How to Date a Superhero isn't the usual superhero book. It is a romance story set in a world where superheroes exist. And Astrid, our narrator, happens to be dating one. Overall, I liked the premise and the story. The characters are a little flat. Astrid's story revolves around her schedules, while David and Max are just kind of there despite being her best friend and boyfriend. But, I think it's still a cute rom-com that does exactly what you expect when you read the title. It's an easy read that gives a new perspective on superhero stories that is maybe a little more relatable.

When I first saw the premise of this book, I was intrigued. After spending hours of my life watching the Avengers movies, it was intriguing to read a book set in a similar world-- one where superheroes exist and function right along with the rest of us. Astrid, our main character, is dating a superhero. Except at first, she doesn't know he's a superhero. And once she finds out, her whole world is turned upside down.

I really wanted to like this book, but it was just an okay one for me. For one thing, Astrid is annoying. Her boyfriend is out here risking his life and saving the world, and all she can think about is herself. She's also very obnoxious, and not really all that nice to her only friend. Or her boyfriend. She tries to play it off as being "quirky" but she's just a brat. Max deserves better.

#netgalleyarc Cute YA story. This carries a Spider-Manesque vibe but isn’t based on that story. There’s a lot of time jumps so you have to pay attention to the chapter titles to follow where the story is. The characters are likable and entertaining. A decent story overall.

This was okay! I think the time jumps confused me because they weren't super obvious. I know Americans use "freshman" and "sophomore" and have them mean different things, but for the rest of us, it was a bit of a struggle to keep up. David was the best character hands-down, and I wish he'd gotten his own book. The two main characters weren't as fleshed out as I would have liked to see, but what this book could have really benefited from was more world-building and more establishing the universe it's set in.

Good for reluctant older readers (16 and up absolutely) who are marvel or dc obsessed.

Such a cute book! Although I felt a little sleepy with it in the middle, the turmoil that is Astrid's premed college career is absolutely heart-wrenching, stressful, and highly relatable even if you aren't in that field. A wonderful book with characters that could be fleshed out a bit more, in particular Max, but it's still a rollercoaster read that I recommend to someone in need of an escape... or a little bit of relatability when taking on too many tasks, classes, etc.
I truthfully still enjoyed it for what it was, nothing spectacular, but a fun read!

This was a fun and easy read. Astrid, the main character, can be a little cringy at times, but I think that’s what makes her so relatable. I appreciate the time skips and the fact that the book is dealing with college-aged kids. It reads like a slightly elevated fan-fiction, which is great if you just want an entertaining story.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel! 3/5 stars.

This is a really cute romcom set in a world where superheroes are just the norm. No one bats an eye at busses falling off of bridges and being saved by some kid in spandex who has the ability to fly and super strength. Or any of the other heroes OR villains with comical, superhero comic names like Kid Comet and Dr. Proton. And they were spandex, brightly colored suits. But our MC doesn't have superpowers (although, her crippling anxiety and uncanny sense of time could probably be considered one) but she finds out her boyfriend does. Thus landing herself in a group akin to bootcamp for significant others of superheroes...where they learn a variety of things...including how to get out of handcuffs.

This was entertaining to read. Even without much of a plot besides Astrid's crippling anxiety and her dealing with suddenly being part of a superhero's world, it was still cute. But yeah, it was definitely coming-of-age without a plot. Also, the characters are in college but they seem VERY much like young high schoolers. Max and Astrid are really cute though, so it's okay.

I loved the alternate universe setting but wishes there had been more substance or contest given to how people react to this type of world. I felt like author just wanted to give random information here and there without providing a more cohesive sense of what it was like there. But I liked the concept of this book and will read the next one.

I loved this book!! Astrid is such a relatable character, with her anxiety surrounding school and being the best she can be. I loved watching her grow throughout the novel, seeing her adapt to new information and expand as a human. I loved the flawless LGBTQ+ inclusivity the author incorporated into the surrounding characters. I wish the plot had been a little more developed, but otherwise, this was an excellent read.

How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) is a sweet coming-of-age romcom about the perils of dating a crime fighter. Perfect for fans of My Hero Academia.

A fun premise, this superhero romance is perfect for Marvel fans with an equal interest in romcoms and contemporary romance.

I’ve seen this labeled as YA, but I feel it’s really for the new adult crowd as it explores college life. While Fernandez gives us a world full of heroes and villains, the Marvel-esque world is the backdrop to what is really a coming of age story about self-discovery and healing.

While I really loved the fresh premise and appreciated the unique storytelling in the familiar and favorite tropes superhero fiction brings, this was a hard read for me. The style of writing just wasn’t for me. It’s told in third person, present tense POV, and it just read a little weird.

I don’t feel the chosen writing style worked for the story the author was trying to tell. I think it would have been better if it was told in first person, especially since this is more of a character driven story. It would have made the reading experience a lot smoother and easier to connect with. But this reflects more on my personal preferences than the story itself. I think it is important to note, though.

Overall, I think this is a book worth exploring for its fun premise, though it’s not at the top of my recommendations.

Thank you to Harper Collins, Katherine Teagan Books and Netgalley who provided a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.

This book had no business being this fun. Astrid is scheduled so tightly, and she just genuinely does not have time to attend superhero partner support group on top of everything else. Honestly, I just loved this. The characters were fun and approachable. I wasn't pre-med, but I definitely had a similar level of self-important scheduling like Astrid. Also, for such a fantastical premise, the action and tensions are incredibly well grounded. For anyone who is a fan of the superhero genre already, listening to partners talk about the awkward of being left at the top of a bridge for 3 hours scratches an itch I didn't know I had.

A funny, breezy “superheroes in the real world” read, along the lines of The Extraordinaries or Heroine Complex. Main character Astrid somehow manages to be likable despite also being almost annoyingly single-minded, and her particular journey in terms of mental health and finding a purpose is well-drawn and relatable. Further, while the side characters might be a bit tropey and not entirely well-rounded, they fill out the cast nicely. The pacing was a bit odd (sometimes things felt somewhat repetitive in terms of Astrid’s thoughts/activities - “I have a million things to do, I’m exhausted, I’ll sleep later,” etc), the investigation element wasn’t particularly invested in or difficult to solve, some of the issues brought up didn't necessarily feel settled, and the climactic battle/hero moment scene went by a bit too fast to feel significant, but the writing is solid and fun, with a bit of that AO3 modern AU tone to it (a positive for me, but ymmv).

Astrid and her class, while on a field trip had a school bus incident, where they were saved from certain death by the superhero Kid Comet. It was then that she realized, she didn't have time to waste and she started her life long plan for college and ultimately medical school. Schedules become her religion and she will sacrifice all to keep them. One night a supervillain breaks into her bedroom, and her boyfriend, clumsy high school friend, Max Martin, saves her. He's a superhero. But even worse, she now has significant other superhero support group and training, to fit into her packed premed schedule.

Why I started this book: I requested this book from netgalley months ago, and then didn't start reading immediately because the publication date was so far in the future... my mistake. This book went from something fun to read, to something I had to read and I rebelled against myself. I finally set a goal this month to read and review all my Netgalley titles.

Why I finished it: I read it in one sitting and was late to an appointment because I couldn't stop reading. Fernandez has captured the joy, pain and scheduling necessities of college when long term goals are so dependent on the paper, test and problem sets of this week's homework. I loved her understated writing style and humor... but judging from others' review its not for everyone. Astrid is slowly falling apart during the book, but stubbornly refuses to quit... or ask for more help. She's convinced with a little more effort, a more detailed and highlighted planner she can save everything. Same girl, same. Such a fun story, and I look forward to more books by Fernandez.

I really wanted to like this, but it was kind of boring and too similar to every other superhero book. Sorry:(

3/5 stars for How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying)

I really did not enjoy this book. The whole plot just jumped around a lot. I wished there was more storytelling instead of information just being handed to me. More character development would have been nice too. It was just so blah, like no good buildup. It fell flat. Something a little more, more drama or romance would have been great to really bring this book up. Sorry for such a depressing review.

Thank you Net Galley for this advanced copy!

I want to start this review by saying a quick thank you to the publishers over at Katherine Tegan Books and NetGalley for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) is a New Adult book about what life might be like if suddenly you find out the guy you’ve been dating is a superhero. Astrid might not be a superhero like the people she sees on the news, but her not so super-superpower is her sense of time. And all of her time is accounted for with her multiple planners and calendars because it has to be. Being pre-med gives her no other choice. But chaos is brought into her life the day she finds out about her boyfriend’s secret identity as Kid Comet. Can Astrid find a way to deal with all the things being a superhero’s girlfriend entails? How do you even schedule in a kidnapping? How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) comes out on August 2nd and is available for pre-order now.

There is so much to love about this superhero story. I love that we’re seeing it from an outsider’s perspective and not the superhero’s. And I love that Astrid really tries to make it work once she knows Max’s big secret. But juggling pre-med with self-defense classes is hard work. I thought the author did a great job making the focus of the story Astrid and making sure the reader never forgot. I feel like a lot of superhero stories/supernatural creature stories make the other person fawn all over them and Astrid isn’t like that. She loves her boyfriend, but Kid Comet is just a guy to her. But don’t get me wrong, I still loved Max as a character. I think he’s such a sweet guy and you get to see him come into his own during a particularly fast paced fight scene. I just love that it’s about Astrid and how she copes and her struggle to decide if this relationship is worth everything she has to go through or if she should focus more on her academic career. We also get some side characters who are great and I would love whole side stories about. Particularly the adults in her life who try to help her once she does find out she’s dating a superhero.

I struggled a bit in this one with Astrid herself. I think she’s a bit of an unlikeable character. You don’t have to like a character to like a story, but I felt like she dragged it down in rating a bit for me. I know she has her perfect sense of time but it results in a little of things that would make me anxious. Like practically planning her whole life down to the second and never being flexible when things pop up. This was her main flaw throughout the novel, but at times it kind of drove me crazy. And her reaction post-fight scene made me want to throw my tablet across the room. It makes sense with the story and gives us a bitter sweet moment a few chapters later, but at the time it was frustrating. I also don’t feel like the final conflict in the story got fully explained. I wish there had been a couple more pages there.

Overall, I think this is a great debut novel from a pretty young author. Especially given that the story is told in two timelines. It’s a fast read that bridges the gap between YA and New Adult. Perfect for people who are tired of all the usual superhero stories.

There wasn’t a lot of action in a book meant to be about superheroes. That being said, the characters were cute and sweet and the story was fun and easy to follow. For a debut novel, I think the author did very well!

Astrid is in her sophomore year of college working on her premed courses to someday become a doctor. It's not that she really wants to be a doctor but more that she feels she needs to really do something with her life after she almost died in high school when a supervillain attacked her school bus.

Yup. That's right. Supervillain. In this alternate universe New York, superheroes and villains are everywhere and just a part of life.

When Astrid is kidnapped by a villain from her dorm room, Kid Comet saves her from a fate worse than death and just admits that he's really Max Martin, her boyfriend and the clumsy guy she's known since high school.

Now Astrid must add in to her very busy schedule time for The Program, which is designed to teach the significant others of superheroes how to survive all things that may happen to them when (not if) they are kidnapped.

If she can't find some balance in her life, Astrid may not survive college let alone the murderous rage of a supervillain intent on revenge.

Final thoughts: The idea of this alternate universe is cool. I would love to see how people who are in the world of the Avengers deal with all of the new complications in life. Unfortunately, this story is more about Astrid's personal issues dealing with time, planning, and over-scheduling. Some interesting ideas but just not enough world building for me.

Rating: 3/5

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Who ever said dating a superhero was easy? Astrid isn’t a superhero, she works relentless and is currently a premed student. Her schedule and life is packed with school and spending time with her best friend David and her nerdy but sweet boyfriend Max. Max, who is constantly flaking out on things, disappearing, and hiding something... and when a villain tries to kidnap her, Max Martin, the guy she’s known since high school and is currently dating, saves her... in his superhero persona. Astrid is then thrust into the world of superheroes, she has to take actual classes on what it’s like dating a superhero, how to survive attacks, and prep for situations. Astrid doesn’t have time for this, juggling her school work, her lab work, extracurriculars, all in the hopes of going to med school... and now she’s just found out the one person she thought she knew is a superhero and she has to take on more classes. Astrid will have to find a way to balance regular school life with dating a superhero... but things start piling on and the question is can Astrid handle the pressure or is it time to let go of Max? This was a great look on the pressures of dating a superhero, we all ask ourselves how these love interests do it, from Lois Lane with Superman to Spiderman and Mary Jane, how do regular people end up dating superheroes and have their entire lives upend, with the constant threat of villains, or being kidnapped or killed and busy work schedules?? Astrid’s struggles are relatable and she knows she loves Max, but is love enough to make it through all the difficulties or will their relationship work despite everything. The story jumps back and forth between high school Max and Astrid and college Max and Astrid, with how they first met, how they fell in love, and how they are now. This was a wonderful read for fans of romance and superhero stories!

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, Katherine Tegen Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*