Cute story, reads fast.

Marlowe Meadows loves math and understands a great deal of things, but she doesn’t quite fit it thanks to her black and white approach to life. When her boyfriend, Josh, breaks up with her before their senior year of high school, she’s determined to win him back. Working with fellow outcast, Ashton Hayes, she works to show Josh she has the emotional depth he’s looking for.

I enjoyed reading this story. It’s a gently written YA romance with different characters and typical teenage angst.

Overall a very sweet, fun romance. I really enjoyed Serena Kaylor's debut "Long Story Short," but unfortunately this one didn't blow me away. I had a good time reading this one, I like the characters, and the romance was sweet, but I just didn't love it as much. All the stars for Ash as a love interest, less stars for some truly cringy moments that were hard to look past.

(Side note: one of my biggest complaints about "Long Story Short" was that the main character was autism-coded, but the author didn't really touch on it much and it seemed like it was treated as a symptom by the characters parents/etc. that needed to be fixed. In this book, the main character actually has on-page autism, which I really appreciate, even if it maybe wasn't the most outstanding representation of neurodivergence.)

This adorable YA romance had me in all the feels and more. My only regret is that I didn’t read it sooner. This is the first book I have read in a long time that had such amazing, authentic autism representation and I couldn’t get enough.

Marlowe is a high school senior who has recently been dumped by her boyfriend of two years. When she is paired with Ashton Hayes, whose black clothes, eyeliner, and song writing ability throw her a little off kilter, she realizes that maybe he is exactly the help she needs to win back the love of her life.

Pick this one up if you like:

-YA romance
-A great group of loveable, authentic friends
-A romance bookstore and a MMC who loves romance books
-A journey of self-discovery
-GREAT representation across the board
-A story that will keep you wanting to read more
-Swoon worthy happy endings

Cute, hopeful, lighthearted but meaningful. I wish I had read this when I was younger!

Marlow is reeling from her breakup with Josh, the stereotypical homecoming king, who tells her she doesn’t know how to love. Marlow sees this as a problem she can solve with the help of her romance book expert/classmate Ash. Through books and fake date excursions Marlow tries to learn how to “love” someone (who is wholly unworthy of it).

In this book we have autism rep, queer rep, nonbinary rep. It was refreshing to see these people treated normally and with respect. Marlow’s “differences” had to be crammed down and hidden during her relationship with Josh and she had to decide if that made her a better person with more opportunities or if that stifled her creativity and held her down.

Note this is very YA. In a world where somehow books like fourth wing and acotar are considered young adult I feel like it is important to make the distinction. Very innocent in comparison. But as someone nearing their 30s I still enjoyed it very much!

This reads a little like a Sarah Dessen book (which I grew up on and LOVED) but a little less melodramatic. A little romance, a little friendship, and a lot of learning who you are. Highly recommend, 4.25 stars

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO SO MUCH!

I am the pickiest when it comes to YA contemporary romances, I have a list of boxes I want and need checked off and this one ticked nearly every single one!

Serena Kaylor’s The Calculation of You and Me is an absolute gem that beautifully intertwines the intricacies of neurodivergent experiences, the growing pains of adolescence, the intricacies of first loves, and the unsteadiness of lost expectations all balanced perfectly with exploration, romance novels, and pop culture references! My romance bookworm heart was beaming the entire time!

From the very first page, Kaylor’s prose draws you into the world of complex and diverse characters, each meticulously crafted and deeply relatable. The protagonist’s neurodivergent experiences are depicted with authenticity and sensitivity, providing a much-needed voice in literature that is both respectful and enlightening! My heart soars thinking about a Young Adult reader picking this book and feeling seen by Kaylor’s words! 🥹

The queer normative representation in this book is another standout feature. It’s always so refreshing to see a world where queer identities are normalized and celebrated, woven seamlessly into the fabric of the story. This representation enriches the narrative, offering readers a glimpse into diverse experiences without making them the sole focus. Beautifully well done! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Where this novel shines though is in the character growth and development! Marlowe embarks on a journey she is so sure of at the beginning of this novel, but as it progresses and she learns more about herself, those around her, and life in general her perspectives shift and she really leans into finding out what SHE believes, she rights wings done to her, she makes mistakes and learns from them in ways that feel genuine and heartfelt. The emotional depth and the evolution of relationships are beautifully portrayed, leaving readers both satisfied and yearning for more!

Speaking of relationships- I adored the relationships portrayed in this novel! The feeling between the love interest and the FMC were tender and slow. This was the best “he fell first and harder” YA book I’ve read and I love that he went at a pace that was set by Marlowe, allowing her room to grow and come to conclusions and feelings in her own time with zero pressure!
The parent child relationship was so well done and very healing, the friendships gave me so much hope and healed a little piece of my teenage past self, and the sister dynamics were very reminiscent of the Stratford sisters in ‘10 Things I Hate About You’- at each others throats with misunderstanding but always in each others corner! Even the strained relationships between the father and his family were well done, handled with care, and ultimately involved some very healthy and healing dialogue! 🥰

All in all- The Calculation of Us is a testament to Serena Kaylor’s talent for crafting stories that are not only entertaining but also meaningful and impactful. With its authentic representation and compelling character arcs, this book is a triumph and a poignant reminder of the power of diverse narratives. Highly recommended!

3.75 stars

I struggled with this book in the beginning, going so far as to consider not finishing it. I'm ultimately very happy I stuck with it but I think the beginning needs work.

There's no single hook to grab you and pull you into the story. And I wish Marlowe's autism was mentioned earlier -- the way it was danced around was distracting for my neurodivergent brain. It wasn't clear if Marlowe was neurodivergent (yay!) or if she's just quirky and awkward in a not-like-the-other-girls way (boo!). I didn't want to invest myself until I knew the shape this representation would take.

I like Marlowe but I didn't always understand her. She feels like the embodiment of the miscommunication trope. I take words and actions very literally so some of the assumptions or interpretations Marlowe made struck me as weird or out of place. I love Odette and Poppy and Ash. They're a great group of characters and I enjoyed seeing them grow throughout the story, too.

The ending is adorable. It felt like a perfect fit for these characters. I'll definitely recommend this to YA fans and friends with teenagers!

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I met Serena at a book conference and LOVED her book! I have been searching for YA titles featuring neurodiverse and disabled character not only thriving in life but also in healthy relationships. I enjoyed reading this book and will be requesting, purchasing, and adding more titles by this author to our library collection.

This was such a super cute read! I loved the slow burn!
I like that the FMC was able to realize that she didn't have to be less than herself, for someone to love her. I also really liked that she was using romance novels for guidance, and many different tropes were discussed!
This was a really inclusive book and was overall a fun read!

This was a quick, cute, and fun read with a disability rep in the FMC. I whipped through it in about a day, but now that I'm writing the review, I don't remember much about it. So, cute read but entirely forgettable.

I am always a fan of great neurodivergent characters and this was no different. Marlowe is funny and endearing. She is aware she is different from some other students in her school, but she does not let that stop her. She really reminded me of some students I have had in the past. I loved the fact that she tried to use mathematical equations and reason to find her way back to love. And I loved that she used romance novels for this. That really cracked me up! There are a lot of endearing characters in this book and that made it so enjoyable for 3 1/2 stars!

Thank you to Wednesday books for a Net Galley copy of this book!

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞! 𝐈 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐘𝐀 𝐫𝐨𝐦-𝐜𝐨𝐦. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐲! 𝐓𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒆 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐭, 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧.

𝐈𝐧 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒆, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞’𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫-𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫-𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐏 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬. 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜.

𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒮𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃𝒶 𝒦𝒶𝓎𝓁𝑜𝓇, 𝒮𝓉. 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓉𝒾𝓃'𝓈 𝒫𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈, & 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.

DNF @ 38%

While I initially enjoyed the premise of how the two MCs connected and started spending time together, the FMC is overly hung up on the ex-boyfriend, and overall the vibes of the story were just not holding my interest.

I really enjoyed this author's debut novel, but this one wasn't for me.

Serena Kaylor’s latest young adult romance The Calculation of You and Me is just the sweet, fun, and refreshing read I hoped it would be! After a string of adult fiction, I didn’t know how I’d feel picking up a young adult romance, especially since sometimes YA can be too dramatic, too silly, or too cringe for me. But I had no reason to worry. Kaylor manages to deliver a story that kept me turning pages and characters I became invested in.

Marlowe Meadows is neurodivergent. She’s aware of her differences, mostly able to blend in. For the past two years she’s dated Josh, the golden-boy-jock at her school. Thanks to his attention, she’s been welcomed into the popular crowd, attending parties, safely accepted as Josh’s plus one. But when Josh told her they needed a break the summer before their senior year—because he didn’t know if she really loved him—Marlowe was shocked and unprepared.

Now summer is over, and Marlowe has been dwelling on Josh’s choice of word “break”, hoping he’s ready to pick up where they left off. But on the first day of school, before the first class, she gets an icy reception from Josh and all his friends. After confronting him about it, she realizes his idea of a “break” is a “break-up”. But she doesn’t understand why. She followed all the rules, followed his lead, she thought she’d been the perfect girlfriend. She doesn’t consider herself someone who quits, so she’s determined to win him back, restore her life back to something she recognizes.

When she’s paired with Ash, a surly, all black-wearing musician, for an English project, she discovers his hidden romantic side and convinces him to help her.

While there are several aspects of this story that are unrealistic and highly unlikely to actually happen in the real world, I didn’t care. I was along for the ride, cheering Marlowe on, even when she exasperated me by making poor choices. She was open to learning and growing, and that made her journey inspiring.

The book is told solely from Marlowe’s point of view, and it works perfectly here, giving the reader a sort of tunnel vision. We discover truths just as Marlowe does.

I adored Kaylor’s debut Long Story Short, and I’m happy to say her follow-up is just as good, if not better. The Calculation of You and Me warmed my heart and left me smiling.

This is a cute, YA, high school romance. This took me over a month to finish because I almost DNF’d it several times. The writing was okay. It wasn’t the writing, it as just too YA for me.


I also don’t think the title goes with the book. The FMC is autistic, as it’s pointed out in the book about a hundred times. I didn’t feel like this made the book any better, or would’ve changed anything in the end, had she been not autistic? If that makes any sense. The FMC and MMC do a book report together, Wuthering Heights. The title of this book would’ve been better had it been a play on THAT.

I think if you enjoy high school drama, you’ll like this book. There’s only a kiss or two, not really any spice, just so you know!

My preorder from Brave + Kind Bookshop of Serena Kaylor’s new book arrived with its preorder goodies! THE CALCULATIONS OF YOU AND ME was such a good read that I enjoyed the audio—thanks, Libro. FM, for the ALC! I’m super happy to have a physical copy in my collection to reread with its cute cover!

I love it when YA romance is done well. Serena Kaylor does YA romance fantastically in her new book, THE CALCULATION OF YOU AND ME. Marlowe’s ex-boyfriend dumps her because she is not romantic enough. She’s never failed at anything and is not about to start now, so she is determined to figure out the algorithm of love, convincing her English partner, Ash, the complete opposite of her, to help her. I loved Marlowe. She is one of my new favorite book characters.

Marlowe has Autism and OCD, but we are inside her head the entire book, so we get to see how her beautiful mind works. I love that Kaylie gave us this insight. I easily related to her OCD patterns, as I have the same diagnosis, and seeing that representation and how she coped in the book made me feel not alone. But I also loved that her diagnoses weren’t the book's main focus. They were just part of Marlowe. To actually know Marlowe, you had to accept all the pieces.

This is why I thought the book was an exceptional YA romance: It has the cheesiness and cuteness we all love, but it teaches you what you deserve and has people accepting all of you. It's an entertaining story with an excellent message. A feel-good recommendation!

4.5 stars ❤️

“𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘬.”

this was a perfect ya book! i absolutely loved marlowe and her representation of autism. it’s so refreshing to find characters i can relate to and understand how they feel. i went through some of those exact feelings when i was younger and really vibed with her desperation to feel included and understood

ash was also so sweet with her. he really took the time to understand her needs, but never tried to ensue what she could or couldn’t do. it’s lovely when someone accepts you for who you are, while also trying to make sure you’re comfortable!

their friendship and somewhat fake little dating plot was fun to read! if you’re looking for a little marshmallow of a book, with a spectacular ending then i’d highly recommend this one!

First I want to thank Wednesday Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the story of Marlowe, high school student, who after getting dumped by her boyfriend for not loving him "right" a teacher tries to pair the two up for a project but Ashton Hayes steps up to be her partner instead. Marlowe doesn't know what to do with Ashton but was relieved when he helped her out and they start working together. As they learn more about each other Marlowe realized Ashton needed help with promoting his band and makes a bargain she will help him and the band if he helps her write love letters to her ex to win him back. Working together Marlowe starts to learn and see issues with what she thought was the perfect relationship with her ex while developing feelings for Ashton, which she has no idea what to do with. Marlowe has to decide if she wants what she had or if these new feelings are a sign of the right answer.

What I Loved:
- Ashton, he is the typical cool guy in school who is mysterious and scary to some but in reality is a teddy bear who is kind and is always looking out for his friends
- Three Little Words, romance bookstore in their town that Ashton works at and run by Sloane who is an absolute star and I would love to visit this place and spend hours in there
- Syllabus and field trips, I love that Ashton put together a romance novel syllabus for Marlowe and set up a few field trips so Marlowe could experience some of the situations in the books
- Poppy and Odette, Marlowe's best friends who help her however they can including participating in the romance book reading, supporting her "plan" but being the voice of reason when she starts to question her feelings

This was a sweet young adult romance where you will spend some time wanting to shake Marlowe cause she makes typical teenager decisions. If you are looking for a young adult romance with a "love" coach rocker and the math focused girl who needs all the help she can get I would recommend you pick this book up.

I really had fun reading this YA Romance. This was a fun representation of good girl, bad boy with no third act breakup which I loved! It was a fast paced book. I wish there was more chemistry between them, but Overall it was believable and enjoyable to read.

I was in the mood for a light read that wouldn’t bruise my brain, and The Calculation of You and Me checked that box. I listened to it on a road trip.

Neurodivergent math lover Marlowe is told by her boyfriend of two years that she’s not romantic enough and basically says she’s bad at love. The guy’s a real sweetheart, right? Enter relatively new student Ashton with his piercings, love songs, and eye liner. He’s the front man in his rock band and in a non-stereotypical way, a fan of romance books – he even works in a bookstore that only sells that genre. When the two of them are paired for an English project (he volunteers to be her partner), she asks him for romance lessons to win back her ex in return for help in marketing his band.

Marlowe and Ashton are both likeable characters, although I wanted to ash Marlowe what she was thinking sometimes. Even her close friends aren’t fans of her ex, but they support her choice. Through a series of mishaps and epiphanies, she eventually finds her voice and makes herself heard. Ashton is a sweetheart who’s “never been chosen first”, and I just wanted to protect him from the cruel world. I loved the inclusion – Marlowe is autistic, Ashton is bisexual, another character is gay or bi – and how it’s not an issue for anyone or the primary focus of the novel. It’s not hard to figure out how this story ends and, other than a pretty slow start, it’s a humor-filled (the Lady Jessica sections gave me laughs), charming, and occasionally angsty journey. Trust me – there’s a nice payoff at the end.

Recommended for readers who enjoy a diverse and likeable cast of characters (except for the ex and his friends), slow-burn romance, and fun banter.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

1⭐️

DNF at 15%. Unfortunately I started this in May, put it down shortly after I started it and had no desire to ever go back to it. The premise sounded interesting enough, but I really hate the trope of the clearly neurodivergent character just being 'quirky' and 'not like other girls' and even this early in I can tell that's where we're going.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday books for providing this ARC to me.