I received a free copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press; all opinions expressed are exclusively my own.

I absolutely loved this book, so so much. I loved Marlowe and her friends and their relationships, every part of it, as well as her family and the found family she makes along the way. The romance is sweet and classic in a non-traditional way (figure out that oxymoron) that I massively enjoyed, and I adore the references to classic literature. I deeply appreciated Marlowe as a character, her thought processes and how she comes to terms with her first relationship. This is a lovely, lovely read!

For sensitive readers, there are depictions of child neglect, emotional abuse, bullying (mostly off page), alcohol consumed by minors, references to off-screen sexual relationships in vague terms, and toxic relationships.

I'm late to reading this ARC I received from St. Martin's Press and author Serena Kaylor, but I still read it and I am so happy I did! I adored Marlowe and Ash. They were extremely likable and unique characters. I am a sucker for YA, and the premise for this novel was a first for me. I hate to be repetitive, but unique is the best way to describe the whole book. Unique characters, unique story line, unique and lovable supporting characters (Odette and Poppy are the best of friends you could ask for!) . Everything about this book stood out as original and refreshing. The spotlight on a character with autism was spot on too. The representation in this book felt natural and not forced.

Thank you immensely to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Serena Kaylor! I apologize for the late review but thank you again for the ARC!

With a math background I had hoped to see a little more included but still this was a good quality story.

Not much to say otherwise, this was a standard YA romance without a crazy twist which is how YA romance should be.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

“𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓻𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓵𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻.”

I’m still tearing up a little over how beautiful this book was.

If you love romance books, like myself, then this book is for you. If you love cute books where the the main characters eventually fall in love, this book is for you. If you love books that have you rooting for the grumpy MMC, this book is for you. If you don’t mind reading books set in a high school scene, this book is for you. If you don’t mind reading books with zero smut (super valid in this book since they’re minors), this book is for you.

In my personal opinion, this book is for 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮! Please, please, please read it!

The plot was my first guess that I would like this book, but the writing took it from 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 to 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮.

I can’t say I wish I could keep Ash for myself, but that’s only because our MMC is still a senior in high school, and that would be weird lol. I can, however, say he was 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓮𝓬𝓽.

I love that he was unapologetically himself! He did what he enjoyed and loved, but he did it without hurting anyone. I love the way he helped Marlowe grow into herself as well.

That brings me to our FMC Marlowe. I loved her character so much! I loved being in her head and saying the way she processed information and the way her mind worked. She’s such a sweetheart, and I’m so happy she’s getting the happiness she deserves! Watching her grow the way she did was amazing! I was rooting for her from the beginning, and then I was rooting for her and Ash! I loved following along as they fell for each other, because it was inevitable!

I loved both of our MC’s so much! This book made me miss high school, and made me wish something like this would have happened to me.

Please do not let the fact that the book takes place in high school stop you from reading this book. I understand the hesitancy, but this book is just too beautiful to let that stop you. Everyone please read this book! I’m so glad I read this story, and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Title: The Calculation of You and Me
Author: Serena Kaylor
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

Marlowe Thompson understands a lot of things. She understands that calculus isn’t overwhelmingly beautiful to everyone, and that it typically kills the mood when you try to talk Python coding over beer pong. She understands people were surprised when golden boy Josh asked her out and she went from weird, math-obsessed Marlowe to half of their school’s couple goals. Unfortunately, Marlowe was surprised when Josh dumped her because he’d prefer a girlfriend who was more romantic. One with emotional depth.

But Marlowe has never failed anything in her life, and she isn’t about to start now. When she’s paired with Ashton Hayes for an English project, his black clothing and moody eyeliner cause a bit of a systems overload, and the dissonant sounds of his rock band make her brain itch. But when she discovers Ash's hidden stash of love songs, Marlowe makes a desperate deal to unleash her inner romantic heroine: if Ash will agree to help her write some love letters, she’ll calculate the perfect data analytics formula to make Ash's band go viral.

As the semester heats up with yearning love notes and late nights spent with a boy who escapes any box her brain tries to put him in, Marlowe starts to question if there’s really a set solution to love. Could a girl who has never met a problem she couldn’t solve have gotten the math so massively wrong?

This was a cute read! I really enjoyed Marlow’s POV, and Ash is a great character, too. A teenage boy who reads romances? Totally unbelievable, but awesome. I enjoyed Marlow’s two BFFs, too, but her sister kind of got on my nerves. This ended up being very sweet and fun, and would make a great weekend binge-read.

Serena Kaylor grew up in North Carolina. The Calculation of You and Me is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

One of the best books I’ve read in a while. A charming YA romance featuring inclusivity, first love, figuring out who you are and what you love, etc. Highly recommend. I feel it did a beautiful job of depicting how autism can affect your life but doesn’t have to hold you back and that there isn’t only one way to do things. Just because you do something different than someone else doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong. Just go read it.

Kaylor second book hit me in all the feel, just like her first book did. Kaylor knows how to tell a powerful and emotional story, that keeps me eagerly turning each page, while feeling deeply for the characters, and healing something within myself at the same time. Love Serena Kaylor’s books and will always support her!

This YA romance novel will entice many younger readers, especially if they are neurodivergent or have autism. I liked that Marlowe is different and recognizes her differences. I felt like she was portrayed well regarding her autistic traits. I have a stepson who is on the spectrum, and I saw some of him in her. It is mentioned a few times but not built upon in the story. It could have been a more significant portion of the book. That said, it is easy to see why she was so focused on her ex-boyfriend, Josh, and wanted him back. It is the obsessive trait of those on the spectrum.

Enter Ash. Marlowe is paired with him on an English project, and she uses this situation to get help trying to win Josh back. What she doesn't realize is that Ash is interested in her. It is just like the Cyrano de Bergerac storyline. There are multiple classic tales scattered throughout the book that reference what is happening to the characters. I liked that tie-in. I also enjoyed all of the interactions between Marlowe and Ash, especially when you look at it through their eyes and not as a reader. 

While Marlowe has issues to work through, she could sometimes get a little annoying. But I felt like she learned a lot about herself and that maybe how she shows love and affection is ok and doesn't have to fit into a mold that someone else expects. I liked her two best friends, Odette and Poppy. While we learn more about Odette than Poppy, this trio of friends sticks together through thick and thin. 

This book is filled with tropes and loveable characters, and we give it 4 paws up.

Title: The Calculation of You and Me
Author: Serena Kaylor
Length: 336 pages
Format: ebook arc
Pub Date: June 18, 2024
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Rating Out of 5: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice Level: closed door
Summary:
Marlowe Meadows understands many things, including that her love for calculus and Python coding isn't universally shared. Despite being seen as a "weird, math-obsessed" girl, she became part of her school's "couple goals" with Josh, who later dumped her for not being romantic enough. Determined not to fail, Marlowe teams up with moody musician Ashton Hayes for an English project. They strike a deal: he'll help her write love letters to win back Josh if she can create a data formula to make his band go viral. As they work together, Marlowe starts to question if love can truly be solved like a math problem.

Thoughts:
This was such a sweet YA romance! It gave me major Better Than the Movies vibes. The author did such a great job of creating real, quirky, relatable, and diverse characters that you get to know and love (or hate *cough*Josh*cough*). I really loved getting to follow Marlowe on her romance + self discovery journey. And Ash was incredibly kind and ridiculously patient and loved all the parts of her that her that Josh just dealt with or tried to change. I was fully immersed in this book and loved every second of it!

Special thanks to the @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars

I absolutely adored this book. The story follows Marlowe, a calculus enthusiast and one half of the school’s golden couple. That is until her popular boyfriend dumps her and takes all of their friends with him. Apparently, Marlowe isn’t “romantic enough”. Marlowe is determined to win him back and enlists the help of the mysterious Ashton Hayes to write romantic love letters. However, Marlowe soon begins to question if her relationship is even worth fighting for.

This book was so good and perfect for people who just love books. I loved the romance between Marlowe and Ashton, as well as the neurodivergent rep. Overall, just an excellent YA romance.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Calculation of You and Me is a very cute YA romance. It took me a little bit to get into but overall i enjoyed this novel!
I think Marlowe was represented so well in the book!! The different dynamics of personalities in high school were well represented too.

A lot of funny and cute moments. Really enjoyed this!

Thank you for the ARC!

Neurodivergent/autistic Marlowe is a senior in high school whose boyfriend of two years, jock Josh, breaks up with her right as senior year begins. Josh breaks up with Marlowe because she is "not romantic enough". Simultaneously, Marlowe gets partnered with Ashton (Ash) the very tall, all-black wearing, guyliner adorned "new" kid for their senior English project. One thing leads to another and Ash makes a deal with Marlowe--if she will help with some grassroots PR for his band, Never Mind the Monsters, he will educate her in how to be more romantic.

I adored this book. The writing is snappy, funny, crisp, and clean. The characters are well developed, diverse, and friends anyone would love to have (Odette and Poppy are just delightful). The family dynamics of Marlowe's mom, stepdad, and half sister are supportive and realistic. Poor Ash's parents having to travel all the time felt plausible too. I thought this was a sweet story of helping Marlowe find out what she wants through "romance fieldwork" and reading romance novels for research. It's a little predictable and the scenes are just oh so perfect. I enjoyed the depiction of Marlowe's autism through her narrator perspective. And Ash is just...swoon. what a cinnamon roll wrapped in all black.

This was a sweet story about self-worth and love. There were some great moments between Marlowe and her family and friends, and I was cheering her on as she confronted incorrect assumptions she had about herself as the story progressed.

I absolutely love that the character who Marlowe describes as “allergic to color” is well-read in romance and makes a great pitch for why romance novels are for everyone. I also loved how patient and kind (and funny) Ash was throughout the story!

Marlowe is neurodivergent and I thought the representation was really well done.

This is exactly the kind of positive and funny story I love to see in the YA genre. This is a great choice for a YA-loving adult (like me!)
I absolutely loved the nods to classic literature. If blending YA and classics is going to be Serena’s trademark style, sign me up.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

This book just wasn't my cup of tea. I ended up DNFing due to the cringey southern accenting and confusing writing style. This was just my initial reaction and suggest you give the book a try yourself if you're drawn to it!

Marlowe Meadows, Lo to her friends and family, is looking forward to her senior year. Even though her relationship ended at the start of the summer, when popular boy Josh said he thought they should take a break for a couple of months. He had gone away for the summer, but Lo was ready for him to come back to town and tell her that he’d reassessed their relationship and he was ready to get back together. Someone who understood social cues might have thought he’d broken up with her. But Lo is autistic and hopeful, and she thinks she can convince Josh that they belong together.

But when school starts, he doesn’t call Lo over and tell her he’s ready for them to get back together again. In fact, when she confronts him, he says he wants to think of it as a breakup, not just a break. And then Lo has to put up with the humiliation of being paired with him in AP English on a team project. To dissolve the tension in the room, Ash Hayes offers to trade places and work with Lo. Lo is surprised but glad to get out of the difficult situation, and very happy not to have to work with Josh on a long-term project.

Lo doesn’t know Ash very well, but he seems smart. And he seems smart with words, not just with numbers, which Lo prefers. And they’re faced with having to do an in-depth study of a romance novel. Lo is not excited about that, until she realizes that romance novels may hold the key for her getting back together with Josh. He had told her that she wasn’t romantic enough for him, and Lo thinks that reading romances can help give her ideas for being more romantic. Ash thinks it’s a bad idea because he has a low opinion of Josh, but he does work in a romance bookstore and reads a lot, so he’s willing to help her out.

Ash will pick out novels he thinks will help Lo and offer some fieldwork training, so Lo can feel more comfortable on dates. In return, she will revamp the website for his band, Never Mind the Monsters, and help with their social media presence. She will also take photos of the band for the website and post some videos of their songs, to try to help them get attention and some gigs, and get them set up on some streaming services.

As the weeks go by, and Ash and Lo spend more time together, Lo finds that she enjoys spending time with him. He has good taste in novels, and his bandmates are all good friends who are excited about her changes to their website. Ash never makes Lo feel less than because of her autism, and he does his best to meet her where she is. Meanwhile, Lo is trying to woo Josh back with anonymous love letters.

But the more Lo learns about what love really is, the more she questions what she had with Josh. Is that really the relationship she wants, or does that just not add up anymore?

The Calculation of You and Me is a sweet YA rom com about being a neurotypical teenager in a typical high school. Lo, her struggles with relationships and her obsession with mushrooms, is honest about what she’s thinking and feeling, her logic providing a different perspective on teenage relationships. This story has tons of heart, many laughs, so many romance novels, and a lot of mug cake experiments. And of course, there is a happily ever after ending.

I was really impressed with this novel. I am someone who is not neurotypical, and I found myself nodding along with Lo as she got into challenging situations by not being able to read the room and not understanding when people would say one thing but do the opposite. High school was confusing for me, like others had gotten some kind of rule book that I missed out on. I thought author Serena Kaylor did a really good job of putting the reader in Lo’s shoes, and this novel is itself a good novel to read to learn more about what love is and what it isn’t. I wish I could have read it when I was a teenager, but since time travel isn’t a thing, I can just be glad that I got to read it now.

Egalleys for The Calculation of You and Me were provided by Wednesday Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this novel.

Marlowe starts off her senior year of high school looking forward to her last year. Her popular boyfriend, Josh, had suggested that they take a break while she went to her dad's for the summer. When she gets back, she expects things to go back to normal, but is confused to find out that the "break" Josh had told her about, he wants to make permanent. He says that she doesn't do love correctly.

Stung by this revelation, she is determined to learn all about love to win Josh back. She enlists her best friends and reluctantly drafts her English partner Ash to help out. In exchange for his help to show Marlowe how to be romantic, Marlowe will help Ash's band get some social media exposure.

The Calculation of You and Me by Serena Kaylor is a fun and entertaining book about finding out who you are and figuring out that you should find yourself instead of twisting yourself to fit into someone else's ideal. I really enjoyed it and hope it gets the attention it deserves.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I was only able to get through about 20%--what I always make myself read to. It was just a matter of not connecting with the main character. The writing wasn't bad. The story just wasn't for me, personally.

What a fantastic YA romance book!! Marlowe Thompson had been dating Josh but Josh dumped her out of nowhere. He told her that she didn’t love him the way he wanted her to, he wanted her to be more romantic. Determined to win him back, after Marlowe is paired with Ashton in English class for a project, she makes a deal with him wherein he helps her learn about being more romantic. But what does Marlowe really want?

I really loved this book. It is such a well written YA romance novel. There isn’t a dull moment at all, and I really enjoyed seeing Marlowe’s growth. Marlowe goes from being obsessed with getting Josh back to realizing that maybe he wasn’t who she thought he was. Ash does that for her. Ash is a singer in an emo band, wearing black, with a lip ring, and wears eyeliner (so really every guy I liked when I was a teenager haha).

Marlowe is also autistic. Josh doesn’t seem to be understanding of that, but Ash is thoughtful. He also doesn’t treat Marlowe as “a person with autism,” he treats her as a person. It’s really beautiful. Ashton is thoughtful, and caring. He takes a step back for Marlowe. I love Ashton and Marlowe together. He made her open her eyes to what a relationship was really like, a healthy relationship.

The ONLY thing I wish.. was that I got more after the end! I wanted to see more of Ash and Marlowe together. They will be living rent free in my head for a while.

This is a MUST read for any fans of romance books.

This was adorable. It gave me "She's All That" and "10 Things I Hate About You" vibes. It was a lot of fun! Marlowe and Ash were a great balance to one another, and the comedy elements were great. I also thought Marlowe's friends were hilarious and loved how much they supported her.

This has a great balance of romance, comedy, friendship, family, and mental health elements. I enjoyed it from start to finish and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for their next YA contemporary romance!

Another sweet, thoughtful, joyful read from Kaylor, as she follows up Long Story Short with a story about a girl trying to win back her ex with the help of a goth, romance-book-loving musician who pens meaningful songs and knows a thing or two about love. Maybe from the books. Maybe from the songs. Maybe from a crush he’s been harbouring since long before the story began. While love letters are written and romance tropes are explored in date-like “field work,” the heroine rethinks the notion that love has to be all-consuming, full of grand gestures, and defined by heartfelt outpourings of affection. I enjoyed the meta-conversation about romance as a genre—the tropes, the characters, the commonalities—and the look at Wuthering Heights as a questionable template for love, which anyone who’s studied Bronte will resoundingly agree on, and Bronte, herself, is likely cheering from the grave. The affection the leads here share for one another is obvious from the start, and Kaylor does a great job keeping us in the emotional space of her heroine, even while she *thinks* she’s still interested in someone else. We know the truth. The other characters know the truth. But like all good stories, the heroine has a journey to go on. And what a lovely journey it is.