I love it! THE BISEXUALS JUST KEEP WINNING! Sometimes books with bi rep focus on an internal struggle of “who do I like more” or “how do I choose”, which contributes a lot to misinformation about bisexuality, AND “AMELIA, IF ONLY” DOES NOT DO THAT and I am most pleased!

I love the nerdy humour of Amelia and her friends, and their slight awkwardness, and their bond. Amelia’s first (real) love is so hilariously relatable. Albertalli has my heart!

(P.S: I really dislike the celebrity-fascination trope, and I'm ambivalent to the friends-to-lovers trope, but I love a road-trip, some college vibes, and lots of queer, so that won out for me.)

Another slice of teenage angst from Albertalli. The author seems to be able to write for the YA audience with ease, writing characters that feel real,. who are complicated, fully realised and not the usual cliche. Filled with High School memorabilia, that submerges the reader into the lives of Amelia and her closest friends as they navigate the life changing move to college. Exploring identity in all it's guises - offspring, friend, mentor, ally - Albertalli allows the reader to see that anything is possible should you allow yourself to be open to it. No ones life is perfect, life is messy, embrace the difficult and live life to the fullest.

I am a big Becky Albertalli fan, having absolutely loved 'Imogen, Obviously'. It was wonderful to be back in Imogen's world, this time following Amelia and her group of friends.

The main story is Amelia's obsession with a YouTuber, Walter, and her friend group's road trip to attend his event. The story is a little thinner than Albertalli's previous books, but the commentary on parasocial relationships and the way we speak about celebrities online was well pulled off. We get snippets of online social media discussing Walter, and we can experience what it is like to be in his shoes.

I feel like this may have been a more interesting book had Walter and Hayden's story taken centre stage (sorry Amelia). However, this did not stop me enjoying the book. It was cute, funny and topical. Bring on Albertalli's next book!

I was so excited for this book, you actually have no idea.
“Imogen, Obviously” is probably in my top 5 reads of all time, so naturally I knew I needed more Becky Albertalli books in my life.

With that being said, this book is not exactly what I was expecting.
It wasn’t bad, but I didn’t really get invested until probably the halfway mark.
I thought the characters needed more development, and the romance did not really start until the story was almost over. When it did start, it came out of nowhere?

But there were some things I loved!

Appearances from Imogen and Tessa?? I was THRILLED. This singlehandedly made this story so much more enjoyable for me. As one of my favorite fictional couples of all time- I am glad I read this, just for them!
You won be back Becky.

As always, I have high level of appreciation for Albertalli’s takes on bisexual experience.
The whole idea of “If I liked girls, I would know by now. But if I didn’t like them, why would I be thinking about it so much?”. I think she brings a unique voice into the space.

I like how wholesome the story is, and by the end I really was rooting for the main characters, even if I didn’t really feel the romance vibes from them. At one point I was actually so anxious for them to get their feelings out, I was probably biting my nails.

Anyway, this was pretty good! but maybe not as great as I thought it would be? I still liked it though, and I’m glad I read it.

★☆☆☆☆½ — I think I’m too old for this

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I need to be more careful in figuring out what does and doesn't work for me in contemporary. I was convinced I hated contemporary books until I read The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School and She Drives Me Crazy, which I loved. So I decided to give the genre another chance and requested two contemporary ARCs.

I disliked both.

I really wanted to like this one, especially since Becky Albertalli is the queen of queer contemporary YA. But this was a painful read for me.

Almost every other chapter is just Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit discourse, with snippets of YouTube scripts and podcast transcripts. That structure made it exhausting to get through. If I wanted to read recycled internet discourse about shipping real people, I’d go to K-pop Twitter or dig through the Dan and Phil tag on Tumblr. I mean, hats off for making it hella realistic, but it’s just really not what I want to spend my time reading.

It’s a very timely critique of parasocial relationships, and I can appreciate what it was trying to say. But I just couldn’t get myself to care. I think I’m too old for this. I really need to do a better job at selecting my contemporary reads before I get put off the genre altogether again.

Amelia was irritating, but she did feel like a real person. So I think the author is probably good at characterisation. I might give Imogen, Obviously a go in the future, I’m just allergic to hypermodern language used in books, and this really put me off.

Firstly, I want to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. Secondly, I unfortunately have to say that I did DNF this book at 45%. I was excited to read this book, because I have heard great things about other books by this author, but also because I liked the premise of this book. This is a YA book, and as an adult I do often still enjoy YA books, but unfortunately this one read a little bit too young for me. I did not connect to the characters, not even reflecting as a younger version of me. I did not like the main character enough and I did not really care about the social media aspect of this book, like the dialogs from the Youtube channel, which kind of pulled me out of the story. Also, this was supposed to be a romance between two friends, but half way through the story and I did not yet see any connection or spark between them.
I am clearly not the target audience for this book, but I will still be giving the author's other books a chance since I see the potential of the author's writing and I have heard great things about her other books. If you are a teenager and you are a fan of social media influencers, I think you could enjoy this book.

Amelia is fan girling over youtuber Water Holland. Inviting him to prom and getting her friends to join in a road trip to see him in person. Only to realise that he isn't the one that she is head over heals for.

Amelia, If only is a nice sweet, yet cute coming of age story where Amelia is dealing with family pressures, the changes that comes with getting ready to graduate high school and dealing with her sexuality. Thankfully she is not alone, and her friend group felt so real. The jokes, banter and general support that they have for each other.

Thank You Netgalley for an advance reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Amelia Applebaum sent a video prom invite to her favorite YouTuber she might or might not have a crush on and deleted it again, after she didn't get a response. But maybe he just didn't see it...
When she finds out he's hosting a Meet & Greet and it's just a short road trip away, she gathers her friends and drives towards a maybe future romance. The only question is... with whom?

I recently read Imogen, Obviously from the same author and really enjoyed it. So I was excited when NetGalley made the eARC for her new book available. Unfortunately, it was a big disappointment for me.
It was quite difficult for me to find my way into the story and get a sense of the characters. The characters felt flat and the story line almost seemed unfinished, like an outline of a story that still needs refinment.
The main character's motivation was oftentimes unclear to me and the dialog and banter sometimes seemed a bit random and (sorry for the lack of a better word) cringe.

In the end, I didn't finish the book. It was just not enjoyable to read. Especially in comparisson to her other books.
So sadly, I can't recommend this book.

So, this was only a 3-star read for meSo, this was only a 3-star read for me, mainly because it just wasn’t for me and not because the book is ‘bad’ (also 3-stars is not actually a bad rating). I used to love YA contemporary romances, they were what really got me into reading in the first place, my tastes have shifted since then and I’ve not read many YA contemporary books for a while. I’d read other Becky Albertalli books before, so I thought I’d give this one a go and find out if I still liked the genre. Turns out, I do not. I am still very fond of YA sci-fi and fantasy, but contemporary/romances are very much not my thing anymore. This was a slog for me to get through, to be quite honest, even though it was a perfectly fine story. There’s noting objectively wrong with it, and if you do enjoy reading this genre you’ll probably like this book. Subjectively, this book would probably be a 1.5 stars for me, but I don’t really feel comfortable rating it anything under 3 stars, because the book isn’t bad, it’s just absolutely not for me.

As someone who really enjoyed Becky Albertalli's other works, I especially enjoyed this one. It was a fun and witty romcom that not only deals with feelings for your best friend, but also confronts parasocial relationships and friendships. I'd definitely recommend this to our customers.

This book absolutely did not disappoint - it was exactly what I needed.

It's light, YA and super sweet. It follows a teenage girl (bisexual) who is obsessed with an online celebrity. There is a meet and greet announced and her best friends go on a road trip with her to meet him. But... there might be a bit of love and obsession closer to home, and circumstances aren't always what they seem...

Lots of fun, love, laughter and real vibrant friendship as well as beautiful and sweet moments of blossoming romance. One I will reread if ever there comes a time where I need a metaphorical hug!

I didn’t know what to expect and this was definitely cute!

💖 Coming of age (High School to College)
🚗 Road trip
💖 Queer rep
🚗 Parasocial relationship
💖 Best friend crush

This was an enjoyable read that managed to explore some deeper themes of identity and resistance to change but was overall very lighthearted and fun.
I'd only read one book from the author before (What If It's Us) which I remember liking, and I was also swayed by the pretty cover illustration (forever fan of any art from Leni Kauffman 🥰).

Amelia is funny, she hides her insecurities behind jokes and her extroverted personality, and her mind runs at a million miles per hour. I admit her internal monologue was a bit too much at times but I thought her personality shone very well in the writing, especially when contrasted with some of her shy friends. I found it endearing how her friends knew her better than she knew herself.
In contrast I wish Natalie's character had been more fleshed out, she was a bit of a mystery to me except for her love of music.

I enjoyed the second half of the book a lot more than the first half (I guess I'm not a road trip girlie 😅) but really liked all the lore from the made up YouTube channel. I'm a sucker for made up media in books 🤣 the reddit discussions felt very genuine.

The conclusion felt a bit rushed, I would’ve liked to spend a bit more time with the characters during that part, but it’s definitely a satisfying ending!

So glad to be reading a Becky Albertalli book again, and even better that it explored bisexuality! While a slow burn it, this is a solid exploration of fandoms and teen bisexuality.

loved this one in that very specific messy, heart-squeezing, slightly-cringy-but-you-get-it kind of way. becky albertalli really nailed the chaotic energy of being deep in a parasocial crush — like, the obsessive spiraling, the way it feels safe because it’s not real, and also the way it can get kind of dark when people push too far. amelia is a lot (on purpose), and sometimes her brain is so loud i had to pause, but it’s also what made her feel so alive on the page. the mix of fandom transcripts and stan discourse felt painfully accurate in the best way. it’s queer, it’s awkward, it’s full of heart — classic becky.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the e-arc of Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli.

I have loved Becky Albertalli's books for so long and Imogen Obviously was one of my favourite book of the year when it came out. So I was so excited to hear about the new book in the same universe.
Amelia is -slightly- obsessed with a Youtuber, Walter. She decides to make a promposal video to ask him to come to prom with her and deletes the video when he does not answer. That is where our story starts, at prom with Amelia's friend group which I really thought were cute. It was hard to remember whom was whom honestly between Amelia, Zora, Nat, Mark, Claire who is Nat's girlfriend and Edith who is Zora's girlfriend and also the sister of Imogen from the first book. There were so many names thrown into the mix and it was hard to understand at first. But I really loved the dynamic in the friend group. However, I think the story falls a little flat and lacks depth. Probably because it is quite short. It felt like it had been cut down and so the dramas and their resolutions were just so short.
The discussion around shipping real people, queerbaiting used for real people and the delusion of wanting to date a celebrity and parasocial relationship between Walter and Amelia, were so interesting but again, it was just glossed over and was barely the main focus. The main focus was on the relationship between Amelia and her best friend, Nat but, again, I did not care for them, to the point that I was not sure if I wanted them together.

I did relate to some part of the book as someone who fangirled over One Direction but the toxicity of the fandom was not criticised enough in my opinion. Also, Amelia's mother has very toxic behaviours towards her daughter but at not point does she gets called out on it (which was not the case with Gretchen, Imogen's friend, from the first book).

I will still read more books by Becky because I think she is an amazing author, but I don't think I will be re-reading or recommend this book to people.

Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli is exactly the kind of heart-melting, slowburn, best-friends-to-lovers story I didn’t know I was starving for until I devoured it in one sitting. It’s tender and chaotic, messy in all the best ways, and brimming with that very specific, very real Gen Z humor that Albertalli does so well it hurts.

At its core, this is a book about friendship—the kind that makes you laugh so hard your stomach aches, the kind that holds space for your spirals and meltdowns, the kind that grows alongside you even as you all head in different directions. Amelia and her friend group felt like a real, lived-in crew. Their group dynamics were comforting and warm, full of chaotic support and soft accountability, and honestly? The book would’ve been worth it just for that.

But then there’s the romance. Oh, the romance. It’s the slowest of burns and the sweetest of payoffs. I’m picky when it comes to romantic arcs—especially best friends-to-lovers—but this one nailed the pacing. The longing, the uncertainty, the slow realization… it all felt so earned. And Natarccio? What a delightful, goofy, snarky little chaos gremlin. The banter had me grinning like an idiot more than once.

Amelia herself is pure Albertalli: big-hearted, chaotic, deeply earnest, and emotionally rich. Her narration is jumpy, prone to spirals, full of tangents, and occasionally skips over big scenes but it works. It mimics real thought patterns, especially for a teenager on the cusp of huge life changes, and it made me feel like I was Amelia, living inside her very busy head. If you’re someone who enjoys linear storytelling with every beat laid out neatly, this might trip you up—but personally, it hooked me completely.

Albertalli also brings her signature thoughtfulness to mental health, identity, queerness, and the terrifying beauty of growing up. The way Amelia processes love, crushes, and queerness felt so authentic. She says the things so many of us have felt but didn’t have the words for.

For readers who like:
-Best friends to lovers
-Road trip stories
-Found family vibes
-Queer coming-of-age arcs
-Terminally online Gen Z humor

Final Verdict
Amelia, If Only felt is the kind of book that understands your brain, holds your feelings with care, and makes you want to text your friends “I love you” at 3AM. Becky Albertalli proves once again that no one writes messy, heartfelt teenagers quite like her.

Grateful to NetGalley, Children’s HarperCollins UK and Becky Albertalli For the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really cute queer YA romcom, although I must admit it didn’t have the same impact as Imogen, Obviously (who makes an appearance!) for me.

I say romcom, but the focus here is far more on friendship, and my favourite part is the fun dynamic between our main group of friends and Amelia’s great sense of humour. She’s such a fun character, and I was definitely invested in her but I think I just found the Walter storyline a bit distracting from the love story?! Having said that, I’m not the main target audience here, and think so many readers will love it!

I really enjoyed how Amelia had the kind of energy you'd expect to find in a supporting character, i.e. the quirky best friend. It was wonderful to see this type of character transported into the protagonist role, front and centre, with a cast of more sedate characters surrounding her.

I’m a big fan of Becky Albertalli and have read everything she’s published, so I jumped at the chance to read her latest novel, Amelia, If Only. This is a slice-of-life story that follows Amelia as she navigates friendships, love, and identity. Unlike some of Albertalli’s earlier works, Amelia is already confident in her sexuality and sense of self, and this is what separates this novel from her previous ones.

The reading experience was thoroughly enjoyable. I liked reading about the lives of the supporting characters and their individual stories. One aspect that bothered me, though, was the fixation on the sexuality of Walter, a quasi-celebrity teen. The way people, especially other teenagers, were obsessed with labeling him and demanding answers felt invasive. I think Albertalli wanted to make a stronger commentary on how harmful and normalized this behavior is on social media. Still, the portrayal was accurate and realistic, reflecting how things often play out in real life.

The ending was especially sweet, the romantic resolution was satisfying, and every character felt fully fleshed-out. Overall, this is another strong novel from Becky Albertalli and I am eagerly waiting for the next one.

So the reason I wanted to read this is genuinely because I loved "Simon Vs. The Homosapien's Agenda" by Becky Albertalli so the moment I saw this on Netgalley I knew I wanted to read it. Friends, I'm ecstatic that I got to read this. This book had EVERYTHING I wanted from a queer YA romance. Firstly, the female friendship within this book (heck the friendship group in general) was beautiful. I loved how they were all supportive of each other, and mostly good at communication. I loved the witty banter between them all and this book genuinely had me cackling in the middle of the night because of how funny some of it's moments were. The romance in this book was so obvious but such a nice slow burn which had me giggling and kicking my feet throughout most of it. The pages when it came to the reddit/twitter threads as well as interviews were so fun and I loved how they added to the story so it felt like we could become part of the "fanbase", and as someone who's been in multiple fandoms in her lifetime, was very realistic. This definitely gave me 2010 queer discourse vibes at times but in the best way. All in all, I loved this book so much, It was such a nice fresh breath of air to read a cute little gay YA and I would definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone. Also, I did not know this was a second in a series, but by the looks of it they're interconnected standalones so I will definitely be picking up the first in this series as soon as possible.