I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. Serena Kaylor did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

I loved this book! Watching this extreme introvert come out of her shell with the help of two of the most amazing people she finds as friends made for a wonderful story.

Having to attend camp for acting in order for her to attend Oxford at the age of sixteen she had to complete this one requirement from her parents. Sent with to do list created by her parents and then modified by her new friends you get to see how this introvert finds way to navigate around social situations. New friends, possibly an enemies to love situation and all the camp shenanigans make for a great story.

This was such a relatable book. Going to college/university, being away from home and meeting new people are all hard experiences. I related to this story so much which made it even better.

I met Serena Kaylor at YallWest and she was a gem!

This book is very cute, the story is smart, and I adore a theater setting. Shakespeare is never going to be my jam, but you do you, boo.

Delightful. Sweet. Hilarious. And moving. I loved awkward Bea and her journey to becoming a “real teenager.” Theater camp and Mia and Nolan, and obvs Nik.

It felt like a warm hug for everyone who’s ever felt like they don’t quite fit in.

Make sure you read this delightful coming of age contemporary (plus romance) this year!!

Highly recommended

Long Story Short this was a great time!

Bea is a 16-year old prodigy, ready to leave her homeschooled existence in Berkeley, California behind. But there’s some issues: Bea doesn’t like people, or change, or trying new foods, or talking or interacting with anyone for any reason. Understandably, her parents have genuine concerns that Bea will move to Oxford and perish beneath her stacks of studies, never to be seen again.

A compromise is struck: go to summer camp, learn to be a “real teenager” by completing a list of socially-minded tasks, and convince her parents she can survive in a new and uncomfortable environment. So where do they send Bea? A Shakespeare camp in Connecticut. What concentration must she complete? Ah, yes, ACTING.

From the jump, Bea is confronted with all the ways her idiosyncrasies set her eons apart from her peers. From her uninspired wardrobe of business casual pressed khakis and polos in an array of colors, to her inability to eat new foods or even hold down conversations, Bea is so out of her depth.

But then she meets her roommate, the most glorious ray of generosity to grace the planet, Mia. Mia, along with Nolan, work with Bea to help her try new experiences. And along the way, maybe, just maybe, a certain British boy with a smug attitude and a knack for Shakespeare slam battles with catch more than Bea’s ire by summer’s end.

Long Story Short is laugh out loud, ridiculously good!!!!

I knew this was going to be amazing when I immediately clicked with the protagonist Beatrice. Her inner monologue and struggles as a socially awkward child genius were comedic gold. I loved her character development throughout the novel from a shy teen to a stage kid with a crush. Her development from realizing how shallow and self-centered she was due to careful prodding from her peers was a refreshing change from teen angst and bullying.

The secondary characters were equally loveable and I honestly could not put this down!

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Every time I tried to read this book, I was bored. I’d pick it up and read a few pages and just slowly lose interest. I never wanted to pick it up once I put it down so it quickly became a DNF sadly.

The perfect YA summer romance! I loved all these characters so, so much. I liked the story, the setting all of plot. This book made me smile while I was reading it and made me really happy!

This was such a cute little book that got me in the Spring Break mood (even though it was set in the summer..?! We'll never know why certain books make me feel a certain type of way). I really enjoyed Beatrice as a character: a homeschooled girl who is experiencing teenage antics for the first time as an upper classman. Some of the things Beatrice didn't know astounded me, but then again, I can understand why she didn't understand certain things given that she spent the majority of her time alone and studying.

I really enjoyed this book and seeing Beatrice's growth from the beginning of the book to where she ended up. It's refreshing to see this side of teenage life (hello drama kids!) and realize there's more to life than getting good grades and getting into *the* school.

This story was a sweet and fun time. I enjoyed the realistic characters and the relationship they developed .

“In Serena Kaylor's sparkling debut, a homeschooled math genius finds herself out of her element at a theater summer camp and learns that life―and love―can’t be lived by the (text)book.”

This book was a beautiful coming of age debut novel. The setting was fun and has a Shakespearean twist that was refreshing. It had good anxiety and therapy representation, which is always important, and displays strong friendships and relationships.

It’s fun to see the growth and how this teenager blossoms and finds her way in the world. It took me back to my younger years, and I feel like this book is important to YA readers finding their way.

This was such a feel good book, and I highly recommend this book!

Thank you, NetGalley and to the publishing company for the opportunity to read and review this awesome book.

I was excited for this but I don’t think I was the right audience for this. I enjoy Shakespeare and theatre but a lot of the references flew over my head. Overall the author had a good writing style but I wouldn’t pick this up again.

A fantastic romance story of young love. Truly enjoyed this one and loved every single charcater! The banter was immaculate to see our main girl make an enemy with the British boy was definitely a sight to see

A big thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to gobble up and honestly review!
Long Story Short is like a Shakespearean summer camp bonanza, starring Bea, the sixteen-year-old determined to prove to her parents that she's ready for Oxford in the fall. But, naturally, romcom shenanigans and summer camp vibes ensue.
At first, I was worried this would be the classic "makeover" plotline, where the MC changes everything about themselves to win over a guy. But, to my delight, Long Story Short flipped the script! Bea's character development was motivated by her own desire to grow, and not just to impress a dude.
As the story progressed, I loved watching Bea's internal motivations shift and change, and the commentary on the tired "makeover" trope. The book is delightfully nerdy, packed with Shakespeare, theater kids, and summertime vibes galore. Perfect for a beachy escape!
But the real stars of the show are the characters! Bea is a total hoot, with side characters who get their own moments to shine. The friendships in particular are strong, with supportive friends who never push Bea to change, but instead help her grow and call her out when she's being clueless. I love reading about friendships like that!
The only gripe I had were some unnecessary comments about costuming that rubbed me the wrong way. But, all in all, Long Story Short is a 4/5 fun, nerdy, and snark-filled romcom with a big heart and a whole lot of Shakespearean flair. Highly recommend!

Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor is a YA contemporary romance novel. The story follows childhood friends, Mia and Ben, who realize there might be feelings under that friendship. These are likable leads, and their struggles are relatable.

Long Story Short is a heartwarming and relatable story about friendship, first love, and growing up.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

There were parts of this I enjoyed, especially as someone who grew up with a mom who loved Shakespeare, but overall I think i wasn't the right audience for this book. Some of the character portrayals were a bit frustrating but I can see how others may enjoy this for sure!

A fast, easy read. The writing was clunky at times, but the overall story and representation was enjoyable. Recommend.

This was a cute YA romance story. I love any story that dealing with acting, because it brings me back to my high school theatre days.

This was a super cute coming of age story.

Beatrice got accepted into Oxford, but at only 16 and after having spent her life being homeschooled, her parents aren’t convinced she’s ready to go across the country. They make a deal with her: have a real teenage experience at a theater camp over the summer, and she can go to Oxford. Beatrice goes and learns how to come out of her shell, make friends, and even fall a little in love.

This was a fun little read. Beatrice is quirky, and the extroverted cast of characters that make up her new friend group were fun. I liked reading about them putting the play together and the shenanigans they got up to.

If coming of age YAs are your thing, you would probably enjoy this one!