If We Were a Movie by Zakiya N. Jamal

Omg! This is one of my fav books of 2025. It was so much fun. If We Were a Movie is a rivals (former best friends) to lovers sapphic YA. The two main characters, Rochelle and Amira, have to unite to save the local Black-owned movie theatre where they both work.

What I loved: the mom relationships, Rochelle trying to achieve her dreams, the setting, and that there is a mystery aspect. I found that the voice of Rochelle was so well done and compelling.

YA was one of my favorite genres and this is a perfect (to me) YA!

Thank you so much to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC!

Always here for an enemies to lovers trope! We meet Rochelle as her summer is unfurling before her and like any teen the summer before senior year, she’s looking for a job. What she finds leads her on a chaotic adventure of trying to figure out who is sabotaging her workplace-all while trying to steer clear of her school rival, Amira!

This book was a quick read and I loved how it built up the dynamic between the two main characters. Would highly recommend for YA readers looking for a sweet summer read!

IF WE WERE A MOVIE was the cutest YA merenguito!

It really took me down memory lane tbh because when I was in high school the movie theater was one of the few places I was allowed to go unsupervised with friends or on dates 😅.

Anyways, I'd highly recommend this one for any teen (but especially younger ones!) looking for a fun slice-of-life romance with a wholesome friend group & a happy ending.

P.S. Both girls are Black, but the love interest is AfroLatina! Cuban / Puerto Rican 😘.

First off thank you to netgalley for the ARC. I thought this was a cute sapphic romance. I love a book that I can read in a day, and this was definitely one of those, 4 stars for sure!

This was one of the cutest YA books that I have read in a while. I really appreciated the pace of the book and the character development. I think the movie theatre was a perfect setting for this book and I also loved the mystery aspect that was added in. It almost gave me Scooby Doo vibes. Overall, a cute and sweet YA romance that I would recommend to almost anyone.

When I saw this cover I knew I would have to pick this one up because look at that art!! The story itself was so cute. It's a closed door, sapphic YA coming of age story that I wish I had as a teenager. I loved the community at the movie theater. A story about the importance of supporting small businesses felt very relevant. I love a rivals to lovers story (especially when it's one-sided) and their banter was so fun to read about. If you're looking for a coming of age story with a sweet sapphic romance then you should pick this one up!

This was a really sweet, fast paced YA romance. Rochelle and Amira were both distinct, realized, and relatable characters. I loved seeing them slowly realize they’re not as different as they thought and shift from not-quite-enemies to more. Their tension and romance felt really organic and was so sweet. The backdrop of the movie theater was a great setting, that felt super nostalgic. This was a really heartwarming read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this book, which has the classic enemies-to-lovers trope, but for queer Black teens. It also gave me all the feels because my very first job was working for a movie theater, so it brought back fond memories of my time working for Marcus Theatre, which was inside a mall.

If We Were a Movie has a fantastic and diverse set of characters, and I was really invested in Rochelle and Amira’s story arc. The rest of the characters are well drawn out, and I was really invested in finding out who was trying to sabotage the Black-owned theater where the teens worked. So, a little bit of mystery mixed in made this a fun read.

Highly recommend for teens or adults!

If we were a movie was such a cute YA book, I highly recommend for teens this was such a cute one. I loved that both FMCs were already openly queer, this isn’t some coming out story. They are very true to themselves already established, top of their class teenagers which was very refreshing.

This book is more than just a sapphic YA romcom, it shares the history of Black owned movie theaters, and why it’s so important to continue on this legacy. I loved that they showed older movies at the movie theater not just new movies. Horizon Cinema is real so that was even more cool learning about!

Rochelle Coleman is trying to achieve Valedictorian and hopes to attend Wharton, but she’s missing one thing on her resume, a job. She loves Gilmore Girls and the game codenames but cannot stand her academic rival, Amira Rodriguez. Who just so happens to be the daughter of her mom’s best friend.

I absolutely loved hearing about these two moms friendship, they were there for each other when they needed and I loved that!

This was an adorable book which some sabotaging pranks built in.

It’s really jarring reading a YA book as an adult especially when I read something along the lines of a “vintage 2005 warp tour tshirt”…..

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read If we were a movie in exchange for an honest review!


💜 Academic Rivals
💜 Sapphic YA romance
💜 summer jobs
💜 enemies to lovers
💜 moms are best friends
💜 childhood friends

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

If We Were a Movie follows teen Rochelle whose surprise job offer at the local Black-owned movie theater leads to mystery, romance, and a whole lot of popcorn.

This book was pretty straightforward fun; it delivered on all its promises, and while it didn't shock me or blow me out of the water, it's one of those really solid genre reads that are the cornerstone of teen romance. Rochelle was a wonderful main character whose relationships with her friends, her mother, and her love interest were a joy to read about. As a movie fan, I also loved the movie theater setting, and the plot centering on saving the movie theater was a lot of fun to read about. The conflicts felt overall pretty lighthearted, which made this one of those generally pleasant reads that you finish quickly and generally feel great about. I'll definitely be picking up Jamal's next book!

If We Were a Movie was just too cute!! I love movies, and I love a good romcom so this read was perfect! And the Hannah Montana reference in the title made my 11 year old self scream!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Okay, starting off by saying as someone who did an immersive read of this book, the narrator did a WONDERFUL job.

This story follows Rochelle and Amira, who are childhood friends to rivals/enemies to lovers. This book was so, SO cute. I think it's the perfect YA for folks that love a lighter, slice of life YA romance! I'd definitely pick this up for a teenager/fan of fluffy YA stories. I loved watching these two coming into their own - truly a sweet read!

Rochelle is desperate to get a job for the summer so that her application to college will look good. She is offered a job at a movie theater. When she gets there, she realizes her nemesis works there. Amira and Rochelle’s moms are best friends. The two girls played together when they were younger but grew apart after Amira’s family moved and they went to different schools. When they were back together in high school, Rochelle pushed Amira away and the animosity between them grew.

At her mother’s insistence, Rochelle tries to clear the air and make nice with Amira. Their friendship slowly recovers. But then, with the help of her two best friends, Rochelle realizes that she has a crush on Amira.

While all this is going on, the theater they work at is struggling. Also, there is someone trying to sabotage them. Now Amira and Rochelle, along with their coworkers, have to figure out how to save the theater and find out who is causing things to go haywire.

This was a cute YA sapphic romance. It made my heart warm reading it. There was a non-binary character and an aro/ace character.

I enjoyed this book a lot. Really glad I read it.

The "enemies to lovers" trope is at full force in IF WE WERE A MOVIE by Zakiya N. Jamal. The author does not try to be coy with it and the sparks between Rochelle and Amira ignite in their very first scene together. What makes this novel unique and more complex is its setting at Horizon Cinemas, "the beloved Black-owned movie theater." The history of this theater, the Broadway background of its new owners, and the dedicated staff trying to save the movie theater make this a compelling read beyond the romance.

This book was EVERYTHING!!! Truly this was the cutest book I have read all year. I am not typically a YA romance gal, but this sapphic, academic rivals to lovers story made my heart so happy!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

This book was SOOO cute! I love a little sapphic romance, and a Black one?? Right up my alley. I think YA romance readers will love this one, especially if you enjoy rivals to lovers and a bit of a slow burn.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was sweet, funny, and highly entertaining. I was not bored once while reading. The pace was quick and kept me interested, and the drama was just perfect. Having been a teenage girl at one point, I found this very realistic and I think the author captured the voice and inner dialogue of a teenage girl VERY well. I found Rochelle an engaging character, and I loved her different relationships with each of the other characters.

I really don’t have any critiques of this book, except maybe that there were a lot of characters to keep track of. But to me, that’s a minor thing. It’s definitely one of they favorite YA romances I’ve read, and I highly recommend if you are looking for a cute, fun summer romance! AMAZING debut from Zakiya N Jamal!

This book gave me pretty much exactly what I hoped it would. The characters absolutely made this book for me. I found Rochelle particularly relatable, in that way I often do with YA protagonists who take things So Seriously, and I once again wish I had this book when I was in high school. Her dynamic with Amira was lovely as well. While I expected a long dislike-to-dating arc (not my favorite, honestly), I was very pleasantly surprised by the way they were able to work together and let a friendship form, or rather re-form.

I also had a lot of fun with the writing style. I know a lot of people dislike too many references/memes in books, but I don't mind it, and I didn't find it distracting here.

If I had one criticism, I did feel like the resolution came on a little fast/easy in a way that probably would have been better suited to a movie. Another twenty pages would not have hurt, but again, I didn't mind it terribly because I had been having so much fun with everything else.

Overall, I thought this was a really fun debut, and I look forward to more from Zakiya N. Jamal.

Thanks to HarperCollins Children’s Books for sending me an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review! Happy publication week to this hilariously sweet ya sapphic romcom 🩷

3.75 ⭐️

🎞️ black sapphics
🩷childhood academic rivals to lovers
🎞️ wholesome queer representation
🩷found family, comedic banter
🎞️ diverse cast of characters

I buddy read this review copy with sea !ೃ ✿𓈒 📖

If We Were A Movie was so wholesome from start to finish. But I do have some valid criticisms, which I will start with. The author’s extreme attention to detail kind of ticked me off at some parts of the book (especially while describing literal clothing). I also kind of didn’t like the pop culture references (free me from Tiktok I beg), and Rochelle kind of irritated me at times especially with how much of a pessimist she is. Moreover, Amira didn’t feel like a fully-fleshed out character, considering she was the female love interest for Rochelle. I honestly felt that they weren’t given enough development individually and together. Some of the dialogue also felt extremely cringe but what are romcoms if not slightly criinge? (doesn’t always mean bad yall I promise)

Nevertheless, IWWAM is just one of those books that make you uncontrollably giggle because of the characters’ chemistry, as well as the comedic timing of the found family trope. The author also never lacked in the diversity department, especially in terms of having queer characters. As someone who identifies as aroace, it makes me happy to see myself represented in a romcom.

What made this book more important is how it highlights Black history and their contribution to theater. The whole concept of The Horizon and it’s founding was very enlightening to me. It was such a creative and radical way for the Black community to set themselves apart from white culture and of expressing resistance against segregation and racism in the US.

Overall, IWWAM is not only a book that features the pride of Black theater, but it also tells a story of queer identity and a splash of teenage drama.

rochelle is desperate for a summer job, sure it’s the only way to make her wharton application good enough to be accepted. when she receives an offer for a place she didn’t even apply, black-owned movie theater horizon cinemas, she decides to take the job. little does she know, her once friend, now nemesis, amira, works there…as assistant manager. the more she works with amira, though, the more she starts to realize that maybe she isn’t so bad, after all. working at horizon is more chaotic than rochelle anticipated, though, what with the constant mishaps and the slew of angry customers those bring.

as someone who was obsessed with hannah montana as a child, i was immediately drawn to this book thanks to its title! i was also drawn in by the promise of a sapphic rivals to coworkers to lovers story. i can gladly say i was not let down! this book was so fun from start to finish, though it had its heavier moments, such as the themes of grief and having high expectations for yourself. still, i thought this was a mostly lighthearted read that would be perfect for summertime. i loved how rochelle became such good friends with her coworkers while still keeping her two best friends in the loop. strong friendships in romance are so important to me! i also loved the romance between rochelle and amira. they used to be friends when they were really young, but amira changed schools and when she came back, rochelle had decided that they were rivals and couldn’t be friends again. i liked seeing how their relationship progressed as they worked together (not quite together since amira was technically her boss…). overall, this was a sweet YA rom-com. i can’t wait for whatever’s next from zakiya n. jamal!

This book was so good !!! It needs to be made into a movie. That's how it played out in my head as I read it. Like I was watching a teen movie on Netflix.
I smiled, I laughed, I was giddy with anticipation of what was coming next. This is such a cute sapphic romance. A MUST read if you love Ya