Sage, her best friend Charlie and his twin brother Nick, are students at a boarding school, entering their senior year. The whole school is convinced Sage & Charlie are secretly in love. They both have secrets, though. When new student Luke arrives at school, he and Charlie instantly click, while Sage begins to develop feelings for Nick. Sage is worried about what Charlie will think of their relationship, while Charlie is scared of how his connection with Luke will be seen by the entire school.

The boarding school vibes of this book are off the chart! I read books like this find myself wishing I could have a high school do-over. If We Were Us is a great YA for anyone seeking heartwarming romance and true friendship. It doesn't hurt that my favorite rom-com, The Holiday, got a shout out.

I instantly connected with Sage and her relationship with Charlie. Both of their romance storylines are great, but the core of this one is their friendship and the trust that they have in each other.

I was impressed by how the coming out process was handled (saying this as someone who has never gone through that). There was so much love and acceptance from everyone and it just warmed my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

Such a cute and sweet love story. Because yes, this is a love story with all the heartaches and pains and puffy eyes and tears and make out and make ups, and it was a really sweet one.

The book is told from two POVs, from Sage and her best friend Charlie. Charlie is facing his feelings for new super cute boy Luke, and Sage is trying very hard not to fall hard for Charlie's twin Nick. Both are pretty charmed, both act pretty stupidly. How can you do? They are impulsive, indecisive, young, afraid. Things can't always come easy, right?

Among all the sweetness and how cute both of the couples were, there's one thing I wasn't a fan of. Nothing should be forced to come out, no matter how much it's hurting, coming out if you're not ready shouldn't be used as an ultimatum. I can understand the frustration, the sadness, the need to be free, but nope, if you're not ready nobody should force you.

Boarding school life sounds really great or at least that's how the characters made it look like. They were always having themed events, parties, dances, always out and about having adventures and so much fun. They made it sound like something I would've loved to experience.

I liked both voices, Sage's and Charlie's, and how you could read how both of them were trying to find themselves besides them being a duo. How they were without having to share everything with one another, having secrets for the first time ever, to protect themselves. But their friendship is a solid one, and I loved how they were always there for each other, even if being there could've cost them something they started caring much about.

I finished the book in under 5 hours, I needed to know how it was going to end. My heart hurt and was full of feelings. I wanted to see all of them happy because I started caring about these characters, about all their group of friends, and I wanted them to have all the happiness in the world.

I definitely recommend this book! Preorder it asap!!

At a boarding school in Connecticut, Charlie is in love with the new kid Luke, and Sage is in love with Charlie’s twin brother, Nick. The book follows their senior year as they navigate their own identities, figure out what comes next in life as college students, and grow from their mistakes and failures. Throughout the novel, you’ll fall in love with Charlie and Luke, and reminisce on your own days in school and in young love.

While this book was entertaining and a quick, easy read, I found that the themes and issues were a little “old-fashioned”. This read like a novel from 10 years ago when LGBTQIA+ fiction was starting to become more prevalent. While I acknowledge that there are many ways people experience coming out and identifying themselves publicly (and these are valuable and important windows and mirrors in literature), these days I’m looking for a more “normalized” experience because we have so many of those mirrors. We need more LGBTQIA+ literature that doesn’t simply center around their coming out journey and first gay romance. It also followed all of the tropes you’d expect, and the plot is incredibly predictable. The shifting perspectives between two of the main characters worked well in theory, but Sage’s and Charlie’s narrative voices were nearly identical in tone that I had to return to the start of the chapter occasionally to remember whose POV I was reading. Less egregious was the lack of character development for the auxiliary characters, especially (most egregiously) Nick. At the end of the book when some of the minor characters were mentioned, I honestly couldn’t tell you who they were.

Despite feeling like it was a bit “done already” and not as developed in regards to character, I enjoyed reading this book. It’s definitely a casual read that you could enjoy for what it is, and the romantic plots will keep you engaged as the author navigates their ups and downs. I can see many of my students eating this up, but it might not be as enjoyable for older audiences.

Oh, you guys. I am OBSESSED with this story.

The synopsis doesn't do it justice; this review won't do it justice. It's just this incredibly sweet, incredibly awesome love story. (Love stories, plural, really; it's so good and I don't think I can talk about it like a rational person and parse exactly why I love it so much.)

I mean, yes, boarding school stories. And yes, first love. And yes, secret romance. And yes, friends that are like family. But it's all of those things and more.

I have literary-related crazymouth.

So just get this and read it and thank me later.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

When I bumped into this book on NetGalley, I was immediately sold. The plot sounded promising and I was surely expecting a cute story about two best friends, their last year before going to university and their discovery of love. And I wasn’t disappointed. Anyway, I also found some things that didn’t quite convinced me.
If We Were Us by K. L. Walther is an entertaining book that revolves around Sage Morgan and Charlie Carmichael. These two have been best friends since forever and here we can definitely see that they care very deeply about each other. Their friendship is one of the best aspects of this novel because they always try to be there for each other, no matter what. Sage and Charlie are really an adorable duo! And that’s something I really appreciated.
I liked the writing style and I think it was perfect for this novel. However, I wasn’t a fan of the two points of view here employed. To me, it felt like they were pretty much the same. At times, I had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to read whose actually POV I was currently reading about because I kept getting confused.

What I didn't like is that a character was kind of forced into coming out because he wasn't ready to do it, but he does so in order to not lose the loved one. I think this kind of message is not okay, not even a little. Especially because young people could read this book and get the wrong idea. Everyone should come out on their own terms and when they feel like it’s the right time. The decision is up to them and not to anyone else.

Overall, If We Were Us is an enjoyable and light read. If you love reading about true friendship and the discovery of love, then it’ll definitely be your cup of tea.

ARC provided by SOURCEBOOKS Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t like this book at all. Most of the characters were very inconsiderate towards each other and barely had any development. It wasn’t even a fluent read. The story felt too short and too long simultaneously: conversations between characters weren’t written down, but they were referenced later by another character. So, they were important, but not enough to be communicated on paper. The character I first thought was the best, namely Luke, resulted being as bad as the others. Breaking up with Charlie, because in the three months they were together he didn’t come out to freaking everyone. What. The. Hell. Also, in the beginning, the author kept reminding the reader that Luke looked fourteen…

As Tatianna would say “Choices…”

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This took me by surprise oh my god. I expected this to be a fun fluffy contemporary, and it was but it was also so much more than that. The characters did this for me. The four main characters Sage, Charlie, Nick, and Luke are SO amazing, I love them with everything I've got. The plot wasn't really strong but that wasn't necessary because these characters made this book such fun. Just reading about their lives made me incredibly happy.

There were some flaws in this book but they honestly didn't really bother me. I just wished we got a little less rushed ending, but I guess what we got now is also pretty amazing. I just want to read about these characters for forever, even if it's just them doing the groceries or something. My love for them is THAT big.

So needless to say, I can't recommend this book enough.

3.5/5 Stars

Let's start this review by saying that I enjoyed this book, even though there are some things that I wish were different.
But first, let's talk about what I liked. What made me like this book very much was the characters, I found them enjoyable and I loved the two main couples. I liked how they were all connected and friends and also how deeply they cared for each other, I especially liked Sage and Charlie's friendship. This is a very character-driven narrative, in the sense that not much happens apart from the lives and the relationships these characters are involved in. I guess this might be a deal-breaker for some people, but I'm usually one that enjoys character-driven books and this one was no exception.
I also really enjoyed how the theme of the boarding school was dealt with, it was fun and I also think it was depicted in a pretty realistic way.

Now to the things I didn't particularly liked. The first thing is the double point of view. We get to read the story from Charlie and Sage's perspectives, but the two of them don't sound different at all. I enjoyed them, don't get me wrong, but they just felt like the same person.
The thing that I disliked the most was how a certain "trope" was used. At one point a character breaks up with another because they feel like they cannot be together if the other's not out. I think this event kind of forced the coming out of said character and this was something I definitely did not appreciate since I believe everyone should come out when and if they are ready. I think this particular plot line kind of sends off a bad message and so I just want to point this out so that you're aware this is something that happens in this novel.

In the end this was an enjoyable read and even though I don't agree with some things that happened, I do still recommend it.

I loved the book. It was heart warming and heart breaking. I loved these main characters so much. I love Bexley. Boarding school! Childhood friends! Swoon love stories! This book had it all.

I got an ARC of this book.

I saw total rom com potential in this book. I saw so much hope for a light and fluffy read that would leave my heart happy. I was ready for something light and fun. This book wasn’t light and fun.

Instead it was full of half formed angst that didn’t really make any sense. The plot line for Sage was just really half baked. The reasoning why she couldn’t be in a relationship was barely mentioned. I saw no real reason why that plot existed except to make the boy/boy romance have more weight. It just felt like it was thrown in. Add in that it was implied that Sage slept with guys, but didn’t date. This was then thrown out so she could lose her virginity to her “true love” and equate having sex with being in love. I just didn’t believe they were in love. I also didn’t vibe with the seeing them as married with kids when they were 17/18 during the scene it was brought up. I needed more to see them as long term potential.

The boy/boy plot has already been done so much, but this one had a bit more One was mildly out and one was just coming to terms with being gay in reality. The bit more in this case was the support for being a secret, though it didn’t last. I knew it wouldn’t. The plot was always destined to be “come out or lose me” that is how these plots go. I was disappointed. I though there was going to be more depth to this than some tired cliche plot that even Grey’s Anatomy had. I shipped the boys at least. I thought they made a cute couple.

The weird family dynamic plot with an aunt made no sense to me. Why was she making comments? What was even the point of those interactions? It just felt like it was adding angst, when it was just adding to my annoyance. The coming out scene was great, except for one character. It felt forced and then awkward. Like the author lost control of the scene, but didn’t want to follow through.

The epilogue also bugged me. It was too close to the timeline of the story to really give me closure. I wanted to see them meeting up for summer or winter break during college or maybe after college. I wanted to have a happier ending or at least one that didn’t feel like it was tacked on. I didn’t care that they graduated, I had no doubts they would. The speech was underwhelming.

Overall, I was just let down. I was hoping for more. I wanted more cute, I wanted more romance, I wanted more realistic angst.

I liked this well enough and I think teens will too - they'll enjoy the school dynamics and relationships, making this a worthwhile purchase for YA collections. And yes, while I liked it, I didn't love it and it's not because of the writing or anything like that. Really, what it boils down to is that it tried to do too much through the dual perspectives. Honestly, I felt way more invested in Charlie and Luke's storyline than Sage and Nick's and lot of that has to do with the fact that I didn't know anything about Nick, beyond him being Charlie's brother. His character was never developed and I never really understood his relationship with Sage or how the feelings really started. Sure, there were a couple flashback moments, but nothing that justified a whole narrative. Also, I found myself just trying to get through Sage's chapters so I could get back to Charlie's perspective. I think this had a lot to do with my indifference towards Nick, which led to indifference to his relationship with Sage beyond how it impacted Charlie and Luke. Once again, I didn't dislike Nick or Sage, I thought they were fine, I was just more interested in Charlie and Luke because their narrative and character development were stronger and I feel like I got to know Luke better than I got to know Nick.

That said - this is still a sweet love story, one that will appeal to teens and romance readers.

I didn't connect with this book. It was a quick read, but I was annoyed with the actions of the characters most of the time. I didn't feel a connection with the characters. We are told Sage and Charlie are best friends who attend a private boarding high school.up Charlie has a twin, Nick, who Sage is secretly dating. Then there is the new boy, Luke. I didn't feel like his character was developed enough to understand why everyone loved him. He's a senior who looks like a freshman and he's shy, but everyone is falling for him. It felt very unrealistic. The story unfolds through alternating POV from Charlie and Sage. The voice from each didn't seem that distinct. It annoyed me that the boys (Nick and Charlie) would date other girls to make people jealous. Sage is afraid to fall in love because her parents met and married young and then divorced so she's sure she will have the same experience if she lets herself get too attached to any guy in high school. Then she feels like she has to hide her relationship so no one will find out Charlie is gay. The whole story felt like it was from the 1950s and not present day. There was too much telling and not enough showing in the story. I wanted a deeper development of the characters. This felt like a second or third book in a series instead of a stand alone novel. It felt like the reader was supposed to have already known things about the characters. I wanted a little more depth.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, I didn't realize that this book was multiple perspectives when I requested it. Normally, I do not request books like this because they tend to confuse me and I don't find it as compelling to read because I don't get a deep understanding of the characters. I do appreciate the opportunity to read this book, but I will not be finishing it and will not be giving a full review as this book just wasn't for me.

At their boarding school, best friends Charlie and Sage have always been the talk as being “more than best friends,” that they’re in love with each other, that they should be together. Turns out, they like different boys. How do their individual journeys in finding love affect their friendship, but most importantly, their relationships?

Oh my heart! This was such a loving story about loving the guy, loving your best friend, and loving yourself. I felt so much more for Charlie! And, as for Sage, what a strong best friend. This book took coming of age to another level, and it was such a joy to read. Full disclosure: one of the final chapters definitely made me cry.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

I don't usually go in for love triangles (or squares, in this case), but this was a cute read.

I don't really have too much to say about this one, other than it was cute and fun. It was written well, the characters were likable. Your average YA cutesy romance with a twist.

(There is a bit of a problematic angle on the gay side, but it's definitely not the worst I've read. And despite the two relationships in this book, I was surprised it didn't get too "high school" for this adult reader.)

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of "If We Were Us" by K.L. Walther. This book was so adorable. The boarding school setting, since I didn't go to boarding school (I'm super not as posh as the people in this book), actually gave me a lot of nostalgia for my freshman year of college when I lived in the dorms. That was really pleasant for me.
I will say that it took me about 20-30% of the book to really get into it. In the beginning, there were a lot of names being thrown around, a lot of details that were apparently nostalgic for the author who did attend boarding school but that felt really needless to me that early on when I wasn't invested. It just took me a minute to get hooked into the story and the characters; the setup just didn't connect with me for some reason.
But, once the romances really got going, I was in it and I flew through the rest of the book. The romances were sweet and heartfelt and brought me back to how intense first loves can be in high school in a real, vivid way. The best part, though, was that there were several deep, beautiful relationships at the heart of this story that went beyond romance into family, parent-child, sibling, and best friend relationships. It made the changes these character had to go through a lot more meaningful—and they did go through changes and their development really pulled me through to the end. I'd definitely recommend this sweet, lovely book.

If We Were Us started off fluffy and light, but got deep towards the end. Sage, Nick, and Charlie are in their senior year at the prestigious Bexley School. For as long as they can remember they have been friends, and everyone thinks Sage and Charlie are perfect for each other. When Luke, a new student, arrives at Bexley things are shaken up. As it turns out, Sage and Charlie might not actually be so perfect for each other, and in order to find love, they will have to question who they really are. This book could have been a cute, cheesy romance, If We Were US is so much more. The characters grow tremendously throughout the book, and the ending was wonderful. I did get a little frustrated by some of the behavior that the characters exhibited, but I think that was because of how genuine the characters seemed. They were high schoolers and they acted like it. A great book that gets all the feels and shows the reader the importance of being honest about yourself.

I really wanted to love this book! The premise sounded amazing and I had high Hope's but sadly I ended up dnf-ing this book.

I found myself not caring for the main characters or the plot. I also struggled with the writing style a little bit. This book just wasnt for me and I'm gutted.

Please dont let my review put you off. So many people have enjoyed this book and you may too!

I loved this book and it made me feel so much. I was in love, I was heartbroken, I was happy, jealous- I was a teenager again. Once I started reading I couldn't put the book down. I wanted to read more, to see what happens next to the characters. I connected so much with all of them and I was sucked into the story which I totally love when that happens.
The story follows two best friends Sage and Charlie. Everyone at their school thinks they are in love and Charlie lets them believe that, as he is afraid they will discover his secret that he has been trying to hide by dating different girls. But that just messes up with Sage's relationship with his twin brother Nick, who like the rest of the school, thinks Charlie and Sage are secretly in love. Sage will never betray her best friend even if that means losing the person she loves.
But everything changes when Luke comes to school.
It is a beautiful contemporary YA romance that I am so happy I got to read.

I was so invested in this book. I couldn't love Charlie more if I tried. Its a pure story about coming of age and all the things that come with growing up.

There were so many feelings with this book. I loved EVERY character which is a testament to the author. K.L Walther brought these kids to life. They jumped out of the page and I became attached to them!

So Sage and Charlie are best friends who everyone feels is meant to be together (oh I remember those days) until Luke comes to their school. There is an instant undeniable chemistry between Charlie and Luke. It actually leaves Charlie confused, and excited all at the same time. Although he feels torn and at times hates how he feels, he does come to terms with it.
Meanwhile, Sage has fallen for Nick, who just happens to be Charlie's twin brother. So its a lot of self discovery. Both Charlie and Sage know what people think of them. (they would be the most perfect couple!) but they need to find themselves first.
This was a great book about first love, realization, and even standing up for yourself!

Thank you so much to #Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.