*2.5ish rounded down
This book was just really lacking for me. I’ve read Kevin van Whye’s debut, and it was just significantly better than this one. This book is great in the sense that it’s about a teenager getting to explore his sexuality and his roots, but I didn’t love it otherwise. It really just seemed aggressively mediocre. The writing was really stilted to me and while it was fast, there was barely any conflict. This seemed more like a fanfic where the writer wanted to ditch it twenty-five chapters into a projected forty chapters so they stopped after thirty.
I didn’t hate this book, I just don’t really have any positive opinions on it. It’s readable, which is good, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. There’s some LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation, which is great. Otherwise, it didn’t stick out at all from other books for me.

A fun and light love story! Nate and Jai are sweethearts and I loved their story. The writing is simple but good, works really well. The South Africa setting was amazing and I enjoyed traveling with the characters. If you want a quick read, I totally recommend it!

I got this earc from NetGalley there opinions are my own. I’ve been excited to read this ever since I read Date Me, Bryson Keller, which I loved! That’s actually the book that got me started on reading LGBTQ+ contemporary novels! And I was not disappointed by Nate Plus One! Nate is traveling to South Africa for his cousins wedding, the only problem is that is ex boyfriend will be at the wedding and his mom can’t go. Enter his best friend Jai who agrees to accompany him, but will this complicate Nate’s secret romantic feelings for Jai? On top of that Nate has joined Jai’s band as the lead singer but with his stage fright can he sing? I loved Nate and Jai and the book also had an amazing cast of supporting characters! Kevin wan Whye always creates realistic situations for the protagonist that really makes the reader relate! Nate’s meeting a bunch of his family for the first time since coming out, the nervousness and dreaded anticipation that comes with that is depicted really well! I also enjoyed that there is some history touched on in this book, as an American we don’t get a lot of history of other countries so it was interesting to briefly learn a little bit more. It is one of those endings that leaves you with a question, all the main points are wrapped up, but I’m not big on any ambiguity in the books I read! Though I will say that it makes sense in the context of Nate Plus One! This was an excellent book and I highly recommend it! I can’t wait to read it again when it comes out!

Actual rating 3.5 stars.

Nate Plus One is a sweet and cute feel-good story for all of us who need some hours of distraction and love a best friends to lovers trope.

When I started reading Nate Plus One, I was confused. Simply because I read the blurb wrong. For those of you who might do the same thing, this story is about Nate, who has a crush on his best friend Jai, and at the same time, he still needs closure with his ex-boyfriend. I thought Jai was the ex-boyfriend … I thought Jai was in one band and Nate in the other … Wrong, so wrong.

Nate Plus One is very easily readable and a book to read in one or a few sittings. The writing is engaging, and those two boys were adorable together. It was palpable that they liked each other a lot from the first moment, and I rooted for them to kiss finally.

Whereas I misunderstood the blurb, it’s also a bit misleading, in my opinion. It talks of two boys. Two bands. Two worlds colliding. Yes, there are two boys. And somewhere far, far in the background, two bands are competing. But two worlds colliding? This probably points to the differences between Nate’s life in the US and his family’s life in South Africa. Kevin van Whye shows us his love for his home country, and I genuinely appreciate that. I loved reading about the South African way of life and how Kevin interwove apartheid into this story. Really well done! But somewhere in my mind, something kept gnawing. Because next to the chapter about apartheid, we only get to look at the richer part of the people. The very rich part! I think it’s a missed opportunity not to show us other aspects, the rougher, poorer parts of South Africa, the high HIV infection grade.

I also wanted to know more about Jai. I’d have loved to read his point of view, too, because I think his character is a bit underdeveloped and too one-dimensional. He’s sweet, he’s nice, and that’s about it.

Despite my criticism, I really enjoyed this book, and that’s why I rounded my rating up instead of down. Like I said, this is a feel-good story, above all. Read it when you want to relax with the spring sun on your face, or in South Africa with the fall sun when it comes out in May!

My review will be published on 26 May 2022 on Goodreads and Instagram.

Thank you so much, Random House Children’s, for allowing me to read Nathan Plus One early.

I loved Date Me, Bryson Keller, and couldn't wait to get my hands on Kevin van Whye's sophomore. Like his debut novel, Nate Plus One is such a lighthearted and cute story, and I embraced those guys with all my heart. Nate was such a delightful character, and Jai was a cute cinnamon roll. I could feel Nate and Jai’s attraction to each other throughout the book, and the moment they finally admitted their feelings for each other was so precious. A lovely book that I will enthusiastically recommend to students.

Nate Plus One follows Nate, a high school junior, who is excited to spend the first two weeks of his summer with his family in South Africa for the wedding of his cousin. Before the events of the novel, Nate had never been to South Africa and he is excited for the wedding so that he can connect with his deceased father and the family that lives there. The only hitch in this comes when he finds out that his ex-boyfriend who ghosted him will also be attending. When this happens, Nate's best friend (and current crush) Jai volunteers to accompany him and the two begin to tackle their respective feelings for each other over the course of the trip.

Having loved Date Me, Bryson Keller, I was so excited to read Nate Plus One and for the most part it did not disappoint. Nate is instantly lovable and his relationships with his mother, best friend Gemma, and Jai all feel well developed and sweet. I especially loved following Nate as he connected with the memory of his father and the history of South Africa. The one thing I missed out on was Jai's point of view and emotions throughout a lot of the book. You get glimpses here and there but mostly Jai serves to be the ideal love interest without any faults of his own. I think that if we got more of Jai's POV, the story might have resonated more.

Also there is a subplot involving a battle of the bands and Nate's stage fright that gets somewhat forgotten, which was a bit of a shame. But overall, I really enjoyed Nate Plus One!

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was amazing! Nate, our narrator and main character, is going to South Africa for his (favorite & only first) cousin's wedding, but his excitement dims when he finds out that his ex who ghosted is going to be there. Enter best friend (and secret crush) Jai. Jai agrees to be Nate's plus one after Nate offers to overcome stage fright and become the lead singer of Jai's band: Infinite Sorrow.

First off, I really wish Infinite Sorrow was real. These fictional bands are really too good to not be real. Second, I loved Nate, Jai, and Gemma's friendship! This trio is really awesome! And I would be remiss if I didn't talk about how great Jai and Nate's relationship is! Even at the beginning, it's clear that these two are something more than friends and it was great seeing their relationship develop.

Also, this book also shows some love to the character's parents! Part of Nate's desire to go to South Africa is because he wants to learn more about his father, who tragically passed away when he was 5. I really loved the parts of this story with Nate's grandmother, Ouma Lettie! Honestly, she kind of stole the show. Nate's mom is also very present; she calls him and messages him a lot. And I just love their relationship! Even Jai's mom and sisters play roles. I'm just really excited when the main character's family is supportive and present.

While there are some parts that crush you, Nate Plus One is a charming rom-com that'll sweep you off your feet!

Special Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for the eARC of Nate Plus One! I really appreciate it!

TW/CW: racism, homophobia

Note: Review will be posted closer to release date.