TW: homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, family death

PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!!!!

This is, by far, one of my favorite books. It has Simon vs. vibes but like a little bit more communication. I got attached to the characters so fast and I would zone into the book completely to the point where hours would pass and I didn’t even realize. It’s that good. I highly recommend it.

This was adorable! Ollie and Will fall in love one summer, but as summer ends they go their separate ways! Ollie lives in California and his parents and friends know he’s gay. Will lives in North Carolina, is the star athlete, extremely popular, and no one has a clue he’s gay. It’s crazy what can happen as circumstances change, and they find themselves in the same school trying to coexist! The characters are fun and the plot lovely!

When I first read that It was inspired by Grease, I had to get my hands on this because it is one of my favourite movies of all time. This book was amazing, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
This book is set in high school just like grease and told from Ollie’s POV and loved it, even thought maybe a few others like Will would have been good but that’s just IMO just so that I could love the story more.
Ollie and Will are two boys that had a summer fling together and when it ended Ollie was supposed to go spend the summer in NC and go back to Cali but that didn’t end up happening because of family stuff so he had to say in NC a little while longer. When he starts school, it happens to be then one that Will attends.
Ollie is excited to know they are at the same school but there is one downside Will hasn’t come out to everyone yet, so he doesn’t want people to know. The only one that knows happens to be Ollie.
Ollie ends up meeting an amazing group of people, I wish that I had such amazing friends like him. Niamh wants to be a plus size model which I find amazing because there need to be more plus size woman in the modeling industry. Ollie also ends up joining a band and its perfect for him because he has such an amazing passion for music. I loved the little flashbacks that we got to know what happened with there summer fling.
This book was just amazing it has all the feels that you want in a book and more. I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of Grease or just because you like reading LGBT books. I don’t think that this book will disappoint

I adored every moment of this. I was immediately sold by the comparison to Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Grease and I wasn't disappointed. This was such a great, diverse, rom-com with so much heart and I can't wait to share this title with our customers at the bookstore.

I really enjoyed this books. There was such a good slow(ish) burn romance between the two boys. I really get the grease vibes that it says in the description. Overall I would rate 3.5/5.
Would def read again!

So, when this first popped up the words that stuck out to me were lgbt and Grease. I probably broke something in my computer pounding that request button.

A gay Grease? Hello? YES PLEASE. And booooy did this live up to the very high expectations I had for it. It was sweet, like Summer Lovin'. It was funny like Greased Lightning. It was tender and thoughtful like Hopelessly Devoted To You.

I loved these characters so so so much. I loved their group of friends as much as I love the characters in Grease. (Just be prepared for me to talk about Grease, a lot, okay?)

The plot was very similar to Grease while also having it's own voice. Any lover of Grease will be able to pick specific parts of the book and match it to the movie and I was LIVING for it. I felt like I was partly watching the movie for the first time all over again.

The romance in this was a slow burn and I think it just added to the perfection of this book. I don't know what else to say other than, I want to read this again and again and maybe go watch Grease for the 350th time (this isn't an exaggeration)

If you love LGBT stories and you love/like Grease, you need to read this one. You will not regret it.

Although the writing wasn’t exactly my style (very stream of consciousness, very immature, probably not how teenage boys think) and the plot wasn’t anything special, I am very grateful and appreciative of this book. It was a cute, fun, light read that sucked me right in and made me feel happy because it gave me something to look forward to! I loved Ollie and Will’s relationship, I loved Lara’s character arc because I could relate to it, and I loved how the book didn’t end with any loose strings; everything was tied together very neatly, and I actually found myself not wanting it to be over! The biggest highlight, though, was the portrayal of grief and death. It was real, honest and touched very close to home for me, and I appreciate that a fun book like this also took the time to reach out to its reader and let them know that they are not alone. It was refreshing to see a book like this do that in a well-executed way! I would recommend this book to anyone who is after a solid, fun, and light read!

You know what? I just simply adored this. I'm heart-eyes over it, but also in awe, because it tackled so many complex and serious topics AND managed to be an adorkable romcom that squished the air out of my lungs so many times. No, no, I genuinely had to put it down and scream at one stage. Out loud. You know a book is absolutely fantastic when it makes you feel absolutely everything the characters are feeling.

First off, this book is goddamn adorable. Ollie is the kind of narrator who is all gangly arms and unfortunate moments and has the softest heart of gold. His family recently totally uprooted themselves to move closer to his dying aunt, and he babysits his little cousins all the time, plus is there for his aunt, plus lost like...his whole life. And he just keeps on keeping on. You can't keep this kid down, I swear. And he's totally a social dork (i love him) but he manages to make friends at his new school with three girls who seem close, but also at odds. And lo and behold: his summer fling named Will who ghosted him goes to this school too.

it's a recipe for disaster, quips, banter, and adorkable catastrophes.

This book deals with family grief, of the anxiety of watching someone dying, and it felt really respectful and weighted how it talked about it. I LIKE when books know how to do the cute funny scenes, but also segue into serious moments. And this book is also so massively about being queer and being closeted. Ollie is out. Will is so so deeply closeted the actual thought of anyone knowing he and Ollie "had a thing" terrifies him. I thought Will was so well done, particularly when he was being an asshole...like I got it. I got why he hurt Ollie, and I got why Ollie got angry. And the book really really delved into this discussion of: you don't owe anyone to come out of the closet, you need to do things in your time, when you are safe. But you can hurt people. And that's still on you. There was so much aching and longing and fear here. And it felt real, and well handled, and I will just...I will just cry on you. I connected to so many of the topics here. The nuance was just -- yeah still crying brb.

Honestly, this one has characters who will fill your whole heart, addictive writing, and themes that resonate so deeply. It's SUCH a good book omg what can I say but throw a lot of exclamation points at you.

I got this title from NetGalley and I have no trouble giving an honest review. I dug it. So, let me tell you why: it doesn’t shy away from any of the junk that life gives us. AND, I really really like the secondary and tertiary characters.........maybe even more than the mains. I especially love Aunt Linda, Ollie’s mom, and Lara. And the cousins. So cute.

My one complaint is the ending. Way too neat and tidy. However, kudos to the author for making it be at least uncomfortable at first for Will. That’s real. 🤓💜📚

3.5 Stars

TWs: descriptions of terminal illness, exploration of familial death, mild homophobia, & brief usage of sexual slurs

I mean, when I heard this was a modern-day queer reimagining of Grease, I was sold. Who wouldn't be? This was a really fun read punctuated by meaningful moments, and while it has some definite problems, I enjoyed the experience.

I appreciate that this story strives to make up for what the original Grease narrative lacks: owning up to bad behavior, what it means to accept that bad behavior, and how human decency should take precedence over fear.

Ollie is well aware of how badly Will is treating him, and even though he wants to surrender to the tiny modicums of attention that the other boy is willing to give, he eventually comes to realize that his dignity and self-worth are more important. In fact, we see a lot of characters in this story checking their friends and loved ones when needed. Whether it's friends telling each other that casual homophobia isn't cool or family members reminding each other that caring about someone takes work, we see how important it is to have people who care about us enough to check us when we're not acting up to standard. And that's awesome.

This story also has a lot to say about living for yourself, living without fear, and living openly. Meaning it's important to be open to the fact that things are rarely perfect, not everything is fair or makes sense, and that mistakes happen. No one in this story is perfect, but no one in this story is unworthy of love and happiness either, and it's nice to see them working their way towards that happiness in the end.

That said, this story is comprised of two very disparate parts: a romantic dramedy unfolding between Ollie and Will and the reality of cancer effecting Ollie's family. While it's absolutely possible for self-discovery, romance, and grief to coexist in one narrative, I feel like these elements would only fade in and out as needed, and when one aspect took the forefront, the others completely went out of focus. I didn't feel like these throughlines worked together as cohesively as they should.

My other main issue was regarding voice. I think Ollie's narrative voice often came off as "colorful" and "personable" at the expense of bordering insensitivity and offensiveness. It felt like the narration was overcompensating for "quirkiness," which is pretty common in debuts. Whether it was Ollie passively refering to his friends as being akin to pornstars ("RedTube stars") or openly mocking his mother's spirituality or people's accents, I often found myself just on the edge of exasperation.

There's a lot of little things as well, like how difficult it was to read about Ollie being blatantly mistreated by Will (which, again, is acknowledged and explored) only to have Will be reconciled with little to no on-the-page atonement. Or how Ollie's friends from home fade into the background after the first 5 pages and what could have been an interesting layer about Ollie being uprooted from home during his senior year was completely neglected. I was hoping this story would make more connections than it did, and there were some story elements that just left me underwhelmed.

So, as you can tell, I'm torn. This is an engaging, meaningful story with a lot to say about bettering your relationships and loving yourself enough to expect respect from others, but it definitely has flaws and falls short in some stylistic and thematic respects. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't able to love it, which is why I gave it 3.5 stars.

I love Ollie! I wish I could be his friend :)

Ollie and Will have a summer fling. That’s intense and passionate, but once the summer is over Ollie is baffled by Will's silence. Then Ollie ends up having to stay in the town they were only to vacation in causing him to start at a new school, which ends up being the school Will goes to.

Ollie ends up hanging out with three girls, who get end up having their own issues and are here throughout the whole book. There are no sex scenes between anyone and I was actually happy for that. This story didn’t need them and I’m glad its wasn’t another YA that was all about sex. (Not that, that is a bad thing.)

This is labeled as a Grease, Clueless, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens story and while I do see the similarities wasn’t like omg this is exactly how it all happened. Especially with the funny moments, in Clueless I feel like this lacked. But overall I enjoyed this and I cried because of aunt Linda and I’m happy with how everything turned out.

I received this eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Grease in the modern age, with an LGBTQ twist. It's pretty well done, with characters who feel very real and relatable. Of course the plot follows the obvious lines - no surprises, no twists, nothing really new added.

eARC provided by publisher.

This was a cute read with some overlay of serious issues. The second half of the book was better for me. The first half was very spastic and that tone threw me off. There was also a part that felt to me completely unnecessary and irrelevant to the overall story.

I would definitely call this book a "palate cleanser". Was the story or writing particularly amazing? No. Was it still enjoyable and easy to delve into? Yes. I'm not a HUGE fan of romance so I'm automatically biased, but this book is a typical gay romance. Boy 1 loves Boy 2. Boy 2 isn't out. Issues ensue. Happy ending.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ollie as the main character. His struggles aren't particularly unique (neither are Will's, if we are to be honest) but he and his family handle each situation in a refreshing way. I enjoyed his logic, wit, and overall outlook on life.

I'd recommend this book if someone wants a quick read with a happy ending. It's contemporary so world building isn't in depth but it's definitely good for those that like teen romance.

I'll post a longer review on my blog closer to publication.

Only Mostly Devastated is a YA LGTBQ contemporary with strong Greece Vibes. Ollie meets Will and 'Summer Lovin' happens so fast' and then Will disappears with the end of summer. Cue Ollie showing up as the new kid at Will's school to find him a jock in the closest. While Ollie question where he stands with Will he gets a group of girlfriend very reminiscent of the Pink Ladies. After lots of up and downs and I wouldn't have been surprised if the book had ending with a carnival and dancing.

I was really excited for this book. I don't know what it is about LGTBQ YA books but this year they were my jam. They are full of innocence, first loves, self discovery and just a whole lot of sweetness. However, I ended up not loving this book. I don't remember Zuko being such a complete d*ck, but maybe I'm remembering the movie wrong. I expected Will to be a bit of a jerk to keep up appearance with the jocks but him joining in on joking about Ollie being gay was a hard pill to swallow. I understand Will was not comfortable coming out, but he treated Ollie like crap and then was nice behind closed doors, it was unhealthy and a load of sh*t. In my opinion Will did no where near enough redeeming himself by the end. I also didn't like how it was implied that Ollie was being selfish the whole time and should give Will a break. Ollie at times was a little self centered {like most teenagers} but he never intentionally did or say things to hurt Will. Wow that escalated quickly #sorrynotsorry.

Besides my dislike for Will there were actually more than a few things I enjoyed about the story. Ollie himself was a pleasure, along with his entire family. HE was a boy who just wanted the boy he cared for to care for him in return. Lara, Niamh, and Juliette reminded me of girls I went to high school with so their characters felt familiar to me. The story itself was entertaining and I loved all the nods to Greece. Honestly this would have gotten a higher rating if I hadn't dislike Will so much.

I enjoyed this story about Oliver and Will as they figure out how to be themselves and in a relationship. I also thought the author handled the confusion of grief well. There was a lot of Olivier just pining away after Will and not understanding other people develop at different paces. I also wish this story had been told from Will's POV too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Overall Enjoyment: 3/5
World building: 1/5
Characterization: 3/5
Diversity: 4/5

What really first pulled me into this story was the idea of this being a gay, modern spin on grease. My curiosity was peaked. This is a fairly lighthearted story that deals with a couple of heavier topics in there too. If you're looking for a slice of life story about a boy finding love while dealing what other events high school throws at him I think you will enjoy this story. I think what threw me off from completely loving this story was just how much this story had in it. There was the relationship that needed to be worked out not only with Ollie, but also his friends, there was serious family stuff going on, and each character had their own stuff going on too. All this extra stuff in the book was meant to round all of the characters out, at least the girls and Ollie. I felt like the boys were a bit flat and had some behaviors that weren't fully addressed, but overall a pretty enjoyable story.

Let's start with world building. This was a contemporary real world setting so there wasn't much world building needed, but I felt like there could have been more. North Caroline didn't really get any description other than not as progressive as California. The school is much the same with the school being pretty cookie cutter.

The characters. Ollie is what kept me going in this book. He has little comparisons that I found interesting and was generally just a sweet guy. There was drama, but in generally this character was really mature. Lara, she grew on me. I would say honestly one of the more complex characters. Wasn't a huge fan of her at first, but she grew on me. Will, what a confused dude. He frustrated me some times, but while he can be not the greatest he grows. The thing that bothered me a bit were the basketball guys. They definitely make some not great comments/ jokes about Ollie only to be like "it's was just a joke" and that was the end of it. Not really a huge fan of that easy solution, but I guess it's easier to deal with than them actually being 100% homophobic.

Diversity: There are a few lgbtq+ characters in this book and many people of color. The focus is definitely the gay relationship in the story. While there are people of color it doesn't really seem to affect anything and is mentioned so briefly you could have missed it. Maybe you enjoy that, maybe you don't.

Overall, if you're looking for an overall, light feel good read I think you'll enjoy this. As mentioned, there are a couple heavier issues, but overall I would say the book has a light feel to it that makes it easy to enjoy if not a little underwhelming.

Only Mostly Devastated was a fun, quick read that I devoured in just under a day.

Thank you to NetGalley for advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of this book!

A feel-good, heartwarming, and cute coming-of-age story about teens finding out and accepting who they really are; getting over their fears and trusting in themselves and leaning on the ones they love for understanding and acceptance; and of course, FALLING IN LOVE. <3

This is such an adorable and cheesy book that has its fair share of heartaches, real-life shit people deal with, and giddy moments; perfect for a Christmas-y read!

"Sometimes in life, terrible things happened. And sometimes really, really amazing things happened. And sometimes those things all kind of happened at ones. But screw tomorrow. Even if no one could promise that everything would work out perfectly, right here and now, in this exact moment, it was perfect."

Note: Snippets taken from the book as seen in this review is from an ARC and should be checked against a finished copy of the book.

I understand where the comparisons (Grease, Simon vs.) come from, but I didn't really feel like very much...happened? I know that things did, but nothing really felt overly impactful, and I didn't really feel an emotional connection to any of the characters or relationships. I wonder if both of these issues would have been better served by including more of the summer romance, but overall, it just seemed as if the book slipped pretty easily into my mind, but would slip right back out again.