This book was absolutely adorable in every single way possible. I was worried when I got to the miscommunication, as thats something that I tend to stay away from in novels, but even with my least favorite trope, this still reached five stars from me. Miles gave me so much trans joy that I couldn't help but cry and smile and laugh with him, and his story truly felt messy and real. The same goes for Rachel and Paige. All of the characters in this book felt REAL, albeit a little romanticized. This book was so easy to connect to and I am so glad I got a chance to read it.

This book was an absolute delight!

It wasn’t perfect - while I understand the WHY behind the conflict between Miles and Eric, I could have done without how it was done. Same with the secondary storyline between Rachel and Paige.

However, I will still heartily recommend this book to any and every one. I thought it was exceptionally written - engaging and just the perfect amount of messy. I loved how Miles continued to discover himself, and how he was both the same and different after coming out as trans. I love that music and the piano was such an integral part of that. This book was full of teenage angst and a bit of drama, definitely, but it was also so full of happiness and joy.

A definite must read!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Miles is a sixteen-year-old boy and he has two New Year's resolutions: win back his ex and beat his arch-nemesis in the biggest classical piano competion in the Midwest. But nothing is easy. His ex, Shane, broke up with him two weeks after he came out as trans and now he's ignoring him and now his piano teacher isn't happy with his playing. Then Miles meets a new boy in town, Eric, a proudly queer cartoonist and cares about art as he does and then, after fate dating to score an invite for a couples only party, they kiss and the ruse becomes something very real. Between butterflies in his stomach and his resolutions, Miles doesn't know what to do and he doesn't understand why Eric could like him. Why things aren't easier for him, like it seems to be for other people.

Always the almost is a gorgeous story, inside and outside (do you see the cover? It's amazing!!!)! I loved reading this book so much. Between resolutions and plans, music and art, new friendship/crush and growing up, Miles is a magnificent main character and it was such a pleasure following him in his journey into loving and embracing himself. This book is simply a warm hug, a rom-drama, a beautiful story about love and accepting yourself and I truly fell in love with everything since the very first page. Miles is amazing, his characterization, feelings, struggles and actions, everything was wonderfully written and I felt so involved in his story. Definitely a gem!

This book just screams trans, queer, joy! The author sets us up for that expectation from the very first page and never lets us go! Point blank - this book was a joy to read. I was swept up in the characters and their banter but especially in the writing style of Edward Underhill - his work is honestly masterful. I can sometimes struggle with YA contemporary romance because it can be difficult to relate to the characters but Miles and Eric, and Rachel and Paige were so well fleshed out that It was like being a fly on the wall or watching a netflix series in my head the whole time. I was counting down the minutes at work until i could be on lunch picking up this book or finally home so I could grab my kindle. I started with falling in love with the characters but then fell in love with Miles and his struggles and his passions/ambitions when it came to piano and his own journey of figuring out who he is and who he wants to be as Miles. We have all struggled with connecting to the tasks or skills or hobbies that bring us joy and reading that coupled with questions of impostor syndrome both at the piano and away in Miles' life....I loved it. I am in love with this book. If you love Simon vs. The Homosapien Agenda, Red, White, and Royal Blue or even something like How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow then this is absolutely something you need to move towards the top of your TBR! I can't wait to read more from Edward Underhill moving forward - I will be impatiently awaiting the release of his sophomore novel.

The keys were smooth beneath his fingers. He pressed gingerly on each one, listening to the sound they emitted. Each note tugged at his heart, expressing grief, and joy; all the emotions under the rainbow. The piano came to life as his fingers picked up speed. Music was a extension of himself, a beautiful portrait of what it’s like to be human.

Always the Almost was a beautiful coming of age, YA romance, following Miles, a trans boy navigating life. Miles is in high school, newly out as trans, and preparing for a piano competition that has his nerves on edge. A new boy in school is slowly bringing out the best in Miles and being loved for who you are is a feeling he’s learning one day at a time.

Piano music and an arch rival, quirky comic drawings, friends there for always, rainbow socks, and pizza. This book was a queer joy fest that had me smiling from ear to ear. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the love triangle, but I completely understand why it was included and helped Miles grow as a character. I love Miles and I love his friends… I love the pure innocent love. This book was a treat!

If you’re a YA fan, love friendships and classical music, competitions, and the budding of new love… please give this book a read!

This was so wonderful and such an accomplishment. Miles finding his trans joy through his piano playing was so genuinely moving; so many facets of queerness were also explored through side characters. LOVED Stefania. Can't wait to see what Edward does next.

I loved this book and know I can’t possibly write a review that lives up to it. So I highly suggest you skip the rest of this review and just go start reading Always the Almost instead.

This is a story about Miles. Miles is a 16 year old gay trans boy who sets 2 New Year’s resolutions - get back together with his ex Shane and beat his arch-nemesis Cameron at the annual piano competition.

Like all of my favorite books - the plot isn’t enough to tell you why I loved this book so much. It’s full of characters that felt so real. It’s full of people who are doing their best - but still sometimes letting each other down.

It’s also full of joy. Joy is my word for 2023 so I am particularly aware of it and I loved the ways it showed up in this story. And in the author’s note, Underhill wrote “Miles’s journey is about finding himself, in spite of everyone else. About fully, shamelessly, and triumphantly forging and inhabiting his own moments of joy. I wrote this story because I believe, firmly, that joy can be an act of resistance in challenging times. And trans and queer kids, especially now, deserve all the joy.”

I can’t believe this is a debut and can’t wait to read what the author writes next! Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the free advance reading copy. I’ll also be buying a copy to put on my favorites shelf.

4.5/5

Always the Almost follows Miles, a young trans boy who has just recently come out and is determined to 1) get back together with his ex-boyfriend, and 2) beat his nemesis at the annual tri-state piano competition. However, things become complicated when Miles meets the new boy in town, Eric.

I couldn't put this coming of age story down. This book is in part a romance between Miles and Eric, but it's also a romance between Miles and himself as well as the piano. If that makes sense lol. Throughout the book Miles has to learn how to feel comfortable in his skin and is constantly exploring what being trans means for him. The piano competition plays a big role in who he is and how he comes to express himself. As someone who played an instrument throughout her school years, I felt like Miles's attachment to the piano was so well done. You could feel his love and joy for it and ultimately that's what I loved the most about this book.

TW: transphobia, homophobia, dead naming, body dysmorphia, cheating, off page sexual harrassment

Thank you Wednesday Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

16 year old trans boy Miles has two New Year’s resolutions: win back with star football player ex-boyfriend and win the regional piano competition. I loved this book! Miles was flawed and made some mistakes (I just wanted to shake him for being hung up on his ex Shane when new kid Eric liked Miles for exactly who he was), but he was still likable, and I really loved Eric. The piano competition added the right amount of intrigue to the story, and I’d highly recommend this story of queer trans joy! I’ve already added a physical copy of this one to my shelf. Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC!

I loved this book so much! It was full of joy and angst. It was a beautiful story of friendship, family, and found family. I loved Miles's character growth throughout the book.

Fair warning that if an author ever needs to assure you in the beginning of the book that their story will have a happy ending, you might need to keep a box of tissues next to you while you read.
I think this book is great for fans of Felix ever after, looking for something similar. The stories both feature queer, trans, artistic characters discovering their identity and falling in love in the process, and yet the stories are still vastly different from one another, so you don't feel like you're reading the exact same story.
Underhill didn't hold anything back, showing the flaws of the main character and the mistakes we make when we're young and dumb and in love, showing the fluidity of identity and the joy that shines through among the challenges and sadness that Miles feels.
An excellent book that all teens today, especially queer or questioning teens, should pick up.
I'm excited to see more of what this author comes up with in the future :)

THIS BOOK! This cover, this growth arc, this story. Miles is a newly out trans boy fighting to not let his life fall apart in the aftermath. So on New Years, he sets two resolutions: that he'll get his boyfriend back, who broke up with him after he came out, and that he'll win the state piano competition. But as the year progresses, and with the help of his friends, a new piano teacher, and the new guy in school who sees Miles for who he is, and just might like him for all of it, Miles slowly starts to reassess how important those resolutions are, and who he truly wants to be.

This was so good!!!! I gobbled it up in a few hours (was not the intention, I had plans this afternoon, but we're here now). Miles' growth through the book is expectedly messy, considering he's a 16 year old kid, famously a complicated time to be figuring out who you are, and then adding on coming out to his family, friends, and everyone in his life. Eric and Stefania are undeniably the breakout stars of the book, I'm convinced if everyone had one of each in their lives, there would be no problems left in the world. I didn't LOVE the drama the author went with in terms of Miles' friends, and then even when it was happening, it felt like it was setting something up that never happened. But I'll take one subpar B-plot when everything else was stellar.

Note that there are instances of both past and present transphobia, homophobia, queerphobia, racism, sexism, all the things. They are, imo, handled in a way that kept them grounded in reality without making them the focal point of the story, and as the author says in his introduction, the story is all about trans/queer joy, and does deliver its happy ending.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

I loved this book so much!! Miles recently came out as trans, prompting his football star boyfriend Shane to break up with him. Miles is determined to get Shane back and beat his archnemesis in the Midwest’s biggest classical piano competition, all before the end of the year. To that end, Miles begins taking lessons with a new, terrifying piano teacher who tells him that he's playing like he doesn't know who he is. What? As Miles struggles with all the changes in his life, he meets new kid Eric. Eric is a talented cartoonist that is comfortable in his own skin and seems to get Miles, something Miles is not used to since he came out. After pretending to be a couple to get invited to a popular couples-only Valentine's Day party, Miles and Eric's fake kiss turns into something real. But this doesn't fit into Miles plans, and besides, there has to be a catch as to why Eric likes him. Right?

I loved Miles and Eric and their budding relationship took me back to my high school days when I was not very cool or confidant in my own skin, and always looked for a catch when someone expressed interest in me. The story is so relatable, painful and heartfelt that I just wanted to wrap my arms around Miles and let him know to hang in there and trust himself. It's cliché, I know, but it does get better and time, age and distance does make things a bit easier to deal with. Well, mostly. Aren't we all awkward 16 year olds now and then, even into our adulthood? It was a joy to follow Miles on his journey to redefine his relationship with Shane, himself, and his family.

The way this book lovingly describes music and art, it's clear the author has a life-long affinity for them both. Having loved them my entire life as well, it was a pleasure to read a book steeped in the richness both give our lives. This book is great for all ages, especially if you've ever had a crush, been crushed, or wanted to beat the bully just once. I can't recommend it enough and wish I could read it for the first time again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books. All opinions are my own.

Always the Almost is a love letter to trans joy, coming of age narratives, classical music, and I recommend this book enough!

The author mentions in their note that trans and queer teens experience so much “Not Joy” in their lives that his focus in telling Miles’ story was to put the joy front and center—not necessarily Miles’ trans identity.

From the beginning, readers will empathize with Miles and his quest to prove himself…to himself. He’s surrounded by people who believe him when he tells them who he is, but Miles remains his own harshest critic. Not only is this a common trope with young adults, but it’s an entirely universal experience that lets Miles’ struggle transcend the page and leap onto the sofa next to you.

Underhill’s writing is personable, quiet, and engaging. The entourage of friends and family members couple with a tone of closeness allow the reader to go beyond a casual observer and truly feel like an additional party to each scene.

10/10 this high school English teacher highly recommends all libraries and teachers add this beautiful tome of queer joy to their schools.

Thank you for this review in exchange for my honest review.
This book lost my interest pretty quickly because of the authors writing style. It just didn’t grip me.

This book was really good for the beginning half and then well the character ruined it all for himself screwing everybody in his life over. Honestly the only redeeming character was the love interest who I felt very bad for. I won't give a star rating because I dnf'ed after the cheating.

At first I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy this because I really don’t care about playing piano (like I gave up watching Your Lie in April because there was too much piano and I was bored). But I stayed for the love story and friendships, and by the middle I was actually really invested in the piano scenes. I actually found myself feeling nervous for Miles before and during the recitals. I loved this book more than I expected to, and the characters are all perfectly, lovably flawed. It is effortlessly inclusive. I laughed out loud multiple times. 3.5 stars, very interested to see what the author does in the future.

This is a perfect book. Sixteen year old Miles Jacobson recently came out as trans and two weeks later was dumped by his boyfriend. While his friend group doesn’t treat him any differently than they always have, the same can’t be said for his parents. Miles is an incredibly talented pianist, who wants to finally beat his arch nemesis at the Midwest’s biggest classical piano competition while at the same time winning back the affections of his ex. But when proudly Queer cartoonist Eric starts up at Miles’ school, his brain and his heart begin to war with another.

Miles is an incredible character and is going to resonate with readers. I just know it. He is strong and vulnerable, fearful yet brave, and just a wonderful example of coming into your own self with confidence. @elliott.roi.reads said it best when they described Eric as a precious cinnamon roll! He is just so sweet and the perfect love interest for Miles. Also, how I wish I had a little doodle of a waffle playing an instrument 😭

Rachel is a goddamn hero, if a little intense at times. I so appreciated her convictions and her unabashed willingness to stand up for what’s right, especially when it comes to her friends. Ok and plus also Stefania is EVERYTHING and she reminded me so strongly of my past music teachers that I got me all nostalgic (which is not an emotion I normally have regarding high school 😅)

I am wholly enamored with Edward Underhill's debut and eagerly await his next book!

A sweet, precious LGBTQ+ work of fiction. The cover art is stunning.

**Big thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the earc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read this one so fast and enjoyed it immensely! Super cute protagonist and a fresh perspective. I loved all the music connections and all the side stories, also! Hope the author will make this a series and write about some of the other characters. It was also such a realistic story with all the conflicted teenage emotions and missing something safe. I'll probably read everything else this author puts out there!