time she sees them? Through her emotional journey, Nikki ultimately finds the love she’s always been missing and discovers the power of her own voice.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published July 11, 2023
78 people are currently reading
7070 people want to read
About the author
Joya Goffney
9 books1,611 followersJoya Goffney grew up in New Waverly, a small town in East Texas. In high school, she challenged herself with to-do lists full of risk-taking items like ‘hug a random boy’ and ‘eat a cricket,’ which inspired her debut novel. With a passion for black social psychology, she moved out of the countryside to attend the University of Texas in Austin, where she still resides.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews
Want to read
November 23, 2022After Goffney's last two books? I will read ANYTHING they write.
March 23, 2023
The black sheep, red-headed step child of all my book babies. The day you came to be, you were already giving middle child vibes, and I'm sorry. You really are a great, story--different from my others.
MWWH is about how hard it is for me to say I love you... How I learned and am still learning.
MWWH is about how hard it is for me to say I love you... How I learned and am still learning.
July 30, 2023
I liked previous two books by her but this just felt like the average ya books.
August 25, 2024
3/5 ⭐️
- The author did a great job of capturing teenage angst in this story. The mother daughter dynamic between the two characters was difficult to read because I could empathize with both characters so much.
- Loved the found family aspect in this story and how the main character still had someone to lean on when her family failed her. This story did at times feel a little all over the place because there was a lot going on, but it wrapped up well in the end!
- I love reading YA books that have depth and this one definitely did! Will be reading more from this author in the future for sure.
- The author did a great job of capturing teenage angst in this story. The mother daughter dynamic between the two characters was difficult to read because I could empathize with both characters so much.
- Loved the found family aspect in this story and how the main character still had someone to lean on when her family failed her. This story did at times feel a little all over the place because there was a lot going on, but it wrapped up well in the end!
- I love reading YA books that have depth and this one definitely did! Will be reading more from this author in the future for sure.
April 13, 2023
this is definitely my least fav joya goffney book but she's still a queen <3
October 9, 2023
Joya Goffney never misses. That's it. That's the review because I don't even have the words to describe how beautiful this book is and how I honored I feel to have read it.
May 17, 2023
Not as good as Joya's previous books. Nikki never really seemed all that concerned about being made homeless, the story just assumed she had safety nets that aren't really very realistic, eg. either rich boyfriend's parents will look after her or she'll ace an audition that will somehow magically allow her to live in LA. Money isn't really talked about other than one flashback to her mother not being able to afford toys for them. If I was 18 with nothing to my name, I would sure feel more worried about it.
August 29, 2023
A beautifully written, coming of age YA that explores complex relationships, family drama and the healing power of love— in all its many forms.
This is the third book by Joya Goffney that I’ve read and just like it’s predecessors I absolutely loved it!
Goffney’s ability to delve into such complex and nuanced themes to create a compelling, three dimensional story always has me in awe—and My Week With Him is no different. Taking a slightly darker tone than her previous books, the story centres around eighteen year old Nikki and the toxic relationship with her abusive mother.
This one definitely hit me in the feels waay more than her other books did, despite Nikki being just as strong, in depth and relatable as Goffney’s previous protagonists (Monique & Quinn.) I loved how determined, creative and caring Nikki could be even when facing soo many hardships. The almost endless patience she seems to have, in trying to understand her mother’s actions (even when there’s no reasonable explanation or it hurts her deeply) was equally as impressive & had me wanting to give Nikki the biggest of hugs.
Mal (Nikki’s best friend & love interest) was likewise an enjoyable, cinnamon roll like-character whose own (rather sad) backstory and subsequent happy outcome gives Nikki a sense of hope that things can get better. It’s also the moment the pair’s swoon-worthy romance really takes off, which sees their friendship develop into a deeper, more emotional connection that I absolutely loved.
We do get some insight into her mum’s own childhood experiences later in the book, which does humanise her a little. But also sheds light on the devastation that childhood trauma is capable of having on a person— even decades later. This is by no means a justification for what Nikki and her sister endure. But, it does add a layer of complexity that may be useful in starting further discussions with young readers surrounding such a sensitive topic. Though, I do still suggest checking the TWs beforehand.
Overall, an exquisitely emotional and important read that contemporary YA lovers and Joya Goffney fans simply don’t want to miss—it’s definitely her best novel yet!
Also huge thank you to Readers First and Hot Key Books for the finished copy.
This is the third book by Joya Goffney that I’ve read and just like it’s predecessors I absolutely loved it!
Goffney’s ability to delve into such complex and nuanced themes to create a compelling, three dimensional story always has me in awe—and My Week With Him is no different. Taking a slightly darker tone than her previous books, the story centres around eighteen year old Nikki and the toxic relationship with her abusive mother.
This one definitely hit me in the feels waay more than her other books did, despite Nikki being just as strong, in depth and relatable as Goffney’s previous protagonists (Monique & Quinn.) I loved how determined, creative and caring Nikki could be even when facing soo many hardships. The almost endless patience she seems to have, in trying to understand her mother’s actions (even when there’s no reasonable explanation or it hurts her deeply) was equally as impressive & had me wanting to give Nikki the biggest of hugs.
Mal (Nikki’s best friend & love interest) was likewise an enjoyable, cinnamon roll like-character whose own (rather sad) backstory and subsequent happy outcome gives Nikki a sense of hope that things can get better. It’s also the moment the pair’s swoon-worthy romance really takes off, which sees their friendship develop into a deeper, more emotional connection that I absolutely loved.
We do get some insight into her mum’s own childhood experiences later in the book, which does humanise her a little. But also sheds light on the devastation that childhood trauma is capable of having on a person— even decades later. This is by no means a justification for what Nikki and her sister endure. But, it does add a layer of complexity that may be useful in starting further discussions with young readers surrounding such a sensitive topic. Though, I do still suggest checking the TWs beforehand.
Overall, an exquisitely emotional and important read that contemporary YA lovers and Joya Goffney fans simply don’t want to miss—it’s definitely her best novel yet!
Also huge thank you to Readers First and Hot Key Books for the finished copy.
October 26, 2023
Super sweet friends to lovers first love is just not for me. And now I need to read something super toxic to counter this 😄
September 20, 2023
Thank you so much Netgalley for this ARC 🙏🏾 I love Joya and I will read anything she writes. She is three for three at this point. What an amazing read, and I expected nothing less.
The romance was so cute between Malachi and Nikki, but as always, Joya’s books always have a message. Parents do not realize the effect they have on their children. Their words hurt more than they think, and not hearing I love you enough can harm your child in the future. A lot of parents have not healed from their own childhood trauma, then they traumatize their children the same way. This book handled that topic so well, because I despised Nikki’s mom until they finally had that conversation. It doesn’t excuse anything and I damn sure still don’t like her, but you can tell how much Nikki needed her mom’s love. I loved the sister dynamic between Nikki and Vae. Joya is so great at writing authentic friendships and relationships, you’ll even laugh out loud during some scenes. I am so here for Mal and Nikki’s relationship, he is so obsessed with her and I loved it.
The romance was so cute between Malachi and Nikki, but as always, Joya’s books always have a message. Parents do not realize the effect they have on their children. Their words hurt more than they think, and not hearing I love you enough can harm your child in the future. A lot of parents have not healed from their own childhood trauma, then they traumatize their children the same way. This book handled that topic so well, because I despised Nikki’s mom until they finally had that conversation. It doesn’t excuse anything and I damn sure still don’t like her, but you can tell how much Nikki needed her mom’s love. I loved the sister dynamic between Nikki and Vae. Joya is so great at writing authentic friendships and relationships, you’ll even laugh out loud during some scenes. I am so here for Mal and Nikki’s relationship, he is so obsessed with her and I loved it.
August 12, 2023
really did not hit as much as jg’s two previous books, which i adored :((
the pacing a bit all over the place - we were zipping through scenes like no body’s business; the stakes never felt that high, our fmc ‘left town’ like four times it got to the point where i just knew this bitch wouldn’t be able to stick to a decision for the life of her; and then the toxic relationship with the mum was - if perhaps realistic - pretty unsatisfying, where the bad shit she did was never super acknowledged. not to mention the marketing being all about getting with the mmc when that shit sorts itself out in the first hundred pages ??
lily reads ✰ august 2023
the pacing a bit all over the place - we were zipping through scenes like no body’s business; the stakes never felt that high, our fmc ‘left town’ like four times it got to the point where i just knew this bitch wouldn’t be able to stick to a decision for the life of her; and then the toxic relationship with the mum was - if perhaps realistic - pretty unsatisfying, where the bad shit she did was never super acknowledged. not to mention the marketing being all about getting with the mmc when that shit sorts itself out in the first hundred pages ??
lily reads ✰ august 2023
March 2, 2023
Joya Goffney does it again.
Last year I picked up Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry and finished it the same day, bleary eyed, dehydrated and completely obsessed. Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl was right up there, and almost too relatable with the condition I also have and the strict religious parents. To say I almost combusted when I got this advanced copy is an understatement.
My Week With Him follows Nikki, a young Black girl who, after being thrown out by her mother, decides to flee to California to pursue her music career. After finding this out her best friend, Malachai, tries to convince her to stay and spend the rest of spring break with him. When her sister runs away, Nikki is forced to go back and work with her mother to find her. A whirlwind of mother – daughter problems, romance and learning to love and be loved ensues.
Joya Goffney somehow always manages to mix just the right amount of drama, difficult family relationships and young love and I just eat it up every time. Nikki’s relationship with her mother is turbulent and heartbreaking but ultimately healing. I love the way it was handled, with a clear message on what’s normal and healthy, and with the mom having reasons but not excuses.
A big part of Mal’s and Nikki’s friendship happens before this story and that sort of already established relationship is always tricky to pull off, but I thought it was done well. Without spoiling, there were bumps in the road with the way some reveals were done but I can’t complain as everything got addressed and wrapped up nicely.
Nikki’s background is completely different from Quinn’s and Monique’s, the protagonists of the other 2 novels, and I really enjoyed being able to compare them and appreciate the way Nikki was written. Goffney has such a grasp on the teenage psyche that’s so fun to read while having really clear character development and lessons that I’m envious of the target audience for being able to these books young.
Thank you to HarperTeen and Edelweiss for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
Last year I picked up Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry and finished it the same day, bleary eyed, dehydrated and completely obsessed. Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl was right up there, and almost too relatable with the condition I also have and the strict religious parents. To say I almost combusted when I got this advanced copy is an understatement.
My Week With Him follows Nikki, a young Black girl who, after being thrown out by her mother, decides to flee to California to pursue her music career. After finding this out her best friend, Malachai, tries to convince her to stay and spend the rest of spring break with him. When her sister runs away, Nikki is forced to go back and work with her mother to find her. A whirlwind of mother – daughter problems, romance and learning to love and be loved ensues.
Joya Goffney somehow always manages to mix just the right amount of drama, difficult family relationships and young love and I just eat it up every time. Nikki’s relationship with her mother is turbulent and heartbreaking but ultimately healing. I love the way it was handled, with a clear message on what’s normal and healthy, and with the mom having reasons but not excuses.
A big part of Mal’s and Nikki’s friendship happens before this story and that sort of already established relationship is always tricky to pull off, but I thought it was done well. Without spoiling, there were bumps in the road with the way some reveals were done but I can’t complain as everything got addressed and wrapped up nicely.
Nikki’s background is completely different from Quinn’s and Monique’s, the protagonists of the other 2 novels, and I really enjoyed being able to compare them and appreciate the way Nikki was written. Goffney has such a grasp on the teenage psyche that’s so fun to read while having really clear character development and lessons that I’m envious of the target audience for being able to these books young.
Thank you to HarperTeen and Edelweiss for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
July 10, 2023
The book is a heartbreaking and raw exploration of Nikki's struggle with her mother's cruelty, highlighting the impact of neglectful parenting on a person's light. The story features Black love, realistic characters, emotional conversations, and complex parental relationships. The characterization, pacing, and family relationships are enjoyable, and the book moves quickly. The story is particularly engaging for those who have experienced a neglectful parent, as Nikki's expressions of isolation make them feel not alone. Overall, the book is a solid read that explores the impact of neglectful parenting on a person's life.
February 11, 2024
what i love most about joya goffney's YA novels is that they all feel incredibly well-rounded, and this is no different. the plot is instantly engaging, the romance gives you all the feels, and the coming of age elements really push the story forward.
nikki is such a compelling character to follow. you're dropped right into the action with her and can immediately start to develop a clear picture of who she is and what she wants out of her life. the relationships she has are all incredibly complicated and layered, and joya did an amazing job fleshing each one out. mal is such a great partner to her; i loved them together! i think i could've done with it being a smidge longer, so we could have more time developing the romance part of the story, but overall, i really enjoyed this!
*thank you netgalley & harper teen for the arc!
nikki is such a compelling character to follow. you're dropped right into the action with her and can immediately start to develop a clear picture of who she is and what she wants out of her life. the relationships she has are all incredibly complicated and layered, and joya did an amazing job fleshing each one out. mal is such a great partner to her; i loved them together! i think i could've done with it being a smidge longer, so we could have more time developing the romance part of the story, but overall, i really enjoyed this!
*thank you netgalley & harper teen for the arc!
April 7, 2023
I had to give this book 3 stars. It was just okay. The book started off with Nikki trying to leave Texas to pursue her dreams of singing in California. I loved that for her but it seemed like any and everything was standing in her way of doing that. Her plan was to go to CA and never come back. But Mal; her best friend convinced her to stay and spend spring break with him. Their plans are interrupted when Nikki’s sister goes missing. I honestly would have enjoyed the book more if her sister didn’t go missing and the author continued to write about Nikki and Mal’s time together in Colorado. I feel like her sister going missing didn’t do much for the story.
Nikkis mom is such a b word! I never got any answers as to why she treated Nikki the way she did. The author explains but it just didn’t seem realistic. I was confused at that portion of the book. Nikki’s mom was super strict and the fact that she changed the locks on her and cut her phone service off is wild!!
I absolutely loved Mal and Nikki’s relationship in the book. I wished it was more of just them. Friends to lovers is one of my fav troupes, so i really enjoyed how they were in each others presence. Mal told Nikki that he loved her and she didn’t say it back although she did love him. She has a really hard time expressing herself and telling people she loves them because her mom never showed them any affection or told them that she loved them. I really felt that. That hit so close to home for me. I feel like the only reason Nikki’s mom came around was because Mal’s parents said something to her. I honestly don’t think it was genuine. The book was centered around Nikki going to CA to pursue her dreams and then at the end she ends up going but then the story ends. I would have loved to see how everything went up to her signing her contract and if she would have stayed in CA or went back to Texas.
Nikkis mom is such a b word! I never got any answers as to why she treated Nikki the way she did. The author explains but it just didn’t seem realistic. I was confused at that portion of the book. Nikki’s mom was super strict and the fact that she changed the locks on her and cut her phone service off is wild!!
I absolutely loved Mal and Nikki’s relationship in the book. I wished it was more of just them. Friends to lovers is one of my fav troupes, so i really enjoyed how they were in each others presence. Mal told Nikki that he loved her and she didn’t say it back although she did love him. She has a really hard time expressing herself and telling people she loves them because her mom never showed them any affection or told them that she loved them. I really felt that. That hit so close to home for me. I feel like the only reason Nikki’s mom came around was because Mal’s parents said something to her. I honestly don’t think it was genuine. The book was centered around Nikki going to CA to pursue her dreams and then at the end she ends up going but then the story ends. I would have loved to see how everything went up to her signing her contract and if she would have stayed in CA or went back to Texas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2023
Joya Goffney is an absolute pro at writing YA contemporaries you pick up and find you’ve done nothing else with your day but devour the book whole.
Not only was this super fun and utterly adorable, it was also incredibly emotional and almost painful to read at times. It’s got all the drama and romance you’d want from a YA rom-com but it also brilliantly explores the impact complex and tumultuous family dynamics have on a person and the way they connect to the people and world around them.
This is a story of love; romantic, familial and all the complexities that comes with such a big emotion. It’s the journey of a teen discovering what ‘home’ means to her. It’s a story about a girl following her dreams and allowing herself to hope for more. It’s the story of learning how to say ‘I love you.’
TW: negligent parent
Not only was this super fun and utterly adorable, it was also incredibly emotional and almost painful to read at times. It’s got all the drama and romance you’d want from a YA rom-com but it also brilliantly explores the impact complex and tumultuous family dynamics have on a person and the way they connect to the people and world around them.
This is a story of love; romantic, familial and all the complexities that comes with such a big emotion. It’s the journey of a teen discovering what ‘home’ means to her. It’s a story about a girl following her dreams and allowing herself to hope for more. It’s the story of learning how to say ‘I love you.’
TW: negligent parent
August 28, 2023
4.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Joya Goffney never misses!!
This took me on a rollercoaster of emotions; from squealing at the adorable-ness of the friends-to-lovers romance (Nikki + Mal forever), to the pain of reading about the family relationships, particularly Nikki's relationship with her mother. This book takes you through some incredibly complex and difficult family dynamics, particularly neglectful parenting, which is painful to read but I imagine something that will help a lot of people who can read this and feel seen. While there is forgiveness and understanding to be had within this book, I loved how it accepted that these people were not going to magically change overnight - it felt so real.
I do wish that the ending had been a bit more fleshed out - I was expecting there to be a few more pages at the end where we would get to see what the book has been leading up to the whole time, and what decision Nikki ended up making as that was basically the whole plot of the book, and it feels unresolved. However, I still loved this book and I love this author, I will read anything Joya Goffney writes at this point - she's brilliant!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Joya Goffney never misses!!
This took me on a rollercoaster of emotions; from squealing at the adorable-ness of the friends-to-lovers romance (Nikki + Mal forever), to the pain of reading about the family relationships, particularly Nikki's relationship with her mother. This book takes you through some incredibly complex and difficult family dynamics, particularly neglectful parenting, which is painful to read but I imagine something that will help a lot of people who can read this and feel seen. While there is forgiveness and understanding to be had within this book, I loved how it accepted that these people were not going to magically change overnight - it felt so real.
I do wish that the ending had been a bit more fleshed out - I was expecting there to be a few more pages at the end where we would get to see what the book has been leading up to the whole time, and what decision Nikki ended up making as that was basically the whole plot of the book, and it feels unresolved. However, I still loved this book and I love this author, I will read anything Joya Goffney writes at this point - she's brilliant!
July 7, 2023
This was my second Joya Goffney book, and it was pretty different from the first one I read, her debut, but I again really liked it. Nikki is the kind of main character you'll end up rooting for so much. I have a massive soft spot for the best friends to lovers trope, if well done, and it was so well done here. I thought Nikki and Mal were absolutely adorable together, and their love for each other just jumped from the page.
I especially loved seeing him and his parents support her in dealing with her family issues, while never overstepping. There's a lot of focus on Nikki's relationship with her mother, which I thought was given a lot of depth and nuance. The situation was never portrayed as all good or all bad, giving space to all of Nikki's complicated emotions about it.
The story works towards Nikki leaving for California to audition for a girl group, and her talent for music is very present in the book, but it's never the main focus. I would honestly love to see a sequel where we follow Nikki in her budding music career and to see her try to balance it with her relationship with Mal.
I especially loved seeing him and his parents support her in dealing with her family issues, while never overstepping. There's a lot of focus on Nikki's relationship with her mother, which I thought was given a lot of depth and nuance. The situation was never portrayed as all good or all bad, giving space to all of Nikki's complicated emotions about it.
The story works towards Nikki leaving for California to audition for a girl group, and her talent for music is very present in the book, but it's never the main focus. I would honestly love to see a sequel where we follow Nikki in her budding music career and to see her try to balance it with her relationship with Mal.
August 17, 2023
OMG I LOVED ALL HER BOOKS IM SO EXCITED
edit
joya never fails I love her I love her
edit
joya never fails I love her I love her
October 1, 2023
I finished it in one night. Enough said. ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS.
July 3, 2023
Unfortunately I loved this book less than her first two books. Why? It’s hard to put in words, I wasn’t as invested and sucked in to this story than I was into her first two books. Also the characters didn’t grow on me as much as the first two book characters did.
Will I read a new book from her? For sure!
Will I read a new book from her? For sure!
January 26, 2024
I love this book so much!
September 25, 2023
3.5 stars
The plot and characters weren’t nearly as interesting as those in Joya Goffney’s other two novels. But she’s still one of the best YA authors.
The plot and characters weren’t nearly as interesting as those in Joya Goffney’s other two novels. But she’s still one of the best YA authors.
June 20, 2023
Joya Goffney is an auto-read author for me, and I was so thrilled to read her latest, My Week with Him. In it we meet Nikki, who is living in Texas with her mom and sister. She’s trying to pursue a music career and processing her secret romantic feelings about her best friend, Malachai. After a big fight and a betrayal from her sister, her mom kicks her out of the house, and she decides to flee to California and try her career in music.
Enter Malachai, who begs her to stay for one week and give him a chance before she leaves for good. Over the course of that week SO much happens that I’m not going to explain here, so I’ll just recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the YA books that lean into the messy feelings of crushes, sibling back-and-forth, friendship drama, and parental healing. The author has a knack for capturing this raw and chaotic stage of life, and she did again with this novel.
I’ve loved all her books, including this one, but there were a few points where it felt like it was extra chaotic, and I could have sat in one storyline a bit longer. She remains an auto-read author and a voice in YA that I hope to see much more from.
Thank you to HarperTeen and NetGalley for the complimentary copy, I appreciate you!
Enter Malachai, who begs her to stay for one week and give him a chance before she leaves for good. Over the course of that week SO much happens that I’m not going to explain here, so I’ll just recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the YA books that lean into the messy feelings of crushes, sibling back-and-forth, friendship drama, and parental healing. The author has a knack for capturing this raw and chaotic stage of life, and she did again with this novel.
I’ve loved all her books, including this one, but there were a few points where it felt like it was extra chaotic, and I could have sat in one storyline a bit longer. She remains an auto-read author and a voice in YA that I hope to see much more from.
Thank you to HarperTeen and NetGalley for the complimentary copy, I appreciate you!
September 7, 2023
Joya Goffney has done it again! Writing another wonderful story!! I always feel so incredibly seen when I read her books! The way she writes her characters and the romance is just so beautiful!
This book deals with Nikki struggling with her toxic mom and finding her way to a life of freedom, love, and happiness. Nikki is such an amazing FMC and was able to persevere and reach her dreams! With the love and support of her sister and ofc Mal (MMC).
Speaking of Mal he is such a gem! Gosh I adored the way he treated Nikki...
- He always showed her love and support and was always her number one fan.
- He always gave her anything she ever wanted. Anytime she wanted it.
- He was so patient and understanding and just so caring and loving!
Ooo and oh my gosh, the scene where Nikki was moisturizing Mal's hair!! Ahhh i love it!! Something about acts of service is so beautiful, loving, and intimate to me! 😩❤️
As always, Joya Goffney wrote another hit! Nikki and Mal's love story was absolutely amazing! I loveeeed it so very much!
This book deals with Nikki struggling with her toxic mom and finding her way to a life of freedom, love, and happiness. Nikki is such an amazing FMC and was able to persevere and reach her dreams! With the love and support of her sister and ofc Mal (MMC).
Speaking of Mal he is such a gem! Gosh I adored the way he treated Nikki...
- He always showed her love and support and was always her number one fan.
- He always gave her anything she ever wanted. Anytime she wanted it.
- He was so patient and understanding and just so caring and loving!
Ooo and oh my gosh, the scene where Nikki was moisturizing Mal's hair!! Ahhh i love it!! Something about acts of service is so beautiful, loving, and intimate to me! 😩❤️
As always, Joya Goffney wrote another hit! Nikki and Mal's love story was absolutely amazing! I loveeeed it so very much!
July 14, 2023
THIS BOOK WAS TAILOR MADE FOR ME! From the very beginning of this story, I had no doubt in my mind that I was going to love it. I read this book so fast like Joya Goffney puts crack in her books I fear. Nikki and Mal were just too cute. They were giving it’s you, it’s always been you and I loved it. I loved how close their friendship was and how they knew almost everything about each other. I actually wish we got more time with them as friends before they got together. The mother daughter and sister relation in this story was such interesting to explore. I love how this author includes family dynamics into her stories so flawlessly because it really makes these characters feel real. Nikki from her big dreams to her fear of expressing her emotions had my heart like that’s my girl. I really wish I could perfectly articulate the way Joya Goffney makes me feel with her book but I literally can’t. There’s so much warmth and care with her books like I’m in love!
April 13, 2023
I cried, a lot.
My Week with Him explores emotional abuse from a family member, and it does so sensitively and authentically, exploring the complexity of the impact this has on a person. It was tough to read — my heart broke for Nikki. I just wanted to reach through the page and hug her. I also had hope, much like Nikki did, that her mother would suddenly change and all would be healed — but that’s not reality. That’s not how it works.
I like how we got to explore all aspects of Nikki’s emotions, from the hate she has for her mother (rightfully so), the love, the anger. It was so hard to see Nikki hope, and to hope along with her that things would start to be okay, and to see her hurt again. It was a complicated relationship, to put simply. I like at the end we did get some growth (I won’t spoil too much) yet not all was forgiven, nor did characters magically change overnight in to perfect versions of themselves. It was messy, but it felt real.
One aspect of Goffney’s writing that I’ve always enjoyed and found to be her strength is the strength to make me feel. This book really had me emotional. Like I said, I was feeling all of Nikki’s hurt. When she felt betrayed by her sister, I was so angry and found it difficult to swallow when Nikki seemingly wasn’t as angry as me anymore. When Nikki cried, I cried. This book was an emotional journey.
I like the way this booked balanced all the different themes and plots. To the complicated and abusive family relationship, the complicated romance (so many complications!), to exploring what it’s like to be adopted…it all felt so well done and well handled.
I think my only “issue” (and it’s not really an issue) is that I would’ve liked to have seen a bit more of Nikki interacting with her other friends, and for the big to be a tiny bit longer. I kept swiping the page (reading on the Netgalley shelf app) to go to the next page and it was like nope, this is it. But then maybe that’s just me being greedy — because this book had a good, hopeful ending.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I began reading it in bed, with the intent to read a few chapters before sleep, but I ended up finishing it at 5am with tears streaming down my face.
My Week with Him explores emotional abuse from a family member, and it does so sensitively and authentically, exploring the complexity of the impact this has on a person. It was tough to read — my heart broke for Nikki. I just wanted to reach through the page and hug her. I also had hope, much like Nikki did, that her mother would suddenly change and all would be healed — but that’s not reality. That’s not how it works.
I like how we got to explore all aspects of Nikki’s emotions, from the hate she has for her mother (rightfully so), the love, the anger. It was so hard to see Nikki hope, and to hope along with her that things would start to be okay, and to see her hurt again. It was a complicated relationship, to put simply. I like at the end we did get some growth (I won’t spoil too much) yet not all was forgiven, nor did characters magically change overnight in to perfect versions of themselves. It was messy, but it felt real.
One aspect of Goffney’s writing that I’ve always enjoyed and found to be her strength is the strength to make me feel. This book really had me emotional. Like I said, I was feeling all of Nikki’s hurt. When she felt betrayed by her sister, I was so angry and found it difficult to swallow when Nikki seemingly wasn’t as angry as me anymore. When Nikki cried, I cried. This book was an emotional journey.
I like the way this booked balanced all the different themes and plots. To the complicated and abusive family relationship, the complicated romance (so many complications!), to exploring what it’s like to be adopted…it all felt so well done and well handled.
I think my only “issue” (and it’s not really an issue) is that I would’ve liked to have seen a bit more of Nikki interacting with her other friends, and for the big to be a tiny bit longer. I kept swiping the page (reading on the Netgalley shelf app) to go to the next page and it was like nope, this is it. But then maybe that’s just me being greedy — because this book had a good, hopeful ending.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I began reading it in bed, with the intent to read a few chapters before sleep, but I ended up finishing it at 5am with tears streaming down my face.
February 11, 2024
I like the book. I love how she writes her male characters. I love how they love on the female characters. How they are always there rock. Really cute high school love story. Family drama just enough.
May 11, 2024
If Joya Goffney writes it, I will read it.
- small town
- big dreams
- friends to lovers
- first love
- family drama
- rich vs poor
Beautiful coming of age story about Nikki, who has a big dream to become an artist 🎤.
She has a rocky relationship with her mom and she becomes homeless. Her best friend Mal discovers her plan to move to LA and convinces Nikki to spend the entire week with him in Texas. He is determined to show her all the reasons she should stay.
I absolutely loved this book, just like Goffney’s other two books. The only thing that really bothered me, was that nobody seemed to be supporting her when she was preparing to go to LA. Everybody wanted her to stay in Texas, in Cactus. Kinda for selfish reasons tho. This girl has the opportunity to break through, achieve her dreams, and they all just wanted to keep her in her small town? Hmmmm
- small town
- big dreams
- friends to lovers
- first love
- family drama
- rich vs poor
Beautiful coming of age story about Nikki, who has a big dream to become an artist 🎤.
She has a rocky relationship with her mom and she becomes homeless. Her best friend Mal discovers her plan to move to LA and convinces Nikki to spend the entire week with him in Texas. He is determined to show her all the reasons she should stay.
I absolutely loved this book, just like Goffney’s other two books. The only thing that really bothered me, was that nobody seemed to be supporting her when she was preparing to go to LA. Everybody wanted her to stay in Texas, in Cactus. Kinda for selfish reasons tho. This girl has the opportunity to break through, achieve her dreams, and they all just wanted to keep her in her small town? Hmmmm
September 26, 2023
hey y’all,
god i jus saw how long it took me to finish this book 🤭 tbh this is a 3/3.5 stars unfort joya what happened 💔💔
although it was mid, some parts were rly emotional and i was like 🥲 (accurate representation of me) i think she tackles a lot of problems well the author
anyways
MALACHAII😍
bye
god i jus saw how long it took me to finish this book 🤭 tbh this is a 3/3.5 stars unfort joya what happened 💔💔
although it was mid, some parts were rly emotional and i was like 🥲 (accurate representation of me) i think she tackles a lot of problems well the author
anyways
MALACHAII😍
bye
Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews