I found this book to be a compelling , sensitive and emotional coming of age tale that was difficult to put down. The writing is clever and the plotting is smart and hooks you in emotionally. Highly recommend. (Pretty sure the research indicates 36 questions though….!)

I really enjoyed this thoughtful, bittersweet and beautifully written coming of age story and modern take on When Harry Met Sally between two women.

Amalia is studying Music at Oxford University when she meets fellow Aussie, Alex, and they quickly develop a special friendship underpinned by their deep connection.

But they are also physically attracted to each other, and face the dilemma of whether to risk their perfect friendship by pursuing a sexual relationship.

The story is framed around a list of 28 questions, claimed to make you fall in love, and a list of facts Amalia compiles about Alex, while we explore their relationship and their interactions with other friends.

4.5/5

I enjoyed this queer love story set in Oxford and London over a period of several years. The main characters are two young female Australian students studying at Oxford. I liked the philosophical debating which added depth to the book.
Sometimes the characters felt immature and unrelatable, but they developed over the course of the book.

An enjoyable coming of age book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

28 Questions is the sort of book that makes you forget time. Wholly absorbing, I was completely beguiled by the developing love story between Amalia and Alex. Can friends become lovers and not fracture something in the foundations by doing so? This book asks this question, but so many more and I loved answering the posed questions myself.

A deep and incredibly moving insight into friendship, sexuality and love with a really beautiful conclusion.

Oh, how I loved this book! I thought it was so realistic - not just only of first big love, but also the tension that comes with graduating and not really knowing your place in the world yet. I was totally absorbed in this stunning novel and I'll be recommending it to everyone.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

So very sorry for the super delay in reading this book. Interesting, funny, Good Friends are hard to come by, is love worth the risk? New author to me, semi engaging writing style. Thanks.

In 28 Questions, Indyana Schneider's debut novel, Amalia is consumed by studying for her music degree at Oxford. She has the constant spiral to perform not only her music but the role of being a good daughter, a student from overseas, being a friend, being a lover. These expectations weigh her down but one night, in a bar, she meets a fellow student and Australian, Alex. They become inseparable, sleeping over, talking all hours. Introducing each other to their respective partners.

Over years, and many cities, both the girls leave behind university but can't leave behind each other. Their friendship grows, making Amalia question her feelings towards Alex.

This is the queer version of When Harry Meet Sally but Indyana Schneider takes it further by really delving into these characters, peeling them back, revealing insecurities and their deep feelings of love.

Thanks NetGalley for the digital copy

4.5 stars
We've found it. We've found the romance for me.
I can't quite put my finger on what it was that worked so well for me, but I could not put this down. The relationship was raw and realistic. I loved moving through the story with our characters and experiencing them explore their sexualities. Whilst academia isn't the central theme, I enjoyed the university setting and how we followed the characters as they matured throughout their undergraduate degrees.

I really enjoyed this sapphic story and will definitely be purchasing a physical copy for my own shelves.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I was enticed by the blurb, and am glad I gave it a go. I enjoyed this book - I liked the characters, it was easy to read, and it is well written.

I requested this book because the premise of the story being told through those 28 questions sounded interesting. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the characters and ended up not finishing it.

This book is described as "When Harry met Sally for the Sally Rooney generation". Well I have never seen When Harry met Sally but I do like Sally Rooney so I thought I would give it a go and I wasn't disappointed.

I felt the author really brought the characters to life in this coming of age novel and whilst I may not be the exact target audience for this book I still really enjoyed it.

The books mixes relationships with music, academia and many other themes and whilst the writing style may not be for everyone, again it was a style which really worked for the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A coming of age story that I found difficult to connect to. This may appeal to many readers who love a contemporary literary novel but I found it challenging to connect to the writing style and structure of the novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book as I just couldn't connect with it. It is clearly well-written and would appeal to fans of Sally Rooney and Naoise Dolan, but I am not in that group of people so didn't enjoy the writing style. I found the dialogue too overblown and didn't enjoy the elite academic setting. Upon reflection, I should have realised this from the blurb.

I love books that take a huge topic like love, and look at it from so many different angles. Set across several places over several years, this book explores how love can present itself in so many different ways, and it makes for a really interesting read!

Sadly, the book feels literary and exclusive. Not things I enjoy, I couldn't relate at all so DNF'D at 20%.

Unfortunately this one wasn't for me. At 31% I had to DNF as I wasn't feeling compelled to pick it up. As per usual I think this is a case of it's me and not the book. Hopefully I'll try it again and enjoy it more in the future.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

I loved the idea of this book and it was well written but ultimately not for me