This is a classic “be careful what you wish for” tale. New Adult is a zingy romcom that follows aspiring comedian Nolan on his journey of self actualization and love. Nolan, for lack of a more sophisticated description, is a selfish prick, and I struggled to really dig into his story for the first third of the book. I suffered from borderline second hand embarrassing seeing him interact with his bff (who he’s in love with) and his family, and it was hard to hear the way he was willing to sacrifice everyone in order to achieve wealth and fame. He becomes likable, however, when all his dreams come true and he finally realizes it may not be all it’s chalked up to be.
This book is a great romcom, beach read and I can see it appealing to a wide audience of casual readers. Although, I do wish we got a bit more of a transition between Nolan being the worst and Nolan realizing he’s the worst. He deserved for all his loved ones to be a little meaner to him, especially his sister.
I would recommend this book to fans of Summer Girl and other lighthearted RomComs.

I received this audiobook as an ARC. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This might be my favorite of this author's books. I really enjoy magical realism and it's done so well here. Alternate timelines are so fascinating to me and I think this was an excellent portrayal of it. I also always appreciate the character development and this book has it in spades.

My one thing is that I would have loved to see the term demisexual on page. I'm almost positive that this author's first book had it on page yet this one did not even though it was strongly referenced. Labels are important for some people and I think seeing less represented labels explicitly on page is a really valuable thing for a lot of people including me.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape media for this audio ARC.

Mark Sanderlin did a spectacular job of performing this magical story.

I enjoyed every moment of this queer 13 Going on 30 rom com. I loved Nolan and Drew. I loved the growth of character and the love story.

I didn’t love saying good-bye to my new friends when the story ended.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the concept and the execution was definitely there as well! I enjoyed the balance between the family conflict and the romantic conflict.

4.5 stars

This book was fabulous with the magical realism, time travel, family, friends, comedy scene and the lessons taught and character development.

The MC was irritating at times but I couldn't help but love him by the end with how much he grew and learned to care about so much more than himself and realized what was important.

Bonus that the best friend owned a bookshop!

Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio & Sourcebooks Casablanca for advance copies in exchange for an honest review!

New Adult by Timothy Janovsky is the third installment in the Boy Meets Boy series, but can be read as a standalone. This is my first time reading Janovsky's work, and I was very entertained!

note: I listened to the audiobook, so I do not know how to spell some of the characters names. I am doing my best!

Highlights:
- The cast was full of lovable characters. There wasn't a character I hated in the slightest. I adored Nolan, Drew, Jesse/Jesselyn, and Nolan's family. I thought all of the relationship dynamics in the book were realistic given the circumstances. I also appreciated that the supporting cast felt fleshed out and could stand on their own (like Drew loving his romance novels).
- Nolan's inner turmoil was such an emotional gut punch. His anxieties, determination, plans, and moral compass were very raw and felt relatable. I felt like I was pulled along for the emotional rollercoaster of this plot and I felt his reactions were appropriate for the situations he was thrust into.
- Character development felt steady and believable. I appreciate that Nolan's immediate contacts during the jump were not bending over backwards to forgive him. This made Nolan's struggle much more believable and interesting to follow.
- The time travel trope was done well, in my opinion. Typically time travel is not enjoyable for me to read, but something about the way Janovsky crafted this made it engaging and fun.
- Nolan and Drew's relationship was something out of Drew's favorite friends-to-lovers romance novels.

Room to improve:
- My only singular complaint is the pacing. I felt like the pacing dragged a little bit in the middle, around 40-60%, but then it picked back up for me.

Overall, I am rating New Adult 4.5 of 5 stars, which is "this was very good!" on my 1-5 star scale. I rounded up to 5 stars for NetGalley's rating system.

Thank you Timothy Janovsky, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for this ARC audiobook in exchange for my fair and unbiased review!

Unfortunately this book was just not for me, i found it a little too cheesy and couldn’t connect to the characters like i hoped i would. I still think the cover is super cute but otherwise it was a bit of a let down

It took me a while to like Nolan. I considered dropping this book because I just couldn't stand his character. I don't find his jokes funny, and there's no redeeming quality to him. But I had faith in what the book promised, so I stuck around. Honestly, I'm a bit annoyed with how things were resolved. I wasn't satisfied with the challenges and amount of regret Nolan faced. I kind of wanted him to suffer a bit more. But he quickly realized that the things he wanted to happen may not be the things he needed to live a happy and fulfilling life. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I'm a sucker for time-travel elements and swoon-worthy romantic counterparts.

New Adult is my favorite of Timothy Janovsky’s book so far. You had me at 13 Going on 30 but make it gay. The book was so fun and really kept my attention, I finished it in two days. Definitely would recommend to romcom fans!

Thank you #partner Dreamscape Media for my gifted ALC.

📖 Nolan is feeling down and out... He's broke and struggling to make it as a comedian, and hasn't the courage to share his romantic feelings with his best friend, Drew. He just wishes he could fast-forward through these difficult years. When presented with some magic crystals, Nolan makes a wish to be older and successful... What he doesn't expect is for the wish to come true! When he wakes up at age 30 having achieved the financial and career success he's always dreamed of, he realizes the sacrifices it took to get there and reflects on what's truly important in life.

💭 This book was such a joy! I love the magical realism component, and though this was largely a light and funny romantic comedy, it also tackles some deeper issues and has important life lessons.

I really enjoyed the audiobook of Janovsky's holiday romcom "You're a Mean One Matthew Prince" ... so when I saw this one was also narrated by Mark Sanderlin, I downloaded it immediately! 🙌🏼 Sanderlin really brought these characters to life and make this such a great listen.

Definitely recommend!! 🥰

New Adult by @timothyjanovsky
Release Date: 8/15/23
Format: audiobook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Big thank you to @netgalley and @librofm for the advanced listening copy of book 3 in Janovky’s Boy Meets Boy series! I read You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince last December and loved it so I was very excited for this one!

And, as expected, it did not disappoint! This book is charming, funny, and a great balance of self discovery and love story. I didn’t realize there was going to be magical realism elements going in and that was a delightful surprise too!

Fans of The Seven Year Slip will absolutely love this book. It has a lot of similarities while still being it’s own thing. I just love Janovsky’s writing style and narrator Mark Sanderlin does an incredible job at embodying Nolan’s character as he navigates emotionally loaded but wild situations.

Our protagonist has to decide between his budding stand up career and his loved ones in the first act and, let’s just say it doesn’t go well! He finds himself seven years in the future trying to come to terms with the person he has become and what he can do to become a version of himself that he and his family would be proud of.

Cannot recommend this one enough! I was in a bit of an audiobook slump and this one has me back in the game! 🖤

#NewAdult #audiobookstagram #TimothyJanovsky #BookReview #FiveStarRead

Nolan wants it all by 30 but at 23 he’s struggling. His perfect sister’s wedding has made Nolan realize he should be more practical about his dreams, quit comedy, and ask his best friend Drew, to be his date. Right as Nolan is about to make the jump, he gets a call to fill in for a famous comedian and kills it. But taking the gig meant missing his sisters wedding and standing up Drew. After disappointing everyone he loves, Nolan wishes on magical crystals to skip to the good part. He wakes up 7 years later and all of his loved ones aren’t around but he has the life he always thought he wanted but now he’s even more unhappy. Now he has to prove to everyone that he’s not the person everyone thinks he is and get them back in his life.

New Adult is sharp, witty, and gets all of the stars from me! The star of the book was definitely Drew, he’s such a lovable bookworm. I love him. Nolan’s personality is so fun and even though he made mistakes, it makes me happy that he grew and learned from them. I love a rom com with a friends to lovers story and when you add a little magic… it’s absolutely superb. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job! This is my first Timothy Janovsky book but it will definitely not be my last!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC and the chance to listen and review it honestly.

I can honestly say, I hated the whole first half of this book. I even have a note that says it ruined my day. I fully was having a horrible time.
Main character and narrative voice, Nolan, was absolutely horrendously frustrating. I understand that this had its purpose for character building; but there was absolutely no redeeming qualities about him - it completely took me out of the story because I was so frustrated. And would it kill to have him actually be funny? Then, by the middle of the novel it was getting veeerrryyy predictable, and not in a fun-exciting-cute way.

Spoilers beyond this point!!!

Man it’s a good thing that Nolan was sent back to his real life before his most unforgivable actions took place, I don’t know if the the writing could have been swung otherwise. Yes, Nolan learned how to rectify his life and make sure his future doesn’t turn out like the one he had experienced; but I can’t help but imagine that it would have made for a more unpredictable and interesting story if Nolan had to live with his actions and earn the forgiveness in his real life in the same way he did in the future life he experienced.

All in all, the ending ended up being cute. But that didn’t completely make up for the extremely rocky and frustrating start that soured my experience. Drew is so so forgiving, and I can honestly say that he’s way too good for Nolan. I’m glad Nolan did redeem himself tho.

Also, my god please it’s 2023 why is there a pizza rat joke that is said not once, but twice.

Audiobook graciously provided through NetGalley by Dreamscape Media. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks and Dreamscape Audio for the eARC and audio arc! This was such a fun read! My first, but certainly not my last, Timothy Janovsky novel. I loved the premise, I loved the characters, I loved all of the references. I appreciated Nolan’s character growth and had a soft spot for the relationship between him and Drew. This was such a cozy read. 🩵💜🤍 New Adult releases August 15th in the US!

Thank you so much to Sourcebook Casablanca for an advance copy of the book!
Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media for an advance copy of the book!

Timothy Janovsky has become an auto-buy author in the last year and this was is by far my favorite of the 3!
This was such a bingeable read & I kept wanting to read to find out what was going to happen to Nolan.

I just enjoyed this so much so I apologize if my thoughts are all jumbled.
This book just made me so happy!

"Life is a series of in-the-moment choices, snowballing into an always uncertain future."

I love how Janovsky let the story marinate for awhile and then bam the time jump happened. I always am not a fan of when an author doesn't let things build or let the reader get to know the characters before changing everything.

Even though romance was a main theme in this book, there was also such a focus on family & the importance of how one decision could change everything. Another theme is the career/life balance. Nolan is 23, so very young and still trying to figure things out. I love the reference to Britney Spears' "I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet a Woman" and it definitely describes him perfectly. He has this strain relationship with his family due to his commitment to his career and could not see it at all. I felt for them all especially when he chooses an opportunity over an important milestone for his sister. Fast forward to when he is 30 and re-building his relationship with his parents & sister, it was such a beautiful journey to see. I like that it was not perfect and that it didn't wrap up so quickly but that is was a progression.

Also hot take. The real villain of this story is Jessie errr Jessalynn. That's all I'll say.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask.
"Just that I forgot how much I missed knowing you."

Protect Drew Techler at all cost. Drew was such a sweet soul . I just loved his quiet & calm personality juxtaposed to Nolan's more bold and outgoing personality. There was such a sweet moment at Nolan's sisters wedding when he confessed his feelings that just made me swoon. Of course I was also swooning at the second wedding as well! You could just tell how much he cared about Nolan from the beginning. He just was always there for Nolan and Nolan trusted him so much. I love that we got to also learn about their history before the present day and how there always have been a spark between them.

This book doesn't follow the same formula as other romances typical do as there was a break up in the first half in addition to another conflict later on. I do not like it when authors give the characters unnecessary conflicts, but in this case it made sense. I was so happy that Janovsky had Nolan tell Drew the truth of everything and it wasn't hidden. Everything was out on the line and you could tell Nolan just really wanted to fix not only his relationship with Drew but all the other relationships in his life.

"Home always holds the answers."

The book just made me very happy & there was several times where I was smiling and laughing at Nolan's monologues. I also appreciated Timothy's open dialogue of recreational drugs.

There is just something wholesome by the way Timothy writes. I just love the whole premises of the book and thought having the MMC being a stand up comedian was so refreshing. Also the addition of the crystals was such a fun element. I am not familiar with the benefits of the use of crystals but very open to it! The way he wrote about Nolan's dad just made my heart melt and the care of an aging parent is just such a sad and apart of life.

I paired my reading on my kindle with listening to the audio. Mark Sanderlin did a FABULOUS job with this book! I felt that his voice went with Nolan and that he totally became him. I love that he has done all of Timothy's other books & hope he continues.

If you are a fan of "13 Going on 30" & even elements of "A Christmas Carol" but make it queer, this is your book!

#DoopThereItIs

I am very excited to read his next romance in 2024!

Swoon Meter: 10/10
Karaoke: No

New Adult by Timothy Janovski
Narrator: Mark Sanderlin
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 1 chili

Nolan Baker wishes he could skip to the good part in this friends-to-lovers, 13 Going on 30 retelling. When his wish unexpectedly comes true, he’s catapulted seven years into the future, where he’s 30 years old, famous for being a successful comedian, and has his pick of any man he wants. But on the flip side, he lost his former best friend and love of his life, does stand-up comedy that he’s not proud of, and has lost all communication with his family. Is fame worth all of the personal sacrifices he’s made over the years?

I loved You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince, but this is Janovski’s best work, in my opinion! It’s witty, charming, and unexpectedly heartfelt, and the blend of magic, comedy, and emotion had me hooked from the start.

The skillful character development turned the initially unlikable Nolan into a character I could root for and empathize with, and I found him to be relatable and endearing. After realizing that all of his success feels hollow without the love of family and friends, he desperately sets out to reclaim the life he carelessly threw away. It’s a long road to redemption but a fun journey getting there.

The chemistry between Nolan and Drew was palpable, and their friends-to-lovers (and perhaps even enemies-to-lovers) romance added depth to the story. I love Janovsky’s writing style, and I found the story fast-paced as it explored the complexities of friendship, love, and the pursuit of your dreams. I listened to this on audio and really enjoyed Mark Sanderlin’s narration!

Janovsky's ability to craft a compelling redemption story, the enchanting elements of time travel, and a heartwarming romance made this book an absolute must-read. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a touching, humorous, and uplifting story.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the ALC and to Sourcebooks for my ARC to read and review.

Read if you like:
*M/M romance
*time travel
*complicated family dynamics
*friends to lovers
*13 Going on 30

I loved this so much more than I expected to going in (I have no idea why since I’ve loved Timothy’s past 2 books and I love 13 going on 30) 🙈 but this book was just so good! At first, I thought I was going to hate Nolan because he’s so self centered in the beginning that he makes so many bad decisions that lead to him losing everyone he loves when he goes to the future but watching him make amends in the future while trying to go back was really great! I also loved that this book had so much more depth than just a cute rom com! Very much recommend this one, definitely pick it up when it releases on 8/15!! ☺️ thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This story was absolutely adorable. Nolan's character was delightful the entire time, even when he was being selfish and learning painful lessons, I never minded being in his head. The writing flowed nicely and the narrator did a great job. I enjoyed all the characters and relationships that were broken and repaired throughout the book. I will definitely be checking out more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC audiobook!

rep: gay mc with ADHD, gay demisexual li, non binary sc
Rating: 4.25

Like everyone else will say, this is mostly the same concept of 13 going on 30. It’s got that same time skip aspect to it.

Nolan starts off as not the most likable character. He’s very messy, flawed and makes many mistakes. He’s so focused on his comedy career that he pushes all his friends and family to the side. While its great to have ambitions, you need to know when to draw the line when it affects all of your relationships.

In his time skip, Nolan goes through a realization journey. He sees how shitty he was as a person and all the relationships he sacrificed to gain a successful career. He truly learns and regrets the person he became. By the end, Nolan rights his wrongs and starts to do better. I was almost hoping he didn’t go back to his 23 year old body. I would have been fine with either ending.

Drew was great and a total cinnamon roll. It was nice to see him stand up to Nolan though. He didn’t let him get away with all his shenanigans and constantly being pushed aside. They had a really nice friendship at the beginning. The fact that he helped Nolan after he time skipped, even after everything 30 year old Nolan did to him in the past 7 years. Wow. He’s too good. Most people would say fix up, and also think he’s crazy lol then of course they fall in love in this timeline while trying to find a way to send Nolan back.

There’s some great representation in here. It was nice to see the mc’s parent dealing with their mental health. It’s a hard thing to see as their kid. Even seeing his dad deal with Alzheimer’s and how it affected his whole family. It’s important representation. Nolan also has ADHD.

Next we have the queer rep. We have a non binary best friend, Nolan is gay and Drew is demisexual and gay. I don’t know if my memory is just bad, but I honestly don’t really remember it mentioning that Drew is demi?? You’d think I’d remember this, since I’m ace and knew he was demi going into this. Maybe it wasn’t a big focus so that’s why I don’t remember. Either way, I love having ace rep in books!

I liked how the parts were each named a different crystal. It was a nice touch. The cover is also pretty. And the narrator did a great job.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It’s pretty cute and shows the importance of family and friends, that your job isn’t everything. A nice friends to lovers, 2nd chance romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of this book

Timothy Janovsky has made me a believer of the friends to lovers trope! This was such a cute read, with so many lovable characters (both main and side).

This felt like a really fresh use of the time travel trope, and it didn't stress me out like time travel sometimes does. It wasn't confusing at all, and I loved the journey of Nolan trying to get back to his original time with the help of his friend, Drew.

The narrator was great, I would definitely listen to them again. The main character's voice really felt like Nolan, and the side voices were distinctive enough to differentiate!

I did feel like some of the growth of our main character happened too quickly and some lessons were too easily learned/resolved-- BUT I think that made the book a lighter, fluffier read.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this ARC!