Anatomy of a Single Girl by Daria Snadowsky

Summary:
With Judy Blume-like honesty and insight, this sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend is about life after first love--romance, sex, friendship, family, and the ups and downs of life as a single girl.

After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered.

But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.

In Daria Snadowsky’s daring follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Dominique explores the relationship between love and lust, and the friendships that see us through. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I feel like I've come full circle after reading this book. When I was just beginning book blogging, Daria Snadowsky was one of the first authors to offer me a review copy, which was Anatomy of a Boyfriend. Now she offered me a copy of the sequel, Anatomy of a Single Girl, which I loved!

I really enjoyed the first novel, as it detailed Dominique's first experiences with a boyfriend and with falling in love. Many girls could relate to her confusion, heart ache, and butterflies as her relationship blossoms but eventually withers. It was so honest, even going over things like hooking up and sex. In Anatomy of a Single Girl, we get that same candor and honesty but it takes place after Dominique has finished her first year of college. She starts dating a guy, but it's definitely not the same relationship as the one she had with her first boyfriend.

I felt like I could relate to Dominique: she's still unsure around guys, she misses her best friend while said friend gallivants with her boyfriend, is serious about school but still wants to have fun. There were some parts, particularly when Dominique is around her new guy, where she becomes extremely irrational. It reminded me of the stereotype that women are "crazy" and "illogical" especially when it comes to relationships. That definitely rubbed me the wrong way and I even Anatomy of a Single Girl.
wanted to throw my book at the things Dominique would say and do. Luckily, she came around most of the time and those parts were the only things I disliked about

This book will really suck you in - I seriously couldn't put it down. Daria Snadowsky gave Dominique a great voice and I obviously wanted to know what would happen next between her and Guy. I enjoyed the character of Guy. He's smart, funny and he and Dominique have great chemistry.

In the end, I think that Anatomy of a Single Girl was an interesting and candid look at relationships. I'm so glad I got to revisit this world after about 5 years! I hope Daria Snadowsky keeps writing about Dominique because I would gladly read more books.

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: sent copy by the author.

2013/Delacorte Books/227 pages.