I want to start by thanking the publisher for giving the opportunity to read and review this arc. I love Casey McQuiston, but this book just did not do it for me. I really liked the concept, but the book was a little too choppy for me. It also tried to pack way too much into one book. It was cute but I found it kind of tiresome to read and just wanting it to be done.

This is the southern queer mystery coming of age we've all been waiting for, 5⭐️

Summary- Chloe wants to be valedictorian of her strict evangelical high school and wants to beat Shara Wheeler fair and square to get there. But Shara kissed her and disappeared- and if she's not there to come in second, then what was the POINT of their ridiculously competitive academic rivalry? Chloe follows clues with Shara's boyfriend and also her neighbor that show her more about Shara, herself, and the school as a whole.

It's giving Paper Towns vibes but it's BETTER. The mystery is so good, the character development is an utter delight, there's little moments that are just so genuine and heartbreaking about the baby gay experience in the south.

I think Chloe is supposed to be an unlikeable narrator or just supposed to be an intensely annoying teenager, but I think I liked the other characters more than her for a large part of the book.

The chapters are intercut with documents- notes between people, meeting minutes, unfinished assignments, that sort of thing- to help bring more of the characters to life or explain some back story. I love the details. It feels super similar to the documents about Jane worked in One Last Stop, or the emails in Red White and Royal Blue, but in the moment I didn't think about it and it didn't feel repetitive.

Overall, can't recommend it enough. I hope high schoolers get the chance to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest review

I wish there had been LGBTQ stories like this when I was young-it's a fun YA romance that talks about queer issues in a honest way and is full of great characters.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler has all the fun rom-com we expect from Casey McQuiston and so much more! Cheeky humor? Check! Love story with a slight problemo? Check! A senior class finding out that their classmates are not that different than them and maybe they can work together to help each other be their happiest, authentic selves? I'm not crying, it's allergies. This is such an enjoyable read. Highly recommend to all!

4.5 stars rounded up

A wonderful queer YA romantic comedy that is really more about teenagers recognizing who they are and who other people are.

Chloe Green and her two moms moved to False Beach Alabama where Chloe started at Willowgrove Academy, a conservative Christian high school, where she’s seen as “the weird queer girl from LA”. There has only ever been one out student at Willowgrove, Chloe’s mom, Valerie.

Chloe and the most popular girl at the school (and daughter of the principal), beautiful Shara Wheeler are competing for valedictorian. So when Shara kisses Chloe and disappears after prom, Chloe feels obliged to find her so she can win conclusively. Following a trail of clues and puzzles planted by Shara, Chloe and new friends QB Smith (Shara’s boyfriend) and rebel Rory (Shara’s neighbor who has a crush on her) try to track her down. But Shara isn’t just trying to be found, she is also showing her true self and wants these three to see that too.

High school is a time where children turn into young adults and the influences of their families, communities, and peers can start to clash with who they feel they are themselves. Willowgrove is beautifully drawn as a school where “shame is a way of life”, and Shara has lit a fuse that will result in an explosion of identity recognition.

It’s not just about how Chloe sees herself, but also about how Chloe sees other people. Being the cool kid from California, she has found her people but never looked beyond them, dismissing the other students as willingly stuck in the mold that the school creates for them. It is only with Shara’s oblique assistance that other people, even her own friends, come into focus for Chloe.

Though the novel tips a nod to John Green’s Paper Towns plot wise, I found the writing and style of it to be happily reminiscent of both Maggie Thrash’s We Know It Was You and Stephanie Tromly’s Trouble series: a little weird, definitely quirky, and stylized without losing its touch with reality. Most enjoyable and highly recommended.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

After reading Casey McQuiston's last two books, which ended up being personal favorites of mine, I could not wait to read this one.

This one is a Young Adult book and it is very well written. I didn't love this one as much as the other two but it was still fantastic! Very happy about the different LGBTQ+ representation.

A 3.5 rounded to 4 stars. McQuiston delivers another solid LGBT story with a variety of characters and a bit of a mystery with sexuality at it's center. I enjoyed this one more than One Last Stop but not as much as Red, White and Royal Blue. I felt that IKSW was a bit more on the YA side with lots of teenage banter and none of the spiciness seen in her other books. Overall, the story was fast paced and I loved the self discovery journey that many of the characters go on. I struggled a bit getting into the high school scene but I'm pretty sure that has more to do with me being older and not the book itself. If you've enjoyed her others, I think you'll enjoy this one too, just know that you're not getting the steam that you might be expecting.

Not quite what I expected from this one. Title character very much a "Gone Girl" vibe that I hated. However, I loved some of the other characters figuring out their sexuality/gender throughout the book and learning to be comfortable in their skin. Not too many books show the journey without it being TrAuMaTiC so that was nice.

Another great read from Casey McQuiston (Red, White, and Royal Blue). Though it doesn’t involve suicide, it did remind me of 13 Reasons Why, as high school student Chloe searches her small Alabama town for clues to where her arch nemesis may be. Secrets are spilled and unlikely relationships are formed in this story filled with great YA LGBTQ characters.

If you liked John Green’s Paper Towns…. this is better (and to be clear, I love Paper Towns)! The mystery, the clues, the forming of unlikely aliens, the perfect queer representation! Aside from being an absolute joy of a book that I would recommend to anyone - I Kissed Shara Wheeler reminded me so much of my experience being the queer outsider at my little Christian school in Texas that it was almost uncomfortable to read - but I LOVED this book. Representation matters and I hope this book finds its way into the hands of all the kids who feel like they don’t belong within these kinds of schools across the south (and beyond).

This book was so much fun. From the very beginning, I was absolutely gripped by the plot. I think where Casey McQuiston shines is in her ability to write realistic, loveable, characters who leap off of the page. I'm so excited for finished copies of this to come out and to recommend it to everyone I meet.

First off, I absolutely loved One Last Stop by this same author. McQuiston is a great LGBTQ writer, full stop. If you’re here for her, read no further; this book will suit your needs perfectly.

As far as the book itself - being YA, this has a bit of a different feel than McQuiston’s previous works. The first few chapters definitely require some suspension of disbelief, which is fine for this genre. It’s a little odd, after all, that a teenage girl about to graduate high school can go missing and there’s no immediate uproar - but again, it’s YA.

The characters, though, is where this book shines. You have your standard YA group of misfit and non-misfit friends, but each of them is great in their own way. Chloe is fun and very relatable on many levels, especially to any LGBTQ teen reading (as I myself was, a few decades removed now). I really appreciated her voice, as well as her humor to the entire situation.

I can genuinely say I enjoyed this book, and I truly wish it had existed when I was a teenager. I loved the easy gay-ness of so many characters, the cheesy nerdiness, the genuine friendships - everything fit together so well. This is a book I will definitely recommend for LGBTQ youth and will likely reread myself once it comes through my library.

Casey McQuiston took me right back to high school, where the feelings are big and complicated and you start to see the world from a perspective that is a little bigger than your own viewpoint. I loved how real every character felt (main and side) and how so many may have seemed stereotypical but all had hidden depths. I loved how they solved Shara's clues and how that turned out to be a springboard for bigger things. This was a book that was tough for me to put down! I would recommend it to teens and adults and I'm thankful to NetGalley for the e-ARC!

“And if who you are is a snarling little Pomeranian with eyes like fire, then that’s who you are, darling.”
— 𝙄 𝙆𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙧, Casey McQuiston

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Okay let me preface this by saying I really had high hopes, and while I did enjoy this book as a whole, it also wasn’t a five star read. I’m of the opinion that 𝙍𝙚𝙙, 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 & 𝙍𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙡 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 is GOD TIER, and while McQuiston is undoubtedly extremely talented, her subsequent two novels have a lot to live up and, unfortunately, have fallen just short of the mark for me. This was one of those.

This book was genuinely hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud soooo many times, and that made it enjoyable. I also loved the Paper Town/Gone Girl-esque mystery aspect of this one. Wondering where the next clue was going to come from. Waiting to find out where Shara was. In the end, we did get answers to all of our questions and I thought it wrapped up nicely.

Now for the less-than-enjoyable parts: Chloe. And Shara. Both of these girls were maddening, and not in a good way. The side characters really made this book for me. Smith, Rory, Georgie, Benjy, Ash, Ace. I loved all of them. Unfortunately, the story was told from Chloe’s POV and revolved around Shara lol. ALSO it really dragged in the back half for me 😬

there’s something about this book that weighs at my heart. maybe it’s chloe, with her ambition and her care and her obsession and her will. maybe it’s shara, maybe it’s how she’s infuriating, her slyness and little pink notes and lilac scent and sleek façade. or maybe it’s the union of three victims of shara’s lips, of chloe’s angst and rory’s subtle longing and smith’s hesitancy and love for frogs. it’s all of this, it’s the comfort of others and the commitment to closeness and anger at unjustness. and it’s the permission to exist. it’s feeling suffocated in a small town, it’s being who you were meant to be quietly, softly, speaking up to those you who dear. and damn. it really, truly is everything. is anybody surprised that casey once again captured my heart, maybe this time more than ever?

i can’t write about this book, not properly. it feels wrong to just mention it’s an academic rivals to lovers, though i loved shara and chloe’s tension. more, it’s so much about love and finding yourself, it hurts. it’s a culmination of growing up. of a shared understanding of queerness, no matter how quietly your pride extends. there are so many scenes that just feel so close to me, and it was just so, unbelievably messy, in only the way a perfect ya book can be. one of my favorite things about casey mcquiston is in all of their books, things almost are beyond belief, and there’s a sense of suspension. (obviously one last stop has magical elements lol but you know what i mean!) there are so many antics and so much risk and so much chaos in the lives of our main characters that i loved. and also it’s just… the side characters?? how can i feel so closely to the way casey writes them is beyond me. i laughed so hard, y’all.

reading this book in high school myself is such an experience unlike any other ya book, because it’s casey mcquiston, my favorite romance author, and yet she tones it down, and in a way, this is a book that just feels.. for me?? and i hope others reading it feel that way too. i felt listened to, it honestly made me lonely, made me ache, and laugh, and why the hell am i like this? why does smith’s endless heart make me want to be somebody. smith, shara’s boyfriend and football player but also flowers in his hair creative gorgeous person. out of all the side characters, smith meant the most to me, because even though smith isn’t even the main character, that kind of endless love he describes is what i took away from this book, i think. you see it in rory (softy bad boy yearning), in georgia (chloe’s best friend and also cottagecore/forestcore lesbian), in smith, obviously, in shara even, and in chloe, in chloe’s ambition and need to be something. chloe, never really feeling at home in a small alabama town after moving from california, and finding that maybe she isn’t alone. the love in this book extends so far.

and in light of this, i also really think this book does a very strong job of incorporating religious trauma. the majority of characters in this book are, in fact, queer. and, simultaneously, this book is set in a small town at a religious high school where they can get expelled for being queer, where, even though chloe puts up a strong face and has the support of her two moms, is not exempt. of how these are characters who grew up being told queerness is wrong, characters who, no matter how much they’ve grown, still have internalized a lot of the hate they’ve faced. it’s not a problem to be fixed, it’s just something that does affect how they interact, how their queerness isn’t necessarily pride flags and coming out statements, but glittery makeup, and hugs, and the closeness of a community. this book is about finding your people, about the unexpected moments and the endless love and the freedom to be anyone. it’s ambition and so much girlbossing and so much pain, but not lonely. it’s far from lonely.

and, before i cut myself off, this is a romance. it’s a lot more than that, but it was academic rivals to lovers, and the tension was unforgettable. two people fired with hate that they’re all they can think about and it’s just like.. i hate you so much?? you’re driving me mad? yes. that. chloe and shara both are so academically driven, both strive to not be better but be the best, and i also felt that so, so much. chloe’s unapologetic and witty and strong and a bit chaotic at times, but i can’t imagine anybody else at the heart of this story. she honestly was such a force to be reckoned with.

This felt like what would happen if a John Green novel were turned on its head. I loved it! McQuiston always does such a great job of making her novels incredibly atmospheric.

I was excited when Casey announced that their next book would be a YA, but when I found out it was gonna be a saphic rivals to lovers set in a Catholic school, I almost cried.

I am pleased to announce that this book was everything I expected and more. It had amazing friendships, gay theatre nerds, deeply and intricately written characters (I am in love with Shara Wheeler) and most importantly, what might be the best execution of a repressed-homosexuality-rivals-to-lovers I have ever seen. The tension, the angst, the yearning? Absolutely out of this world. Not only that, but it was also beautiful in such a cinematic way, I felt like I was watching a movie or reading a screenplay instead of reading a book. The aesthetic for this one was loud and clear and made the reading experience so much more enjoyable.

Even with the backdrop of a Catholic School and a Conservative town, McQuiston found a way to leave LGBTQ+ teens hopeful up until the last page and built a safe space for teens of all backgrounds. This book, which was definitely written as a love letter to southern queers, left me with nothing but gratitude and a warm heart, even if I am lucky to not have grown up in an environment as foul as the one these characters had to call their home.

All and all, this book was funny, heartfelt, beautifully written and made me more than excited to see everyone else's reactions to it. It comes out on May 3rd, so don't forget to pre-order a copy!

If you liked Paper Towns, you should give this book a read. If you hated Paper Towns, you should still give it a read.

Chloe Green has been competing with Shara Wheeler for years. Shara is the pretty, smart, popular daughter of the principal while Chloe is the strange outsider that moved from LA with her two moms. Did I mention they all attend a private Christian school? As the race for valedictorian heats up, Shara suddenly disappears, but not before kissing 3 different people: her boyfriend Smith, her neighbor Rory, and her competitor Chloe. In Paper Towns fashion, Shara leaves behind clues for all 3 of them to find her. They must work together to solve the mystery of "Where is Shara Wheeler?". Throughout the journey, they all learn more about each other and themselves.

As far as pros of this book, if you are looking for LGBTQ representation then look no further. Every single character is a member of the LGBTQ community. There are non-binary, lesbian, gay, cross-dressing, and everything else you can imagine. Not my cup of tea but I'm sure there are plenty of people who will appreciate it. I did appreciate the love and support that was shown throughout the book for everyone. No matter their age, gender, or sexual orientation, everyone treated each other as equals and didn't display hatred. The characters' journeys of self-discovery are very well done, even if the means to get there were a little far-fectched. Everyone figures out who they are and what they like about themselves.

Now for the cons. I can't say I disliked this book because I didn't. However, it was highly unbelievable and far-fetched. First of all, what are the odds that a private Christian school in the south would have that high of an LGBTQ concentration? Maybe I'm out of touch but that just seemed really unlikely. Secondly, the whole idea of the top contender for valedictorian just dipping out for the last month of school to send her competitor on a scavenger hunt was pretty bogus. I hate to keep comparing it to Paper Towns but the likeness is unavoidable. This had a better ending though. If you are looking for pure entertainment that you don't have to put a lot of thought into, this book is for you. If you prefer a deeper read, you may want to give this one a pass.

Chloe Green is not supposed to live in Alabama; however, when her grandmother becomes ill, her moms decide to move there from California to take care of her. When Chloe's grandmother dies, her moms decide that it is best for her to stay and finish high school at Willowgrove Christian Academy. Chloe knows that she does not fit into the world of evangelical Christianity in small town Alabama given that she is bi and is the child of lesbians, With her close circle of friends, Chloe finds herself in the final months of high school when Willowgrove's golden girl, Shara Wheeler, disappears, Chloe decides she needs to figure out where Shara has gone. Chloe finds herself teamed up with Smith and Rory, both of whom were also kissed by Shara in the days leading up to her disappearance. Through a series of notes on pink stationery left around town, Chloe, Smith, and Rory start to put the pieces together and not only discover the truth about Shara and Willowgrove, but they also discover the truth about themselves. A sweet and sometimes sad story of figuring out who you are, what you need, and where you truly belong.

I really loved this book. Casey can do no wrong in my book. This book is part Scavenger Hunt with an unlikely group of friends and then slow burn romance. Really loved that it touched social issues and it felt fresh.

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