⭐ The Blind Date Agreement by Jessica Cunsolo - Quick Overview
- Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
- Themes: friendship, first love, insecurities, blind dating, loyalty, self-discovery, getting over romantic crushes, peer pressure, emotional growth
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Recommended for fans of: Better Than the Movies, The Distance Between Us, Rule #2: You Can’t Crush on Your Sworn Enemy
Summary of The Blind Date Agreement
Carina is single and genuinely fine with it, staying busy with school, her bakery job, and her art, while her best friends are all in relationships. With prom coming up, Kalani sets her up on a series of blind dates even though Carina doesn’t really want them. The dates are a disaster—until she meets Jay, who challenges her in unexpected ways. Carina is then forced to navigate complicated feelings between friendship, romance, and what kind of love truly matters most to her.
💭 My Thoughts of The Blind Date Agreement
This is a fun, romantic read with a good dose of drama and a hint of emotional growth. It feels like a light, feel-good high school rom-com, with Carina stuck as the fifth wheel between her two best friends (Kalani and Emi) and their dates. To make matters worse, she’s crushing on Emmet—one of her best friend’s boyfriend—and will do everything she can to hide it, including going on blind dates.
💖 The Disastrous Blind Dates
With prom around the corner, Kalani refuses to let Carina attend dateless—or worse, ruin the night by worrying about her fifth-wheeling best friend. That’s why she sets her up on three different blind dates. Each. One. Worse. Than. The. Previous. One.
As much as Carina tries to keep an open mind and push all romantic thoughts of Emmet aside, the dates definitely don’t go well. In classic rom-com style, her misadventures in the dating world are full of laugh-out-loud moments.
Due to a series of misunderstandings, when Carina shows up to her first date and finds her nemesis, she wishes the floor would open up and swallow her whole. Jay is not only the handsomest boy she’s ever seen, but also unexpectedly annoying, abrasive, and self-assured. He has also figured out her secret—and since the only thing they agree on is how irritating they find each other, Carina is terrified he’ll tell Kalani the truth.
Even though the date ends abruptly before they even order appetizers, Carina and Jay keep running into each other. And surprisingly, Jay becomes the one person who offers her comfort—or an escape—during the following dates. In an unexpected turn of events, he gives Carina a refreshing perspective on life, telling her not necessarily what she wants to hear, but what she needs to hear, especially when the truths and confrontations are hard to digest.
❤️ What I Loved the Most
- Enemies to lovers trope
- Slow-burn romance
- Emi’s animal code phrases, playlist and fashion style
- Jay being the polar opposite of Carina’s crush, Emmet
- Jay challenging Carina to speak her mind and be honest
- Jay inspiring Carina to live up to her potential
💔 What Didn’t Work for Me
I have one word.
Kalani.
I found it hard to like her from the very first chapters, and as the story progressed, she became increasingly self-centered, hurtful, toxic, and… well, annoying. However, she is one of the main characters and is essential both to the plot and to Carina’s journey into adulthood. At the end of the day, this isn’t just a story about a girl falling for a boy, but also about a friendship breaking apart—childhood best friends growing in different directions. It’s heartbreaking, but incredibly real. I also found it refreshing that the author made this a central theme, perfectly balancing the romance with the heartache of growing up and drifting away from those who were once the center of your universe.
✨ Favorite Quotes from The Blind Date Agreement
✨“You’re not just annoying. You’re annoyingly unforgettable. Which is so much worse.”
✨“Apparently, I’ve got a thing for pretty girls who annoy the hell out of me and still manage to live rent-free in my head.”
✨“Is your possum hairy?”
✨“Maybe your abrasiveness is infectious.”
✨“You drive me crazy, Princess, you know that?” Jay breathes against my lips. “Since the first moment I spotted you, I knew you’d be trouble. You got under my skin and stayed there.”
✨“You don’t owe your friendship to anyone, and sometimes it’s best to let people go rather than force yourself to give your time and energy to people who no longer connect with you.”
🌍 Vibes / Tropes of The Blind Date Agreement
- 💕 Enemies to lovers
- 🔥 Banter & tension-filled chemistry
- 💖 Slow burn romance
- 🏫 High school setting
- 🎭 Peer pressure and identity
- 👯♀️ Friendship, loyalty & conflict
📚 Books Similar to The Blind Date Agreement
- 📚The Distance Between Us by Kasie West (witty banter, rich boy vs working girl tension, strong “I don’t trust you” vibes, emotional resistance)
- 📚Rule #2: You Can’t Crush on Your Sworn Enemy by Anne-Marie Meyer (sworn enemies, high school drama, growing trust, slow burn)
- 📚Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter (high school setting, enemies to lovers, love triangle with “childhood crush” vs “new guy” energy)
🎯 Final Verdict on The Blind Date Agreement
The Blind Date Agreement is a cute YA Contemporary Romance that’s perfect for readers looking for a light, feel-good read. Packed with sizzling chemistry, slow-burn scenes, and witty (and sometimes not-so-witty) banter between the FMC and the MMC, it also promises a good dose of high-school drama alongside heartful moments of self-discovery and growing up.
💬 Reader Question
Have you read The Blind Date Agreement or any other books by Jessica Cunsolo? What did you think? Would you recommend it?
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About Me
📍Dumbo - New York
I'm Zøe!
I write heartfelt, character-driven fiction featuring resilient teenage heroines navigating personal challenges and striving to become their best selves. Beyond my novels, I love storytelling in all its forms. On this blog, I share narrative-rich travel pieces, offering glimpses into my favorite places, hidden corners, and unforgettable encounters around the globe.
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