The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss

by Amy Noelle Parks

Caleb has always assumed that when she was ready for romance, Evie would choose him. Because he is her best friend, and he loves her, and he has almost kissed her 17 times...

Seventeen-year-old Evie Beckham has never been interested in dating. She's been fully occupied by her love of mathematics and her frequent battles with anxiety (and besides, she's always found the idea of kissing to be a little bit icky). But with the help of her best friend and her therapist, Evie's feeling braver. Maybe even brave enough to enter a prestigious physics competition and to say yes to the new boy who's been flirting with her.

Caleb Covic knows Evie isn't ready for romance but assumes that when she is, she will choose him. So Caleb is horrified when he is forced to witness Evie's meet cute with a floppy-haired, mathematically gifted transfer student. Because Caleb knows the girl never falls for the funny best friend when there's a mysterious stranger around, he decides to use an online forum to capture Evie's interest. Now, he's got Evie wondering if it's possible to fall in love with a boy she's never met.

Told in the alternating voices of Evie and Caleb, THE QUANTUM WEIRDNESS OF THE ALMOST KISS is a YA romantic comedy, sure to satisfy fans of Jenny Han, Rainbow Rowell and Stephanie Perkins.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Mental Health, Fiction, Young Adult Romance, Realistic Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

First published March 24, 2020

About the author

Amy Noelle Parks is a professor of elementary education at Michigan State University, where she helps future teachers recover from the trauma inflicted on them by years of school mathematics.

At night, she writes stories about smart girls falling for feminist boys in quirky midwestern settings and likes using One Direction lyrics as the inspiration for entire novels. Social media still scares her, but she’s working on it.

Reviews

[aly ☆彡 (sick) · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Evie's interest in Leo is messing with my head. Because in what universe does it make sense she would choose someone else?

I am her best friend. And I love her. And I almost kissed her fourteen times."

Conceivably, I was hoping this book would change my take on a best friend to lovers but it still kind of reminds me why it was not in my best interest. But is this adorable though? Definitely.

Growing up together, Caleb has been in love with Evie for as long as he can remember. No one can connect with Evie the way Caleb does, from providing solace during her panic attacks to understanding her trouble with expressing emotions. Caleb is sure Evie will choose him. However, the same could not be said for Evie. She was never interested in romance — well, not until Leo came into the picture and impressed her with his physics solution and got Caleb doubting himself again.

This book sure comes with flaws but my favorite part of it (aside from the gorgeous pink cover) would be Caleb's antics which I find rather amusing though cheesy. Especially when he has a list of the almost-kisses moments with Evie that he kept track of, or when he was thinking about how Evie had her first kiss and it's not with him. Trope in which the guy falls first really stands on its own because Caleb is helplessly smitten and we just love to see it.

Meanwhile, Evie, who is a prodigy in math, suffered from anxiety and panic attacks which caused her to miss the Frontier. Equitably, Amy Parks did a commendable job in presenting a heavy topic like anxiety but also manages to write them in a light atmosphere, making this book such a fluff read yet preceptive.

It was also told in dual POVs, which allows readers to venture into both Evie and Caleb's minds and opens up all sorts of new options in what can happen in their story. Regrettably, I often find Caleb's part frustrating. I like the idea of him falling in love with his best friend, I just don't like how he was handling it due to his player tendency, though he did get likable throughout. While Evie's part can be a bit dull for all her awkwardness and dry humor, I enjoyed reading about her overcoming her struggles while also nailing being a STEM girl. But for all that, their narratives started to sound the same after a time which made the book as a whole less exciting than anticipated.

Not to mention, the story moves through the many circumstances in each chapter relatively quickly. The scene would shift just as I was beginning to understand the settings and other details which sort of ties in with the fact that I didn't see the significance of many of these passages. Foremost, I hate it when a book ends after the couple gets together with little anything transpired in between. Like yay, go give us nothing!

The love triangle was also not stellar as anyone would have expected from this trope. It's hard to like a character who will string along two different people and put them both through hell just because they can't make up their mind who they want to be with and this goes out for both Evie and especially Caleb (surprisingly). If you are harboring feelings for someone else and you can't completely invest yourself in the relationship you are in, then what are you doing, Caleb? Again, not a fan of his player tendency. I like the realization of the "obvious" choice for Evie though I would have rooted for Leo beyond any doubt. Leo deserved better but sadly, we already pushed to expect the endgame, so not much could have been done.

All things considered, The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss was an okay read, though it got me iffy over time. I felt appeased to witness each character's growth into better persons and more conscientious individuals. The STEM women representative was unequivocal as well and I love all the maths and physics talks. For all that could have been better, it was a lekker piece of a debut book.

[2.5/5 ☆]

[Z - literaryeffect · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Entanglement, like love, isn’t something that happens to you. It’s a choice you make.”

tw: panic attacks, anxiety

First of all… that cover! That title! It just drew me in immediately. I’m a sucker for the childhood best friends to lovers trope. The bonus in this book? He fell first. I also love reading about characters who are very intelligent in the STEM field and I definitely got that from the two main characters, Evie and Caleb.

Evie is nothing short of amazing. She’s very intelligent, her mind works around logic and stability. Unlike her, Caleb understands feelings. He’s been living with the almost-moments for years because Evie wasn’t ready yet and he respects that. All the pining in Caleb’s POV is A+ though.

They’ve been friends since childhood and that just made the book more appealing for me. Having someone who knows you so well/someone you went through a lot with tugs my heartstrings. Caleb has always made Evie feel safe, and in her words: “His firmness makes my circle just. […] Like a compass. He’s my center. Home.”

Previously, her mind has always categorized Caleb as a friend and always thought feelings are dangerous because it could make her lose him. But eventually, she realized she was brave enough to take the chance.

I love that there were also stories from when they were younger, it reinforces their friendship and the love they clearly have for each other. It’s also amazing to see Evie’s growth from those stories and the struggles she had with anxiety. She’s able to overcome some of her fears and started getting braver to try new things.

What the book lacked: To me, it just feels like Evie and Leo were in a relationship for a longer duration in this book. It didn’t affect Evie and Caleb’s friendship negatively (except for Caleb being occasionally jealous) and it was helpful in showing Evie’s progress and development as well. There are sweet moments of the two of them throughout the book, but I just wanted more scenes of them when they actually started dating.

Despite that, I think the ending was good. It wrapped up Evie and Caleb’s story really well. It’s such a good childhood best friends to lovers book ♡

Rating: 3.75/5
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Angelica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so this was cute.

Far cuter than I expected it to be, although looking at that pink cover full of adorable illustrations, I had a feeling it was going to be cute. I was genuinely smiling half the time I was reading. It's been so long since a book made me smile, I was starting to lose hope! This was exactly the rom-com type novel I needed, and it came up at the perfect time.

This book is, obviously, a love story. It follows Caleb, who is helplessly in love with his best friend, and Evie, who is entirely unaware that her best friend, Caleb, is helplessly in love with her. So, when the new kid in school, Leo, shows interest in Evie, and shockingly enough, Evie shows interest back, Caleb is determined to make her see him as something more than just a friend.

And let me tell you, I loved Caleb. He did some questionable things, like not tell Evie his identity in the competition chat, but he also never pushed Evie into anything she didn't want. Caleb fully supported Evie and her decisions, even if those choices didn't include him. I also loved the dynamic between the two. Having grown up together their whole lives they knew each other better than anyone else. Their relationship was rock solid until the end, and I am glad that no forced drama came in between that.

Aside from the cuteness of the plot, this book also dealt with many interesting topics.
I really liked Evie and watching her overcome her anxiety and panic attacks. Her problems aren't all magically solved by the end of the novel, but she is learning to manage, and it was wonderful to read about.

Another thing this book touched on was the roles of women and religion in STEM. Evie faced a lot of quiet criticism and scrutiny for being a brilliant mathematical. Many times her ability is doubted and ignored due to her being a woman. And yet, she never becomes discouraged by this and continues to be brilliant despite everything. Then there is Bex, who is religious and scientific and holds both sides of herself in equal parts. I love so much that this book so full of science and mathematics, and a pragmatic and skeptical main character also showed a religious character without being demonizing.

Lastly, I think this book did a good job showing Evie's relationship with her controlling, fearful mother. Evie's mother sees her as someone who needs to be taken care of. In her mother's mind, Evie must be guarded and medicated to be kept safe. It was interesting to see their dynamic and understanding that while her mother loved Evie, she was hindering her daughter's growth.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and totally recommend it. Do be warned, if this is a triggering subject for you, this book talks about a lot of anxiety and panic attacks.

**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**

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[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 3 out of 5]

CW: anxiety, panic attacks, mother tries to medicate daughter without her knowledge/consent, bullying

3.5 Stars

Well it was cute and frustrating in equal measure.

I'm pretty sure I have said this already in another review but I think it needs revisiting. I understand that a story would be quite short if two people turned to each other and said, "I like you" and the other person said "I like you too". I mean where is the fun in that? But does there need to be as much miscommunication as frequently occurs in YA romances? There is certainly a degree of charm when two nervous people are scared to admit how they feel. This phase seems to last an awfully long time in some books though. That being said, I did like this novel. It was enjoyably quirky, and I feel like the anxiety rep was done quite well. The characters were quite engaging and the dynamics were entertaining. Pretty solid YA romance that made for a fun listen.

[Apoorva]

I see Math, I click.
Plus, I want to be killed with cuteness 🥰🔪

[Berit Talks Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally adorable! OK first of all you guys that title! Not going to lie that’s why I requested this book I just could not resist that title... so good! Lucky for me the story was just as cute as the title. Evie and Caleb have been BFFs since kindergarten. they now are even at the same prestigious boarding school that emphasizes STEM. Caleb has a huge crush on Evie but has never confessed this to her thinking she was not ready for a relationship. So when Evie starts dating Leo Caleb does not know what to think. to further complicate things the three of them are headed off to a prestigious STEM competition that could possibly change their futures.

This book put a big smile on my face and a pitter patter in my heart. Loved that it was the boy pining for the girl this time, it always seems to be the other way around. Evie was such a great character. An introvert who struggled with social anxiety and panic attacks, a math/physics genius always needing to prove that she was as smart if not smarter than the boys, a good loyal friend with a heart of gold. Caleb has been Evie‘s rock forever. He stood up for her in kindergarten and still stands up for her today, even though she doesn’t need it as much as she used to. I really liked the fact that we saw pieces of Caleb and Evie‘s pass it really gave a clearer picture of these characters adorable friendship. The audiobook was narrated by Nick Mondel and Elizabeth Cottle. they both did a wonderful job voicing the lovely characters in the story. Such a sweet satisfying story with the perfect ending.

This book in emojis 👩🏼‍🎓 🎒 👓 🚌 ☕️ 👨🏻‍🎓

*** Big thank you to Dreamscape Media for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

[human]

WAIT WHA-
THIS SOUNDS SO CUTE AND AWKWARD AND SLIGHTLY HILARIOUS
WHO GAVE THIS BOOK PERMISSION TO SOUND SO AMAZING

[Anniebananie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 Sterne

Eine supersüße und nerdige Geschichte über die erste Liebe.

Die Geschichte wird abwechselnd aus Evie´s Sicht und aus der ihres besten Freundes Caleb erzählt. Vor allem bei Caleb´s Kapiteln ging mir schon direkt anfangs der Herz auf. Er ist einfach ein wahres Goldstück! Evie wird einem nach und nach sympathischer und man hat das Gefühl sie besser kennenzulernen und ihr näher zu kommen. Sie macht eine tolle Entwicklung innerhalb des Buches durch.

Auch wenn der Klappentext sich danach anhört: das hier war für mich keine typische Dreiecks-Geschichte. Das war einerseits ganz angenehm, nahm andererseits aber auch etwas die Spannung.
Sowohl Leo als auch Bex waren tolle Nebencharaktere.

Toll fand ich auch die Themen, um die es neben Liebe und Freundschaft noch ging. Vor allem Evies Angststörungen, wegen derer sie auch eine Therapie macht, gaben ihrem Charakter einen so echten Zug. Auch das Thema von Frauen in der Wissenschaft fand ich richtig wichtig und leider auch nach wie vor sehr wahr dargestellt und aktuell.

Meine winzig kleinen Kritikpunkte sind: die fehlende Spannung (somit auch wenig bis kein Drama, was ich aber auch mal ganz angenehm finde) und ich fand den Charakter von Evie´s Mutter etwas überzeichnet und nicht komplett nachvollziehbar.

Das Buch lässt sich für mich wie folgt zusammenfassen: eine Mischung aus dem Buch "Tell me three things" von Julie Buxbaum und der Serie "The Big Bang Theory". Klare Leseempfehlung, für alle die Lust auf eine süße Lovestory haben.

[Monte Price · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had been so long since I requested this on NetGalley that I had entirely forgotten what the book was supposed to be about and so when I started up the audiobook from Hooopla I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting myself into.

The first part of the book was really solid. I liked Caleb as a protagonist, Evie as the other lead character was compelling enough. I'm still not sure if Evie was meant to be taken as autistic, but she was giving the sort of typical vibes you get from characters in media so heavily involved in stem usually give off. And Caleb as her foil definitely gave the jock-ish energy that counterbalanced it, only of course he was super into coding and so he could keep up at the fancy elite stem boarding school that the book was set in.

As someone with a brain not wired to keep up with high level mathematics I did appreciate that the book wasn't as focused on the intense math subjects our leads were so clearly involved with. Instead this was a good old fashion contemporary that really leans into the angst of high school relationships.

It's because the characters ages that I'm willing to overlook some of the questionable things that happened over the course of the narrative, but it's also something the narrative doesn't do enough to address in my opinion. The way that the third act played out just left a really bad taste in my mouth and is ultimately why I'm not sure that I'd actually recommend this book to people... But if I were to judge on the first two thirds I'd say it was cute enough. The kind of book that could be fun if you think you'll vibe with what the synopsis pitches it as but not the kind of book anyone should go out of their way to consume.

More thoughts found in my reading vlog.

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss was, for me, massively frustrating. There's a lot that I like about it. In fact, if everything about the romance wasn't infuriating, I think I would have really liked this book. But, unfortunately, the romance really sucks.

Had I read this without knowledge of the author's name, I absolutely would have thought this was written by a cishet white man. Now, this could potentially be something that merits praise, because it means Parks really nailed the voice of her male MC. But also that's why I ended up hating aspects of this book.

Starting with the good stuff, the prose is very readable, and some of the humor landed for me quite well. I did struggle with telling Evie and Caleb's voices apart, and his felt much stronger and more authentic, but otherwise I very much enjoyed the writing. I also liked the math, actually, though I didn't understand basically any of it. Thankfully, it's written in a way where that's not a hindrance.

I also enjoyed the heroine's struggle with her mental health, and especially with the way her mom's constant concern for her mental health became a trigger. People trying to be helpful can very much be the opposite and even become incredibly toxic as it does here. I liked the openness to therapy and the messaging around that, though I do feel like the impact of the mental health aspect is undercut by the romance, as is most everything about this book. I also thought it was really odd that there's no mention of autism, since Evie's difficulties with interpreting emotion seem to hint at that.

Caleb has been in love with his best friend Evie basically forever. After one attempt to tell her his feelings backfired, he's just been biding his time, cataloging almost kisses, and waiting for Evie to realize she's in love with him. The almost-kisses from the title, for reference, are times he thought about kissing her, which imo is not an almost kiss. An almost kiss takes two people leaning in and wanting, but this was all Caleb on his own. I find it creepy as hell to be honest. He can actually list them in numerical order.

For anyone who has not had a guy friend who had romantic feelings for them that are not reciprocated, Caleb is very exactly that guy. The plot of the book is largely about Caleb's sad penis feels when Evie gets her first crush and first boyfriend, Leo. While I will give the book props for the fact that Leo is actually as decent guy and not just the terrible option to make Caleb look good, I also absolutely unship Caleb and Evie with all of my being.

Caleb, unsurprisingly, does not react well to his jealousy. On the plus side, he remains a decent friend to her. However, he's such a dick to Leo, AND he decides to catfish Evie on an online forum, using what he knows about her to lure her in to talk to his account. What really baffles me is Evie and Caleb's mutual friend Bex approving this creepy as fuck plan. (This is why it feels like a cishet white guy wrote it because I wouldn't expect anyone else to think this was a good idea.) Infuriatingly, when Evie figures it out, she's not even upset really; she knows she should be, at least, but her main reaction is "zomg he really understands me *heart eyes*" which is totally barf.

And then there's the fact that he comes off as a cure of sorts to her anxiety; she's able to get through the presentation perfectly because he's at her side. This isn't the author's intention with those scenes, but I did feel it undercut the mental health rep that there are SO many references to how she was able to do it because he was there. Like, no, you were able to do it because of years of therapy. Having a support there helps, but it felt like the order of operations on that was reversed.

“For a while there, I didn’t think I had a chance. The girl never ends up with the funny best friend when there’s a dark and brooding stranger around.”

I am so SO done with books about "nice" guys who feel like they're owed a girl's love because they've been there and have treated her well. I can guarantee Caleb would have ended up being a total shit if she fell in love with Leo instead. Maybe they could have gotten through it and rebuilt their friendship, but he definitely would have been a bad friend for a while. This romance is awful, and I don't recommend it unless you like stories of pining guys winning the heart of their manic pixie through catfishing.


I received this book for free from Amulet via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Silke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie und Caleb sind als Nachbarn zusammen aufgewachsen und seit frühester Kindheit beste Freunde. Niemand kennt Evie so gut wie Caleb, er ist ihr Fels in der Brandung - und heimlich in die verliebt. Evie leidet unter Angstzuständen und lässt nur wenige Menschen nah an sich heran. Dating ist ihr völlig unwichtig und sie geht ganz in der Mathematik auf. Als Leo an ihre Schule wechselt, wendet sich jedoch das Blatt und Evie zeigt Interesse an Leo und an Dingen, die nichts mit Naturwissenschaften zu tun haben.

Ich habe diese Geschichte innerhalb von 24 Stunden verschlungen und bin total begeistert. Zuerst hatte ich so meine Zweifel, denn mit Mathe und Physik hatte ich schon zu Schulzeiten wenig am Hut. 😄 Glücklicherweise braucht man, auch wenn viele Begrifflichkeiten aus diesen Bereichen vorkommen, keine Angst zu haben, dass man der Geschichte nicht folgen kann. Evie ist eine ganz wundervolle Protagonistin, die mir von Anfang an sehr sympathisch war. Sie hat mit so vielen Dingen zu kämpfen und es war einfach toll mitzuverfolgen, wie sie Schritt für Schritt lernt damit umzugehen und immer mutiger und stärker wird. Einen großen Anteil daran hat Caleb, den ich direkt in mein Herz geschlossen habe. Die beiden verbinden so viele Dinge und Erlebnisse und es war einfach sch��n mitzuerleben, wann Evie dahinterkommt, dass die beiden zusammengehören.

Auch wenn die Kurzbeschreibung vielleicht anderes vermuten lässt, den Leser erwartet hier keine herkömmliche Teenie-Dreiecks-Highschool-Liebesgeschichte. In diesem Buch steckt so viel mehr und ich hätte einfach immer weiter und weiter über Evie und Caleb lesen können.

Für mich gehört diese Story zu meinen Highlights in diesem Jahr und diese Geschichte wird definitiv noch als Buch bei mir einziehen, denn Evie und Caleb hätte ich gerne im Regal stehen. 😊

[Sylvie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Here's a list of reasons this book might be what you're looking for in a YA:

- Has similair themes to 'Alex, Aproximately' or 'You've Got Mail'.
- Gives Kdrama set in highshool vibes. (I don't know why, but I thought about True Beauty while writing this sentence).
- Best friends to more trope. (A personal favorite)
- Love triangle. (I don't like it at all, but in most ya's it's ''necessary'')
- Loveable side-characters.
- Smart, determined and academic teenagers.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, but I do understand some parts were problematic and maybe a little bit obnoxious I'm talking about the 2 MC's. But this is a ya contemporary, they're never perfect, however sometimes you crave those kinds of stories and even find them relatable every now and then.

[meher !]

STOP I LITERALLY HAVE TO READ THIS

[hali · Rating 5 out of 5]

"For the rest of their existence, however far apart they are, what happens to one will affect the other."

Thank you to Edelweiss and Amulet Books Publishing for providing me with an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Quantum Weirdness of The Almost Kiss is truly unlike any book I've ever read before. With the intellectual quality of An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, and an adorable, romantic plot that is reminiscent of the movie You've Got Mail, I found myself unable to put this book down. Unfortunately, I am not particularly gifted in the maths and sciences, but Amy Noelle Parks did not make any part of the book difficult to understand. And the inclusion of a neuroatypical character as a main character with a point of view was brilliant, a refreshing representation of neurodiversity that we should see more often in literature. The two main characters, Evie and Caleb, had me pulling at my hair, wishing they would just kiss already (the title is oh-so accurate) and I was enthralled with their story from beginning to end. It's books like this one that have me wishing for the early-2000's rom-com movie era to make a comeback. The Quantum Weirdness of The Almost Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks is a lovely, entertaining read that I can guarantee you won't be able to put down.

[mika · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW:
Anxiety and panic attacks.

This was adorable! Please, I loved every moment of it.

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss is a young adult, contemporary romance. I'm gonna be honest with you, I have probably only ever read two good contemporary novels before reading this, but this book was something else. It really exceeded my expectations. (Also, can we take a moment to appreciate the art that is this cover?)

So a run down of what the book is about (spoiler free, duh). It's a dual pov between our two main characters Evie and Caleb. Evie and Caleb are childhood friends, but Caleb is madly in love with Evie (although Evie doesn't know it) and the book is him trying to get Evie to fall in love with him too. However, unlike most contemporary romance's, there is actually more to the book than just their romance. The book has insane character developments and there is also another plot line - which was really fascinating to read about.

I'm going to talk about the characters now.

Characters:

➵ Evie Beckham: Evie is the main character, and she suffers from social anxiety and panic attacks. I honestly related to her a lot. I'm also a really big introvert and reading from her point of view was extremely relaxing. She also loves maths (my favourite subject!). Her development from the beginning to the end of the book was really wonderful to read about. How she started being more comfortable in her own skin and how she started being more social (although there is nothing wrong with being introverted). She also stood up to her mom and took more control over her life, which I liked a lot.

➵ Caleb Covic: Caleb is our other main character. His point of view was filled with pining for Evie which I found cute and adorable. He's also such a selfless, kind, caring boy. I want to give him a hug! His relationship with Bex was also really nice to read about. They were so comfortable with one another.

➵ Rebeca (Bex) da Silva: I loved Bex! Bex is a Christian which was one thing I loved about her. Being a Christian myself, it was nice to read about another character who shares my beliefs and values. She also supports Evie and is such a great friend. I feel like everyone deserves a Bex.

➵ Leo: I honestly have a love-hate relationship with Leo. I suppose he didn't exactly do anything wrong, but he still annoyed me.

What I didn't like:

➵ Surprisingly, nothing really. You might think then why I didn't give it 5 stars. But that's just because the book didn't have enough enough angst for me. That's probably because it's a contemporary novel.

However, it was a really easy, fluffy, enjoyable read which I actually couldn't put down. I 100% recommend reading this book when it comes out.

➵ 4 stars

ARC kindly provided by Netgalley for an honest review

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss was all kinds of cute and predictable. In it, you will meet two best friends that eventually start to become a bit more (romantically). After meeting Caleb and Evie, well - in the beginning it was a bit awkward. I honestly wasn't sure what was going on or what was going to happen between them. It was just a really awkward friend-zone thing going on.

Caleb and Evie both had some pros and cons. Eventually they started to get on the same page about one another but it took a long time for that to happen. Plus, while they were dating different people and then the whole weirdness about them liking each other as friends or more than was just meh to me. I just think if they liked each other then they should've said it instead of waiting till the very last second of this book.

In the end, it was a cute book that was easy to follow along with.

[Meli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mathematik, Freundschaft und die erste Liebe

Das Buch ist einfach süß.

Evie ist in Mathe durchaus eine Überfliegerin, aber ihre Angststörungen halten sie öfter mal davon ab, ihre guten Leistungen zu präsentieren. Sie geht mit ihrem besten Freund Caleb auf ein Internat für Naturwissenschaften und möchte trotz der Krise im vorherigen Jahr nochmal an einem besonders wichtigen Mathematik-Wettbewerb teilnehmen, aber kann sie es diesmal schaffen? Denn ein paar Dinge haben sich in ihrem Leben schon verändert.

Caleb ist schon ihr halbes Leben lang an ihrer Seite und kennt sie in- und auswendig. Das Buch ist voller gemeinsamer Erinnerungen und liebevollen Momenten, denn die beiden stehen sich wirklich sehr nahe. Caleb ist auch heimlich in Evie verliebt, aber Evie interessiert sich nicht für Jungs - bis Leo auftaucht.

Auch Leo ist sehr begabt, nett und auf einer Wellenlänge mit Evie, sodass sie auf ihn aufmerksam wird. Während Caleb immer gehofft hat, dass er derjenige sein würde, wenn Evie eines Tages so weit wäre, muss er nun zusehen, wie sie sich in einen anderen verliebt. Caleb wünscht sich, dass seine beste Freundin in ihm mehr sieht und gleichzeitig will er, dass sie glücklich ist, auch wenn sie das Glück bei einem anderen findet - aber das heißt noch lange nicht, dass er so leicht aufgibt!

Für Evie ist es die erste Liebe, sie merkt zum ersten Mal, dass sie Gefühle für einen Jungen hat, aber für Caleb ist es das irgendwie auch, weil er schon immer in seine beste Freundin verliebt war, auch wenn er andere Freundinnen hatte. Die beiden sind immer füreinander da und begleiten einander durch die harten Zeiten. Vor allem ist Caleb auch Evies Beschützer, wenn ihre Ängste sie quälen oder Mitschüler sie hänseln. In seiner Nähe fühlt sie sich viel wohler und das gibt ihr Mut. Ihre tiefe Freundschaft und die Gefühle, die sie entdecken, konnten mich wirklich berühren.

Es geht hier schon oft um Mathematik oder was Evie sonst noch so an Stoff durchnimmt, kam mir oft schon recht ausführlich vor und auch als Informatikstudentin konnte ich den Beschreibungen ganz sicher nicht immer folgen. Trotzdem fand ich die Vergleiche und Bezüge sowie Evies sachlichen Blick auf Alles sehr gelungen.

Fazit
"Can you help me find you?" konnte mich mit sympathischen, liebenswerten Protagonisten und einer süßen Geschichte um die erste Liebe überzeugen und auch wirklich gut unterhalten. Bei Evie und Caleb muss man einfach mitfiebern!

[sloth reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHHHHHHHHH and i cannot stress this enough AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I don't know WHERE I picked this book up from but I'm so glad I did. I've been looking for a cute contemporary to read and this one was an absolutely lovely one. I loved both he main characters. Add the best friends to lovers trope between two already amazing characters and that just takes the cake.

This is one of the few contemporaries I've read where almost every character is fleshed out really well. I'm glad the author didn't focus only on Evie and Caleb's relationship but the way she writes Evie and Bex, and Caleb and Bex, and Caleb and Leo, and all the other wonderful characters who appear for only a few pages like David and Sarah-Kate and their parents. Every character had a distinct unique personality and I think that's something you don't see a lot in contemporary.

I also really loved how all the characters dreams and goals and passions were incorporated into the story. Rather than being a side plot, it was perfectly woven into the romance aspect. It was great seeing genuinely supportive friends, and even the academic competition and collaboration between the love interests.

I also liked how mental health was handled in this book. Although the character of Evie's mother falls into the "paranoid psychologist" trope, I love how the author showed Evie's journey through her therapy, and how she does get better. It's an ongoing process and I appreciate how it was shown as such, even up until the end.

Another thing the author handled really well was the communication. There was little to no misunderstanding between the characters and therefore, much less drama, because they were all so willing to talk things out, and communicate with each other instead of creating extra tension for no reason other than prolonging the story.

I never really thought of math or physics as a beautiful thing, but the way it's described (although in a more romantic way than it is) was really fun to read. The metaphors were a cute touch as well.

All in all, there were definitely some parts that made me laugh out loud, and overall it was such a heartwarming read, with an adorable cast of characters - this one's definitely going to stick as a favourite.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Rating: —> 4 Stars

I am giving this 4 stars because it was a well written, ADORABLE love story, and while I almost rated it 3 stars because at some times it failed to keep my attention, it deserves the fourth star PURELY for the absolutely WONDERFUL mental health/ ANXIETY REP! I suffer from severe anxiety in many forms, and I have to say... Parks really hit the nail on the head with the rep in this book! It had me in tears because I couod relate so very much to so much of the anxiety descriptions in the book, and I think this is an absolute MUST READ for teens, and all lovers of YA contemporary romance, who suffer from anxiety, or think that they may suffer from anxiety. Much props and thanks to Amy Noelle Parks for truly representing anxiety.

Also, I loved the narration by Nick Mondelli & Elizabeth Cottle ! I found I enjoyed their narration style more & more as the story went on. They tend to draw you in & truly show the characters' personalities!

I would like to sincerely thank Amy Noelle Parks, Dreamscape Media, Amulet Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review

[♠ TABI⁷ ♠]

HNGGG THIS SOUNDS SO GOOD I ADORE THE TROPE OF BEST-FRIENDS-TO-MORE AHHHHHHHHHHH

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a YA romance between two best friends. Caleb always wanted to be more than just friends and one day, an almost kiss happens but Evie quickly turns him down, saying no. After that, Caleb tries to do some damage control but he hasn't forgotten what he wants and he still hopes to get there someday. When Evie has her first boyfriend, Caleb ends up chatting with her under a false name to get closer to her.

Overall, for me, this was an okay story and I like that the book included mental health rep but unfortunately, I was never convinced by the romance. I found the way Caleb lied about not wanting anything more from Evie uncomfortable and weird sometimes and I also didn't love the plot about the anonymous chat.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 41%

This could have been a super cute YA - I'm a HUGE fan of the boy-next-door, we've-been-best-friends-forever trope - but it just didn't work for me. For starters, Caleb. He's been in love with Evie for years and when they were 16 finally told her how he felt...and she immediately said she didn't feel the same, she wasn't interested. These almost-kisses the title mentions? Completely in Caleb's head: "At this point, Evie and I had nine almost-kisses between us, but she'd never given a single sign that she recognized even one of those moments of possibility." Before I stopped reading, Caleb was up to 15 almost-kisses: when they were 13 and playing hide-and-seek. During one of Evie's panic attacks (?!). The day they spent at the county fair. At no time does Caleb actually make a move, he just imagines these kisses as happening, despite already having been rejected by Evie.

Though Evie rejected Caleb, she's extremely handsy and touchy, to the point where potential partners for both Evie and Caleb feel awkward. They constantly hold hands, lean into one another, there were several forehead/hair/cheek kisses, there are sleepovers. They actually come across as codependent, Evie literally cannot do certain things without having Caleb right there with her while Caleb describes them as intertwined trees.

It's never stated outright, but I'm assuming Evie is autistic? There's much talk of how she doesn't understand facial expressions and emotions, she has to be told when something is a joke because she takes their meanings literally (there was one scene where Caleb said Leo pretty much wanted to Sharpie 'mine!' on Evie's forehead and Evie was horrified and confused), she will only eat a select few beige foods. To be honest, Caleb and Bex treat Evie like a child, relying on a lot of handholding (literally, in Caleb's case) and watered-down explaining as Evie navigates through high school.

Not long after Evie begins liking a boy, Leo, for the first time in her life, Caleb is angsting to Bex and despite being madly in love with Evie for years, straight up says: "I study [Bex's] face. 'You're prettier than she is. Margot too. Objectively speaking.'" Ew, Caleb, seriously?

From other reviews I know there's a catfishing plot, but I had only just reached the initial IMs between Evie and Caleb/Milo. I'm really not enjoying this one and don't care enough to continue. I'm clearly in the minority here.

[Ariel • The Book View · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book and, unfortunately, they were all squashed pretty quickly.

From the beginning, I was trying to figure out why I needed the information and chapters that were laid out. It all kinda felt like fluff and I kept waiting for the "real" story to come. It never really did.

Also, the voices of Caleb and Evie kinda felt the same. I appreciated that I was able to see into the minds of both of these characters, but after a while, they sounded like the same person.

As well, each chapter moved through the different situations so quickly. I would barely figure the setting and what not and then the scene would change. This also kinda goes along with the fact that I didn't understand the importance of a lot of these scenes. More fluff.

Lastly, (and this probably sums up all my earlier issues) the writing felt amateur. It wasn't bad, but not great either. It just felt like this was the author's first pass at writing a book.

Overall, I just wasn't impressed or interested in this book almost from the beginning. The idea was there, but it just didn't pan out.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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[Eleanor Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some feelings of note from the book:
1) I found this book avoided many of the contemporary tropes I've come to hate.
2) Once I read the preview the overwhelming urge I had to finish the book almost destroyed me.
3) Bex is a friend nobody deserves.
4) I do NOT read enough of the friends to lovers trope.
5) Caleb and Evie are perfect for each other.
6) I'm not a particularly STEM inclined girl... but all the power to the girls who are
7) Caleb being the person in the relationship to fall first seems like a step in the right direction.
8) Apparently you CAN wait to kiss someone until after you have broken up with the person you are in a relationship with... Huh.
9) The ending was perfect.

Honestly there were things I didn't like... but they would seem so nitpicky if I brought them up so I'll just leave it there. GIVE THIS BOOK A CHANCE... I can't promise you'll like it... but you might love it so I'd give it a shot if I were you.

[Kit · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why do people think this is cute and sweet?! Boy EXPECTS his friend, "when she's ready for romance" to just jump into his arms, then CATFISHES her because she has feelings for another boy???? Are you KIDDING ME?! THIS IS SO GROSS AND WEIRD AND CREEPY AF!!!!!

I get the E&P comp, because Eleanor was creepy AF, too, but, as much as I disliked Anna and the French Kiss, no one was a creep!

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty cute and easy to listen to.

To start off, I liked that in this story it was the guy pining over the girl. Caleb was in love with Evie and she was the one saying no to a relationship and dating another guy. So often it's the girl wanting the guy to notice her or see her as more than a friend so I appreciated the change. I didn't like that Caleb dated every other girl at school (almost literally.) It made him a player and wasn't fair to the other girls that he didn't really care about and of course it made Evie not want to date him. She thought she'd be just another notch in the belt and it would ruin their friendship.

Evie has anxiety and panic attacks, but is managing them well with therapy and medication. I liked seeing realistic mental health written, especially that it's not something that rules your life and there are ways to still accomplish all your goals. Caleb won me over with the sweet way he cares for Evie and understands her so completely.

The plot was okay, there were some slow parts while we were waiting for them to go to the competition. I thought the ending was cute and the narration for the audiobook was done well.

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Kat | katreadsit · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Because during our time apart, I learned that while I want to kiss Evie, I need her in my life. Without her, my world is ordinary.”

This book has me conflicted! The author addresses several important subject matters that we don’t get enough of in other YA books, which I absolutely loved! However I found myself distracted by plot/sub plot lines I’m not sure added or reinforced those issues.

The Quantum Weirdness is funny, feminist and impactful, but messy and complicated at times. I believe it’s worth a read, just know it’s about more than what meets the eye here.

3/5⭐️

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Noelle Parks, Nick Mondelli, Elizabeth Cottle, Dreamscape Media, and Amulet Books for the opportunity to listen to The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss via the NetGalley Shelf app.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book on the NetGalley Shelf app and it was amazing and engaging! Nick Mondelli reads the part of Caleb while Elizabeth Cottle voices the part of Evie. Their voice acting is well-done, animated, and an absolute joy to listen to!

This is a super cute romantic comedy about Evie, an absolute math wiz, and Caleb, her best friend and likewise intellectual enthusiast. Caleb reminisces about the many times he had an almost-kiss with Evie, and when he is finally ready to share his more romantic feelings for her, she is disinterested. Not wanting to ruin their friendship, Caleb backs off before things can go too far. When he steps back, he is now on the sidelines when it comes to watching Evie date a different classmate, Leo.

As Evie is dating Leo, Caleb comes up with a pretty crafty plan. He joins the Frontier message board, (Frontier is a school) using a fake name that might just pique Evie's interest. He happens to know her user name as well, and she has no clue it's him. Between the two of them, an online romance begins to develop.

With the romantic shenanigans with the looming shadow of a mathematics contest, not to mention her dealings with severe anxiety attacks, will Evie ever figure out her romantic situation on top of everything else?

I thought this was a well-written and rather cute novel, especially for a teenage girl reader. Since there is also a male perspective, it has a nice view for the male reader as well. The situations are quirky and the characters are typical high school kids just trying to figure out who they are and what they want from life. A fun listen that I will certainly recommend.

[Emma R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book gave me the same cute, light, and sweet feels that books like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before but with a little more depth. Friends to love is one of my favorite tropes and this one was stellar! The characters battling mental illness, expectations of family, growing up, pressures to succeed, and more are all relatable struggles for YA readers whether they’re living it now or reminiscing! The nerd factor was high, but I was here for it! If you ever wanted to imagine what the cast of Big Bang Theory was like in a private, high achieving, secondary school (where they’re all hot and athletes too) this is the book for you! Sometimes the maths, physics, and coding got a little like sitting through a lesson, but it wasn’t so bad that I wanted to skim or put it down. I really loved Evie’s growth and how therapy was highlighted rather than just miraculously being “OK”. Caleb was also the dream teen love interest! He wasn’t so absorbed in hormones that he was selfish or stupid and he was completely dedicated to his friends that were girls whether or not they were interested in him romantically! Loved it and am looking forward to anything else this author puts out!

[Chapteraway · Rating 3 out of 5]

War okay. Nichts besonderes, aber auch nichts schlechtes. Wahrscheinlich eher was für jüngere in etwa 13-15
3,5/5 Sterne