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What If You Fall for Me First?
A girl determined to ditch her goody-two-shoes image and the cool guy classmate she enlists to help her get more than they bargained for in this relatable and swoon-worthy middle grade rom-com.
Sofia has had enough of everyone thinking she’s sooo nice. “Sweet,” “innocent,” and “goody two-shoes” are how her classmates would describe her, but there’s more to her than that. She wants everyone—especially her forever crush, Mark Chen—to see that she has other sides.
To help her level up to Official Cool Girl, Sofia enlists trendy and confident Holden—the guy who everyone else has written off as a total player and a first-class jerk. Under Holden’s guidance, Sofia learns to revamp her style, ride a skateboard, and stand up for herself. At the same time, Holden learns that when he’s alone with Sofia, it’s safe to drop the cool guy act and just be himself.
When their efforts start to pay off, Sofia is faced with a choice. Should she stick with the plan—and risk losing herself in the process—or take a chance on the person everyone says will break her heart?
Sofia has had enough of everyone thinking she’s sooo nice. “Sweet,” “innocent,” and “goody two-shoes” are how her classmates would describe her, but there’s more to her than that. She wants everyone—especially her forever crush, Mark Chen—to see that she has other sides.
To help her level up to Official Cool Girl, Sofia enlists trendy and confident Holden—the guy who everyone else has written off as a total player and a first-class jerk. Under Holden’s guidance, Sofia learns to revamp her style, ride a skateboard, and stand up for herself. At the same time, Holden learns that when he’s alone with Sofia, it’s safe to drop the cool guy act and just be himself.
When their efforts start to pay off, Sofia is faced with a choice. Should she stick with the plan—and risk losing herself in the process—or take a chance on the person everyone says will break her heart?
368 pages, Hardcover
Published June 10, 2025
24 people are currently reading
5407 people want to read
About the author
G.F. Miller
4 books98 followersG. F. Miller absolutely insists on a happy ending. Everything else is negotiable. She is living her Happily Ever After with the love of her life, three kids, two puppies, and some chickens. She cries at random times. She makes faces at herself in the mirror. She believes in the Oxford comma. And she’s always here for a dance party.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
December 4, 2024
✰ 3.25 ✰
— “I am out with lanterns, looking for myself - Emily Dickinson”
What G.F Miller does amazingly is capture the heart of tween angst so vividly that it can transport me back to my anxious middle school days in so many different aspects, it amazes me that even now those prevalent feelings are still very much the same even now. The urge to fit in, the need to belong, the want to be seen by our crush, the desire to change to be worthy of their affection and attention, only to realize that maybe something better may be staring them in the face, instead.
It's uncanny, really. 🥲
It is not only the nostalgia that hits home with me, but the respective personal growth of both distinctly different characters - Sofia and Holden that made the question What If You Fall for Me FIrst? matter. Holden may have had selfish reasons to help Sofia change herself so she could feel more appealing in the eyes of the blindingly attractive Mark, but it was the subtle way in which they both changed each other for the better, while hanging out together that made their connection and attraction towards each other all that more believable. I mean, Holden's family life is thwarted with so much animosity that he strives for attention through not only his classmates but desiring for an online following that he believes matters only with numbers. Thinking that it'll win him the respect that he feels he's entitled to. 😔
But Sofia presents him a challenge; a challenge that she does not care for the farce that he presents to others, the persona he thinks others find attractive and appealing. It is his real, vulnerable, kind-hearted self that resonates with her deeply. 'The pressure was off when he was with her—he had no reason to impress her, and she was almost weirdly nice.' One that makes her question how she can be thinking about trying to be in Mark's good favors, when she wants only to spend time with Holden, where '— she didn’t have to impress anyone. They could help each other laugh at themselves' - yearning for the normalcy and safety that his presence offers her rather than trying to be something she wasn't. 🫂
“— He could kiss her.
He wanted to kiss her.
“Sofia?” he asked again—her name held so many questions. Do you want to? Are you feeling what I’m feeling? Can you forget about that other guy?”
It felt genuine and sincere; which is kinda hard to say and believe, considering how insincere Holden was behaving or how Sofia was warping into someone she definitely did not want to be - completely different from her sweet temperament and kind-hearted self. But, I think that's what made the difference. To see them subtly change - sense the difference in their past and present selves - want to be someone worthy in each other's eyes - as friends, as something more. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
I liked that spending time with her made him realize how unnecessary it was to rely on the gratification of acceptance from online masses in likes and follows - their approval meant nothing - when there were real people who were kind to him. Who made him feel welcome by seeing who he really was; who showed him the difference in a warm and inviting home rather than the cold and resentful emotions of a broken family - divorced parents who lashed out or ignored him and chose to offer their parental support with hordes of money, instead. 😥 They were able to both sense that something was growing between them - something that had started as an arrangement of mutual benefits was slowly becoming where a lingering chemistry was becoming palpable to both. That they could not deny that the jealousy or the ignoring or even the hesitation to share or say more was because they were both afraid to express how deeply they were falling for each other - denying it to the last minute. 😣
“He wanted to cry too, but tears wouldn’t come. He wanted to get away from himself, but there was no way.”
Despite some of hot and rich and obviously having Mommy issues Holden's less than stellar choices, I did believe he had a good heart; he grew to care for Sofia. I mean, even before she asked him to be her Coach to be fiercer and braver, he assured her before that she didn't need to change for anyone. 🥺 She was fine the way she was. And while his unfortunate misguided intentions were a recipe for disaster, his intentions were only to protect her from the hurt. And in a way, I do forgive him for that, even when it did eventually blow up deservedly so. 😮💨
Sofia, too, also grew out of her shell with Holden's guidance. 'She couldn’t—and wouldn’t want to—go back to being shy, awkward, insecure Old Sofia', but still had enough common sense to see that the New Sofia was just not her - too mean and selfish to be worth wanting to be. As much as she was desperate to shed herself of herself '—a really cute, nose-crinkling smile. Not dateable-girl cute. Little-kid cute' persona she had going for her, I liked that at times her conscience still reminded her how wrong and inappropriate she was behaving. 😟 It was painful to see how she had to control her actions and thoughts even around her cool and happy and fun friends, when she was roaring to be seen and heard, respectfully so. Mark was such a jerk, thank God she was able to see the light... eventually. But, it was fourteen-year-old fears and pangs that felt believable to me. The precipice of those warring emotions of romance makes one look forward to sharing that happiness and genuine appreciation with someone who values and treasures and falls for you first - just as you are. 🫶🏻🫶🏻🥹
While I did not quite mind the middle school drama, I really wasn't quite entertained by it either. If the focus could have just remained on the two of them, it would have been much more rewarding. I would have liked some closure for Holden in his parents' regard; yes, a sliver of light has shown through, but gosh, his mother... 😒 There really was no reason to behave the way she did, and it felt dismissive for the author to even mention that there was a chance to redeem and forgive her for her actions. Some of the teachers felt a little caricature-like, and certain comments left me perplexed for their inclusion, but if it was to highlight Holden's brainiac self, I can roll with it. 🙂↕️🙂↕️
However, If i am gonna nitpick, one thing that stood out for me was Holden comparing Sofia to a happy Care Bear... Now I don't know any tweens myself, nor do I know if the cartoon is in reruns, but I thought it was an odd comparison to make... I wouldn't expect many to be familiar with it, but if it is something that they would be interested in watching or knowing about, then more power to them. 😄
And let's ignore the fact that I still find myself singing the Care Bear theme song sometimes.... 😭🙊
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
— “I am out with lanterns, looking for myself - Emily Dickinson”
What G.F Miller does amazingly is capture the heart of tween angst so vividly that it can transport me back to my anxious middle school days in so many different aspects, it amazes me that even now those prevalent feelings are still very much the same even now. The urge to fit in, the need to belong, the want to be seen by our crush, the desire to change to be worthy of their affection and attention, only to realize that maybe something better may be staring them in the face, instead.
It's uncanny, really. 🥲
It is not only the nostalgia that hits home with me, but the respective personal growth of both distinctly different characters - Sofia and Holden that made the question What If You Fall for Me FIrst? matter. Holden may have had selfish reasons to help Sofia change herself so she could feel more appealing in the eyes of the blindingly attractive Mark, but it was the subtle way in which they both changed each other for the better, while hanging out together that made their connection and attraction towards each other all that more believable. I mean, Holden's family life is thwarted with so much animosity that he strives for attention through not only his classmates but desiring for an online following that he believes matters only with numbers. Thinking that it'll win him the respect that he feels he's entitled to. 😔
But Sofia presents him a challenge; a challenge that she does not care for the farce that he presents to others, the persona he thinks others find attractive and appealing. It is his real, vulnerable, kind-hearted self that resonates with her deeply. 'The pressure was off when he was with her—he had no reason to impress her, and she was almost weirdly nice.' One that makes her question how she can be thinking about trying to be in Mark's good favors, when she wants only to spend time with Holden, where '— she didn’t have to impress anyone. They could help each other laugh at themselves' - yearning for the normalcy and safety that his presence offers her rather than trying to be something she wasn't. 🫂
“— He could kiss her.
He wanted to kiss her.
“Sofia?” he asked again—her name held so many questions. Do you want to? Are you feeling what I’m feeling? Can you forget about that other guy?”
It felt genuine and sincere; which is kinda hard to say and believe, considering how insincere Holden was behaving or how Sofia was warping into someone she definitely did not want to be - completely different from her sweet temperament and kind-hearted self. But, I think that's what made the difference. To see them subtly change - sense the difference in their past and present selves - want to be someone worthy in each other's eyes - as friends, as something more. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
I liked that spending time with her made him realize how unnecessary it was to rely on the gratification of acceptance from online masses in likes and follows - their approval meant nothing - when there were real people who were kind to him. Who made him feel welcome by seeing who he really was; who showed him the difference in a warm and inviting home rather than the cold and resentful emotions of a broken family - divorced parents who lashed out or ignored him and chose to offer their parental support with hordes of money, instead. 😥 They were able to both sense that something was growing between them - something that had started as an arrangement of mutual benefits was slowly becoming where a lingering chemistry was becoming palpable to both. That they could not deny that the jealousy or the ignoring or even the hesitation to share or say more was because they were both afraid to express how deeply they were falling for each other - denying it to the last minute. 😣
“He wanted to cry too, but tears wouldn’t come. He wanted to get away from himself, but there was no way.”
Despite some of hot and rich and obviously having Mommy issues Holden's less than stellar choices, I did believe he had a good heart; he grew to care for Sofia. I mean, even before she asked him to be her Coach to be fiercer and braver, he assured her before that she didn't need to change for anyone. 🥺 She was fine the way she was. And while his unfortunate misguided intentions were a recipe for disaster, his intentions were only to protect her from the hurt. And in a way, I do forgive him for that, even when it did eventually blow up deservedly so. 😮💨
Sofia, too, also grew out of her shell with Holden's guidance. 'She couldn’t—and wouldn’t want to—go back to being shy, awkward, insecure Old Sofia', but still had enough common sense to see that the New Sofia was just not her - too mean and selfish to be worth wanting to be. As much as she was desperate to shed herself of herself '—a really cute, nose-crinkling smile. Not dateable-girl cute. Little-kid cute' persona she had going for her, I liked that at times her conscience still reminded her how wrong and inappropriate she was behaving. 😟 It was painful to see how she had to control her actions and thoughts even around her cool and happy and fun friends, when she was roaring to be seen and heard, respectfully so. Mark was such a jerk, thank God she was able to see the light... eventually. But, it was fourteen-year-old fears and pangs that felt believable to me. The precipice of those warring emotions of romance makes one look forward to sharing that happiness and genuine appreciation with someone who values and treasures and falls for you first - just as you are. 🫶🏻🫶🏻🥹
While I did not quite mind the middle school drama, I really wasn't quite entertained by it either. If the focus could have just remained on the two of them, it would have been much more rewarding. I would have liked some closure for Holden in his parents' regard; yes, a sliver of light has shown through, but gosh, his mother... 😒 There really was no reason to behave the way she did, and it felt dismissive for the author to even mention that there was a chance to redeem and forgive her for her actions. Some of the teachers felt a little caricature-like, and certain comments left me perplexed for their inclusion, but if it was to highlight Holden's brainiac self, I can roll with it. 🙂↕️🙂↕️
However, If i am gonna nitpick, one thing that stood out for me was Holden comparing Sofia to a happy Care Bear... Now I don't know any tweens myself, nor do I know if the cartoon is in reruns, but I thought it was an odd comparison to make... I wouldn't expect many to be familiar with it, but if it is something that they would be interested in watching or knowing about, then more power to them. 😄
And let's ignore the fact that I still find myself singing the Care Bear theme song sometimes.... 😭🙊
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2025
I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
I give this book 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5.
This was an adorable middle grade romance!
I loved the premise. It’s the classic “popular guy helping the nerdy girl with a makeover and they up falling for each other” trope. Not a novel premise, but one that I do adore. I thought the execution of it was well done, especially for a middle grade audience.
All the relationships between the kids in the book are very off and on, which is very true of middle school. Middle school relationships rarely last long. The characters all acted their age, which is important in a middle grade book.
I loved the relationship between the main characters, Sofia and Holden. I loved how easy it was for them to be themselves around each other. They really liked each other for who they were, and not who they pretended to be.
I also liked lessons that Sofia’s makeover explored. It highlighted how it is okay to change some parts of yourself as you grow and get older, but you don’t need to change your entire personality just to fit in.
However, the ending felt a little rushed. The resolution happened very quickly and I wanted more from it.
Overall, this was a cute middle grade romance with a great message!
I give this book 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5.
This was an adorable middle grade romance!
I loved the premise. It’s the classic “popular guy helping the nerdy girl with a makeover and they up falling for each other” trope. Not a novel premise, but one that I do adore. I thought the execution of it was well done, especially for a middle grade audience.
All the relationships between the kids in the book are very off and on, which is very true of middle school. Middle school relationships rarely last long. The characters all acted their age, which is important in a middle grade book.
I loved the relationship between the main characters, Sofia and Holden. I loved how easy it was for them to be themselves around each other. They really liked each other for who they were, and not who they pretended to be.
I also liked lessons that Sofia’s makeover explored. It highlighted how it is okay to change some parts of yourself as you grow and get older, but you don’t need to change your entire personality just to fit in.
However, the ending felt a little rushed. The resolution happened very quickly and I wanted more from it.
Overall, this was a cute middle grade romance with a great message!
June 5, 2025
6th - 8th graders will be rooting hard for Sofia and Holden and are likely to rate this book with a resounding 5 stars. I’m old and know a few things so watching Sofia hang on for so long to an empty crush on a guy who isn’t worth it made me roll my eyes at times, but overall, this is the kind of romance that the middle school crowd is going to go for. The whole make over, glow up Holden and Sofia embark on is a recipe for disaster and has only one possible outcome, a result that G.F. Miller delivers with a satisfying bang.
The group of 8th grade students are representative of most any school, anywhere, ethnically and economically diverse, cliques of sporty, band, brainiac, rule-breakers and more, and all of them just trying to find a place where they fit. Holden may be Mr. Popular, but underneath, his heart is broken over his dysfunctional and split family and he’s tired of always trying to keep his cool guy facade intact. Sofia is truly kind and just wants to make everyone happy, all the while trying to figure out what and who she truly is down deep. Love her supportive and sometimes misguided friends and am thrilled with the positive parenting displayed by her hard-working single mom.
Highly recommended for 6th-8th grade and with its lack of profanity and sexual content plus realistic, non-driving “dating” wouldn’t raise a ruckus if handed to 5th graders seeking romance in their reading. Periodically, both Holden and Mark are recorded as letting profanity loose but the actual words are never used in the text or, in a funny bit of dialogue, Holden started to say that the situation was in the gym was going “apesh….shoes” because he didn’t want to curse in front of Sofia! There were hugs, hand-holding, a few almost kisses and Holden does kiss a substitute for the girl he really likes, but it is a barely there event. Violence is limited to one locker room fight that is brief and doesn’t result in much bodily harm. Representation: Primary characters are Caucasian, Black and Asian with others not getting enough physical description to determine what ethnic background they may come from; single, divorced and step parented homes; brief reference to one same sex couple attending the winter dance.
Companion book—NOT IF YOU BREAK UP WITH ME FIRST, starring Eve, cross country team friend of Sofia, and her best friend/maybe boyfriend Andrew.
Thanks for the dARC, Edelweiss!
The group of 8th grade students are representative of most any school, anywhere, ethnically and economically diverse, cliques of sporty, band, brainiac, rule-breakers and more, and all of them just trying to find a place where they fit. Holden may be Mr. Popular, but underneath, his heart is broken over his dysfunctional and split family and he’s tired of always trying to keep his cool guy facade intact. Sofia is truly kind and just wants to make everyone happy, all the while trying to figure out what and who she truly is down deep. Love her supportive and sometimes misguided friends and am thrilled with the positive parenting displayed by her hard-working single mom.
Highly recommended for 6th-8th grade and with its lack of profanity and sexual content plus realistic, non-driving “dating” wouldn’t raise a ruckus if handed to 5th graders seeking romance in their reading. Periodically, both Holden and Mark are recorded as letting profanity loose but the actual words are never used in the text or, in a funny bit of dialogue, Holden started to say that the situation was in the gym was going “apesh….shoes” because he didn’t want to curse in front of Sofia! There were hugs, hand-holding, a few almost kisses and Holden does kiss a substitute for the girl he really likes, but it is a barely there event. Violence is limited to one locker room fight that is brief and doesn’t result in much bodily harm. Representation: Primary characters are Caucasian, Black and Asian with others not getting enough physical description to determine what ethnic background they may come from; single, divorced and step parented homes; brief reference to one same sex couple attending the winter dance.
Companion book—NOT IF YOU BREAK UP WITH ME FIRST, starring Eve, cross country team friend of Sofia, and her best friend/maybe boyfriend Andrew.
Thanks for the dARC, Edelweiss!
July 2, 2025
This book was so cute. I'm an adult reading about middle schoolers but wow what a reminder how being 13 was and so unsure of yourself. And kids can be such jerks wow! Anyway what a sweet kid Holden is despite his horrible family and all that he does to feel loved and accepted. And Sofia's mom cracked me up "Namaste". Anyway this was well written and authentic. Glad I read it
May 16, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
What If You Fall for Me First? by G.F. Miller is a third person dual-POV Middle Grade romance. Sofia has a major crush on Mark, but she’s not really a cool girl. If anything, she has a fifth grader image despite being in the eighth grade. When Holden offers to give her a glow-up to help get Mark’s attention and get him the attention of a popular TikTokker, it seems like both of them will get what they want. But what if Holden falls for her instead?
One of the first things that caught my eye was the kind of Pygmalian approach while also playing into the very real stage of life when you don’t want anyone to view you as younger than you really are because then that means they think you’re a little kid. Sofia wears clothes bought for her by her grandma and while they sound cute, they definitely do make her seem young compared to her classmates. I totally bought her wanting to be a ‘fierce girl,’ the kind of girl who is cool and seems super mature and comfortable in her skin because who doesn’t want to be like that at 13-14? It’s very relatable.
There are mentions of kissing, but there are zero descriptions of the act itself. Holden is stated to kiss a girl at one point in the book, but the moment it starts, the book fades to black. There is also no mention of sexual acts at all or touching. While there is acknowledgement of drugs and alcohol existing in the world, they are not used by any of the characters, which felt accurate to real life because kids don’t live in a bubble. They know what vodka is, especially if their parents drink it sometimes. I found the book to be appropriate for the MG age category and to be a decent tool in teaching young readers that it’s OK to change your mind about someone you had originally wanted to date.
Holden and Sofia’s relationship is very cute. I loved how Holden fell for Sofia’s warmth and genuine kindness as well as her softer parts. He liked her long before she became a ‘fierce girl’ while it took her a bit longer, in part because one of her best friends dated Holden for a little bit and it didn’t end well. Holden and Sofia are friends first who change each other in positive ways and I hope they continue to do so.
Content warning for mentions of drugs and alcohol and depictions of abuse
I would recommend this to young readers who want to read a genre romance and as a gift to young readers to show them examples of healthy growth and romance as well as to show positive and negative homelife situations to help children identify them
What If You Fall for Me First? by G.F. Miller is a third person dual-POV Middle Grade romance. Sofia has a major crush on Mark, but she’s not really a cool girl. If anything, she has a fifth grader image despite being in the eighth grade. When Holden offers to give her a glow-up to help get Mark’s attention and get him the attention of a popular TikTokker, it seems like both of them will get what they want. But what if Holden falls for her instead?
One of the first things that caught my eye was the kind of Pygmalian approach while also playing into the very real stage of life when you don’t want anyone to view you as younger than you really are because then that means they think you’re a little kid. Sofia wears clothes bought for her by her grandma and while they sound cute, they definitely do make her seem young compared to her classmates. I totally bought her wanting to be a ‘fierce girl,’ the kind of girl who is cool and seems super mature and comfortable in her skin because who doesn’t want to be like that at 13-14? It’s very relatable.
There are mentions of kissing, but there are zero descriptions of the act itself. Holden is stated to kiss a girl at one point in the book, but the moment it starts, the book fades to black. There is also no mention of sexual acts at all or touching. While there is acknowledgement of drugs and alcohol existing in the world, they are not used by any of the characters, which felt accurate to real life because kids don’t live in a bubble. They know what vodka is, especially if their parents drink it sometimes. I found the book to be appropriate for the MG age category and to be a decent tool in teaching young readers that it’s OK to change your mind about someone you had originally wanted to date.
Holden and Sofia’s relationship is very cute. I loved how Holden fell for Sofia’s warmth and genuine kindness as well as her softer parts. He liked her long before she became a ‘fierce girl’ while it took her a bit longer, in part because one of her best friends dated Holden for a little bit and it didn’t end well. Holden and Sofia are friends first who change each other in positive ways and I hope they continue to do so.
Content warning for mentions of drugs and alcohol and depictions of abuse
I would recommend this to young readers who want to read a genre romance and as a gift to young readers to show them examples of healthy growth and romance as well as to show positive and negative homelife situations to help children identify them
July 17, 2025
ahhhhhh!! This was so good!! Sofia and Holden are so cuteee 🥹🥹🥹 I ship them with the name sofiden lol! I read this book so fast bc it was the bessttt. I TOTALLY loved it!! 😭✨☁️
(1 thing I didn't like tho was that the ending was kinda rushed and I feel like I wanted to see more, especially if Sofia and Holden kissed. But overall, great book!)
(1 thing I didn't like tho was that the ending was kinda rushed and I feel like I wanted to see more, especially if Sofia and Holden kissed. But overall, great book!)
March 17, 2025
I can’t bro akdjksndjsjjdjs
It’s not deplorable; just too cringe to finish.
And “Holden”?!? What in the Wattpad name is this—
It’s not deplorable; just too cringe to finish.
And “Holden”?!? What in the Wattpad name is this—
July 21, 2025
One of the best books I have ever read.
April 30, 2025
I found this to be such a cute young adult read! The writing definitely reflects the ability to be read by a younger audience and I love that the themes brought into the story are so relatable to teens today.
Sofia has been in love with Mark for years. After watching him at the school dance with another girl, she decides that she needs somewhat with an unbiased option to weigh in as to why he never looks her way.
The school player, Holden, seems like the perfect person to ask as he has plenty of dating experience and because of that she’d never be interested in him anyway.
Holden sets out to help her create a new and different image for herself like he has done with everyone around him. Along the way he begins to fall for who she truly is and starts to wonder if he should be encouraging her to be someone else & by the end of her transformation Sofia has to decide if Mark is still who she truly wants?
I loved the theme of identity in this book. Through the characters you see how easy it is to want to change who you are to better “fit” the needs of those around you, but learn with the characters how exhausting that is when you were made to be uniquely yourself :)
Sofia has been in love with Mark for years. After watching him at the school dance with another girl, she decides that she needs somewhat with an unbiased option to weigh in as to why he never looks her way.
The school player, Holden, seems like the perfect person to ask as he has plenty of dating experience and because of that she’d never be interested in him anyway.
Holden sets out to help her create a new and different image for herself like he has done with everyone around him. Along the way he begins to fall for who she truly is and starts to wonder if he should be encouraging her to be someone else & by the end of her transformation Sofia has to decide if Mark is still who she truly wants?
I loved the theme of identity in this book. Through the characters you see how easy it is to want to change who you are to better “fit” the needs of those around you, but learn with the characters how exhausting that is when you were made to be uniquely yourself :)
June 22, 2025
An absolutely adorable story, that most of us can relate to. Sophia is wanting to change the way her classmates look at her. Currently as “the good girl” she is on a mission with the help of the school jock to transform herself into what she thinks will make her happy. So many life lessons were touched allowing you as the reader to feel yourself in her shoes. The way author G.F. Miller wrote this book, it felt like I was there reliving middle age years and finally understanding I wasn’t alone in the tough feelings. Sofia is a cute character to quickly fall in love with and would happily share this book with my girls once they reach this age!
Thankful for the generosity of Simon Kids and sending an ARC copy of this book. I keep thinking to myself, I wish more books like this existed when I was in the middle grades!
Thankful for the generosity of Simon Kids and sending an ARC copy of this book. I keep thinking to myself, I wish more books like this existed when I was in the middle grades!
July 16, 2025
this book’s an ass u can literally predict what’s gonna happen after reading the first chapter
February 19, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Sofia Santini is tired of being thought of as cute; it's hard being a tiny 8th grader who looks like an elementary school student, especially when your clothes look like they come from the "girls 4-8 department of J.C. Penney's" because your grandmother buys them. It'seven harder when you have a crush on someone like Mark Chen, who is cute and cool. Sofia also likes Mark because he was nice to hear when they were science partners, so when she sees him hanging out with Ashlyn, a "fierce" volleyball player, at the school dance, she's crushed. She takes her frustration outside, where there's some screaming and throwing of things... which is witnessed by the very cool Holden. He's wealthy, working on his social media following, and also rather a jerk. Sofia knows this because he dated one of her friends, and things didn't go well. Holden is surprisingly understanding and kind, though, and honest with Sofia about how she comes across to others. Sofia asks for his help in trying to become fierce. Holden tells her she is fine the way she is (except that she should stop apologizing all the time), but is willing to help her with a "glow up" if it helps him to gain followers and the attention of social media star Igo Big. Sofia's single mother works hard as a yoga instructor and Uber driver, and struggles financially, but is always there for Sofia, but doesn't understand Sofia's need to navigate middle school differently. Holden offers to cut and color Sofia's hair, and is glad to spend the money that his divorced parents fling at him to pay for supplies. It comes out surprisingly well, and makes Sofia feel better about herself. Holden is pleased with her honest reactions and thanks, and teaches her how to take a compliment without deflecting or apologizing. Sofia's friends warn her against them, but since Destiny, Nina, and Eve (from Not if You Break Up With Me First) all were involved in a scuffle at the dance and have been spending time in In School Suspension and after school detention, she is seeing more of Holden than she sees of them. The scuffle involved Eve and Andrew's break up, and the school is divided on whose side to take.
Sofia and Holden have their own middle school existences, but keep connecting in ways that make them both happy. Sofia adopts a skater girl style wardrobe on her own, and Holden feels oddly left out. He starts to date Tylee, who approaches him, but breaks up with her shortly afterwards. His family situation is not good; his father is remarried, and usually sends his wife to deal with Holden, while his mother is pregnant and has little time for him. Spending time with Sofia and her mother, eating home cooked meals and not having to pretend to be cool is a welcome break. Sofia creates a video to ask Mark to the Winter Clincher dance, and it gains her a lot of attention. He agrees to go with her, but he's also made a deal with Holden that he will be nice to Sofia as long as Holden pays him $10 a week! Mark has also been using Sofia to get help on his homework, and agreed to be lab partners with her in the first place because he knew she would do all of the work. Holden has struggled with Mark being a jerk because he realizes he "like likes" Sofia, who is beginning to realize that Mark isn't the boy she wants to be with.
Things come to a crisis when Mark comes clean, and Sofia and Holden have to reassess not only their relationship, but also their own identities. Sofia prefers being "fierce", but doesn't like all aspects of being cool, since her mother has instilled in her the need to be nice. Holden realizes that his social media following doesn't really translate into real relationships, and that his tough guy, "skeezeball" facade isn't really working. He does have a little help when his stepfather finally sees that he needs support.
There are so many books about middle grade students navigating grief after the death of a loved one, but it is so much more common for them to need help navigating personal relationships and struggles with identity. Middle school is all about finding out who you are and how you want to interact with everyone around you. As someone who was tiny and a "human Care Bear" like Sofia, I can attest that her frustrations are absolutely on point. Should she have spent the entire book obsessing about Mark, who was kind of a jerk? Absolutely not. But did I personally obsess over a bespectacled trumpet player who was in my youth group for... three or four years? Absolutely. Holden's bravado and cool kid persona at school, and even his "skeezeball" ways make perfect sense as a defense mechanism. Have I seen students with more money than they should have because of divorced parents? Unfortunately, yes. I did really appreciate the stepfather finally paying attention.
There is so much to unpack in this book, and so much drama. As an old person who has no patience for drama at all, I would have preferred this to be a little more streamlined, but the target demographic will be thrilled with all of the twists and turns this takes. I could also have done without some of the goofy teacher names, like Mrs. Schmekpepper, as well as her constant literary quotes, but the teachers are otherwise realistically portrayed.
I have hope for middle grade literature when I read titles like this. I can see it appealing to lots of students, and is in great company with 2025 releases like DeVillers' Meet Me at Wonderland, Shang's The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun, and Reardon's Dad Rock Dragon Quest that showcase difficult family, friend, and romantic interest relationships and give young readers some positive ways to navigate the ever changing landscape of adolescence.
Sofia Santini is tired of being thought of as cute; it's hard being a tiny 8th grader who looks like an elementary school student, especially when your clothes look like they come from the "girls 4-8 department of J.C. Penney's" because your grandmother buys them. It'seven harder when you have a crush on someone like Mark Chen, who is cute and cool. Sofia also likes Mark because he was nice to hear when they were science partners, so when she sees him hanging out with Ashlyn, a "fierce" volleyball player, at the school dance, she's crushed. She takes her frustration outside, where there's some screaming and throwing of things... which is witnessed by the very cool Holden. He's wealthy, working on his social media following, and also rather a jerk. Sofia knows this because he dated one of her friends, and things didn't go well. Holden is surprisingly understanding and kind, though, and honest with Sofia about how she comes across to others. Sofia asks for his help in trying to become fierce. Holden tells her she is fine the way she is (except that she should stop apologizing all the time), but is willing to help her with a "glow up" if it helps him to gain followers and the attention of social media star Igo Big. Sofia's single mother works hard as a yoga instructor and Uber driver, and struggles financially, but is always there for Sofia, but doesn't understand Sofia's need to navigate middle school differently. Holden offers to cut and color Sofia's hair, and is glad to spend the money that his divorced parents fling at him to pay for supplies. It comes out surprisingly well, and makes Sofia feel better about herself. Holden is pleased with her honest reactions and thanks, and teaches her how to take a compliment without deflecting or apologizing. Sofia's friends warn her against them, but since Destiny, Nina, and Eve (from Not if You Break Up With Me First) all were involved in a scuffle at the dance and have been spending time in In School Suspension and after school detention, she is seeing more of Holden than she sees of them. The scuffle involved Eve and Andrew's break up, and the school is divided on whose side to take.
Sofia and Holden have their own middle school existences, but keep connecting in ways that make them both happy. Sofia adopts a skater girl style wardrobe on her own, and Holden feels oddly left out. He starts to date Tylee, who approaches him, but breaks up with her shortly afterwards. His family situation is not good; his father is remarried, and usually sends his wife to deal with Holden, while his mother is pregnant and has little time for him. Spending time with Sofia and her mother, eating home cooked meals and not having to pretend to be cool is a welcome break. Sofia creates a video to ask Mark to the Winter Clincher dance, and it gains her a lot of attention. He agrees to go with her, but he's also made a deal with Holden that he will be nice to Sofia as long as Holden pays him $10 a week! Mark has also been using Sofia to get help on his homework, and agreed to be lab partners with her in the first place because he knew she would do all of the work. Holden has struggled with Mark being a jerk because he realizes he "like likes" Sofia, who is beginning to realize that Mark isn't the boy she wants to be with.
Things come to a crisis when Mark comes clean, and Sofia and Holden have to reassess not only their relationship, but also their own identities. Sofia prefers being "fierce", but doesn't like all aspects of being cool, since her mother has instilled in her the need to be nice. Holden realizes that his social media following doesn't really translate into real relationships, and that his tough guy, "skeezeball" facade isn't really working. He does have a little help when his stepfather finally sees that he needs support.
There are so many books about middle grade students navigating grief after the death of a loved one, but it is so much more common for them to need help navigating personal relationships and struggles with identity. Middle school is all about finding out who you are and how you want to interact with everyone around you. As someone who was tiny and a "human Care Bear" like Sofia, I can attest that her frustrations are absolutely on point. Should she have spent the entire book obsessing about Mark, who was kind of a jerk? Absolutely not. But did I personally obsess over a bespectacled trumpet player who was in my youth group for... three or four years? Absolutely. Holden's bravado and cool kid persona at school, and even his "skeezeball" ways make perfect sense as a defense mechanism. Have I seen students with more money than they should have because of divorced parents? Unfortunately, yes. I did really appreciate the stepfather finally paying attention.
There is so much to unpack in this book, and so much drama. As an old person who has no patience for drama at all, I would have preferred this to be a little more streamlined, but the target demographic will be thrilled with all of the twists and turns this takes. I could also have done without some of the goofy teacher names, like Mrs. Schmekpepper, as well as her constant literary quotes, but the teachers are otherwise realistically portrayed.
I have hope for middle grade literature when I read titles like this. I can see it appealing to lots of students, and is in great company with 2025 releases like DeVillers' Meet Me at Wonderland, Shang's The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun, and Reardon's Dad Rock Dragon Quest that showcase difficult family, friend, and romantic interest relationships and give young readers some positive ways to navigate the ever changing landscape of adolescence.
June 6, 2025
Fans of middle school drama with fun characters and awkward situations are sure to enjoy this read quite a bit.
Sofia is sick of being seen as the super nice, sweet girl and wishes she had more sass. Not only is she very small for her age, but her clothes are purchased by her grandmother (not a fashion guru). All of this combined make her desire to win over her crush's heart nearly impossible...especially since he's after a girl who screams power on the volleyball team. So, Sofia ends up seeking help from the 'bad boy' of the class, Holden, who agrees to help her change her image in exchange for letting him use her metamorphosis to gain more viewers on his social media. Since his divorced parents shove tons of money his way, he even happily agrees to flip the bill. While the visual changes in Sofia are undeniable and she's picking up some edgier skills, her underlining niceness is hard to mutate. And that will cause either defeat or victory...depending on what the true goal really is.
This book nods back to the first one in the series. So, it's a good idea to read that one first even though this second book concentrates on different main characters and takes on a life of its own.
Sofia is easy to connect with and will find sympathy with many young readers as she struggles to fit, what she considers, the ideal...especially with thoughts focused on her crush. It's fun to watch her attempts to change and easy to root for her every step of the way. She makes mistakes, but most are more than understandable and make her sympathetic. There's a lot for her to go through to find herself, and the steps to this discovery are ones that readers can follow in their own lives or surroundings. The confusion and tough decisions she faces as she learns how to see herself and others is something this age group often faces themselves.
Holden offers the right zest to Sofia's awkwardness. While he first appears put together, it becomes more and more clear that he has his own problems to deal with and that he's not really the jerk he portrays himself to be. His way of coping with the divorce of his parents and their over-flood of money to him is also one some readers will be able to identify with. And it's nicely and naturally handled. He's a character, who grows on the reader, and is also easy to root for by the end.
This is a fun and grabbing read, and while there is quite a bit of drama, which might have been shortened just a teeny bit, it's exactly what fans of relationship difficulties and social life steering are sure to enjoy. Those who enjoyed the first book are going to want to take a look at this one as well. I received an ARC and enjoyed the fun moments and good messaging.
Sofia is sick of being seen as the super nice, sweet girl and wishes she had more sass. Not only is she very small for her age, but her clothes are purchased by her grandmother (not a fashion guru). All of this combined make her desire to win over her crush's heart nearly impossible...especially since he's after a girl who screams power on the volleyball team. So, Sofia ends up seeking help from the 'bad boy' of the class, Holden, who agrees to help her change her image in exchange for letting him use her metamorphosis to gain more viewers on his social media. Since his divorced parents shove tons of money his way, he even happily agrees to flip the bill. While the visual changes in Sofia are undeniable and she's picking up some edgier skills, her underlining niceness is hard to mutate. And that will cause either defeat or victory...depending on what the true goal really is.
This book nods back to the first one in the series. So, it's a good idea to read that one first even though this second book concentrates on different main characters and takes on a life of its own.
Sofia is easy to connect with and will find sympathy with many young readers as she struggles to fit, what she considers, the ideal...especially with thoughts focused on her crush. It's fun to watch her attempts to change and easy to root for her every step of the way. She makes mistakes, but most are more than understandable and make her sympathetic. There's a lot for her to go through to find herself, and the steps to this discovery are ones that readers can follow in their own lives or surroundings. The confusion and tough decisions she faces as she learns how to see herself and others is something this age group often faces themselves.
Holden offers the right zest to Sofia's awkwardness. While he first appears put together, it becomes more and more clear that he has his own problems to deal with and that he's not really the jerk he portrays himself to be. His way of coping with the divorce of his parents and their over-flood of money to him is also one some readers will be able to identify with. And it's nicely and naturally handled. He's a character, who grows on the reader, and is also easy to root for by the end.
This is a fun and grabbing read, and while there is quite a bit of drama, which might have been shortened just a teeny bit, it's exactly what fans of relationship difficulties and social life steering are sure to enjoy. Those who enjoyed the first book are going to want to take a look at this one as well. I received an ARC and enjoyed the fun moments and good messaging.
August 11, 2025
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the e-are in exchange for an honest review
I want to begin by saying that while this book wasn’t my favorite it had things I did like about it. I really appreciated how close Sofia was to her mom, I feel like there are a lot of middle grade and ya books where the reader doesn’t get to read about the characters family and when they do they’re not a big part of the story. Here however, the reader meets Sofia’s mom, Kelsey, and sees how much she cares for Sofia. Kelsey wants to make sure she provides a home made meal for Sofia and does what she can to make sure she has what she needs and I found that so sweet. I also thought that including how Sofia and her mom didn’t have much money and how her mom worked two jobs to support them was a really important addition to the story. That’s a very real thing that many people experience and not something to ignore
Holden on the other hand had a much different home life. His family had money but they didn’t pay attention to him. While this is unfortunately also something that is a real experience I feel like it wasn’t handled in the best way. Many of the things Holden is experiencing at home is awful however there’s one thing that happens that’s very concerning and it didn’t get mentioned again afterwards which I didn’t like since there’s nothing to show that things will get better for Holdens home life so he could be in a dangerous situation there again making me feel worried at the end of the story and like there were more important things happening than the school dance. I understand that’s not something that can be solved in a few pages and being around people you care about and feel safe with is important in those instances but it was as if that part of Holdens story was forgotten about
There were also some comments made that I felt were offensive and inappropriate especially for the audience this book has.
I’m so sorry I didn’t love this book but there were parts I enjoyed/appreciated! Just because this book wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for you! Thank you again to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the e-arc!
I want to begin by saying that while this book wasn’t my favorite it had things I did like about it. I really appreciated how close Sofia was to her mom, I feel like there are a lot of middle grade and ya books where the reader doesn’t get to read about the characters family and when they do they’re not a big part of the story. Here however, the reader meets Sofia’s mom, Kelsey, and sees how much she cares for Sofia. Kelsey wants to make sure she provides a home made meal for Sofia and does what she can to make sure she has what she needs and I found that so sweet. I also thought that including how Sofia and her mom didn’t have much money and how her mom worked two jobs to support them was a really important addition to the story. That’s a very real thing that many people experience and not something to ignore
Holden on the other hand had a much different home life. His family had money but they didn’t pay attention to him. While this is unfortunately also something that is a real experience I feel like it wasn’t handled in the best way. Many of the things Holden is experiencing at home is awful however there’s one thing that happens that’s very concerning and it didn’t get mentioned again afterwards which I didn’t like since there’s nothing to show that things will get better for Holdens home life so he could be in a dangerous situation there again making me feel worried at the end of the story and like there were more important things happening than the school dance. I understand that’s not something that can be solved in a few pages and being around people you care about and feel safe with is important in those instances but it was as if that part of Holdens story was forgotten about
There were also some comments made that I felt were offensive and inappropriate especially for the audience this book has.
I’m so sorry I didn’t love this book but there were parts I enjoyed/appreciated! Just because this book wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for you! Thank you again to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the e-arc!
May 11, 2025
First of all, thank you to G.F. Miller and Aladdin Publishing for an advanced reader copy of "What If You Fall For Me First"! It was a great book and I am so glad I was able to read it before chatting with G.F. Miller for 12News (keep an eye out for the upcoming article!).
What If You Fall Me First is a middle grade rom com following sweet, innocent Sofia, who would love to be known as anything but her happier than ever lovable self. Sofia wants to be a cool girl and attract the attention of her longtime crush, Mark, but to do that, she is going to need help. Enter, Holden: notorious flirt, content creator and soon-to-be coach for Sofia's "Cool Girl" makeover. As the pair get to know one another through new hairstyles and skateboarding lessons, they might just uncover the real cool girl secret: how cool it is to fall in love with someone for who they are.
As I am not a middle schooler anymore, I often have to remind myself when reading middle grade books of what I felt in middle school. Kids have big feelings and I loved reading about all of the ones in Miller's book. She captured adolescence—from first crushes and anxiously awaiting a special text to figuring out your place in school and family troubles— in a way that was honest and relatable. It would be easy to be overdramatic as a crutch to not being that age anymore, but I didn't feel like that was the case in this book.
I did wish the book's pacing was a little bit more even. I felt like there was a ton of buildup for the ending, but the ending itself was not super long. It definitely left me wanting more!
I also would encourage parents and guardians of children reading this book to have an open conversation about family dynamics. Without spoiling the book, Holden has a truly difficult family situation, and I think this book does a great job of introducing kids to family structures they may not be aware of. With that, though, comes questions, especially if a child is blessed to be in a great home situation. Personally, I reflected a lot on my own privilege as a kid with two loving parents and a stable home environment.
If you are looking for a delightful middle grade rom com, you've come to the right place. Enjoy!
What If You Fall Me First is a middle grade rom com following sweet, innocent Sofia, who would love to be known as anything but her happier than ever lovable self. Sofia wants to be a cool girl and attract the attention of her longtime crush, Mark, but to do that, she is going to need help. Enter, Holden: notorious flirt, content creator and soon-to-be coach for Sofia's "Cool Girl" makeover. As the pair get to know one another through new hairstyles and skateboarding lessons, they might just uncover the real cool girl secret: how cool it is to fall in love with someone for who they are.
As I am not a middle schooler anymore, I often have to remind myself when reading middle grade books of what I felt in middle school. Kids have big feelings and I loved reading about all of the ones in Miller's book. She captured adolescence—from first crushes and anxiously awaiting a special text to figuring out your place in school and family troubles— in a way that was honest and relatable. It would be easy to be overdramatic as a crutch to not being that age anymore, but I didn't feel like that was the case in this book.
I did wish the book's pacing was a little bit more even. I felt like there was a ton of buildup for the ending, but the ending itself was not super long. It definitely left me wanting more!
I also would encourage parents and guardians of children reading this book to have an open conversation about family dynamics. Without spoiling the book, Holden has a truly difficult family situation, and I think this book does a great job of introducing kids to family structures they may not be aware of. With that, though, comes questions, especially if a child is blessed to be in a great home situation. Personally, I reflected a lot on my own privilege as a kid with two loving parents and a stable home environment.
If you are looking for a delightful middle grade rom com, you've come to the right place. Enjoy!
June 27, 2025
Shy, mousy, rule-abiding 8th grader Sofia Santini (white) befriends confident resident cool guy and player Holden Thomas (white) at a school event when she fails to make a move on her longtime crush Mark Chen. Holden has dreams of being an online personality and sees an opportunity to turn Sofia from “goody-two shoes” to “fierce girl” for the clicks. What neither of them expects, though, is falling in love.
This book will 100% resonate with middle school and high school readers. Miller does an excellent job of incorporating the very real politics of cliques into the mix of Sofia and Holden’s budding relationship and their respective character arcs. Middle school is hard, and it’s easy to live as a persona instead of a person. Both Sofia and Holden have to learn how to love and respect themselves during the course of the book. For Sofia, that’s growing her confidence without completely changing who she is. For Holden, that’s learning to let his walls down instead of being the person everyone expects him to be.
The dialogue, pacing, and character development are all great. In particular, I appreciate that Miller gives us essentially three perspectives on Sofia changing herself. The first is through Sofia’s internal monologue. The second is through Holden. And the third is in the interactions “fierce girl” Sofia has with everyone. What’s interesting in these three perspectives is that the reader can see the merit of Sofia’s changes, because she’s gaining confidence instead of letting people walk all over her. However, readers will also recognize when she tries too hard to align herself with the “popular kids.” It ends up being a really nice life lesson - change is important, growing is important, but make sure you do it because it makes you happy and not for someone else. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
This book will 100% resonate with middle school and high school readers. Miller does an excellent job of incorporating the very real politics of cliques into the mix of Sofia and Holden’s budding relationship and their respective character arcs. Middle school is hard, and it’s easy to live as a persona instead of a person. Both Sofia and Holden have to learn how to love and respect themselves during the course of the book. For Sofia, that’s growing her confidence without completely changing who she is. For Holden, that’s learning to let his walls down instead of being the person everyone expects him to be.
The dialogue, pacing, and character development are all great. In particular, I appreciate that Miller gives us essentially three perspectives on Sofia changing herself. The first is through Sofia’s internal monologue. The second is through Holden. And the third is in the interactions “fierce girl” Sofia has with everyone. What’s interesting in these three perspectives is that the reader can see the merit of Sofia’s changes, because she’s gaining confidence instead of letting people walk all over her. However, readers will also recognize when she tries too hard to align herself with the “popular kids.” It ends up being a really nice life lesson - change is important, growing is important, but make sure you do it because it makes you happy and not for someone else. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
June 13, 2025
I am out with lanterns,
looking for myself. ~ Emily Dickinson
Sofia and Holden are in different friend circles, different family types, different economic classes.
An encounter during a middle school dance throws them into an unlikely friendship. Both are out with their lanterns (metaphorically).
Shy, play-it-safe Sofia has a crush on a popular boy named Mark while too-cool-for-school Holden has aspirations to boost his social media. A glow up for Sofia, caught on video, could be just the thing for Holden to achieve his influencer goals.
A partnership is born. This will remind you of "The Things I Hate About You" scaled down to middle school. The drama is appropriately scaled for the age group.
I could relate to Sofia --the rule follower--and enjoyed her transformation. Although I doubt I would be able to replicate her skills on a skateboard. Holden alternates chapters with Sofia and it was a nice balance.
A shout out to the amazing Amina who brought this one to my attention. It is cute as a button!
Rounding up from 3.5. Thank you to Aladdin and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
looking for myself. ~ Emily Dickinson
Sofia and Holden are in different friend circles, different family types, different economic classes.
An encounter during a middle school dance throws them into an unlikely friendship. Both are out with their lanterns (metaphorically).
Shy, play-it-safe Sofia has a crush on a popular boy named Mark while too-cool-for-school Holden has aspirations to boost his social media. A glow up for Sofia, caught on video, could be just the thing for Holden to achieve his influencer goals.
A partnership is born. This will remind you of "The Things I Hate About You" scaled down to middle school. The drama is appropriately scaled for the age group.
I could relate to Sofia --the rule follower--and enjoyed her transformation. Although I doubt I would be able to replicate her skills on a skateboard. Holden alternates chapters with Sofia and it was a nice balance.
A shout out to the amazing Amina who brought this one to my attention. It is cute as a button!
Rounding up from 3.5. Thank you to Aladdin and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
arc-requests-ew-and-ng
February 17, 2025Once again people... Middle Grade books are for elementary school children ages 7-12. Middle school readership is YA. This is why I have requested a review copy...
"A girl determined to ditch her goody-two-shoes image and the cool guy classmate she enlists to help her get more than they bargained for in this relatable and swoon-worthy middle grade rom-com." ~ From the Goodreads summary.
Really? Is this content for elementary school readers?
"Sofia has had enough of everyone thinking she’s sooo nice. “Sweet,” “innocent,” and “goody two-shoes” are how her classmates would describe her, but there’s more to her than that. She wants everyone—especially her forever crush, Mark Chen—to see that she has other sides." ~ Goodreads summary.
Aren't elementary school students supposed to be innocent?
Middle school and Middle Grade are NOT the same thing.
And yes, I have already checked the Edelweiss publisher's page and it is indeed being published as MG. Good grief.
"A girl determined to ditch her goody-two-shoes image and the cool guy classmate she enlists to help her get more than they bargained for in this relatable and swoon-worthy middle grade rom-com." ~ From the Goodreads summary.
Really? Is this content for elementary school readers?
"Sofia has had enough of everyone thinking she’s sooo nice. “Sweet,” “innocent,” and “goody two-shoes” are how her classmates would describe her, but there’s more to her than that. She wants everyone—especially her forever crush, Mark Chen—to see that she has other sides." ~ Goodreads summary.
Aren't elementary school students supposed to be innocent?
Middle school and Middle Grade are NOT the same thing.
And yes, I have already checked the Edelweiss publisher's page and it is indeed being published as MG. Good grief.
March 13, 2025
This was such a cute book that I’d be eating up if I was in 8th grade right now. It gave me “She’s All That” vibes and is perfect for young teens. Even being in my mid-30’s, I really enjoyed it and the feelings it gave me.
Sofia wanted a glow-up from her “goody two-shoes” image in order for her crush, Mark, to notice her. Holden, a more popular and rich classmate was able to help her with her transformation. They become really close and were able to truly be themselves around each other, more than any other classmate of theirs. Will Mark be worth all of this? Will Sofia lose herself during this process? Or should she take a chance on someone everyone thinks lowly about?
There also were multiple life lessons throughout this novel that is a great learning experience for this age group. It’s a reminder to always be kind, especially because you don’t know what someone else is going through in life, and to always be yourself.
Sofia wanted a glow-up from her “goody two-shoes” image in order for her crush, Mark, to notice her. Holden, a more popular and rich classmate was able to help her with her transformation. They become really close and were able to truly be themselves around each other, more than any other classmate of theirs. Will Mark be worth all of this? Will Sofia lose herself during this process? Or should she take a chance on someone everyone thinks lowly about?
There also were multiple life lessons throughout this novel that is a great learning experience for this age group. It’s a reminder to always be kind, especially because you don’t know what someone else is going through in life, and to always be yourself.
June 30, 2025
I received this as a paperback goodreads giveaway book in the mail last week and finally decided to read it. Let me tell you that this book is a hilarious middle grade rom com that will have you laughing the whole time. I will admit when you are thirty the idea of reading books about modern day teenagers sounds silly but not with this one this one made me feel younger and that experience was positive.
We are introduced to Sofia who is in eighth grade but has the "style of a fifth grader which doesn't do her any favors when it comes to her crush Mark. She enlists the help of another student named Holden to give her a glow up. However, this opportunity causes Holden to fall for her and what is a girl to do in this situation?
If you are someone who is needing a good laugh be sure to check out this book. I for one had such a fun time reading it and I encourage others of any age to read it as well.
We are introduced to Sofia who is in eighth grade but has the "style of a fifth grader which doesn't do her any favors when it comes to her crush Mark. She enlists the help of another student named Holden to give her a glow up. However, this opportunity causes Holden to fall for her and what is a girl to do in this situation?
If you are someone who is needing a good laugh be sure to check out this book. I for one had such a fun time reading it and I encourage others of any age to read it as well.
July 31, 2025
My rating is a 4.6!! It was reallyyyy good!!! Although, I do wish he told her about his feelings a bit earlier on, but now it makes sense. My favorite quote from this book was “I want more, Sofia. I want us”. LIKE HELLOOOOO?!! Never in my life have I EVER heard an Eighth grade boy, confess his feelings like that..!! And I love how this story has a moral, aka, Never change yourself for a boy, or anyone in general, just be yourself.!! I just dont like how blind she was thoughh, between the two boys. Now I will say, some things are a bit corny, in a way, like the gestures they do, cause as upcoming 9th grader, I’ve never seen an eighth grader do that, maybe if they were joking though. Either way, this book was hilarious too!! I enjoyed it, other than the corny gestures! I neeedddd, a part two of their storyyy!! I love the ending, I truly wish that a boy in this generation would do that for me, or any girl in general.
April 13, 2025
Sofia has had a crush on Mark forever and asks Holden,an influencer, who’s considered a player to help her get Mark to like her. He agrees if she’ll help him with his videos. As the two hang out and help each other, Sofia thinks Holden is nice, and Holden is beginning to like Sofia. She doesn’t tell her friends because they’ll be shocked. Mark tells Holden he knows Sofia has been after him for a year. Holden says he’ll pay Mark if he’ll be nice to Sofia. Mark says yes. Sofia asks Mark to the dance, and Holden is actually jealous and asks someone else. When Sofia finds out that Holden has been paying Mark, she leaves the dance. What happens now? A great rom-com seeing Sofia stand up for herself while gaining confidence.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
June 20, 2025
This was an interesting middle grade book! I think kids will find this book relatable! It definitely reminded me of some of my seventh grade struggles to fit in and be one of the “cool” kids! I was also totally boy crazy during seventh grade!
The inclusion of Holden and his desire to post everything about Sofia and her transformation felt very 2025. Social media is such a huge part of kids lives these days. So much added pressure with everything being posted online. I also think a lot of kids will sadly be able to relate to Holden and his family situation. I really felt for him. I can’t imagine how lonely and unwanted to felt.
I didn’t really feel the romantic relationship between Sofia and Holden, but I appreciated their friendship! Overall, an engaging middle grade book that I think a lot of young readers will be able to enjoy and relate to!
The inclusion of Holden and his desire to post everything about Sofia and her transformation felt very 2025. Social media is such a huge part of kids lives these days. So much added pressure with everything being posted online. I also think a lot of kids will sadly be able to relate to Holden and his family situation. I really felt for him. I can’t imagine how lonely and unwanted to felt.
I didn’t really feel the romantic relationship between Sofia and Holden, but I appreciated their friendship! Overall, an engaging middle grade book that I think a lot of young readers will be able to enjoy and relate to!
June 23, 2025
3.5 stars rounded to 4
This book started out by getting on my nerves a little. The interactions between characters seemed a bit unnatural and forced, and I will say that the plot of the story was a bit generic and predictable at times. It was easy to guess what direction the plot would take based on the not-so-subtle wording.
That said, I did enjoy Holden's character a lot. As we know, people are rarely what they appear to be on the surface, and Holden was a good example of that. His eventual struggles felt very real to me and his growth was really fun to read about.
I also did really like the themes this book explored, especially towards the end. It got surprisingly insightful and heartfelt.
Overall, I'd recommend this book. Although it can be a bit cliché, it's still worth a read.
This book started out by getting on my nerves a little. The interactions between characters seemed a bit unnatural and forced, and I will say that the plot of the story was a bit generic and predictable at times. It was easy to guess what direction the plot would take based on the not-so-subtle wording.
That said, I did enjoy Holden's character a lot. As we know, people are rarely what they appear to be on the surface, and Holden was a good example of that. His eventual struggles felt very real to me and his growth was really fun to read about.
I also did really like the themes this book explored, especially towards the end. It got surprisingly insightful and heartfelt.
Overall, I'd recommend this book. Although it can be a bit cliché, it's still worth a read.
May 6, 2025
I absolutely adore this book! It’s designed for young adults due to the delightful romance that unfolds between the characters.
The themes in the book are incredibly relatable to teenagers. The protagonist, Sophia, is a shy and deeply in love young woman who finds herself in a situation where her shyness prevents Mark, the object of her affection, from reciprocating her feelings. In desperation, Sophia seeks guidance from Holden, her popular classmate. Holden becomes Sophia’s mentor, helping her navigate her journey of self-discovery. Along the way, Holden undergoes a transformative transformation, discovering a new version of himself and a love that changes his life forever.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the ARC!
The themes in the book are incredibly relatable to teenagers. The protagonist, Sophia, is a shy and deeply in love young woman who finds herself in a situation where her shyness prevents Mark, the object of her affection, from reciprocating her feelings. In desperation, Sophia seeks guidance from Holden, her popular classmate. Holden becomes Sophia’s mentor, helping her navigate her journey of self-discovery. Along the way, Holden undergoes a transformative transformation, discovering a new version of himself and a love that changes his life forever.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the ARC!
July 10, 2025
I hate that i loved this book as much as i did, but i absolutely adored it.
There's what I'd like to call the "outer layer of cringe" that comes with a woman of probably thirty-plus years old writing in a middle school POV. that's to be expected.
But what I didn't expect was that once I made it past the "outer layer of cringe", I absolutely loved this book, the characters, the conflict, everything. They felt, after the cringe, like realistic people and middle schoolers (emotionally).
I felt so connected to Holden and Sofia, and Sofia's mom is officially my role model. Holden was literally the sweetest guy while also being completely imperfect, and Sofia was so kind and lovely while having flaws of her own.
All that to say, 5 stars because why the heck not?
There's what I'd like to call the "outer layer of cringe" that comes with a woman of probably thirty-plus years old writing in a middle school POV. that's to be expected.
But what I didn't expect was that once I made it past the "outer layer of cringe", I absolutely loved this book, the characters, the conflict, everything. They felt, after the cringe, like realistic people and middle schoolers (emotionally).
I felt so connected to Holden and Sofia, and Sofia's mom is officially my role model. Holden was literally the sweetest guy while also being completely imperfect, and Sofia was so kind and lovely while having flaws of her own.
All that to say, 5 stars because why the heck not?
March 15, 2025
Firstly, thanks to Simon Teen and G.F. Miller for an advanced copy of this book.
This is a super cute novel for young readers, like in middle school. I don't feel like I'm the targeted audience for this novel as I feel it contains some kind of brainrot language that I'm not entirely sure of. However, I loved the main characters, Sofia and Holden. Holden is very mature for his age, as he has to deal with things on his own due to family issues. He gets to know Sofia and cares a lot for her. Sofia cares a lot for those around her, like a people pleaser, but is learning how to put herself out there with Holden's help.
I would really recommend this novel for young readers.
This is a super cute novel for young readers, like in middle school. I don't feel like I'm the targeted audience for this novel as I feel it contains some kind of brainrot language that I'm not entirely sure of. However, I loved the main characters, Sofia and Holden. Holden is very mature for his age, as he has to deal with things on his own due to family issues. He gets to know Sofia and cares a lot for her. Sofia cares a lot for those around her, like a people pleaser, but is learning how to put herself out there with Holden's help.
I would really recommend this novel for young readers.
July 14, 2025
Possibly 4.5 stars. What a treat! Who’d have thought a middle grade romance could be so much fun? It seemed a bit drawn out and on the long side for MG, and some of the teacher names were ridiculous, but I couldn’t not root for Sofia and Holden. I started listening to the first book about three quarters of the way through when I realized it had been on my list for awhile and had missed it so I’m not sure yet how the two compare. If there is going to be another one, I vote for Claudette. She cracked me up at the dance.
July 25, 2025
Sweet, naive Sofia wants to be a cool girl and get the attention of her longtime crush, Mark, but to do that, she needs some help. School player and content creator Holden has agreed to give her a glow up. However, this opportunity causes Holden to fall for her and what should a girl do in this situation?
I like that the themes brought into the story are so relatable to teens today.
Favorite line - "She didn't know how to explain the tangle of concern and gratitude and attraction that she felt toward him. How he could make her happier or sadder than almost any other person".
I like that the themes brought into the story are so relatable to teens today.
Favorite line - "She didn't know how to explain the tangle of concern and gratitude and attraction that she felt toward him. How he could make her happier or sadder than almost any other person".
April 17, 2025
What If You Fall for Me First is a cute middle grade romance book about a painfully shy girl's quest to get her longtime crush, Mark, to notice her as girlfriend material. Like in the movies, Can't Buy Me Love or She's All That, Sofie enlists the help of a popular boy, Holden, to remake her image into what she thinks Mark wants. What happens after that is a journey of self discovery and a lesson in being true to oneself. Who ends up with the girl? I'm not telling, but there is a satisfying happily ever after that will have every reader cheering for this fun, squeaky clean book.
I received an advance reader copy for free. All opinions are my own..
I received an advance reader copy for free. All opinions are my own..
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