The synopsis for this book sounded too good to be true. I mean, a YA enemies-to-lovers romance that takes place at a Shakespearean summer camp? I had an inner feeling that it would fall short somewhere, because I had a hard time imagining a book that could be that good. Here’s the good news—the book exists, and it is as great as it sounds, if not better.

Long Story Short is about Beatrice Quinn, a homeschooled recluse who spends more time with books than in the outside world. She possesses a photographic memory, which caused her to be accepted to Oxford University at the young age of 16. The only issue is that her parents don’t think she’ll be able to handle the pressures that come with moving to another country, which is why they designed the perfect plan—sending her to a Shakespearan summer camp.

From the beginning, the protagonist immediately established herself as a strong-willed, intelligent woman. It’s clear that she has personality, and her narration is both sarcastic and quick-witted. All of the characters, in fact, were incredibly witty, putting the ‘rom’ in ‘romcom’. The banter and dialogue shared between every character was also impeccable, and it was a delight to read it.

The protagonist also has extraordinary character development. Over the course of the book, she learns to step outside of her comfort zone and not shy away from things that typically scare her. There was so much romantic tension between the protagonist and her love interest, and I could feel it radiating off the pages. I don’t often physically react to romance books, but the relationship between Beatrice and Nik had me kicking at the floor.

The setting of the book worked so well for the story. The many difficult steps that came with putting on a play only amplified the plot, and the bonds shared between campers were so familial and sweet. It made me wish that I had a relationship like the ones Beatrice had—both the romantic, and the platonic ones. I cannot say enough good things about this book, but what I can say is that it blew away my expectations in every way possible. It may have even increased my standard for YA romances, which is not something I expected when going into the book. If you find the synopsis intriguing in any way, I highly recommend it. This book will not disappoint.

Loveddd Beatrice and her growth through the book. I did think some parts were a bit unrealistic - if someone was so “antisocial” in a sense for so long, I find it difficult to believe that she would make friends and loosen up among other people so quickly. But nonetheless it was a fun book to read!

I loved this novel, cover to cover! What a great read!!
💚
As a HUGE lover of all things Shakespeare, I absolutely loved reading the lines from the plays as the characters rehearsed and through their "games". All I kept thinking was how much I wished my parents would have sent me to Shakespeare camp when I was that age.
💙
I also love the characters in this novel. Our protagonist is beautifully crafted and developed, as are each of her friends she meets along the way.
💜
I highly recommend this one!

I know nothing about theater but I do enjoy Shakespeare and for that, I’m glad I gave this book a shot! It was just the right amount of funny and had the added bonus of being more than just a rom-com as Beatrice learns what it means to actually live.

The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Beatrice Quinn. Fun fact, we find out her middle name is Joanna which is my first name so I love it. Haha! She is quirky and highly smart. She also prefers studying and books over people. I mean, who can blame her? I don’t know about the studying but I would much prefer to read a book than socialize! Beatrice is a relatable teen who has a hard time with the task of socializing/understanding people. I liked seeing her growth throughout the book and understanding what it means to have a life outside of her usual routine. It’s a big part of the book and I loved every minute of it!

Since Beatrice was homeschooled, she doesn’t have a friend. From a past experience, it hasn’t been easy to trust others either. She does find two close friends at camp, Nolan and Mia, and they are great! They help get Beatrice out of her shell and push her to try new things. I did like that even though they wanted her to try having a new wardrobe they also didn’t want her to change who she was. I honestly think that would be hard to do with how stubborn she is, ha.

This is a rom-com after all and with that comes a blossoming relationship. If you like enemies-to-lovers then this one is for you! There banter is laugh-out-loud which is something I actually did. I also made the shocked faced more than once as I couldn’t believe what Beatrice was saying! She is a firecracker. The relationship is slow to bloom but I liked that. It showed them getting to know each other and trying to understand the other person, which is especially hard for Beatrice to do.

Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable read! I liked seeing Beatrice grow and learn what it means to have friends and try new experiences. If you don’t have this one on your radar, I’d highly recommend it!

I can’t remember the last time I was able to—or made time to—finish a book in one day. I couldn’t put this one down. There was something about Bea that was so adorably disarming, and Nik was a heartstopper from the jump. The ending was just *mwah* chef’s kiss!

Let’s back up to the writing: I’m not going to say one of those, “Oh my gosh—I can’t believe this is a debut!” sort of comments. (And can we normalize not expecting debuts to be subpar, please? At least for a budding and hopeful author like me?) But, I will say, the author’s ability to make tangible the insecurities and observations and feelings of our beloved MC was seemingly the work of a seasoned author. There was so much imagery and so much humor—I LOLed through this entire book.

I loved it. I loved Mia and Nolan, and eventually, I loved Shelby. But mostly I loved the lesson this book teaches that sometimes, it’s ok to go a little off book or to admit that you don’t have everything fully figured out yet.

I’m looking forward to more from this author.

Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor was an absolute joy to read. The secondary characters were so confident and excited to be experiencing life in a place where their passion was centered. It made quite a contrast to our protagonist, Bea, who definitely had some social and anxiety issues to work through. I loved all the characters, except maybe for the twin sister who took out her frustration on the person least able to deal with her.
I would definitely recommend this book to all my students, but especially those who struggle with social situations and like to hide behind constant familiarity. The anxiety was so authentic, I just wanted to hug the little protagonist and give her courage to keep moving forward, even when it was so difficult.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Wow! When I read the blurb, I was immediately interested in this book. I mean it had a theatre camp, a list to complete and Shakespeare! But I didn’t expect to fall so completely in love with this novel. Our protagonist, Bea, was great lead! She was so snarky and had such a dry sense of humour. She made me laugh so much throughout the story. It was also beautiful to watch her grow and learn to step out of her comfort and try new things. The friends she made at camp were equally amazing. Mia and Nolan were the friends that Bea needed and I loved how they supported and loved her no matter what. They knew when to push her and when they needed to let her come to a decision on her own. Their friendship was wonderfully written!

Now, let’s talk about Nik. I don’t even know where to start. The banter between him and Bea was everything I wanted. I couldn’t stop smiling whenever the two would get lost in their own world and start going back and forth with each other. The lake scene was one of my favourites. And the Shakespeare-off😭I loved that so much!

Overall, I just had so much fun with this book. It had everything you could want in a YA novel: young love, humour and adventure. This would be a perfect read for the summer🥰

(A review will be posted on my bookstagram closer to the release date🤗)

Long Story Short; Serena Kaylor
5/5 stars

Where do I even start? This book was fantastic. I mean, debut YA authors are really upping their game.

Did I already mention I adored this book? Well, let me say it again: WOW. I couldn't take a breath. 
It took a few chapters for our main character, Bea, to meet her love interest, Nik, but it was well worth the wait. I was gasping for air as a result of their banter and tension. Normally, in enemies to lovers, the boy always has a snarky remark and the girl almost never has a retort, but Miss Beatrice Quinn was so sharp, sarcastic, and feisty... It was fantastic.

Bea is a one-of-a-kind character considering that I've never read about a shy, brainiac who is so sarcastic. She made me laugh out loud every time, and her views were always incredibly realistic for a 17-year-old girl establishing new acquaintances and having a crush.

 Nik was everything. He was caustic and, in Nolan's words, "Hot." The chemistry and tension between him and Bea...UNREAL.

Of course, I couldn't leave out Mia and Nolan. I can't convey how much I adored them. Their bond with Bea was pure and completely lovely. It was amazing.

Everything about this book was 5 stars, from the environment to the people to the romance to the Shakespeare offs. I wish it never ended.

This is the story about an intelligent, socially challenged, funny, snarky girl and how, with the help of new friends, she steps out of her comfort zone to try new experiences and redefines herself while still keeping true to who she is at her core.

I really enjoyed this fun and witty story. The novel is dialogue heavy (which I like) and very funny. I smiled and laughed through most of it. When I wasn’t smiling I was stressed out. You could really feel Bea’s emotions. From the very beginning, I fell in love with Beatrice. She just has a way of pulling you in. And the chemistry between her and her two new best friends is wonderful. This is a very quick read as it is hard to put down. I would read more by this author.

I would recommend this book to Shakespeare fans, theater geeks, and to people who enjoy YA romance or coming-of-age novels.

Thank you Net Galley and Wednesday Books for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.

#NetGalley #LongStoryShort

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Beatrice Quinn is in a pickle. She’s been accepted to Oxford University at 16 years old, but her parents don’t want her to go. As a socially awkward kid who’s been homeschooled and doesn’t really have friends, Beatrice might be asking too much to move to another country without her parents… But after coming to an agreement to attend a Shakespeare acting summer camp for a month as a trial run with conditions such as making friends, pulling pranks, and other important teenage milestones, Bea embarks on a journey of friendships and coming-of-age experiences to discover herself, who she is, and who she will become.

I loved everything about this book (except Shelby, at first), and it was such a cute story. I need friends like Mia and Nolan in my life, please. I’m also not a fan of Shakespeare, mostly because I still don’t understand it, but I liked that this story revolved around it and made it bearable to read.

Will definitely be purchasing this book when it comes out July 26, 2022!

The first time one was the first one of his wytoeytwytwytqytq last night and she had to her face with a smirk on his forehead to kiss the cheek to

"Long Story Short", exceeded the majority of my expectations. It was so heartfelt and made me as a reader feel so heard and represented. Being able to relate to Beatrice enhanced my opinions and thoughts while reading. The theme of us determining our own worth and accepting ourselves is something that I need to learn more about, and this book helped me. Following along on Beatrice's self-journey made me want to start my own. Serena Kaylor should be immensely proud of herself for writing this. Congratulations on this being your first published book, I cant wait to see what's next!

Sweetest characters, perfectly developed enemies to lovers theme, smart, sarcastic banters and events take place in Shakespearean summer camp! Of course I’m in!

There are few words to define this book: cute, sweet, genuine, smart and PERFECTLY ADORABLE!

Especially the main character, super intelligent, 16 years old math prodigy Beatrice steals your heart from the beginning. It’s so easy to root for her. For most of her life, she’s homeschooled and now she get accepted to Oxford. But her parents have some hesitations to send their little girl: she had limited interactions with her peers throughout her short life so she has to prove them she can make some friends, involving into social circles by attending an acting program of Shakespeare theater camp.

She takes this as a challenge and she accepts to join the camp to prove her parents she may improve her social skills. Thankfully a bunch of eclectic theater kids who were long attending the camp help her to survive at her new surroundings.

Bea realizes there is more to learn about real people in her own than she learned from her books. And let’s forget Nolan factor: the gorgeous and popular son of the camp founders who gives hard time to her heart and hormones.

Their interactions, banters are extremely sweet, entertaining. I loved how the author developed enemies to lovers troupe between those adorable characters.

This book was so much more than I expected! It’s sincere! It’s fun! It’s from the heart! It deserves my five Shakespearean, admirable young adult stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

“What must it be like to feel so confident in your own skin that wearing another person’s seemed like nothing at all?”

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.

“Long Story Short” follows Beatrice as she embarks on a Shakespearian summer camp adventure in order to show her parents she’s mature enough to move to another continent in order to attend the university of her dreams. Branching out from a to-do list, she makes friends, breaks rules, and, surprisingly, has some fun in the process.

I found Bea’s inner voice to be very engaging and I absolutely loved the friendships she built as she broke out of her shell. Mia and Nolan were the perfect summer camp friends, and they kind of made me reminisce all the friends I made in summer camps when I was younger. Slow-burn crushes usually aren’t my favorite, but I must say I enjoyed this one very much.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes nerdy YA novels, because oh- does this book get down and nerdy about Shakespeare. But really, you don’t have to know much about Shakespeare to enjoy this book (take it from me, I’ve only really read Twelfth Night and I still thoroughly enjoyed this book). Do not hesitate to pre-order this book, so you’ll get it as soon as it’s published. You will not regret it.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

p.s. Nik is essentially Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, and I was there for it.

I am in love with the characters of Mia and Nolan! Theater kids are a unique breed and these characters are no exception. They seem real and true, and even the bitchy one is believable. Bea has a real Amy Farah Fowler vibe to her and I love her for it. I look forward to this book coming out and will definitely be ordering it for our collection.

this was a really nice and comforting read. it didn't bring anything new to the reading table, but it was nice to just cozy up and read this generally good book.

I absolutely loved this book. I love how it’s an enemies to lovers book and I just felt like I was able to relate to the main character Beatrice on such a personal level. I feel like this would be such a great summer read since it takes place at a summer camp

An adorable YA romance that combines so many of my favorite things: a genius female MC, a coming of age, plays, many comedic moments, and a sweet leading man! When a girl genius has to go to acting camp to prove to her parents she can make friends and survive going to college at 16, we follow Bea as she finds out new things about herself, makes some amazing friends, and has a bit of an enemies to lovers with the leading guy at camp. An easy, hilarious read that comes out July 26th 2022!

This is one of those books that makes you feel so nostalgic about being 16, summer memories, and going away to camp (before remembering you never actually went to summer camp!). Serena Kaylor's Long Story Short was one of the most wholesome, feel-good books I read all year. It's not easy to make every character in a book likable, but the author pulled it off. From our protagonist Bea with her endearing overthinking brain to Mia and Nolan, who are just the absolute best friends ever to Nik, the love interest, whose journey with Bea was quite the ride. I wasn't a theater kid, but I still had such a fun time reading this one. I imagine actual theater kids and Shakespeare fans will adore it. If you're in need of a good summer read, pick this book up! And psst Netflix, we're gonna need a movie adaptation of this one.

When I saw the words Rom Com that takes place at theatre camp I knew that I had to read this book and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed all aspects of this book. The characters were super developed and I loved getting to know all of them and getting to live in the world of Shakespeare summer camp for a few hours. I also liked how the plot, while definitely had aspects of a stereotypical rom com, also consistently surprised me. Overall a fun and fresh read that I had such a good time reading.