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!

This book was not for me. I just did not understand what was going on in the book. I might give this book another chance if I am up for it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

Representation: Lesbian MCs, many queer supporting cast

I really enjoyed this re-telling of Pride and Prejudice, where Liz and Daria have an employee-boss relationship that could very quickly go wrong. This was witty, funny, and unfortunately reflects what happens to many queer-owned businesses similar to the magazine they're running. I thought it did an excellent job adding in modern-day concerns, mainly ones tied to identity, gender, and the such. I was very frustrated with most of the characters at different points, but it was always for good reason, no being annoying with no point or reason. I would suggest this story for people who want a modern queer retelling of Pride and Prejudice.

I am always up for a good retelling just as I am always up for a sapphic romance. Combine them and I think it's pretty difficult to get me to not like it. Which is exactly what happened here. This is such a beautiful story that's not just a romance but more. The way the author celebrates queer culture is so amazing to witness. The romance itself is also really fun and the book delivers on it's promise! 10/10 would recommend.

In this queer Pride and Prejudice reimagining, Liz and her roomies work at a queer magazine that's going under. At their goodbye party, they get word that the magazine has been saved by two wealthy lesbian investors. One of them, Daria, is so budget-focused, she's taking all the fun out of work! Daria is brash and domineering, and she and Liz butt heads immediately. But after spending more time together, Liz realizes there's much more to Daria than meets the eye.

Camille Kellogg's 'Just as You Are' offers a refreshing take on the classic 'Pride and Prejudice', tailored for a modern, queer audience. As Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite novels, I was along for the ride from the very beginning.

While some reviewers considered this as a negative, I was a fan of the way the book extended beyond the confines of a traditional rom-com, covering serious topics like gender expression.

The portrayal of the main character, Liz, and her nuanced exploration of gender expression adds a depth I have rarely seen in a rom-com, resonating with readers like myself who grapple with identity. This novel is not just a love story; it's a journey of self-discovery, peppered with wit and a compelling if prickly love interest that Austen herself would have adored.

Camille Kellogg is a new voice to me but wow did I ever enjoy it! I really liked the characters and how they developed throughout the book.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

A beautifully realized Pride & Prejudice retelling that brings to life a vibrant and nuanced queer community.

Just as You Are, made my Pride and Prejudice heart FULL, and then gave me even more with all the queer and sapphic content. I would recommend this book to any P&P lover, also to anyone who enjoys a lovely RomCom.

If it’s Pride and Prejudice related, I’m going to want to read it or watch it.

Just as You Are is a modern-day queer retelling of the classic that focuses on Liz and Daria at a queer magazine in New York City. Even though they start off on the wrong footing (with Liz finding Daria to be uptight and rude), as they start to spend more time together, their feelings grow and change.

I enjoyed Just as You Are, but there were some elements that missed the mark for me. I needed the story to have more levity, if it’s going to be a romcom. There was also too much of Daria’s aunt in this for my liking. She should be added flavor as opposed to a major source of conflict.

Overall, I’m glad I read it and that a sapphic version of the classic exists.

3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. It's a queer retelling of Pride & Prejudice so this was high on my list to be read. I enjoyed how the characters were and were not like the original book's counterparts and how we completely skipped over the Lydia being ruined portion. Sweet, cute, and exceedingly queer and wide in its representation. 3 stars.

3.5 Stars - The book does a fantastic job celebrating queer culture, showcasing the importance of chosen family, and highlighting the intricacies of gender presentation. It is also filled with humor and witty banter, which showcases the chemistry between the characters.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced reader copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Just as You Are hits a fine line, paying dutiful homage to Austen's Pride and Prejudice while still remaining very much its own story - Kellogg's playfully crafted take on modern queer life in NYC.

There are some fun aspects to this book. I liked the overall set up of The Netherfields as a queer magazine and exploring the different types of writers, and financial challenges, such a publication has. Most of the characters were fun and had some punchy dialogue. I also enjoyed the discussions of femme-presenting vs. male-presenting vs. androgynous appearance and how it impacted Liz. It’s not something I have familiarity with, and I thought it helped to flesh out some of her insecurities.

However, Liz ended up being the reason I can’t recommend the book. The two-minds she gives to appearance makes sense; some other backs and forths don’t. The largest one is her writing. The book opens with her happy the magazine is closing; she’s upset when it gets rescued. Then, not that long after, she gets mad because someone says bad things about her writing that… she herself felt earlier? The reasoning she gives for “fluff” pieces being valuable are true, and they are the top-viewed portions of the magazine – which only further makes it weird that she was so down on them herself when the book opens. I understand that it’s supposed to be about how she wants to do more and different forms of writing, but it comes across weird.

This book would have been 100% better without the romance. This is not a rom-com this is a contemporary fiction book. 90% of this book is about workplace relations and friendship drama. I was so taken aback by the romance at the end because where even was it? Stop calling a book of rom-com if the romance is not existent. The cover of this book is elite and it is tragic that the inside does not match the cover.

Because this book is not an actual romance and instead focuses on a friendship group and workplace, it's no surprise that I didn't feel any connection between the main character and the love interest. It felt like they went from being mortal enemies to kind of seeing each other as human to making out and having sex. What? I just am frustrated because this could have been so good and it was fine if you go into it not expecting a romance. Ugh.