A delightful and surprisingly horny/sex-positive queer YA romance / coming of gayge book where two opposites-attract teen girls fall for each other. Margo is an overachiever who wants to ace her newfound gayness, so she enlists Abbie, a tomboy skater girl who's been out as queer forever to "teach her how to be gay"; Abbie needs help bringing up her grade in history, a subject Margo loves, so it's an even trade.

Abbie is bi. She's pretty much always known this, and she's not shy about it. Margo is gay, but she's only just figured it out and needs some help to do it right. So even though she and Abbie aren't friends, she asks Abbie to teach her how to be gay. As you'd expect, they develop crushes on each other, there are misunderstandings, and then--well, is it a spoiler to refer to the title?

Nice to see some bi representation in teen lit (or, frankly, anywhere). Romance isn't usually my bag, but both Abbie and Margo were engaging characters and I wanted things to work out for them.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this. I loved this book. It was so funny but had very serious moments. I think it depicted autism very well. I loved Margo and Abbie together they were so cute. I wish I got more of their relationship but I loved this book a lot.

This book was just the cutest!! I am obsessed with Margo and Abbie. I loved their chemistry and how their relationship grew. I also loved how amazing Abbie was about supporting Margot with her anxiety and neurodivergence. She was the best person!!

I liked this a lot! It was super voicey and hilarious and very very gay in the best way lmao. Margo was really endearing and I liked her relationship with Abbie. I also loved Margo's brother Mendel and her friend Jamal; the characters were all really strong personality-wise!

I just finished this book and ngl there was a moment where I was about to put it down, but I'm glad I picked it back up. While there's a lot of teaching moments within this book, it's ultimately a really cute rom-com. Sapphic romances are nice to read because it's just so refreshing to hear about girls through a girl's pov. how beauty and attractiveness is more than what meets the eye. I like the buildup towards the end and how this book addresses relationships -- especially within friends and family.

ANYWAYS, the qualms to this book are:
1. that both inner dialogues sound pretty much the same, which is nice in terms of consistency but I wish there was some contrast between them.
2. I dislike that margo was obsessing over the girls around her @ student council and how it was implied that she felt attracted to all of them because they were so gorgeous. I was about to put the book down after this, but later on through Abbie's POV this kind of attitude gets addressed (the whole gay girls cant have friends thing).

this is not a qualm but there is really explicit conversations/scene within the book. I thought this was YA but with the inclusion of these, not too sure where it lands. ALSO ALSO i don't get the random censorship of the word "God". i wish there was a little explanation why because it seems that it's only when Margo and abbie say it that it gets censored as "G-d", but when other characters say it then it's not really censored... but also not the word (ex "God-dduhhhhh" when they are exaggerating the word god"

"Margo Zimmerman" is the boundary-breaking, queer, sex-positive, enemies-to-lovers romance that we all need this Pride Month.

There are so many powerful messages about representation and diversity and identity, all wrapped up in a lightning-paced YA romp that you won't want to put down.

You can be a lesbian and wear pink lipstick.
You can be neurodiverse and be the most popular girl in school.
You can have ADHD and excel in post-secondary education.
And you can certainly love whomever you want to love.

But one thing is for sure: if you're gay, you absolutely one-hundred percent must learn to sit wrong.
Highly recommended.

I adored Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl! I read it in a day by the pool and it felt like a cozy read for someone newly coming out to themselves or others. I felt like this was something that would've benefitted me as a teenager coming through school. I would happily recommend this book to students.

I adored this book!! Margo had me wanting to read through the book pages to offer her hugs many times throughout the story! Her drive to want to be right and to have the correct way to do things is so relatable to me. Abbie also needed a giant hug and balanced out Margo so well. The two of them overcame their own obstacles and I loved cheering them on. Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Good YA novel focusing on teen lesbian, neurodivergent, and ADHD stereotypes. Nice focus on friendship and family. Enjoyable characters and fun plot lines. Coming of age lessons. Enjoyable teen dialogue. I do not read many YA books, but did enjoy reading this novel.

I received an eARC from the publisher and NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

After a game of spin the bottle during a high school party, Margo Zimmerman makes the biggest discovery of her young life. She likes women, just women, and she has no idea what to do about it.

When a quick google search leaves her with no clear task list she decides what she needs is a teacher. Someone who can guide her on what it takes to be a Queer girl and that girl is Abbie Sokoloff. Abbie is out, has a group of Queer friends, and oozes the Gay girl energy Margo aspires too. After Abbie gets over thinking Margo is joking, she realizes this could be the perfect arrangement. Margo can tutor Abbie in history and in return Abbie will teach her about being gay.

This book is a teenage Sapphic romance romp, with real heart. Margo’s journey is less about discovering she is a lesbian and more about what that means about her place in the world, her personality, her fashion sense, and the community. As someone who is also very feminine, I related to her story and need to be recognized as a member of the Sapphic community. Finding her place and understanding she didn’t need to change anything about herself to still be a lesbian was beautiful. Abbie also struggles with her identity as a bi-woman, and encounters biphobia and gatekeeping from one of her close friends.

Something else to highlight is the mental health rep in this book, Margo is Autistic and Abbie has ADHD. It is built into the personality of the girls, and not just casually mentioned to never be heard of again.

Thanks to NetGalley & Inkyard Press for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I did not finish it and left it at 20% of the way through.

The dialogue is cringe. For real, bro. Dab!

^That's basically what reading this book felt like. So much hamfisted online slang shoved down our throats--I could understand half of what it was saying but it was literally speaking in a language that terminally online people would understand. The fact that the dialogue wasn't used organically doesn't help either. This book will be dated within a couple of months.

It didn't help that Margo & Abbie had the exact same internal dialogue so I didn't know who was talking in which chapter because they sounded like the same character.

Margo Zimmerman goes to a party with her boyfriend. They’re playing “Spin the bottle.” It’s Margo who get to spin the bottle which ends up pointing to a girl who is on the Student Council — she is the VP. As she is kissing her, she finds herself responding and thinks I’m gay. What will Margo do? Margo is determined to be the best “gay” thinking that she will find out what she needs to know on the computer. The computer doesn’t help. Still determined to be the best, she decides she needs a tutor. Abbie has her own gayness down to perfection. Abbie has gotten a letter that the dream “school” she wants to attend tells her that she won’t be accepted as her grades are bad. She checks her grades finding that she received an F in her history grade. Margo approaches Abbie about how to be gay. Abbie finally agrees if Margo will tutor her in history. So will it work? What if it doesn’t?

The author includes in the novel narration positively depicting myriad facets of first love, consent, dating, attraction, masturbation, and safety. It’s also about finding out who you are. I loved the humor throughout the book. It’s a lighthearted novel to read. I find myself thinking this is a novel for young adults and adults.






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I'm always looking for new sapphic romances, so when I saw the cover and the synopsis for Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl, I knew I had to give this one read, and I'm so glad I did.

Autistic high school senior Margo Zimmerman has her life in order until she kisses a girl during spin the bottle and her whole identity changes. She realizes she's gay more than slightly gay panics. She decides to ask the only gay girl she can think of for advice on how to be gay. Abbie is openly queer and is surprised when Margo asks for her help since they don't run in the same circles but uses it to her advantage to get some much-needed help with AP History. The more time they spend together the more they have to fight their attraction to each other, but it's no use to because the heart wants what the heart wants.

There is so much I loved about this one. The bisexual rep and autistic rep made me happy. I liked that it didn't shy away from calling out sh*tty bi-phobic and other toxic prejudices that can be found among the queer community. This is definitely a mature YA and is very queer sex positive and informative, and includes an open door steamy scene between our female couple. I loved the Margo's quirky and loving family with their weird pet names. I loved her older brother, who brought poly pan representation to the story. Her brother and her friends are so supportive and accepting of her. Unfortunately, Abbie deals with the opposite. Her queer friends are judgy and her parents are neglectful. She herself is kind of judgy and rude especially in her early interactions with Margo but , not excusing it, I can see how she was the way she was because of the people she was surrounded by. Abbie used Margo's naivety and stress over figuring out she's gay to her benefit in order to get history tutoring but either way it eventually helps Margo realize that there's no right way to be gay as long as she's happy and confident and comfortable that's all that matters.

Overall, I really enjoyed Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl by Brianna R. Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum . A mature YA sapphic contemporary romance between opposites with an Autistic MC, Bi Rep, queer sex positive, personal growth, friendship, family, retail therapy, finger guns, text messages, studying, random history facts, horses, steam, and a bright future for Margo and Abbie.

I'll definitely be checking out more books by this author in the future, and I'll be recommending this book to my high school daughter as a must-read.
7 days ago

Its books like this that give me hope for future generations. A copy should be in every library. The characters may be snarky but the hearts they contain reflects the depths we all have inside.

Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

This book was a fun fast read. I loved that the two main characters were so different, yet those differences allowed them to both grow. This book features Abbie, a bisexual teen who knows who she is and is just trying to get through high school and into the next phase of life while living in FL. Then there's Margo, who recently realized she's gay and wants pointers on how to be a good lesbian.

This dynamic made me chuckle because there isn't one way to be gay and getting lessons on the subject is funny. Some of the things Abbie told Margo are GAY were things I unconsciously do, like sitting wrong (I'm doing it now). It made me think, are there really clues like that? I loved that Margo spoke what was on her mind. Margo's brashness in asking Abbie makes a few appearances and while I can't speak on autism, it felt accurate based on things I've read and witnessed and I enjoyed that it wasn't shied away from.

Throughout these how to be a good gay lessons, the two formed a bond and got to truly know each other, rather than their high school personas. I really enjoyed this story and can't wait to read more from this author.

TW: mentions of biphobia, parental neglect, and toxic friendships

Margo is the homecoming queen, she's Jewish, autistic and she just realized she's gay. And she knows a girl at school that's gay, to help her figure out how to navigate being a baby gay.
I'm about half way and really enjoying both of their pov. Love how Abbie keeps saying internally, she's not my type (I think she doth protest too much). Also enjoying the different versions of themselves they are getting to see - you know the curated version at school and the home version of yourself.
The tutoring for gay lessons in exchange for AP history lessons is def close proximity. And I giggled about the syllabus 😂
This is a great coming of age story for those that aren't out mid high school and don't feel like they belong or fit the stereotypes and are a bit lost.
There were so many difficult subjects about identity and the pushback that goes with them. The MC had to face some biphobia from people she thought were friends. There is within every community inequities even amongst friends. It's good to see that in a book and how to react and feel good about yourself and where you stand.

Thank you inkyardpress for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl is a contemporary story about self-identity, breaking down stereotypes, and what it means to be queer. This book was a lot of fun and one that I read fairly quickly. While I have a couple of comments about some of the representation, overall, I think it was a very entertaining story, and I really enjoyed the romance between Margo and Abbie.

One of the MCs, Margo, is autistic, and has recently discovered that she’s a lesbian, so she recruits Abbie to help her “be more gay.” I absolutely love how Margo’s autism was portrayed. This book really has nothing to do about autism, yet it’s still a big part of who Margo is. She stims, she has sensory overload, and she has a strict need for routine and control. Her autism isn’t something that’s shied away from and is explicitly mentioned several times. We need more of this in fiction!!

Abbie on the other hand is bisexual but has been dealing with some insecurity recently because of a lot of the biphobia she’s received—even from other queer people. Just like for many bi people, Abbie is accused of not being gay enough or not being straight enough. Bi erasure is so harmful, and I’m glad it was discussed in detail throughout the book.

Another big part of Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl is stereotypes surrounding queer people. Something I appreciated about this book is that many of the characters who were warning against stereotypes also had their own. I think this is so important to showcase, cause it’s something we’re all guilty of. Abbie especially is frustrated with the stereotypes she faces as a bi person, yet she teaches Margo a lot of the common lesbian stereotypes in the beginning of the book. It’s something the two characters have to work through and unlearn, and I really appreciate how it progressed.

As for the relationship, Margo and Abbie were really sweet and awkward. Their attraction to each other felt messy and real, and I was rooting for them the whole time. While it was obvious the two liked each other from the start, they were equally oblivious about the other’s attraction, so we got a bit of a slow burn in that aspect, which I always enjoy. Their relationship was honestly one of my favorite parts of the book, and the biggest reason I was so hooked.

Now, though, I want to address a couple of my issues. Can we please normalize the use of the word lesbian in fiction? I know it was mentioned a few times throughout Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl, but the majority of the time, both Margo and Abbie referred to themselves as “gay.” There’s already so much stigma surrounding lesbians, and portrayals like this will only further that. I wish Abbie had referred to herself as bisexual more often, and I wish Margo had embraced the word lesbian. Seeing that would have made my experience with the book that much more enjoyable.

My only other wish is that there’d been a bit more of an emphasis on the fact that Abbie was also stereotyping queer people in the beginning of the book. While the middle and ending totally clear that up, I worry that a younger person might start the book, get distracted, and never come back and think that that’s okay.

Other than these two issues, though, I really did enjoy Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl. It was quick and engaging, and I especially loved following Margo’s character and her journey!

Margo Zimmerman gets the girl, and also she should get everything she ever wants, because she's the most precious human ever.

I listened to the audiobook for this, which was GREAT, and this is the absolute cutest sapphic YA romance. The premisse of this book, of Margo getting lessons in how to be gay, is executed hilariously, and it had me laughing so often, because it was both really funny and also really earnest at the same time.

Before going in, I knew that this would have lesbian, bisexual, and Jewish rep, which is already great. But I didn't know it would also have neurodivergent rep, which was a really pleasant surprise! Margo is autistic and throughout the story, Abbie figures out she has ADHD, and what do you know, this just happens to be my favourite kind of pairing.

Aside from the romance, there's tougher conversations about queerness, friendship and family, which I thought were all really well done. This gave the book a good amount of substance without turning it into a heavy read.

All in all, I would highly recommend this, and I can see myself rereading this when in need of comfort.

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC of this!

This was absolute perfection. From the autistic, anxious to be “good enough” perfectionism to the bisexual disaster characters to the amazing friend groups. I found myself smiling throughout the entire book, and it was adorable.