Two teens who seem completely different on the outside but are actually more alike than they think spend a weekend facing the things they fear the most in the hopes of getting a chance to be freer in the future. There are bumps along the way, but great things await them if they stay strong and face things head-on.
I'm torn with this one because I was actually a little bored with the story itself, but I love how empowering Kay and Teagan's stories are. They both start out hiding a big part of themselves and afraid to share it with the world but end up embracing who they are and realizing that it's what makes them special. It's always nice when YA stories that have such a great message get it across without making it feel like it's all about preaching the message, which is something that England manages admirably.
Overall, I didn't really enjoy the read itself, but loved the message enough to think it's worth a read for being and example for younger readers.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the empowering read!

The One True Me and You restored my faith in YA books. I had read some that annoyed me, but this one made me smile. It is a sweet story about teens from two groups who may be the most judged – the teen from the beauty pageant and the teen from the fandom convention. I loved the mix of Kay, who is trying out they/them pronouns and coming to terms with being non binary, and Teagan, who is scared to come out and ruin her chances at getting a scholarship. The two share a common bully, meet some amazing friends, and learn to embrace their true selves.

Omg this was such a good queer read!! I loved the concept of the con and the pageant happening and two people who seem to be polar opposites falling for each other! The ending gave me all the warm fuzzies and I may have shed a tear or two! Definitely check this one out!!

Prepare to be swept off your feet by the heartwarming tale of Kay and Teagan in "The One True Me & You." The book dazzles with the beautiful contrast between Kay, the fanfiction-obsessed nerd, and Teagan, an unapologetic lover of beauty pageants. This is one of those rare gems where you don't have to be a certain way to be accepted, and the two protagonists prove that. While Kay is exploring their gender identity and sexuality, Teagan is basking in her love for beauty pageants and femme presenting. The story follows the duo as they meet at a TV show/fandom event and a beauty pageant, both being held in the same hotel. A mutual foe, Miss North Carolina, connects the two, and they soon realize that they have more in common than just a common enemy.

Kay and Teagan's journey is one of self-discovery and finding one's tribe. It's a love letter to the beauty of fandom culture and unapologetically being yourself. Kay's writing, Teagan's love of beauty pageants, and their shared love of fandom culture all intertwine in a way that is nothing short of magical. The book hits all the right notes, dealing with issues of gender identity, internalized misogyny, and pageant culture, all while keeping the story light and fun. The characters are well-rounded and relatable, and their journey is one that will leave you feeling empowered and inspired.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

I liked this book. I love books with "unique" hobbies, so the fact that one of the main character's main hobbies was pageants, I was hooked. I loved the exploration of fandom and friendships in fandoms and the “stereotypical” fan or pageant competitor, The main characters were both very lovable and I enjoyed reading their points of view.

Even though Pride Month is over, I am still reading LGBT+ books. The One True Me And You by Remi K. England caught my eye because the cover is bold and colorful. Then, the summary on the back drew my attention. The One True Me And You is about Kay and Teagan. Kay is a fanfiction writer who is attending a con for her favorite show. Kay is very excited to meet all their online friends and have the time of their life this weekend reveling in fandom and presenting on a panel. Unfortunately, there is also a beauty pageant going on in the exact same hotel as the con. The other point of view character is Teagan who is competing in the pageant. Teagan is favored to be in the top five and she hopes to win and take home the scholarship money. However, Teagan is keeping her orientation as a lesbian underwraps. Oh and also, Kay's bully from back home is competing in the pageant as Miss North Carolina. 

England's book was such a fun read. I really enjoyed both Kay and Teagan's journey. This book made me want to pick fanfiction up because the community aspect sounds so great. I can really get behind that. Teagan is an absolute gem and just a true kind heart. Kay is on their journey and has a sort of trauma response to an incident that happens during this book. Initially I was like wow, Kay is meh, but I had to reframe and repross their reaction. So, yeah pick this book up for a quick romance featuring LGBTQ characters and fandom.

This was a fantastic story! I love unlikely romance stories and this one was no different. Well maybe a little different ha!

This was a warm hug book wrapped in gooey goodness! I am typically not a fan of instalove, but as I adored both Tegan and Kay it was easy to see them together. What I appreciate most about the story, is that each character was strong enough to carry the action, but with the split POV, I didn't feel like I was missing out. Both Tegan and Kay were hiding who they really were to the outside world - Tegan, as a pageant participant, is in the closet and competes to earn money for college, while Kay lives in a deeply conservative NC town and is still discovering who they really are. Loved every aspect of this. England does such a fantastic job making each individual a distinctive character that I wanted to root for. The only thing I wished I had more of was the friendship connections - they did so much to show they cared Kay and Tegan, however I didn't really get to know the side characters but their actions showed what true friends they were to each of the main characters. I also appreciated the fact that the third act break (as this is a romance at its heart) was quick and maturely handled - by communicating! I will definitely be reading more of England's work and I would recommend to anyone who likes to read a cute romance or is looking for LGBTQIA+ romance specifically.

3.5/5
I did enjoy this read! I liked the idea of a fanfic writer and a pageant girl romance. It is appropriate for high school readers, so it would be a nice book for a school library. I think the thing that bugged me the most and caused me to rate this book a 3.5 is the fanfic that was the focus. The obsession with posting fandom things only on Tumblr seemed very early 2010s which was not the time frame of this book. Also, the fandom they were obsessed with helped age the book as well. I do think the LGBTQIA+ representation was well done and think people will enjoy that factor of the story!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I loved this book. I finished it in one day, basically one sitting. It contains important topics such as gender identity, homophobia, and racism, but it stays fairly light with a happy ending for the young lesbian protagonist. I have recommended this book to several people looking for inclusive YA reads.

This was a quick and fun read. Very quirky and love the characters and the representation in the story. It felt a bit young to me so it was not my favorite story, but the atmosphere and characters would be great for those younger than I am

well-crafted and engaging, with plenty of twists and turns that keep the reader hooked. The characters are relatable and likable, and the overall message of the story is inspiring and empowering

(i received an e-arc from the publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

this was the thoughtful, uplifting, and unapologetically queer contemporary romance i never knew i needed.

This book is a love letter to fandom, queer love, community, and sisterhood.
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I’ve been in fandoms since I was in high school; I had (have?) a tumblr account devoted to JohnLock, Loki, Bucky Barnes, Game of Thrones, even Steve Harrington from Stranger Things. I wrote fanfic, made so many precious online friendships, and even now with books, I’m still a part of fandom in every way. ⁣
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I loved Teagen and Kay - seeing another representation of a non-binary character (especially one trying out they/them pronouns for the first time!) made me feel so seen and I just loved every moment of this story.

Fandom convention plus beauty pageant in the same hotel center definitely sounded like an interesting premise to me. I mean, okay my pageant experience is limited to extremely vague memories from when I was like four years old, but I have pictures to prove that I used to walk around in those frilly dresses and all that. And I have been to my fair share of fandom conventions. So while the beauty pageant part wasn’t super appealing to me, the rest of this story sounded great, and that made it worth the read.

I believe I ended up reading this so long before release date because I was in the mood for cute and nerdy, but I probably also figured I could just review this book as part of Diverse December….and obviously that didn’t happen. Once again, here we are at a book I read more than a year ago that I’m just getting around to reviewing. I can’t promise that it won’t happen again, but I’m going to try and get it to where it doesn’t happen as frequently.

I remembered connecting to both Kay and Teagan pretty quickly. How could I not? I always love my fandom focused characters. And of course I’m loving that we’re starting to see more queer and trans and nonbinary and asexual and characters from all across the delightful spectrum that is gender and sexual identity. And I really felt for both Kay and Teagan with either wanting to try out a different label or identity, or just not being able to talk about their identity. It can be rough when you’re not around people who are open to listening or understanding or accepting who you are, or who you think you could be.

Again, the whole gender and sexual identity thing is something I need to draft a post for at some point, but I’m not fully there yet. I want and need to take the time to write it up in a way that feels good and right to me. But it is something I want to talk about.

I also liked that both Kay and Teagan shared a common rival/enemy. It definitely gave them yet another reason and way to connect. Kay’s friend group at the convention was so lovely, and I totally would want more stories with these characters just to get to spend more time with each of them.

The stakes weren’t exactly low in this story, but compared to some fantasy tales where the fate of the world or the country is at stake, this wasn’t exactly a high stakes story either. But the risks of bullying or losing opportunities can definitely feel huge, so this story feels big and weighty and important.

Honestly, I remember absolutely flying through this book. I thought it was wonderful, and I was absorbed into the story and the lives of the characters, and I just couldn’t stop reading. I wish I could speak more specifically about things, but again, I read this in October 2021. I remember that I really did enjoy it, and honestly that’s enough for me.

This was an absolutely amazing story of self discovery, finding the strength and pride to come out with your sexuality, and two worlds colliding. This quirky, nerdy, incredibly adorable love story was so heart warming and inspiring. Our two main characters are at a hotel in Florida for two very different conventions, a beauty pageant and a fan fiction convention! They meet, and it’s kind of insta-love but in a really great way. This story was complex, emotional, and incredible!! I highly recommend to all.

I wanted to love this one more than I did. I found the fandom side of things a bit overwhelming and thought it detracted from the story

This was very cute, if a bit juvenile. Liked the romance though and the main characters were cute! 3.5 rounded up.