Loved it! Becky Albertalli conveys the angst of first love so accurately that it's almost painful. Theatre geeks, f-boys, and communal crushing aplenty in this novel which had me rooting for all the characters from the off. More books that examine functioning social anxiety, please!

I LOVE BECKY ALBERTALLI!

It’s no secret that I adored Simon Vs The Homosapiens Agenda so I was so excited to read this one.

It combines my love of YA novels and theatre and honestly my heart could burst!

Even though I could predict where it was going, I loved this book so much, it was so comforting.

Becky writes such great representation into her books as well I would recommend to anyone who likes YA romances!

I flew through this in a day :) definitely worth the read IMO

(Review will be posted on my bookstagram on release date (22/04/21))

Kate’s biggest dream is to work as an actress. However, her shy personality doesn’t allow her to exploit her talents. She always gets a small part in the play, and keeps dreaming about the leading part. This year brings new changes to her life. Firstly, a boy from her camp moves into her city and joins her theater circle. Secondly, she gets a big part in a play with a boy she has a major crush on.

The problem is that she’s not the only person who slowly falls in love with Matt. Her best friend Anderson cannot keep his eyes away from him. Kate and Anderson were always having crushes on the same people. They shared everything in their friendship. However, this is the first time that emotions are involved and it makes it harder for them to keep their friendship without jealousy involved. As much as they try, it pushes them further away from each other.

Review

This book is a light, and fast read for the busy days. The book tells a story of a shy girl that dreams big and lives in a shadow of her best friend Anderson. Part of her personality is being his friend, which is kind of sad. However, when a boy they both like comes to their life, she is ready to take her chance with her even if she feels that it will destroy their friendship. Maybe I’m just a kind of person that always cared more about friends than boys I barely knew.

I think I’m getting a little bit too old for this kind of book. I still partly enjoy reading it, however, there are some parts that are very annoying for me. Especially the childish behavior, and hiding things that aren’t that serious. I liked Kate’s musical personality. I feel that she is a very talented person, however, her shyness and humbleness drugs her down anytime she is supposed to show it. I felt so proud of her when she finally got a bigger role in the play. I could see that she finally gets closer to making her dream come true. I also liked the fact that the author kept it realistic and didn’t give her a leading role. It was actually something I thought would happen. I was nicely surprised.

I think my favorite character in this book was Kate’s brother, Ryan. He was just chilling all book long. He kind of reminded me of my boyfriend so it’s probably a reason why I liked him so much. Even if he was giving me the “I don’t care” vibe all the time, I knew he cares deeply for his sister and family.

I think it’s also important to discuss the love triangle of Matt, Kate, and Anderson. I don’t actually know if you can call it this way. However, what actually surprised me is that from the beginning of the book I knew that there is something in Matt that I knew that he will still surprise me. I knew that there is something missing in his story and it will come soon, and it did. To be honest I wasn’t expecting this. I was pretty sure that there is something bigger going on between Kate and Matt, but well that’s all I will say to not give you spoilers.

Overall, it was a nice read. It wasn’t a book that drugged me into the story and I couldn’t stop reading, but I also wasn’t expecting it to happen. I think I would recommend it more to the younger audience in their teenage years. I’m sure that I would enjoy it much more if I would be 16 again. Now, I’m almost 23 and I cannot handle a teenage drama.

I would like to thank TheWriteReads, Becky Albertalli, and Balzer + Bray for providing me with the copy of this book. It took all the stress hiding in me away and let me rest for the time I was reading it me. I would like to invite you all for the rest of the Book Tour for this book, and check out other reviews of amazing book bloggers that also joined this tour.

I found this to be a quick read, easy to get into, and pretty fast-paced. If you enjoy well-flowing narratives you'll love this

As a die hard theatre kid, this book really spoke to my teenage years. It's something 14 year old Aoife would have absolutely adored.

This book also has a hefty amount of LGBT representation, and I loved seeing it. This is something I'm hopeful to find more of in books, and it was done really well here. It's something Becky Albertalli writes spectacularly, and fans of Simon vs will really enjoy this.

While there is an element of romance to this book, the main focus to me felt like a strong friendship between Kate and Anderson. Watching their friendship change and evolve, especially when they meet Matt, is compelling reading.

If you're a love triangle fan you'll enjoy this, but unfortunately they're a trope I don't love. That there were multiple love triangles in the book didn't help its cause.

Would you believe that this is the first Becky Albertelli that I’ve read? As someone who reads a lot of queer YA, I’ve still not picked up any of her books before this. But this book sounded like so much fun that I grabbed at the chance to be on the blog tour, so I could read this book.

And I actually really enjoyed it. This book took me no time at all to get through, and it was actually more friendship focused than I expected. I really loved that. So if you’re on the lookout for more YA contemporary with more of a focus on friendship? This could definitely be the book for you.

This story follows Kate, a junior in high school and her best friend, Anderson. The two of them are described by other friends as being too codependent. To the point where they actually have communal crushes. You heard that right. They like crushing on the same guy. But these guys are usually guys that aren’t really involved in their lives. Until their latest crush, Matt joins their school and the school musical. Suddenly Kate is beginning to realise that liking the same guy as her best friend isn’t all that fun, even as other aspects of her life seem to be changing for the better.

If you like musical theatre, then this is definitely a great book for you. There are so many references, and these characters are true theatre kids. Singing loudly in the car to musical soundtracks, acting out scenes in their bedrooms and dreaming of a future on the stage theatre kids. That might not be me, but that was certainly my friends. I have strong memories of walking home from the fair with my mates in high school and two of them walking ahead and loudly singing Don’t Rain on My Parade. Whilst I walked behind them cringing, as I might like some musicals, but that song isn’t an example of anything I like.

I’ll be honest, I’d never even heard of the musical they were performing in the book. It does sound fun, so I think I’ll have to check it out. But I actually liked that. It wasn’t one of the big musicals that everyone knows, and you expect to hear them talking about. So to see these teenagers getting all these soundtracks and knowing all these stories? For me, it really highlighted how passionate they are about musicals. And it helped get me more excited about them too.

I mentioned at the top that this book is so friendship focused. And from the summary, you might think it’s more romancey. There is definitely a lot of romance. Both Kate and Anderson do get a happy ever after on that side too. But a big focus is their friendship. Kate and Anderson are so close, and this jealousy and trying to keep things from each other? It’s not going to work. They love each other so much. They say they love each other, and to lose that over a guy? That would be the worst. You get to see the changes to their relationship as they learn to accept that things aren’t always going to remain the same. There was no point in the book that I thought the storyline would veer away from their friendship, as it clearly is so important to Kate, and I really loved seeing that. I loved reading about the differences between friendships, and teammates too and seeing their other friends as well as sibling relationships.

There definitely is romance. And to me, at least, it felt fairly obvious early on where the romance sub-plot was going to go. But that was okay because I liked the direction I could see it going in. There are some really cute moments for Kate, and it definitely feels worth it, even if you have to wait a long time to get there.

This book wasn’t perfect. The predictability of the plot and some of Kate’s reactions out of upset were kind of meh. Even if she admitted she was wrong pretty quickly, it was still a dick thing to say. And yeah. Didn’t like that. But I honestly liked so much more about this book than I expected to. I think I’m actually really starting to enjoy YA contemporary, and I’m so glad that I actually gave this book a chance.

A fun, fast and easy read. Definite a good read for when you’re looking for something fun and fluffy.

Kate and Anderson crush on the same guy- but who will get the guy?
Almost as a homage to Grease, the long distance guy appears in school at the start of term and cue the swoons.
A musical is cast in school and lots of acting rehearsals commence.
Great fun and a coming of age tale.
The love triangle is great between Kate, Anderson and Matt , and its great to see a gay main character from the off. Packed with drama, on and off stage (and auditions). Good few twists and turns.
Enjoyable read.

I was given access to this via thewritereads as part of promotion on twitter. I posted a spotlight post on my blog.
However I haven't read it and am unlikely to do so because love triangles and contemporary teen books aren't my thing.
I've heard very positive things about it from all the other reviewers and spotlight posts.
For fans of Holly Bourne, Rainbow Rowell and Ally Carter

This book was just what I needed right now:
Full of people being in confined spaces together - there is even kissing!
Pacy, easy read (written in scenes rather than chapters).
Engaging characters.
Drama, drama, drama and musicals!

With a backdrop of rehearsals for the school musical this put me in mind of Maggie Harcourt’s Theatrical (which I also loved) crossed with Grease (summer crush comes to town) with a love triangle that threatens to split up two best friends.

The cast is incidentally diverse in terms of sexuality, religion, gender, race and disability and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some of the background characters feature in their own stories.

But this story really belongs to five people with Kate the common denominator between them and I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say she’s a pretty unreliable narrator. This is definitely a case of the reader knowing what is going on before the main character - at least for the most part - there are still one or two surprises to be had.

The relationships here are definitely the stars of the show and we have romantic, friendship and sibling relationships all explored - there’s even some parental dynamics in the background. I can’t really tell you who my fave character was but let’s just say he’s almost the living embodiment of a theatrical saying. What type of relationship comes out on top, and will Kate and Anderson end up regretting their communal crush if their relationship is crushed by it?

I’m not actually familiar with the musical they stage but plenty of others that I do know get a mention too, and I now have a new one to discover. I’m looking forward to re-reading Kate I’m Waiting after I’ve seen it to see if there are any parallels - and I think I might need to re-watch the film Get Over It now too.

Huge thanks to Dave at The Write Reads and Penguin Platform for the gifted eARC for the purposes of an honest review.

Kate in Waiting is out this week on 22/4/21 - do go and check out what other people on the tour thought. If you enjoyed Simon versus the Homosapians Agenda I’d definitely recommend picking the is one up too.

Kate in Waiting is a light-hearted glimpse at the complexities of teen dating and the importance of friendships.

What I Liked

The theater kids are extraordinarily relatable. I worked with theater kids in high school for many years, and I could see the similarities between my students and the characters in the story. The character development is minimal, but in-depth character development is unnecessary for understanding them and laughing at their foibles.

The theme of friendship is heartwarming and a good reminder of what's essential in life. There are many fun quips that friendships are more important than love interests. Still, nothing tells it as beautifully as this story with Kate and Anderson having to fight their way through a contentious situation.

I also enjoyed the vital role of family and the relationship between Ryan and Kate. They are loving and supportive of each other, and neither realizes the role of the other in protecting them throughout their teen years. Not all siblings fight, and even if they do, nobody has their back like the other.

My favorite character is Noah because he's just so adorable with his intentional and unintentional antics. You can't help but like him. He is the kind of student I would allow to take more than his fair share from the candy dish because how do you fuss at somebody that unassuming. For as much as I loved Noah, I felt great compassion for Matt. He is in an impossible situation and doesn't even realize it. I could see that he was trying to make friendships, but the romantic thoughts of others were making that very difficult.

What I Wish

Usually, the plot of this book is perfect for younger YA since I know they want to know more about high school and what it's like, but the gratuitous overuse of cuss words – one in particular- makes it impossible for me to recommend it for that age group. Even as an adult, it made the story difficult for me to enjoy at various points. Do teenagers use that language? Of course, but not as much as is in the story. Also, I would have loved it if the story hadn't ended so neatly and maybe had a small piece of reality along with an uplifting attitude toward prospects.

To Read or Not to Read

If you are looking for a light, heartwarming read about teenagers, look no further. Kate in Waiting is just the story you have been waiting to read.

At first I wasn’t sure I’d get on with this book, I knew it was YA but I wasn’t expected the level of YA. It was so very teenage but honestly once I got past that I found myself really enjoying it. It was a really nice and enjoyable story.
The characters were diverse and inclusive and all had enough back story to get to know them individually. The story surrounds a lot around friendships, about being teenagers and really living in the moment which was nice and refreshing, especially considering what I usually read.
Reading and enjoying this book has really made me wanna read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda even more so I will definitely be giving that a read soon too!

I’ve never read any of Albertalli’s books so I was pretty excited. Thankfully, I really enjoyed Kate in Waiting. It was a fun and heartwarming story about friendship and love.

Sure, you may have read books similar to this one but it has a strong BFF bond between Kate and Anderson that you wouldn’t want to miss. Their friendship was definitely the highlight of the story for me. But seriously, I want Anderson as my friend because he was so supportive and fabulous and perfect.

Oh, I’d like to mention Brandie and Raina. They were the best!! Sure, both were only side characters but they deserve the spotlight. I loved them so much, they were so cool and awesome. I always waited for their banter with Kate and Anderson—or according to Anderson, their duo name was Kandy—the four of them never fail to make me smile.

Another thing that I liked is the fact that Kandy joined the school’s theater. The reason why is because—a little TMI here—I always wanted to try to join the one at my school but I missed my chance. So I soaked all the details every time they practiced their lines or learned their choreography.

My favorite moment would be all the moments when any of the characters were singing. Yes, even Noah. Their passion and happiness in what they’re doing were so powerful, I swear I felt it in every word.

And can I just say that Noah is my second favorite character after Anderson? There was more to him than the label f-boy Kandy branded him. Matt was also great! He was sweet and generous, I liked him instantly. I loved how there were only good guys characters in this book because honestly, bad boys are overrated. It’s about time for the good ones to shine!

I talked about the friendship now I’ll tell you what I think about the romance. Well, it was really cute. I’d describe it as the feeling you get when you have a huge crush on someone and they return your feelings. I grinned so wide at every sweet and lovely interaction. Though it made me wonder: when will I ever…

There was this one big twist and I actually saw it coming but I have no need to complain because I was overcome with joy. I definitely on board with Albertalli’s decision to end it that way. Sure, it wasn’t easy at first, especially for Anderson. I’m so sorry he had to go through that! But in the end, they were happy and so was I.

Final thoughts, Kate in Waiting was more than a YA romance story. It taught me so much about the value of friendship and how you should never let go of your best friend. Yes, sometimes you fight. Yes, you may have different opinions. Or maybe you liked the same person. But in the end, they’re the one who understands you and always got your back.

This book is perfect for those who are looking for a cute, feel-good read with lovable and diverse characters, precious friendship, golden banters, and a sweet romance story. If you’re feeling gloomy, Kate in Waiting would brighten up your day, guaranteed.

I’m going to give you the TLDR right up front on this one. Economy of time and all that. If you just want a pithy, one sentence review so you can go about the rest of your day, I’m doing this for you.
*ahem*
If you like a love triangle then you’ll like this book. If you don’t then you won’t.
I do not like a love triangle. I did not like this book.
Right, time for me to knock off then. Job done.
See ya!

So Kate In Waiting sticks to ground Becky Albertalli knows well. High School romance and theatre geeks. I don’t blame her for sticking to that particular formula, it worked amazingly well for Simon vs The Etcetera, which to this day I adore and is probably responsible for how big a fan of queer romances I am. Doesn’t hurt that it’s got a banging film, either. But this isn’t a review of Simon, it’s a review of Kate. The fact I’m still running with this tangent probably goes to illustrate how little I have to say about KIW. Because it’s… Not so hot.
In its defence it feels like love triangles (yes, plural) done very well, so if they are your jam this will be your jam. But all I could see was characters being stupid and making stupid decisions. It’s a hill that I’ll die on that if your plot only exists due to your characters being dumb then it’s a bad plot.
Kate, our (very well written, to be fair) narrator and Anderson, her gay BFF claim to care about their friendship more than their joint crush on manic pixie dream boy (seriously) Matt. Yet their actions do not back this up in any way at all. They’re both all sisters before misters except when it comes time to actually put each other before Mr Perfect Matt. I just wanted to bang their heads together, man.
Then we’ve got the other love triangle. Kate, the manic pixie dream boy (this side of things is very cleverly written to keep us guessing about Matt’s feelings for Kate) and an actually interesting, flawed character in Noah. Personally I could have stood to see a lot more of Noah and a lot less of Matt. Matt was the least interesting part of every single one of his scenes because he’s just so goddamn perfect. Noah however has an interesting arc and interesting flaws.
Then the knots Kate and Anderson have tied themselves in get untangled and for the last fifteen percent or so of the book I actually really enjoyed it. Once one point in each triangle gets removed the things that kept me reading the book when I really didn’t want to be doing so came to the fore. The sharp writing, the humour, the copious use of the term fuckboy.
Kate In Waiting disappointed me immensely. I expected to love it, because it’s Albertalli. I did not. It also disappointed me because there’s a book I could love buried in it. Excavate the love triangles, toss them in the bin, leave me with more of Noah, less of Matt, less of Kate and Anderson being absolute muppets. Then I’d probably be singing this book’s praises. I’d have been buying it for real even though I had an ARC, because I do that for ARCs I’ve enjoyed. As it is I’ll certainly never read it again. I’ll probably have forgotten about it before I finish this review.
Because Sam doesn’t like love triangles.

Sorry, what were we talking about again?

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 stars!

"I'm a paper lantern. I'm floating, lit up from the inside."

I absolutely adored this book. So much. I was not surprised when another of Albertalli's works made it into my "cannot put down and MUST READ" list, especially with characters such as Noah, Andy, Kate, Matt and more.

I was immediately drawn into the story and the whole theatre aspect and the movement between school, rehearsals and home life. There were so many raw and beautiful moments shared between friends, family and potential lovers.

I really enjoyed that even though there is the known thing of both Andy and Kate having feelings for Matt, it doesn't narrowly focus on that all of the time and instead focuses on their friendship.
I 100% want a friendship like Kate and Andy's!

Noah was someone that I immediately loved when he first appeared and I was so delighted to see how he and his character progressed through the story! I also really loved Ryan and the sibling relationship that was shown between him and Kate.

I think the only part I had a dislike to when reading was the brief mention of Call Me By Your Name, it's not my favourite nor preferred queer movie/book to see advertised and talked about in YA/any literature so that was the only downside I saw!

If you love Albertalli's other work, or even want to dive into something new and are a fan of theatre and loveable characters, I'd definitely recommend this book!

'Kate in Waiting' is a YA Contemporary novel with a back drop of a typical American High School. You've got your clichés and cliques aplenty in this High School drama. The story is told from Kate's point of view, about her and her best friend Andy having a crush on the same boy.
A lot of this story is very light hearted and fun while also dealing with some more serious topics.
It's a very good YA Contemporary, and is really fun to read.
I found that I got really sucked into this story. Kate and Andy are really fun to read about. And I loved how they both learned to navigate liking the same guy and also dealing with their first major crushes. It's messy, dramatic, and has a lot of teen angst.
I did find it to be predictable at times. I thought it was pretty easy to figure out who would end up with who. I actually predicted what would happen 12% in and I was right. So I would not say that the plot is surprising or anything like that.
This story isn't groundbreaking but it's still super enjoyable.
Liked all the characters in this book. They were all really likable characters. I loved Kate's relationship with Andy, her brother Ryan, Noah, Matt, Brandie, Raina, and her parents. They were all such complex 3D characters that I really liked reading about.
Also I loved that so many of them were involved with the musical too. I had never heard of 'Once Upon a Mattress' until I read this book so that was fun to discover.
Also I loved that each chapter was 'Scene 1', 'Scene 2', 'Scene 3' etc. I thought that was a really nice little touch.
I would recommend reading this book if you want a light hearted and fun read.

Becky Albertalli’s books are usually fun and enjoyable to read, and ‘Kate in Waiting’ was not an exception. ‘Kate in Waiting’ is such an uplifting contemporary YA with likeable characters and an engaging plot, that still deals with some heavier topics. But predominantly ‘Kate in Waiting’ remains a fun and light-hearted read, in some ways even more than Becky Albertalli’s previous books.

‘Kate in Waiting’ follows two best friends, Kate and Andy as they navigate school, love and theatre. In some ways, the theatre aspect in ‘Kate in Waiting’ reminded me a little of ‘The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre’. Kate and Andy have always been close, and in some ways, they seem to be co-dependent. From telling each other everything to even having communal crushes. Somehow they always end up liking the same guy, but those crushes are never dangerous – they barely know them, and the feelings don’t run deep… they are just crushes. Until one day, when Matt, their latest communal crush shows up at their school and is doing theatre as well. That makes Kate and Andy’s friendship more complicated.

I think what I liked the most about ‘Kate in Waiting’ was that the main focus of the story was on the friendship between Kate and Andy rather than on romantic relationships (which play a role in the book, but the friendship remains the main focus). The majority of YA books tend to concentrate on romances, so it was good to have a platonic friendship as the main focus of the story here! Especially, because both Kate and Andy are super likeable and their interactions with friends, crushes, and family members well-written. I would definitely recommend ‘Kate in Waiting’ to anyone looking for a great uplifting YA with a great cast of characters.

Kate in Waiting is all about that theater high school life. You follow Kate and Anderson, two inseparable best friends who tend to crush over the same people. It's all fun and games until Matt Olsson, their long-distance crush, joins their high school, and what started as a crush evolves into possibly love. For both of them.

I don't want to be a party pooper, but there's nothing groundbreaking about this story. It's your typical YA contemporary about high school, friendships, and falling in love for the first time. The plot is predictable, and if you've read books in this genre, you'll quickly see what the central drama will be and who will end up with who. Actually, in the beginning, Kate's mom mentions how she lost a friend due to both of them liking the same guy. So this is history repeating itself.

As mentioned above, the primary setting of this story is high school theater. Both the main characters and their close friends are involved in the school musical and the whole action. Apart from the romance, this story is about auditioning, rehearsing, and all that jazz. They're all so obsessed with it that it's meh for someone who isn't into theater. Not my thing at all.

An exciting aspect of this story is how it subverts the entitled jock trope. Kate has some bullying issues with some members of the jock group, and that scarred her for life. This leads to Kate and her friends feeling so much superior to the athlete group, to the point where they assume everything a jock does is to either annoy or humiliate them. They even generalize the whole group and call them f-boys and f-girls. But as you as a reader get to know some of these jocks, most of them are super cool. They're just down-to-earth people who want to do what they like and make friends. And this theater squad gets to an annoying level of dismissing them as dumb and evil. A good example of a fantastic jock is Noah, who is the best himbo and the most fantastic character in the whole book.

Speaking of characters, although we can consider both Kate and Andy as main characters, the only POV you follow is Kate's. And we have a love/hate relationship. She annoys me to no end, especially with her hyperfocused crush on Matt. And her friendship with Andy, although cute, is way too co-dependent. She's only allowed to crush on someone if Andy also does it? They need boundaries. But at the same time, I understand her. I was a bit like that as a teen, and I need to remind myself this is a teen book. But she's the only other person I know (yes, assuming she's a person) who feels second-hand shame for other people's embarrassment. And it feels so good to be seen and understood. That's why I can't watch Hell's Kitchen, I can't deal with other people feeling screwing up and feeling awkward.

Kate in Waiting is your typical YA contemporary, filled with drama, both in life and in theater, romance, and valuable life lessons, like letting go of prejudices and avoiding falling in love with the same person as your best friend.

It’s not often that I get excited by young adult fiction any more. I turned 30 this month so, you know, I’m more top-tier-adult nowadays. But when I found out that the author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Love, Simon) had a new book coming out, I was immediately on board.

Kate In Waiting is a funny and uplifting story that’s so enjoyable to read that you’ll easily and eagerly devour it in one sitting, purely because you just won’t want to say goodbye to Kate and Anderson and wait until the next day to see them again.

I haven’t laughed out loud at a book in a very long time so I absolutely adored this book. The characters are so much fun to be around and Albertalli’s writing is so on-point that you’ll feel like you are Kate, experiencing her emotions in first person.

The high school story is very Americanised so there are a few aspects/phrases that aren’t relatable for us Brits. Most notably, the term “fuck boy” is said A LOT. It was funny the first few times but it does get overused. However, I’m sure American teens do use this term regularly so I’m willing to let that one slide.

Overall, Albertalli perfectly captures what it’s like to be 16 and in love. Apparently based on a teenage girl that Albertalli is friends with, you really get a sense of the author knowing exactly what’s going on in Kate’s head.

I’m already on a bit of a book hangover after finishing this book and it’s been a real highlight of my week. It’s such a feel-good story that I already know I want to re-read it one day (and soon!).

So get a bowl of popcorn ready and a face mask on, because this is a book that reads like a film with its lovable characters, heart-warming friendships, and hilarious conversations. I can only hope that somebody does pick up the film rights soon because Love, Simon is one of my go-to happy films and I could do with another one like that in my life.

Whether you’re a fan of this genre or not, Kate In Waiting is sure to lighten your mood and leave you with a smile on your face.

Go. And. Buy. This. Book.

I'm on the tour for this book on the 23rd April so my reviews will be live then.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books.

I’ve read ‘Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda’ which I absolutely loved! So I was hoping i’d enjoy this one as well.

Oh my gosh I just adored this book!! I’m not usually a fan of romance in books but this was so sweet! Ahhh! It was such an easy read that I blitzed through it within a couple of hours.

I felt like I was Kate, I felt all her emotions. Like Andy/Matt, I felt so annoyed, the betrayal! I was so invested in this book that i’m so glad everything worked out well in the end!

Becky Albertalli, you can say is one of the most well known YA authors, and I loved Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. When I found out her second solo book Kate in Waiting was being released I was eager to get my hands on it. I was intrigued to see how she’d moved on from the Simonverse, and as soon as I had the chance I picked it up.

Kate and Anderson are best friends, and are inseparable, doing everything together from theatre rehearsals, riding to school together and giving each other advice on every single problem they both have. They also share crushes on cute guys from afar, also known as a communal crush. When Kate and Anderson’s latest crush Matt, turns up at their school everything changes. Kate likes him, but so does Anderson. When their real feelings get in the way of their communal crush, both Kate and Anderson worry how this is going to affect their strong friendship.

Kate in Waiting was a cute, easy read that made me feel all sorts of gooey feelings. It brought to the forefront the themes of friendship and how easily these can be affected when love gets in the way. I also found myself getting transported back to my younger teenage years when I and my friendship group used to have communal crushes on the same person. It also made me remember how painful it could be. Having a book like this take me back through my past was an experience that I get a lot when reading YA, and it made me realise why I still read this genre.

The story and plot itself was fun and fast-paced and I didn’t feel like anything was dragging. As a big lover of musical theatre, I found myself drawn to this part of the story, and enjoyed reading about Kate and a group of theatre lover’s experiences of auditions, rehearsals and ultimately the final performance. This also took me back to my teenage years, as I loved drama when I was in school and took part in many school productions, so I knew what our characters were going through. The romance side of the plot between Kate, Anderson and Matt, despite being somewhat predictable brought the issue of choosing between your best friend and your crush to the front of your mind, and it’s probably something that we all went through in our younger years. Kate and Anderson’s friendship was pushed to the limit several times throughout the book, and at times you are left wondering if they’ll be able to repair it.

Kate, at first I found slightly irritating, but as the story went on I warmed up to her. Her conflicting struggle with wanting to pursue Matt, as well as keep her friendship with Anderson was heartbreaking at times. You could see how much she cared for Anderson and wanted to keep their close relationship intact. Anderson was someone that I took to straight away. You could also tell how much he loved Kate and wanted to keep their friendship the same as it’s always been. When they went through some spats, I felt heartbroken as I was rooting for them to stay friends.

I also want to mention the amazing representation that was within Kate in Waiting. We have LGBTQ+ representation featured in the form of Anderson and Raina, and there are different diversities mentioned throughout with regards to other characters. To see such a scope of diversity within YA is something that I am seeing more and more of, and it’s such a joy to see. All teens deserve to see themselves represented within books, and this is increasingly happening, and I’m ever so pleased.

Kate in Waiting was a sweet, delightful read that will leave you feeling all fuzzy inside. It’s the perfect summer read and a must-have for fans of YA contemporary.

I LOVED Kate and Anderson’s friendship! They have a crush on the same boy, and it puts their friendship to the test. It was so realistic, and I was rooting for Kate the entire time!

I found the story quite comical. I laughed so many times as Kate and Andy juggled life.

The pace of the story was perfect, and the chapters were short. It didn’t take me long to devour the book. I couldn’t put it down!

You won’t regret reading this one.

A massive thank you to Penguin Books and The Write Reads and Netgalley for the review copies and allowing me a spot on the tour!