What do you think?
Rate this book
Love Somebody
A sparkling YA debut rom-com about a popular high-school girl, her ex-boyfriend-turned-best-friend, and the girl they both fall for--perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli or Casey McQuiston.
Sam Dickson is a charismatic actress, ambitious and popular with big plans for her future. Ros Shew is one of the smartest people in school--but she's a loner, and prefers to keep it that way. Then there's Christian Powell, the darling of the high school soccer team. He's not the best with communication, which is why he and Sam broke up after dating for six months; but he makes up for it by being genuine, effusive, and kind, which is why they're still best friends.
When Christian falls for Ros on first sight, their first interaction is a disaster, so he enlists Sam's help to get through to her. Sam, with motives of her own, agrees to coach Christian from the sidelines on how to soften Ros's notorious walls. But as Ros starts to suspect Christian is acting differently, and Sam starts to realize the complexity of her own feelings, their fragile relationships threaten to fall apart.
This fresh romantic comedy from debut author Rachel Roasek is a heartfelt story about falling in love--with a partner, with your friends, or just with yourself--and about how maybe, the bravest thing to do in the face of change is just love somebody.
Sam Dickson is a charismatic actress, ambitious and popular with big plans for her future. Ros Shew is one of the smartest people in school--but she's a loner, and prefers to keep it that way. Then there's Christian Powell, the darling of the high school soccer team. He's not the best with communication, which is why he and Sam broke up after dating for six months; but he makes up for it by being genuine, effusive, and kind, which is why they're still best friends.
When Christian falls for Ros on first sight, their first interaction is a disaster, so he enlists Sam's help to get through to her. Sam, with motives of her own, agrees to coach Christian from the sidelines on how to soften Ros's notorious walls. But as Ros starts to suspect Christian is acting differently, and Sam starts to realize the complexity of her own feelings, their fragile relationships threaten to fall apart.
This fresh romantic comedy from debut author Rachel Roasek is a heartfelt story about falling in love--with a partner, with your friends, or just with yourself--and about how maybe, the bravest thing to do in the face of change is just love somebody.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 11, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
June 26, 2022
This book is pitched for fans of Casey McQuiston and Becky Albertalli; the latter of which I agree immensely, but the former... what? The only similarity I see this book has to Casey McQuiston is one bisexual ass plot. On the other hand, this book is definitely great for fans of Becky Albertalli, though I would say I enjoyed this book much more than I've ever enjoyed an Albertalli novel.
Taking on a Cyrano retelling in any modern setting is definitely a challenging undertaking, and one that has fallen flat for me in every media I've seen attempt it. This novel is no different. Parts of this novel (namely, the third act and everything about the character Christian) I really loved, but other parts I had apathy bordering dislike for, which made my reading experience... very confusing for this novel to say the least. I do believe had it not been for the fact that I am obligated to review this book for the publisher, I would've DNF'd it about 10% in.
I found Ros and Sam, 2 of the 3 main characters to fall incredibly flat during the first half of the novel. They neither one had much depth and motivation beyond future career goals, and I found Christian, the other main character had the most compelling personality and backstory.
The uncompelling two of the main characters combined with my general apathy towards the writing style, which wasn't terrible, but definitely wasn't impressive, I found myself struggling to trudge through the first two thirds of the novel, However, once I hit that final act the book definitely started looking up for me. As everything comes together to crash and burn between our three main characters, in typical Cyrano fashion, I finally became enthralled with the story. Sure, the ending was predictable, but it was also very well written and compelling.
Overall, I enjoyed aspects of this novel, however I don't think many readers will stick around to get to the good part. I myself don't believe the time I spent reading the first two thirds of the book (about 3 hours) was worth the satisfying ending, and I don't think this book will be sticking out in my. memory in the months to come. Kudos to the cover artist for creating a beautiful cover though! 3.5 stars.
Taking on a Cyrano retelling in any modern setting is definitely a challenging undertaking, and one that has fallen flat for me in every media I've seen attempt it. This novel is no different. Parts of this novel (namely, the third act and everything about the character Christian) I really loved, but other parts I had apathy bordering dislike for, which made my reading experience... very confusing for this novel to say the least. I do believe had it not been for the fact that I am obligated to review this book for the publisher, I would've DNF'd it about 10% in.
I found Ros and Sam, 2 of the 3 main characters to fall incredibly flat during the first half of the novel. They neither one had much depth and motivation beyond future career goals, and I found Christian, the other main character had the most compelling personality and backstory.
The uncompelling two of the main characters combined with my general apathy towards the writing style, which wasn't terrible, but definitely wasn't impressive, I found myself struggling to trudge through the first two thirds of the novel, However, once I hit that final act the book definitely started looking up for me. As everything comes together to crash and burn between our three main characters, in typical Cyrano fashion, I finally became enthralled with the story. Sure, the ending was predictable, but it was also very well written and compelling.
Overall, I enjoyed aspects of this novel, however I don't think many readers will stick around to get to the good part. I myself don't believe the time I spent reading the first two thirds of the book (about 3 hours) was worth the satisfying ending, and I don't think this book will be sticking out in my. memory in the months to come. Kudos to the cover artist for creating a beautiful cover though! 3.5 stars.
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 3, 2022Dnf at 20%.
This is so stupid.
-----------------------------------------------
"A sparkling YA debut rom-com about a popular high-school girl, her ex-boyfriend-turned-best-friend, and the girl they both fall for--perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli or Casey McQuiston."
That's all I need to know.
Also, please, let it be poly!
This is so stupid.
-----------------------------------------------
"A sparkling YA debut rom-com about a popular high-school girl, her ex-boyfriend-turned-best-friend, and the girl they both fall for--perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli or Casey McQuiston."
That's all I need to know.
Also, please, let it be poly!
October 2, 2021
I somehow liked AND disliked this in equal measures which was an EXPERIENCE let me tell you...
December 27, 2021
I received an ARC from Netgalley
TW: mentioned death by cancer, toxic/controlling parents, child abandonment, mentioned homophobic laws
4.2
Sam knows how people work- it's a combination of acting and casually catfishing people online. Knowing how people tic has done wonders for making her popular throughout the years, but she's never had to use her charm for anything much more important- until now. Christian, ex-boyfriend and best friend, has a new crush, and it's a pretty impossible one. Ros doesn't date, or even socialize- and maybe Sam would have helped anyway, but after Ros' terrible review of her play, Sam jumps on the opportunity to prove herself. But once the spite fades away and Ros starts looking a little more like a person than a nemesis or a mark, Sam's feelings might be getting a little... complicated.
This is a cute Cyrano-inspired book! If that's your jam, you'll have plenty to love about this one.
The romance in this could have easily fallen flat or leaned too far into uncomfortable territory or too close to the "revenge" part of this, but instead the chemistry of all three of them prevails. The romance is cute and the characters themselves are compelling.
I actually didn't like the characters at large at the beginning, but they grew one me- much the way they grow on Ros. I liked the slow blooming of each one, and how their interactions with each other show more about them as individuals.
There's a nice exploration of weighty themes here, without dipping into to heavy territory. This book isn't fluffy, but it still feels light, even under the weight of the doubt and family problems slowly excavated. I think the themes are done really well.
Though I liked the characters and their inner lives, I do wish that the arcs had been a little stronger. I feel like Sam's could have gone further and been more dynamic, and Ros' felt repetitive at points.
And, not an issue of the story as a whole, but the promotion I saw for this book had me expecting a polyamorous story, and there isn't one. So I wound up disappointed because of my own expectations.
This is a cute romcom-ish story of different types of love, wingmaning too close to the sun, and what you allow for yourself.
Pre-review comments below
This was at least 90% just The Half of It but I'm here for it
TW: mentioned death by cancer, toxic/controlling parents, child abandonment, mentioned homophobic laws
4.2
Sam knows how people work- it's a combination of acting and casually catfishing people online. Knowing how people tic has done wonders for making her popular throughout the years, but she's never had to use her charm for anything much more important- until now. Christian, ex-boyfriend and best friend, has a new crush, and it's a pretty impossible one. Ros doesn't date, or even socialize- and maybe Sam would have helped anyway, but after Ros' terrible review of her play, Sam jumps on the opportunity to prove herself. But once the spite fades away and Ros starts looking a little more like a person than a nemesis or a mark, Sam's feelings might be getting a little... complicated.
This is a cute Cyrano-inspired book! If that's your jam, you'll have plenty to love about this one.
The romance in this could have easily fallen flat or leaned too far into uncomfortable territory or too close to the "revenge" part of this, but instead the chemistry of all three of them prevails. The romance is cute and the characters themselves are compelling.
I actually didn't like the characters at large at the beginning, but they grew one me- much the way they grow on Ros. I liked the slow blooming of each one, and how their interactions with each other show more about them as individuals.
There's a nice exploration of weighty themes here, without dipping into to heavy territory. This book isn't fluffy, but it still feels light, even under the weight of the doubt and family problems slowly excavated. I think the themes are done really well.
Though I liked the characters and their inner lives, I do wish that the arcs had been a little stronger. I feel like Sam's could have gone further and been more dynamic, and Ros' felt repetitive at points.
And, not an issue of the story as a whole, but the promotion I saw for this book had me expecting a polyamorous story, and there isn't one. So I wound up disappointed because of my own expectations.
This is a cute romcom-ish story of different types of love, wingmaning too close to the sun, and what you allow for yourself.
Pre-review comments below
This was at least 90% just The Half of It but I'm here for it
March 23, 2022
3 stars? This was surprisingly fun! I thought it would be very cliché or boring but I actually had a good time. RTC!
June 7, 2022
This was just incredibly, very much okay. There's nothing that particularly upset me about it, but also nothing that particularly made it stand out. I think I will have forgotten all about it by next week. I know that sounds pretty harsh, but it just fell really flat for me. Still, it was a fast read that I mostly did enjoy, hence the 3 stars.
January 13, 2022
First read of 2021 and it was disaster bis! AAAHHHHHHH I am so glad I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
This was messy and ridiculous at other times (they're technically catfishing the other MC, of course it's going to get chaotic and messy), but wow. It was also heartfelt and funny and sweet. It tackled love, family, identity, and the effort to connect with others. The characterization for me was on point as well because the three main characters shined in their own ways and they went on their individual arcs.
I adored this book! Exact rating: 4/5
Full review will be posted soon as part of Love Somebody Blog Tour hosted by Turn the Pages Tours.
Find me elsewhere: Instagram | Twitter | Blog
This was messy and ridiculous at other times (they're technically catfishing the other MC, of course it's going to get chaotic and messy), but wow. It was also heartfelt and funny and sweet. It tackled love, family, identity, and the effort to connect with others. The characterization for me was on point as well because the three main characters shined in their own ways and they went on their individual arcs.
I adored this book! Exact rating: 4/5
Full review will be posted soon as part of Love Somebody Blog Tour hosted by Turn the Pages Tours.
Find me elsewhere: Instagram | Twitter | Blog
December 23, 2021
I really, really, liked this one. So much about it called to me, and even though I found it incredibly hard to read at times, I still loved it. Possibly even more because of that.
The thing that made this so difficult was its relatability. Ros felt like me. Her world views resembled me, her insecurities, and her doubts. Everything felt so personal. At times, I had to put the book down because of how direct it seemed. You know a character is well written when they affect you so strongly, so this was a good thing, but just a challenge that came along with reading this.
I also really liked the way the love triangle here was written. Although it's a trope I hate, it actually ended up being something I enjoyed here. I was so scared the romance would break the friendship between Sam and Christian, but thankfully, that didn't happen. I loved that the author prioritized friendships just as much as relationships, it made this entire story feel so much more real.
Finally, I really loved all of the quotes in this one. I had so many written down by the end of this. Christian, Sam, Ros, all of them had their moments to make an impact, and I loved it.
Although I was unsure that I'd enjoy this one when I picked it up, I'm super happy I did. It ended up being something I really enjoyed reading!
Thanks to Turn the Page Tours for providing a free copy!
The thing that made this so difficult was its relatability. Ros felt like me. Her world views resembled me, her insecurities, and her doubts. Everything felt so personal. At times, I had to put the book down because of how direct it seemed. You know a character is well written when they affect you so strongly, so this was a good thing, but just a challenge that came along with reading this.
I also really liked the way the love triangle here was written. Although it's a trope I hate, it actually ended up being something I enjoyed here. I was so scared the romance would break the friendship between Sam and Christian, but thankfully, that didn't happen. I loved that the author prioritized friendships just as much as relationships, it made this entire story feel so much more real.
Finally, I really loved all of the quotes in this one. I had so many written down by the end of this. Christian, Sam, Ros, all of them had their moments to make an impact, and I loved it.
Although I was unsure that I'd enjoy this one when I picked it up, I'm super happy I did. It ended up being something I really enjoyed reading!
Thanks to Turn the Page Tours for providing a free copy!
February 8, 2022
I really enjoyed this queer YA romance. So great on audio narrated by a full cast including Natalie Naudus! Sam is a type-A, ambitious senior who just wants to get out of her small town. She's written, produced and starred in the school play with her ex, Christian but then fellow student Ros writes a scathing review forcing Sam to reevaluate her work. Ironically Christian falls hard for Ros on the night of the play and enlists Sam to help impress Ros enough so that she'll date him. Cue, Sam playing as some kind of modern day female Cyrano but along the way her feelings of hate start to turn into something more.
I'm not usually a fan of YA love triangles. They can be heavy on the angst but this one was really well done. The characters didn't feel one-dimensional at all and the story flowed well. Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli's Kate in waiting or Emma Lord's When you get the chance. Definitely try this on audio if you get the chance!
I'm not usually a fan of YA love triangles. They can be heavy on the angst but this one was really well done. The characters didn't feel one-dimensional at all and the story flowed well. Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli's Kate in waiting or Emma Lord's When you get the chance. Definitely try this on audio if you get the chance!
February 12, 2022
4 stars ⭐
I liked this more I thought I would :)
I liked this more I thought I would :)
March 16, 2022
the only one i liked was the one guy whose name started with a M
crop-top dude
crop-top dude
February 2, 2022
Do I love every version of Cyrano? Yes.
Do I think the plot of Cyrano is problematic? Yes.
Will that stop me from devouring every peice of media that uses it? No.
Do I think the plot of Cyrano is problematic? Yes.
Will that stop me from devouring every peice of media that uses it? No.
Shelved as 'lost-interest'
January 18, 2022DNF at 13%. I really wanted to give this book a shot and tried to hold out til the 30% mark, but I just couldn't do it. I don't really like any of these characters and I don't like that we get all 3 POVs. I was hoping this might be a poly relationship, but I've read spoilers and it's not. This book just isn't very compelling and life is short so onto the next. 💜✌️
January 23, 2022
**Arc received from NetGalley in exchange for honest review***
Summary from book:
Sam Dickson is a charismatic actress, ambitious and popular with big plans for her future. Ros Shew is one of the smartest people in school—but she’s a loner, and prefers to keep it that way. Then there’s Christian Powell, the darling of the high school soccer team. He’s not the best with communication, which is why he and Sam broke up after dating for six months; but he makes up for it by being genuine, effusive, and kind, which is why they’re still best friends.
When Christian falls for Ros on first sight, their first interaction is a disaster, so he enlists Sam’s help to get through to her. Sam, with motives of her own, agrees to coach Christian from the sidelines on how to soften Ros’s notorious walls. But as Ros starts to suspect Christian is acting differently, and Sam starts to realize the complexity of her own feelings, their fragile relationships threaten to fall apart.
Review:
They got me in the first half with this book. It was slow going at first because none of the characters, except Ros, were all that likeable. Sam was the stereotypical perfectionist that you hope life would slap in the face and Christian was just boring and flat. But as the story continues you get to know them and the lives they keep hidden. It makes them far more relatable and made me more attached to them as the story progresses. The last half of this book was perfect because of the character arcs!
Y’all I hate a love triangle trope with a burning passion. But somehow Rachel wrote this one amazingly well. The hardest part of love triangles in books is keeping the original friendships intact. That’s what makes this one so good. Rachel made sure her characters put friendship above their feelings of love. It changes the dynamic and gives that feeling that everyone will be alright no matter who is ultimately chosen.
Overall this was a really solid read that did a great job of tackling questioning sexuality, growing friendships and tough family situations.
Summary from book:
Sam Dickson is a charismatic actress, ambitious and popular with big plans for her future. Ros Shew is one of the smartest people in school—but she’s a loner, and prefers to keep it that way. Then there’s Christian Powell, the darling of the high school soccer team. He’s not the best with communication, which is why he and Sam broke up after dating for six months; but he makes up for it by being genuine, effusive, and kind, which is why they’re still best friends.
When Christian falls for Ros on first sight, their first interaction is a disaster, so he enlists Sam’s help to get through to her. Sam, with motives of her own, agrees to coach Christian from the sidelines on how to soften Ros’s notorious walls. But as Ros starts to suspect Christian is acting differently, and Sam starts to realize the complexity of her own feelings, their fragile relationships threaten to fall apart.
Review:
They got me in the first half with this book. It was slow going at first because none of the characters, except Ros, were all that likeable. Sam was the stereotypical perfectionist that you hope life would slap in the face and Christian was just boring and flat. But as the story continues you get to know them and the lives they keep hidden. It makes them far more relatable and made me more attached to them as the story progresses. The last half of this book was perfect because of the character arcs!
Y’all I hate a love triangle trope with a burning passion. But somehow Rachel wrote this one amazingly well. The hardest part of love triangles in books is keeping the original friendships intact. That’s what makes this one so good. Rachel made sure her characters put friendship above their feelings of love. It changes the dynamic and gives that feeling that everyone will be alright no matter who is ultimately chosen.
Overall this was a really solid read that did a great job of tackling questioning sexuality, growing friendships and tough family situations.
January 13, 2022
EEP! I am honestly soo excited to write a review for this book particularly because it stole my heart, literally. How it started off, the depth we slowly saw from our characters… it was all really amazing.
I won’t be lying when I say that the book has it’s clichés, which surprisingly the plot itself pinpoints multiple times, including the characters which was kind of sweet. In starting it very well seemed like a story between “highschool queen-bee, popular jock & a smart icy queen”. And well the characters do fit this description, the author did an amazing job pointing out to the readers to let go of these preconceived notions we have about a character in a book. Ngl, that was this whole swag moment and I was like damn it really hit >.<
I went overboard with taking noted on Storygraph while reading this book and it is me just losing my head over the characters. The book is highly character driven with underlying important instances, but characters and their interactions take up most of the book. So I understand why in beginning one might lose interest because of the pretentiousness of the characters, but as you read you get to know each one of them have a good reason to hold on to this pretentiousness.
Sam stays aloof, tries to gain attention but doesn’t give anything away because she is scared nobody will like the real her. She wants to leave a mark, prove that she is something to the world and while this trait might seem too pretentious, people with high ambitions sometimes do seem like this 😥 As for Ros, she had her own ghosts of past, with not understanding where she belongs and being too scared of getting hurt and people leaving her. Christian’s character is one that I am yet unable to grasp a hold of, maybe because he lacked depth since beginning although with a good reason. His character was really intriguing because I was confused how he would be if not a conflict avoider and people pleaser. Maybe someone who manages both of them and still takes up stance for what is right.
The story didn’t particularly start off well because I was most certainly judging how Sam and Christian practically cat fished Ros. But I guess one thing I really like about this book is that it “corrects” or brings everything into perspective at the end. The fact that teenagers are supposed to be messy could be easily seen but I was glad that the characters realized their wrongs one way or the other. The book is unapologetically queer and while it is not a coming out story and not about the problematic instances that many queer people face, it did its part to familiarize people why pride is important and how society being “more exciting” doesn’t make coming out any easier because stereotypes still exists.
The normalization of support group and therapy was also a really good aspect of this book. Not to mention friendships and different kinds of love. More than romance I guess I was invested in their friendship. Also, there are a few side queer characters and they are sooo awesome! But I won’t be lying when I say the plot was a bit predictable – in general idea about what might happen next. But it didn’t make the book boring for me because I was really rooting for the characters and cheering them on. I can’t wait to see some fanarts and more works by the author <3!
*Content Warnings: abandonment, emotional abuse, manipulation, one mention of harry potter, death of a parent, brief non-consensual kiss, mentions of homophobia and queerphobia
I was provided with an arc via netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I won’t be lying when I say that the book has it’s clichés, which surprisingly the plot itself pinpoints multiple times, including the characters which was kind of sweet. In starting it very well seemed like a story between “highschool queen-bee, popular jock & a smart icy queen”. And well the characters do fit this description, the author did an amazing job pointing out to the readers to let go of these preconceived notions we have about a character in a book. Ngl, that was this whole swag moment and I was like damn it really hit >.<
I went overboard with taking noted on Storygraph while reading this book and it is me just losing my head over the characters. The book is highly character driven with underlying important instances, but characters and their interactions take up most of the book. So I understand why in beginning one might lose interest because of the pretentiousness of the characters, but as you read you get to know each one of them have a good reason to hold on to this pretentiousness.
Sam stays aloof, tries to gain attention but doesn’t give anything away because she is scared nobody will like the real her. She wants to leave a mark, prove that she is something to the world and while this trait might seem too pretentious, people with high ambitions sometimes do seem like this 😥 As for Ros, she had her own ghosts of past, with not understanding where she belongs and being too scared of getting hurt and people leaving her. Christian’s character is one that I am yet unable to grasp a hold of, maybe because he lacked depth since beginning although with a good reason. His character was really intriguing because I was confused how he would be if not a conflict avoider and people pleaser. Maybe someone who manages both of them and still takes up stance for what is right.
The story didn’t particularly start off well because I was most certainly judging how Sam and Christian practically cat fished Ros. But I guess one thing I really like about this book is that it “corrects” or brings everything into perspective at the end. The fact that teenagers are supposed to be messy could be easily seen but I was glad that the characters realized their wrongs one way or the other. The book is unapologetically queer and while it is not a coming out story and not about the problematic instances that many queer people face, it did its part to familiarize people why pride is important and how society being “more exciting” doesn’t make coming out any easier because stereotypes still exists.
The normalization of support group and therapy was also a really good aspect of this book. Not to mention friendships and different kinds of love. More than romance I guess I was invested in their friendship. Also, there are a few side queer characters and they are sooo awesome! But I won’t be lying when I say the plot was a bit predictable – in general idea about what might happen next. But it didn’t make the book boring for me because I was really rooting for the characters and cheering them on. I can’t wait to see some fanarts and more works by the author <3!
*Content Warnings: abandonment, emotional abuse, manipulation, one mention of harry potter, death of a parent, brief non-consensual kiss, mentions of homophobia and queerphobia
I was provided with an arc via netgalley in exchange for an honest review
March 26, 2022
I really did not care for this book.
Reasons:
All of the characters were unlikeable. Especially Sam. I was actively rooting for bad things to happen to Sam. Christian was okay, but kind of one dimensional. The dumb jock with the sad backstory. Honestly, his family story was more interesting than the "romance" in this book. That would have made for a better story. As long as there was no Sam in it. Ros was meh. Kind of prickly, but I can get behind a prickly main character if they're interesting. But she wasn't. And she did an awful thing (to herself and to Christian) that was never really addressed. Everyone was just kind of okay with it? And she forgave Christian and Sam for what they did to her WAY too easily, especially for a girl who's been a loner her whole life because she's afraid of being hurt.
Cyrano. It's just incredibly problematic, especially in today's world. Any story that centers around two characters lying to and manipulating a third--and we're supposed to root for them in this?--just doesn't work for me. Also, Sam's "hobby" of catfishing and ghosting guys online???? She's awful. And the book never addresses how awful she is. It's just like, "Oh, well, her mom sucks, so it's okay." No. It's not.
Like I said before, the most interesting part of the book for me was Christian's backstory with his family, which is also never fully explored or explained. His parents just disowned a whole damn child because...he disagreed with them on politics and some stuff? I'm not saying that doesn't happen, it just wasn't explained enough for me to understand it, in this case.
I did like Ros's final project at the end. It was so much better than her original idea (how did that even get picked to begin with?). But as a grand romantic gesture, it was actually kind of lackluster.
This whole book was actually kind of lackluster. When it wasn't infuriating.
Reasons:
All of the characters were unlikeable. Especially Sam. I was actively rooting for bad things to happen to Sam. Christian was okay, but kind of one dimensional. The dumb jock with the sad backstory. Honestly, his family story was more interesting than the "romance" in this book. That would have made for a better story. As long as there was no Sam in it. Ros was meh. Kind of prickly, but I can get behind a prickly main character if they're interesting. But she wasn't. And she did an awful thing (to herself and to Christian) that was never really addressed. Everyone was just kind of okay with it? And she forgave Christian and Sam for what they did to her WAY too easily, especially for a girl who's been a loner her whole life because she's afraid of being hurt.
Cyrano. It's just incredibly problematic, especially in today's world. Any story that centers around two characters lying to and manipulating a third--and we're supposed to root for them in this?--just doesn't work for me. Also, Sam's "hobby" of catfishing and ghosting guys online???? She's awful. And the book never addresses how awful she is. It's just like, "Oh, well, her mom sucks, so it's okay." No. It's not.
Like I said before, the most interesting part of the book for me was Christian's backstory with his family, which is also never fully explored or explained. His parents just disowned a whole damn child because...he disagreed with them on politics and some stuff? I'm not saying that doesn't happen, it just wasn't explained enough for me to understand it, in this case.
I did like Ros's final project at the end. It was so much better than her original idea (how did that even get picked to begin with?). But as a grand romantic gesture, it was actually kind of lackluster.
This whole book was actually kind of lackluster. When it wasn't infuriating.
January 13, 2022
If there’s one retelling or remixing I wish I never saw again, it would be the tale of Cyrano de Bergerac. It’s one of my least-favorite plot devices. I don’t like it, because in the end, everyone gets hurt. And that’s exactly what keeps “Love Somebody” from getting a full five stars from me.
On the flip side, think about that: I hate this plot device so much, yet it only cost this book one star. Why is that? It’s because this book, despite the Cyrano element, is very good. The characters are complex and fully-developed, the writing is engaging, the subplots are well thought out and don’t detract from the main plot (as a matter of fact, they support and affirm the main plot, which is what a good subplot should do), and the supporting cast helps to shore up the formation of the main characters (which is what supporting characters should be doing!).
This definitely isn’t one of those YA novels that wouldn’t be understood by teenagers and young adults. It was a solid and emotional read for me, and I’m 43. I even shed a tear or two toward the end. I highly recommend it if you’re in the mood for something a little bittersweet and emotionally complex with some LGBTQ+ themes and strong compulsion about what it means to love. It gave me strong Rainbow Rowell vibes, with a dollop of Casey McQuiston. And as those ladies are two of my favorite authors I guess you could say that’s a pretty high compliment. I look forward to seeing what Roasek has for us in the future.
On the flip side, think about that: I hate this plot device so much, yet it only cost this book one star. Why is that? It’s because this book, despite the Cyrano element, is very good. The characters are complex and fully-developed, the writing is engaging, the subplots are well thought out and don’t detract from the main plot (as a matter of fact, they support and affirm the main plot, which is what a good subplot should do), and the supporting cast helps to shore up the formation of the main characters (which is what supporting characters should be doing!).
This definitely isn’t one of those YA novels that wouldn’t be understood by teenagers and young adults. It was a solid and emotional read for me, and I’m 43. I even shed a tear or two toward the end. I highly recommend it if you’re in the mood for something a little bittersweet and emotionally complex with some LGBTQ+ themes and strong compulsion about what it means to love. It gave me strong Rainbow Rowell vibes, with a dollop of Casey McQuiston. And as those ladies are two of my favorite authors I guess you could say that’s a pretty high compliment. I look forward to seeing what Roasek has for us in the future.
December 19, 2021
A rom-com compared to the likes of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston, where Sam helps her best friend and ex, Christian, to get the girl he has a crush on and Sam realizes she is not straight and also has feelings for the same girl, sounds like a book that is right up my alley.
However, I'm DNF'ing at 22% for a couple different reasons.
The first being that when Christian tries to talk to Ros before asking Sam for help, Ros tells him she isn't interested in a friendship with him. Personally, I am not interested in reading about a boy who disregards someone's boundaries to convince her to give him a chance.
The second is that the writing isn't clicking with me. It doesn't draw me in or compel me to pick up the book to continue reading.
None of this is to say this book can't be great! It's just unfortunately not for me. I do think it has potential, and if Ros hadn't shut Christian down immediately, I would probably give it a little bit further to make a decision.
I did not make it far enough to accurately note CWs or rep.
I was provided with an eArc from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date is January 11, 2022.
However, I'm DNF'ing at 22% for a couple different reasons.
The first being that when Christian tries to talk to Ros before asking Sam for help, Ros tells him she isn't interested in a friendship with him. Personally, I am not interested in reading about a boy who disregards someone's boundaries to convince her to give him a chance.
The second is that the writing isn't clicking with me. It doesn't draw me in or compel me to pick up the book to continue reading.
None of this is to say this book can't be great! It's just unfortunately not for me. I do think it has potential, and if Ros hadn't shut Christian down immediately, I would probably give it a little bit further to make a decision.
I did not make it far enough to accurately note CWs or rep.
I was provided with an eArc from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date is January 11, 2022.
March 30, 2022
I wanted to read this cause it reminded me of the movie "The Half of It" (one of my favorite Netflix movies) and it did not disappoint.
I loved all three POV's but I didn't know what to think of Sam and Christian at first while I loved Ros right away. I eventually ended up loving Sam and Christian too. And also Christian's friend Monty.
While the plot reminded me of The Half of It sometimes, it was still completely different. I do know both are retellings of the same french play, Cyrano de Bergerac and what I love about retellings is how different authors/directors can make similar stories but still make them different in so many ways.
There was so much queer rep too. Ros and Sam are sapphic (either bisexual or pansexual I assume but it's not specified), Ros has a gay dad, Monty is non binary but still uses he/him (this is so rare to see in stories, most people assume that people who are non binary always use they/them even though that's not true) and there's also a non binary character that does use they/them who appears one time.
Anyway, I liked this one so much. I know I'll be thinking about this one for a while and I'll probably be rereading this too eventually.
My Instagram
I loved all three POV's but I didn't know what to think of Sam and Christian at first while I loved Ros right away. I eventually ended up loving Sam and Christian too. And also Christian's friend Monty.
While the plot reminded me of The Half of It sometimes, it was still completely different. I do know both are retellings of the same french play, Cyrano de Bergerac and what I love about retellings is how different authors/directors can make similar stories but still make them different in so many ways.
There was so much queer rep too. Ros and Sam are sapphic (either bisexual or pansexual I assume but it's not specified), Ros has a gay dad, Monty is non binary but still uses he/him (this is so rare to see in stories, most people assume that people who are non binary always use they/them even though that's not true) and there's also a non binary character that does use they/them who appears one time.
Anyway, I liked this one so much. I know I'll be thinking about this one for a while and I'll probably be rereading this too eventually.
My Instagram
January 29, 2022
this book was kind of like a literary version of the movie the half of it with a more rom-comy spin towards the end! there's a lot to love here: although the characters start of kind of opinionated and insufferable, they (mostly) grow a lot by the end of the book. ros did annoy me with her chronic need to pass her pseudo-intellectual judgement on everyone and everything, and while she did undergo character development I kinda wish we could've seen more of that. sam and christian were ADORABLE; they really grow on you (and ros!) over the course of the story. the romance was pretty sweet, though it only kind of starts building towards the end of the book and is most definitely not the focus until more than halfway through. I especially adored the progression of chris' arc with his family and getting to see him reuniting with his brother:') their relationship kinda hit a little too close to home ngl
overall this was a sweet, breezy read with a shit ton of dramatic angst and some really really cute friendships at it's heart! <3
overall this was a sweet, breezy read with a shit ton of dramatic angst and some really really cute friendships at it's heart! <3
Read
January 17, 2022
Trigger & Content Warnings
Queermisia mentioned
Sexual assault (nonconsensual kiss)
Child abandonment
Death of a parent from cancer mentioned
Queermisia mentioned
Sexual assault (nonconsensual kiss)
Child abandonment
Death of a parent from cancer mentioned
June 30, 2022
I really thought I would enjoy this book because the characters were interesting, but about 100 pages into it, the plot had barely started moving. I simply couldn't bring myself to pick up the book.
September 25, 2022
Watch The Half of It on Netflix instead
December 24, 2022
I actually initially enjoyed this book, but it became quite predictable. Probably directed towards slightly younger audience though.
January 22, 2023
It was so good! It wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was so good! I was hoping for some good poly rep, but this didn’t serve that. However, it was still very good.
April 19, 2022
Review:
While this is pitched as a novel for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston, I do not think that one bisexual plot lines makes this novel equal to a Casey McQuiston novel.
The novel is predictable, but enjoyable, and new readers to LGBT+ texts will find it refreshing, humorous, and relatable.
Summary:
A sparkling YA debut rom-com about a popular high-school girl, her ex-boyfriend-turned-best-friend, and the girl they both fall for—perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli or Casey McQuiston.
Sam Dickson is a charismatic actress, ambitious and popular with big plans for her future. Ros Shew is one of the smartest people in school—but she’s a loner, and prefers to keep it that way. Then there’s Christian Powell, the darling of the high school soccer team. He’s not the best with communication, which is why he and Sam broke up after dating for six months; but he makes up for it by being genuine, effusive, and kind, which is why they’re still best friends.
When Christian falls for Ros on first sight, their first interaction is a disaster, so he enlists Sam’s help to get through to her. Sam, with motives of her own, agrees to coach Christian from the sidelines on how to soften Ros’s notorious walls. But as Ros starts to suspect Christian is acting differently, and Sam starts to realize the complexity of her own feelings, their fragile relationships threaten to fall apart.
This fresh romantic comedy from debut author Rachel Roasek is a heartfelt story about falling in love—with a partner, with your friends, or just with yourself—and about how maybe, the bravest thing to do in the face of change is just love somebody.
While this is pitched as a novel for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston, I do not think that one bisexual plot lines makes this novel equal to a Casey McQuiston novel.
The novel is predictable, but enjoyable, and new readers to LGBT+ texts will find it refreshing, humorous, and relatable.
Summary:
A sparkling YA debut rom-com about a popular high-school girl, her ex-boyfriend-turned-best-friend, and the girl they both fall for—perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli or Casey McQuiston.
Sam Dickson is a charismatic actress, ambitious and popular with big plans for her future. Ros Shew is one of the smartest people in school—but she’s a loner, and prefers to keep it that way. Then there’s Christian Powell, the darling of the high school soccer team. He’s not the best with communication, which is why he and Sam broke up after dating for six months; but he makes up for it by being genuine, effusive, and kind, which is why they’re still best friends.
When Christian falls for Ros on first sight, their first interaction is a disaster, so he enlists Sam’s help to get through to her. Sam, with motives of her own, agrees to coach Christian from the sidelines on how to soften Ros’s notorious walls. But as Ros starts to suspect Christian is acting differently, and Sam starts to realize the complexity of her own feelings, their fragile relationships threaten to fall apart.
This fresh romantic comedy from debut author Rachel Roasek is a heartfelt story about falling in love—with a partner, with your friends, or just with yourself—and about how maybe, the bravest thing to do in the face of change is just love somebody.
February 18, 2022
A review said this was a modern Cyrano de Bergerac retelling and this cover is gorgeous, so I ignored my TBR to check it out. Besides, I made it my goal to read romances this month and I read way less than I had intended (so far).
Sam and Christian had such funny banter while she was helping him, but I couldn’t click with her (and I honestly didn’t want to because she felt sketchy to me). Their ploy was honestly weird and I know that if I was Ros, it wouldn’t sit well with me but I’m letting it slide given Cyrano (one of my favourite French plays). I appreciate the book referencing it near the end. I’m honestly shocked the plan worked for as long as it did.
I will say that I love how the story stressed how much more important friendship is than romance.
The story was honestly predictable. Once it was revealed that Sam was into girls and her and Ros started texting, you can guess what happens. I found Christian to be a more dynamic and interesting character while Ros and Sam were flat (Sam more than Ros since I felt that her backstory was lacklustre compared to the other two). If they were developed more, maybe the romance plot would’ve been executed better.
Sam and Christian had such funny banter while she was helping him, but I couldn’t click with her (and I honestly didn’t want to because she felt sketchy to me). Their ploy was honestly weird and I know that if I was Ros, it wouldn’t sit well with me but I’m letting it slide given Cyrano (one of my favourite French plays). I appreciate the book referencing it near the end. I’m honestly shocked the plan worked for as long as it did.
I will say that I love how the story stressed how much more important friendship is than romance.
The story was honestly predictable. Once it was revealed that Sam was into girls and her and Ros started texting, you can guess what happens. I found Christian to be a more dynamic and interesting character while Ros and Sam were flat (Sam more than Ros since I felt that her backstory was lacklustre compared to the other two). If they were developed more, maybe the romance plot would’ve been executed better.
March 2, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up
Ok. This book was cute, but nothing really compelled me to keep reading it other than the fact that I started it. I was debating on DNFing it, but I thought about how I just DNFed a book, and I didn't want that on my track record.
But otherwise, it was cute! The characters were flat and 2-D, the plot bored me a tad, and there were a few moments where the book was trying too hard, but it was light-hearted enough to carry me through.
The book is marketed towards fans of Casey McQuiston and Becky Albertalli; the McQuiston fans will not be satisfied but the Albertalli fans will eat this shit up tbh. No thoughts, head empty-type book. It was cute, and that was that.
Ok. This book was cute, but nothing really compelled me to keep reading it other than the fact that I started it. I was debating on DNFing it, but I thought about how I just DNFed a book, and I didn't want that on my track record.
But otherwise, it was cute! The characters were flat and 2-D, the plot bored me a tad, and there were a few moments where the book was trying too hard, but it was light-hearted enough to carry me through.
The book is marketed towards fans of Casey McQuiston and Becky Albertalli; the McQuiston fans will not be satisfied but the Albertalli fans will eat this shit up tbh. No thoughts, head empty-type book. It was cute, and that was that.
June 2, 2022
This character driven romance did a good job of not feeling super cliche (although it was not free of romcom tropes) and coming across as authentic. All of the characters were fully developed and experienced real and logical growth. While some of the plot points were left unclear, that felt intentional as a way to mirror real life. This novel was packed full of self reflection and discovery and was a thoughtful romance.
August 23, 2022
2.5 star round down - It was fun, but it felt like the characters were a bit flat to me. They were relatable until they fell into extremes or a stereotype. Felt very teen novel to me. Others might love it, but it wasn't for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews