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As If on Cue
A pair of fierce foes are forced to work together to save the arts at their school in this swoony YA enemies-to-lovers romance that fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson are sure to adore.
Lifelong rivals Natalie and Reid have never been on the same team. So when their school’s art budget faces cutbacks, of course Natalie finds herself up against her nemesis once more. She’s fighting to direct the school’s first ever student-written play, but for her small production to get funding, the school’s award-winning band will have to lose it. Reid’s band. And he’s got no intention of letting the show go on.
But when their rivalry turns into an all-out prank war that goes too far, Natalie and Reid have to face the music, resulting in the worst compromise: writing and directing a musical. Together. At least if they deliver a sold-out show, the school board will reconsider next year’s band and theater budget. Everyone could win.
Except Natalie and Reid.
Because after spending their entire lives in competition, they have absolutely no idea how to be co-anything. And they certainly don’t know how to deal with the feelings that are inexplicably, weirdly, definitely developing between them…
Lifelong rivals Natalie and Reid have never been on the same team. So when their school’s art budget faces cutbacks, of course Natalie finds herself up against her nemesis once more. She’s fighting to direct the school’s first ever student-written play, but for her small production to get funding, the school’s award-winning band will have to lose it. Reid’s band. And he’s got no intention of letting the show go on.
But when their rivalry turns into an all-out prank war that goes too far, Natalie and Reid have to face the music, resulting in the worst compromise: writing and directing a musical. Together. At least if they deliver a sold-out show, the school board will reconsider next year’s band and theater budget. Everyone could win.
Except Natalie and Reid.
Because after spending their entire lives in competition, they have absolutely no idea how to be co-anything. And they certainly don’t know how to deal with the feelings that are inexplicably, weirdly, definitely developing between them…
1 pages, Audio CD
First published September 21, 2021
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10072 people want to read
About the author
Marisa Kanter
4 books481 followersMarisa Kanter is the author of modern love stories for both teens and adults. Born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, her obsession with books led her to New York City, where she worked in publishing for a number of years. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, where she writes by day and crochets her wardrobe by night. Friends With Benefits is her debut adult novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 624 reviews
December 1, 2021
I had real genuine hope for this one. And I was convinced for the first 75% that I'd be giving this book at least three stars and then the third act conflict happened. I already wasn't Natalie's biggest fan because all her 'pranks' on Reid were just totally mean, she had a serious victim complex and was quick to jump to conclusions. I was ready to fling my phone at a wall because of some of the stunts she pulled. But God. What she did to Reid towards the end was cruel and totally unacceptable and after that, I could barely stomach the rest of the story. I skimmed the last 25% percent for hope that for once she'd be held accountable for her actions but no. She suffers absolutely no repercussions. There's little to no growth in any form from her character. Everything is just back to normal. Reid deserved so much better than her.
More things I did not love include; the introduction of side characters, mostly POC, only for them to fade into the background or not be that relevant to the story at all, that the book tended to drag more and more as it led up to the end, the cringey Gen Z jokes and the clunky writing. I'm honestly so disappointed right now.
More things I did not love include; the introduction of side characters, mostly POC, only for them to fade into the background or not be that relevant to the story at all, that the book tended to drag more and more as it led up to the end, the cringey Gen Z jokes and the clunky writing. I'm honestly so disappointed right now.
October 6, 2021
Star Rating: —> 4.5 Stars rounded^
Oh my God I can NOT STOP SMILING! This was SO FREAKING CUTE, FUNNY, EMOTIONAL in all the best ways, had an amazing diverse cast with two Jewish main characters, LGBTQIA+ reps, anxiety rep... which were all represented SO WELL. So much to enjoy, and enjoy I did, majorly! I just loved this book. The second half had me in some serious tears SO many times because this—THE CHERRY ON THE DAMN TOP, GUYS—was SUCH A GOOD ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS YA CONTEMPORARY & I AM A GLORIFIED ROMANTIC SAP. Also the family & friend dynamics were just amazing. I freaking LOVED THIS BOOK!
...and who doesn't love a YA contemporary with a school play/ musical at its core?!? They're just always the BEST IMO. Ayyyy 100% recommend! 🙂
🤍🤍🤍
Oh my God I can NOT STOP SMILING! This was SO FREAKING CUTE, FUNNY, EMOTIONAL in all the best ways, had an amazing diverse cast with two Jewish main characters, LGBTQIA+ reps, anxiety rep... which were all represented SO WELL. So much to enjoy, and enjoy I did, majorly! I just loved this book. The second half had me in some serious tears SO many times because this—THE CHERRY ON THE DAMN TOP, GUYS—was SUCH A GOOD ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS YA CONTEMPORARY & I AM A GLORIFIED ROMANTIC SAP. Also the family & friend dynamics were just amazing. I freaking LOVED THIS BOOK!
...and who doesn't love a YA contemporary with a school play/ musical at its core?!? They're just always the BEST IMO. Ayyyy 100% recommend! 🙂
🤍🤍🤍
September 3, 2021
I really wanted to love this. A YA contemporary where two lifelong rivals have to team up to put on a musical and help save their school's art programs combines two of my very favorite things: enemies to lovers and musical theater. But this suffered from a lot of the same issues that kept me from enjoying Kanter's debut, namely that the main character is very frustrating to read and the book doesn't leave enough room for her to really make up for the hurt her actions have caused. Natalie is super controlling, has a bad habit of jumping to conclusions instead of hearing people out, and responds really badly to criticism. Many of the issues that threaten the musical throughout the book are a direct result of her actions and we're over halfway through the book before she realizes that she needs to start making some changes to the way she treats people. In addition, what she does to Reid near the end of the book is pretty awful and undoes a lot of her character development. Then there's not nearly enough left of the book for her to really atone for it and show her growth, much like in Kanter's debut. I liked some of the side characters a lot more, especially Natalie's fashion YouTuber friend Fitz and her romance novelist mother, and enjoyed the theater elements and Jewish representation but unfortunately the main character's behavior kept me from being delighted by this book the way I wanted to.
December 28, 2021
If school bands/musicals do not interest you, don't pick this up. But, if they do... This is your read!
Sadly, for me, everything was too much... The side characters, the school background, and the family members, everything except, the chemistry between the characters. Felt more of a drama than a romcom. The romance between the main leads was not the best as well.
⭐Love the cover though ⭐
Sadly, for me, everything was too much... The side characters, the school background, and the family members, everything except, the chemistry between the characters. Felt more of a drama than a romcom. The romance between the main leads was not the best as well.
⭐Love the cover though ⭐
February 5, 2025
3.75 ☆
"[Mom] had just explained to me what she did for a living, that she gets to make up stories- and I remember thinking that was the closest thing to magic I'd ever heard."
⋆.˚⋆.˚⋆.˚ ⊹₊⟡ ⋆˙˚࿔⋆.˚⋆.˚⋆.˚
I was really apprehensive about this one because of the negative reviews but surprisingly, it wasn't bad at all! I mean sure, Natalie did make reallyy stupid/ bad decisions, and I get why she isn't the most likable fmc, but atleast she wasn't a flawless picture perfect character no one can relate to. I loved Reid. No criticism except for there were so many cute moments, and the siblings' middle school drama was hilarious but kinda relatable.
But what I really liked most about this book? The fact that is revolves around ART, and the passion it takes to pursue art. Between rooting for their cause to support the school's art clubs and humming out frozen songs whenever one of their "melted: the musical" songs were mentioned (frozen song names altered), the book def kept me engaged!
⋆.˚⋆.˚⋆.˚ ⊹₊⟡ ⋆˙˚࿔⋆.˚⋆.˚⋆.˚
"[Mom] had just explained to me what she did for a living, that she gets to make up stories- and I remember thinking that was the closest thing to magic I'd ever heard."
⋆.˚⋆.˚⋆.˚ ⊹₊⟡ ⋆˙˚࿔⋆.˚⋆.˚⋆.˚
I was really apprehensive about this one because of the negative reviews but surprisingly, it wasn't bad at all! I mean sure, Natalie did make reallyy stupid/ bad decisions, and I get why she isn't the most likable fmc, but atleast she wasn't a flawless picture perfect character no one can relate to. I loved Reid. No criticism except for there were so many cute moments, and the siblings' middle school drama was hilarious but kinda relatable.
But what I really liked most about this book? The fact that is revolves around ART, and the passion it takes to pursue art. Between rooting for their cause to support the school's art clubs and humming out frozen songs whenever one of their "melted: the musical" songs were mentioned (frozen song names altered), the book def kept me engaged!
⋆.˚⋆.˚⋆.˚ ⊹₊⟡ ⋆˙˚࿔⋆.˚⋆.˚⋆.˚
Read
December 4, 2021ngl i do not think what natalie did was forgivable but that may just be me
September 8, 2021
I think this is a high three/solid four out of five stars for me? I loved the premise of it and the stress of how important art is to students in high school. I feel like our world is so stressed about what is profitable that they forget what they're doing to young minds, so I definitely enjoyed a book that is meant to stress how important it is.
Natalie and Reid have been in each other's lives since birth. Their fathers are childhood friends and everything has always been shared and Natalie grows to resent Reid more and more because of it. Their families may be close but if were up to Natalie, she'd probably try her best to not have to see Reid as much as she has to. After he stole her music from her, Natalie fell in love with writing (as a hobby, she's sure to emphasize) and grew into writing plays. But when everything but the band gets cut (lucky for her Dad and Reid), all eyes are on Natalie and Henry's Frozen-inspired play Melted as a means to show the school and community just how important art is to all of them. Natalie and Henry are thrilled but then there is a prank war and a disaster concert and a storm and all this puts the band and the 'Save the Art' team together to create something that combines all efforts.
Reid and Natalie have never been able to stop this competition between the two of them but now they may have no choice.
I did like the writing itself. I couldn't put this book down and when Natalie wasn't annoying me, I enjoyed her relationships with her friends (Fitz in particular) and the addressing of the microaggressions and antisemitism that go on in middle and high school. This was quick but very important as I think it's not often addressed in YA but over the past few years I definitely am noticing it come up more and more and although I wish it didn't have to be said at all, I'm glad teens are seeing it more in the books they're reading.
Overall, I mostly enjoyed this book but Natalie definitely was the root of my frustrations. I think if she dialled it back a notch or two she would've been easier to read but I mostly wanted to shake her.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
Natalie and Reid have been in each other's lives since birth. Their fathers are childhood friends and everything has always been shared and Natalie grows to resent Reid more and more because of it. Their families may be close but if were up to Natalie, she'd probably try her best to not have to see Reid as much as she has to. After he stole her music from her, Natalie fell in love with writing (as a hobby, she's sure to emphasize) and grew into writing plays. But when everything but the band gets cut (lucky for her Dad and Reid), all eyes are on Natalie and Henry's Frozen-inspired play Melted as a means to show the school and community just how important art is to all of them. Natalie and Henry are thrilled but then there is a prank war and a disaster concert and a storm and all this puts the band and the 'Save the Art' team together to create something that combines all efforts.
Reid and Natalie have never been able to stop this competition between the two of them but now they may have no choice.
I did like the writing itself. I couldn't put this book down and when Natalie wasn't annoying me, I enjoyed her relationships with her friends (Fitz in particular) and the addressing of the microaggressions and antisemitism that go on in middle and high school. This was quick but very important as I think it's not often addressed in YA but over the past few years I definitely am noticing it come up more and more and although I wish it didn't have to be said at all, I'm glad teens are seeing it more in the books they're reading.
Overall, I mostly enjoyed this book but Natalie definitely was the root of my frustrations. I think if she dialled it back a notch or two she would've been easier to read but I mostly wanted to shake her.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
March 17, 2022
i found this weirdly triggering but it was very enjoyable. also what natalie did, it was so not cool. i mean ~ 😑 but it's fiction, so whatever. if anyone does it in real life, i would probably murder them. 🌝 because it's not romantic. period.
September 16, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and Simon Teen for a digital ARC of As If on Cue.
As someone who was in both band and theater in high school, this seemed right up my alley. Lifelong rivals, Natalie and Reid, are forced to worked together to save their school’s art programs.
Unfortunately, As If on Cue missed the mark. For pretty much the entire first half of the book I found Natalie incredibly annoying and the dialogue cringy (i.e. way too many uses of the phrase “I cannot even”). The second half barely made up for it. Natalie did show some character growth at the very end and the depiction of putting on a show had me feeling nostalgic. However, the romance felt rushed and lacked chemistry. I wish more time had gone towards building the romantic tension between Natalie and Reid. Sadly this book was a lot of Natalie being infuriatingly self-centered and every problem boiled down to the characters not communicating. They are teenagers in a YA novel so I can understand some miscommunication but this felt excessive.
As someone who was in both band and theater in high school, this seemed right up my alley. Lifelong rivals, Natalie and Reid, are forced to worked together to save their school’s art programs.
Unfortunately, As If on Cue missed the mark. For pretty much the entire first half of the book I found Natalie incredibly annoying and the dialogue cringy (i.e. way too many uses of the phrase “I cannot even”). The second half barely made up for it. Natalie did show some character growth at the very end and the depiction of putting on a show had me feeling nostalgic. However, the romance felt rushed and lacked chemistry. I wish more time had gone towards building the romantic tension between Natalie and Reid. Sadly this book was a lot of Natalie being infuriatingly self-centered and every problem boiled down to the characters not communicating. They are teenagers in a YA novel so I can understand some miscommunication but this felt excessive.
June 2, 2022
Okay, but this was so cute!
Honestly, seeing the number of negative reviews or reviews that say it was meh, I did not expect much! It was not perfect but it was good!
Plot:
Um, enemies to lovers? Count me in! There were a few things that icked me, like Natalie doing the thing she did and Reid apparently always having liked her, but he still dated Madeline!
But overall, I loved reading the plot with all the theatre things and Frozen opposite Melted? With a climate change theme- that's genius!
Also, the entire uncertainty of the future thing made it feel realistic- the novel, felt realistic. And i loved that
Characters:
They were so good and so well written! Since I listened to the audiobook, I thought keeping track of the characters would be difficult but it wasn't! The diversity and rep was so good! And I thought I'd hate Natalie for what she did but her POV was shown so nicely, that I don't, genuinely don't. I empathise with her.
Writing style:
This wa super and genuinely what made me like the book!
Final Rating: 3.5 stars
Definitely recommend!
Honestly, seeing the number of negative reviews or reviews that say it was meh, I did not expect much! It was not perfect but it was good!
Plot:
Um, enemies to lovers? Count me in! There were a few things that icked me, like Natalie doing the thing she did and Reid apparently always having liked her, but he still dated Madeline!
But overall, I loved reading the plot with all the theatre things and Frozen opposite Melted? With a climate change theme- that's genius!
Also, the entire uncertainty of the future thing made it feel realistic- the novel, felt realistic. And i loved that
Characters:
They were so good and so well written! Since I listened to the audiobook, I thought keeping track of the characters would be difficult but it wasn't! The diversity and rep was so good! And I thought I'd hate Natalie for what she did but her POV was shown so nicely, that I don't, genuinely don't. I empathise with her.
Writing style:
This wa super and genuinely what made me like the book!
Final Rating: 3.5 stars
Definitely recommend!
August 27, 2022
♾⭐️- I can’t express how seen I felt while reading this book. From start to finish it was fantastic.
‘As if on Cue’ follows a high school playwright named Natalie and band kid named Reid, who are childhood rivals. Natalie gets informed that her school will not provide funding for any arts club other than band. Ultimately, Natalie and Reid team up to put on a show stopping musical to save all of the art clubs.
This book made me verbally say “wow” after I finished it. The characters were so developed and imperfectly relatable. It was one of the best books I’ve read this year.
I adored Fitz, I loved Reid, and I genuinely saw myself in Natalie. The friendship and theatre rehearsal scenes were some of my favorite.
Y’all know how TRASH I am for a good nerdy romance, and this one game me ALL THE FEELS. There was so much tension and banter! IT WAS SO GOOD.
This book was almost written like a contemporary. There were so many lessons to learn from it but the romance was so good.
There were so many good topics that were covered extremely well: finding your passion and believing in it (and yourself), communicating your feelings, not jumping to conclusions, and parental relationships.
Also, there was so much Jewish representation. Including cultural elements such as holidays and family dinners (which is was fantastic).
I also loved the fact that Reid was into the clarinet and not something that a “boy would typically play”. That was also well done on the author’s part.
ALSO this book is written in a format to where there is flashbacks to when Natalie and Reid were kids!
Tropes: childhood rivals to lovers, band kid x theatre kid
this book’s playlist ☕️🎧🎭🎶:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3AV...
‘As if on Cue’ follows a high school playwright named Natalie and band kid named Reid, who are childhood rivals. Natalie gets informed that her school will not provide funding for any arts club other than band. Ultimately, Natalie and Reid team up to put on a show stopping musical to save all of the art clubs.
This book made me verbally say “wow” after I finished it. The characters were so developed and imperfectly relatable. It was one of the best books I’ve read this year.
I adored Fitz, I loved Reid, and I genuinely saw myself in Natalie. The friendship and theatre rehearsal scenes were some of my favorite.
Y’all know how TRASH I am for a good nerdy romance, and this one game me ALL THE FEELS. There was so much tension and banter! IT WAS SO GOOD.
This book was almost written like a contemporary. There were so many lessons to learn from it but the romance was so good.
There were so many good topics that were covered extremely well: finding your passion and believing in it (and yourself), communicating your feelings, not jumping to conclusions, and parental relationships.
Also, there was so much Jewish representation. Including cultural elements such as holidays and family dinners (which is was fantastic).
I also loved the fact that Reid was into the clarinet and not something that a “boy would typically play”. That was also well done on the author’s part.
ALSO this book is written in a format to where there is flashbacks to when Natalie and Reid were kids!
Tropes: childhood rivals to lovers, band kid x theatre kid
this book’s playlist ☕️🎧🎭🎶:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3AV...
May 13, 2022
Being quite a competitive person in school, I can relate to Natalie, and this is a sweet but relatable romance novel!
5/5 Chev's picks
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whew, thanks guys for the support! thanks @jeanette , @sarah, @callie @madelynn @gabi @sophia @aly @sujoya @afifa @E @sonja and @rebecca for supporting my reviews (you all have made me so touched <3)
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Find me on:
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P.S. Add me as a friend :) I like to read romance novels and mystery stories
5/5 Chev's picks
--------
whew, thanks guys for the support! thanks @jeanette , @sarah, @callie @madelynn @gabi @sophia @aly @sujoya @afifa @E @sonja and @rebecca for supporting my reviews (you all have made me so touched <3)
-------
Like my post to be mentioned ;) (and get a shoutout if you follow my bookstagram, wattpad and pinterest
I am usually found here: https://beacons.ai/chevreads
Find me on:
Instagram: @chevreads
Wattpad: @writerthursday
Pinterest: @thursdayfrappe
Youtube: @chevreads
P.S. Add me as a friend :) I like to read romance novels and mystery stories
November 10, 2021
Never have I been more insulted to share a name with a character.
Seriously though, Natalie was not likable in the slightest. She was super judgy and constantly had a victim mentality, especially with her dad. So many of her “dad issues” could have been addressed with a simple conversation, but she instead chose to be a passive aggressive, prankster victim for ten years. Ugh. Also, the choice that Natalie makes at the 80% mark was awful and seemed to negate any growth her character had. Reid deserved better than her.
Seriously though, Natalie was not likable in the slightest. She was super judgy and constantly had a victim mentality, especially with her dad. So many of her “dad issues” could have been addressed with a simple conversation, but she instead chose to be a passive aggressive, prankster victim for ten years. Ugh. Also, the choice that Natalie makes at the 80% mark was awful and seemed to negate any growth her character had. Reid deserved better than her.
October 8, 2021
It's more 4.5 but... 5 stars didn't feel right lmao. But this book hit all the feels.
January 21, 2025
This is more of a 2.5. I really wanted to love it, but I just couldn’t stand the main character, and I just don’t fully mesh with the authors writing style. RTC
September 26, 2024
I absolutely loved Marisa's first book "What I Like About You", it was fast paced, emotional, fun, and I couldn't put it down.
I liked As If on Cue but I didn't love it, I had a really hard time not being super frustrated with Nathalie and her inability to communicate. I enjoyed the romance story arc between Nathalie and Reid (their ship names were ridiculous but fun). I love that Marisa included antisemitism in the book and Reid did a fantastic job of dealing with it.
I am looking forward to reading the next book Marissa publishes.
I liked As If on Cue but I didn't love it, I had a really hard time not being super frustrated with Nathalie and her inability to communicate. I enjoyed the romance story arc between Nathalie and Reid (their ship names were ridiculous but fun). I love that Marisa included antisemitism in the book and Reid did a fantastic job of dealing with it.
I am looking forward to reading the next book Marissa publishes.
did-not-finish
October 13, 2021dnf @ 81%.. natalies actions were always teetering on extra childish but like come ON
January 23, 2024
I think Reid should dump Natalie and date me because Natalie is infuriating and annoying.
October 10, 2021
This was a really great sophomore book by Marissa Kanter that’s perfect for Broadway fans, theater kids, band kids and Disney fans alike.
As If On Cue follows lifelong rivals Natalie and Reid as their high school’s art budget faces cuts and they end up on opposing sides. When a disastrous prank war goes wrong, Natalie and Reid have to figure out how work on a musical together in order to convince the school board to save next year’s art budget. The two have been in constant competition their entire lives and they have no idea how to work together. Things get even more complicated when they have to deal with the feelings that start developing between them as they work towards a common goal.
Enemies to lovers/rivals to lovers is easily my favorite trope and I love reading books that involve music and acting so I knew this was going to be a good one for me. It was funny and entertaining while still being sweet with moments of depth and emotion.
I appreciated that this book had romance but also had a strong focus on family and friendship as well. I loved Natalie’s friend group and their interactions brought me right back to high school when I was involved in the school’s theater program.
Natalie’s spin off of the beloved Disney movie Frozen, which she aptly named Melted, was so creative and it honestly sounds like something I would love to see live. There were a ton of Frozen references which made my Disney-loving heart so happy.
Both main characters were Jewish and the representation included was so great. We get to see antisemitism confronted as well as a celebration of Judaism in Natalie’s little sister’s bat mitzvah. I always really appreciate more diversity and representation, especially in YA books where kids can read about characters like them.
This was a really cute book and I’ve definitely enjoyed reading both of Marisa Kanter’s books! I can’t wait to see what she comes out with in the future!
Thank you to Simon Teen for sending a copy to me!
As If On Cue follows lifelong rivals Natalie and Reid as their high school’s art budget faces cuts and they end up on opposing sides. When a disastrous prank war goes wrong, Natalie and Reid have to figure out how work on a musical together in order to convince the school board to save next year’s art budget. The two have been in constant competition their entire lives and they have no idea how to work together. Things get even more complicated when they have to deal with the feelings that start developing between them as they work towards a common goal.
Enemies to lovers/rivals to lovers is easily my favorite trope and I love reading books that involve music and acting so I knew this was going to be a good one for me. It was funny and entertaining while still being sweet with moments of depth and emotion.
I appreciated that this book had romance but also had a strong focus on family and friendship as well. I loved Natalie’s friend group and their interactions brought me right back to high school when I was involved in the school’s theater program.
Natalie’s spin off of the beloved Disney movie Frozen, which she aptly named Melted, was so creative and it honestly sounds like something I would love to see live. There were a ton of Frozen references which made my Disney-loving heart so happy.
Both main characters were Jewish and the representation included was so great. We get to see antisemitism confronted as well as a celebration of Judaism in Natalie’s little sister’s bat mitzvah. I always really appreciate more diversity and representation, especially in YA books where kids can read about characters like them.
This was a really cute book and I’ve definitely enjoyed reading both of Marisa Kanter’s books! I can’t wait to see what she comes out with in the future!
Thank you to Simon Teen for sending a copy to me!
December 29, 2023
Reading this was like the ups and downs of a rollercoaster ride!
For some reason, I’ve always enjoyed reading Y.A. about high-school theater productions. (I think because a secret part of me always wanted to try acting, but I was too shy.) This book did not disappoint in that aspect; the “theaterey” parts were very well written.
I also found the scenes about the preparation for and the night of a Bat Mitzvah for a younger sister interesting to read about; Jewish family life is another thing I enjoy in books. When a very unexpected scene involving racism and anti-semitism blew me away with the awesome writing, I was already planning a four star rating, or higher!
The relationship between Reid and Natalie, with their “prank wars” that begin in their childhoods, was fun and amusing to encounter. I love stories about kids that grew up together as neighbors suddenly finding themselves looking at each other differently as teens. The pranks were hilarious, until they weren’t…and the author did a great job of building up suspense by going into flashbacks, little by little throughout, to show how this happened.
So, why the final 3 star rating?
The teens in this book had too many opportunities to engage in under-age drinking. And they were portrayed as people who were quite experienced at such activities; the alcohol was very accessible and they made no secret of their drinking. I had to shake my head; were the parents aware, and ok, with their kids raiding the liquor cabinets?
These teenagers also seemed to have a lot of freedom to be alone with the opposite sex. An “open door at all times” policy was only established far into the book because two characters got caught at “second base” (and moving?), by a parent who came home early to a supposedly empty house.
So, although I enjoyed this book, and I think young adults would, also, I would recommend some adult guidance for younger readers with this one.
For some reason, I’ve always enjoyed reading Y.A. about high-school theater productions. (I think because a secret part of me always wanted to try acting, but I was too shy.) This book did not disappoint in that aspect; the “theaterey” parts were very well written.
I also found the scenes about the preparation for and the night of a Bat Mitzvah for a younger sister interesting to read about; Jewish family life is another thing I enjoy in books. When a very unexpected scene involving racism and anti-semitism blew me away with the awesome writing, I was already planning a four star rating, or higher!
The relationship between Reid and Natalie, with their “prank wars” that begin in their childhoods, was fun and amusing to encounter. I love stories about kids that grew up together as neighbors suddenly finding themselves looking at each other differently as teens. The pranks were hilarious, until they weren’t…and the author did a great job of building up suspense by going into flashbacks, little by little throughout, to show how this happened.
So, why the final 3 star rating?
The teens in this book had too many opportunities to engage in under-age drinking. And they were portrayed as people who were quite experienced at such activities; the alcohol was very accessible and they made no secret of their drinking. I had to shake my head; were the parents aware, and ok, with their kids raiding the liquor cabinets?
These teenagers also seemed to have a lot of freedom to be alone with the opposite sex. An “open door at all times” policy was only established far into the book because two characters got caught at “second base” (and moving?), by a parent who came home early to a supposedly empty house.
So, although I enjoyed this book, and I think young adults would, also, I would recommend some adult guidance for younger readers with this one.
September 18, 2021
As If On Cue is a Young Adult Romantic Comedy. It was a cute, fun, and enjoyable read.
The narrator is 17 year old Natalie (1st person POV). She is Jewish and she lives with her parents and sister in Massachusetts.
Natalie/Lee is in her junior year of high school. She is a playwright. Her dad is a musician who is the band director at her high school. And her mom is a New York Times bestselling author who has writer's block.
Natalie loves theatre. But because of what she has witnessed in her family she only considers writing and directing a hobby. She has two best friends Fitz (girl) and Henry. And an enemy, Reid. Reid plays the clarinet and her dad has always seemed to put Reid first.
Natalie and Henry wrote a play, Melted, during the summer. And I was obsessed with this part of the story. I love theatre. And I absolutely loved that Melted and theatre were such a big part of the story.
This book focuses a lot on writing. Pranks are also a bit part of the story. The book has a high school setting. And a bunch of the key families in this story are Jewish, which I loved. There is a lot about family dynamics in this book especially between Natalie and her dad. This is a YA romance. However for most of the story the romance is not the focus.
Overall I did like this book. It was a quick fun read. I agree with something mentioned in the author's note. This book was definitely a love letter to high school theatre.
Thanks to edelweiss and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for allowing me to read this book.
November 12, 2021
Here’s a few things you should know about me before I dive into my review:
1) I was a theatre major in college.
2) I owned a princess party company after college and spent my weekends dressed up as Elsa and Anna attending children’s birthday parties.
3) I once subbed as a counselor at a summer theatre camp where the kids wrote their own musicals, and the group had written a musical about the environment. I still remember a key line: “Save the planet, save the earth, prevent deforestation.”
Needless to say, this book – about theatre kids banding together to save the arts by writing a parody of Frozen called Melted that’s all about climate change – made my heart so happy! Some of my favorite things include:
- Jewish author + all of the Jewish rep!! Judaism is such a central part of this book, from Bat Mitzvah planning stress to high holiday celebrations. I loved the way Natalie described her family as “High holiday Jews” – same, girl, same. I especially loved the conversation about casual antisemitism – it was something I hadn’t overtly thought much about before and I loved the way it was handled, such as casually using the word “Nazi” as a replacement for “strict.” As a Jewish person, I felt extremely seen by this representation, and I think it will be really educational for others to read. Look up what you don’t know!
- I loved all the themes surrounding art as a career and the ability to be objective when it comes to your own art. As someone who was a theatre major but chose to not pursue theatre professionally and instead pivoted to get my MBA, this hit me deep.
- I loved Natalie and Reid. They reminded me SO much of Devi and Ben from Never Have I Ever, in the best way. They’re a bit immature at times and you want to strangle them, but they’re teenagers and learning and trying their best and really wonderful people. The romance and chemistry was perfect and icing on the cake of this book.
- The dig at Les Miserable movie made me cackle out loud (it is GARBAGE).
Highly recommend this wonderful book!
1) I was a theatre major in college.
2) I owned a princess party company after college and spent my weekends dressed up as Elsa and Anna attending children’s birthday parties.
3) I once subbed as a counselor at a summer theatre camp where the kids wrote their own musicals, and the group had written a musical about the environment. I still remember a key line: “Save the planet, save the earth, prevent deforestation.”
Needless to say, this book – about theatre kids banding together to save the arts by writing a parody of Frozen called Melted that’s all about climate change – made my heart so happy! Some of my favorite things include:
- Jewish author + all of the Jewish rep!! Judaism is such a central part of this book, from Bat Mitzvah planning stress to high holiday celebrations. I loved the way Natalie described her family as “High holiday Jews” – same, girl, same. I especially loved the conversation about casual antisemitism – it was something I hadn’t overtly thought much about before and I loved the way it was handled, such as casually using the word “Nazi” as a replacement for “strict.” As a Jewish person, I felt extremely seen by this representation, and I think it will be really educational for others to read. Look up what you don’t know!
- I loved all the themes surrounding art as a career and the ability to be objective when it comes to your own art. As someone who was a theatre major but chose to not pursue theatre professionally and instead pivoted to get my MBA, this hit me deep.
- I loved Natalie and Reid. They reminded me SO much of Devi and Ben from Never Have I Ever, in the best way. They’re a bit immature at times and you want to strangle them, but they’re teenagers and learning and trying their best and really wonderful people. The romance and chemistry was perfect and icing on the cake of this book.
- The dig at Les Miserable movie made me cackle out loud (it is GARBAGE).
Highly recommend this wonderful book!
July 26, 2024
Jewish mc
Diverse cast
Written in 1st person, present tense.
I was invested in their student written play turned musical, Melted (an opposite Frozen about the climate crisis), and it was that plot line that kept me reading the story - wish we had more details than we got.
The characters? Not so much. Fitz is like the exception!
Or the romance. The blurb tells us it's an enemies to lovers story, the goal ship being Natalie + Reid (their language is pranking). Alas, I couldn't stand behind them!
When I read Better than the Movies, also a childhood playmate/neighbour enemies to lovers, I was more than okay with Wes.
But Reid frustrates me!! When he took the credit for the song's key change, I was done. I cannot support someone who takes credit for creative ideas. Every contribution should be honoured in a project. That's final.
Things got uglier from there with almost everyone starting a trash fire, especially the mc. It just proves my point: the characters, the romance, the relationships - I can't even with her father - are big nopes.
So the only worthwhile plot point was the students championing for the importance of arts, how cathartic it can be, and calling out the hypocrisy of a society that loves to consume art, it is literally everywhere, but doesn't want to pay for it.
Good on the story for raising awareness to how people just get away with casual antisemitism, how insidious it is, and how they downplay fascism. Adults and young adults should know better after studying the historical repercussions of fascism, the atrocities perpetuated by the Nazi.
Regardless, important social commentary does not a good story make.
Every single person who wears glasses, wears plastic ones, especially clear.
The proofreader did leave too many typos for my taste.
CW: Microaggressions
Diverse cast
Written in 1st person, present tense.
I was invested in their student written play turned musical, Melted (an opposite Frozen about the climate crisis), and it was that plot line that kept me reading the story - wish we had more details than we got.
The characters? Not so much. Fitz is like the exception!
Or the romance. The blurb tells us it's an enemies to lovers story, the goal ship being Natalie + Reid (their language is pranking). Alas, I couldn't stand behind them!
When I read Better than the Movies, also a childhood playmate/neighbour enemies to lovers, I was more than okay with Wes.
But Reid frustrates me!! When he took the credit for the song's key change, I was done. I cannot support someone who takes credit for creative ideas. Every contribution should be honoured in a project. That's final.
Things got uglier from there with almost everyone starting a trash fire, especially the mc. It just proves my point: the characters, the romance, the relationships - I can't even with her father - are big nopes.
So the only worthwhile plot point was the students championing for the importance of arts, how cathartic it can be, and calling out the hypocrisy of a society that loves to consume art, it is literally everywhere, but doesn't want to pay for it.
Good on the story for raising awareness to how people just get away with casual antisemitism, how insidious it is, and how they downplay fascism. Adults and young adults should know better after studying the historical repercussions of fascism, the atrocities perpetuated by the Nazi.
Regardless, important social commentary does not a good story make.
Every single person who wears glasses, wears plastic ones, especially clear.
The proofreader did leave too many typos for my taste.
CW: Microaggressions
June 13, 2022
This book is the cutest, funnest experience ever (especially for a theatre kid) IF you can get past a bratty, self-victimizing, and childish main character. The world doesn’t revolve around you, Natalie. Reid deserves wayyy better.
It makes me mad because this story has such a good plot and great subplots and some lovely messages about friendship, believing in your art and taking risks. Plus, the references were fun.
If Natalie wasn’t in this book, it would be incredible.
Also can we talk about how SACRILEGIOUS the book cover is??? Don’t you dare call yourself a music book when you have that iNtErEsTiNg attempt at sheet music falling from the locker and the LAMENTABLE clarinet case greeting me every time I open the book.
It makes me mad because this story has such a good plot and great subplots and some lovely messages about friendship, believing in your art and taking risks. Plus, the references were fun.
If Natalie wasn’t in this book, it would be incredible.
Also can we talk about how SACRILEGIOUS the book cover is??? Don’t you dare call yourself a music book when you have that iNtErEsTiNg attempt at sheet music falling from the locker and the LAMENTABLE clarinet case greeting me every time I open the book.
September 1, 2024
"so. natalie. truce?"
"truce."
4.25 stars!!! star emoji times a million
was it cliche? hell yeah. as a theater kid, did i absolutely love it? HELL YEAH.
WHAT I LOVED
⤷ THE CULTURE REP AHH 💝💝
⤷ just the characters in general
⤷ the theater aspect (like cmon we need more showmances smh)
⤷ the humor
⤷ natalie's character + realistic family problems
THE LITTLE THINGS
⤷ they dont act like juniors in hs 😭 i feel like its more freshman-y
⤷ the third act breakup (will elaborate in a sec)
⤷ a few pacing issues but like idc its a romcom
•••
so first of all: from the get go this seemed like a book that would have a third act breakup. how else would you add extra pages to a romcom 🙄🙄 however i actually didnt mind this one!! natalies been a complicated character from the start and she messes up and goes to ridiculous lengths to fix it. mad respect
NATALIES CHARACTER. shes messy and shes bossy and she craves validation, but that makes her so much more interesting to follow. a ton of romcom girls are flat and lack any real depth to them other than how pretty and dainty they are. it was cool to see an actual person with actual problems instead of just uh oh my boyfriend is mad at me im gonna kms now. 🙁
anyway so i loved this book so so so much and im sad i had to close the curtain (ha ha) on neid (get it cause they neid each other? fitz seriously carried the humor). cool romcom 🤗🤗
"truce."
4.25 stars!!! star emoji times a million
was it cliche? hell yeah. as a theater kid, did i absolutely love it? HELL YEAH.
WHAT I LOVED
⤷ THE CULTURE REP AHH 💝💝
⤷ just the characters in general
⤷ the theater aspect (like cmon we need more showmances smh)
⤷ the humor
⤷ natalie's character + realistic family problems
THE LITTLE THINGS
⤷ they dont act like juniors in hs 😭 i feel like its more freshman-y
⤷ the third act breakup (will elaborate in a sec)
⤷ a few pacing issues but like idc its a romcom
•••
so first of all: from the get go this seemed like a book that would have a third act breakup. how else would you add extra pages to a romcom 🙄🙄 however i actually didnt mind this one!! natalies been a complicated character from the start and she messes up and goes to ridiculous lengths to fix it. mad respect
NATALIES CHARACTER. shes messy and shes bossy and she craves validation, but that makes her so much more interesting to follow. a ton of romcom girls are flat and lack any real depth to them other than how pretty and dainty they are. it was cool to see an actual person with actual problems instead of just uh oh my boyfriend is mad at me im gonna kms now. 🙁
anyway so i loved this book so so so much and im sad i had to close the curtain (ha ha) on neid (get it cause they neid each other? fitz seriously carried the humor). cool romcom 🤗🤗
December 1, 2021
I have NEVER DNF'd a book at the 82.59% point. Never.
I am not a fan of pranks, but I kept reading.
I am not a fan of whiny, self-absorbed teenage girl main characters, but I kept reading.
But, when that whiny, selfish teenage girl main character does something so dastardly and selfish to somebody she supposedly loves, I could not keep reading.
It's a YA romance novel, of course she would be forgiven, and there is no amount of groveling that would make it okay for me. No. Just NO.
I am not a fan of pranks, but I kept reading.
I am not a fan of whiny, self-absorbed teenage girl main characters, but I kept reading.
But, when that whiny, selfish teenage girl main character does something so dastardly and selfish to somebody she supposedly loves, I could not keep reading.
It's a YA romance novel, of course she would be forgiven, and there is no amount of groveling that would make it okay for me. No. Just NO.
December 15, 2022
Rating: 2 stars ⭐️⭐️
I binged this book expecting a cute, enemies to lovers light read with a musical twist, but what I got was entirely different.
It was so boring, the romance was flat and the promised ✨BANTER✨was not delivered. A real waste of time.
I binged this book expecting a cute, enemies to lovers light read with a musical twist, but what I got was entirely different.
It was so boring, the romance was flat and the promised ✨BANTER✨was not delivered. A real waste of time.
June 12, 2022
3.75 stars.
I don't like Natalie.
All those stars are for Reid❤
Okay, a bit are for the other characters too cause I kinda do love 'em :)
I don't like Natalie.
All those stars are for Reid❤
Okay, a bit are for the other characters too cause I kinda do love 'em :)
February 1, 2024
3.5 stars rounded down.
I have really mixed feelings about this book.
On one hand, I loved the points it made about art and creativity—about how people place worth on certain types of art over others and how if art isn’t earning anything, it isn’t viewed as important; about how hard it is to be a creative for a living, about creative burnout and pressure and the difficulty of “making it”; about how all art is valuable and important. I cheered for Natalie and her friends as they fought against the school board, who had cut all the non-band art clubs because band was the one who had won all the accolades and brought in the money for the school. I raged at the injustice. I was so excited they had a chance to change things.
On the other hand, I was SO STRESSED OUT. Partially because Natalie is a really stressful protagonist, partially because there were so many things that happened that made me just die on the inside because it was too realistic and too upsetting. Like computers wiping data.
I know that teen protagonists are supposed to mess up, absolutely, 100%, no one wants to read about a perfect character. But holy crap, Natalie’s mistakes made me VERY stressed and angry and I almost DNF’d. (The low point. Iykyk. *panic and rage*) She was not my favorite character by any means, though I did feel sympathy for her with her relationship with her dad.
Honestly, I was pretty mad a lot of the time. Mad at the school board for screwing the arts programs over, mad at Natalie’s dad for never listening to her or trying to understand her, mad at Natalie and Reid for their pranks. It was a little exhausting.
I also didn’t really ship Natalie and Reid that much. Idk, the ship never really clicked for me.
But the end was good. The Jewish representation was great. The friendship difficulties that Natalie’s little sister had were very relatable and well handled. And again, the art themes. I felt seen.
If you want a great YA romance about a prank war that involves the characters fighting against unfairness, I’d recommend THIS MAY END BADLY by Samantha Markum. Though the MC made a lot of mistakes, she was a much better character imo, and she had more character growth than Natalie. Also, it deals with some really important issues like when schools prioritize boys’ sports over girls’ sports and even taking down a pedophile teacher (non graphic). And the romance is so much better.
I have really mixed feelings about this book.
On one hand, I loved the points it made about art and creativity—about how people place worth on certain types of art over others and how if art isn’t earning anything, it isn’t viewed as important; about how hard it is to be a creative for a living, about creative burnout and pressure and the difficulty of “making it”; about how all art is valuable and important. I cheered for Natalie and her friends as they fought against the school board, who had cut all the non-band art clubs because band was the one who had won all the accolades and brought in the money for the school. I raged at the injustice. I was so excited they had a chance to change things.
On the other hand, I was SO STRESSED OUT. Partially because Natalie is a really stressful protagonist, partially because there were so many things that happened that made me just die on the inside because it was too realistic and too upsetting. Like computers wiping data.
I know that teen protagonists are supposed to mess up, absolutely, 100%, no one wants to read about a perfect character. But holy crap, Natalie’s mistakes made me VERY stressed and angry and I almost DNF’d. (The low point. Iykyk. *panic and rage*) She was not my favorite character by any means, though I did feel sympathy for her with her relationship with her dad.
Honestly, I was pretty mad a lot of the time. Mad at the school board for screwing the arts programs over, mad at Natalie’s dad for never listening to her or trying to understand her, mad at Natalie and Reid for their pranks. It was a little exhausting.
I also didn’t really ship Natalie and Reid that much. Idk, the ship never really clicked for me.
But the end was good. The Jewish representation was great. The friendship difficulties that Natalie’s little sister had were very relatable and well handled. And again, the art themes. I felt seen.
If you want a great YA romance about a prank war that involves the characters fighting against unfairness, I’d recommend THIS MAY END BADLY by Samantha Markum. Though the MC made a lot of mistakes, she was a much better character imo, and she had more character growth than Natalie. Also, it deals with some really important issues like when schools prioritize boys’ sports over girls’ sports and even taking down a pedophile teacher (non graphic). And the romance is so much better.
September 21, 2021
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC via netgalley for an honest review.
4/5 stars
This was such a fun and mostly lighthearted YA contemporary, and I flew through it. CWs for some antisemitism through comments and character discussions of experiences with antisemitism.
Natalie was a really good character. I liked and related to her a lot, but there were also times where I was appalled by her actions. This made her feel more real to me because she was flawed, but she had actual character growth and was able to recognize her flaws and confront her problems. Natalie’s fears over her passions were relatable, and I also really related to her desire to share something with her dad in order to be able to spend time with him.
The banter, the pranks, and the pre-established relationship between Natalie and Reid was excellent. Their back-and-forth relationship between disliking each other, competing, friendship, cooperation, and something more was fun to read about. I also liked Reid’s character, and I liked learning more about him through Natalie as she began to see him in different ways.
Though the plot primarily focuses on the loss of funding for the arts, and the eventual production of Melted: The Musical (a Frozen opposite play), I really enjoyed the parts about Natalie’s family and her sister. The holidays were interesting to read about, and I liked the discussions about the ingrained and casual antisemitism that many of the characters had experienced. It was a small part, but it left me thinking.
The writing style was easy to follow and Natalie’s voice felt and read to me like it was coming from a 17-year-old. The pacing was also good with a balance of the different elements that made up this story. If you’re looking for an easy YA contemporary read with good characters, I’d suggest As If On Cue!
4/5 stars
This was such a fun and mostly lighthearted YA contemporary, and I flew through it. CWs for some antisemitism through comments and character discussions of experiences with antisemitism.
Natalie was a really good character. I liked and related to her a lot, but there were also times where I was appalled by her actions. This made her feel more real to me because she was flawed, but she had actual character growth and was able to recognize her flaws and confront her problems. Natalie’s fears over her passions were relatable, and I also really related to her desire to share something with her dad in order to be able to spend time with him.
The banter, the pranks, and the pre-established relationship between Natalie and Reid was excellent. Their back-and-forth relationship between disliking each other, competing, friendship, cooperation, and something more was fun to read about. I also liked Reid’s character, and I liked learning more about him through Natalie as she began to see him in different ways.
Though the plot primarily focuses on the loss of funding for the arts, and the eventual production of Melted: The Musical (a Frozen opposite play), I really enjoyed the parts about Natalie’s family and her sister. The holidays were interesting to read about, and I liked the discussions about the ingrained and casual antisemitism that many of the characters had experienced. It was a small part, but it left me thinking.
The writing style was easy to follow and Natalie’s voice felt and read to me like it was coming from a 17-year-old. The pacing was also good with a balance of the different elements that made up this story. If you’re looking for an easy YA contemporary read with good characters, I’d suggest As If On Cue!
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