Even though it has a slow start, once it picked up, I couldn't put it down. The autism representation is well done and it's easy to connect with the main character. I also liked how it's hard to see how toxic someone can be for you even though you have feelings for them. The slow burn romance is so cute and I loved the idea of a romantic coach. I totally recommend this book.

3/5 ⭐


To All the Boys I've Loved Before x Better Than The Movies x a dash of Emma Lord.


I wanted to love this and adore it as much as Long Story Short but I just didn't. It was fine. The story felt shallow to me.

The characters didn't have enough depth or we all over the place with small subplots that weren't fully explained.

Marlowe was a interesting protagonist at the beginning but I found her character to be extremely repetitive in all of her thought processes and the way she talked about things.

Ash had his really good moments- I loved his easy banter with Marlowe and it's obvious that he cares deeply about everything he does, but was fleshed out enough for my liking. He has this whole drama with his parents (very reminiscent of The Getaway List by Emma Lord that I also found to be 'fine') that never got resolved. Things like his 'secret song documents' (introduced towards the beginning of the novel) were never brought up again.

In my opinion, the book had too much going on, and didn't have time to explain each of the plots (Marlowe's sister, the 'dating coach', the romance novels, the band, self discovery, Ash's parents, the school year, college, etc.). Overall it was fine. It was fun to binge in a couple sittings but I don't know if I'll every revisit the story.

A big thank you NetGalley, St. Martins Publishing, and Wednesday Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review!!

When Marlowe gets dumped by her boyfriend of two years, she's willing to do anything to get him back...even if that means learning how to be more romantic. Enlisting help from the high-school outcast, she embarks on a journey to find her love, and in the process, herself. This was such a fun read I had trouble putting it down.

This book was sooooo freaking cute!

Marlowe was such an awesome FMC. She was smart, funny, caring, and loyal. She has autism so she sees the world differently than most people. I loved reading her inner dialogue.

Ash was just the absolute sweetest! He saw Marlowe and really understood her. I loved their banter and chemistry. Watching them slowly develop a friendship that turns into more has me smiling so hard!

The side characters (friends of Marlowe’s and Ash’s) added so much extra humor. I will say Odette was my favorite and she had mw LOLing sooo many times throughout the book. I loved the friendships.

I was invested right away and wanted to see how things would play out.

I disliked Josh so much! Im not going to expand on that too much because side spoilers.

I love that Marlowe finally realized her worth towards the end and started making decisions based on that. I just wanted her to be happy and I thought the ending was so so perfect!

I’m gonna shout from the rooftops that I want all my friends to read this! Highly recommend! A 10/10!

I enjoyed this as I was reading it, but in hindsight it was pretty basic. Though it was good, it’s fairly similar to many other books of the young adult romance genre. I also enjoyed this author’s first book, “Long Story Short.” I think that I’m just so over exposed to this genre and have read so many of these books that everything stars to blur together. This would be great for someone unfamiliar with the genre! 3.5 ⭐️

I am so glad I went into this one blind and I was pleasantly surprised by everything. Ash is such a darling and his grand gesture/confession at the end was just so sweet and perfect for him and Marlowe. I love that he was her "romance coach" and all the. book references were so cute!
Odette and Poppy were also such awesome bffs! The autism rep - I thought it was treated with so much care and caution and I liked that.
I am glad that Marlowe was able to grow from her experience with Josh and moving on and that she had a wonderful support system!
Overall, I enjoyed this read and would recommend it to friends.
Thank you, Serena, publisher and netgalley for the e-arc.

DNF at 77%
Marlowe Meadows sticks behind the crowd, focusing on her schoolwork, that is until Josh pursues her. Now she’s one of the most popular girls in school, and is having a great time. Then Josh dumps her, and her life goes back to shambles. She’s still in love with him, though, so she goes on a quest to get him back. When she’s partnered with mysterious Ash for a project, she knows she has the right person to help her win Josh back.
I really tried to get through this book, I really did. But it just dragged on and on, and Marlowe was just pining for Josh who, from what we saw of him, was really a douche. It kept going between her pining for Ash and helping him out and then realizing that she’s trying to win Josh back. She really needed to listen to all of her friends when they were telling her to just give up, but nope she was just too determined.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an eARC of this book.

The calculation of me recommending this book to you is: YES. 1000000% YES! Listen, I am a 35 year old mother of three and I still (let’s be real…will always) love YA. This book quickly became a favorite for me and will be for years to come!

Marlowe and Ash are just, chefs kiss! It’s a slow burning fire but the end result will leave you kicking your feet and squealing in delight.

This was my first read from Serena Kaylor and she is now an automatic buy for me. The way she writes her characters truly draws you in. From Marlowe’s highest of highs and lowest of lows, you’re right there with her through it all. Did I mention she’s neurodivergent (specifically: autistic) and Serena nailed it with that!

Also, don’t even get me started on Ash. He was such a treat! He’s broody, emo and in a band which already wins major book boyfriend points. But don’t let that steal you away from what really made me fall for him. His patience, respect and overall love for our main girl Marlowe will have you swooning and cradling each page. He’s truly a gem.

This book shows the reader the importance of not only finding your true self but also realizing your own worth. YA or not, you’re never too old for this reminder and I definitely needed it.

Read this book. That’s it, that’s the sentence. Just read it, you’ll love it.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for this arc. All opinions are my own.

i am so thankful that i got to read this book early! thank you so much to the publishers and to netgalley. what a lovely story this was!! it was fantastic and sweet and precious and lovely in every single way!!!

5 stars

I loved this book! Marlowe (awesome name) was on the best characters I have read in a long while. I loved Poppy and Odette and really hope everyone has friends that “get them” they way those 2 do. I even learned about mushrooms and jellyfish! lol can’t wait to read more by this author.

Thanks to Wednesday publishing and netgalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I picked this up because I needed a palate cleanser between some denser reads.
Was it the best book I've ever read? No.
Was it a cute YA Romance? Absolutely!

There were the normally typos and grammatical errors you find in ARCs, but beyond that the writing was technically solid. The prose was more straightforward than lyrical, but enough atmosphere was crafted to keep you feeling the cute vibes.

The characters were mostly well done, though I do find the trope of making the ex a total jackass annoying. Like, not every breakup is because the other person sucks, sometimes relationships just don't work out...okay, getting off my soapbox now. The side characters were reasonably fleshed out, and Ash is great. (Admittedly, I'm biased. I had many a guy-liner wearing HS bf.) Marlowe was a likable enough MC, though I do think her refusal to move on from her ex felt more like a plot device than realistic character development. Marlowe also has autism, though I can't really speak to how well that was represented. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I actually didn't find the ending particularly satisfying, but it was a solid enough clean romance that I'd recommend it to anyone looking to while away some hours with mindless cuteness.

This is the first YA book in a hot second that I have felt emotionally invested in. I loved the characters and absolutely adored the female friendships. The themes of autism of the fmc were handled really well and this is the only time I ever felt a connection with someone who is grunge. Thanks to the mmc lead, Ash. Great writing and story and super interesting acknowledgement at the end. Thanks #netgalley for such a sweet find.

Loved this book about Marlowe asking herself “What do you want, Marlowe” when she realizes that she may not want to get back with Josh after he broke up with her. Marlowe asks Ashton, a fellow classmate, to help her write letters or songs for Josh so he’d think she’s romantic. Ash says no but then changes his mind. As Marlowe gets to know Ash and they spend time together she realizes she might like Ash. “What do you want, Marlowe? Who does she end up with?

This was an adorable YA romp through a whole boatload of romance tropes. Enemies to lovers! Kind of fake dating! With a great cast supporting characters that felt representative without feeling like the author was attempting to tick off boxes. I also loved the neurodivergent representation in the main character. I think fans of the tv show Never Have I Ever would also enjoy this book.

Marlowe’s first boyfriend Josh turns their break into a breakup, claiming she’s rotten at romance. Desperate to become Josh’s perfect match, she makes a deal with hot musician Ash: he’ll teach her about romance and she’ll create a professional online presence for his band. But the more time Marlowe spends with Ash the more she wonders if being with Josh is what she really wants.

This book is an absolute joy. Marlowe is smart and sweet while Ash is wicked cool. Team Marlowe includes Odette and Poppy, her quirky ride or die besties and her mother, stepfather, father, her Meemaw’s spirit, her younger sister Bluebell, and bookstore owner Sloane. Various characters are voracious readers and there’s plenty of discussion about romance books and tropes, as Marlowe moves toward her own happy ending.

The southern setting is infused in Marlowe’s references to various family members. Love of reading books, particularly romance books, is a reoccurring theme and I am here for it. Marlowe’s take on a classic novel and a rom-com, allow her to make parallels to her own life and serve to illuminate her character arc.

The great characters, witty writing, and Marlowe’s desire for answers and a return to status quo with Josh quickly won me over as did the clear hero, teenage rockstar Ash. While I found the ending satisfying, I would have liked an epilogue to get a little more time in this wonderful world.

THE CALCULATION OF YOU AND ME is a great addition to the STEM romance genre with a neurodivergent heroine and plenty of humor and heart.

In the acknowledgments, the author mentions how the pandemic affected her mental health and writing, which was very candid and relatable. Note, the novel has zero mentions of the pandemic.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

This was such a wonderful book. The journey that Marlowe takes to try to win her ex back is so relatable. The struggle to get over a first love is always hard and this story really takes you through all that. The FMC has two of the greatest friends ever, it was a joy to read about them. All the side characters were interesting. My only (tiny) complaint is that I wish the book was longer. I would of loved to read about more of Ash and Marlowe because every interaction they had was so cute. And Ash was incredibly swoon worthy and every scene with him was my favorite. Serena Kaylor has been added to my favorite author list, her writing is amazing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the eARC!

The Calculation of You and Me by Serena Kaylor, 336 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2024. $14.
Language: R (79 swears, 1 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
When Josh told Marlowe they needed to take a break the summer before senior year, Marlowe expected to get her boyfriend back at the start of the school year. Instead, the break becomes a breakup because Marlowe isn’t romantic enough. Marlowe is determined to show Josh she is enough, and she begs Ashton to help her win Josh back.
The best part about this book: celebrating romance and healthy relationships. Kaylor’s characters poke fun at common tropes and point out the toxicity of romanticized relationships. Kaylor balances the real with laugh-out-loud one liners and makes a space for anyone—and everyone—to love love the way they want to love love. It was an absolute delight to read.
Marlowe has autism. Poppy is described as having “brown” skin, Hazel is described as having “dark brown” skin, and Mateo is implied Latino. Several of the main characters are part of the LGBT community, though very few are explicitly defined. The mature content rating is for underage drinking; mentions of drugs, condoms, pornography, and sex; innuendo; and partial nudity.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

A neurodivergent math nerd on a quest to be a romantic? Sign me up. Our main character, Marlowe is exactly what is missing from the current YA scene. She is perfectly imperfect. Yes, this is a story about finding love, but not in the way many will anticipate. Marlowe embarks on this journey with an unlikely emo boy in her English class to be the best girlfriend after a devastating breakup with her first love, Mr. Popular. Through romance novels and rebranding a band, Marlowe and Ash become the most unexpected pair. My favorite part of this book is the love and appreciation Marlowe has for her best friends, Poppy and Odette. Many books push aside the friends or use them as plot devices to communicate the feelings the main character has for the love interest, but they are not that. They are very present characters throughout the book and understand her at a level that makes your heart want to explode in the best way possible. These characters feel real, almost like I stepped into a high school and found an unlikely group of kids who would never think their story was worth telling. I laughed out loud many times throughout this book and once I started it I couldn't stop. The Calculation of You and Me has put Serena Kaylor on my auto-buy author list and I am sure I will not be alone in this venture.

This book was everything I didn’t know I wanted it to be. I’ve been reading so much fantasy lately and I figured I’d read a contemporary as a sort of palate cleanser, but instead I was reminded of why I fell in love with young adult contemporary novels in the first place, so many years ago. Because it’s just so wholesome and satisfying watching someone’s journey to find themselves and to realize that all their eccentricities and idiosyncrasies are what make them amazing and so incredibly deserving of the right kind of love.

And that’s exactly what this book was. It was entertaining and funny and emotional and made me giddy and I loved every minute of it. Were the side characters fully fleshed out? Not really. Did that make them somewhat stereotypical and cliché? Sure. But you know what? I could barely care because this story, because Marlowe, just made me so happy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was such a great read! The characters literally jumped off the page. Scene development was so good I was actually in every scene. I had a movie going through my mind while reading. I love when a book can do that.

I love Marlowe and how she processes her thoughts. I absolutely loved Odette and Poppy, her two best friends. Ash is my new book boyfriend, he was such a great person. How he accepted Marlowe was so great.

I think I have found another great author.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.