Liked


Fiction - Social Issues
386 Pages
Reviewed on 08/25/2026
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Bryone Peters for Readers' Favorite

Liked by Jessa White is about the existential issues that may arise in the lives of youth and people in general. Jersey is a typical teenage girl having to navigate high school issues like depression. It takes courage to be true to oneself in a world where so much value is unfortunately placed on things like status, beauty, and popularity. She struggles to find inner peace at a trying time. Her father’s company happens to be in the business of managing influencers. When Jersey encounters a popular influencer, she unashamedly insults her. Later, to everyone’s surprise, Jersey becomes popular too, but for different reasons. Jersey’s content is a far cry from the normal influencer content. Jersey’s content is intelligent, direct, and challenges the world in an audaciously honest way.

Liked by Jessa White is an engrossing story filled with poignant moments. White takes the issue of depression and lays it bare. The story shows the pain a teenage girl is experiencing and the lack of support. White cleverly explores depression and exposes its many layers. The author shows how these entwined layers may lead to sadness, isolation, and feelings of frustration. White successfully provides a therapeutic sounding board in the form of Steve, who is nearing retirement at Jersey’s father’s company. He, too, is experiencing difficulties. Jersey helps him, and he helps her by showing kindness and empathy. Their realistic conversations are therapeutic. Readers can learn effective ways of communicating about difficult issues. I thought the way White wrote Jersey’s thoughts was excellent.

Makeda Cummings

Liked by Jessa White tells the story of Jersey, a teen struggling to feel seen; Steve, a seasoned talent agent facing change; and Sherman, a CEO and father navigating his work and family. Jersey experiences isolation, depression, and pressure to meet societal expectations, and her quiet acts of rebellion reveal her internal conflict. Steve struggles to keep his footing in a world that measures value by followers and likes, while Sherman works hard to stay close to his daughter despite being worn down by work. Their experiences open the story to exploring identity, the pull of social media, and generational misunderstandings. Shifting perspectives let readers feel each character’s battles with loneliness, identity, and belonging. In the end, can Jersey ever feel seen and appreciated in a world that treats popularity as a measure of worth?

Jessa White’s Liked candidly explores issues like honesty, mental health, and the gap between how people present themselves online and who they really are. White writes in a down-to-earth way that makes it easy to feel what each character is going through. Jersey’s shift from being overlooked to finally feeling seen comes across as very real. Also, the introspective moments with Steve and Sherman deepen the story a lot. The novel invites readers to pause and reflect on where we look for validation, how social media shapes confidence, and what it takes to connect with others. It also shows how family roles, insecurities, and outside pressures shape who we become. With a narrative that keeps you hooked, this is a book anyone will enjoy—whether you’re reading just for fun or thinking about family, generations, and life online. I really enjoyed experiencing the story through these characters and seeing their perspectives come alive. Highly recommended.

Jennifer Senick

Have you ever felt like no one really sees you, and that you’re slowly fading into the background? That is what the main character in Liked by Jessa White always feels like. Jersey is a seventeen-year-old girl growing up in Los Angeles, surrounded by wealth, social media, and constant pressure to plan a future she doesn’t believe in. She struggles with mental health, isolation, and feeling overlooked at home and at school. Her story coincides with that of Steve, an older, longtime talent agent also living in Los Angeles. He’s wrestling with how much the industry has and continues to change. He doesn’t understand how people are so driven by viral or online fame rather than experience or even instinct. As Jersey and Steve live their separate lives, they begin to feel emotionally drained and increasingly invisible to the same person, unbeknownst to them. How have identity, success, and self-worth become so entangled in the superficial world they live in? Will they be able to get past or change their negative emotions?

Liked by Jessa White is a complicated but intriguing read. The story is honest and grounded from start to finish. I appreciated the straightforward writing. The alternating points of view add an extra layer. Jersey’s voice felt raw and often deeply sad. Steve’s adult perspective highlighted aging, regret, and staying relevant in a thoughtful way. I related to both of them in different ways. I found it easy to empathize with her sadness and to connect with his strong need to matter. The examination of social media was interesting because it didn’t judge it as positive or negative. Readers who enjoy contemporary fiction that explores mental health, influencer culture, and generational disconnects will like this book. It’s a human story that trusts the audience to deal with a feeling of being uncomfortable rather than rushing to the moments that make everything seem rosy.

David Jaggart

Jessa White's Liked revolves around Jersey Mau, a seventeen-year-old trying to make sense of her life while feeling mostly unseen. At home, her father, Sherman, is more focused on chasing online fame than noticing what his daughter is going through. At school, Jersey feels disconnected, going through the motions without much belief that it matters. She finds small comfort in music, private routines, and moments that show how lonely and unsure she feels inside. The story brings Steve Shirley into focus, a once-connected talent agent scrambling to keep up in a world obsessed with likes instead of substance and character. Veronica Meyers, the confident influencer Jersey admires, shows a glossy life that shines online but feels far away. Through it all, Jersey is left wondering if she will ever uncover her true self.

Jessa White's Liked is a compelling read that explores how social media impacts self-image, emotional health, and the ties that hold families together. Jersey, Steve, Sherman, and Veronica each face their own fears and expectations, and the story explores how those struggles cross paths and affect one another. Veronica’s character is especially effective in showing how polished online personalities can hide emotional truth. Moving between home, school, and digital spaces, the story does a great job of highlighting the way adults and teens see the world very differently, as well as the confusion of growing up online. If you're interested in books on modern family life, teen mental health, and the cost of constant performance, you'll find this story relatable. I especially recommend it to teens and parents of teenage children. Fascinating book, overall!

Pikasho Deka

Liked by Jessa White follows three people struggling to navigate their lives in the modern digital age. Jersey Mau is a seventeen-year-old suffering from deep anxiety and depression. Her father's company has recently let go of its veteran talent agent, Steve Shirley. When Jersey talks about her struggles with depression on social media, the clip goes viral. She initially protests Steve's insistence to capitalize on her popularity. Meanwhile, millennial TikTok star Veronica Meyers has become increasingly disillusioned with her fake online persona. With online bullies taking a toll on her mental health, Jersey's rise as an influencer soon throws her personal life into a downward spiral. She also has a fight with her best friend, Lyla. Can Jersey get her life back on track?

Liked showcases the dark side of social media popularity and how loneliness and depression affect the lives of many in this modern, fast-paced world. Jessa White has done a wonderful job of depicting three people at very different phases of their lives whose stories intersect in unexpected ways. I was most impressed with the characters in this book. They are very well-realized and have distinct personalities. But they face some similar problems, and the narrative focuses on how they navigate these issues. I found the mentor/prodigy dynamic between Jersey and Steve very interesting. Even the relationships with secondary characters, such as Jersey and Lyla, or Veronica and Sherman, have depth. It makes you all the more invested in their story arcs. Overall, it's a brilliant and very relevant novel. If you enjoy slice-of-life stories, you will definitely enjoy it.