Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is one of my favorite books of all time and ever since loving Becky Albertalli’s debut, I’ve of course had to read all of her new releases. So, my expectations for Kate in Waiting were very high. I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed and it’s now one of my new favorite YA contemporaries.

One of my highlights was definitely how the backdrop of the story was the musical that most of the characters were in. I was in all of my high school’s musical productions and the way it was described – from the rush as you’re about to find out what part you got to how close you grow with everyone involved – was just perfect. I also loved how this theme was taken literally and we saw Kate step into the spotlight as her character developed and grew.

I would say that Kate in Waiting is more about relationships in general than about romantic feelings and I really enjoyed how Kate’s connection to different people in her life was explored. The main focus is definitely Kate’s relationship with her best friend Anderson and how they try to navigate everything while both of them have feelings for the same guy. But I liked how romance still played a role and that we also got to explore her relationship with her older brother.

With some YA books it’s very obvious that they were written by middle-aged authors but the teens in Kate in Waiting actually read like teens. There were a lot of pop culture references and it just felt very realistic. It made the book relatable and a lot of the lines were also just very funny.

I also really appreciated the diverse cast of characters. Kate, her family and several friends are Jewish and many of the side characters are LGBTQ+ and BIPOC. I liked Kate a lot but all of the side character felt so fleshed out as well and it really felt like I got to know them.

I had such a great time reading this YA contemporary and I highly recommend checking it out. My only small criticism is that I personally didn’t love the pacing in the last third of the book but I think the ending made up for it.

Kate in Waiting will make you laugh out loud and it will warm your heart and it will make you want to call your best friend to tell them that you love them. An entertaining and heartfelt coming-of-age novel about the importance of friendship and having the courage to stand in the spotlight.

I gave Kate in Waiting 4.75 stars.

ALL THE STARS. My favourite Albertalli book to date. I binged 80% of this in a day and before I even finished my e-arc, I’d ordered my own physical copy, because this is the type of book you’ll read over and over again, and it’s a definite comfort read.
This gave me so many feelings. All of the feelings. Every single one. I was a wreck at parts, but also found myself smiling and laughing throughout..
An absolutely beautiful story, with lots of different representation. Such strong friendships, I absolutely adore that this focussed more on the strength of friendship beyond anything else. Every aspect of the book was secondary. It was beautiful. So well written, executed brilliantly.
Kate was such a likeable character. I rooted for her from start to finish and absolutely loved how her story arced.

What a cute, gorgeous read!

Sometimes I crave a book with a sweet plot, not too much drama and a light dusting of romance. This book delivered all that plus some wonderful character development !

I received a copy of Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli for free in exchange for an honest review as part of a bookstagram tour for Pride Book Tours. Thank you so much to Pride Book Tours, Penguin Platform and Becky Albertalli for having me on the tour! This review is also available on my blog - Book, Blog & Candle.

I absolutely adored Simon Vs. The Homosapien's Agenda by Becky Albertalli so I jumped at the chance of being able to read Kate in Waiting! I don't think I've ever replied to an email so quickly before! I am so grateful and can't thank Pride Book Tours, Penguin Platform and Becky Albertalli enough for this amazing opportunity! Plus, I also have to take a minute to appreciate this gorgeous cover - look at how PRETTY it is!

Our main characters are Kate & Anderson, they are the best of friends who do absolutely everything together! When the boy from camp, who they both have a massive crush on, happens to move to their school can their friendship survive their crush?

I really enjoyed all of the characters, they were so fun to read and the friendship between Kate & Anderson was so special. I really liked having the story from Kate's perspective and you could feel all of the fun, joy and heartbreak throughout. The theatre element was so much fun and mini confession time...I was a little bit of a theatre kid in school! I can't sing, act or dance but I loved the atmosphere of being part of the school plays and I was part of a small production at a local theatre once but I need to keep some embarrassing stories to myself!

Becky Albertalli's writing is absolutely brilliant as usual and I really like the short chapters as well because it is so easy to say 'just one more chapter' and then the next thing you know it's 3am! The story flowed so nicely I didn't want to put it down and the pace was perfect for me!

In case you couldn't tell I absolutely loved Kate in Waiting! It was such an amazing and cute story of friendship, new love and trying new things.

Thank you so much Pride Book Tours, Penguin Platform and Becky Albertalli for my advanced copy!

Was it a page-turner? Definitely! I read this book in a couple of sittings as I just couldn’t stop. I don’t read a lot of YA fiction so I must admit that I had to push myself forward through the first few chapters. However, once I got emotionally involved – and that happened fairly soon – I was in for the long haul!

Did the book meet my expectations? I was drawn to the queerness of the book and – of course – by the reputation of the author so I did expect this to be good. In that sense, my expectations were met. On another level, my expectations were surpassed as I wasn't ready for such an emotional roller coaster. I did predict how it would end pretty early on but that didn't spoil my reading experience as the journey was one to savour.

Three words to describe it. Refreshing. Cute. Diverse.

Do I like the cover? It is a good fit for the book as it looks like a poster for a musical but I don’t love it.

Have I read any other books by the same author? No, and I don’t know why. I have no excuses so I will just leave you here and go make amends!

The Characters:
There was a great cast of characters in this book. Kate was a really good main character, I loved her friendships with the other characters. She was an interesting character to follow and I enjoyed learning more about her throughout the book. Anderson, Kate's best friend, was also a brilliant character. He was an excellent best friend and I loved his and Kate's dynamics. Their relationship developed so much throughout this book and I really enjoyed reading it. Kate's brother, Ryan, was a lovely character and I really wish we had seen more of him. I enjoyed his relationship with Kate and how honest he was with her. He was a brilliant older brother character! Noah, Ryan's friend, was another great character. I loved seeing him throughout this book, as he was a fun character to read about. Again, I wish we had seen more of Noah! Matt, the 'communal crush' of both Kate and Anderson from the beginning of the book, was a really lovely character. He was so nice and I loved reading about him and his story. Raina and Brandie, the other half of Anderson and Kate's friendship group, were excellent characters. I loved their dynamic amongst themselves and with the others, but I wish we had seen more of them separately. They were great to read about, as were the majority of the characters in this book - can you tell I enjoyed this one?

The Story:
Although I guessed a few plot points whilst reading this book, I really enjoyed it. It was a fun, quick read for me that had me smiling throughout. I loved the short chapters, or scenes, in this book as it kept me engaged and made me want to keep reading. The pacing of this book was excellent, with everything leading up to the most anticipated event of the year - the school musical. I even found myself searching for the musical soundtrack online to hear what some of the songs sounded like. The only gripe I had with this book was the amount of times the characters referred to 'f-boys' in the book as I found it got quite annoying and repetitive.

Overall Thoughts:
Overall I really enjoyed this book and ended up rating it 4 stars. I wish we had had more from these characters because I really enjoyed spending time with them and reading about their lives. I think this would be a perfect summer read for anyone who is looking for a quick, fun read that will make you smile multiple times.

I was really pleased to get my hands on a copy of Kate In Waiting. I picked up Simon Vs. the homo-sapiens agenda a few years ago after hearing some buzz around it and it was one of those books for me that comes along quietly and blows you away with how much you enjoy it. I’ve not had chance to pick anything else by Becky Albertelli up yet (though Leah on the Off Beat has been languishing on Mount TBR for a while) so was looking forward to doing so with this one!

Kate and Anderson are best friends. They share everything, a love for theatre, a close group of friends and…..their crushes. Mostly from afar, mostly unrequited, until Matt comes along. At first, he is just the latest shared crush from theatre camp. But then he turns up in their hometown, having moved there after his parents’ divorce. Now things are getting real, Kate is really falling for Matt, but so is Anderson and she needs to try and juggle her feelings for Matt and the feelings of her best friend, all whilst dealing with the preparation for the latest school play, the imminent departure of her brother for college and the increasing presence in her life of jock and F-boy Noah.

Albertelli brings the same charm, humour and warmth to this book that I remembered from Simon. KIW was a really enjoyable read and whilst I am long past the ages of these characters (LONG past), it was still fun to follow along with their dramas and dilemmas. I loved the theatre nerdiness of it and the re-naming of the chapters as “scenes”.

One sign of a good read for me is how often I’m saving notes or screenshotting bits of the book that have made me chuckle or really resounded with me. There was a great interaction with Kate’s mum when Ryan was coming over to read lines that made me chuckle:

“I have no idea where Mom got the impression that I’m capable of sealing any kind of deal. There’s honestly no need to cockblock me. I myself am the cockblock.”

And honorouble mention for speaking the TRUTH about the greatness that is Tangled (in this house, its better than Frozen, don’t disagree with me) and including the best description of Flynn Rider ever:

“Plus, there’s Flynn Rider – the animated floppy-haired wiseass scoundrel boy of my dreams.”

The strongest theme in the book is that of friendship, mainly between Kate and Anderson, but also between the others in their group, and to some extent, the rekindling of a friendship between Kate and her brother Ryan after years of drifting apart. The start of the book knowingly acknowledges the existence of the familiar trope of high-school tribe like groups but by the end, those lines have blurred and friendships and more are formed between those groups. Its good to see a focus on friendship in YA fiction alongside the rom-com elements. The book is dedicated to Adam Silvera, another popular who Albertelli has co-written with and I saw in an interview that she said that parts of the relationship between Kate and Anderson mimic that of her and Silvera.

Overall, a lovely, positive and inclusive story that is just what is needed after what has been and still is a difficult time for many. Now where’s my copy of Leah on the Off Beat…..

As a huge fan of Becky Albertalli (and also of the theatre) I was so excited for her newest release and it did not disappoint! This book was so much fun, from the structure of it and the story itself. I loved Kate so much as a main character, and I was so invested in the lives of these characters. Becky has a way of bringing them to life in such a specific way, their stories stay with you long after you’ve read the final page.

Headlines:
Sweet, fun and musical
Friendships colliding and together
School crushes

This was an easy, fun and light read from Becky Albertalli. Kate In Waiting was uplifting with strong themes of friendship; I mean we're not surprised about that, are we? Musical theatre fans will gush towards this book because it's framed around a high school drama/musical theatre group. While I'm not a groupie of that kind of entertainment, I still enjoyed the backdrop and got on board with the ride.

This read was all about the bonds within the group, but friendships were tested as crushes grew. It was funny throughout with mild tension at times and it brought a welcome light-vibe to my week. Becky Albertalli has a skill of getting you involved in friendships groups and she can make you connect with more than the MC; I did in this.

While this wasn't my Albertalli favourite it was fun and easy to sink into.

Thank you to Penguin for the early review copy.

Thank you to The Write Reads and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for a review as part of the blog tour.

I watched Love, Simon a bunch of times already and I know I’ll watch it a few times more. But that was all I knew from Becky Albertalli. Now, movies don’t always reflect the book, but that was what I was expecting. And it was pretty spot on.

Kate in Waiting is a page-turner, with Kate and Andy at the centre. Their friends, Raina and Brandie, hang around like moons, and meteor Matt strikes the planet of Kate and Andy. It shakes them both to the core, so much that their friendship might be over?! That’s what you get from crushing on the same boy as your best friend.

The characters are adorable, each one of them clearly their own person, no matter how small their part is. The plot is fairly predictable but that’s okay. I fully expected this to be a tropey romance. The only thing that threw me off a little was the dialogue. There was too much fluff. The dialogue is a bit too real in some instances, bordering on the annoying side. Especially this one character who has trouble keeping his mouth shut. He jumps around from one thing to the other without blinking or catching his breath. I get that it was a point, but it still annoyed me a little.

Still, this doesn’t take away much from the overall story. It’s fast-paced and skips over all the boring stuff. Sometimes I wish I could read a little more about what happened, but that’s okay.

I give Kate in Waiting four stars. I really enjoyed it, and I’ll be sure to watch the movie if/when it comes out. Overall it’s exactly what you’d expect from a contemporary romance. A cute story about a girl and boy. And another boy. And maybe another.

I can't even say how much I loved this book, I could not stop reading it, Kate and Andy were adorable, I loved their friendship and I wished I had one like them in highschool. I fell in love with Matt and Noah too, all of them were amazing.

2.5

With a big focus on platonic love, I know lots of Albertalli fans will really enjoy this book!

Now, I've never read a Becky Albertalli novel. And you must be thinking, why? As someone who reads and reviews lots of LGBTQIA+ books I knew I needed to at least read something from this author if nothing else. I know lots of people will absolutely love this book if they've enjoyed books from this author in the past, but I've got very meh opinions on it.

As I do with my ARC or free review copies, I'm going to write this review in a list.

THINGS I LIKED
-The big focus on platonic love - I always love it when books explore the idea of friendship, and I think this was the best part about this book.
-Anderson, just as a character - I think that's all I need to say really.

THINGS I APPRECIATED
-The pop culture references are decent - While this is not something I "liked" about this book, I appreciate that this book wasn't littered with Harry Potter references like I've heard some of this author's other books are.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
-The writing style - Although I know that not all books need to have very flowery writing in order to tell a really good story, with YA contemporary novels especially as I don't tend to enjoy them, a good writing style helps me to like a book that I'd otherwise not like as much. The writing is not horrible, it's just quite bland.
-The constant referencing of f-boys - This was fine at first, but it started to get irritating and frustrating after you could barely go a page without finding "f-boy" written on it.
-Besides Anderson, none of the characters were particularly memorable for me - Also, Kate is just such an annoying person and I didn't care for her at all. When it came to her talking about her crush on Matt, I *really* hoped they didn't get together.

Overall, I didn't despise this book, it was just very meh for me unfortunately.

Oh man, oh man, oh man! This book was EVERYTHING! I had been a little disappointed with some of Becky Albertalli's books in the past, but I definitely found my new favorite. From the great representation—Jewish! Trans! Bi!—to the excellent backdrop of high school theater, I am smitten.

This is ultimately a love story between two best friends. Yes, there is some swoon worthy romance—Noah, anyone?—but in the end, it's the relationship between Andy and Kate that is central to the story. Andy and Kate feel like two genuine best friends in how the act and talk together—half conversations that you can only do with a best friend, finishing each other's sentences, practically living at the other's house. They try to always remember that through everything, their friendship is most important and for a while this works, but when they find themselves in new gray areas, they don't know how to cope. This is such a real experience that teens find themselves in when romantic relationships start to infiltrate friendships and Albertalli does a phenomenal job telling this story, while staying true to her characters and tone of the story.

Really all the relationships are dynamic and genuine. Kate says it best in the book when she refers to the cast of a show is one big dysfunctional family, whether you like them or not. Kate's closeness with her older brother was really authentic—being so close in age while also experiencing something traumatic together like divorce gives them a connection that can never be broken. Kate's discovery of her own romantic relationships is really important too. She thinks she can only like someone if Andy does too, but the feelings she has with Matt are pure infatuation, no true substance. Now, Noah, there is history and an established friendship, plus he pretty much adores her. It may take some time for her to see that, but she gets there in the end.

Kate in Waiting is such a joy and I can't wait for more people to pick it up. As much as I love the Creekwood gang, and the surrounding characters, I'm excited readers are hearing from some new teens, especially this cast of characters. Highly, HIGHLY recommend

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet, easy read. I wasn't taken with any of the characters particularly, and I couldn't relate to the 'theare kids' tropes. I also thought there was too much focus on the play and the technical aspects of putting on a musical at school - I found my mind wandering during those chapters. I liked the modern friendships a lot, and the romance plots were predictable but satisfying.

Thank you to @The_WriteReads, Penguin, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As I’ve mentioned before, young adult contemporary romances aren’t exactly my go-to genre. I have nothing against them, they just aren’t what’s on my mind when I’m looking for a new book to read. That being said, the premise of this one caught my interest so much that I had to sign up for the tour. And it helps that I’ve been wanting to try out Becky Albertalli’s writing to see what I may be missing. FOMO is real in this household. I have to say, I’m glad I gave this a chance!

We’re following the story of two best friends, Kate and Anderson. Kate and Anderson share pretty much everything: their love of musicals, their hatred of fuckboys, and their crushes. These “communal crushes” have always been something that brought them together… until they both develop a crush on the new kid, Matt. Soon, real feelings are involved that might drive these two best friends apart.

Y’all, this was such a fun read! And I will fully admit right now that it’s partly because it’s centered around theater nerds. These were my people when I was in high school and it made the whole experience of reading this feel so nostalgic. I loved the friendships, the code words, and how this had the perfect tone to make me remember my high school days. And all the theater! Give me more musical theater in books pleeeeeease! All the backstage banter and the way Becky Albertalli manages to capture the comradery, the drama, and the work that goes into putting on a performance. It really resonated with me and was probably my favorite aspect of this book.

But we mustn’t forget our two stars, Kate and Anderson. I adore Kate and Anderson so much! They are such well-developed characters, with nuance and depth that makes them come to life. I just wanted to hug both of them throughout this book, but it was also wonderful to be able to watch them grow. I also appreciate that this book focused a lot on their friendship and how tough those can be. Friendship breakups can hurt as much as (if not more than) romantic breakups and I think this book does an excellent job of giving us a taste of that. I also enjoyed how diverse the cast was and really appreciated all the rep that was included. I, of course, can’t speak to the accuracy of all of the representation as there were a lot of marginalized groups with which I don’t identify, so take me saying I thought the rep was well done with a grain of salt! I do appreciate that she never compared Anderson’s (who is Black) skin tone to food, though 😂

My one tiny gripe with this book is the constant and repeated use of the word “fuckboy”. Not because of the word itself. Yes, call them fuckboys out! But the word is almost literally on every page and it was a tad overwhelming, lol. Still, the writing overall was great and kept me engaged throughout. I mean, I read this book in one day and, as a pretty slow reader, that’s saying something!

Final thoughts: This was a fun, quick, and engaging story! The fact that there’s a strong musical theater thread throughout the story certainly upped my enjoyment, as well. I thought our two main characters were fantastically crafted. I connected to them immediately, which made the book that much more captivating. Though the word ‘fuckboy’ in all it’s possible iterations was prevelant throughout, I still thought the writing was great and raced through this one. If you’re a fan of YA contemporaries, musical theater, and a look at the harder sides of friendship, I think you would love Kate In Waiting!

If there's a thing I regret not doing during my school years was being part of a Glee club or theatre club and it was not for lack of desire, but because Spanish schools don't have that kind of thing (I know, it sucks). If my school had had that my time there would have been much more thrilling. A Broadway diva lives inside of me (and pretty often outside too. You can ask my neighbors), so when I read the synopsis of Kate in waiting I knew I had to read it as soon as possible.

This was such a cute and fun read! Obviously I loved the musical theatre aspect and all the references as well as all the representation. There're black, gay, jewish, transgender, disabled characters, but they were not defined by that, it was just another piece of info about them. I hate when an author makes a character all about their sexuality, their race, their religion as if thinking "look how inclusive I am writing a (insert trait of choice) character!"

The story was all about relationships, with the group of friends, between siblings, with your "unrequited" crush... While I liked Kate's interactions with some of her friends, I thought her relationship with her best friend Andy was anything but healthy. Their crush with Matt was a bit overplayed, imo. We don't get enough information about him so it just seems they like him because he's cute and not a f-boy (excessive use of that and fuckboy, btw). Who cares about Matt when there's Noah in the picture? I loved his arc with Kate and would have liked to read more about them.

I'm not usually one for YA but, in this case, the musical theatre backdrop and some charming characters stole my heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children's UK for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever been in love with the same person as one of your friends?

Kate and Alex are dealing with all sorts of drama – on and off stage- at Roswell Hill High School.

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli is set in Roswell, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. The story is fictional but the city is real.

Kate is walking that fine line between standing out and fading into the background. She is a talented singer but one show in the past didn’t go very well and now it’s on YouTube for everyone to see.

A couple of bullies at school put it online along with some cruel comments. Now Kate tries to avoid the bullies as much as possible. The situation is also keeping her from being confident in her singing again.

Kate’s best friend, Andy, also becomes the rival for Coke-Ad Matt’s affection. They usually have crushes on the same people but this is the first time that they have been in a competition to win the same person’s heart.

Andy is the best friend that Kate could have. He supports and encourages her in every way. It definitely puts a strain on their relationship to be in love with Coke-Ad Matt.

With the production of “Once Upon a Mattress” underway, there are more than enough awkward situations between Kate, Andy and Coke-Ad Matt. Oh, the drama.

If you are a theater geek, then you will probably enjoy this book. I am not as familiar with “Once Upon a Mattress” but I hope to fix that problem soon.

I imagine that if you are an f-boy/f-girl, then you might not appreciate this book. You should though. You would be missing out on an awesome book if you kept your blinders on all of the time.

I received this ebook from NetGalley and The Write Reads as part of the “Kate in Waiting” #UltimateBlogTour. All opinions are my own. Obviously.
Amazon affiliate link included in this post.

I didn't know what to expect with this one as it was the first book by Becky Albertalli I read after Simon vs the homosapiens agenda. Surprisingly I really enjoyed this story, and it is now definitely one of my comfort reads.

It felt like a warming love letter to friendship and theatre and the trials and tribulations that come with them. I desperately wish I had books like this when I was in school as it feels like ive been waiting a long time to read this story.

I featured Kate in Waiting on my most anticipated January to June releases list right at the start of the year. The synopsis for this book is so intriguing – two best friends who fall in love with the same guy – and Kate and Anderson’s story definitely lived up to my expectations.

Kate and Anderson both meet Matt at a theatre camp over the summer, and neither of them can believe their eyes when he walks out of their high school drama classroom a couple of weeks later. They promise that they won’t let their growing feelings for him get in the way of their friendship, but when he’s cast as Kate’s love interest in the school musical – and starts texting Anderson to organise private rehearsals – jealousy quickly rears its ugly head.

I’m a huge fan of YA books which spotlight the importance of friendships (Loveless, First Day of My Life) and Kate in Waiting is another stellar example.

‘People are always saying that if they didn’t know Andy was gay, they’d never believe we were just friends.

It’s such bullshit. First of all, we’re best friends.

Second of all, there’s no just. Friendship isn’t a just. Yes, Andy’s gay. No, we’re not a couple. But Anderson Walker is the most important person in my life, hands down.’

The focus of the story is very much on Kate and Anderson’s friendship, and it’s a brilliant one. They’ve been there for each other through everything – through Kate being bullied for her performing, through Anderson coming out – and they are both determined to protect their friendship, even though they both feel as though they’re falling in love.

I thought the slow burn feelings that Kate developed for Matt were very realistic. There’s no insta-love here. She thinks that he’s kind and sweet so her crush develops quite quickly, but as they’re working as co-stars in the intimate setting of the musical it makes a lot of sense.

There’s also no sense of a love triangle. Although Anderson and Kate both have feelings for Matt, he doesn’t develop romantic feelings for both of them. There is no battling for attention or affection (although it would have been interesting if Becky Albertalli had considered exploring a polyamorous relationship with these three, because they all care for each other so intensely!).

I was a bit apprehensive about reading this book because I thought that there were so many ways that it could have gone wrong, but it actually blew me away. I did find it a little bit predictable at points, but I was happy with the way that Becky Albertalli directed the story. It’s definitely a feel good, autumnal romance! I’ll be rereading this one if I feel the need for a comfort read, because not only was it a very quick read but there are also some hilarious moments. Albertalli’s dialogue in particular is a shining aspect of the story: it reads as though it’s been taken straight from a rom-com script, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this book ended up getting adapted to the screen and becoming a runaway success to rival Love, Simon.

Another thing I’d like to quickly mention is the diversity in this story. Raina, one of Kate and Anderson’s best friends, is trans, while Brandie is Latina and Anderson is Black. Kate herself is Jewish, and there are quite a lot of references to different aspects of Jewish culture (such as synagogue and bat mitzvahs). These inclusions make the cast of characters far more memorable, and I would happily read a companion novel. I’d love it if Albertalli decided to follow Kate’s brother Ryan as he decides where he’s going to go to college, or follow Raina and her boyfriend Harold (he is one of the sweetest characters and I just wanted to see more of him!).

Kate in Waiting gets four stars from me!

3.75 🌟

Okay, I have been procrastinating this review for weeks now, but this time I have a decent excuse: I didn't know what rating to give this book. I was torn between 3.5 and 4, but in the end I have decided I would give it 3.75 so I could mark 4 on Goodreads. Because I am emotionally attached to everything Becky Albertalli writes and this is not going to be an objective review at all, much like my rating for Love, Creekwood wasn't.
So, first of all I want to say how much I love the fact that Becky Albertalli basically quoted herself, by making one of her character say that gay people have to like Oreos now. I am not kidding when I tell you I got a bit emotional and shed one or two tears when I read that specific line. I have also highlighted it on my Kindle, which may seem like it's not a big deal but I am usually not an highlight kind of reader. I also deeply enjoyed all the references to musical theatre, even if I am sure I missed a lot of them, since some were very specific.
My favourite thing about Becky Albertalli's books is that her characters feel very real, and this wasn't an exception. While I read any of Becky's books I can tell the characters are teenagers and they feel so authentic we could be friends in real life. Which leads me to another point, Becky's characters are so lovable. Even if they sometimes make you want to throw something at them, you can't help but fall in love with them and their stories and their struggles. Or at least, that's how I have felt every time I have read one of her books. I love the diversity she adds in her books and I especially love that she always puts a bit of herself in her characters and doesn't try to hide it.
Kate and Anderson were such lovely characters to read about, even if I couldn't relate to their kind of friendship. I have close friends, but my relationship with them is very different. My favourite characters have to be Kate, Noah and Ryan -- Kate's brother. Their sibling relationship was what I found most relatable in this, because they love each other very deeply, but they aren't "overly attached" (I don't know how else to put it), and I am like this with my brother, even if I am the older sibling and Kate's the younger one.
My only complaint about this book is that the plot felt a bit static at some points, but seeing as this is more of a character driven book I am not even mad about it. The parts about the musical rehearsal were my favourites, and I have also learned many things. Before COVID, I had started taking theatre classes and I miss the feeling they gave me, so reading about these characters putting up a play was such a lovely experience.
As I mentioned, I loved Noah so much and I would have totally fallen for him if I'd known him in high school, he is just so cute and I can't believe I am saying nice words about a teenage boy. Who have I become? That's the Becky Albertalli effect for you, folks. I swear to God she has some kind of magical powers, because I always fall in love with her characters, especially if they are like Noah. Please, never stop writing them, thank you.
Obviously, I loved the writing style. By now, Becky Albertalli is a certainty. Before starting one of her books, I always know that I will always like at least her writing style. I mean, I haven't disliked any of her books so far in general and she definitely is an autobuy author for me, but you get what I mean.
I would totally recommend this book to any contemporary lover out there and please tell me if Noah isn't a cinnamon sweetheart-- I mean cinnamon roll (that's me quoting Noah FYI). Thank you so much for the publisher for granting me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, even if by the time I am uploading this review the book will already be out.