Having loved all her other books, I was so excited to get to Kate In Waiting. This one takes place in school, like many of her books, but with the theater kids. Two friends, like forever friends, find themselves attracted to the same person, so what should they do? Well of course tell each other that they should continue crushing and let the crush choose... duh! But how will this work for their friendship? I love returning to high school through Becky's writing, you will too.

This was a delightful story for younger teen romance lovers. The premise of two friends always have the same crush is a bit unbelievable, but Becky Albertalli writes in a way that helps you suspend your disbelief.

Kate and Anderson have always formed crushes on the same guys. This gets complicated when their summer theater camp crush appears at their school in the fall. Will their friendship survive? And who will ultimately win the guy?

I like that through this story Kate was able to actually figure out who she is, without Anderson by her side. She grew up and found love in her own way and time. Recommended for larger library collections and for those who enjoyed Albertalli's other books.

“I am so platonically in love with Anderson Walker, it makes my brain hurt.”
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There’s no one closer than Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker, but they aren’t codependent. They just drive to school together, take classes together, even get crushes on the same guys. Case in point: Matt Olsson from theater camp. Only now back home from their summer of fun Matt’s followed them back and is now living in their town. Through musical rehearsal Kate finds she can’t stop thinking about Matt…the only problem is neither can Anderson. Will this be the one thing Kate and Anderson’s best friendship can’t withstand?
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OMG I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK! Albertrlli is just the queen of teen young adult books. The representation is amazing, the stories are relatable and the truth of teenage life she is able to convey is always spot on. This was a YA romance but more than that it was about the real and true friendship between Kate and Andy. Every moment made me happy and I needed it this first few weeks back to school. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Contrary to popular belief, best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker are not codependent. Carpooling to and from theater rehearsals? Environmentally sound and efficient. Consulting each other on every single life decision? Basic good judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun anyway.

But when Kate and Andy’s latest long-distance crush shows up at their school, everything goes off script. Matt Olsson is talented and sweet, and Kate likes him. She really likes him. The only problem? So does Anderson.

Turns out, communal crushes aren’t so fun when real feelings are involved. This one might even bring the curtains down on Kate and Anderson’s friendship.

I wish there were more books with characters playing in a musical because that’s a favorite trope of mine and it was so fun here! I would have liked it even more if the book didn’t almost always skip on the characters doing rehearsals and the actual play, but I understand the focus of this story was something different. This book is about young adults experiencing friendship, family and high school crushes, and honestly it was so well done. It did get way too cheesy at times (like, can you stop mentioning Tangled please??) but it was definitely realistic. 


I loved the pacing of this book. I had a super hard time putting the book down! I do think some stuff could have been cut out because it felt too long at times, but the writing style is so fluid and breezy it’s not a huge issue, plus the chapters are short and you can effortlessly get through them. This book is perfect for people in a reading slump.

I loved Becky Albertalli's latest! She explores friendship alongside romance so beautifully, and Kate was a winning, charming narrator. I was thrilled to come back to her solo work after reading several collaborations in a row!

Kate and Andy share everything, even crushes. Which until now have no been a problem because they usually stay as crushes, hidden only between them. That is until their summertime crush becomes their shared school crush. This best friend's rom-com was entertaining and drama-filled pages. But they were overshadowed by the overuse of F*ck boy and the stagnant growth of the main character Kate. She had some heavy problems with how she dealt with the side characters and there was never a real heartfelt moment that occurred to resolve or try to bridge the two viewpoints.

This book was fantastic! I loved Kate! I listened on audio while walking my dog and just kept walking as I couldn’t stop listening. Love Becky’s writing and characters

This is such a cute, sweet story about crushes, theater, and friendship! Both Kate and Anderson have a huge crush on the new kid, Matt, but the focus of the story is friendship more than romance. I loved Kate and Anderson’s friendship. They were honest, silly, and full of so much love for each other. I love that Anderson didn’t feel like the stereotypical gay best friend.

What I loved most about this story was how very “teen” it felt. The situations and behaviors of the characters felt super realistic. And while I was not involved with theater like Kate, she reminded me a lot of how I was in high school, especially when it came to crushes and romance.

There is no over-the-top drama in this, but there are real hurdles Kate and Anderson have to overcome. There is no villain or secret jealousies that were harbored. Just important lessons on trust and communication. And they become better friends through everything and the book ends in a very sweet happy ending for both. I highly recommend if you’re looking for a fun, light read.

I wanted to like this . . . I really, really, really did, but unfortunately, this just fell a little flat for me. I think Albertalli is a talented writer and the books in the Simon universe prove that (so good!). However, in this new book, in a different universe, the characters failed to stand out to me and there wasn't much balance - everything almost felt like it was too much I also agree with some reviewers in the overuse of the word of "f-boy." So much so that it was kind of annoying. I definitely think that teen readers and fans of Albertalli will enjoy this, making it a necessary addition to YA collections. But I think it will also come with some mixed reviews too, especially those who are longtime fans of Simon and friends.

I'm a huge fan of Becky Albertalli, so I was looking forward to reading her newest book. While this was an enjoyable YA contemporary, I didn't feel as connected to the characters as previous books have made me feel. The love interest was predictable from the start, but it was still fun watching the lead find her way to him.

Kate in Waiting
By Becky Albertalli
4 out of 5

Thanks to @NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Kate and Anderson have been best friends FOREVER. They share everything, down to their crushes. But all that changes when their summer theatre camp crush moves to their town and enrolls in their high school. Soon Kate and Andy find themselves walking an awkward line as they both pursue the same boy - while they are all in the same high school musical production.

This book was a great example of the quintessential high-school rom-com written for a performing arts nerd like me, but I think that anyone (not just musical theatre lovers) would find this story enjoyable. Ultimately, it’s a book about growing from change, and it was just incredibly sweet and heartwrenching. I HOPE someone makes this into a movie, because it’s got all the great YA contemporary romance tropes in there - and they’re done well. I was extremely happy with who everyone ended up with in this book, even though the ending was pretty evident about 55% of the way through. Definitely pick this up for a fun back-to-school read though; you won’t be disappointed!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved all the characters and their friendships and the theater setting. Becky is definitely one of my favorite authors. But I feel like the explicit language in this book is just too much for my middle school library. However, I will definitely recommend this book to our high school librarian.

I was really excited to read something that wasn't in the Simon-verse and I think I might have expected more? I was a fan of the book and felt it was a quick read but I didn't expect Kate to be so mean? And like, rude? I was just shocked at how dislikable this protagonist was. But I was a fan of the primary focus on platonic love and friendships and it was a solid read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kate and Anderson are BFFs and both are crushing on Matt. What will happen to their friendship?

Entertaining read.

If the energy of a highschool theater geek could be bottled in a book, this would be that book. The frenetic energy could be distracting but it fit well with the protagonist. The writing was solid, and although it isn't my favorite of Abertalli's books, I can see this being a popular read with a lot of teens

Was really missing the Becky Albertalli tone I really enjoyed from her previous books - this feels like every other YA high school drama book out there which is just chocked full of references to pop culture to the point where it drowns out almost everything else. The previous books had a great balance and felt more timeless than this.

This is a sweet teen book about two best friends, Kate and Anderson. They are in high school and both are trying out for the school musical, Once Upon a Mattress. They both get a part and a large piece of the story is about practices and the musical. Having never been in a play, I enjoyed the detailed content about rehearsals, drama behind the scenes and relationships. Matt enters the story as a potential love interest for both of them. Neither Kate or Anderson want their close relationship to change if Matt chooses one vs the other. But that quickly becomes the situation when Kate notices that Matt and Anderson are leaving her out of gatherings and whispering together during rehearsals. This is a wonderful story about high school and friends and it brought back memories of those days why too long ago.

Kate and Andy are best friends and share everything— even crushes. When the cute boy from their summer camp, Matt, appears on the first day of school they both proclaim their love for him. The problem is, this time, they are both really head over heels. When they each start spending time with Matt, and apart from one another, Kate and Andy’s friendship begins to fracture. Will they be able to work this out, or is it time for them to live their own lives?

This book is perfect for any kid who has spent all their free time after school in a musty auditorium. As a former theater kid, I was there for the references to cut throat auditions and long rehearsals. The way high school is written here really resonated with my experience. That being said, I found Kate and Anderson to be less likable. I mean, the premise of the book is that they’re fighting over a boy, so I should have known it would be petty. I just didn’t understand the hype around Matt in the first place. I did enjoy getting to know Noah and his flawed self. Overall, this was a quick read and a good recommendation for those who have read and enjoyed Albertalli’s other books, as well as those looking for books about friendships, romance, queer kids, or theater nerds.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Becky Albertalli does not miss. At times a joyous romp of high school theater and tight friend groups, and at other times a painful exploration of tension between friends who don’t mean to hurt each other but do anyway, Kate in Waiting is fantastic. Becky deals with her premise deftly and delicately. As with many great stories of friendship, I felt myself wanting to spend more time with each of these characters long after I’d finished.

I received a digital advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kate In Waiting is an adorable story of young teen romance. Kate and her bestie Anderson both have a huge crush on the new guy Matt. Kate and Anderson decide that there will be no hard feelings if Matt expresses interest in either one of them. Kate is bummed that Anderson and Matt both have theater arts class together but they are all in the fall production of Once Upon A Mattress. Enter a different guy who Kate doesn't even realize might be interested because he's a sports guy and friends with her brother. Who will Matt choose? and will the other guy change Kate's mind? Read Kate In Waiting and find out for yourself.
Happy Reading!