Y’ALL.

This has the possibility of being my favorite book of the year. Nothing can possibly top this book.

First of all, this book’s writing style? It’s so easy to tell that the main character is very smart. Readers don’t even need to be told she’s smart. Just take one look at the way she talks and acts and you just know.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the banter between the main character and the love interest. If you’ve seen my reviews in the past, you’ll know I love banter. I love enemies-to-lovers types of stories. And while this book isn’t really a true enemies-to-lovers (maybe more interested/annoyed-to-lovers), this book still gave me that sweet, sweet “I can’t stand you” fighting around an otherwise lighthearted and just generally cute storyline.

I read this book all in one sitting, which may be obvious by my own writing style and the fact that I absolutely loved it. I have a feeling you’ll also have trouble putting this book down if you decide to pick it up. It’s just so addictive and fun to read.

And it’s easy to really care for and love all the characters? I love Bea’s summer camp friends for how supportive they are and how they help her with her parents’ list of “teenage milestones” with absolutely no judgement. I love Nik because… come on. He’s Nik. You can’t possibly write a better love interest.

And I love the ending of this book, which is possibly one of the best moments I have ever read in my entire life. No spoilers, but the surprise? I wish I could see the look on their faces.

I’m going to read this book 16,000 times and I promise you: there will never be a single time where I’m bored of this book. I highly recommend you pick this book up for yourself once it comes out and join me in screaming over it.

Beatrice has always been better at books than people, and when she gets early acceptance into Oxford, her dream school, her parents refuse to let her go unless she can prove that she can socialize with her peers and handle unfamiliar and unpredictable situations. They decide to send her to Shakespeare camp for the summer, armed with a list to help her achieve a “normal” teenage experience. Can she do it?

This story was a a quick read and very sweet teenage coming of age story. The MCs had SO MUCH chemistry and it was incredibly swoony. HOWEVER, I have a major issue with the depiction of Beatrice. She is portrayed in a way that is CLEARLY autistic, yet the entire theme of the story is her parents trying to change who she is. It really really really bothers me to have a missed representation opportunity in this story. She is never identified as autistic or on the spectrum, but every bit of her character (food schedule, lack of social skills, extremely intelligent, unwillingness to break from routine) points to autism. Instead of celebrating her differences and her strengths, the book continually mentions the ways in which she falls short and isn’t “normal”. While there are things I really liked about this story, and I really do appreciate Beatrice getting a happy ending, I really struggle with her portrayal.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

There were certainly parts of this book that I found fun. It was a quick easy read and I enjoyed it. However, as a mental health professional, I did have issue with the entire concept that her parents, supposed mental health professionals, would choose to not provide a diagnosis, socialization skills, or appropriate interventions/ treatment or psycho-education for their child. From a socio-emotional and developmental perspective, this is not only unbelievable but were this the case would be considered medically negligent.

This was such a delight to read. The writing is sharp and fast paced, and the character development is deeply engaging. Kaylor gives us a messy, imperfect heroine who's easy to root for in her fish-out-of-water setting. I loved seeing a girl who isn't always nice and sweet and accommodating, one who says some insensitive or assumptive things and has to grapple with that. Though Beatrice is clearly neurodivergent, Kaylor leaves the diagnosis and interpretation to her reader, allowing us to engage with the representation how we wish. Regardless, it's a shrewd portrait of how not all of us approach the world with the same brain. It's also a charming story of found family, with tight summer camp friendships and a sweet romance with a promising future. Shakespeare nerds (and, yes, I am one) will also delight in the quote games and references sprinkled throughout the novel. Come for the boisterous theatre summer camp and the comedic but heart-warming social awkwardness. Stay for the long awaited perfect kiss.

This book is definitely a must read. It is well written with fully fleshed out characters and a nice story flow. Although the camp is a common setting this book still managed to make it feel fresh and very realistic. Such a great read that I will keep an eye out for in July.

Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for the great read.

I will never not enjoy a story about characters bonding over Shakespeare and making it their entire personality. This book is my niche!

And it's such a fun summer read. It's light-hearted and cute with just the right amount of growing up and coming-of-age themes. With the fun camp setting, Shakespearean drama, first crushes and new experiences, and full cast of characters, it's pretty hard to not enjoy this.

My only critique would be the characters are very stereotypical. They are pretty much cookie-cutter clichés from any teen story ever, which was kind of annoying in the beginning. I actually think the way some of the characters are portrayed might be a bit harmful, feeding into that kind of stereotype. But as the story goes on, the characters do lose some of this type casting, which allowed me to better appreciate all of the good things about this book.

I think for a debut novel, this is quite the hit. Obviously some room for growth, but I definitely have SK on my radar and can't wait to see what other adorable stories she comes up with next!

A fun read - would be perfect for a week at summer camp. I loved Beatrice as a character and her innocence. People develop at different rates, especially when it comes to friendships and romantic relationships in school, and I’m glad someone is shining a light on that.

Beatrice was accepted to Oxford University at only sixteen. But, she's an introvert with anxiety and her parents are worried she's not emotionally ready to go to school in another country.

The solution? A Shakespeare camp and a list of tasks she has to complete to get the teen experience.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

I related to Beatrice on so many levels to the point where I started to feel called out. Her new friends, Mia and Nolan, are supportive and patient with her as she tries to navigate the unpredictability of teenagers and figure who she outside of her comfort zone.

And Nik !!! The rivals to lovers was done really well. The banter between them was perfection.

If you like summer camp and Shakespeare, this is the perfect read for you!

Long Story Short, I loved this book!
Beatrice Quinn is an extremely intelligent 16 year old home-schooled teenager who does not socialize with others very much. When Beatrice is accepted into her favorite college, Oxford, her parents worry that she will stay a recluse and not experience more of life while in college. Enter theater camp! Her parents think it's a great idea to spend time actually being a teenager before allowing her to go to Oxford, so Beatrice signs up for a month long camp where the campers will put on a Shakespearean play in four weeks. Little does Beatrice know how much her life can, and will, change in just four short weeks!
I loved the characters, the witty banter, the enemies to lovers trope and so much more! I think I smiled through the entire novel! I have some more mature middle schoolers who will love this one! What a fabulous debut from Serena Kaylor!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I never really read widely in the YA contemporary genre but boy did this suck me straight away.

Drop the first page I loved Beatrice, the author has a great way of introducing her voice from the get go it's impossible to believe they're not real characters. The love interest Nik was far from the caricature some YA authors try to pass off as good love interests he was a well-rounded lovable dude and his and Beatrice relationship melted my heart

This is a stellar debut from Serena and I can't wait to read whatever comes next

Nothing beats a smart and witty main character. Beatrice rocks all the boxes we want in our heroines. Long story short really bright me back to my teen years in a waxing nostalgia way.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Long Story Short in exchange for an honest review.

This was so cute! A tad (okay maybe a lot) cheesy, but as both a former nerdy kid AND theatre kid I wholeheartedly enjoyed this.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was so cute! I'm a sucker for a good Shakespeare-themed love story and Long Story Short did not disappoint. This book has all the cliche tropes: the quiet/nerdy/Type-A girl paired with the charming/cocky popular guy combined with the jealousy trope, makeover trope, bucket list trope, and excellent banter. Some of the tropes did feel a little overdone + outdated and I did wish that Serena Kaylor had moved on from them, but some of them were really cute! I loved the Shakespeare quote competition that Nikhil and Beatrice had and how Nikhil chose quotes that so clearly conveyed how he felt about Beatrice --it was probably one of the highlights of the book for me. There were so many charming moments in this book, like the laundry room scene, the TP-prank scene, and of course Nikhil & Beatrice's final performance as Romeo and Mercutio.

One of my main issues with this book is Nikhil's line about Beatrice not being hot enough to play Rosaline at the beginning of the book. I know that he apologizes for the comment later on in the novel, but it still made me really uncomfortable. (Also why did it take him so long to apologize??) I don't think I would even remotely entertain the possibility of getting together with a guy who said something like that. I would have been way more comfortable with Beatrice and Nikhil getting together if there was a miscommunication trope instead, i.e. if Nikhil hadn't actually been the one to say that comment even though Beatrice thought he did. I also wasn't really a fan of how Nikhil never outwardly condemned Shelby for being so awful to Beatrice. I know that Beatrice was able to stand up for herself and that she didn't need anyone to defend her, but the fact that he would just stand to the side and observe his ex treating her so horribly without saying a word was kind of appalling.

Regardless, it was really cool to see Nikhil as a South Asian love interest instead of another mediocre white boy. As a South Asian reader, I thought it would've been nice if there was a little more exploration or discussion of his identity, but regardless Serena Kaylor handled his ethnicity with respect and care, which I really appreciate. I also thought it would have been nice if there was more clarity on Beatrice identity. She's clearly neurodivergent, so I personally would have liked to see more explicit descriptors for her instead of just brushing her off as a "gifted kid." I'm open to hear what other neurodivergent readers think!

If you're looking for a fun, summer romance with tons of Shakespeare and theatre references, be sure to pick up Long Story Short when it releases next summer!

I loved this book so much! Bea is such a complicated and relatable character. I love her friendship with Mia and Nolan, and her teen angst over Nik's mixed signals is just *chef's kiss* YA perfection. The Shakespeare camp element is a charming backdrop and the quote battles between Bea and Nik had me swooning.

This is a quintessential YA story and I enjoyed every minute. Such a fantastic debut. Definitely add this to your TBR!

Thank you to Netgalley, Wednesday, and the author for the eARC in exchange for my review.

This was a bright, fun, refreshing read that would be perfect for the summer months! I really enjoyed the character development and the relationship growth over the course of the book and thought the writing was excellent!

To say I enjoyed this book is an understatement. From the beginning I knew I liked Bea. She's smart, blunt, and puts her ambitions first ALWAYS. Her parents forced her to go to summer camp to see if she can be a normal kid for once in her life instead of an academic scholar 24/7 and her character development during it was DELIGHTFUL. Serena Kaylor wrote Bea so well. Her attitude and anti-socialness doesn't come off as too negative and is the perfect amount of sass. I really enjoyed the supporting characters who had SO much life and helped Bea so much. Really looking forward to new books from Serena Kaylor!

Long Story Short is the story of Beatrice, an incredibly intelligent 16 year old who has been accepted to Oxford, the school of her dreams. Her parents aren't too keen on her going so far away for school and doubt her ability to thrive in such a new situation. To prove she can handle Oxford, Beatrice is sent to a Shakespeare camp and given a to do list to help her experience life as a "regular teen."

Long Story Short is a fun take on a coming of age story complete with humorous characters and plenty of awkward moments to go around. Beatrice is a young genius who thinks that she has life pretty well figured out, but is quickly thrown for a loop when she realizes that not all real life experiences and problems can be solved with spreadsheets and formulas. Beatrice has a great group of supporting characters behind her that add a lot to the book: a couple of friends that are more than willing to help her accomplish her list, a jealous rival, and potential romantic interest. It's a lot to take in for one summer! Long Story Short is a good choice for YA fans looking for their next read.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

~Long Story Short Review~
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4/5
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I went a bit crazy and requested a ton of books from Netgalley as soon as my fall semester was over and this was one of them! I’m excited to dive right in and see what chaos awaits me! I know that St. Martins Press will not disappoint me
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Pros:
+good for her for getting into oxford! but also college is scary so i def get her parents concerns
+love a good to-do challenge checklist
+i like mia and nolan and how confident they are and how good of friends they are ugh they’re the best characters
+british accent(;
+silly silly shakespeare nerds
+makes me so nostalgic for summer camps and awkward high school shenanigans
+we love getting out of our comfort zone!! great entertainment!
+nik. a shameless flirt with a flair for the dramatics <3
+i go absolutely feral for a bit of a flirty competition. like this whole who knows Shakespeare plays better bit is 10/10
+awkward banter>>>
+bea grew on me. at first i thought she was a little annoying but then i realized she’s just trying her best and is confused
+let’s go therapy!! we love therapy!!
+so proud of the little actress!!!
+such a fun ending im satisfied with it
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Cons:
-sooooo awkward. like i get home schooled nerdy is a thing but like is it this bad irl? she literally rattled off scientific elements to calm her nerves. it just seems a bit cliche
-enemies too lovers is not as fun when them being “enemies” is from a miscommunication when they first met like wdym??? they’re just being silly. specifically bea who is sometimes just nasty to him because she’s scared and confused (tho it is relatable LMAO)
-the token mean girl is alive and well in this for no reason
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This book was a bit silly at times but it was so much fun especially for giant nerds like me. i literally stayed up until 4 am reading it because i couldn’t put down all the chaos and shenanigans! definitely a good ya romance with a relatable main character that grows on you and a love interest that loves to tease and challenge her. makes me jealous that i never had a summer camp coming of age experience!!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved to see the subtle development in Bea’s character and the blossoming emotions and experiences she’s had. Each character was wonderfully detailed and left me loving them all! The development between Bea and Nik left me in anticipation throughout the entire book, wondering what was going to happen between them next, and i was pleasantly satisfied with the ending, but of course, this book left me wanting more of Bea and Nik! I loved the game between Nik and Bea, and loved even more the way the author emphasizes that friendships aren’t always built on agreements and support, sometimes it has to be built on support, honesty, and sometimes arguing, something th author highlights perfectly. Cannot wait to have a physical copy of this eventually!!

This book slips into the category of “mind-opening but still fun” reads. It was very interesting to see things from the perspective of someone who doesn’t quite agree with the mainstream way of doing things, and see how differences are bridged. It was also interesting to read a book from the perspective of someone whose thought process in general is different from the usual more mainstream kind of thought process. I also quite like that the main character doesn’t just accept everything at face value; when told that certain things are just part of “the teenage experience”, she questions why more often than not. I do have issue with the concept of “the teenage experience”, as if one experience is the true teenage experience. I kind of wish the main character had said something about that more clearly, although the thoughts interspersed here and there were quite insightful and could make for great book club conversations.