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If We Were Us
Everyone at the prestigious Bexley School believes that Sage Morgan and Charlie Carmichael are meant to be....that it’s just a matter of time until they realize that they are actually in love.
When Luke Morrissey shows up on the Bexley campus his presence immediately shakes things up. Charlie and Luke are drawn to each other the moment they meet, giving Sage the opportunity to steal away to spend time with Charlie’s twin brother, Nick.
But Charlie is afraid of what others will think if he accepts that he has much more than a friendship with Luke. And Sage fears that things with Nick are getting too serious too quickly. The duo will need to rely on each other and their lifelong friendship to figure things out with the boys they love.
When Luke Morrissey shows up on the Bexley campus his presence immediately shakes things up. Charlie and Luke are drawn to each other the moment they meet, giving Sage the opportunity to steal away to spend time with Charlie’s twin brother, Nick.
But Charlie is afraid of what others will think if he accepts that he has much more than a friendship with Luke. And Sage fears that things with Nick are getting too serious too quickly. The duo will need to rely on each other and their lifelong friendship to figure things out with the boys they love.
359 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2020
About the author
K.L. Walther
4 books687 followersK.L. Walther was born and raised in the rolling hills of Bucks County, Pennsylvania surrounded by family, dogs, and books. Her childhood was spent traveling the northeastern seaboard to play ice hockey. She attended a boarding school in New Jersey and went on to earn a B.A. in English from the University of Virginia. She is happiest on the beach with a book, cheering for the New York Rangers, or enjoying a rom-com while digging into a big bowl of popcorn and M&Ms.
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Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
August 14, 2020DNF @ page 115: I am so bummed that this one didn't work for me. This was my fourth attempt to read it and while this is now the furthest through I've gotten, I think it is safe to say that this book was just not for me. It starts off by just kind of throwing you into the madness that is the Bexley School and never really stops to give you a second to catch your breath or get your bearings. I couldn't keep any of the characters straight and it made it impossible for me to follow anything that was going on because I just kept getting more and more confused. I am SO bummed because I really thought this would be the queer boarding school book of my dreams, but sadly that was not the case. Womp.
March 29, 2020
On my blog.
Rep: gay mc, Japanese American gay li
Galley provided by publisher
Buckle up, folks, because I have a rant and a half for you. This book may look a cute read, but oh boy did it also manage to piss me off.
The story follows two best friends: Sage and Charlie. Sage is straight and sort of maybe in love with Charlie’s brother, Nick. Charlie is gay, but busy dating pretty much every girl he can in an effort to hide it. I think you can probably guess my first complaint here.
I’m just tired of reading books where the gay character hates themselves. Particularly when it’s not handled at all well (like here). Particularly when it’s not (ostensibly) ownvoices. I’m not saying “you have to be out to write this storyline” or anything, because that’s as shitty as some of the things this book espouses. I just think you need to be a helluva lot more careful about it than here.
Two things here made it bad, specifically. Firstly, Charlie doesn’t exactly treat any of the girls very well. He dates them for a couple weeks, then unceremoniously ditches them. And he also doesn’t really treat Luke all that well at times (particularly when they start dating but aren’t out). It would be okay if the book took a clear stance on this, that he doesn’t treat them well and that he can’t excuse it with being closeted. It doesn’t take the opposite stance by any means, but it definitely could have made it clearer.
Then, the kicker. Just when you start to feel sorry for Luke, he pulls the “we can’t be together if you’re not out” card. I don’t know how to describe just how pissed off I got at that point. Yes, in the book we’re not expecting Charlie’s family to actually be homophobic (casual comments perhaps aside), but to say that, to have that as the message of the book? Feels irresponsible. Especially since then Charlie doesn’t really choose to come out to his parents, but more does it because Luke has broken up with him over it. I don’t know how to make it clear enough that you should let people come out on their own terms and in their own time. And anything that says otherwise is just bad.
One final thing (about the gay rep at least): you know when you get the whole sense of a book being all look at me I’m a gay ally and you just cringe? That’s very much the case here. There’s even a distinct scene I can point to that’s like, the most unsubtle thing. Joking that No, really. It’s a genuine part.
But, besides all that, there were actual other things that stopped me liking the story so much. Namely, I could not give less of a shit about Sage’s storyline. She spends half of it treating Nick like crap for some dumb reason, so that, when she’s upset they’re not together, I have such little patience for her I was tempted to skip her parts entirely. I mean, yes to complex and not always perfect female characters, but no to the ones who do exactly what the male ones do (and piss me off in the same way).
Finally (and I mean it this time), there are so many conversations in this book that just get referenced. We don’t see them happening, but they are clearly important conversations, because they get brought up later. But surely it’s better to give the reader those conversations, rather than the ones that merely reference them. Particularly when said conversations might actually provide some character/relationship development as well. And don’t even get me started on the timeskips.
So yeah. As you may be able to tell by the sheer length of this review, me and this book did not get along.
To say the least.
Rep: gay mc, Japanese American gay li
Galley provided by publisher
Buckle up, folks, because I have a rant and a half for you. This book may look a cute read, but oh boy did it also manage to piss me off.
The story follows two best friends: Sage and Charlie. Sage is straight and sort of maybe in love with Charlie’s brother, Nick. Charlie is gay, but busy dating pretty much every girl he can in an effort to hide it. I think you can probably guess my first complaint here.
I’m just tired of reading books where the gay character hates themselves. Particularly when it’s not handled at all well (like here). Particularly when it’s not (ostensibly) ownvoices. I’m not saying “you have to be out to write this storyline” or anything, because that’s as shitty as some of the things this book espouses. I just think you need to be a helluva lot more careful about it than here.
Two things here made it bad, specifically. Firstly, Charlie doesn’t exactly treat any of the girls very well. He dates them for a couple weeks, then unceremoniously ditches them. And he also doesn’t really treat Luke all that well at times (particularly when they start dating but aren’t out). It would be okay if the book took a clear stance on this, that he doesn’t treat them well and that he can’t excuse it with being closeted. It doesn’t take the opposite stance by any means, but it definitely could have made it clearer.
Then, the kicker. Just when you start to feel sorry for Luke, he pulls the “we can’t be together if you’re not out” card. I don’t know how to describe just how pissed off I got at that point. Yes, in the book we’re not expecting Charlie’s family to actually be homophobic (casual comments perhaps aside), but to say that, to have that as the message of the book? Feels irresponsible. Especially since then Charlie doesn’t really choose to come out to his parents, but more does it because Luke has broken up with him over it. I don’t know how to make it clear enough that you should let people come out on their own terms and in their own time. And anything that says otherwise is just bad.
One final thing (about the gay rep at least): you know when you get the whole sense of a book being all look at me I’m a gay ally and you just cringe? That’s very much the case here. There’s even a distinct scene I can point to that’s like, the most unsubtle thing. Joking that No, really. It’s a genuine part.
But, besides all that, there were actual other things that stopped me liking the story so much. Namely, I could not give less of a shit about Sage’s storyline. She spends half of it treating Nick like crap for some dumb reason, so that, when she’s upset they’re not together, I have such little patience for her I was tempted to skip her parts entirely. I mean, yes to complex and not always perfect female characters, but no to the ones who do exactly what the male ones do (and piss me off in the same way).
Finally (and I mean it this time), there are so many conversations in this book that just get referenced. We don’t see them happening, but they are clearly important conversations, because they get brought up later. But surely it’s better to give the reader those conversations, rather than the ones that merely reference them. Particularly when said conversations might actually provide some character/relationship development as well. And don’t even get me started on the timeskips.
So yeah. As you may be able to tell by the sheer length of this review, me and this book did not get along.
To say the least.
February 17, 2023
There were so many thoughts going through my head while I was reading this book, and again when I was done. It’s hard to put them all to paper.
I went through stages of giddiness and heartbreak, with the occasional swooning every few pages. There was no doubt I was 100%, probably more like 150% invested in everything that happened in this book. The writing was fantastic, another debut novel that knocks it out of the ball park, and the overall plot was just outstanding!!!!
If We Were Us is about four kids in high school/boarding school. Brothers/twins, a childhood friend, and a new guy that turns their life upside down.
I LOVED IT ALL, THE ANGST, THE FEARS, THE DOUBTS, THE STRUGGLES, THE WRONG DECISIONS, THE RIGHT DECISIONS, THE COMING TOGETHER, THE FALLING APART.
And the reason why I loved it all was because of the writing. The author nailed it! She made it feel all so authentic, so real, in every way. The struggles about identity, loyalty, friendship, love, expectations, couldn’t have felt anymore real.
I also loved Charlie, and Sage’s alternating POVs. The book is actually written in a way that there are two love-stories, but the main focus is the quartet, Charlie and his twin Nick, best friend Sage, and newcomer Luke. The chemistry and banter were through the roof. The characters were all very well developed and the different personalities, with Luke being my favorite, just jumped off the pages. Best of all, whenever the characters were together – cuteness alert. It didn’t matter who it was. The friendships and real affection between all four was what carried this book. Absolutely adorable at times. Sweet. Touching. There was just so much heart and soul in this book.
I would have liked a longer ending, I needed a big more of the future of them all. But otherwise, this novel is one of the best YA books I read this year AND last year too.
ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review.
I went through stages of giddiness and heartbreak, with the occasional swooning every few pages. There was no doubt I was 100%, probably more like 150% invested in everything that happened in this book. The writing was fantastic, another debut novel that knocks it out of the ball park, and the overall plot was just outstanding!!!!
If We Were Us is about four kids in high school/boarding school. Brothers/twins, a childhood friend, and a new guy that turns their life upside down.
I LOVED IT ALL, THE ANGST, THE FEARS, THE DOUBTS, THE STRUGGLES, THE WRONG DECISIONS, THE RIGHT DECISIONS, THE COMING TOGETHER, THE FALLING APART.
And the reason why I loved it all was because of the writing. The author nailed it! She made it feel all so authentic, so real, in every way. The struggles about identity, loyalty, friendship, love, expectations, couldn’t have felt anymore real.
I also loved Charlie, and Sage’s alternating POVs. The book is actually written in a way that there are two love-stories, but the main focus is the quartet, Charlie and his twin Nick, best friend Sage, and newcomer Luke. The chemistry and banter were through the roof. The characters were all very well developed and the different personalities, with Luke being my favorite, just jumped off the pages. Best of all, whenever the characters were together – cuteness alert. It didn’t matter who it was. The friendships and real affection between all four was what carried this book. Absolutely adorable at times. Sweet. Touching. There was just so much heart and soul in this book.
I would have liked a longer ending, I needed a big more of the future of them all. But otherwise, this novel is one of the best YA books I read this year AND last year too.
ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2020
Boarding schools, parties, best friends, first loves, coming to terms with your identity and learning to love yourself, this coming of age story is cozy, fun and a fast read. I did feel the characters were more on the shallow side and *very* preppy; they easily fell into their stereotypes. I would’ve liked a more in depth exploration of the characters and more character development, but despite this I really enjoyed it!
April 28, 2020
This was sweet and charming and compulsively readable (I flew through it in two sittings), but it also had a lot of depth. I so appreciated the discussion on how it can be really fucking scary, but ultimately so freeing and rewarding, to be yourself and to admit, both to yourself and others, what it is you truly want. The depiction of friendship was great, too— and you know I’m always a sucker for a boarding school book. I really grew to love these characters, and I think lots of contemporary readers will be just as enchanted by Sage, Charlie, Nick, Luke, and their friends as I was.
May 25, 2020
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 Stars
Let's start this review by saying that I enjoyed this book, even though there are some things that I wish were different.
But first, let's talk about what I liked. What made me like this book very much were the characters, I found them enjoyable and I loved the two main couples. I liked how they were all connected and friends and also how deeply they cared for each other, I especially liked Sage and Charlie's friendship. This is a very character-driven narrative, in the sense that not much happens apart from the lives and the relationships these characters are involved in. I guess this might be a deal-breaker for some people, but I'm usually one that enjoys character-driven books and this one was no exception.
I also really enjoyed how the theme of the boarding school was dealt with, it was fun and I also think it was depicted in a pretty realistic way.
Now to the things I didn't particularly liked. The first thing is the double point of view. We get to read the story from Charlie and Sage's perspectives, but the two of them don't sound different at all. I enjoyed them, don't get me wrong, but they just felt like the same person.
The thing that I disliked the most was how a certain "trope" was used. At one point a character breaks up with another because they feel like they cannot be together if the other's not out. I think this event kind of forced the coming out of said character and this was something I definitely did not appreciate since I believe everyone should come out when and if they are ready. Also, I found this behavior to be very out of character and that’s what made me despise it even more. Overall I think this particular plot line kind of sends off a bad message and so I just want to point this out so that you're aware this is something that happens in this novel.
In the end this was an enjoyable read and even though I don't agree with some things that happened, I do still recommend it.
3.5/5 Stars
Let's start this review by saying that I enjoyed this book, even though there are some things that I wish were different.
But first, let's talk about what I liked. What made me like this book very much were the characters, I found them enjoyable and I loved the two main couples. I liked how they were all connected and friends and also how deeply they cared for each other, I especially liked Sage and Charlie's friendship. This is a very character-driven narrative, in the sense that not much happens apart from the lives and the relationships these characters are involved in. I guess this might be a deal-breaker for some people, but I'm usually one that enjoys character-driven books and this one was no exception.
I also really enjoyed how the theme of the boarding school was dealt with, it was fun and I also think it was depicted in a pretty realistic way.
Now to the things I didn't particularly liked. The first thing is the double point of view. We get to read the story from Charlie and Sage's perspectives, but the two of them don't sound different at all. I enjoyed them, don't get me wrong, but they just felt like the same person.
The thing that I disliked the most was how a certain "trope" was used. At one point a character breaks up with another because they feel like they cannot be together if the other's not out. I think this event kind of forced the coming out of said character and this was something I definitely did not appreciate since I believe everyone should come out when and if they are ready. Also, I found this behavior to be very out of character and that’s what made me despise it even more. Overall I think this particular plot line kind of sends off a bad message and so I just want to point this out so that you're aware this is something that happens in this novel.
In the end this was an enjoyable read and even though I don't agree with some things that happened, I do still recommend it.
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February 9, 2020
SUCH. STILTED. WRITING.
I really liked the premise of the book, but the characters were incredibly two-dimensional and shallow. I got zero sense of their personalities - even though it was in first-person. There was nothing to majorly differentiate the male POV from the female one, and they both felt like puppets doing random illogical things because the author wanted them to. E.g. Sage, the heroine, was a lot less conflicted over lying to her supposed best friend than I would have expected her to be; the author did not draw out the level of angst suited to the situation in order to make it properly emotional. Ergo, puppets.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
I really liked the premise of the book, but the characters were incredibly two-dimensional and shallow. I got zero sense of their personalities - even though it was in first-person. There was nothing to majorly differentiate the male POV from the female one, and they both felt like puppets doing random illogical things because the author wanted them to. E.g. Sage, the heroine, was a lot less conflicted over lying to her supposed best friend than I would have expected her to be; the author did not draw out the level of angst suited to the situation in order to make it properly emotional. Ergo, puppets.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
January 1, 2021
This was poorly paced, I didn't quite connect to either of the romances. I wish I had something substantial to say, but like... I wanted this to be the moment and it simply did not deliver on any possible front.
April 6, 2020
this is the first book i’ve finished in one day in a v long time. i loved it with my whole heart. i laughed so much and cried so much. i would die for charlie and sage and luke and nick.
thank you @SourcebooksFire for sending me a copy.
thank you @kl_walther for the healing.
thank you @SourcebooksFire for sending me a copy.
thank you @kl_walther for the healing.
May 3, 2020
sorry but i can't handle this book anymore. I found it extremely boring. From the beginning I already knew where the story would go. The author introduced so many characters to the book that it seemed unnecessary since I was confused to what relationship they had with our four main characters.
It might not be my type of reading, but if the premise catch your attention you may like it.
thanks to netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review
It might not be my type of reading, but if the premise catch your attention you may like it.
thanks to netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review
April 27, 2021
“Yeah, I love him,” he said. “I’ve been a goner for him since the day we met.”🌌
I didn’t expect to like so much this book, but I did! time has passed since I was this invested in the characters and everything going on in a book, It’s what I needed right now, a touching history, with so many laughs and complicated relationships, this story was for me definitely!
In this story, we discuss true friendship, coming out, feel comfortable with yourself, personal growth and in my personal opinion, I liked the way these topics were handled.
I am always grateful when books make you feel so many emotions through the pages, with this one the characters' pov was so authentic and real that it was no problem for me to connect with them, their personalities, I could understand the reasons they had to act the way they did in different situations, they had unmistakable characteristics and this helped to feel the chemistry between them when they interacted.
We had a book with a fast start, we were introduced to our Main Characters' lives and the dynamic between them, all this well-paced, and then we had all these complicated interactions between them, hilarious situations, very cute interactions, it really was a very compelling book to read.
The Characters were also phenomenal, just to name it, the Main Characters are Sage Morgan and Charlie Carmichael, and we had two major side characters which are the love interests, Nick Carmichael and Luke Morrissey, they had different phases, different evolutions, their thinking was different, they had different ways to see things a lot of times, but I liked them all, I could comprehend each one and be with them! There was a lot of complicated subjects to deal with in the story, so you can say this one did that or the other should’ve done this, but everyone has their personal way to see things and how to affront them, they are great but also had their flaws, they’re so young and human, so don’t expect them to be the most perfect beings in literature, but you know? That’s why I liked them even more, they’re so real.
This is why I loved them all
Sage, respects the space and the personal lives of their friends, she’s always supportive, but at the same time she has her own ground and ambitions, she cannot be underseeing and basically, she´s super cool.
Whatever the theme, she never had any trouble pulling an outfit together.
Charlie represents perfectly the way so many gay young boys are afraid to be who they really are, and all the way they had to go through, those fears and insecurities were so real. I’m glad he found his way step by step.
Love, but a love I wasn’t sure I was ready for. A love that scared me right now.
Luke, he’s so good, he had a lot of nuance in his personality, he can be this shy new guy but at the same time is so smart, funny, and cocky. This may be an unpopular opinion but If you've read the entire book you know he always respected Charlie and never pressured him into things he didn´t want to do.
“It hurts,” he translated, and hugged me again before adding, “But things will get better. Things will be good again.”
Nick, I really felt bad sometimes for him because of how misleading he was, If he knew things first hand I know he would act differently but no one was really open with him at first, but at the same time he was so kind with his brother especially.
“I love him just the same,” he said. “In case that wasn’t clear. He’s my brother…my best friend…and I want him to be happy.”
This book was amazing for me so I definitely recommend checking it! So If you enjoy rom com books with queer characters go run and grab this gem.
May 8, 2020
2.5 Stars
DNF @ 32%
There was absolutely nothing wrong with this story, I just really lost interest the more I read. I was so excited to see a story with a platonic soulmate in it - and I loved the relationship between Sage and Charlie, but even really liking the idea of the relationship, I didn't quite connect with the characters the way I wanted too. The characters never felt real to me -there was an exaggerated outlandishness that made the story feel unattainable. And even my love of boarding school books didn't help because it all just felt so out of reach. I only started to see the relationship develop between Charlie and Luke and Sage and Nick respectively, and while I liked them they weren't enough to keep me going.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
DNF @ 32%
There was absolutely nothing wrong with this story, I just really lost interest the more I read. I was so excited to see a story with a platonic soulmate in it - and I loved the relationship between Sage and Charlie, but even really liking the idea of the relationship, I didn't quite connect with the characters the way I wanted too. The characters never felt real to me -there was an exaggerated outlandishness that made the story feel unattainable. And even my love of boarding school books didn't help because it all just felt so out of reach. I only started to see the relationship develop between Charlie and Luke and Sage and Nick respectively, and while I liked them they weren't enough to keep me going.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2020
firstly thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the Earc In exchange for review
before going into this book I was so excited to dive in and I wanted to read this one when I first heard about it as the premise of the book sounded great and something I would enjoy. sadly this book fell flat for me and was just a okay read.
I'm not one for doing negative reviews so I will only say the positives of the novel will a little critique because there definitely were moments that I enjoyed throughout such as this is set in a boarding school setting which is a nice feature in books that I love.
the friendships I really enjoyed too and how really supportive they were to one of our main characters Charlie who is currently in the closet and is too scared to come out to friends, family and the school because of the repercussions he thinks it will have on himself and doesn't want anyone to treat him differently. I will say Charlie was a great character but from time to time he did annoy me (just my opinion)
and finally I really like the cute romances we do get but I wished we got so much more from them as I felt that throughout the whole story we only got snippets of romance and felt it was never fully touched upon. yes don't get me wrong we do see build ups to the relationships but I felt something was missing.
overall if we were us was a good read just wasn't on par to what I thought It could of been. I will say it was a really fast read for me and went by very fast. if your looking for something light and cute definitely read this one if you are interested.
before going into this book I was so excited to dive in and I wanted to read this one when I first heard about it as the premise of the book sounded great and something I would enjoy. sadly this book fell flat for me and was just a okay read.
I'm not one for doing negative reviews so I will only say the positives of the novel will a little critique because there definitely were moments that I enjoyed throughout such as this is set in a boarding school setting which is a nice feature in books that I love.
the friendships I really enjoyed too and how really supportive they were to one of our main characters Charlie who is currently in the closet and is too scared to come out to friends, family and the school because of the repercussions he thinks it will have on himself and doesn't want anyone to treat him differently. I will say Charlie was a great character but from time to time he did annoy me (just my opinion)
and finally I really like the cute romances we do get but I wished we got so much more from them as I felt that throughout the whole story we only got snippets of romance and felt it was never fully touched upon. yes don't get me wrong we do see build ups to the relationships but I felt something was missing.
overall if we were us was a good read just wasn't on par to what I thought It could of been. I will say it was a really fast read for me and went by very fast. if your looking for something light and cute definitely read this one if you are interested.
June 21, 2021
If We Were Us kept my attention while I was reading it but having seen how the plot wrapped up, I'm left with a lot of criticisms about this story.
The biggest issue I had was how queer themes were handled in If We Were Us. There's an adult relative of one of the main characters who is basically only shown on-page making rude and speculative comments about someone's sexuality. If this had behavior had been challenged in any way, I might have been able to make peace with it but it's presented as uncomfortable for the main character though otherwise fine. There was a lot of angst about coming out, which personally didn't bother me but might be a turn off for some. My big struggle with the prominence of the coming out arc in this book was that it just didn't feel like it was handled with care.
Besides how the queer themes were handled, I was also really put off by the fact that there is zero examination of the privilege that goes with being very rich and able to go to a boarding school where basically everyone we see on-page is white. Everything about the lifestyle the characters live -- from summers in Martha's Vineyard to buildings on campus being named after family members of the main characters -- is just presented as utterly normal. Five years ago I probably would've been fine with this, if I'd even noticed in the first place, but I just have no desire to read a book that doesn't even question any of the privilege its characters have.
All said and done, just pass on If We Were Us. There are better boarding school books out there and better YA contemporaries with queer characters.
C/W:
The biggest issue I had was how queer themes were handled in If We Were Us. There's an adult relative of one of the main characters who is basically only shown on-page making rude and speculative comments about someone's sexuality. If this had behavior had been challenged in any way, I might have been able to make peace with it but it's presented as uncomfortable for the main character though otherwise fine. There was a lot of angst about coming out, which personally didn't bother me but might be a turn off for some. My big struggle with the prominence of the coming out arc in this book was that it just didn't feel like it was handled with care.
Besides how the queer themes were handled, I was also really put off by the fact that there is zero examination of the privilege that goes with being very rich and able to go to a boarding school where basically everyone we see on-page is white. Everything about the lifestyle the characters live -- from summers in Martha's Vineyard to buildings on campus being named after family members of the main characters -- is just presented as utterly normal. Five years ago I probably would've been fine with this, if I'd even noticed in the first place, but I just have no desire to read a book that doesn't even question any of the privilege its characters have.
All said and done, just pass on If We Were Us. There are better boarding school books out there and better YA contemporaries with queer characters.
C/W:
June 2, 2020
i am numb as i am writing this. i am possessed by emotions, my heart is filled and cannot take anything more.
i received an arc approximately 6 hours ago and i started reading it as soon as i could. by the time i was ten seconds in, i knew the story was undeniably going to become my favourite of this year, and i was exactly right.
apart from that, let’s talk about the book itself. we have sage and charlie, best friends since childhood who people believe will end up together at some point however sage likes nick, charlie’s twin and charlie is gay.
moreover, we have luke. a new student who immediately catches charlie’s attention. i cannot begin to explain how consuming their relationship is, most of my notes are about them; they’re adorable, heartbreaking and WHOLESOME!!!
whereas nick and sage were cute too, not as much as them. nick made some mistakes that infuriated me but they still produced many screams that came from my mouth.
this book was absolutely perfect, the friendships were SO loyal, it was endearing to read; they cared deeply about each other (i cried many, many times) the romance was engrossing, i was a doomed fool who knew what she had in store yet reacted with wonder every single time.
in brief, the book is a work of art, it’s real and foolish at some points (they could have fixed numerous problems BY TALKING) that you begin to recognize how something can be perfectly imperfect, it’s a 5/5 and it’s obviously going on my favourites from this year.
*many thanks to netgalley and sourcebooks fire for allowing to read the arc!*
i received an arc approximately 6 hours ago and i started reading it as soon as i could. by the time i was ten seconds in, i knew the story was undeniably going to become my favourite of this year, and i was exactly right.
apart from that, let’s talk about the book itself. we have sage and charlie, best friends since childhood who people believe will end up together at some point however sage likes nick, charlie’s twin and charlie is gay.
moreover, we have luke. a new student who immediately catches charlie’s attention. i cannot begin to explain how consuming their relationship is, most of my notes are about them; they’re adorable, heartbreaking and WHOLESOME!!!
whereas nick and sage were cute too, not as much as them. nick made some mistakes that infuriated me but they still produced many screams that came from my mouth.
this book was absolutely perfect, the friendships were SO loyal, it was endearing to read; they cared deeply about each other (i cried many, many times) the romance was engrossing, i was a doomed fool who knew what she had in store yet reacted with wonder every single time.
in brief, the book is a work of art, it’s real and foolish at some points (they could have fixed numerous problems BY TALKING) that you begin to recognize how something can be perfectly imperfect, it’s a 5/5 and it’s obviously going on my favourites from this year.
*many thanks to netgalley and sourcebooks fire for allowing to read the arc!*
August 27, 2021
꧁ 2 stars ꧂
this book makes me mad. sage and charlie have no romantic chemistry and their relationship is so underdeveloped, seeing as it’s the “big conflict". i'm sick of queer characters being told they're invalid unless they come out to everyone in their near proximity, and i'm so done with the misunderstanding trope. the writing style is clunky and there's no tone difference between sage and charlie's pov's. there's no sage/carmichael twins backstory until the plot really requires it, so there's no buildup of their "years long friendship" until near the end of the book?? and with all that, i don't care about anyone in this book. i would like to see good queer rep please i beg of you.
꧁ find me at my socials ꧂
insta | tiktok | youtube | twitter | blog
this book makes me mad. sage and charlie have no romantic chemistry and their relationship is so underdeveloped, seeing as it’s the “big conflict". i'm sick of queer characters being told they're invalid unless they come out to everyone in their near proximity, and i'm so done with the misunderstanding trope. the writing style is clunky and there's no tone difference between sage and charlie's pov's. there's no sage/carmichael twins backstory until the plot really requires it, so there's no buildup of their "years long friendship" until near the end of the book?? and with all that, i don't care about anyone in this book. i would like to see good queer rep please i beg of you.
꧁ find me at my socials ꧂
insta | tiktok | youtube | twitter | blog
June 1, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
FULL REVIEW HERE.
3.5 stars.
When I bumped into this book on NetGalley, I was immediately sold. The plot sounded promising and I was surely expecting a cute story about two best friends, their last year before going to university and their discovery of love. And I wasn’t disappointed. Anyway, I also found some things that didn’t quite convinced me.
If We Were Us by K. L. Walther is an entertaining book that revolves around Sage Morgan and Charlie Carmichael. These two have been best friends since forever and here we can definitely see that they care very deeply about each other. Their friendship is one of the best aspects of this novel because they always try to be there for each other, no matter what. Sage and Charlie are really an adorable duo! And that’s something I really appreciated.
I liked the writing style and I think it was perfect for this novel. However, I wasn’t a fan of the two points of view here employed. To me, it felt like they were pretty much the same. At times, I had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to read whose actually POV I was currently reading about because I kept getting confused.
What I didn't like is that a character was kind of forced into coming out because he wasn't ready to do it, but he does so in order to not lose the loved one. I think this kind of message is not okay, not even a little. Especially because young people could read this book and get the wrong idea. Everyone should come out on their own terms and when they feel like it’s the right time. The decision is up to them and not to anyone else.
Overall, If We Were Us is an enjoyable and light read. If you love reading about true friendship and the discovery of love, then it’ll definitely be your cup of tea!
FULL REVIEW HERE.
3.5 stars.
When I bumped into this book on NetGalley, I was immediately sold. The plot sounded promising and I was surely expecting a cute story about two best friends, their last year before going to university and their discovery of love. And I wasn’t disappointed. Anyway, I also found some things that didn’t quite convinced me.
If We Were Us by K. L. Walther is an entertaining book that revolves around Sage Morgan and Charlie Carmichael. These two have been best friends since forever and here we can definitely see that they care very deeply about each other. Their friendship is one of the best aspects of this novel because they always try to be there for each other, no matter what. Sage and Charlie are really an adorable duo! And that’s something I really appreciated.
I liked the writing style and I think it was perfect for this novel. However, I wasn’t a fan of the two points of view here employed. To me, it felt like they were pretty much the same. At times, I had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to read whose actually POV I was currently reading about because I kept getting confused.
What I didn't like is that a character was kind of forced into coming out because he wasn't ready to do it, but he does so in order to not lose the loved one. I think this kind of message is not okay, not even a little. Especially because young people could read this book and get the wrong idea. Everyone should come out on their own terms and when they feel like it’s the right time. The decision is up to them and not to anyone else.
Overall, If We Were Us is an enjoyable and light read. If you love reading about true friendship and the discovery of love, then it’ll definitely be your cup of tea!
April 25, 2022
I love this book with all my heart and I cannot wait to read it again when it comes out in June. With engaging characters and relatable situations (whether you’re in high school or out of it), Walther hits the nail on the head with her debut novel.
If We Were Us has everything that you could ever want: an iconic Best-Friend Duo, swoony love interests that make you want more, and real-world relatable problems. Set in the fictional boarding school of Bexley, the novel makes you wish that you went there too. Between the crazy antics of Sage and her girl squad to the events "The Flock" friend group gets up to, I never wanted to put it down. And don’t even get me started on the love interests. Luke Morrissey and Nick Carmichael, you both have my heart for the foreseeable future.
As a person who reads a lot and loves this genre, I can say I probably set my record with how fast I read this book. I just could not put it down. Between Bexley being well Bexley and the dual narration from Charlie and Sage, I constantly wanted to know what happened next, always keeping reading. To watch them grow throughout the book was a ride, as I felt for them every time something happened. Between the good times and the bad, Walther had me laughing and crying with as well as crying for these characters.
If there is one thing I can tell you, this book will easily become one of your favorites due to the sheer relatability of who these characters are. 10/10 recommend.
If We Were Us has everything that you could ever want: an iconic Best-Friend Duo, swoony love interests that make you want more, and real-world relatable problems. Set in the fictional boarding school of Bexley, the novel makes you wish that you went there too. Between the crazy antics of Sage and her girl squad to the events "The Flock" friend group gets up to, I never wanted to put it down. And don’t even get me started on the love interests. Luke Morrissey and Nick Carmichael, you both have my heart for the foreseeable future.
As a person who reads a lot and loves this genre, I can say I probably set my record with how fast I read this book. I just could not put it down. Between Bexley being well Bexley and the dual narration from Charlie and Sage, I constantly wanted to know what happened next, always keeping reading. To watch them grow throughout the book was a ride, as I felt for them every time something happened. Between the good times and the bad, Walther had me laughing and crying with as well as crying for these characters.
If there is one thing I can tell you, this book will easily become one of your favorites due to the sheer relatability of who these characters are. 10/10 recommend.
April 7, 2022
I can't tell
if i enjoyed this or The Summer of Broken Rules more
hmmm maybe this one?
i just feel like there was more to it
more things happening
idk I feel like nothing but everything happened
and that's what makes it so nice to read-it's easy
its light but there's also important topics and like it's not boring
the plot is actually very interesting
honestly the best thing though issss.... THE CHARACTERS
this and the summer of broken rules, the characters were just all so phenomenal
like I wish I could be their friend or just hang out with them for a day :D
I also realized like close to the end of the book, nick and charlie LOL, I found it funny
also THE GILMORE GIRLS REFRENCES
so much better than the taylor swift ones heh
anyways yes yses yyes
(also, charlie's valedictorian speech, slay!)
I wish there was more ;-;
and I would totally reread :)
if i enjoyed this or The Summer of Broken Rules more
hmmm maybe this one?
i just feel like there was more to it
more things happening
idk I feel like nothing but everything happened
and that's what makes it so nice to read-it's easy
its light but there's also important topics and like it's not boring
the plot is actually very interesting
honestly the best thing though issss.... THE CHARACTERS
this and the summer of broken rules, the characters were just all so phenomenal
like I wish I could be their friend or just hang out with them for a day :D
I also realized like close to the end of the book, nick and charlie LOL, I found it funny
also THE GILMORE GIRLS REFRENCES
so much better than the taylor swift ones heh
anyways yes yses yyes
(also, charlie's valedictorian speech, slay!)
I wish there was more ;-;
and I would totally reread :)
May 10, 2020
If We Were Us by K.L. Walther is the story of four teenagers and how their lives intertwine in a private boarding school.
Everyone at Bexley School knows that Sage and Charlie are destined to be together. No matter how many girlfriends Charlie has had over the years, everyone knows he’ll always come back to Sage.
But when Luke starts Bexley School as a prefect, life for Charlie changes. Luke and Charlie are drawn together, and Charlie can’t deny the attraction he feels for Luke. How does the big man on campus come out of the closet as a gay man?
Sage, for her part, is happy for Charlie. His distraction means she can spend more time with Charlie’s twin, Nick. And she really likes Nick.
As the year goes on, the relationship dynamics between the four teenagers changes and shifts. One thing’s for certain though: it’s never simple, and it’s never easy.
If We Were Us by K.L. Walther was a cute read. It was simple, sweet, and a breeze to get through.
So why did I only give it three stars? The biggest reason is that all of the characters blended together. While the perspective of the book shifts back and forth between Sage and Charlie, the voice sounded the same. All four characters acted and sounded remarkably alike, so I got lost at times trying to remember which character I was actually following.
On the plus side, the romances in the book were sweet. I enjoyed watching the characters get to know each other better and grow closer as the book went on.
Would I recommend If We Were Us by K.L. Walthers to others? Yes, if you enjoy young adult contemporary fiction, this a book you should consider!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 27, 2020
Oh, you guys. I am OBSESSED with this story.
The synopsis doesn't do it justice; this review won't do it justice. It's just this incredibly sweet, incredibly awesome love story. (Love stories, plural, really; it's so good and I don't think I can talk about it like a rational person and parse exactly why I love it so much.)
I mean, yes, boarding school stories. And yes, first love. And yes, secret romance. And yes, friends that are like family. But it's all of those things and more.
I have literary-related crazymouth.
So just get this and read it and thank me later.
Highly recommended.
The synopsis doesn't do it justice; this review won't do it justice. It's just this incredibly sweet, incredibly awesome love story. (Love stories, plural, really; it's so good and I don't think I can talk about it like a rational person and parse exactly why I love it so much.)
I mean, yes, boarding school stories. And yes, first love. And yes, secret romance. And yes, friends that are like family. But it's all of those things and more.
I have literary-related crazymouth.
So just get this and read it and thank me later.
Highly recommended.
May 13, 2020
This book should have been a DNF. The writing felt stilted and was just poorly done in general. Characters and situations were introduced without context as though we were supposed to know things that the author never mentioned (so much so that I had to check and see if I was reading a sequel). There are these odd time jumps that skip important scenes and conversations and there is so much telling instead of showing. This book is written in first person, alternating between Charlie and Sage's perspectives but neither character felt fleshed out. Everyone felt like tropes rather than real people and it made it difficult to care about them and their relationships. Especially the relationship between Sage and Nick -- there's no lead up, they're just... making out all of a sudden? And we're supposed to believe they're in love with each other? Even though she treats him like crap and blames it on other people? It was not good. Aside from all of that I had a major issue with the LGBT content. Aside from it also feeling just as tropey as the rest of the book, I was super not okay with how the other characters claimed to be allies but continued to basically bully the MC into coming out? It didn't feel like it was coming from a place of love, and largely felt self-serving. I could kind of understand Luke's perspective to an extent, but the whole situation didn't feel like it was handled well at all.
Anyway, I really would not recommend this. There are so many better books with better representation than this.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
Anyway, I really would not recommend this. There are so many better books with better representation than this.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
March 18, 2020
Longer review on my blog Kat from Minas Morgul
the good:
- the friendships ♥ especially Sage and Charlie's, it's so wonderful
- the unconditional love between them
- also Luke and Sage's friendship!!
- the characters themselves
- how the struggle of being a closeted gay was written
- how Brexley was its own little world and how wonderfully it was described
the bad:
- it was so fast? some scenes barely started before they were over again
- a certain trope regarding LGBT+ people ugh no
- no differences between the voices
the good:
- the friendships ♥ especially Sage and Charlie's, it's so wonderful
- the unconditional love between them
- also Luke and Sage's friendship!!
- the characters themselves
- how the struggle of being a closeted gay was written
- how Brexley was its own little world and how wonderfully it was described
the bad:
- it was so fast? some scenes barely started before they were over again
- a certain trope regarding LGBT+ people ugh no
- no differences between the voices
June 18, 2020
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!
Oh my god this was so adorable. And funny. And slightly heart-breaking.
It was a fluffy read, but I loved it.
SO. HECKING. CUTE!
Oh my god this was so adorable. And funny. And slightly heart-breaking.
It was a fluffy read, but I loved it.
SO. HECKING. CUTE!
September 23, 2020
So that made me cry a few times 😂
February 13, 2020
Whether high school is just slightly in the rear-view mirror or long ago, author KL Walther, in her debut novel, will take you back to the bittersweet days of senior year through the lens of the four main characters in If We Were Us. Set in a fictional East Coast boarding school, she immerses the reader in the day-to-day of life-long friends Charlie and Sage-- who most on the campus presume are more than BFFs-- and Charlie’s twin brother, Nick. The new guy on campus is the smart, funny and self-deprecating transfer student Luke (we all have a favorite character and he was mine) who is taken under Sage’s wing and introduced to her circle of friends. Everyone on campus takes a special interest in Luke, especially Charlie. The two hit it off instantly. Walther's page-turner takes us on a journey exploring the meaning of friendship, identity, teen insecurity, and love. Told in the first person, this author has a great knack for creating scenes with enough tension and energy and snappy dialogue that it had me wanting to tag along with this band of friends at their favorite after school hangout. I ditched everything for two days to see where the four would end up and with whom as they created a memorable senior year. This book stuck with me long after I finished the last page.
May 27, 2020
*Netgalley ARC*
Such a cute and sweet love story. Because yes, this is a love story with all the heartaches and pains and puffy eyes and tears and make out and make ups, and it was a really sweet one.
The book is told from two POVs, from Sage and her best friend Charlie. Charlie is facing his feelings for new super cute boy Luke, and Sage is trying very hard not to fall hard for Charlie's twin Nick. Both are pretty charmed, both act pretty stupidly. How can you do? They are impulsive, indecisive, young, afraid. Things can't always come easy, right?
Among all the sweetness and how cute both of the couples were, there's one thing I wasn't a fan of. Nothing should be forced to come out, no matter how much it's hurting, coming out if you're not ready shouldn't be used as an ultimatum. I can understand the frustration, the sadness, the need to be free, but nope, if you're not ready nobody should force you.
Boarding school life sounds really great or at least that's how the characters made it look like. They were always having themed events, parties, dances, always out and about having adventures and so much fun. They made it sound like something I would've loved to experience.
I liked both voices, Sage's and Charlie's, and how you could read how both of them were trying to find themselves besides them being a duo. How they were without having to share everything with one another, having secrets for the first time ever, to protect themselves. But their friendship is a solid one, and I loved how they were always there for each other, even if being there could've cost them something they started caring much about.
I finished the book in under 5 hours, I needed to know how it was going to end. My heart hurt and was full of feelings. I wanted to see all of them happy because I started caring about these characters, about all their group of friends, and I wanted them to have all the happiness in the world.
I definitely recommend this book! Preorder it asap!!
Such a cute and sweet love story. Because yes, this is a love story with all the heartaches and pains and puffy eyes and tears and make out and make ups, and it was a really sweet one.
The book is told from two POVs, from Sage and her best friend Charlie. Charlie is facing his feelings for new super cute boy Luke, and Sage is trying very hard not to fall hard for Charlie's twin Nick. Both are pretty charmed, both act pretty stupidly. How can you do? They are impulsive, indecisive, young, afraid. Things can't always come easy, right?
Among all the sweetness and how cute both of the couples were, there's one thing I wasn't a fan of. Nothing should be forced to come out, no matter how much it's hurting, coming out if you're not ready shouldn't be used as an ultimatum. I can understand the frustration, the sadness, the need to be free, but nope, if you're not ready nobody should force you.
Boarding school life sounds really great or at least that's how the characters made it look like. They were always having themed events, parties, dances, always out and about having adventures and so much fun. They made it sound like something I would've loved to experience.
I liked both voices, Sage's and Charlie's, and how you could read how both of them were trying to find themselves besides them being a duo. How they were without having to share everything with one another, having secrets for the first time ever, to protect themselves. But their friendship is a solid one, and I loved how they were always there for each other, even if being there could've cost them something they started caring much about.
I finished the book in under 5 hours, I needed to know how it was going to end. My heart hurt and was full of feelings. I wanted to see all of them happy because I started caring about these characters, about all their group of friends, and I wanted them to have all the happiness in the world.
I definitely recommend this book! Preorder it asap!!
March 9, 2021
I really, really loved this. Even though it uses my least favorite plot device of all time (aka NOBODY FUCKING TALKING TO EACH OTHER ABOUT ANYTHING), it still ended up being a fantastic read. It was a little hard to get into because there are so many characters being thrown at you at once, and in the middle of a scene you’ll get a flashback with no warning which was a little jarring. Otherwise, I was really invested in the characters (gasp, even the straight ones) and their happiness. Also we need more gay boarding school romances.
Shelved as 'dnf'
June 4, 2020There is no one who is sadder than me right now for not liking this book. This was one of my most anticipated releases for this year. And in the end, I felt kind of unsatisfied with the story. The characters were forgettable, the story as well. I did not vibe with the writing style, not one bit.
I am not saying that I would not recommend this book, I most certainly will. I guess I had different hopes or just expected too much which is my fault entirely.
I am not saying that I would not recommend this book, I most certainly will. I guess I had different hopes or just expected too much which is my fault entirely.
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