I cannot stress the importance of books like this in the hands of young readers.

On the surface, this book is a beautiful developing romance between two young people figuring out who they are against a backdrop of dungeons and dragons and rock n roll, and a kitschy holiday meet cute situation.

However, one takeaway from Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling is that adults need to do better. We need to see our kids and respect their identities.

Another takeaway is centered around Black kids and this harmful construct of not being “Black enough” if your interests don’t align with the stereotypes and monolith of Black “interests”. Both protagonists fight ardently to claim and rise in their Blackness while still holding fiercely to their interests and true selves.

At one poignant and hilarious, Elise Bryant guides readers through intrinsically nuanced conversations about the intersections of identity with deliberate punching humor.

Somewhere between 3.5-4.5 stars but rounding up!

Can I give all the stars just for that cover because it is so cute! This story starts out wholesome and adorable and keeps it up. I really love that this book shows how everyone can pretend to be someone they aren't to impress a person even of this is just innocent. That is so common in high school and in college! It's called reinvention right? Of course, there is a fine line between reinvention and faking and that did get this couple in trouble.

I am only taking off some stars because I was pulled out of the cuteness of this story by real world issues that were important to the characters but broke my enjoyment of this escapism cute story. There is also some cursing which also brought me out of this adorable love story as well because I'm a prude, what can I say.

I look forward to reading more of this author's romances ^.^

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review from Hear our voices. Thank you.

The last double pov book I read was Love from A to Z by S. K. Ali and My Mechanical Romance and they were so beautiful. Reggie and Delilah’s year of falling reminds me so much of these books and stories in them.

Reggie is your smart kid who just wants to run Dungeons and Dragons campaigns with his three best friends, Yobani, Leela and Greg. But as the story goes on through his point of view, we get to see that Reggie is dyslexic and his black father is unapproves of his geeky hobbies of playing with fantasy Fictional characters. His father would rather he plays sports like his elder brother, Eric.

Delilah wants the leader of her band, Fun Gi to notice her even after she joins them and becomes the new Star that brings the spark back to the band.

The two of them meet during new year’s eve by chance with Reggie falling for Delilah first.

After reading Reggie and Delilah’s year of falling I realised that we often project or set expectations for each other I’m relationships. In this case Reggie is timid, a Nerd obsessed with Dungeon and Dragons and because he’s black, his family doesn’t acknowledge his interests

His father would rather he plays sports than spend time doing fantasy campaigns. And when he meets Delilah he wants to be this confident person that is a cool Nerd not the Insecure one that gets picked on. In Delilah’s case, she’s struggling with her biracial identity of not being black enough or white enough for either races. Plus she’s in a punk rock group where her racial identity sort of becomes a hall mark for their success. Then she meets Reggie and both of them have this already established identity for each other.

Delilah thinks Reggie is cool and secured in his identity, because he keeps pushing her to take risks she wants to be like him, more confident and in Reggie’s case, he thinks Delilah is amazing and has the confidence he needs to put himself out and stand up for his interests

Eventually they both realise that they were into versions of themselves that wasn’t 100% real. I think we often do this and when we meet people we create this expectations of who they are in our minds and when we actually get to see their vulnerable parts we think.

It’s was all a lie but what if it wasn’t. I don’t know if I’m articulating my thoughts well, but basically like Reggie and Delilah, give everyone a chance to introduce who they are first before making up your scenarios and expectations about them.

One thing I loved in this book is Elise Bryant didn’t use miscommunication and had the characters just talk it out fr. Wherever the characters, Reggie and Delilah had arguments, they always talked about it. I liked a scene where Reggie just poured out his mind about how he felt about her after listening to his best friend on dating advice. I think it beats miscommunication trope by so much because there’s nothing better than actually have characters communicate how they feel.

Thanks to Harper Children's for the free book.
This was another fun book by Elise Bryant. If you're a D&D fan or into teenager bands, then this one is for you. I thought the multiple holiday element to this story added a fun twist to the plot. I also liked how these characters grew and the realizations they had about relationships felt realistic.

Reggie meets Delilah on New Years Eve, after she performs (for the first time) with her band, Fun Gi. It feels like love at first sight for Reggie, but he lacks confidence and can't imagine that the perfect, amazing, beautiful singer could possibly be interested in him. As they talk, he tries to project a persona he thinks would be worthy of her, someone confident in himself, uncaring about others' opinions of him, and living his best life. His attitude gives her a needed boost, but they part ways without exchanging information.

The keep crossing paths over the course of the next year, accidentally at first on holidays like Valentine's Day and Juneteenth, and then intentionally on lesser known days like Free Comic Book Day and National Catfish Day. They see each other more and more, having experiences and developing feelings; will Reggie's pretend persona with Delilah be the thing that tears them apart?

It's a coming of age story, full of laughs and angst and growth. Can Delilah emerge from her little sister's theatrical shadow and become her own authentic self? Will Reggie gain the confidence to own his love of Dungeons and Dragons, despite feeling like a disappointment to his family? It covers issues of race with clarity, making it easy for anyone to understand the pressure they feel and the way their lives are. I really appreciated that explanation, because while it is not my reality, I came away with new understanding and awareness.

I would definitely recommend this story, for youth and adults alike. I laughed out loud at times, and I teared up at the vet while waiting for my cat (and probably looking like a crazy lady, haha). The characters were interesting and engaging, and I found myself quite invested in discovering and growing right along with Reggie and Delilah.

*I received a digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review

Are you interested in:
A romance between a budding emo rocker and a D&D Blerd?
Living through the pangs of adolescence where you try on the guise of other people’s expectations only to come out more yourself on the other side?
I found this YA romance absolutely delightful and reminiscent of the many feelings and how I held them as a teenager. This is a read I'd recommend to people of all age groups who like to engage with introspective and funny reads.

A sweet contemporary romance, this book is like a dose of serotonin. It's a love story, yes, but also an exploration of two teens teens learning who they are and who they want to be--and gaining the confidence to be that self. Their individual journeys are equally as important as and integral to the romance, and it makes for a great, relatable read. There are missteps and misunderstandings, moments of awkwardness and adorableness, and plenty to make readers grin. While some of the situations the protagonists find themselves in feel less realistic for teens, their characterizations are spot on and grounding. All in all, a masterfully written story about teens falling in love that is sure to hit the sweet spot for YA romance readers.

okay first and foremost, the representation?!?! black rep, lgbtq+ rep, dyslexia rep & as a girlie who suffers CHRONIC migraines, i loved the rep for that as well.

but the main aspect that i loved is the D&D DM & a punk girl fell in love because that’s nearly my IRL relationship so i loved it so much.

this book made me feel seen in the best way possible.

I wholeheartedly adored Elise Bryant's first two YA novels and was *instantly* intrigued by the one the moment I saw the cover. While it is set in the Happily Ever Afters universe, it feels like a standalone too. It's a super sweet, dual-perspective, holiday romance, slow-burn tale and it was unbelievably adorable and precious. It reads very quickly, told through compelling and well-written prose, and it very cute. Like, these two wholesome nerdy sweeties just make my heart soar.

I always enjoy how sweet and tender Elise Bryan't writes about young adult romance. Her characters feel real, and the stakes are always believable. RADYOF was no exception to this pattern, but I was not as enchanted as I was with her previous novels. Primarily because the overall conceit--that Reggie is pretending to be someone else with Delilah--never tracked for me. He felt like he was the same Reggie, just slightly more confident, but definitely not different enough to cause the fight at the end. Additionally, it was weird at times to remember these were teenagers: in night clubs, taking overnight trips, etc. I would have liked this more, I think, if they were kids in their first year of college.

If you like very sweet romcoms, this will work for you. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for this review.

There was a lot of political lingo, and yes, that drove the plot, but if it's not your thing, then this wouldn’t be the read for you.

Isadora and Karim both have sigificant relationships that are incredibly toxic. I liked how the characters were going through the same thing in a way and had each other to heal.

The author touched on emotional abuse, trauma and mental health and handled the topics well.

Overall, it was a cute and fun read but leaves a lot to be improved upon.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

This is the book for those are you that hate instalove.

Delilah is just starting out as the singer for a punk band with three other guys. She's terrified, but she loves music. The thing that makes her wonder about herself is that she can't read or play music. It makes her feel bad. But she does a great job and the band starts getting a following.

Reggie is a nerdy guy that plays D&D with three other friends. It's basically his whole life. The one girl in the group is dating a singer from another band. They decide to go on new years eve to support her. Reggie doesn't like punk, but he goes. And he sees Delilah. He admits that there's no thing as love at first site, but he wants to know her. They meet that night at get along. But they both expect to never see each other again. But they see each other again on Valentine's Day. And another holiday. It becomes a thing. They start talking, but neither of them wants to make a move. Both are insecure, but Reggie was also pretending to be someone he isn't. Confident. He keeps that lie up and hopes it never becomes an issue.

I loved Delilah. Her growth was great and it was nice to read about her pushing herself to be who she wanted instead of listening to everyone else. They both annoyed me with their lack of communication about their feelings, but I was rooting for them the whole time.

I gave this book 4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a netgalley link.

This is my first Elise Bryant book but it sure won't be my last.

Reggie and Delilah meet on New Year's Eve, then on Valentine's Day, followed by other known and lesser known holidays.

There are a lot of things I love about this book including the fact that I could live vicariously through Delilah and realize my secrete dreams of being a black Haley Williams, if you're on that side of Tik Tok I see you!

This book kind acts as a beacon to show why I still love reading YA as a 35 year old lady. It fills a giant hole from my childhood. While it's no cake walk now, it was NOT easy in the 90's and 00's being a black kid who loved musical theatre, pop rock music, and overall nerd-dom. Being called an oreo, the weird looks when Panic at the Disco came on when you started your car, the confused looks your parents gave you when you wanted to read fanfiction instead of watching the Lakers game.

Can yall tell I'm still working through things.

Reggie and Delilah are the friends I needed as a teen and while I never had them, and quite frankly don't have many of them now, I am so glad books like this exist for today's youth and for those who are still working to heal their inner child.

Release date: January 31, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and Balzer + Bray for the e-ARC to read and review. I've read all of Elise Bryant's published works so far, and this was exactly the delight I expected going into it. Bryant is a genius at telling fun and engaging stories that are super enjoyable to read, but also very naturally delve into serious and important topics that leave a lasting impression. Here, in the midst of a budding romance between Reggie and Delilah that plays out over holidays throughout the year, we have themes of Black teens finding their identity and learning to embrace their own interests - which are Dungeons & Dragons and Taylor Swift & punk music - which their friends give them a hard time for since they aren't usually stereotypically associated with Blackness. In the text, we can see how difficult it is for our leads to be constantly dismissed for not only their interests, but their valid contributions within those spaces.

I have absolutely zero interest in D&D so I wasn't as engaged with those details/scenes as I could have been, even though they were handled expertly so if you're not a fan you don't get lost or turned off. I AM, however, obsessed with Delilah fronting a rising local punk band, so those elements captured me more. I also have to note that, as all of Bryant's characters have been so far for me - Reggie and Delilah feel like real teens as they are, in all of their imperfectness and awkwardness. If this makes sense, they're not written as adults would maybe *want* teens to be or as adult characters who the book just claims are 16 or so - which isn't necessarily standard in the YA I've read. It stands out in the best kind of way!

What a perfect story structure! Taking place over the course of a year, and focusing on various holidays (some important, some odd, and some just regular days), the plot conceit of this book makes the reader slowly fall in love with Reggie & Delilah!

Also, this Swiftie loved all the music moments! (All music fandoms will find something to love, though.)

And my D&D heart loved the fun references to the game!

"I don't expect you to be fearless. I don't expect you to be perfect. I want you, just as you are."

Another adorable-but-infused-with-great-discourse-on-race YA novel by Elise Bryant. I absolutely love the way it is all so effortlessly woven together, one minute just talking about frozen yogurt and the next, there are these little niggling thoughts that bother our main characters, Reggie and Delilah.

The dual POVs make the angst that much more, if you know what I mean! Poor Reggie and Delilah, stuck in their insecurities and unable to see past them to be who they are. Reggie, with his inability to see past how his family views him, and Delilah, with her inability to be confident in her skills.

The best part of the novel, as always, is the thread of how being black is always affecting the characters' lives, one way or another. I haven't picked up a book that can juggle all the aspects of one's life as well as Elise Bryant's books, especially for young adult readers--the joy of doing what one loves along with its struggles, including the ones other books don't discuss. There are no token black characters--they are the main characters, the ones we focus on and get to really see evolve throughout.

A fantastic read--I've been recommending it to the high schoolers in my workplace!

Delilah always keeps her messy, gooey insides hidden behind a wall of shrugs and yeah, whatevers. She goes with the flow—which is how she ends up singing in her friends’ punk band as a favor, even though she’d prefer to hide at the merch table.

Reggie is a D&D Dungeon Master and self-declared Blerd. He spends his free time leading quests and writing essays critiquing the game under a pseudonym, keeping it all under wraps from his disapproving family.

These two, who have practically nothing in common, meet for the first time on New Year’s Eve. And then again on Valentine’s Day. And then again on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s almost like the universe is pushing them together for a reason.

Delilah wishes she were more like Reggie—open about what she likes and who she is, even if it’s not cool. Except . . . it’s all a front. Reggie is just role-playing someone confident. The kind of guy who could be with a girl like Delilah.

As their holiday meetings continue, the two begin to fall for each other. But what happens once they realize they’ve each fallen for a version of the other that doesn’t really exist?

Firstly the cover is what caught my attention. It's just the amount of cute that has you thinking hmmm what is this about and then wanting to know more about it. I have to say that the lessons in this book were *chef's kiss* amazing. Never be ashamed to take up space wherever you want and learning the way to be an authentic person. This was an easy read and I absolutely loved everything about it. The overall development of the stories was a good thing to notice. The topics that were discussed was another thing that I wished was talked about more when I was younger. So seeing it makes me happy that YA's now will be able to learn and hopefully grow from it. Can't wait to read more from Elise.

Highly recommend and thank you for the ARC!

Delilah has somehow found herself singing in her friends' band, something she never thought she'd do--and it turns out people like them. In fact, people LOVE them.
Reggie, dragged to the venue to see his friend's band, wanders into the venue early, and instantly falls for the opening band's lead singer. When he notices her leave the venue alone, he eventually heads outside to check on her. Faced with just her, he manages to play it cool and paint himself as a super confident guy.
Delilah really likes the guy who came to talk to her. And when she sees him on Valentine's Day, it's clear there's a pattern: she runs into Reggie on holidays.
Thus begins their friendship, one built around chance encounters on major holidays and planned encounters on whatever holiday happens to fall on that day. But Reggie can't help but wonder when his facade will fall and Delilah will see him for the anxious person he is, ashamed of his nerddom. Meanwhile, Delilah clings to Reggie's confidence, drawing inspiration from it to stand up for herself.

The main conflict between the two MCs--that Reggie isn't actually as confident as he seems--reads a bit immature at times--which is perfect, considering the characters are in high school. They both have these lives that are big and bold, but at their core, they are still young people trying to figure out who they are and how they fit into the world.
Both characters struggle with feeling connected to their Blackness, or feeling like other people acknowledge it--Delilah, because she's often dismissed for being biracial, and Reggie because he's often dismissed for being too into stereotypically white people things like D&D. I really loved seeing how them grappling with their identities--which played out differently and came from different roots--brought them together, and how, through the doubt, they both claimed their Blackness.

As a biracial Black person who is both a nerd and a performer, I saw a lot of myself in both of these characters. And while, like I said before, the central conflict felt a bit immature, putting someone on a pedestal and being disappointed when they don't live up to it--and struggling to live up to the pedestal someone else has put you on--are both, unfortunately, still relatable.

Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling is a book I wish I'd had while I was in high school--and one I'm glad I have in my late 20s, because I definitely am coming away with some lessons learned and lots of warm fuzzy feelings. I hadn't read Elise Bryant's other books, but I'm absolutely going to now!

Reggie and Delilah are two characters I haven’t read a story about before. I really enjoyed the discussion of being a person of color in mostly white spaces.

The book started slow for me (there was a lot of dungeons and dragons talk!) and some of the drama seemed a little cringe- however, as a teacher, I would have students lining up for this book.

There were great lessons about being unashamed to take up space in whatever world you want & learning to be an authentic person. This is a great book for a classroom library (particularly in the 8th-10th grade range).

Thank you for the ARC, I enjoyed the book!