e-Audio, 09:22:06
Narrated by: Michael Crouch & Kevin R. Free
Release Date: January 23, 2024
Published by: Balzer + Bray
Read from: February 3-4, 2024
Stand-alone
Source: Library’s Libby (I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)
TW: Cursing, Vomit
For Readers Interested In: Romance, 2sLGBTQ+, Contemporary, YA, Dual POVMy Fair Lady meets the classic teen film She’s All That in this charming and swoony new rom-com from Brian D. Kennedy, author of A Little Bit Country. Perfect for fans of What If It’s Us and She Gets the Girl.
Wade Westmore is used to being in the spotlight. So when he’s passed over for the lead in the spring musical, it comes as a major blow—especially when the role goes to his ex-boyfriend, Reese, who dumped him for being too self-involved.
Shy sophomore Elijah Brady is used to being overlooked. Forget not knowing his name—most of his classmates don’t even know he exists. So when he joins the stage crew for the musical, he seems destined to blend into the scenery.
When the two have a disastrous backstage run-in, Elijah proposes an arrangement that could solve both boys’ problems: If Wade teaches Elijah how to be popular, Wade can prove that he cares about more than just himself. Seeing a chance to win Reese back, Wade dives headfirst into helping Elijah become the new and improved “Brady.”
Soon their plan puts Brady center stage—and he’s a surprising smash hit. So why is Wade suddenly less worried about winning over his ex and more worried about losing Elijah?
*MY THOUGHTS*
Did I like this? Yes. Were there some issues? Also yes. But for the most part I really did like it. And now I want to read the other one featuring country music by Brian next. Because this was so much more fun than I thought it would be.
As someone who’s not a theater kid I was a little worried about this one. It seemed that it was going to have a lot of references about plays and musicals etc. And it was, but it was more than that also and I enjoyed it. I liked that all of them were explained or at least said where they came from. I was able to go back and look them up or find out more information about them. I was happy I was never left in the dark because of it.
However, I wish I liked the characters as much as I liked the premise. The main characters were not great. Wade was HELLA annoying. And let me just say, I don’t think he learned anything even tho the book ended the way it did. And Brady was so cute, but he had to have anxiety or social anxiety, but they never gave him a specific thing, I guess it was because he didn’t want to seem as if he was cured because of Wade, but I think if he framed it as helped him get confidence and made it clear that that’s all it was, it wasn’t GONE, just he gave him a way to help manage it.
The romance was cute, but I also hated some of it. I really disliked how they were playing with Brady. They took advantage of him because he hardly knew people’s social cues and I just didn’t like that. But I was glad that they actually talked before they got together. Because Wade needed to come clean. (Although he didn’t deserve what Brady and his ex did to him either.)
The writing style was ok for the most part but it wasn’t anything that like felt new or epic. I hope you all can find a better balance than me. Let me know if you read it and what you think about it.
Overall, I give this
