REVIEW: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #1) by Rachel Harris

Title/Series: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century | My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #1
Author: Rachel Harris
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Published: September 11th 2012
Format: eBook | Pages: 304
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Source: Purchased Amazon
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!!!

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On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

I've had my eye on this book for quite some time. The name just jumped out at me and the cover is beautiful am I right? Yes, I'm right. But it was yet another case where things kept getting put in front of it and I'd tell myself next time. I recently had the opportunity to read another recent release of Rachel's called "Taste the Heat" and I fell in love with it. So when "A Tale of Two Centuries" book 2 in this series presented itself to me, I knew without a doubt that I needed to jump on it and so I did and when it showed up in my inbox I rushed to Amazon to buy this one as well. This series has further solidified the fact that Rachel's writing has yet to disappoint me!

In this book we follow along with Cat, who I absolutely adored. She's on her way to Florence, Italy with her father whom she loves dearly and her soon to be step monster, Jenna, that she's not the biggest fan of. Cat is fairly drawn into herself in the beginning. It's kind of a her and her dad against the world. She doesn't really have any friends. The trip is a dream come true for her, she's very passionate about her art and being there where so much of it's history is steeped in renaissance art. One thing leads to another and wanting to be more adventurous she winds up inside a gypsy tent, but when she exits she finds herself in sixteenth century Florence.

The long gold gown, the braided hair, the Italian merchant's daughter, the time period. I am in Renaissance Florence.

Rachel Harris does an amazing job at making us feel as if we've traveled back to the sixteenth century. The clothes, the scenery, the mannerisms, I could picture everything. I've wanted to read a really good time travel book for a long time now. One of my favorite shows growing up was Quantum Leap (which Cat mentions in this book +100 cool points to Rachel for that one!) and it created my love for the idea of time travel. But I've never really found one that could pull me in and I've always ended up disappointed. Until I picked up My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century.

Reading about Cat's adventure as she stumbles her way, as a twenty-first century girl in a sixteenth century world  was so much fun. She has trouble keeping her mouth under control, in the way of letting modern phrases and words slip out. Every time she let a "dude" fly out I couldn't help but chuckle because I know that one would be hard to break myself of.

"I do not know what a dude is, but the gentleman in question is Lorenzo, Cipriano's best friend."

The characters we meet along the way were the perfect compliments to the story. From her ancestors Alessandra with her passion and all around bubbly nature, and the protective and stoic Cipriano to the handsome, charismatic artist Lorenzo. Sigh. Lorenzo. I'm telling you that boy melted my heart. Every time he was on the page with his grins and flirtatious nature I couldn't help but grin myself. But it's with these three that Cat starts to break down the walls within her and begins to really let people in. They help her to grow and become a much more open, understanding person who takes more risks allowing herself to care for people.

This book is not all fun and games though! As much as I loved it the romance between sixteenth century Lorenzo and twenty-first century Cat is equal parts sweet, swoon worthy and absolutely heartbreaking, to the point where I was crying and telling Rachel that I loved her but I was mad at her haha. She was as sweet and understanding as ever! She assured me that if I kept going I would be happy and that I would freaking love book 2. Well played Rachel. Well played. Right on both counts!

Thankfully I did have A Tale of Two Centuries waiting in my inbox for me when I finished reading this because um hello there cliffhanger! I think there was all of a 5 minute, if that, break from reading the last line in this book until I picked up book 2. This was the perfect start to a really fun series that will leave you wanting more! I can't recommend this series enough!