I picked this book because I loved her previous book! It did take me a while to get through chapter one because the story started too slow for me. Yet, afterward, it picked up and was fascinating.  This story follows Marlowe, who was recently dumped by her boyfriend Josh, and her desire to win him back. With the help of her English semester partner Ash who unwittingly helps her even though he thought it was a bad idea. They devised a plan for Marlowe to win Josh back by making romantic gestures and she would help publicize Ash's band.  I liked that Marlowe was on the spectrum of Autism.  The representation was done sensitively and gently. I also liked how honest she was about her intense feelings. In the beginning, I didn't understand why she wanted to be with Josh, but she explained that he made her feel okay about herself and that was meaningful.  Ashton was a great guy. And he was a great friend and a better love interest. Her besties were amazing in helping her realize that going back with her ex may not be healthy for her. I loved Sloane. Her words of wisdom on love and communication styles were beautifully stated.  I loved how Marlowe's mom set her straight that no one should minimize her feelings. The only yucky parts were the ex and his behavior but that was to be expected. The ending was adorable. Overall, it was a sweet romance book about finding one's self-worth, possibilities of new love, and friendship.  Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

THIS BOOK SINGLE-HANDEDLY RESTORED MY FAITH IN LOVE!!! It was so freaking adorable, I was practically melting, and honestly? It made me wish I had my own swoon-worthy romance ASAP.

Let’s talk about the characters—because wow, they were phenomenal. Marlowe? Obsessed. Ash? Love of my life. Marlowe and Ash together? Perfection. And don’t even get me started on their friends and Marlowe’s amazing family (especially her bond with her younger sister, which was so heartwarming).

Now, let’s talk about something this book did so well—autism representation. Marlowe is autistic, and it’s an integral part of who she is, but it’s not her entire storyline. She gets to be a fully developed character who experiences love, friendships, and all the messy, wonderful things life has to offer. This is the kind of rep we need more of, and it makes perfect sense because the author, Serena Kaylor, is autistic herself. She wrote Marlowe so authentically, and I loved every second of it.

Also, can we take a moment to appreciate Ash?? My little emo, eyeliner-wearing, nail-painting, lead-singer heartthrob. I just want to wrap him in a blanket and keep him safe forever. And even though those traits could feel stereotypical, Ash never did. He was layered, thoughtful, and just so real. Also, the way his bisexuality was just there—no big speeches, no unnecessary drama—just effortlessly accepted? Chef’s kiss.

Bottom line: You need this book in your life. It’s the kind of sweet, feel-good YA romance that makes your heart do little happy flips. Case in point—I told myself I’d read just a few chapters before bed. Ha. Hilarious. I ended up devouring the entire thing in one night because I simply could not stop reading.

Highly recommend to anyone who loves:
✔️ Super cute YA romances
✔️ Neurodivergent Characters

This was a complete fluff read for me. Super easy to digest and I loved it. Sometimes you just need a simple book, ya know. Super enjoyed Marlowe, who is autistic; I loved seeing the neurodivergent representation, she was so sweet and enjoyed her learning romance through books and some trial-and-error implementations. And then there’s Ashton Hayes, a goth bisexual boy who is really just a sweetie once you get to know him. I loved the banter between them and how he’s secretly admired Marlowe since he met her. It was just so cute. There was also an excellent cast of supporting characters, between Marlowe’s family and friends and Ash’s band mates/friends. Overall, I loved everything about this book.

I absolutely loved this! The characters, the friendships, the love story, the neurodivergent rep. It was too cute to handle. I was giddy the whole time I was reading this.

Marlowe’s boyfriend breaks up with her because she’s not - according to him - romantic enough and has no emotional depth. This confuses Marlowe and throws her for a loop. So, being the overachiever and perfectionist that she is, she requests help from Ashton to write live letters and help her be more “emotionally available”. Of course as they interact more and more, and go on dates (which are all for educational purposes), their relationship begins to grow into something more.

These two were the cutest! I highly recommend this if you love sweet, heartwarming romcoms.

“Nobody is inherently bad at love. Sure, people have different communication styles and love languages, and we might not all be on the same page at all times. Those challenges can require work, sometimes professional work, but your instincts aren’t wrong just because they’re not his instincts. And anybody who would make you think or feel that way is not someone worth fighting for.”

A huge thanks to Serena Kaylor, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

I value the opportunity I was given to read this in advance, but I still haven't read this. With so many books ahead of me, I cannot return to this title.

This is one I put off way too long! It was cute and entertaining. A quick page turner and really enjoyed the story. While I'm much older than the main character, I can very much relate to her experience. A heartwarming story.

The Calculation of You and Me is a delightful and thought-provoking YA romance that explores the intersection of love and logic. The story follows two unlikely characters—Avery, a logical, data-driven girl, and Bennett, a free-spirited boy who challenges her worldview. The author blends romance with themes of self-discovery and the complexities of human connection, showing that love isn’t always something that can be calculated or predictedThe book also has charming characters and a refreshing approach to romance.

4.5 stars

I loved the one! Only issue for 5 stars is it felt a teeny bit dragged out. But I feel like I relate to Marlowe so much. Trying to force something when you have someone right in front of you that you know you have feelings for. I love that she worked through her quirkiness and realized that there is someone out there who will love you for exactly the person you are.

I'm not sure I was able to get passed the main characters here. Marlowe was written as "quirky" when she has autism. I think if the author went into more detail about it instead of her just being considered quirky, I think it would've made it better. Nothing super memorable about this, but I thought it was a decent YA.

Even though this YA love triangle rom com it didn’t feel like one. It felt more like just a girl not realizing what as actually in front of her.

I was immediately hooked by the Edelweiss banner featuring a Goth boy love interest, and I really enjoyed this YA romance. Kaylor showed significant improvement from her first book, especially in how she handled the portrayal of neurodivergence. Marlowe, the protagonist, is openly autistic, and her experiences and how her neurodivergence impacts her relationships felt more genuine and relatable this time around. However, I do wish there had been more attention paid to how her ex-boyfriend blamed her autism when breaking up with her—it felt like an important issue that wasn’t fully explored.

The plot was a lot of fun, with Marlowe helping Ashton’s band with their website in exchange for lessons on how to navigate relationships. The whole "teen romcom" vibe worked well, though I did find it a bit unrealistic that a teen boy would be so into reading historical fiction romance. Still, it was an enjoyable and lighthearted dynamic.

#ARC #netgalley

When Marlowe's boyfriend breaks up with her, she enlists the help of Ash to win him back. Marlowe and Josh had been going out for years and he told her she just wasn't romantic enough. Ash works at a bookstore that only sells romance. Marlowe feels he is her best option. What Marlowe fails to see is the crush he has on her.
Opinion
This is a great young adult book. Marlowe is on the spectrum and just doesn't see things the way most people do. This sets the course for and interesting book as Ash tries to teach her what she wants to know.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It evoked emotions from me quite often. (Her ex boyfriend, Josh, made me cringe multiple times and Ash made me swoon.) I really think that teenagers (and adults alike) will enjoy this book.
Many thanks to Net Galley and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I absolutely adored this love story! And has easily become my current favorite when it comes to high school romances! It was just so freaking cute!

We follow Marlowe, who’s on the spectrum as she navigates high school and love. Her boyfriend breaks up with her right before summer break which she took as meaning just a break. So when they get back to school and he wants nothing to do with her, she’s heartbroken and feels broken. Claiming she wasn’t romantic enough, and telling her that not everyone is capable of being romantic. She wants to fight for him, win him back, and prove him wrong, that she can be capable of being romantic. She enlists the help of the school outcast, Ashton to teach her how to be romantic. But the more time she spends with Ashton, she struggles to decide what she truly wants.

As romances go, the story arc was not unpredictable in the slightest. But I ate it up regardless. I finished this in a single sitting! I just could not put it down, it was so cute.

I found Marlowe to be adorable to follow, with all her quirks and interesting fixations. But she was incredibly sweet as well. And so were her friends! Who all encouraged Marlowe to do and go for what made her happy, even if they didn’t necessarily agree with her. It was so fun watching Marlowe hanging out with her friends. I especially loved the friendship that blossomed between her and Ashton, this moody goth teenager, who appeared the complete opposite of her but was actually very sweet, especially towards Marlowe. He went into helping her despite loathing her ex and making it known. The more time we spent with Ashton, how could anyone not fall in love with him?

My favorite aspect was that this book is about books! And easily my favorite part about this story. We get to watch all our characters bond over romance books. And seeing Marlowe fall in love with reading and connecting with Ashton over them was so endearing. These were by far my favorite parts of the book!

Well… except for this one scene about Marlowe questioning Ashton who made his band’s website and he goes “The bassist, Mateo’s, little brother. He did it for fifty Pokemon cards and twenty rides to the mall.” I laughed so much at this conversation. So much so, that I shared it with my boyfriend, and he joked with me saying “do mean you’ve never taken pokemon cards as a payment for one of your jobs?!” - I’m a graphic designer for my day job - when I told him no, he teased me saying “you’re missing out then!”

So, if you enjoy young adult romances set around high school and featuring some books about books vibes, I highly recommend this one! It’ll be sure to make you smile and laugh along the way!

The Calculation of You and Me
By Serena Kaylor

The Calculation of You and Me is easy to read and easy to follow along. It was fast paced which I liked but there was one main thing for me that I don’t think I could have overlooked.
Marlowe… Well not the character or anything she was fine and all but what I didn’t really like that much was the autism reputation wasn’t the best, in my opinion.

I liked the autism rep in the book, which we need more of, but maybe it could have been handled in a different way.


Thank you to St.Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for my honest opinions.

DNF at 44%

I've been avoiding YA romance recently, and this book served as a reminder of why. It's just so juvenile! And I liked the idea of Ash as a character, but he had nowhere near enough page time. The writing didn't draw me in, the characters weren't particularly intriguing. There was nothing that made me want to read more, and a whole lot that made me want to stop reading.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

This was a cute little YA romance, but i was not the primary audience for it so it fell a little short for me, but i can totally see the appeal for the younger audience. This was a new to me author as well--thanks so much for the digital copy!

This was a great read! Loved Marlowe and Ashton! They had a lot of great character development and I loved how their interactions were so easy to get into and enjoy! I was hooked right away on this story! Such a fun read! Definitely recommend reading this one!

This was predictable, but cute. I loved Odette & her humor…in fact, I found every character to be fleshed out and engaging. The premise was important & it was well told!

The Calculation of You and Me by Serena Kaylor is a sweet and witty YA novel. It is full of representation, and I love seeing a positive portrayal of girls in STEM.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

This was a cute YA romance, that had me chuckling at times and kept me engaged.

I appreciated the inclusion of a neurodivergent character in the book, but wished it was expanded on a little more. I think the book is great for a wide variety of audiences.

Overall, it was a cute read.