Dessen gracefully bypasses the too-frequent plot lines about mean girls or misunderstandings, and it is heartening to see smart, confident young women supporting each other.

Auden’s aloofness remains confusing throughout – a flat blankness at the center of a narrative that requires some element of charisma.

Writer-director Sofia Alvarez, writer of "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" and its sequel, finds the heart and soul in her teenage characters.

As an adaptation of Dessen's novel, it has none of the charm, wit, or substance. As a generic romantic drama, it's perfectly fine. Nothing special