Has Netflix saved the YA romance? Not quite, but the streamer’s choices have surely made a strong case for its viability as low-key entertainment for teenage audiences and beyond.Īuden (Emma Pasarow, coming off a memorable arc in “Super Pumped”) isn’t your typical teenage girl - no, no, don’t roll your eyes at this, really - and she’s not thrilled about it either. Still, its genuine, gentle charm holds far more appeal than the icky “Kissing Booth” series. So, how’s the first one in this seemingly star-crossed partnership? Not bad! Bolstered by the dreamy, music-heavy direction of “To All the Boys” screenwriter Sofia Alvarez, here making her directorial debut, and a collection of adorable performances from its young leads, “Along for the Ride” doesn’t hit the giddy highs of Alvarez’s previous trilogy. ‘Love Again’ Review: Not Even Celine Dion Can Save This Wildly Contrived Rom-Com from Its Own Sadness

Netflix, which has given new life to the exact kind of fare Dessen writes - from the darling to the ridiculous - is an obvious home. Back in 2003, two of her books were turned into the Mandy Moore vehicle “How to Deal,” but it’s taken almost two decades for Dessen to get another crack at the screen. For nearly three decades, Dessen has been churning out her novels to, if not always strong acclaim, at least good sales and a dedicated fanbase.Īnd yet, until Netflix picked up options for a trio of Dessen’s books back in 2019 (including “This Lullaby,” “Once and for All,” and the first book to make it to the screen, “ Along for the Ride”), the author’s back catalog of inoffensive charmers scarcely got the movie treatment. For a certain subset of younger readers, bestselling author Sarah Dessen’s books - mostly sweet teen romances about nice kids working out their problems and falling in love in the process, typically set in and around Dessen’s adopted home state of North Carolina - are must-reads.

This lullaby sarah dessen netflix