Nicola Yoon always knows how to pull at my heartstrings with her books. I have to say that this is my favorite book of hers so far. I loved how the majority of the book was very lighthearted, and there wasn't a lot of time spent on Evie denying her true feelings. The only thing I really have an issue with was the ending. It just seemed pretty abrupt. I felt like Yoon had been preparing the reader for Evie to have one of the happily ever after romances she always dreamed of, but what happened was the complete opposite. I understood the message that love is something that we should always hold on to, no matter for how long we have it, I just wish some things were flushed out more. Like who was that lady and how did Evie even start seeing people's relationships in the first place? I really enjoyed the pace and the tone of the book, but I still have so many questions, and I'm just left wanting more.

4.25/5 Stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with early access to this book. This in no way influences my thoughts or opinions

"The problem with broken hearts isn't that they kill you. It's that they don't."

For a book that I didn't have high hopes for, this absolutely stole my heart and then broke it. I'm not a huge fan of romance but this book is so much more than a love story. It's a beautiful blend of magical realism and great banter and relationships. You can't help but to relate to the main character and her journey is one that'll stick with you for a long time.

Nicola Yoon is never afraid to talk about hard topics and does it in a way that pulls at your heartstrings while still giving you hope for better.

I truly think that this book is a great one to pick up and read in one sitting. It's so easy to read and I think it's one of those quick ones that'll get you back into reading or out of any reading slump. It'll help so many people rediscover their love for books and reading once they give it a chance.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book.

I did not expect this book to destroy me as much as it did, nor did I expect to finish it in only a few hours. But both of those things happened.

Instructions for Dancing is the most beautiful surprise I could’ve ever asked for in a contemporary book. Everything about this book—the romance, the friendships, the family, the side plots, the magic—is, simply put, breathtaking. In fact, I had a hard time catching my breath from a certain point to the end of the book. Even now I’m struggling to breathe while writing this. But in the best way (also the most painful way).

Funny how a book about putting yourself back together after hurt and the possibility of hurt could destroy me so much, but I’m thankful for it. This book taught me a lot of things that I know I’ll carry with me forever.

I don’t want to get too much into the actual contents of this book, even in summary, because I feel like everyone should go into this book without knowing much of anything about it. It’ll be worth it in the end, trust me.

A beautiful book and lovely second novel from Yoon’. I adored The Sun Is Also a Star and this story did not disappoint. ALL. THE. FEELS! Evie was a precious character to follow and the dancing subplot was fantastic. Content warnings for death of a loved one and infidelity.

Gosh. I needed to take a minute after reading this book to write a review. And I must write a review. I did not think I would love another book by Nicola Yoon as much as I loved The Sun is also a Star. Oh, oh I was wrong. I am in love with these 2 kids and their story. There was some sadness in the this fiction that just screamed reality. I totally bought into the story line and could.not.put.it. down! This is the amazing story of Evie and X. Evie suffers a devastating even and somehow gains the ability to see how peoples' love stories end. Add what she see to her already disillusioned heart, and she is NEVER falling in love. Ever. Um, then there's X. She resists him with all she's got, but we just love him at first sight. We know she will too... right? I was not sure this was going to be an HEA or even a HFN... to tell you the truth. So, I just blew the after and night reading to find out. Ah-mazing story! I am a true fan!!!

After Evie's parents' divorce, she no longer believes in the kind of love that lasts. But when dropping her formerly loved romance novels off at a little free library, a mysterious woman grants her the ability to see the story of a romance when she sees a couple kiss. When Evie attempts to follow the messages of the universe, she ends up at La Brea Dance studio, partnered with the handsome and engaging X. X is everything that Evie thinks that she doesn't want, but as they partner together for the upcoming ballroom dance competition, Evie has to question what she knows about love, romance, and relationships.

I thoroughly enjoyed this newest offering from Nicola Yoon. Her stories have a dreamlike quality to them - they are well told, well written, and I especially love the mysterious quality that they have. Like her most recent novel (The Sun is Also A Star), this novel also includes small tangents which allow the reader to see the story from a different perspective. These include chapters told through text, the love stories that Evie sees, and her own musings on her life. Through the narrative of romance, the family and friend relationships that Evie experiences are just as important. Evie is grappling with how to believe in love when she can see how much pain her parent's marriage ending has caused. Evie struggles with figuring out whether it's worth it to be hurt by these emotions, or whether it's better to be alone. Her emotional journey was sweet, believable, and absolutely made me tear up at the end. For those who like slightly magical and sweet stories, who love a good romance, I highly recommend this one! Just make sure you have some tissues too.

5 stars for Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon. A fresh Young Adult story with a Black teen lead who we LOVED. It calls back to classic romance novel themes like ballroom dancing and young love while also discussing themes such as divorcing parents and growing apart from your friends.

As always, Nicola Yoon creates a compulsively readable work of art that you can't help but read in one sitting. We were huge fans of "The Sun is Also A Star" and we are so happy to say that we loved this book just as much. If you liked Yoon's other novels or books like "Autoboyography" by Christina Lauren, we think you'll really enjoy this one too. Pick it up on sale 6/1/2021!

This book was so beautiful! I was crying for the last 20% of it. It gripped me from the start and never let go. Seriously the perfect romance. Complex characters with serious growth. The love story was believable and beautiful. I can see why they make sense for each other and it’s not like a ridiculously hot lead falls for a nerdy girl for no reason. This book had me crying at work!!! I could not put it down. This is my most incoherent review ever because the book BROKE me while filling my heart. The authors note about a family dealing with terminal illness while she was writing this explained the emotional depth of the story. Ahhhh I love this book so much I can’t wait for it to be shared with the world.

Instructions for Dancing is a Young Adult Romance/Rom-Com* novel by bestselling author Nicola Yoon. Yoon is an author I'd peripherally been aware of but never tried, and to be honest when this book turned up on NetGalley under the YA category, I requested it more on a whim than anything - I'd been on a run of good SF/F romance novels, saw this listed and figured it kind of counted (and featured a non white couple at its heart), so why not.

*There is a fantastical element to this book in that the protagonist begins to have visions after meeting a strange figure early on, visions that show her the past and future. So I guess this could sort of count as modern fantasy, but for the most part this is a YA Romance Story.*

And Instructions for Dancing is just tremendous, sort of half coming of age story, half rom-com, dealing with a high school age girl whose family heartbreak has caused her to stop believing in the idea of love. The protagonist, Evie, caught her divorcing father cheating on her mother, shattering her ideas of a happily ever after, and soon begins to have magical visions of couples getting together and then seemingly always breaking up in inevitable heartbreak, reinforcing her idea that love isn't worth it. But of course fate brings her and a guy together and.....well, the result is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time in the end and will absolutely make you tear up as Evie realizes that love can be worth it for the moments in between, even if it may not last forever.

---------------------------------------------------Plot Summary------------------------------------------------
Evie believed in love - in romance - once, with her shelves filled with so many romance novels that she would open whenever she needed a pickmeup. She could go on and on about her favorite tropes in these stories, and how she loved them all (well most of them).

And then her dad, her loving father who made so many memories, told her that he was divorcing her mom - and when Evie went to ask him to come back, she found him with another woman.

Now Evie knows that all love ends in heartbreak, and the devastation she feels inside makes it clear it's not worth it. And when she goes to giveaway the last of her romance novels to a library, she's given in return a book called "Instructions for Dancing" and a strange horrible new ability - the ability to see the past, present, and future of a couple whenever she sees them kiss...an ability that only further confirms to her that it will always end in heartbreak.

But following the book leads her to a dance studio, where Evie gets roped into training for an amateur dance competition...along with a boy named X. X is dazzling handsome and charming and unlike Evie, he's reacted to past loss by deciding that he will always say yes and make the most of every given moment. And against her better interest, Evie begins falling for him...but how can she commit to a relationship when she knows it will only end in more pain?
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Instructions for Dancing is a YA story that will naturally hit home for a large number of kids in America (and will hit hard even for those it doesn't). Evie's life has been upended by her parent's divorce (and her discovery her dad was cheating on her mom even before their separation) and it's made even harder by the fact that her mom and younger sister (who doesn't know about the cheating) don't seem to be hit as hard as she has been, with all of Evie's fond memories tainted. Evie's one solid pillar of support is her small friend group - Martin, Sophie and Cassidy - which she cannot even fathom losing at this point as the rest of her whole world has fallen apart, leaving her cynical and jaded.

The fantastical visions only make things worse, with her seeing seemingly that every couple she sees kiss may start in love and may have great times in the middle, but will always end up in heartbreak - even people she knows and would've thought otherwise about. But Evie cannot get away from the good memories of her dad in the past and everything else, which only makes it all harder.

So when Evie meets X, who charms her in all the ways she knows from her old favorite romance novels, it's a challenge to her very soul, as is when the visions start to show her things about her friends that make her absolutely dread the future itself. But X's philosophy is to live in the moment, to not worry about the future or what might happen negatively, because then you'll miss out on the good there is, and it dramatically contrasts with her own jaded perspective. And again X is so charming, so charismatic, so....hot that she finds it hard to resist that view...even as life begins to challenge both her old view and X's new one, as even X's view isn't so simple when you might see the future.

I'm going to stop there because I don't want to spoil anything - suffice to say this is a book about understanding that the pain in the future or present doesn't diminish the love and happiness of the past, and how it's worth making attempts to try for whatever joy you can make. It's a book that acknowledges that things will change, and that people may need to make second starts and that while it may be painful it's absolutely worth it....even if that requires forgiving some really heartbreaking things. Love is worth every moment, even if it may not, even if it cannot last, and that's the lesson of this book, which Evie's journey takes us through in tremendous fashion up till an ending that is simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming - I reread it again just to write this review and teared up for a second time as a result.

I suspect this won't be fantastical enough to have a shot at either the Hugo or Nebula YA awards (the Lodestar or Norton Awards) but this is a book that almost certainly will be on my ballot next year. So good.

Let me start by saying I love, love, love Ms. Yoon's books! Everything, Everything ended up being so very different from most romance, with a twist I wasn't expecting and it made me an instant fan. The Sun is Also a Star was told in such a unique way - again, romance, but with a little something extra.

And then came Instructions for Dancing and I couldn't have been more thrilled. Until I read it. It was romance with a light dose of magical realism, but really, just a romance, and I had come to expect more. I know that Ms. Yoon had an especially difficult year when she was writing this, so I feel like a bit of a monster wanting MORE because it's all about ME. It's still a good book, but not so much for me.

As always, the voices are authentic. I felt like I was listening in on my kids' and friends' conversations. Not at all like an adult trying to a) remember how kids talk or b) use hip language like all the kids are using these days. It just felt natural.

Evie and X have a wonderful relationship with one another. There are mega conflicts between Evie and her father, whom she caught cheating on her mother and who is now getting remarried. Now that Evie has discovered the ability to see a couple's past, present, and future, she fears the pain of the endings rather than reveling in the thrill of the now.

My thanks to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book. Nicola Yoon hasn't let me down yet, and this may be my favorite of her novels. Also, that cover is freaking gorgeous.

Evie loses all faith in love after her parents marriage ends and she goes as far as getting rid of all her formerly favorite romance novels. Fate intervenes, however, and she has to learn to find love again and to let herself love, even when she knows it may one day hurt.

The ballroom dancing she follows her fate to is wonderful (I say as someone who adores ballroom dancing movies) and teaches her a lot - as well as introducing her to X.

I cried buckets during the last 25% or so, which to me makes for an excellent romance.

It’s such a cute love story and has some really profound moments and takeaways and the dance instructor, FiFi, is hilarious with her bizarre insults. This would make an *amazing* movie. Someone get on that.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing an e-arc for review.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

This book was absolutely spectacular! I devoured it in under 48 hours because I simply could not put it down. Every time I picked it up, it would suck me in and then spit me back out an hour and a half later. I love Nicola Yoon's writing style; it's so beautiful and heartfelt, lyrical with the occasional adorably witty line. Honestly, the emotions this book evoked in me, too. I very rarely cry while reading, but multiple scenes in Instructions for Dancing had me sniffling and teary-eyed. This book also rendered my heart feeling vaguely broken by the end. I'm still a bit distraught over one element of the story.

​I generally liked Evie Thomas as a protagonist. There were some times when I felt mildly annoyed with her, but overall I enjoyed living in her head for 304 pages. Sometimes she came off as a little too stubborn in regard to her "love never lasts" belief, but I do understand why she had that opinion. It was interesting to watch her stance on love evolve over the course of the book. This evolution had an impact on every aspect of her life, so we also got to see her relationships with family and friends change, which I found both heartwarming and inspiring.

Okay, let's talk about X. X. Ugh, I love him so much. This probably should have been prefaced with a book boyfriend alert!!! because I am absolutely head-over-heels for him. I mean, he's insanely attractive and has an amazing personality, plus he plays the guitar and dances. How can you possibly get any better than that?! His character was deep and genuine, and I adored how adorably quirky he was sometimes, especially with his "always say yes" philosophy. I'm pretty sure he was called or described as sexy 20+ times throughout the book, which, I mean, there are synonyms for "sexy," but it also was an accurate way of describing him and it added a bit of humor, too.

Evie and X's relationship was so cute. I loved how they weren't afraid to be truthful and brought out the best in each other. Their dates were fun and creative, and I also liked how X got along so well with Evie's friends--it always makes me happy when the protagonist's friends get along with their romantic interest. It was also enjoyable to watch Evie's relationship with her family change throughout the book; I especially liked seeing her grow closer to her sister. I appreciated how Evie's family was authentically complicated in a way that didn't feel forced. It was enlightening to see Evie come to better understand her parents, their reasoning, and their love.

I really liked how, despite the this book's romantic elements, it was truly a journey of growth and development for Evie herself. She had a beautiful character arc and gained many valuable insights throughout this book. Never once did she fail to feel like a genuine, real person, which really enhanced my reading experience. This book was absolutely stunning and I cannot recommend it enough! Fans of Nicola Yoon will not be disappointed by this one.

This is my first book by Nicola Yoon and it will not be my last. This book was so much more than I was expecting.

This story is beautifully written and it made my heart happy and break simultaneously. I loved Evie as a main character and watching her learn what the real point of love is.

I definitely recommend this book to any and everybody and make sure you pick up your copy on June 1st.

“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕.”

I knew going into this that Nicola Yoon has a history of tugging at my heartstrings, and this was no different. I absolutely loved and devoured this arc from Netgalley and Random House. This is more than a cute love story, it is a life lesson of not just seeing one part, not just the destination. This was beautifully written and quick. I loved the short chapters and the bookish nature that is introduced right of the bat. Our characters are real in a way that you can relate to, but they also show a good progression throughout. It left me asking if I could see the ending of something, would I still find the journey with the risk?

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. “Instructions for Dancing” will be released on 6/1/2021.

This is such a sweet YA romance. The main character of Evie is awesome- a great friend and a complicated daughter, all while being brave and open to new experiences. I loved the setting of LA, with Evie riding around on her bike, hanging out with her diverse group of friends, having bonfires in the beach, going to rock shows, and learning ballroom dancing.

There’s an element of magic in this book, which I always love in a plot. In this case, Evie can see the future of a relationship just by witnessing a kiss. It’s charming and heart-wrenching at the same time.

Fans of YA and modern romances will enjoy this book!

I've loved all of Nicola Yoon's books and this one was no exception! The story was enchanting. Evie and X were delightful characters and their love story was so sweet. I loved Evie's character development and how she learned that love was about more than just endings. The ballroom dance element added fun and excitement along the way. This book was more than just romance and happy feelings, though. As Nicola Yoon always does, she made readers delve into philosophical questions and consider whether falling in love is worth any potential pain.

Since her first novel, Everything, Everything, which I devoured in one sitting, Nicola Yoon has been an auto-buy author for me. I was therefore thrilled to get an early peek at her upcoming release Instructions for Dancing, which met my (very) high expectations.

The book opens with Evie Thomas’s broken heart. Her parents’ marriage has ended, eradicating her idealistic view that some love is forever. She takes steps to remove all forms of her former foolishness from her life, including getting rid of all of the romance novels, which used to anchor her avid reading. She wants no reminders of the depths of her disappointment.

While she’s donating her books to a Little Free Library, she meets a mysterious woman who gives her a book called Instructions for Dancing. She returns home, feeling lighter without the romance books, but Evie soon discovers a strange new ability: she sees—randomly, it seems—the entire course of couples’ relationships, including their inevitable endings. While she doesn’t understand exactly what magic is happening, these endings of beautiful love stories, one right after another, reinforce her disbelief in love.

One of Evie’s best friends encourages her to do something to figure out what’s happening: he identifies the LFL lady as the source for Evie’s new power and advises her to go to the dance studio, La Brea Dance, where Instructions for Dancing originated. It’s there that Evie meets X, the grandson of the studio owners, and gets swept up in his grandparents’ efforts to save the studio through an amateur ballroom dancing competition. So, Evie and X are learning to dance—together—and getting to know one another.

Oh, I loved this book so much. Evie is just a fabulously layered character, one whose fears and fragility about love are understandable. X also knows loss, which has affected his own outlook on life and on risk taking in a different way from Evie. As they come to understand what has made the other feel the way they do, their closeness shapes the way they move forward together.

This book made me laugh, and it made me ugly cry; I love a dancing competition, so I was a sucker for watching Evie and X’s journey toward being a couple both on the dance floor and off. The secondary characters—Evie’s family, their ballroom dance teacher Maggie, Evie and X’s friends—are richly drawn, and the way they both support and challenge Evie and X is just brilliant. Instructions for Dancing moved Nicola Yoon even higher on my list of auto-buy authors.

Instructions for Dancing is the first Nicola Yoon book that I've read. I've heard that her writing is amazing and emotional and heartbreaking, and that is all absolutely correct. I really loved the writing style: it was easy to read and full of the banter that I enjoy in contemporary YA. This book is all about love. All of the excitement, wonder, difficulty, and sometimes heartbreak that comes from it. In the afterword, Nicola Yoon mentions that she was writing this book during a really difficult time, and I could really feel that through this book. She reminds us to live in the moment and cherish love as the best and most important part of life.

This was my first Nicola Yoon book, and I have to admit that I was drawn to the book because of the cover. Can you blame me?! The cover is breathtaking...

...and the actual story is even better.

It's a story about the importance of love and friendship. It's about understanding that those relationships are impactful and worthwhile, even if they don't last forever. It shows us that a happy ending may not be what you expect...and it may not actually be an ending, after all.

A sweet and charming YA coming of age romance.  Elements of magical realism sets this story apart. A heart warming romance that isn’t a love story until… it is.  The novel will appeal to cynics and romantics alike- told in beautiful prose, the narrative shifts seamlessly between laugh out loud moments and endearing insightful ones.  Overall an enjoyable read.