This book, for me, is the true definition of what it means to feel seen in a book. A funny, heartfelt plot with real depth and well developed individual characters. This story is so well rounded and such a good representation of neurodivergence and what it means to struggle in a world that isn’t designed for you but also what it means to find kindred spirits. One of my favourite books of the year without a doubt!

I ADORED this story. I've read all of Lucy's other work, but this is by far my favourite (so far).

Everyone deserves a happy ever after, and no one more than Effie and Aiden, our main characters. The autism/ADHD representation was so beautifully done and I hope this book does as well as it deserves to so that publishers sit up and listen and realise that people deserve to have more stories about neurodivergent people finding the love that they deserve.

As well as the representation, the story also tackled the very tricky issue of toxic friendships, and I can see this book becoming an invaluable resource in my school's library. We need more books that talk about how friendships can become damaging to our mental health and how it's important to have boundaries with people who don't make us feel good. I loved (spoilers) that the characters don't kiss and make up at the end and instead we got to see Effie stand her ground and recognise that while Chelsea isn't evil, she's just a flawed person who has made some bad decisions and chosen to spend time with some people who are making even worse ones, she still doesn't have to let her back in her life if she doesn't want to.

I honestly couldn't recommend this book more, and I can't wait to share it with my students.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an early access to Real When I’m With You!

I quite enjoyed the different relationships in the novel as they all brought something to the story. It was great to meet the new characters that would become Effie’s friends and would show her what friendship is truly like compared to what she’s experienced.

I always love a fake-dating trope and here it was quite obvious from the start and they both liked each other but were scared to ask each other out.

The author also did a great job with the autistic and neurodivergent representation in the novel. It was nice to read about how Effie and her friends experienced it.

The writing was good. I just wished that the novel was shorter. It didn’t need to be that long.

this says it is for YA but i so love one of these genre of books that can touch us at any age, even us oldies. and this one does just that. its completely gorgeous and totally hits the hearts of any of us. the feelings the characters have especially to do with toxic relationships can be found in any of us. the need to fit in or be something else for someone else never ends well. and if someone makes you do that to be around them then drop them, drop them real quick. i remember this seeming so much harsher when i was young. but actually thinking even to now we all can be victims to this too.
and this is where we meet Effie. and her friendship is just sooooo toxic. and i was wishing for her to red flag and run all the way through. but also completely understanding why she didn't, or how she felt she couldn't.
but all hope is not lost. does she find her tribe? well my smiles might just signify the answer to that question.
oh and did we forget the fake date to love part of the plot. no of course we didn't. because we couldn't leave Aiden behind. and oh dear lovely Aiden. the Nd representation he brings was perfection. and i looooove how it never felt like a tick box exercise. but its not shying away from the realitys. it doesn't make it a superpower but nor does it stop you KNOWING it can and should be understood and then these people in our loves on the spectrum or just needing understanding, not othering. and its on us to do that. the balance of dealing with that i think has to tip over to one side for a while until we can truly manage to "get it". that doesn't mean preaching or pushing it down throats. but it does mean there sadly being a real need to understand. just understand. but this book took the balance and did it really well. because besides all that this was a book about romance. and humans. and friendships both good and bad. and its about our girl finding her place in the world which is all she deserves.

SO. CUTE. I had to stop every five pages and highlight something with a little "so cute" note in my kindle. That’s the kind of book this is 🥹💕

The premise is simple: Phoebe's "best friend" (Chelsea 🙄) tells her she could never get a "real" boyfriend, so she fake-asks Aiden, the barista, to a date, and it spirals from there. Fake dating turns to real dating, and they slowly and beautifully open up and fall in love. and more importantly, Phoebe finally finds people she doesn’t have to hide from.

This is something the book nails so well: if you have to shrink yourself to be someone's friend, they're not your friend. Watching Phoebe realise that, cut off Chelsea, and find joy in being herself around Aiden, Tess, and Gigi (aka the #neurodivergent squad) was so satisfying. I cheered.

Aiden's overthinking spirals, the constant apologising, and his energy? I felt seen. (slight adhd over here 👋) And Phoebe's internal monologue about pretending things are fine because making new friends is hard? I've been there.

I’m super picky with romance books because so many of them go full cringetown, but this one? hit all the right notes. No unnecessary drama, no "that would never happen" moments. Even the third-act conflict wasn't a breakup between the couple—it was a friendship breakup. The ending where Phoebe and Chelsea acknowledge they’ll probably never be friends again unless real change happens? good. I was so satisfied.

This book is an absolute gem, deserving of all the stars it can get. It resonated deeply with me, particularly how Effie navigates a challenging friendship dynamic. Lucy Powrie's storytelling captured the struggle of breaking away from toxic relationships, which many young people face. Effie's journey to find her own tribe was both enlightening and inspiring. Powrie's talent for crafting authentic characters shines through once again, creating a friendship circle that feels incredibly real and desirable. I found myself yearning to be a part of this beautifully written world of friendships.

2.5⭐️ rounded up despite DNF

This was my second Lucy Powrie book and it made me realize I just don’t enjoy her writing style. I love YA novels, they’re probably 80% of the books I read, but there’s a particular style of over-explaining/focus on internal monologue that isn’t my cup of tea. Including this one.
I had such high hopes because it’s a romance with an autistic protagonist!!! I want them all! But despite the lack of representation in mainstream publishing—and I can’t believe I’m saying this—this felt trite. The characters felt uninspired ans superficial: the boy-obsessed mean girls, the funny ADHD boy, the “I’m destined to be alone” MC. I totally get the latter. It can feel like that. It *does* feel like that. But the narration, the way it’s conveyed on the page, it didn’t feel fresh and negatively impacted the pacing. The whole first quarter of the book reiterates the same issues in the same two settings (Phoebe’s home where she talks to her cat and the coffee shop/pier/beach where she endured Chelsea + Paul), which was boring, bordering on annoying. It’s truly devastating because I wanted to love this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic UK for the ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book so much! It was so refreshing to see a YA romance that featured two relatable teens who are each dealing with their own issues come together to find love. It showcases relatability, acceptance for all, and one heck of great romance! Readers of all ages will be swooning

Sweet as mocha, Real When I'm With You follows Effie, an autistic artist, and Aidan, a barista with ADHD, on their fake dating endeavours. The pair connect over being their true selves in each other's company and not having to compromise on their boundaries. It was adorable to watch their relationship develop as they cheered each other on, and I'm sure many readers will feel seen in the wonderful representation of neurodiversity.

Cosy and cute, this is perfect for fans of Heartstopper and To All The Boys I've Loved Before.

REAL WHEN I'M WITH YOU is a fun-filled autistic romance.

It's been a few years since the end of Lucy Powrie's THE PAPER & HEARTS SOCIETY series ended, and I'm so glad we get another novel from her. This is an older YA novel (her debut trilogy was firmly teen), but it's just as full of romance and fun and openly autistic representation.

I liked how the fake dating trope here escalated. It's initially only one date, but then spirals. This feels so much more realistic to me for virtual strangers - they aren't jumping into the deep end initially, just putting a toe in. And then it balloons quickly. I also liked that it is acknowledged that Effie's reasons for doing so are not great. Understandable but not great. The lying nature of this trope is also interrogated too, which was nice.

Effie is autistic and Aiden, the love interest, is ADHD - but they're not the only neurodiverse people in the book! I love books with authentic ND representation, particularly when there's a lot of it and a diverse array. This book really explored the sensory side of autism as well as shutdowns, which I've seen far less of than meltdowns.

While it is a romance, it's also about a platonic break up and all the pain that involves. Effie is coming to realise that her best friend Chelsea isn't good for her, and that friendship ending is the messiest, most painful part of the book. I really liked that the end of a friendship was given so much page time and sensitivity. As a society, we expect romantic relationships to sometimes go awry, but rarely platonic ones - and that makes their end arguably much worse, because we're not expecting or bracing for it.

REAL WHEN I'M WITH YOU has really positive female friendships in it too. Effie makes new friends across the book, from finding neurodiverse friends to a really easy friendship with Aiden's ex. I really appreciated that the two girls weren't pitted against each other - it's a horrible societal expectation.

In all, this was a really fun, fake dating romance - and I hope we get more novels from Lucy Powrie.

What a lovely fun lighthearted romance between two teens who are both dealing with health issues & stigma but manage to find love and each other along the way! I love that it features relatable characters and situations teens are currently dealing with and felt very of the time. I think this would make an excellent YA book club read or a movie for teens