This is an absolutely adorable queer YA romcom. I have followed Brian Kennedy since before the release of his debut - and was thrilled that his follow up would be for the theatre kids out there (ahem, me.) A light, easy read - one I smiled all the way through.

My sweet babies Wade and Elijah have my heart 🥹🫶🏼 I loved them from the first chapter all the way to the end. Their story was so sweet and some tears might have escaped at the end. Beautiful story!

uber cute theater kid romance :D as a queer dude who's super into theater this is a win oml :D thanks so much for the arc

Two boys: one in want of a makeover, one with ulterior motives. What could possibly go wrong?

High school senior Wade Westmore is popular, charismatic, and thrives as the center of attention on and off the stage, but lately the attention is not all positive. First he is very publicly dumped, and then his ex-boyfriend, Reese, is cast as the lead in My Fair Lady while Wade is stuck in a supporting role, bitter and pining. Sophomore Elijah Brady is tired of being invisible. In a desperate attempt to make friends, he joins the lighting crew for the spring musical. After a disastrous start, Elijah is ready to call it quits; but when Wade rescues him from an awkward social situation, Elijah is emboldened to ask Wade for help feeling confident and making friends. Wade agrees to help Elijah transform into the cool, cute, confident Brady . . . but with his own ulterior motives. Maybe if Reese sees that Wade is helping Brady, Reese will find that Wade isn’t so selfish anymore and take him back in time for prom.

This sweet coming of age novel is as much about self-acceptance, personal growth, and navigating relationships with friends and family as it is about the changing relationship between the dual narrators. The plot will appeal to fans of makeover romcoms such as She’s All That, Drive Me Crazy, and My Fair Lady. Thus, it will have readers expecting from the start that the mentor-mentee relationship between Wade and Elijah will lead to a friends-to-lovers dynamic. Those hoping for a quick and obvious journey to happily ever after may be frustrated by this slow burn, and readers may even find themselves rooting for a different couple along the way. The characters are human, flawed, and occasionally unlikeable, but still worth rooting for, and the plot is lighthearted enough to please YA romcom fans. Wade and Elijah are cued white. Supporting characters are racially diverse. LGBTQIA+ representation is primarily M/M with gay, bi, and trans supporting characters. Some basic theater terms and technical terms for lighting equipment are used without definitions, but it does not hinder comprehension. Theater fans and non-fans alike will enjoy this book. I recommend it for ages 13+.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for this Advance Reader’s e-proof.

Can a high school theater superstar turn an awkward loner into the stylish, confident gay boy he was meant to be? Such is the appealing premise of Brian D. Kennedy’s modern YA reboot of Pygmalion, and despite the challenges of working with a literary classic that rings socially problematic to the modern ear, Kennedy’s queer interpretation is a delightful teen drama that captures the high school theater world with authority, balance, and a lot of heart.

Wade Westmore is the Pygmalion, or Henry Higgins of the story. He’s a B.M.O.C. at suburban Minnesota’s Monroe Academy, which, like many private, middle-class high schools nowadays, has come around to embrace LGBTQ+ teens as part of the mainstream, particularly those who are as attractive and charming as young Wade. Wade is fully aware of his charms and on track for a show-stopping finale to his enviable high school career. He just needs to score the lead in the upcoming production of My Fair Lady, be voted into prom court with his athlete boyfriend Reese, and get his acceptance letter from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.

The gender-swapped Eliza Doolittle is Elijah Brady, a nerdy sophomore who has yet to find his social tribe. Elijah desperately wants to overcome his shyness and make his first high school friend, but he’s just about convinced that he’s a hopeless case. His only skill at making conversation is citing morbid trivia, his principal social life is with his mom and dad, and he’s certain that further embarrassment awaits him when he becomes the only person in his class to flunk his driver’s test.

When Elijah gets recruited as a warm body for the stage crew of My Fair Lady, the two boys collide, quite literally of course, on stage during rehearsals, because this is a rom-com. Normally, Wade wouldn’t give a gawky sophomore the time of day, but his circumstances have changed disastrously. His attention-seeking behavior prompted Reese to dump him just months before the prom, and to make things worse, the theater director cast Reese as Henry Higgins while Wade’s final performance on the high school stage will be as bland Colonel Pickering. Wade remains determined to finish his senior year in triumph, and he sees an opportunity to win back Reese. If he takes Elijah under his wing to become part of the popular crowd, he’ll show Reese that he’s not a self-absorbed jerk and Reese will have to give him a second chance. The first step is to transform Elijah into outgoing, put-together “Brady,” which won’t raise many eyebrows based on Elijah’s nearly nonexistent profile at Monroe Academy.

The story retains the light-hearted tone of its musical inspiration, but Kennedy wisely adds some depth to his two male leads who could otherwise cross over to crass caricature. Wade’s annoying preoccupation with being the center of attention is tempered nicely when we see the pressure and sense of otherness he feels at home. His two older brothers were star high school football players, and his family life revolves around cheering them on throughout the N.C.A.A. season. Wade’s parents aren’t homophobic, but his brothers’ achievements are clearly easier for them to relate to than Wade’s passion for the stage. To gain their approval, he feels that he must reach the height of success in theater as his older brothers did with football. One senses that a bit of heterosexism figures into that dilemma, thus Wade’s pursuit of the perfect boyfriend, Reese, feels like another way to show his parents he’s worthy of their attention, just like his brothers who are paired up with long-term girlfriends. Privately, he’s wracked by stresses and insecurities that will be relatable to many readers.

Elijah also has dimensions. He’s not merely a self-hating, passive participant in Wade’s grand plan to make him popular. He’s more or less aware of the ridiculousness of the situation, and he brings Wade into his less fabulous world as much as Wade brings him into his world of trendy gay coffee shops, high school parties, and Hollywood musicals. When Wade comes along on an annual fishing trip with Elijah’s father, the two boys’ relationship deepens as they begin to see each other as they are. Both young men are drawn out realistically and sympathetically, and at its core, the story is quite an earnest meditation on the trials of gay boys, no matter where they fit in the teen social hierarchy. To this queer reader, Kennedy overcompensates a bit lest readers miss the lesson: it’s not nice that Wade began his journey with selfish motivations, but such is the careful convention of mainstream YA. Setting aside that minor quibble, My Fair Brady is a fun, uplifting story that will have broad appeal above and beyond readers drawn to its high school theater setting.

Reviewed for Out in Print.

High school theatre, a cute romance and a handful of drama made this a great ya rom com! I really enjoyed this one and would highly reccomend!

I absolutely loved this adorable story! A fun take on the classic musical My Fair Lady with a mixture of She's All That it's the perfect teen read for theater kids and romcom fans alike.

Wade is a self centered theater kid who is ready to finish out his senior year by getting the lead in the spring school musical, win back his ex-boyfriend and get accepted to his dream school with his best friend. But after losing the leading role to his ex-boyfriend he starts to see his dream plan fall apart.
Elijah is a quiet sophomore, looking for a way to gain confidence and make friends. He decides the fist place to start is to try to be part of the spring musical. So when these two collide, quite literally, they both see an opportunity in one another.

Wade agrees to help Elijah foster the persona of "Brady", a confident version of himself, to help him make friends while he's on the tech crew for the musical. In turn Wade is hoping to look less self centered in an effort to impress his ex in time to ask him to prom. Elijah just wants friends and is flattered by the attention of the handsome popular upper classman.

I loved the dual POV of the story. Seeing both boys motivation was important and they both grow a lot as people! I love sweet Elijah and how he slowly learns that he is lovable and wanted. Wade is going through so much typical teenage stuff most of us can relate to. Especially that fear of being at the end of your high school career and not knowing what lies ahead. I was really invested in both characters and their feelings.
There is a well rounded secondary cast. Lots of friends and family. I personally related to Hannah, she was reminding me a bit of my high school self.
My only tiny complaint is I wish Elijah and Wade would have figured out their feelings sooner. I wanted so much more of them together!!! Maybe a bonus chapter or epilogue later?

But that's a small complaint compared to how much I loved the book as a whole. I recommend it to anyone looking for a YA romcom with lots of great theater references and cute mostly queer cast.
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Thank you so much to the author and the publisher for sharing this ARC with me.

Wade Westmore had very specific plans for how he wanted his senior year to go and near the top of the list was nabbing the lead role in his high school’s spring musical. His plans began to unravel when he found out he didn’t get the role and that it went to his ex-boyfriend Reese (whom he hoped to get back together with) instead. When a shy underclassman, Elijah Brady, approached him to see if Wade could teach him how to be popular, Wade saw it as a way to get his senior year back on track because helping Elijah would prove that Wade’s not self-centered like his Reese thought he was. Surely Reese would take him back then. But his efforts to help Elijah wound up having unintended consequences - not the least of which were the confusing feelings Wade developed for Elijah. Suddenly, getting Reese back doesn’t seem quite as important as figuring out a way to keep Elijah in his life.

I loved this book! I was hooked from the start. It was funny, sweet, and swoony and it was filled with realistic, interesting, and layered characters. Wade starts as seemingly self-centered and a little arrogant but his intentions are usually good. He turned out to be a complex character with many relatable insecurities and flaws. I enjoyed his journey to try and be more selfless. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, he messed up plenty of times but the important thing was that he learned from his mistakes. I loved seeing his character grow throughout the story.

Elijah, sweet, sweet Elijah, was my favorite! He was shy and awkward but so funny and sarcastic. I totally would have been friends with him in high school. The secondhand embarrassment I felt from some of the things that happened early in the story was real. The poor kid tried, he did, but it didn’t always go well. I gave him a lot of credit for continuing to try. I loved seeing the friendship form between him and Wade. Elijah was making all these changes to build his confidence as his new persona “Brady” but all the while Wade was falling hard for the real Elijah. It was so cute.

This book was chock full of teenage angst and I think anyone who’s in their teens or has lived through their teens will be able to relate. From having to juggle different friend groups, living up to parental expectations, dealing with peer pressure, worrying about prom dates, and getting into your dream college - this book had it all. It also had a really lovely message about finding the confidence to be your true self, not the version you think you should be just to impress others. It was such a cute book and I highly recommend it for any teens and theater lovers in your life or really for anyone who is looking for a super sweet story!

This book is My Fair Lady Meet She’s All That but Make It Gay. This was such a feel-good novel. I love good enemies to friends to lovers tropes. So, this was right up my alley. One of the main characters, Elijah Brady, is a self-conscious nerd/ techie who thinks very little of himself. The other main character, Wade Westmore, is an overzealous theater kid and very self-centered at times. Throughout the novel, both individuals have time to grow as individuals and really find themselves or their voices. I truly enjoyed this book, and it honestly will now hold a special place in my heart aside so many other Queer YA Romance novels.

Accustomed to the spotlight, high school senior Wade faces disappointment when he loses the lead role in “My Fair Lady” to his ex. Shy sophomore Elijah, always overlooked, joins the stage crew. After a backstage mishap, Elijah asks self-involved Wade to teach him how to be popular. Wade sees it as a chance to prove to his ex that he can care about more than himself. As their plan to transform Elijah into charismatic “Brady” succeeds beyond expectations, Wade worries less about his ex and more about losing Elijah.

This well-written novel is engaging and entertaining. From a romance perspective, the emotion is a little flat. For gay YA, the emotional tone is appropriate. The characters are well-developed, and the HFN ending is sweet.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I loved Kennedy's other book, A Little Bit Country, when I first read it and was so excited to receive the opportunity to read his new book, My Fair Brady, before its release. This story was a re-telling of My Fair Lady (and just like Elijah, I have never actually seen the movie/play, but I got the jist of it from the story!) and followed popular kid Wade as he helped shy, quiet Elijah transform into outgoing Brady. This book also gave me major Clueless vibes as well!

I really enjoyed these characters and I liked how they interacted with one another. There were also some interesting side characters (I really enjoyed Wade's friends). I enjoyed the dialogue and the storyline. The characters developed really well, and we got to see that first hand for both MC's since this book was written with a dual perspective (which I typically prefer).

If I had to complain about anything it would be how long it took Wade and Elijah to realize that they liked each other, but it still had a cute ending, albeit a little open ended. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and cannot wait for Kennedy's next book!

4 out of 5 stars

My Fair Brady is a charming story about learning to be comfortable in your skin and moving past the disappointments in life.

Elijah Brady is an invisible sophomore; shy and lacking confidence, he does not know how to interact with his peers. Wade Westmore is the opposite: popular, full of confidence, used to getting what he wants and being in the spotlight. The two boys’ worlds collide when their school puts on the musical My Fair Lady. Actor Wade does not get his desired role—which goes to his ex-boyfriend—and Elijah joins the tech crew to make friends. After an awkward encounter, Elijah proposes that Wade teach him to become popular, and Wade agrees, intending to use the situation to win back his ex. Over time, the two become close and begin questioning what they want.

If you enjoy classic teen romcoms like She’s All That and Easy A, this is the book for you. It has everything you would expect in a teen romcom: different levels of popularity, a makeover, teenage angst, prom, and more. Brian D. Kennedy shares a fun story about teenagers finding their place in high school and their everyday lives. He does a great job of showing how Elijah changes with Wade’s help and how Wade begins to see his life in a new light. Kennedy also does a good job showing what it is like to work on a spring musical: the chaos, the drama, the blooming relationships. I enjoyed the characters in this book. Some of them were unlikeable, but my opinion changed as they grew throughout the book.

My Fair Brady is a well-written and fun book that does not have significant depth but can provide a nice break. I recommend this book if you are looking for something light to read and want to experience those teen romcoms again.

A queer YA retelling of My Fair Lady.
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Wade is used to the spotlight at the private school he attends, but when his ex-boyfriend ends up getting the lead in their last senior production, it hurts big time. Wade’s ex accused him of being too self-absorbed so when Wade meets Elijah Brady the shy sophomore in tech crew he comes up with a way to help them both. Wade will help Elijah overcome his shyness and be more popular and then that will show Wade’s ex that he’s really changed, but the feelings he starts to have for Elijah aren’t an act.
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This book was perfection. I loved every page of it. First off, I want to teach at this super inclusive school! The characters all read so real and relatable. So many kids are going to love this novel as it deals with feelings of insecurity, standing up for yourself, humbling yourself, friends that feel like family and family that loves you no matter what. If you liked Becky Albertalli’s Kate in Waiting or When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord then this one is for you with all the theater vibes & love! This story releases January 23!

CW: alcohol, vaping, vomit

This was such a fun book to read. Elijah and Wade are not just involved in the theater performance of My Fair Lady at school, but take it to the next level of their own Eliza and Higgins. With a modern update, Wade starts mentoring Elijah to help him develop "Brady", a persona that exudes confidence and can help him find friends. Wade starts as this egotistical, narcissistic theater kid, but matures and grows so much through My Fair Brady. It was refreshing to see how Kennedy broke through the stereotypes of gay theater kids but showing the complexity and depth of three different characters. I also loved the stark contrast of Wade, who only thought of himself, and Elijah, who only thought of others and didn't really know himself. The cast and crew represented such a wide variety of human experiences, any reader will find a connection in My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy.

ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest opinion.

Thank you so much to Harper/Balzer + Bray & Brian D Kennedy for the advance copy of this book!

I was such a fan of Brian's debut A Little Bit Country, that I knew I had to have this one and man he knocked it out of the park!!!! He does such a great job with getting inside the mind of teenagers and it felt believable.

This book will be published on January 23rd.

"Leading roles are not why I do theater. Theater is why I do theater."

This whole book was so much fun and I was rooting for both Elijah and Wade - together and in their own separate journeys. Wade was such a fun character and even though he had his bratty moments, his confidence was so strong and has that main character energy. And then you have Elijah who wants to have that confidence that Wade has. I love how Kennedy didn't have them interact right away but rather it build and then a messy run in after Wade accidentally joins the stage crew. I was not part of the theater group in any shape but this made me felt like I was there.

As a reader you were just waiting for it to click that they actually had feelings for each other. There is a moment when they were camping that I was screaming while reading. Also this may be a new favorite micro trope.

Just like with most YA romances, the communication isn't fully developed and it just makes you want to throw your book because you know things could have progressed a little faster if they just said something. Reese made me angry in this because he knew exactly what he was doing to both of them.

As I mentioned above, each character goes on a journey. Wade has to learn how he doesn't always get what he wants and that it is okay to be a side character. Elijah learns how to open himself up not only with love but with friendships as well.

I have never seen My Fair Lady but this made me want to watch movie! It is labeled as a My Fair Lady meets She's All That (I am not sure if I've seen this in full but I promise you I know the concept and how it ends) and I can totally see how it feels like She's All That.

If you are a fan of theater, opposites attract, and just love a queer rom com told in dual POV!
PS - If you are not following Brian on instagram, what are you waiting for! I love seeing his love for Dolly Parton (iykyk)!

PSS - Is it ironic that I was reading two books at the same time that had a My Fair Lady storyline?! WILD!

4.5

My Fair Brady is a cute, fun, queer YA book about high school drama (and musicals), relationships, and popularity.

Wade Westmore's the handsome, popular guy at school, who's set to graduate soon and was expecting his last few months of high school to be more or less perfect. But when his boyfriend breaks up with him on Valentine's Day, and then is given the lead in the musical Wade was sure would be his, Wade's floundering a bit. He has to come up with some way to get his ex back, so prom can be magical but he's not sure how.

Enter Elijah Brady, the shy nerdy sophomore who doesn't have any friends, and is too awkward to talk to anyone. He joins the spring musical tech crew in hopes of getting closer to the popular kids, and manages to convince Wade to help him to learn how to act like a cooler version of himself.

Elijah might not know that Wade's motivations have to do with appearing selfless and kind so his ex will see and be impressed enough to take him back, but that surely won't backfire. After all, Elijah and Wade aren't even friends, they're just helping each other out. As the musical prep progresses, the two guys start getting closer and things become more complicated than they anticipated.

The book was an easy read, and it reminded me how simple life was in high school though it doesn't feel like that when you're there. There's so much drama (pun intended) and while most of it could be resolved with a little bit of communication, teenagers aren't big on that. Elijah and Wade are both pretty self-centered but not off-puttingly so, and they felt like realistic depictions of teens. The book felt pretty formulaic but sometimes those stories are just really nice to read as was the case here.

A queer young adult take on My Fair Lady featuring a popular theater kid who gets passed up on the main lead... only to have his ex (who recently dumped him and who he isnt really over) get it only for him to decide to help a techie on the play in order to win his ex back... yet maybe he's falling for someone new. Wade Westmore is handsome and used to being in the spotlight, he dreams about being an actor and getting into theater at NYU. Yet his love of being in the spotlight takes a bit of a turn when he is passed for the lead role in the spring play of My Fair Lady... only to have his ex-boyfriend get it. Reese dumped Wade for being too self-involved and Wade isn't really over him. Elijah Brady is a shy sophmore who wants nothing more than to make a friend, he's socially awkward and a bit self conscious and wishes he had half the confidence that Wade has, so in an attempt to make friends Elijah accidentally signs up to work as a tech person for the play. Yet when he bumps into Wade, he asks him to help him become popular. Wade see's this as an opportunity to prove to his ex that he cares about more than himself and as a way to win back Reese. Yet the more time Wade and Elijah spend together the closer they become and Wade is beginning to realize that maybe the guy he wants isn't actually the one he's trying to get back. This was a really cute take on the classic. Wade and Elijah were a fun pair and they were really sweet together. It was a fast read and an overall really cute one.

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, Balzer + Bray for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Honestly? This is kind of a perfect YA rom-com. The characters are all fully-defined, the motivations make sense, and everyone acts their ages. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a young adult book, particularly one that's primarily a romance, this much.

This book is not meant for someone who is 28 like me. The writing seemed super young and I read a lot of YA. I literally had to stop reading because the characters were super childish. I feel like I would have loved this book when I was younger. But as an adult this did not work.

I absolutely LOVED the first half of this book. I really enjoyed the set up and the comparisons to My Fair Lady. However, once it got to the second half I started to lose interest. I think my issue was that in the second half Wade and Elijah spent far less time together, so it made their longing for one another a little less believable.

I would still recommend this because it was cute enough, but it is not a new favorite and I would recommend this author's previous book over this one.