I had high hopes for this, especially since it’s been compared to favourites like Ali Hazelwood’s books, Normal People, and One Day. But unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. It’s rare for me to not finish a book, but I found myself struggling to connect with the storyline and the characters.

While I could feel the tension between Audrey and Ezra, I wasn’t really rooting for them, which made it hard to stay invested in their stories. I did enjoy the dual POV - it gave better insight - but overall, I just didn’t care enough about the characters to keep going. I got to about 60% but this one just wasn’t for me.

This is a captivating debut set in the fast-paced world of NYC fashion. It's a fun YA romance full of tension and raw emotion. The story delves into heavy themes like grief, addiction, and mental health with sensitivity, though I would have loved to see more of Ezra’s journey in therapy. The ending leans towards an HFN (gah) but overall, this was a compelling and well-written read.

Raced through this in a couple of days (might have been quicker had I not had two shifts at the bookstore to fit in the middle) - pure One Day/Sally Rooney vibes, I loved it.

This is a perfect romance for teenagers. There are enough challenging themes to make it stretch their thoughts but it doesn’t veer into sexually explicit material that renders it inappropriate for all readers. The characters are flawed but lovely and I was invested in finding out what would happen to them. It was written in such a way that whilst you routed for them it wasn’t obvious what would happen at every turn and there were some truly moving moments.

This book is a heartfelt, slow-burn masterpiece that captures the chaos of young love. Audrey and Ezra are deeply flawed yet irresistibly magnetic characters whose chemistry leaps off the page with every smouldering glance and sharp exchange. Their connection feels raw and unfiltered, making you ache for them even as their insecurities and struggles threaten to pull them apart. Yet, amidst the turmoil, there’s a spark of hope that keeps you turning the pages, rooting for these two to find their way. It’s equal parts glamorous escapism and deeply relatable emotion. You’ll laugh, you’ll swoon, and by the end, you might just believe in the universe’s meddling hand.

this book oh my god I LOVE LOVE LOVE!

this book is about a rookie model called audery, who is navigating New York for the first time. and then Ezra who is no stranger to the city who returns from studying abroad and he comes back with a broken heart. auderys and Ezras connection is instant.

I loved this book thank you for allowing me to read this!

I NEED A BONUS CHAPTER NOW!!!!!

This is a beautifully written story about a 18yo old girl who has just become model and an 18yo guy who has a broken heart and a messy family, both British discovering their way around New York.

What I loved the most about the book is how real these characters felt. They are young and awkward but feel so much so deeply. This isn’t a romance story but it’s a story about them finding themselves in this new world and finishing each other in the process.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I could put this book down – absolutely loved it.

Oh, this gave me sooo many feels!

Set in NYC, with the FMC in the fashion world, I really liked the style and feel of this story.

The 'will they won't they' romance between Audrey and Ezra gave me Normal People vibes (which I loved!). And the whole style felt really current and fresh.

There were alot of diffucult subjects the author delved into such as alcohol addiction, loss of a parent, grief, as well as mental health struggles that both MCs go through for different reasons. I thought they were well handled. However, I would have liked to have seen Ezra actually go into therapy and see his progression develop as I feel he had a long way to go.

The ending leaves this very much an HFN, which isn't my favourite as I like to know EXACTLY what happened, so I guess my brain will just have to come up with it's own HEA for them 😅.

We used to be magic was a solid debut novel that I really enjoyed! Thank you to netgalley for letting me read an advanced copy!