What do you think?
Rate this book
About the Boy
A charming romance about an autistic teenager who feels misunderstood in her small Southern town until a golden boy finds his way into her orbit. With forced proximity, Black spirituality, and a slow burn romance—this YA debut is perfect for fans of Elise Bryant, Nicola Yoon, and Talia Hibbert.
Sixteen-year-old Naima Jones can't do anything right. She fidgets in class, misinterprets social cues, and cries frequently. On top of that, her mom expects Naima to “control herself” and not get in trouble during her junior year. An impossible ask! Naima tries to honor her mom’s rule to avoid her disappointment but fails miserably thanks to Kamron Barksdale, the new kid and golden boy who upstages her in AP Biology.
After a heated classroom debate, Naima yells at Kamron and lands herself in the principal’s office. As fate would have it—or rather her AP Bio teacher—Naima is forced to be Kamron’s lab partner. Her future as an honor student rides on her getting along with him long enough to get an A.
The two are off to a rough start when Kamron accidentally triggers Naima’s sensory issues. As their after-school lab sessions turn into late-night confessions, Naima thinks they can be friends, possibly more, or maybe she's misinterpreting that as well.
Sixteen-year-old Naima Jones can't do anything right. She fidgets in class, misinterprets social cues, and cries frequently. On top of that, her mom expects Naima to “control herself” and not get in trouble during her junior year. An impossible ask! Naima tries to honor her mom’s rule to avoid her disappointment but fails miserably thanks to Kamron Barksdale, the new kid and golden boy who upstages her in AP Biology.
After a heated classroom debate, Naima yells at Kamron and lands herself in the principal’s office. As fate would have it—or rather her AP Bio teacher—Naima is forced to be Kamron’s lab partner. Her future as an honor student rides on her getting along with him long enough to get an A.
The two are off to a rough start when Kamron accidentally triggers Naima’s sensory issues. As their after-school lab sessions turn into late-night confessions, Naima thinks they can be friends, possibly more, or maybe she's misinterpreting that as well.
- GenresYoung AdultRomance
307 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2025
1 person is currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Leah Nicole Whitcomb
6 books19 followersLeah Nicole Whitcomb is a community storyteller who writes about Black folks, love, and magic. Leah’s writing has been featured in Sistories, MadameNoire, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. She co-hosts Hoodoo Plant Mamas, a Black spirituality and culture podcast. When she's not writing, Leah is reading Black literature, watching sitcoms, and UberEats-ing her weekly pho and boba tea order.
Stay In Touch!
Newsletter: https://leahwhitcomb.substack.com/
YouTube: @leahnwhitcomb
Instagram: @leahnwhitcomb
Stay In Touch!
Newsletter: https://leahwhitcomb.substack.com/
YouTube: @leahnwhitcomb
Instagram: @leahnwhitcomb
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 13, 2025
From the beginning, this had a great narrative voice that hooked me. Music also plays a subtle recurring theme as when the character's music tastes. I think the characters sounded like teenagers, and not “how do you do, fellow kids.”
I’ll be honest I skimmed through the biology talk/terms. Both Naima and her lab partner Kamron excel at biology (science). I’m sure all the lab experiments they do might make spark the itch to do it yourself.
Naima is also very frank about being autistic. She knows what she needs to feel comfortable but often finds herself making missteps with other people. Curbing her tongue when she wants to express herself due to past experiences. Even worse, her autism diagnosis was revealed, prior to the story, without her consent.
There are a lot conversations here: Mississippi: why some leave vs stay, Black autistic girls and societal expectations, losing a parent during the height of Covid, and how Black excellence shifts when you’re not neurotypical, and, ultimately, wanting to belong.
While fictional books don’t have to be educational, I was introduced to more through Naima’s perspective. I had never considered how menstrual bleeding could be overstimulation for some before. All of the above topics weren’t heavy-handed or info-dumpy. Covid becomes a major plot point midway through too.
The miscommunication between Naima and her mother is very emotional and will be very tender for some readers. As a negative, I found Sam a little too good to be true (not that I want a jerkish character, but the average teenage boy is not this well-adjusted). I thought the story was heading in a certain direction with him (and maybe it still could be with book 2), but it felt a little unresolved.
At first, Naima comes off blunt and rude to Kamron and distrustful, but as they grow closer they become friends. One of the most heartwarming moments is when a character acknowledges why he puts less weight on first impressions; we can all extend a little more grace to everyone.
I enjoyed Naima (and Kamron’s) story , and their eventual first love. The cover is also pretty! But a good reading experience overall.
I’ll be honest I skimmed through the biology talk/terms. Both Naima and her lab partner Kamron excel at biology (science). I’m sure all the lab experiments they do might make spark the itch to do it yourself.
Naima is also very frank about being autistic. She knows what she needs to feel comfortable but often finds herself making missteps with other people. Curbing her tongue when she wants to express herself due to past experiences. Even worse, her autism diagnosis was revealed, prior to the story, without her consent.
There are a lot conversations here: Mississippi: why some leave vs stay, Black autistic girls and societal expectations, losing a parent during the height of Covid, and how Black excellence shifts when you’re not neurotypical, and, ultimately, wanting to belong.
While fictional books don’t have to be educational, I was introduced to more through Naima’s perspective. I had never considered how menstrual bleeding could be overstimulation for some before. All of the above topics weren’t heavy-handed or info-dumpy. Covid becomes a major plot point midway through too.
The miscommunication between Naima and her mother is very emotional and will be very tender for some readers. As a negative, I found Sam a little too good to be true (not that I want a jerkish character, but the average teenage boy is not this well-adjusted). I thought the story was heading in a certain direction with him (and maybe it still could be with book 2), but it felt a little unresolved.
At first, Naima comes off blunt and rude to Kamron and distrustful, but as they grow closer they become friends. One of the most heartwarming moments is when a character acknowledges why he puts less weight on first impressions; we can all extend a little more grace to everyone.
I enjoyed Naima (and Kamron’s) story , and their eventual first love. The cover is also pretty! But a good reading experience overall.
February 10, 2025
"About the Boy" explores themes of autism spectrum, self-discovery, and diversity. I enjoyed the interactions between the main and secondary characters; despite their flaws, they treat each other with respect and love. The romance was sweet and spice-free. I appreciated the author's portrayal of autism, presenting it as a different way of perceiving the world rather than a condition to be cured. This book is a great choice if you're looking for something light and young adult with important and interesting themes. I had a wonderful time reading it and highly recommend it.
December 21, 2025
My friend wrote this, and I LOVED it! Happy Black stories warm my heart, and this was one that will stick with me for a long time. The characters were precious, the story was sweet, and I couldn’t ask for more. Read this if you want to smile today :) thank you Leah Nicole Whitcomb!!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews