What If It's Us

This book is an easy, engaging read with two characters who feel real and fun to follow. I especially loved the gay characters and their storylines. They are written with warmth and honesty, and their relationship gives the book a lot of heart. The pacing moves well, and the mix of light and emotional moments keeps you pulled in. If you enjoy character driven stories with genuine charm, this is a great pick.

This was such a cute and quick read. I loved both Arthur and Ben's characters because they were so different, but just so great together. I can really relate to both of them - Arthur's high fast energy and Ben's constant doubt in himself. I especially loved watching how the two of them grew because of the other, without even realizing it. Watching these two find each other and try to navigate the beginning of a relationship was so adorable and pulled my heartstrings. I love that it wasn't perfect or easy for them, which seemed so real. I also like that this book didn't just focus on this one relationship, but also contrasted to other relationships, both romantic and platonic of their friends. It shows that no relationship is predictable, easy or perfect. The writing was wonderful and though Arthur and Ben's narratives were very distinct, I couldn't tell that this was written by two authors instead of one. The story flowed so nicely and had so many ups and downs that I was filled with emotion. Though this was not a "traditional" happy ending, it was still a happy one that had me smile. It was a bit open ended so I am content to imagine my own future for these wonderful characters.

This story brings love and part together and create something out of the ordinary. It shows the love for the world and how the world can bring two people close. I really think it shows that our future will be better. I would definitely read this book if you are into romance and New York City. Maybe this can happen to you!

There is something magical about this time of year. I spent the last couple of days eating way too much food, shopping for gifts, and decorating the house for the holidays. And though this year required us to do things differently than we have in years past, those holiday traditions still bring the same amount of magic that they always have. One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to curl up next to the fire with a good book. The Texas weather finally brought us winter this weekend, so I decided to take full advantage and finish reading What If It's Us. This cute love story was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. Arthur is soaking up every moment of his summer internship in New York. The soon-to-be high school senior is completely committed to taking in all of the sights and sounds of the city life, even if that means neglecting the duties of his job. Today though, his internship has sent him on a mission that allows him to fulfill both of his desires. Today, he's been tasked with dropping off work documents at the post office. Yes, this is just a simple errand, but the city is ripe with adventure and opportunity. Ben is at the post office for an entirely different reason. He's got a box full of stuff that belongs to his ex-boyfriend. The breakup is still so fresh and difficult that Ben can't bear to even see his ex. Having all of this stuff that reminds him of the relationship isn't helping either. It makes sense to just mail it all back to him and rid himself of that part of his life for good. As you can imagine, fate has other plans. Ben and Arthur meet in line at the post office and have a really cute conversation. The spark between the two is undeniable, but then they are separated. Was this just a chance encounter meant to fill that small moment of time, or is this something more? You'll have to read to find out. I was so drawn into the story and characters that it is almost impossible for me to objectively comment on this book. In What If It's Us co-authors Becky Albertalli (of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda fame) and Adam Silvera deliver the kind of meet-cute YA romance that you'll have a hard time putting down. I don't normally read this genre, so I was a bit apprehensive at first. As I started reading, I couldn't help but find little pieces of myself in each of the characters. There's something about navigating the final years as a teenager that is universally relatable. Take away the fact that the main characters are gay (this story could have been equally effective with a heterosexual couple), and you are still left with a story that is just too compelling to not read. Is this a great work of literature that will be touted for its prose and structure? Of course not. But there's so much about What If It's Us to like about that you won't mind the little things that would normally detract from a novel. A sequel has recently been announced, and I really can't wait to read more about these characters.

3.5/5 Sigh, I really wanted to love this book but there were just many aspects that I did not like. The story itself is really cute. I honestly was so close to loving this book! The good: I love the representation is this book! Ben is a gay 17 year old Puerto Rican. He does not do school, and he just recently got his heart broken. Arthur is a gay 16-17 year old Jewish teenager who has ADHD and is new to the whole dating thing. The side characters were so lovable, more than one of the protagonist.. I would honestly say that Dylan is one of my top favorite characters! I would honestly love a spin-off about him. I love that they brought up topic that are not usually brought up in LGBT lit. Such as: first time sex, dealing with exes, being nervous to be in a relationship, etc. The overall story was cute and quirky. The bad: I felt like Harry Potter was being shoved down my throat! This is honestly one of the main reasons why I did not like this story that much. I honestly do not care about HP. There was seriously a HP reference in every chapter. It. Was. Overkill. The love story felt really dramatic and desperate, it was stalkerish and even the characters mention it. Like Arthur just met Ben a few seconds ago, Arthur sneaked off on him and he was devastated because he'll "never get to kiss him on his Emma Watson mouth." I totally understand that Arthur has ADHD but his character was somewhat annoying and desperate. He needed for everyone to like him. And the ending.. <Spoiler>I did not like the ending at all. I seriously wanted them to make it work but they didn't.. They deserved the world!</Spoiler> All in all, I loved the story, I loved the romance, I loved the characters. But the stuff I did not enjoy really impacted how I felt about the story at the end.

I have a love/ hate relationship with Albertalli. I really liked Simon VS The Homo Sapiens Agenda and The Upside of Unrequited with their adorable characters and charming/ hilarious/ sometimes heartbreaking plots. I soared through these books and would recommend them to anyone- especially John Green fans. Then there was Leah On the Off Beat, which mostly angered me. I didn’t like her, or the way she acted toward her friends, how the love interest played itself out…. the book just pissed me off most of the time, with just barely enough good to keep me moving forward. What If It’s Us Brings out the best of this author- maybe due to the collab? The characters are purely magical even as they are each incredibly messy and neurotic in their own ways. I think it’s their imperfections that made them so fabulous. The premise was fantastic, the play between characters was perfect, and you saw a lot of character growth which is always a plus for me. My favorite character was definitely Dylan, the over the top best friend. I felt like he was the perfect foil for Ben. For me, this was the best book of the author’s to date. I loved it! My only objection, and it’s purely personal, I felt like the ending was too open. I want closure! And I want it to be EPIC. Still, five stars all the way. On the adult content scale, there’s some language, drinking, sexual innuendo and light sexual content. It’s not too crazy, and I would still give this one to a youngish teen. I give it a three.

3.5* This story is told from alternating perspectives, Arthur (who had ADHD) and Ben (who is Puerto Rican). Arthur is spending the summer in New York as an intern for his mother's law firm when he follows a very handsome boy (Ben) into the post office. Ben is trying to mail a box full of his ex-boyfriends stuff when he meets Arthur. Ben gets Arthur's name but Arthur doesn't get Ben's name and so when a flash mob breaks out at the post office, they get separated. The first 150 pages of this book is how Ben and Arthur are trying to find each other in the big city. So this book was a bit slow to start. But when they do finally meet up this dosen't become an instalove kind of thing. They do ease into. Being a collaborative effort between Becky Abertalli and Adam Silvera, I wasn't sure if this was going to rip my heart out or give me warm fuzzies, but truthfully it was a great blend of both. It had a lot of bittersweet moments mixed with moments that were just sweet. Having read a few other books by these authors, I was sorry to see that this didn't feel like it had the same kind of depth that "Simon Versus the Homosapian Agenda" and "They Both Die At the End" had. I felt like those two books had a lot more depth to them and a bit more deep emotionality and not just a ton of surface level fluffiness. The vast majority of "What If It's Us" was a lot of surface level fluffiness and I did not find myself loving this as much as the other two previously mention books I read by them. Overall this book was cute and enjoyable, but the characters felt a bit flat to me.

There's never enough romance and love in a book for a romantic soul reader. If you're one as well, check, this book for you. Do believe in destiny? Fate? Universe which brings two souls togeter? Check, it's all in here. A few more checks for you: unforgettable first love, first kiss, first touch. Second chances, do-overs, tears of pain, tears of joy. Wery well written, easy to read, making you long for more. With a few drama-queen shows, yet beautiful and entertaining. Looking forward to book Two.

I loved every minute of this book with all my heart. Couldn't put it down and finished it in 2days and I miss my boys already. I also discovered two authors that I didn't know about, so I'm glad. If you're into rainbow Rowell style of books, you will love this one!

El libro llego en buenas condiciones y en yn periodo muy corto, llego mucho antes del día que estaba programado. Ame tanto este libro, sin duda alguna Adam y Becky son la combincación perfecta, el libro estaba totalmente equilibrado con el toque tierno de Becky y el humor de Adam. Me gustaron ambos personajes y todas las referencias que hacían hacía películas, libros y música. He de decir que es uno de mis libros favoritos de este año. What If it's us nos cuenta la historia de Arthur y Ben, y el como ellos por cuestiones del destino se encuentran en una oficina de paqueteria en New York una de las ciudades más grandes. A lo largo de la historia podemos ver como los dos intentan estar juntos, sus citas son súper tiernas y sobre todo el drama que es totalmente inevitable.

Una historia particular, pero te engancha como cualquier otra. Se ha convertido en uno de mis libros favoritos. Os va a encantar.

Coming off the Game Changer series, I was really hoping to find another story that captured that same mix of heart, humor, and emotional investment — and What If It’s Us absolutely delivered. The book feels warm, genuine, and very real in the way it explores timing, connection, and the messy unpredictability of relationships. Arthur and Ben are easy to root for, and their journey has that blend of sweetness and uncertainty that makes you keep turning pages because you want things to work out just as much as they do. It’s the kind of story that feels perfectly suited for the screen. The dialogue, pacing, and emotional beats already play out in such a visual way that it’s hard not to imagine this as a TV series someday. There’s so much charm and relatability here that it would translate beautifully. A heartfelt, engaging read that lingers after the last page — and one I’d happily watch if it ever gets adapted.

I did not love this book that much, but I do love both the authors other books, such as they both die in the end and Simon vs the Homo sapiens agenda. Just not for me, but shipping all that was good. **didn't finish