I am crying i love this book so much. I relate to Imogen so much. My bi awakening happened in college and I went “oh wait… maybe i am not straight” and I think this book really captures that feeling Man I love the bi questioning and also the getting past the bad queer stereotypes. Like which look is a bi look, or that there is a right way to be queer. I feel like it’s hard enough to deal with being queer and figuring out that identity when the allocishet people are criticizing you, but it’s so much harder when it is coming from within the community as well. This just really hit me in the feels.

On that note I loved the main characters. Imogen is adorable, funny, and sweet and I just love her. Lili is just such a relatable freshman in college. Tessa is… the best. She is so supportive and funny. And Imogen’s journey is just really heart warming. She is surrounded by queer people and supportive people but still has compulsory heterosexuality drilled in her head so has never really questioned that she is the straight friend. But spending time pretending to bi allows her to question who she really is or what being queer really looks and feels like.

I wish that the beginning wasn’t so slow, the build up to the actual story was a lot of inner narrative and felt like it dragged on a bit. Once the story really started though, the pacing got a lot better.

This book is perfect for anyone who doesn’t feel like they’re “queer enough” or fit into the community. It’s for people who have been faced with the ugly side of the queer community. It’s for the questioning, those in the closet, and those who are just starting to come out to themselves or others. It’s for people who came out later in life. In essence, it’s for all of us.

Parent’s guide:
Sex & Nudity: mild (mentions of sex, discussion of whether to have sex)
Violence & Gore: mild
Profanity: mild (some swearing)
Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking: mild (underage drinking)
Frightening & Intense Scenes: mild (homophobia, toxic queer sediments, getting outed)

I love this with my whole heart. Becky does it again!

Imogen, Obviously follows our mc, the titular Imogen, a senior in high school who identifies as a capital-A Ally to the LGBTQ+ community. Imogen visits her best friend Lili at college for the weekend and meets her entirely queer friend group, all of whom are under the impression that Imogen and Lili are exes. Throughout the weekend, Imogen acts in the role of bisexual, but starts to think maybe it's not an act after all. It's a somewhat chaotic, but kind of plausible introduction that reminds me just how fun YA is. Like, of course these teens are going to pretend to be exes for external validation-- that's some relatable cringe!

This slightly goofy plot lends itself well to introducing the main, serious discussion of the book, a controversial and difficult conversation topic: queerbaiting. Becky Albertalli poses the question, "Can real people queerbait?" through Imogen's navigation of her own sexuality as she battles not only internal doubt ("Am I appropriating queer culture?" or "Am I centering myself in queer spaces?"), but also external questioning (from her close friend Gretchen, an outspoken and opinionated voice on all things queer).

While these questions Imogen is asking herself (and Gretchen theorizes about to Imogen) can be cringe in the sense that they're all buzz words that have been overused to the extent that they are potentially losing their original meaning, it still feels authentic to the age of the characters. These are Gen-Z teens that are trying to navigate life as they come of age in the digital age, where discourse is constantly discoursing, and all the information they could want is at their finger tips.

This narrative is clearly very close to Albertalli, as noted in the author's foreword where she discusses her own experience being called a queerbaiter while closeted. (I love you, Becky. I'm so sorry that happened.) This personal closeness to the subject matter helped to make Imogen, Obviously so successful in my eyes. It is abundantly clear that Albertalli has looked at every angle of queerbaiting and dissected them all to present to the audience a window into the world of a real person being accused of queerbaiting. It's absolutely heartbreaking, but a message that evidently needs to be heard.

I really cannot compliment this book enough. From the characters, to the environments, to the wit, to the discourse...everything felt so real and personal and important. This is a text that will help young teens (and folks of all ages, really) understand what it means to be a queer advocate, both as an ally and as a queer person. I feel so fortunate to have read this, related to it so much, and be impacted by its value. Well done, Becky.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the eARC!

CONTENT WARNING: homophobia, biphobia, pressure to come out

I was really excited for this book. It’s probably the one I was most looking forward to this winter. Especially because the author has a lot of skin in the game—she used this opportunity to share some of her own feelings at the beginning of the book. And I was thrilled to see some of my own experience reflected in the story, as someone who didn’t come to the realization that I was bi until I was in college, and only came out to a select few for the longest time.

We’re quickly thrown right into the action, with Imogen heading to a college visit to see her best friend. She’s traveling with her inner circle, and we get to meet a variety of different personalities that surround her. Basically everyone that Imogen hangs out with is queer, and she’s firmly in the “token straight ally” box.

Imogen is dealing with plenty of anxiety, and at times her inner monologue was repetitive, but it was so easy to fall in love with her overall character. She’s sweet, considerate, thoughtful, creative, and fun. One of my favorite parts of the book was seeing how she interacts with the people around her, whether they’re people she’s known her whole life, or people that she literally just met. She just feels like the kind of person I want to pull out of the pages of the book and hang out with in real life.

As someone who always thinks of how others are feeling, and takes care to hold space for others and respect boundaries, this college visit upsets Imogen’s entire worldview. She’s pulled into a fake role that positions her as the bisexual ex-girlfriend of her best friend. She forms a connection with a queer girl, and her first concern is that she’s harmfully appropriating an identity, or falling into the trap of being a straight girl who is intrigued by a queer girl for the experience of it. Except that now she’s thinking about all of her past experiences through a different lens, and things are starting to look different.

“This is a book about a girl who steps outside that box for one weekend. It’s a book about disrupting your own default.”

I loved watching Imogen start to connect the dots in her own past and realize that maybe she wasn’t as heterosexual as she and everyone else has always been convinced that she is. And while it opens up a whole new world to her, it also comes with some confrontation. I was especially intrigued by how that played out, and seeing Imogen find her voice and stand up for her truth.

This was a fantastic book, and it’s a queer coming-of-age story that I found myself easily identifying with. It brought back amazing memories of college and finding a group of people that you fit right in with, and the incredible people you fit in with in high school and have known for so long it feels like they’re family. Overall, I fell in love with Imogen and the people she surrounds herself with, and how the whole story played out.

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperTeen, and Becky Albertalli for allowing me access to an eARC of this book.

I was an emotional mess throughout this entire book. Everything about it was so beautiful, relatable, and everything I needed as a teen. Imogen was a character I could really see myself in, and I didn't want her story to end. The portrayal of a teen girl trying to figure out her sexuality after years of being so sure it was something else was so realistic, and so similar to my own experiences as a queer woman who came out in her 20s.

This was one of my most anticipated releases for 2023, and now I can officially say it's one of my new favorite books.

Why was this book, specifically, about me? Why at 37 does this young adult book have me absolutely spiraling?

Other than that internal crisis, I loved this book. Imogen is such a lovely character. I loved her friendship with Lili (Gretchen can go to hell) and her relationship with her sister. It was also really funny? And the budding flirty relationship? Adorable.

Also in love with Leni Kauffman's cover art!

I adore Imogen and I love what this book has to say about allyship, community, biphobia, compulsive heterosexuality — and the list goes on. Such an important message about letting people discover themselves in their own time. This book felt like a balm in the way binging Heartstopper does. A new favorite.

This story is smart, warm, sweet, and funny. Five stars for Imogen, Obviously (and none for Gretchen, byeeee!).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is lovely and so timely for teens.
Becky Albertalli gives a gentle, kind illustration of experiencing and learning about oneself and sexuality in those formative 14-20 something years. All of the labeling and energy/importance that teens place on shouting out their identity can crowd out the fluid discovery that happens during adolescence. I could think of 15 kids that I could hand this book to today who would be able to identify with Imogen and her desire to be sensitive and respectful of others to the point of self denial. I love how the supporting characters all have different personal experiences. The antagonist is unmistakable and I think it's a perfectly sharp portrayal for readers to follow along and maybe even identify people in their lives that might partially look like Gretchen (or maybe a cautionary tale, yikes!, for someone!).
Thank you for creating a novel that gives the room for discovery and validation.
Love this book and can't wait to get it for our high school library!

I absolutely cannot wait to recommend this book to my audience! I will be posting a full review on my blog and on goodreads closer to the publication date. This is possibly my favorite Becky Albertalli book thus far, even more than Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda.

Imogen, Obviously just made me feel seen. I can't count the number of passages in this book I highlighted because I found them so relatable. I devoured it in a mere 4 hours on an airplane. I was crying on the airplane.

Imogen is on a precipice. She will soon be leaving home to go to college (even if it is only a 30 minute drive away). College is a new experience that brings changes for everyone, but an early introduction to that world during a visiting weekend has Imogen questioning things.

This is exactly the kind of book I wish I had had when I was a freshman in college. Even a few years out, it still brought me so much comfort and joy. I have no doubt that many others will also feel seen by this book, and that it will help them discover a new part of themselves.

I love the inclusive vision of queerness that Albertalli manages to incorporate into her works. I think it is so important and brings so much joy to the work, while also allowing for serious and open conversations about the queer community.

While Imogen is the star of this book, and I related to her immensely, I also have to shout out all the amazing (and less amazing but important) side characters who made this book what it is. I especially loved Imogen's younger sister.

Again, I cannot wait to give my audience a full, glowing review of Imogen, Obviously.

I have very conflicted feelings on this book. Overall I enjoyed it and I think it will help a lot of people who are questioning their sexuality or don't understand the experience of someone who is.

However, the first 2/3 of the book were a challenge to get through. There was too much internal discourse from Imogen and while it was helpful to see her experience and thoughts as she questions and explores, it was very slow and took up way too much of the book.

Once you get to the last 1/3 though, this book was fantastic. The development between Tessa and Imogen was so cute and I love their dynamic and love story. If the book focused more on Imogen post-coming out and starting to move forward I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot. more. I would love to read more about Imogen and Tessa, their relationship, Imogen finding queer community in college, etc. But unfortunately so much of this book was on Imogen's internal thoughts for 200+ pages

I highly recommend this book and I would love to see a sequel with Imogen and Tessa. I also really appreciated that Albertalli explored toxic queer friendships because that is an unfortunate reality for a lot of questioning or folks exploring their sexuality who don't "appear/act/dress" queer and queer folks around them shutting down or invalidating their experience. The inclusion of that was great and I am really happy it made it into the book, even if it is challenging to read at time.

First half of this book gets a 2-3 stars but the last 100 pages were 5+

Me, holding up this book so everyone has to see it: LOOK AT IT!!!

Anyway, Imogen, Obviously, was incredible. I loved it. I knew I would, it's Becky Albertalli, after all, but I love having it confirmed. This is going to be THE book of spring, mark my words! It was so personal, warm, and so many moments of this book felt so real. It feels like writing a review wouldn't even do this book justice, you just need to read it. I'm so glad I was able to read this book and you will be too.

4.75*

wooooooooooow, it really felt like Becky reached into my brain and pulled out all my insecurities and fears & gave them to Imogen. Any scene with Gretchen nearly gave me a panic attack, as she truly embodies all the worst of the queer gatekeepers. I loved all of the other characters and how they were all so naturally and unapologetically themselves. Imogen, Obviously is such a beautifully emotional read, can’t wait for the pub date!! I definitely needed this book when i was a teenager.

thank you netgalley for the advanced copy!! 💚

I went into Imogen, Obviously thinking "oh, what a cute cover, this'll be fun" and out the other side thinking "I came out to have a good time and I'm honestly feeling so attacked" because this book? Yeah, it hit a little too close at times and I wasn't expecting that.

Imogen, Obviously is amazing! It's about identity and sexuality, and about growing into your ever-evolving self. It's about queerness and comphet and gatekeeping and relationships. It's about love and happiness and doubt and fear. It's about allowing yourself space and to let yourself *be*

"I got this twinge in my chest when she said that. Queerness recognizing queerness. It’s kind of beautiful when you think about it. I really do wish it was mine sometimes."

I'm honestly a little unsure how to write about this book still because everything feels a bit too vulnerable, and more about me than the book itself. This book about the token straight girl in a group of queer friends who knows she doesn't quite fit in so she constantly overthinks everything. She does so to make sure she's the best version of herself not realizing she's trying to be the best version of who she thinks people want to see. She's so busy trying to be a good ally that she doesn't let herself just *be* - it's a bit like not being able to see the forest for all the trees.

"All these moments, scattered and separate. All these disconnected dots."

Lots of Imogen's thoughts and thought processes are ones I've had myself verbatim. It was actually a little unsettling how often I needed to take a break to just breathe because I felt almost uncomfortable, like reading this was making me confront things I wasn't sure I was ready for. I'm still working through everything this book made me feel and think. Books that can get to you like that are rare and Imogen, Obviously is an amazing read.

Becky Albertalli wrote an excellent forward for Imogen, Obviously that gets into the reason this book came into being. It’s very possible you already know that reason though. Becky Albertalli’s experience has been publicized and discussed for nearly 3 years. The reason it’s stayed so relevant is because the internet harassment campaigns against seemingly ‘straight’ people ‘taking up queer spaces’ haven’t exactly stopped (a recent, well-known example being Kit Connor), making this book feel EXTREMELY necessary, and even cathartic to read.

When this book was announced, I was really excited to see Becky explore such a personal and raw topic in fiction form – but for anyone worried that “the Discourse” overpowers the story and characterization, fear not! In true Becky Albertalli style, this book tackled serious topics while also being a really cute romance and story of a girl discovering herself!

Speaking of this girl, Imogen was a great character to follow. She felt real and loveable from the get-go (also in true Becky Albertalli style), and I really enjoyed reading about her life and relationships with her high school friends, her sister, and her new college buddies. Her friendship with Lili was super sweet and I looooved the playful chemistry between Imogen and Tessa. They were really great together and I loved every scene with them <3

On the flip side, it was so heartbreaking to see the ways Imogen had stopped herself/been stopped from examining her attraction to both girls and boys. I have been in that stage of second-guessing (though thankfully all my friends have been very supportive) and it’s an incredibly difficult place to be in – even without the kind of comments Gretchen made.

And speaking of, let’s get into Gretchen. I really liked the way she was written. It was incredibly frustrating to read her Discoursing and I even felt genuine anger at the way she made her own friends feel (you know it’s effective writing when you gotta put your Kobo down for a couple minutes to calm down). But it was clear Becky Albertalli was treating her character with compassion. It made sense why Gretchen felt the way she did – her reasons were out of trauma and a misplaced sense of protectiveness. A real thing many queer people experience! And that needs to be acknowledged! But at the same time, Albertalli doesn’t hesitate to show how her actions ended up hurting the queer community she was trying so hard to protect.

I think my favorite line in the book happens toward the end, when Imogen was reflecting on what the queer community ‘stands for’ – Gretchen says the queer community is about shared experience, but Imogen wonders if the queer community is actually about holding room for variance. I had to sit with that for a second because yes. Not only is Imogen’s description so perfect, but this bit really hit the nail on the head on why there’s this divide in the community. And why the discourse is so hurtful and nonsensical. Becky Albertalli always gets it.

PS. The little Simon vs. reference/cameo had me over the MOON.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchanged for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for an arc of this book. Below is my honest review.

Imogen is visiting her best friend Lili at Blackwell College for the first time. Meeting her queer friends, staying for a three day weekend, and she is … nervous. She drives by the college going to Wegmans but has never visited. Immy is a rule follower down to her bones. She is a people pleaser, the only ally in her schools pride alliance (or was until Lili’s brother joined, too) and Immy is very, very shy. Even though Imogen will be going to this very school in less than six months, she just hasn’t found the courage to visit.

When Imogen arrives, she finds out that Lili told her friends that they are ex-girlfriends as well as best friends. Imogen is fine with it since Lili did not exaggerate any stories and understands that Lili just wanted to fit in by saying she dated in high school. The only lie Lili told is that they are exes.

What could possibly go wrong?

This book is going to mean the world to so many people, young and old alike. You can tell Albertalli wrote this, at least in part, for her younger self and any/all who are similarly questioning themselves.

And, to top it off with discussions of actors not coming out even if they are in queer roles was masterfully done. This happens far too often in our society. I’m hoping the discord in this novel flips a switch for even more people.

And the Simonverse cameo! Blink and you miss it. I was super stoked.

I highly recommend this one. It is absolutely worth the read.

This stunningly written book captured me from the first sentence. Our author has always done a beautiful job of giving us relatable characters and stories that stay in our heads even after we've closed the book. I was definitely honored to receive this e-arc. So our main character Imogen (Obviously, duh) has always been a dedicated ally and friend to all those around her, especially her queer-identifying friends. Every step of the way she's been there, ready to support them and fight anyone who says otherwise. Her two best friends Gretchen and Lili are polar opposites and she's torn between the two on multiple occasions. Which one needs her support the most? Staying with Lili on campus, she meets Tessa. Mysteriously gorgeous and consumes her mind from the very start. All she can focus on is this girl she meets and the fact she meets her under false pretenses. Because right now, everyone thinks she's Bi, thanks to Lili's out-of-control lie. Something that should be easy to handle but it starts to stir up emotions in Imogen she's long since buried. She's in a place where everyone is themselves, easily. They aren't worried if they're not queer presenting enough or stuck in their own mind micro-analyzing their every move. They're just - being. Something she so desperately wants. It was so refreshing to read every thought I have had at least once in my life, even before coming out. Thoughts I even have to this day. It can feel so intimidating and it's hard to be bold and brave when you don't even know how. It does a fantastic job of showing imposter syndrome and how intensely it can affect the lgbtq+ community. Even after you've allowed yourself to be true in your mind, there's always something to prove. Sometimes even to your closest friends and family. This will be a book I recommend for years to come. It finally gave word to feelings so easily forgotten.

Growing up with two queer best friends and a queer sister, Imogen Scott has earned her title as the greatest pride ally. When she visits BFF Lili at college, she learns that Lili bent the truth and told her college friends that Imogen was her ex-girlfriend, not her straight friend. Imogen agrees to go along with the ruse, but begins to question her own identity as she grows closer to Lili’s friend Tessa.

This young adult novel is a feel-good, coming of age story with diverse LGBTQ representation, perfect for teens searching for their own identities. Imogen is a well-developed, relatable character sure to resonate with many readers, and I truly enjoyed following her journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Balzer and Bray for my gifted e-ARC!

THIS BOOK. I read it twice in one weekend. I found the depiction of queer community to be very moving, and Imogen is just as charming as Albertalli's other leads. I wish I could hand my high school or even college self this book-- perhaps more than almost any other book.

An intensely personal novel about authenticity, allyship, toxic friendships, and the harmful risks that stem from gatekeeping queer spaces. As always, Becky Albertalli's hilarious and heartfelt writing guides Imogen on an intimately relatable journey.

Imogen is also a stark reminder of why we should be retiring the term Own Voices, and instead using specific identifiers that authors and creators are comfortable using for themselves and their characters.

Words alone are not enough to describe the love I have for Imogen, Obviously.

I read this ARC as soon as I received it but I’m saving my review until the Harper Collins strike is over. This review was written in December of 2022.

Being a late in life (I say this but I’m only 30 at the time of writing this) bisexual who has had so many of the same thoughts and internal monologues as Imogen. I felt seen (and also the same deep love for varying queer media before fully knowing my own identity) Becky’s own Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens agenda being the first queer book I read when I got back into reading as an adult and I formed a deep love and attachment to it).

Imogen is a girl on the brink of adulthood who thinks she knows and understands herself fully, until meeting one of her best friends group of friends from college. Imogen then begins to show growth whilst also questioning her identity. Imogen, as I mentioned previously is such a relatable character for me!

I really loved Tessa. Tessa is such an effortlessly cool character. She’s a Jewish lesbian with ADHD who has a more masculine style and is unapologetically herself. Tessa and Imogen quickly become close (and maybe closer than Imogen could have ever imagined) and the growth of their relationship is so genuine and cute!

Five glowing stars!

Never stop writing Becky, the work you do is important.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am 45 years old, and came out and was outed in a confusing tangle in high school after realizing I was bisexual in middle school. And yet, so much of this book resonated with me.

This book is obviously doing dual duty: it is Albertalli's response to years of queerbaiting accusations and subsequent coming out, and also a sweet love story. It succeeds on both levels, never feeling like it derails from its narrative to preach by set off most of its conflict by a character who easily spin off into her own book if so inclined. Albertalli shows the antagonist more grace than another author might, and that's not a bad thing.

Imogen, Obviously adds to a growing canon of queer books that feel like how-to's in the gentlest way. In this, we get "how to recognize one's own bisexuality in a world that defaults to heterosexuality." I hope to see this on a lot of best of lists.