Infatuation Versus Genuine Love in She Gets the Girl
The Thematic Claim: Love Requires Being Known, Not Just Admired from Afar
In She Gets the Girl, Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick draw a sharp line between infatuation—an attachment built on observation, fantasy, and what a person represents—and genuine love, which emerges only when two people allow themselves to be truly seen. The novel argues that authentic connection cannot survive on admiration alone; it demands vulnerability, honesty, and the willingness to know another person's flaws and fears. Through the parallel arcs of Alex Blackwood and Molly Parker, the story shows that infatuation feels powerful precisely because it is untested, while real love requires the courage to be known—and to risk rejection.
Infatuation as Observation: Molly and Cora
Molly's feelings for Cora Myers begin long before the two ever speak. Since ninth grade, Molly has admired Cora from a distance, tracking her through social media and imagining what it would be like to be part of her world. This is infatuation in its purest form: Molly loves an idea of Cora, not the person herself. She has never had a real conversation with Cora, never seen her frustrated or tired or uncertain. The crush is built entirely on curated glimpses—a tweet about heading to Pitt, a carefully presented public persona.
When Molly finally gets the chance to spend time with Cora at college, the fantasy begins to crack. At the art gala in Chapter 36, Molly makes a joke about a painting that looks like butt cheeks, and Cora doesn't laugh. It's a small moment, but it reveals something important: the real Cora is not the endlessly approving, effortlessly cool figure Molly imagined. Cora is serious, focused, and not particularly amused by Molly's humor. The gap between the imagined Cora and the actual Cora widens.
When Cora confesses her feelings at the gala, Molly realizes she doesn't feel the same way. She tells Cora she only wants to be friends. This is a crucial turning point because Molly has spent four years dreaming of exactly this moment—and when it arrives, she discovers that the dream was never about Cora at all. It was about what Cora represented: popularity, confidence, a life that seemed out of reach for someone with Molly's social anxiety. As Molly reflects in Chapter 34, she has everything she's been dreaming about, yet it feels like she is settling. The infatuation was a projection, not a connection.
Infatuation as Performance: Alex and Natalie
Alex's relationship with Natalie Ramirez follows a different but equally revealing pattern. From the opening chapter, Alex watches Natalie perform on stage, captivated by her presence. The attraction is immediate and intense, but it is rooted in what Natalie represents—the cool musician, the confident artist, the person who seems to have her life together. Alex is drawn to the performance, not the person behind it.
The cracks in this foundation appear almost immediately. When Natalie says