Really sweet, fun m/m romance. I love LGBTQIA YA fiction and this story did not disappoint. I want a sequel, it was that good!

I ended up DNF this, which I'm so sad about!
Not because it's bad, because it's not... but it just isn't for me.
I found it hard to get through, and I had to force myself to continue reading, which isn't the point of reading at all.
I might give it a try some other time, but as it is right now, it's just not for me.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of #LabPartners

Lab Partners has all the markings of a fun cliche filled romance but with a m/m focus. Elliot Goldman is a bit of an outcast at his school who is only looking forward to graduate his senior year in peace. Enter John Hughes, the cute, athletic new student at school who Elliot is partnered with in AP Chemistry. As more time passes, Elliot’s world starts to shift as he contemplates this huge question about himself: Is he gay?

I’ve been really impressed on the diversity in Young Adult books lately. While the book offered some aro/ace representation that is rarely seen in books, the book also goes onto perpetuate the gay predetor sterotype, as well as used outing a character as a revenge plot. While I was, at first, interested in reading this fun and cute book to make me smile, I was ultimately forcing myself to skim through information dumps and LGBTQ representation. I’ve been really impressed on the diversity in Young Adult books lately. Unfortunately, there are other young adult fiction books who handle the process of realizing your sexuality, as well as bullying, much better. I would not recommend this book to anyone to the future.

I thought this was a very good and cute read. I loved the character of Jordan and wish that I had run into someone like him in high school. I kind of wish that the author had explored Elliot's love of cooking as a way of wrapping up his aimlessness at what to do in college. All in all though, a cute read.

I was really looking forward to this book. I usually read lesbian romance but the plot sounded interesting so thought why not? It’s very rare that I don’t finish a book but sorry I couldn’t finish this one. It was so unbelievable and I just couldn’t get interested in it.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the first person narrative flowed smoothly and worked well for the story. I enjoyed the characters a lot, especially Elliott's twin sister Ellie. I think that the book could benefit with some cutting of the exposition, as there is a lot of it in the beginning that feels quite heavy and I'm not sure that it's necessary. I also wish that the book did a bit more to explore diverse LGBT+ identities for Elliott; it currently has a very binary representation of gay vs straight, but there is a lot of gray area there that Elliott could explore.

Lab Partners is a book about Elliot and his life in high school and his new lab partner Jordan. That's basically it. The plot of the book reads like every contemporary gay online story written in the last 20 years. The boy is sad and bullied, the boy meets the new kid, they hit it off, [GASP] gay stuff, identity crisis, bullying escalates, outing, and then happy resolution. I am not saying this as a criticism per se, just that this book covers no new ground at all. I read hundreds of these stories as a teenager and having a well-written (in the sense that words are spelled right and there are complete sentences) one is good. Perhaps we've moved on from these tropes, perhaps not. There is no diversity, no interesting plot twists, nothing remotely surprising. But it's fine. It's fine. I wasn't bored even though I knew where it was going. It was a fine waste of time.

I read about 2/3 of this book before I had to quit. In the first half the writing was very hard to get through. Mundane tasks were described in excruciating detail and dragged on for way too long. Much of this book felt like reading a recipe. Once the romance started happening the writing got better, but the content got worse. I hated the idea of Jordan convincing Elliot he was gay, perpetuating the harmful predatory gay stereotype. I hated that holly "handled" the bullying but outing all of their traumas. And I hated the scene where Elliott sister tried to teach him about LGBT identities. The one line that got me was when she tried to tell him about bi/pan people she said they could like trans people. Transgender people aren't a third gender, anyone can like a trans person. There were so many other problematic parts but the are the worse ones.
Also, it was so unrealistic. This book read like a disney show. Real high schools and real bullying are nothing like this. It was impossible to suspend my disbelief when everything felt so exaggerated and fake.

I really wanted to like this book, but I could not get past the first chapter. Mundane tasks, like cooking dinner, were described in excruciating detail. I tried skipping forward in the book, but nothing grabbed my attention. Other books have covered similar topics and done it much better.

Great concept for a coming-of-age novel centered around small town high-schoolers Elliot and Jordan. 'Lab Partners' has great potential. Sadly, more than the first third of the book was an info-dump narrated by, and about, Elliot's life, interests, family, and his opinion of the small town. I was unable to get past this info-dump portion, but other readers may enjoy this writing style.

This book was really sweet! I like how it takes a lot of traditional tropes in YA romance (romance between lab partners, for example) and took it in directions that readers might not expect. Also, this had excellent aro-ace representation–something that even within queer YA seems like it doesn't always get as much rep as it should. Though I do think that the aro/ace rep could have been handled a little more respectfully by other characters (as someone who isn't aro or ace, however, that's something a reviewer who is would be better able to expand on).

ain character Elliot is a senior. He is bullied and a loner. He does have a twin sister, Eleanor, but she is taking college classes and doesn’t see her much. When his lab partner changes to new-student Jordan, Jordan attempts to befriend Elliot. Elliot is hesitant at first, but eventually realizes he likes Jordan's company. And, the more and more time he spends with Jordan, the more he wonders if he like-likes Jordan.

What I really liked about this book was Elliot's character. He was sarcastic, witty, and liked to cook. (I really like when cooking is apart of a book.) I also enjoyed reading his though process of figuring out his sexual orientation. It seemed realistic. I also like how he tried to defer bullies from bullying others so no one feels how he does. Although that isn’t his responsibility, I appreciated him wanted to protect others. And I loved the ending!

The only have to qualms with this book. One was how Jordan told Elliot he would convince Elliot he was gay. I think the author intended that to be flirty, but that seemed pushy to me. I also did NOT like at all was how Morgan, Nate, and Cole’s bullying was “taken care” of by Holly. I thought that what she did was also bullying.

Overall, I would recommend this book. The good outweighs my qualms.

I really wanted to love this one. The concept was cute and definitely something I would enjoy, and I'm always here for LGBT stories. That being said, the way the bullying was handled really threw me off, and I wasnt particularly fond of the way Elliot came to acknowledge his sexuality. There was also sometimes too much mundane details which kind of bogged down those sections and made it slower. I definitely think other people would like this book, and I hope the author continues to write more! This one just didnt hit me the right way.

The main characters are cute together and I did enjoy their relationship as it progressed. I WANTED to love this but it was very problematic with how it dealt with certain things.

The publisher kindly offered me a reader copy via NetGalley. Yet, this is an honest review of the book expressing my unbiased opinion.

First of all, I just want to say that I really, really wanted to love this book. YA LGBTQIA+ contemporary is where my heart lies. I did enjoy this book, but at times, it was problematic.

Let's start with the positive! I loved the two main characters and the side characters quite a lot. I also enjoyed the voice/prose. The two main characters had a lovely chemistry, and you root for them from the very beginning. There was also asexual representation, which was done well, in my opinion.

However, there were a few problematic areas. *minor spoilers to explain those areas* The MC went from a guy who had never explored his sexuality before to being gay because of his attraction to the love interest, Jordan. We never really saw Elliot actually explore his identity. He kept repeating, "I'm not gay", to being gay--without considering if he's actually bisexual or pansexual. Once Elliott admits he's gay, then Jordan picks him up and squeals out of joy. I felt very awkward reading that. At the end of the story, when Elliott talks to his parents, it turns out they had put a bet on his sexuality, which made me--personally--cringe.

There was also extreme bullying in form of verbal insults and physical abuse as well as homophobia. There were no content warnings, and these matters didn't get resolved at the end, either. The plot involved horrific outing of Elliott's sexuality. If there were content warnings, I'd have been prepared and maybe it wouldn't bother me as much, but when I started reading, I thought it would be a heartwarming fun LGBTQIA YA book. Suffice to say, it is not.

Overall, the main couple is very cute together, and I did enjoy their relationship as it developed. But the story has problems, and as a queer person, I urge for content warnings.

3 stars – ⭐⭐⭐

Author: Mora Montgomery
Publisher: Wattpad Books

I was given the opportunity to read an ARC of Lab Partners by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Lab Partners by Mora Montgomery tells the story of Elliot Goldman. He is a high school senior with a twin sister in college (she graduated early) and two loving, though somewhat absent parents. He is a loner who is bullied mercilessly by three boys at his school.

Then, one day Jordan Hughes walks into his life. Everything changes after that. He has a friend, a confidant, and maybe something more. This book explores tough topics like bullying, depression, and discovering one’s sexual identity and orientation. Told from Elliot’s perspective, we get a first-hand look at the effects of all of these things on a young adult, and how he thinks about and processes everything going on in his life.

Lab Partners was a good book with a sweet story but was not without its flaws. Sometimes, the writing style felt a bit stilted and the descriptions of mundane tasks overly detailed. For example, there is an entire scene of the details of making pasta, even filling the water in the pot. This just seemed unnecessarily long.

However, the overarching story and the plot were good. The characters were well-developed, and the ending was satisfying. Because of this, I give the book 4 stars (though it would be more akin to 3.5 stars, honestly). I would recommend this book to any young adult, especially those dealing with bullying or with issues regarding their own sexuality.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of "Lab Partners" in exchange for an honest review. "Lab Partners" is a short, cute and fairly enjoyable book. It is about a boy named Elliott who struggles with being bullied at school. He is a good kid and attracts the bullies attention in order to spare some other kids from being bullied. Everything is pretty much standard for him, no real friends outside of school. But then he meets his new lab partner Jordan who is also new to the school. Jordan is determined to be Elliott's friend. Soon Jordan lets Elliott know that he is gay and into Elliott. He tells Elliott that he will "convince him that he is gay too". Well he sure does. Before you know it they are kissing and a couple. That ramps up the bullying quite a bit and Elliott takes a lot of physical abuse. I wanted to give the book a higher rating at first because I did enjoy it, however there are some problematic areas that just keep bugging me. I hate that Jordan had to 'convince' Elliott he was gay. I hate even more that Elliott decides so quickly that Jordan is correct. This just doesn't feel real to me because Elliott is supposedly a boy who has never questioned his sexuality before. He thinks "I'm not gay, right?" a few times but really he comes to the realization and to peace with it very quickly. Also the bullying resolved itself in a very typical and cookie cutter manner. The characters are fine on the surface but just not developed too deeply. I love LGBTQ books because representation matters and we should find these books as easily available as ones feature hetero relationships. However there are better books out there. Still this wasn't terrible and I'm sure many readers will enjoy it.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3121116980?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Review: Thank you to the publishing team and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

This book was a super cute and easy to follow contemporary. I loved following the story of Jordan and Elliot If you love the classic "Wattpad" book, it is perfect for you. The romance was charming and I was rooting for the characters the entire time. I felt there were some plot holes and places where the description went on for too long, but besides that Montgomery's writing style was pleasant and a fun read. I enjoyed the story and felt like topics like depression and the struggles of coming out were displayed well. Overall, a read I would recommend to anyone looking for a fun contemporary, coming-of-age read!

This was so good!
I loved the story and the characters were sweet and relatable and fun. I especially loved the AroAce representation :) The book not only addressed the fluidity of sexuality and discovering yourself, but also dealt with bullying, alcoholism, depression, and abuse. Elliott was a great main character, he stood up for others and was bullied for it, he was true to himself and just trying his best to make it through high school. I was so happy when he found Jordan and he had someone to lean on.
The pacing was well done, the characters were fleshed out, and I had a great time reading this!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

TW: homophobia, bullying, depression

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

Elliott Goldman's life isn't easy. He lives in a small town, his twin sister is smarter than him and already in college, while he's in senior year, his parents work a lot, he feels lonely, he's bullied at school and he can't wait to start over in college, if he can choose one. His life changes when he's partnered with the new kid, Jordan, who is sweet, caring and understanding. And one day Jordan kisses him, pushing Elliott to question his feelings and sexuality, while trying to survive the last school year.

What I liked:
-The characters. Elliott is complex, Jordan is cute and the sort of hero and turning point of his life, Holiday is weird and sarcastic.
-The story, It was simple, quick and cute, addressing majior issues like bullying, homophobia, but without developing them too much.

What I didn't like:

-The writing style. Especially in first chapters it was like reading a shopping list. ""I was able to pull out a large pot for the pasta and a smaller one with a matching lid for the sauce. I held the larger pot in the sink and turned on the water. The pot grew heavier under the running faucet."
I honesly cringed while reading bits like that. In the beginning it was too descriptive, stalling the whole story.

-Ironically Jordan. I liked him as character, overall, but I didn't like the way he pushed Elliott, "convincing him" to be gay. I hated reading that part, because Elliott needed time and space and Jordan forced him to think, to decide. I had the feeling that, having more experience in coming out and being gay, Jordan felt entitled to maneuver Elliott, at least a bit.

Holiday. While I appreciated her revenge on Elliott's bullies, it was cruel and unnecessary humiliating them revealing Morgan's alcoholic father and his abusive life and Nate's family's history and to forcing Cole to be outed in front of everyone, basically fighting fire with fire. I find it tacky and I'd prefer if she only denounced the aggression and revealed Morgan's infidelity and Nate's weed.

The school and Elliott's parents.
I hated reading how the school and the teachers didn't intervene while it was clear that Elliott was being bullied. The nurse knew, the Mrs Reed knew and none did anything. It made me really angry and upset.
Besides Elliott's parents knew about the bullying and let him decide for himself. Ridiculous.
As a parent could stand still while his/her son or daughter were bullied. I found it unbelievable.

- Bullying and homophobia. I wish they would be better developed and not in the "I'm threatening the school to show the video to the police in order that it could decide to finally intervene" way.

Except for this issues, I liked this book, It was a quick read and the story is sweet and romantic.
Its characters are interesting. Elliott is sweet, he likes cooking, he tries all the time to defend other people from the school bullies, attracting their attention to him (he did it the first time defending his sister) and his loneliness and depression is acutely shown in the book. His sister is busy with school, his parents with work, Holiday, his sister's friend weird and vengeful. Jordan is like a knight on the white horse and he turns his life upside down, pushing him away from his comfort zone, making feel safe, loved and understood. I like reading about their relationship.