4.5/5 stars rounded down

This is such a cute summer read! It has Shakespeare, summer camp, pranks, dares, and a rivals to lover's romance.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. All of the characters were awesome, especially Beatrice. The banter between Beatrice and Nikhil was amazing and was well done. And the bucket list Beatrice had to do was hilarious, as well as the side characters.

Probably one of my favorite things about this story was how Beatrice is very clearly autistic-coded. She does have some of the common stereotypes that autistic people tend to have. (i.e. super-smart, special interest in math and science, no friends, homeschooled.) I didn’t really mind these tropes because other aspects were very well. The portrayal of social anxiety, strict scheduling, and the thing I found most relatable, only eating certain foods, was well done, as well as so many other little things that I found relatable. Like researching how to make friends, black and white thinking, not knowing when you’re friends with people, and so, so much more. Another thing I enjoyed was how patient everybody was with her coming out of her comfort zone. She was given a list of things that were very, very out of her comfort zone, and her friends were patient, letting her do things at her own pace. Also, even though it’s completely understandable, I am disappointed that she wasn’t given a label. As an autistic teenager, it would have been nice to see a book that explicitly states the main character as autistic.

Beatrice and Nikhil were everything! I loved them. Banter? Check. Tension? Check. Shakespeare Quote competition? Check. Sweet romance? Check. My only problem is that Nikhil took way too long to verbally apologize for saying he didn’t think Beatrice was hot enough to play one of the characters. But overall, it was a sweet summer camp romance.

I loved this book and think it’s the perfect summer read. I am very excited for what Serena Kaylor has planned next.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Once upon a time, I used to enjoy YA Contemporary hate-to-love stories. They would be cute! I would like when they hated each other and finally realized that they *gasp* weren’t so different after all. It was a formula, for sure, but I liked it.

Those days have long passed. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that…high school kids should not be so rude to each other and have it come out okay. Now, most of my YA contemporary romances of choice star nice characters who get along and have cute friendships. That’s not a dig on this book in particular, because I try to separate my rating of arcs from my personal preference.

The plot of this book was pretty good, mainly because I like summer camp, and I like the antics of theatre kids. There was nothing in particular to write home about, but it was fun enough, typical YA contemporary but in a good way. Beatrice as a character was quite compelling, and for the most part, I liked being in her head for the book. Seeing her slowly become more sure of herself was a heartwarming journey to follow. I also loved Beatrice’s friends! Mia, especially, was given her own time to shine in addition to being a beacon of support for Beatrice’s journey.

When it comes to representation, I can’t exactly speak on it, but there was one mention of war paint that I wasn’t sure about—again, can’t really speak on it though.

I think my main issue with this book was the dynamic between Nik and Beatrice. In classic hate-to-love fashion, there’s an incident pretty early on that antagonizes them from each other, and they spend a good part of the book misunderstanding each other’s intentions and desires. However, I didn’t really feel much chemistry from them, and I wasn’t rooting for or against them at any point. They were just…ok. There’s no indication, other than at the end, that Nik felt anything but annoyance at Beatrice, rather than the unrequited pining that was intended. Nik didn’t really do anything that could be interpreted as care or affection, idk.

I think the book could have done without the romance. That being said, it was still fine, I suppose? Maybe I’ve just grown out of the genre.

3.25/5

This story blew all my expectations out the window.

This book is the perfect cute summer read. It’s a wholesome coming of age story where the main character is pushed out of her comfort zone. Bea (main character) captures your heart. She’s nerdy, awkward, and unintentionally funny. She’s a 16 year old genius who gets into Oxford, but because she was homeschooled for all her life, she doesn’t know how to maintain a relationship with kids her own age. To prove to her parents that she can thrive in Oxford on her own, she agreed to be sent to a Shakespeare theatre camp for one month and complete a list of tasks.

Bea learns there’s more to maintaining relationships then what she researches and reads about. She made incredible friends and memorable experiences. There is a lot of diversity in this book. She also gains an enemy. The prodigy son of famous actors and founders of the camp. The banter between Bea and Nik (her enemy) is to die for! The pacing in this book in terms of the romance is perfect.

The character development... I haven’t read a book where the character transforms as beautifully as Bea did in this book. It was wonderful being able to see her gain confidence in herself throughout the book. She had a revelation at the end of the book where she realized that she had changed more than she thought. She noticed there was more to life than her books and studies. Seeing her branch out and try things she has never done before was beautiful.

This book is about friendship, self-discovery, determination and fun with a mix of drama and unexpected romance. Thanks to NetGalley I was able to get an arc for this wonderful book. Comes out July 26, 2022!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Growing up homeschooled in Berkeley, California, Beatrice Quinn is a statistical genius who has dreamed her whole life of discovering new mathematical challenges at a school like Oxford University. She always thought the hardest part would be getting in, not convincing her parents to let her go. But while math has always made sense to Beatrice, making friends is a problem she hasn’t been able to solve, so her parents are worried about sending her halfway across the world. Can she survive summer acting camp amongst her peers?

The popular, gorgeous son of the owners is there and they are butting heads. this is a cute coming into themselves. I laughed at the antics of the quirky campers friends. loved reading this..

I genuinely went into this book blindly and had no idea what I was getting into. Hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made because I cannot fathom how Serena Kaylor made me swoon over Shakespeare. This is the type of book I wish I read going through the harsh, embarrassing, and uncomfortable moments of growing up into your teens. I felt like my inner 17 year old had her needs fulfilled by reading this and feeling less isolated. I kid you not every single one of these characters hold a special place in my heart. This is not your typical coming-of-age, summer story - if anything, it was so much more endearing and had me smiling into my pillow at 1AM.

You will root for Bea, want to strangle her, and want to shield her from anything remotely harmful. (I'm not just saying that also because my best friend in the entire world is also named Bea...hehe). The chemistry and colorfulness jumps out at you almost instantly when you begin reading this book.

Do not get me started on the enemies to lovers AND slow burn. We love to see it. WITH THE SHAKESPEARE TWIST? Oh yeah. We love to see it.

Overall, I would give it 4.5/5. Definitely on my list for comfort reads.

Favorite quote: "His voice washed over me, and he was young love embodied. He was secret meetings in a garden. He was yearning and relief and every sticky feeling I've ever had rolled up into one."

math and shakespeare lovers, this one's for you! and wow, is it a fun one! long story short follows beatrice (bea), a statistics enthusiast seeking to attend one of the most prestigious universities in the world. the problem? she's not great at making friends, and has to convince her parents she should be able to attend a university miles away from where her family lives. the solution? she must go to a shakespeare summer camp and prove to her family she will be just fine at college. upon arriving at camp, bea meets a group of friends who quickly take her in (a group of theater kids ... i'm sure you can envision the type), and she embarks on a journey of self discovery, friendship, and love (in all senses of the word). the main couple had me smiling from ear to ear as i read about their story, and believe me, i rarely do this!

i really enjoyed this novel; i think it's a fresh take and example for ya contemporary romance, a genre i've been finding satisfies me less and less as of recent. i see so much of myself in bea; she's a lively character who has so much to offer. the friendships she builds with her peers are so heartfelt and fun to watch develop. and nik, nik was such a wonderful love interest to read about. his dynamic with bea was perfect, and i do believe they are one of my favorite ya contemporary romance couples now. i love a good enemies to lovers, but adding shakespearean elements to this dynamic made it even better than it normally is. this book had me giggling, smiling, and i am positive other readers will love it as much as i did. 4/5 stars!

thank you so much to both netgalley and st. martin's press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. all thoughts and opinions are my own!

slayed tbh. i live in the bay area, so loved hte setting ofc ofc :) the characters were amazing and very relatable. overall super good, would recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

5⭐️
As a STEM kid and a theatre kid, I can say I’m slightly biased when I say I absolutely loved this book. I devoured it in one day. It kind of felt like Mean Girls meets theatre kids and Shakespeare (???), and I did not know I needed that combination.

Beatrice was such an amazing main character. I just absolutely love her. It was no doubt hard for her to assimilate, not only because she’s not so used to all this interaction and partaking in things like a play, but because theatre kids are a HUGE change from what she’s used to. Mia and Nolan were so fun and supportive, but they also knew when to call Beatrice out, like during her first interaction with Mia. I LOVED them.

I loved that Beatrice did not let Nikhil get over his comment from the beginning of the book because I don’t like when things like that get looked over. While I like that Beatrice gave him grief for it, I also wish he spent more time apologizing. I liked his apology, but the comment was still very out of pocket. Other than that, I loved Nikhil. I’m not sure I’ve read a book with a brown theatre boy and I didn’t realize how much I actually needed that until today.

Would DEFINITELY recommend!!!

~~
The only part with spoilers next!!

I loved that when they did kiss, it wasn’t because of the game. When a kiss comes from a bet like that, it just makes it somewhat uncomfortable and humiliating (in my opinion).

This was a super fun and sweet YA story! There was lots of great dialogue and I enjoyed the sarcastic banter. The romance aspect was very G-rated and ended in a happily ever after that left a smile on my face. This book had a very diverse group of characters which was refreshing to see, no two characters felt the same to me.

I will definitely be checking out Serena Kaylors’ future work!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Long Story Short follows Beatrice, a genius whose homeschooling has meant she hasn't had much room to socialize. When she gets into Oxford at 16, her parents make her a deal - she can attend, but only if she's able to prove to them she's capable of thriving on her own at a summer theater camp.

I really liked this book. I was rooting for Beatrice throughout the book - I loved seeing how she matured and how she grew in all of the relationships she had. The scenes were fun and light-hearted, and the romance is slow-burn but it's worth it. All of the characters had their own personalities (even the side characters) and it made the story feel a lot more thought out.

This was a really fun read, and I can't wait for everyone else to read it too. 4 stars.

🏕🎭 BOOK REVIEW* 🏕🎭

This is a fun, big-hearted summer romcom that was, overall, really enjoyable and I really appreciated the neurodivergent rep.
I love watching Bea's friendship with Mia and Nolan develop, and those two were easily the best part of the book for me.
I liked the summer vibes and all the Shakespeare-related stuff was delightfully witty. The banter and dialouge throughout the book was hilarious, heartwarming, and very clever as well. I enjoyed watching Bea realize that her life could be new and exciting and still hers and still true to her character and interests.
There's alot of good in this book, but there were a couple things that kept me from loving this as much as I might have.
1: Bea's thought process felt pretty repetitive throughout the book, and it kind of got old. I'm not really sure what else I have to add to this complaint, or what I would've preferred in its place, but it's worth noting.
2. Nik and Bea's relationship was weird at times to me. When they were being cute and flirtatiously shouting Shakespeare quotes at each other, it was great, and I wish this kind of dynamic had been more prominent in the story. In reality, Bea and Nik were fighting alot of the book, and there was a weird space in the middle where nothing made sense. Idk. I feel like the author is better at writing friendships than romantic relationships, and the best dynamics and interactions came from Bea and her two friends. I wish Bea and Nik had gotten along better, because it made their romance hard to believe or understand at times.
Long story short, I did enjoy this one, and the last maybe 7 or 8 chapters definitely improved after the weird middle space, but there were a couple things about this book that just felt off to me and kept this from being a 5⭐️ read. However, its hilarious and sweet and perfect for summer, so I do still think there's stuff to enjoy and glean from it!

* thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
"Long Story Short" is available 7•26•22

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced review copy.

I think I have a new favorite book?!

Literally could not put this down- I read it in one sitting (despite it being very much the middle of the night now).

Especially as a writer and avid reader, I’ve found it increasingly hard to be sucked into a story and forget I’m reading. And yet, I got sucked into Long Story Short. I genuinely laughed out loud, also a rarity for me.

I was worried about the inclusion of Romeo and Juliet as the camp’s play, given how overdone (and problematic and so forth) it is, but this is one of the first books I’ve read that has included it in a non-cliche way.

While the characters were based on tropes (ie smart girl with trouble socializing, mean girl superstar) they also had a refreshing complexity about them, and clear motivations.

Plus, who doesn’t love a swoony, coming-of-age, clean romance full of new friendships and first love, plus witty banter and hate-to-love. As a bonus, there’s tactful anxiety and therapy representation.

If you’re looking for your next YA contemporary read, this is it!

this was quite frankly adorable. near the end i was literally kicking my feet and screaming like a schoolgirl.

this book stars beatrice quinn and nikhil shah (who's half south asian!! i love seeing more south asian representation in romance novels!!). beatrice honestly kind of gave me a lot of second hand embarrassment at first, but after learning more about her, i actually started to enjoy her character more. i did find it sorta hard to relate to her since i'm more like her extroverted best friends, mia and nolan, but i still love her <3 tbh i really enjoyed all the characters. even the supposed antagonist of the story grew on me. i will say though, the characters in this book are kind of stereotypical. like there's your basic blonde mean girl, the extroverted best friend, the gay best friend, and etc. they seemed kind of copy and pasted and not that well thought out/developed? don't get me wrong, i still enjoyed them! but it would've been nice to read more about backstories from people other than beatrice. i mean, we saw bits and pieces of a few characters but it would've been nice to see more :)

however, the plot line was cute! i like how the characters didn't move past what nik said at the start of the book and even held it against him because i'm sick of main leads and side characters excusing the romantic lead's controversial actions just because they're a pretty face. speaking of his pretty face, nik is definitely a new book boyfriend. like he was so sweet (other than his mishap at the start) and you could tell he genuinely cared for bea. their relationship itself didn't last that many pages but it was still cute. and the potential they have is!! AAA!! anyway, this was the first summer camp inspired book i've read and it was adorable. the summer camp plot is for sure going to be something i'm gonna be on the look out for in the future.

bottom line is: i love all the characters and if you're in need of a g rated romance, you should def read this!! with a dreamy desi love interest and a brainiac lead, what's not to love?

also off topic but this cover is absolutely gorgeous! like aaa it automatically made me wanna pick up the book.

lThis is the kind of book I wish I would have read in high school. I feel like a lot of us can feel like Bea sometimes so it is easy to relate for her and root for her.

The perfect enemies to lovers books. Soooo much banter!

I really enjoyed this book! Bea is a fantastic character. Her uniqueness and quirks make her really some, and she is definitely someone I would have loved to be friends with at her age. The other characters were great as well. I especially loved Mia, Nolan, and Nik. The setting for the book was very cool! I never got the opportunity to go to a summer camp, so getting to experience one through this book was lots of fun. All in all, this is the perfect debut novel in my opinion, and I can’t wait to read whatever else the author releases in the future!

For the most part, this was a cute fluffy romcom that I probably would have rated 3 stars. It reminded me a bit of When Dimple Met Rishi, which I didn't love, but plenty of people did.

But there were two moments that made me go... what. (Some spoilers from here on out - but it is a romance novel. It's pretty predicable) 

1. A male character forcibly looks down a girl's shirt to make sure he approves of her bathing suit, after she's explicitly told him it's none of his business. (And I'm not even sure what he would disapprove of?? Her one piece is apparently fine - does he fear she's wearing another shirt under her shirt? The horror)
2. Another male character corners a girl who's trying to get away from him, physically blockades her against a wall (hands against the wall with her between them), and asks, "Do you fantasize about kissing me?
2a.This isn't quite on the same scale as the first two (or maybe I was just jaded by this point), but in a similar vein, this character physically corners her again to curse at her for a prank that barely affects him, then when she tries to be vulnerable with him to help him understand, he blows up at her and accuses her of tricking him into thinking she likes him, when all she's done the whole time is sometimes agree to interactions he initiates.Both of these characters are supposed to be likable, good characters, and these actions (with the partial exception of the last one) were portrayed as completely understandable and stemming from how much they care about the girl.I would hope it doesn't need stating that these things are NOT okay, but apparently that's not the case. Is this really the picture of romance (or even friendship) that teen girls (or any women) deserve? 

This theme of boundary-crossing relationships continues throughout the story. While Bea's friends (well, Mia at least) keep insisting that they're not trying to change her if she doesn't want to, in practice they're consistently patronizing to her, acting as if there's no way she might know herself better than they do, even when it comes to things she's already tried (and the fact that they're usually right is more reflective of an unrealistic story than their approach being appropriate). I don't know, maybe aspects of their approach are a legitimate treatment strategy for autism/anxiety/whatever she may have, but they're not psychologists and... I feel like in general people deserve to be trusted when they express their own preferences. And while some of the things they try to change are in fact real problems (e.g. never making any friends), others are totally legitimate preferences. Apparently, it's not okay to dress masculinely or modestly (poor Bea is constantly yanking on her clothes even after she's "chosen" to dress differently, and it makes me sad. At one point she even says she would have responded to an insult... if she were in her normal clothes. But now she cowers. Yet being comfortable in these clothes continues to be the goal, rather than being confident as her own self); it's not okay to prefer to stay on the fringes of a party (they literally trick her into being the center of attention at a party, where she's expected to sit on a throne next to her frenemy crush); it's not okay to like people for their intelligence more than their appearances; it's not okay to like bedtime...? I'm confused just making this list, because some of the things her friends criticise her for are so totally random and... just normal things. A lot of the things they aggressively pull Bea away from (literally, at times - Nolan is weirdly handsy with Bea despite knowing she doesn't like physical touch) are things I'm proud of in myself.Then at the end, we're apparently supposed to agree  with Bea's mother when she expresses a hope that she'll continue to see more of the Bea she saw onstage. Not even the Bea who's wearing new clothes and introducing her new friends and forging her own path to use her own interests and skills at a camp that she doesn't fit into at all (which gets ZERO respect)... but specifically the Bea on the stage. As an introverted former theater kid myself, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people see me act and then go, "Woah! I hope we get to see you open up more like that in real life." Guess what? That wasn't opening up. It was this thing called acting. Ever heard of it?Okay, maybe I'm overreacting a little on this one point - the very fact of Bea acting is a major breakthrough, and maybe it's just that confidence that they hope to see again. But still, everyone just assumes that because Bea manages to push through her discomforts, that must be the real her - because no one could really be introverted/systematic/unadventurous, right?

Some other things that bugged me:
Her rapid changes: Others have already addressed the issues with Bea being coded as autistic, and then the entire plot focusing on changing all those parts of her, but what's really bizarre is the fact that... apparently this is possible. (Not 100%, but... she changes a lot.) So does she actually have autism? Or is she just insanely stunted from her parents' complete lack of effort at creating a reasonable social environment for her? (more on that in a minute) But also, apparently when they have tried, she completely shut down (e.g. refusing to ever speak in a class - presumably for an entire semester). What changed? 
Her parents: Either her psychologist parents (and her own therapist) have completely missed her not-exactly-subtle autistic traits or they're aware but have almost completely neglected to support her in it. It seems like her parents have practically just shoved her in a room for the last decade, and expected her to turn out okay. Have they tried to get her to socialize more than like twice? It's unclear. Have they had her do anything at all (besides online classes) for the last two years since she graduated? Even less clear. I could imagine there being parents this clueless, but... they're therapists! And given that it apparently doesn't even take that much to get her to open up to pretty much everything she was previously resistant to (like, she's doing a majorly out of character shopping spree only a day or two after arriving at camp), this is even more horrifying. And when they do finally decide to care about her at the start of the book... there's still no recognition of her challenges potentially being related to an underlying condition, and they do nothing but mock her (e.g. her mom's apparently frequent comments on her clothing) and demand that she change (even as they're confident it won't happen... and also refuse to acknowledge that they may have enabled this situation).
Her relationship with Nik: Honestly... they don't have a lot in common. Sure, they're smart and they can recite Shakespeare. But Nik seems to be legitimately at home in this flashy, extroverted world that Bea has forced herself into... and I guess we're supposed to believe that Bea is now part of that world, too, but I really didn't buy it. I can believe she made it work, and that she made good friends there, but I don't think someone like her would be longterm at home in the same kind of environment as Nik. But even more strikingly, just hours before they finally get together, he expresses a sense of still not understanding Bea at all. And... he's right, at that point he's still misunderstanding fundamental aspects of how she operates. And that doesn't really change within the next few hours. She just gives in to hormones. Which... may be realistic, sure, but not especially touching.

A few good things, though:
Bea was likable and relatable. She had a lot of rough edges that went deeper than your typical qUirKy protagonist, which was refreshing.
I liked Mia too. I did find her overly pushy at times, but she was also genuinely sweet, and she felt like she really did want the best for Bea but just didn't always know the best way to do it (unlike Nolan and Nik, who came across as selfish jerks, and her parents, who felt like bumbling idiots who'd be glad to wash their hands of her).
The Shakespeare references were fun, especially when the plot started to mirror the plays (like when Nik/Oberon was jealous of Bea/Titania flirting with Troy/Bottom).
Bea's list of tasks was funny, and a creative way to structure the plot and move it along.
The ending was hilarious and heartwarming, even as it was super cringy... but in a very teenager-y way that made me shake my head nostalgically at my very ridiculous past self.

What a great way to bring together Shakespeare, friendships, and summer camp. This was such a great read. I loved the acceptance of the campers and staff to each other. I loved how Shakespeare was used, not just as aside but a major driving point of the plot.
Really well done.
I will read other books by this author.

Long Story Short is such a cute YA romance and I adored it. Beatrice is genius who wants to go to a great school away from home. She's always been homeschooled and wants adventure and new experiences. She applies to Oxford and gets in! Her parents won't let her go because they are worried she can't handle being on her own. They compromise and send her to Connecticut Shakespearean Summer Academy for the summer. Beatrice is determined to make the most of the summer and prove to her parents she can make it on her own. Long Story Short is full of great characters, drama, first loves and Shakespeare. What more could you want from a romance?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. What an adorable read! I was blown away by this debut of my dream combo: Shakespeare and rivals to lovers! Admittedly it did take me a little bit to get into the story, and the characters became so much more well developed as the story unfolded, and I ultimately fell in love with them. A precious read!

“He leaned back, all self-satisfaction, and in that moment I hated him to a degree that left me dizzy.”
-Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Where to start with this book! I absorbed every word in this book like a sponge. The characters were slightly cringey at the beginning, then I fell in love with all of them. (It's impossible not to.) Nik, the love of my life. Mia and Nolan, my dream wing-man, wing-woman, and best friends. Beatrice “Bea,” is the character that I have dreamed of. I have never related to a character more.

Long Story Short is an adorable, snarky, and exciting YA rivals-to-lovers book. There is just something about characters bonding over participating in Shakespeare plays that gets my blood pumping.

Beatrice is our main character and we follow her POV. She has been homeschooled pretty much her entire life and she is an absolute genius. However, she has next-level social anxiety and little to no experience with making friends. At sixteen, she is taking online college classes and she applies to Oxford just for the heck of it. Here’s the catch– she did not talk to her parents before applying. Bea gets accepted and her parents decide that she is not ready to go live on her own. In order to prove that she is ready, Bea attends a six-month-long Shakespearean Summer Academy where she has a number of tasks to complete to have the entire “teenage experience” and to prove that she is capable of socializing with people her age.

One of her roommates, Mia, and Mia’s long-term friend, Nolan, team up with her to help her complete her tasks assigned by her parents and to teach her how to have fun and be confident in herself. While navigating her new life at camp, she makes a rival– the camp founders’ son.

This book is an amazing tale of friendship, dedication, and overcoming your fears. Long Story Short had me rolling on the ground and kicking my feet. I wouldn’t be mad if there is a sequel in the future.

“As I got older, I became fixated on the idea that the entire city of Oxford, a place built by this paragon of learning, was likely filled with people who were similar to me. People who loved books more than people, and nobody thought that was weird.”
-Long Story Short, Serena Kaylor