wait i absolutely adored this book! it was so fun and fresh. I had such a great time reading it!! I highly recommend

Enjoyable in a Shakespearian fun read sort of sense, but there are boundary questions and other stereotypical behaviors that just had me raising my eyebrows the whole time.

This was a really cute coming of age romance. Beatrice has been quite secluded in her life. She avoids social interactions, eats certain food for certain days of the week and is solely focused on attending her dream college. Now that she’s been accepted into her dream school she only has to convince her parents that she is ready to live on her own. They are worried that she needs to get out of her comfort zone so they make her a deal that if she goes to a summer theatre camp and completes a list of teenage milestones they will support her move to college.

Beatrice comes off as quite naive at first, particularly with her snap judgements of others. Her judgments earn her an enemy in Nik on her first day. Thankfully she makes some really great friends as well. There was so much support and understanding from them as Beatrice really learns how to socialize and interact with others. While Bea is a bit resistant in getting out of her comfort zone at first I really liked her level of growth throughout the story. The tension between her and Nik kept things interesting and overall this was a great read.

Long Story Short was such a treat! Wednesday Books constantly delivers on the YA rom com front and this was no exception. Please give me all the theatre camp YA novels!

This follows Beatrice, a homeschooled science prodigy, who gets into Oxford at age 16. To prove she can handle being away and making friends on her own, her parents send her off to theatre camp. A summer of friendship, romance and self-discovery follows. I think what really makes me this work for me is the balance of these three things. Bea’s new friends are wonderful, and constantly make sure she is comfortable while pushing her out of her comfort zone, the romance is enemies to lovers perfection, and Bea’s journey is so relatable and sweet. Also, I love theatre and love a book that shows all the joys of making plays. The flirting based on Shakespeare quotes was truly inspired.

Overall, this was great! I will def recommend it to kiddos looking for a great romance! I look forward to whatever this author writes next.

Unfortunately this one just wasn't my favorite! It was still really, really cute though and i had a blast following the summer camp adventures :)

Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor was a YA Romance loaded with Shakespearean references sure to please young fans of The Bard, The book was addictive enough I read it in two settings. My rating may be skewed because of my age. Though I like YA Romances sometimes, I can't get behind toxic ones most of the time. If I can be honest, Beatrice/B was a toxic person. Just looking at how she viewed and treated people around her, I was not rooting for her to get her happy ending romantically. I did love her friendship with Mia and how quickly Mia put her in check about being glibly derisive about other people's passions. It was strictly B's relationship with Nick that I had a HUGE problem with. She was AWFUL to him. Even if their first interactions together resulted in him saying something hurtful to her, she eviscerated him at each interaction they had until close to the end of the novel. As a parent, someone who said the things B said to Nick if he were my son....well, I would be warning him that he should stay far away from her. B had been hurt in the past, which might explain her defensive attitude towards people, but she also demonstrated very little ability to be flexible or emotionally mature in certain aspects of her life. All in all, I enjoyed the book, but I really struggled with having the lead be such a difficult character to like. I loved all the Shakespeare references, though, AND the idea of a Shakespeare competition!

Long Story Short is an entertaining read with fun dialogue and a bit more unique of a heroine. Much of the humor comes from a fish-out-of-water situation in which our asocial Beatrice must navigate all the ins and outs of a Summer camp. The author gives Beatrice a prickly personality as a start of a character development arc that will include camp activities and coming out of her shell. This is an easy read that you will finish with a smile on your face.

Story: Homeschooled Beatrice is a genius - but her sheltered life worries her parents now that she has been accepted into Cambridge. To prove she will be able to handle life so far away from them, they give her a challenge: spend the Summer at a camp focusing on theater and prove she can handle life outside their home. Can Bea handle the drama of a getaway full of vivacious and flamboyant artistics? And can she fulfill the terms of a parents-required task list that is far out of her comfort zone?

The beating heart of the book is that Bea makes friends immediately with two supportive souls who are both her guides and her anchors. She earns an antagonist in the form of a Broadway hopeful who isn't too happy at how her love interest has become somewhat obsessed with the distinct Bea. And of course, there is the hot leading guy Brit who finds Bea's unique personality rather diverting.

I love that there is so much diversity here: LGBQT, Black, Indian, European, etc. I also greatly enjoyed reading a story where friends are huge support models rather than rivals or backstabbers. That said, both friends did feel more like clichés rather than fully fleshed people. As well, main character Nik's infatuation with Bea doesn't really make sense and we have to take it on faith on why he would be interested in the rude-appearing awkward girl.

That said, the writing is engaging and the story moves well enough. We have a good arc and the author does a fine job of wrapping it all up by the end. Bea isn't forced to really change but learns to also compromise in small ways while still being true to herself. In the end, her friends bring out hidden strengths that make this a winning read. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Awkward girl genius at Shakespeare summer camp? That's a yes from me.

Beatrice Quinn is a genius but struggles with typical teen things like making friends. When she gets into Oxford at only 16 years old her parents are concerned about her moving so gar from them. They make a deak with Beatrice and tell her if she attends Shakespeare camp and completes a list of tasks while she's there then she can go to Oxford. Beatrice reluctantly accepts their proposal and heads off to camp. She has no interest in acting but is determined to go to Oxford.

When Beatrice gets to the camp there's a mean roommate, cute boys and friendly campers. She starts to navigate the camp and comes out of her shell more and more.

I thought this was a really light and fun YA read. Some of the characters felt very cliche and stereotypical but they did develop as the book went on. I loved how Beatrice changed throughout the book and really discovers herself at camp. There were a lot of funny moments and she even finds a love interest. I'd recommend this for an easy beach read and would read more books by this author!

Thank you to netgalley and st. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book. I found myself trying to find time to sit down and read it even when other things needed my attention more. I rooted for the main character the whole story. I loved the good friends she made and how they accepted her for who she is. I cheered for her when she tried something new. I also enjoyed the ending. Definitely my favorite kind of teen/YA! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

this book was a nice and cute ya read that revolved around some clichés typical of the genre (which is absolutely not a bad thing) but it was nothing special or memorable in my opinion, i do recommend it for fans of ya romances set in summer camps!

Completely adorable YA summer romance! Had me cringing and having butterflies like it was my own first crush. Well-written, the story moves along well, and there are moments I giggled out loud. It really took me back to the teenage years (oh, but not mine - mine were nowhere near this cute). Seriously pick this one up for a feel-good read!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Serena Kaylor, and the publisher for the eARC copy of this book. Homeschooled student Beatrice has one thing on her mind, going to Oxford. She has dreamed of it her whole life and wants to be able to discover new mathematical challenges. The hardest part though is going to be convincing her parents to let her go. Her parents are hesitate because while she is good at math, she is not so good at making friends. The only way her parents will allow her to go to Oxford is if she makes goes to a Shakespeare camp and complete a list of teenage milestones. Soon friendships and hormones begin. Will Beatrice be able to stay focused at the tasks she needs to complete or will Oxford be in trouble?
I really enjoyed, "Long Story Short" and Beatrice! She was a very relatable character and hopefully one teens can see in themselves if they don't feel like they fit in. I will be recommending this book to others!

Very sweet, light summer read. Loved seeing Beatrice get to know herself and the friendships she formed with Mia and Nolan in a theater summer camp setting. Really enjoyed how Bea doesn't have a "label" but is just shown to be on the spectrum and how that is handled was nice to see.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for both the e-arc and audiobook arc.

I absolutely devouredddd this book! I read it all in one sitting and couldn’t get enough of the characters! I loved that the main character Bea provided great neurodivergent representation! She began the book as a shy but driven teenager, but you really see her come into herself throughout the book. This felt like the coming of age book I have been waiting for. It was more than just a romance book; you got to see Bea grow and open herself up to new people and new opportunities. I also loved that the side characters were fully fleshed out and really added to the plot; they didn’t feel like just one dimensional plot devices. As for the romance, Bea and Nik were so cute and I loved their banter and tension. They were definitely giving enemies to lovers vibes. Overall, such a cute, addictive read! It was a perfect YA book! I couldn’t recommend this book enough.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Loved the setting, great book! If you like summer camps and theatre, this is the one for you. I'd include this on my library display in the summer.

This was such a cute and fun read! The fact that she would step out of her comfort zone, but then step back in, then push herself out again was much more realistic than just doing a 180. And the Shakespeare Quote Off? Love!

I haven't had the when-your-pinkies-touch-and-your-whole-body-feels-like-it's-going-to-explode read in a minute and this was everything I didn't know I was missing out on.

This was every romantic comedy that played out in your head as a teen. Long Story Short was the dream that would have played out in my head if I found out I was going to a summer camp as a high school student.

From the start I adored Beatrice Quinn, she's a neuro-divergent character that is hell-bent on going to Oxford and focusing on her studies. She doesn't want to be stuck at home, having graduated high school at sixteen, taking community college online classes anymore. But her parents can't fathom that Beatrice could handle the huge change that moving across the world, away from home, and into a totally new atmosphere. So they come up with a deal. If Beatrice goes to a summer camp, an acting summer camp, and checks off the 8 items on their list, she can go to Oxford.

This list looks simple and easy to some but to Beatrice it feels like she's going to have to climb Mount Everest this summer. She has to make friends, share a secret, hug three people, in other words she has to force herself out of her routine and comfort zone in a big way in a short 4 weeks. But nothing means as much to her as Oxford, so she's going to make this happen.

Along the way, Beatrice does all the teenage things - friendships, rivalries, dealing with mean girls, crushes, confusion that comes with romance and first crushes.

This was a heady read. I was thoroughly absorbed in this dreamy summer camp and felt every feeling of Beatrice like it was my own. Finishing this book left me with such a giddy and happy mood. I highly recommend tit!

Beatrice Quinn has a plan. She lives in Berkeley, California, and has been homeschooled her entire life. She finished high school early and decided she wanted to go to Oxford University. But her parents are concerned about her moving to the other side of the world without having better social skills (or any social skills). She’s already spent an extra year at home, waiting for her parents to get on board with her plans. And while they were still reluctant, Beatrice applied to the college without their help.

She got accepted.

But now her parents are refusing to let her go, unless she can prove to them that she will be okay in England all by herself. That she’ll be able to make friends, that she can show some flexibility, that she can be willing to try new things. After talking about it, her parents agree to sent her to camp for the summer. They decide on a Shakespeare-themed theater camp and sign Beatrice up for the acting track, so she’ll have to spend time interacting with others and being on stage.

Before Beatrice heads out to Connecticut, her parents come up with a list of things she has to accomplish while at camp. She has to make a friend, share a secret, pull a prank, take a dare, and other summertime teenage activities. If she can check off everything on the list, then her parents may let her go to Oxford. If she doesn’t, they definitely won’t let her go. And that is the thought that she holds in her head when she flies across the country and ends up at a real camp in New England.

Beatrice shares a cabin with two other girls, but only one is friendly. And while Shelby is cold, Mia is bright and colorful and immediately takes Beatrice under her wing and helps her feel more comfortable being so far away from home and so awkward. Beatrice finds herself telling Mia about he list and about Oxford, and Mia is on board for helping her cross things off the list. In fact, she crosses off one thing herself—make a friend. Mia also helps Beatrice get acclimated to the camp and introduces her to others, like Shelby’s brother Nolan. He isn’t an actor, but he’s excited about costume design and teams up with Mia to help check things off the list.

But it’s tall, dark, and handsome Nik that gets under Beatrice’s skin. As the son of the actors who established the camp, he is the obvious choice for the male lead in this year’s play, Romeo and Juliet. And while she digs at him that he may be the lead just because of who his parents are, Nik makes a remark about how she looks, which she takes personally. And when she finds out that he got the role of Romeo because he is an amazing actor, and he starts spending time around her (much to Shelby’s dismay), Beatrice just gets more confused about what Nik wants, and what she wants.

And when Nik and Beatrice decide to put their Shakespeare chops to the test, trading quotes to see who can name the play, Beatrice is determined to win, to prove that she deserves to be taken seriously, no matter how awkward she is. And if she wins, Nik has to dress up in the heaviest costume they have, the Nurse’s costume, with wig and fake nose. But if she loses, she has to give Nik a kiss.

Beatrice only has a few weeks to get in what she’s thinking of as her full teenager experience, so she can report back to her parents that she’s ready to go to Oxford. But will her heart be able to survive being a real teenager, with all of its excitement and heartbreak?

Long Story Short is part Shakespearean magic, part theater kid camp, and all learning experience for Beatrice. Author Serena Kaylor brings so much charm in her debut YA novel that it almost makes me want to go to camp. It’s not specifically stated if Beatrice has some neurodiversity challenges or if she just never learned to play with others very well (or some combination, which seems most likely), but it’s so lovely to see others jump in and help her experience life as a regular teenager. Mia is especially compassionate towards Beatrice and her awkwardness, making sure that Bea understands she doesn’t have to do anything she’s not comfortable with. And she helps her work through her feelings when Shelby is unkind or when her feelings for Nik make her feel overwhelmed.

I will admit that I thought the start of the story was a little slow. But once Beatrice showed up at camp, Mia takes over, and her enthusiasm for life keeps things moving forward at a sharp clip. Then there is so much chemistry between these characters that the energy just fizzes, and I didn’t want to stop reading until the very end. Now I was one of those awkward kids when I was younger, so this did bring up some painful memories, but it’s also so much fun. This is a great read for anyone wanting to get through or get over awkwardness in their teen years, or for anyone who wants a fun read about a summer camp full of theater kids.

Egalleys for Long Story Short were provided by Wednesday Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This was a cute YA summer romance set at a Shakespearean theatre camp as homeschooler Beatrice is forced to attend in order for a chance to gain her parent's permission for early admission to Oxford. Opposites attract in this enemies to lovers romance between Beatrice and the star of the theatre camp (who also happens to be the owners' sons) as she works as an understudy in the summer production of Romeo and Juliet. Perfect for fans of Emma Lord with great social anxiety rep. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review.

Beatrice is a genius who has always dreamed of studying at Oxford. When she gets in at 16, her parents worry that after being homeschooled and not living a normal teenage life, she isn’t ready. As a trial run/compromise, she agrees to attend a Shakesperian summer camp and accomplish a list of tasks her parents have sent her. These tasks include making friends, hugging 4 people, and other “normal” teenage activities. If she completes the list, her parents will allow her to go to Oxford. As she makes her way through the list, Beatrice makes friends and realizes there is more to life than studying.

I adored the characters in this one and how they really brought Beatrice out of her shell. This was truly one of the best casts of characters I’ve read in a book in a while, and I adored every single one. Overall, this was a really sweet story about a booksmart girl coming into her own and learning how to let go and have fun.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the advance copy!