The Scott Fenwick Diaries: A Novel by Kristin Nilsen

The Scott Fenwick Diaries a Novel by Kristin Nilsen
Publisher:  SparkPress
Format Read:  Paperback ARC
Number of pages:   258 pages
Published:   July 22nd, 2025
Source:  Media Masters Publicity

Opening Line: "I hold the note in my hand and look over at Scott Fenwick, not with my head but with my eyes only."

The Scott Fenwick Diaries serves as a sequel to The Worldwide Crush, but both books can be read as standalones.

Millie has finally decided to move on from her celebrity crush and focus on her real-life crush, Scott Fenwick.  They've shared lots of angsty moments of passing notes, exchanging glances across the classroom, and the occasional shared wave.  Millie suspects Scott likes her too but is too shy to make the first move.  Feeling uncertain about the rules of dating or how to truly connect with a crush, she pours all her thoughts and details about her encounters with Scott into her diary.

At home, Millie's life is even more chaotic since her grandmother Cheryl moved in temporarily while her place is being renovated.  Adding to the mix is her great-grandmother Phyllis, who often requests trips to Target from Millie and her mom, a task that's not as easy as it sounds.  At least at school, Millie can always count on her best friend, Shauna to consult her magic 8 ball to answer Millie's questions about Scott. Even Tibbs, Scott's next-door neighbor offers to help Millie to get closer to him by inviting her to ride with them to Hebrew school.  In the end, Millie gets an invitation to Scott's Bar Mitzvah and hopes she can finally summon the courage to share her feelings with him, and most importantly, figure out if he feels the same way.  But when the pivotal moment finally arrives on the dance floor, Millie panics and pulls away from him.  Will Scott feel like she rejected him? And what should she do now?

The Scott Fenwicks Diaries is filled with the angsty teenage feelings of one's first crush, the fear and doubt of whether they feel the same way, and all the flutters and butterflies when your eyes suddenly lock across the classroom.  Millie experiences it all in a big fashion.  While I can't relate to her obsession over Scott, her feelings toward her first crush are really relatable and come off realistically.  First crushes are awkward; they bring out our insecurities, cause us to second guess everything we think, even lead to that confusing feeling of does he like me or not?  Millie's difficulty in putting trust in someone else with her feelings is a feeling that most people have experienced at some point in their life.  I'm sure that the story will resonate with readers who are starting to date.    There are so many little sweet moments that Millie and Scott share, with my favorite being when Scott draws a heart on Millie's shoe.  

I loved reading Millie's diary, especially her adorable acrostic poems.  While there wasn't much drama, the humor and some embarrassing moments kept the story lighthearted and engaging.  I also appreciated how Millie became a better friend, learning to listen to Shauna more, as her fixation on Scott caused her to overlook important things happening in Shauna's life. I'd recommend this to readers who enjoyed The Kissing Booth, To All the Boys I've Loved Before and readers looking for a really sweet tween romance story.  

A huge thank you to Media Masters Publicity for the Paperback ARC 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

Kristin Nilsen is a children's author and librarian with an encyclopedic knowledge of all things 70s and 80s.

 

She is the author of Worldwide Crush, a middle grade novel inspired by her own childhood crush on Shaun Cassidy. She also co-hosts The Pop Culture Preservation Society, a weekly podcast celebrating the cultural nuggets of the classic Gen X childhood. Kristin lives in Minneapolis with her Gen X husband, her Gen Z son, and their rock and roll goldendoodle, Axl Rose Nilsen. The Scott Fenwick Diaries is the sequel to Worldwide Crush and Nilsen’s second middle grade novel.