I picked this one up for Pride Month, and I just didn’t find myself attached to any of the characters except Daria and Bailey. The two characters that are painted the villains for like 45% of the book.

We follow Liz, who works at a lesbian founded magazine and is a “fluff writer” who handles the quizzes and lighter topics. She lives with 3 others, all of whom she actually works with too. So when their magazine is closing and they’re all losing their job, Liz is kind of happy because she’s ready for something new.

But, someone bought the company and is trying to save it. Enter Bailey and Daria. Liz is whiney, super judgmental, and I found it hard to genuinely like her. And don’t get me started on the roommate Lydia and their actions - I was screaming towards the end. But how can you be so AWFUL?

But after a few months under the new management, the magazine isn’t doing any better and it’s risking being shut down again.

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Camille Kellogg, and Random House Publishing for an eARC in return for an honest opinion.

A queer Pride and Prejudice telling, let's go! In this one, Liz, Jane, Katie, and Lydia aren't sisters but roommates who work together at a queer magazine, Nether Fields (ha!). It's closing, and the crew and their other co-workers are preparing to drown their miseries at a final dinner party. At the last minute, their boss, Charlotte, makes a joyful announcement-- they've been bought out and saved! Two queer women, Bailey Cox and Daria Fitzgerald, will be putting their millions toward owning the magazine. And while everyone celebrates this twist of fate, Liz feels guilty. She'd been excited to take the severance package and move on to her real dream-- writing a novel. The grind of writing her sex and relationship advice column means she hasn't updated her blog in years let alone set out on a grand new project. Now, she won't have the funds to pursue her dream. She feels stuck and bitter amidst the relief of her friends.

Daria, as Darcy, is easy to loathe, taking on all the boss traits that can ruin a work environment. Once someone starts sending weekly emails about efficiency and cost-cutting, everyone knows they're screwed. The thing is, romance-wise, that it's not a slow burn. And not only is a slow burn literally my favorite, but a Pride and Prejudice slow burn is one of the best. The moments of "near miss" romantic tension of the original become, in this rendition, an actual hookup and a kiss. I think that's reasonable in a contemporary setting for the purpose and also a fine interpretation in general, but it just didn't work as a fair substitute in my little ace heart.

On a more joyful note, I liked what the author did to convey the realities of a crush in the digital age with all the little heart swoops at a notification and inner deliberations about how quick to look and how quick to respond. It's a nice interlude between the confusing angst/tension up front and what's to follow. The final act breakup is even worse than the initial rejection and fallout that one expects from the source material. Just when you think tentative progress is moving our characters uphill, disaster strikes. Naturally, it comes from Lydia, at least in part. The problem here is that Liz has her own role in the debacle rather than acting as the worried older sister who curses her impulsive sibling's decisions but is ultimately blameless (see: source material).

And I know I'm making a lot of comparisons here, but I think a retelling sets you up for that. Repackaging a favorite work leads to some unfavorable matchups, but I've seen plenty of adaptations that I found fascinating in their own right, whether because of how it worked with the source material or because of completely separate merits. In this case, I think the stronger parts of the story are those that have nothing to do with Pride and Prejudice. For one, Liz struggles with gender expression and feeling right about how she presents. As a curvier woman, androgynous clothes aren't geared toward her, and beyond that, her feelings about how she wants to dress are fluid. Some days she feels more feminine and others more masculine. I think journeys like this that break the mold should be more seen on the page and perceived in the public consciousness. I also liked the message about how art doesn't need to be serious or intellectual to be meaningful.

This is a story about Liz's journey to find her footing as a grownup professional. The reference to Pride and Prejudice that works best in the book is the story of a person moving past her initial impressions and catty instincts to see a clearer picture. While the romance was angsty and whiplash-y in a way I didn't enjoy, I still think this is a queer story worth telling and one of many ways to interpret an old story in a new era. Thanks to Dial for my copy to read and review!

A warm, heartfelt queer rom-com featuring a chaotic magazine office, fake dating, and real feelings. Adorable, funny, and full of swoony moments.

I really enjoyed Just as You Are. It was a little slow in the beginning and sorting out all of the many characters but once you get in the story you become invested in the outcome.

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended

DNFed - I chose to DNF this book in the past. I am typing as a review so it doesn't harm my %. I haven't chose to pick the title back up.

A warm and witty queer retelling of Pride and Prejudice, set at a struggling magazine in New York. Liz is immediately skeptical of new investor Daria, and the two squabble over budget cuts and editorial control. The P&P Easter eggs here are a lot of fun. The magazine is called Nether Fields, Liz has four roommates who are more like sisters and cause all sorts of trouble, etc.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Just as You Are by Camille Kellogg was just okay. I was not the romance I was hoping for, and I struggled to keep reading at points.

As someone who loves a well written sapphic romance, "Just as You Are" was a total delight.

Its storyline was a beautiful mix of both lighthearted and emotional storytelling. The enemies-to-lovers trope was an added bonus I loved. "Just as You Are" features a Pride and Prejudice-inspired romance between two queer women, with a dash of witty banter and steamy chemistry. This debut rom-com was a surprisingly good read!

Where was the chemistry? This somehow took all the romance out of the romance sub-plot of P&P? I loved the writing style, but I couldn't get into the characters at all.

**Thank you NetGalley and Dial Press Trade Paperback for the eARC**

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

What's not to love about a sapphic Pride and Prejudice retelling? This was a perfect summer read that kept my heart strings pulled and had a full cast of side characters that really brought this book to life. Queer culture really shines through in this book and makes it fun take on a classic story.

This isn't for me. I love pride and prejudice and just felt like that story was so well done it's hard to take a unique twist on it. Not for me. I love debut authors though. Brava

Finally a LGBTQIA Pride and Prejudice retelling! Makes me want more queer rom-com retellings. It was charming and sweet, with a fresh yet familiar take on the characters.

I was so disappointed in this. Pride and Prejudice is the ultimate enemies to lovers trope, but I didn't feel the chemisty. I mostly felt the tokenism of every background character meant to show diversity even if the main characters are very not.

This one didn’t completely work for me. The main couple felt like they had no chemistry and I didn’t believe the romance between them. A lot of the characters also felt very flat and felt like they weren’t completely well-rounded characters.

After I read the book, I read that this was a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I’ve never read P&P so I might have liked this better if I had – but this one unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Dial Press & Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book.

3.5 rounded up to 4

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HFN
spice: a few open-door scenes.
TWs: unsupportive parents, homophobia
standalone: yes
final thoughts: this book was a melding of a queer Pride and Prejudice retelling with a dynamic cast of queer characters and a forbidden romance in a contemporary setting. Whenever I read an LGBT+ romance I always wish there was less external angst (let the gays be happy!!!) but this was entertaining from start to finish. I wish there were multiple POVs so we could get into Daria’s mindset more since she felt like a secondary character in my mind until more than halfway through the story. Overall- I enjoyed this quick and easy to read story however I wouldn’t classify this as a romcom.

read this book if you love

🏝️ forced proximity
💓 slowburn
🌈 LGBT+ representation
😳 forbidden lovers (boss / employee)
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
🌀 plot twists
🤐 miscommunication
🔀 opposites attract
🤜 rivals-to-lovers
📖 retelling (Pride and Prejudice vibes)

We need more queer romcom like this!
(That coincidentally happen to be a Pride and Prejudice retelling as well, which NEVER hurts).

More of this book in my video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiPfrZOg8K4

A modern take on Pride and Prejudice that included queerness. Not really my type of story, but I didn't dislike it. Lots of good character development and a fun, sassy writing style was definitely a plus to this book.

Though I have never read Pride and Prejudice, I enjoyed a lot of this book. The found family trope gets me every time and this book had it in spades with the roommates of the main character, Liz. However, the workplace setting wasn't for me, especially with the main love interest being her boss. I think if you don't mind that, and that it is not as heavy on romance as you might expect, you will enjoy this one!