Love in 280 Characters or Less
Ravynn K. Stringfield
Feiwel & Friends
Published April 15, 2025
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About Love in 280 Characters or Less
Black college student Sydney Ciara navigates academics, love, and the online realm, in this Young Adult coming-of-age romance told through her blog posts, messages, social media posts, and more!
Sydney Ciara Warren is excited as she starts her first year of college, but also nervous. Her best friend Malcolm will be at a different university, so she’ll have to make new friends. And despite her interests in writing and fashion, she has no idea what path will ultimately be right for her—though they probably don’t involve law school, regardless of her parents’ wishes.
As Sydney Ciara tries to figure out her place on campus and in the world, she finds solace in blogging about her life, putting together outfits with meaning, and spending time on Twitter. It’s within the digital space that she connects with someone who goes by YoungPrinceX. She may not know “X” in real life, but that doesn’t stop her from developing a crush on him. Except things get complicated, as she also navigates her first romantic relationship with a sweet boy on campus named Xavier (who maybe could be X?).
Can Sydney Ciara not only make it through her first semester, but thrive in real life, as much as she seems to be thriving online?
Told through blog posts, tweets, messages, emails, and more, here is a love letter to Twitter, to Black girls who think they won’t get chosen, and to those who take too long finding the perfect words.
My Review
I love the way the author used the format of this book. The narrative is made up of her public and private blog posts. It includes both posts shared publicly and ones that are more like diary entries. There are also text messages and direct messages on Twitter. Lastly, there are public social media posts and other accounts interacting with them.
At first, I thought it might be confusing to show both direct messages via social media and text messages, and there were a couple of times I got things mixed up. On the whole, though, it was pretty easy to keep things straight. It was interesting to consider the things she chose to share publicly versus those she kept private.
I love Syd’s voice in her blog posts, and how they showcase her growth as a writer and her increasing self-confidence. The romance arc is really nicely done as well. The relationships feel authentic and believable, and I was ultimately happy with Syd’s choices and her reasons for those decisions.
Aspiring writers will love cheering for Syd through the story, and romance fans looking for a sweet story will love this one.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 16 up. (Since the story takes place during the first semester of college, I think it’ll appeal most to readers closer to high school graduation.)
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Brief use of strong profanity.
Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.
Spiritual Content
References to God ordering one’s steps and taking care of loved ones.
Violent Content
References to a car accident. A person close to Syd is critically injured.
Drug Content
References to drinking alcohol. Syd drinks alcohol at a party and regrets it the next day.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.