I'm a product of my generation and love it when a small business of quirky characters band together to save themselves. I also felt so nostalgic reading this because we also have a very old local theater that is basically run by one family and while they aren't quite as big and innovative as the theater in this story, it helped me picture the location and characters better.
Pros: Engaging characters, easy to follow storyline, cute friends-enemies-lovers romance with an absolutely clueless lead, well-developed background characters
Cons: Easily wrapped up plot and mystery but this is barely a con and, for a debut, I'm sure will be something that gets better with time. The meat is there and I look forward to Zakiya N. Jamal's future writing.

“That makes me laugh too, and then we’re both laughing—it’s stupid, because nothing about this is funny. Except maybe the fact that it took us so long to get here. Or that I ever thought being around Amira would push me off course. Being with her feels like I’ve landed exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

Rochelle has spent nearly all of her life with a one-track mind, dead set on graduating at the top of her class and attending the elite college Wharton. When her junior-year summer begins, Rochelle has done nearly everything to make herself a perfect candidate for the prestigious school, but is missing one key bit of experience: holding a job. So, when a position at the local black-owned theater, Horizon Cinemas, seemingly falls into her lap, she can’t pass up the opportunity. However, what seems like a sweet twist of fate soon sours when Rochelle learns on her first day that Amira, her childhood friend-turned-arch-nemesis, will be her manager for the summer. The two butt heads instantly, but as they spend more time together, Rochelle begins to seriously re-evaluate her perceptions of Amira. As their relationship develops, strange things keep happening at Horizon: a series of pranks that add extra costs to the theater, which is already struggling financially. Rochelle and her newfound friends and coworkers must unite to catch the mastermind behind the mysterious things affecting Horizon and save the theater.

If We Were a Movie is a refreshing and heartwarming YA book that combines elements of romance and mystery to create an engaging narrative that offers a powerful testament to the importance of community. While Rochelle was a compelling protagonist, what really drew me into the book was the diverse cast of characters found in her coworkers at Horizon. Something that Jamal did beautifully at the beginning of the novel was vividly capture the anxiety of a teenager about to face a monumental shift in their life (like going to college). Rochelle’s voice and fears felt very genuine and authentic, and it was both refreshing and validating to see these universal anxieties represented in Rochelle’s story. While I appreciated (and was pleasantly surprised by) the mystery element of If We Were a Movie, I felt as if the last 10% of the novel was incredibly action-packed in terms of both the romance and mystery storylines. This rapid pacing in the final pages of the book differed drastically from the medium pacing that defined the rest of the narrative, and I wished the major plot points were more evenly distributed. Despite this inconsistency in pacing, If We Were a Movie contains fun twists, exciting turns, and many touching moments.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly I had to DNF this one at 16%.

The prose was just not working for me, so I could not get into the story.

If the premise sounds like something you might enjoy though, you should check it out.

Reading If We Were a Movie felt like cozying up with a favorite film—one of those feel-good indie romances with just enough emotional weight to make you pause and think, but also plenty of charm to leave you smiling. At the heart of the story is Rochelle Coleman, a perfectionist high school senior laser-focused on her Ivy League dreams. She’s the kind of character who feels instantly familiar: driven, thoughtful, maybe a little too hard on herself. When she takes a summer job at Horizon Cinema—a charming, historic Black-owned theater—she’s expecting popcorn and paychecks, not a reunion with her ex-friend Amira, who’s now her boss. Their dynamic is electric in that classic enemies-to-something-more way, but what really made it stand out to me was how tender and real their connection felt. Rochelle and Amira’s relationship is layered with the kind of history that makes every glance and awkward moment matter. Watching them navigate past misunderstandings, buried feelings, and new sparks was genuinely heartwarming. What I loved most, though, was how Jamal layered this love story with so much more—an exploration of queer identity, a deep love for Black culture, and a subtle but sweet coming-of-age journey. And the setting? Horizon Cinema felt like a character of its own. There’s something so magical about stories set in spaces filled with community and memory, and this theater had all of that in spades. The mystery subplot—some light prankster chaos threatening the theater—wasn’t the most compelling part of the book, but it served its purpose in keeping things moving. The real heart of the story is in the characters and their growth, both individually and together.

If you’re looking for a sweet, sapphic romance that celebrates friendship, self-discovery, and the kind of love that slowly sneaks up on you, If We Were a Movie is a solid pick. It’s soft, it’s joyful, and it doesn’t shy away from the complexities of identity, especially for young Black queer girls just trying to find their way.

What to Expect:
- enemies to loverds
- queer ya romance
- black romance
- black cat x golden retriever

It was the title and book cover that drew me in, but the story was good, as well! It felt nostalgic thinking about those summer days when school let out. Days were spent were twiddling around trying to figure out how the next school year will turn, worrying about college and making sure your application stands out - it was all the feels. Rochelle had a few goals that she was trying to reach, including finding a summer job and after countless rejections, an opportunity at the local movie theater, Horizon Cinemas, literally lands in front of her. However, accepting the role, meant Rochelle would have to work in close proximity to her enemy, Amira. The two had history - they were in constant battle with each other, as well. But frankly it seemed their issues stemmed from a longstanding crush and denial about feelings for each other. It was funny because everyone at the cinema could see the tension and admiration Rochelle and Amira had for each other- but them. The story was easy to read, not too heavy, and had its moments of humor. Together they worked to shine the spotlight on the history of Horizons Theater and reach a HEA. Great debut from this author.

First let’s just let me say that the black owned movie theater in the neighborhood was everything. Then to have all the legends on the wall in the theater I loved that so much. I kind of seen that ending coming with Rochelle and Amira, only bc their falling out was so random and weird. Over all this was a cute nice little read.

This was a great black upper YA Sapphic romance. Nice unique voice that made me laugh and swoon in equal measure. This is gor those girls who really don't know what they are doing with their lives. I related really hard to these girls in that way, especially when I was that age. Great representation and really enjoyed reading this one. Thanks Netgalley for an early arc.

This was so frickin’ adorable! It was such an amazingly written Young Adult Romance! It gave me just the right amount of blushes, heart-swoons and butterflies. I genuinely enjoyed reading about all the characters and “watching” the two main characters grow into love with each other. I LOVED reading this one; it was such a beautiful sapphic adventure. All the diverse representations showcased throughout the book also made my experience much more relatable, well. If you enjoy Friends to Enemies to Lovers/Childhood Rivals to Lovers and Found Family tropes, summertime romance, movie theaters, and LGBTQIA+ love this one is for you! It is out today; go grab this book!!

this! book! was! so! sweet! i mean cmon, a neighborhood movie theatre as the summer job setting? HOW FUN. what a perfect backdrop for all the chaotic teen moments and sweet first love energy. i needed movie snacks ASAP (buttered popcorn and a heath bar for me, please!).

i absolutely adored rochelle. she's the kind of character i felt instantly connected to. academic perfectionist? check. homebody? check. ride-or-die inner circle instead of a huge friend group? CHECK. i just loved her quiet strength and the way she just wanted to do things right, even when that made things complicated. the motivation behind her actions made complete sense, and i loved the discussion around it.

rochelle, amira, and the rest of the movie crew had such a fun dynamic. their friendship felt like instant found family, with all the banter and affection that comes with it. it’s rare for a cast to click so quickly and still feel genuine, but they totally pulled it off. i would LOVE some more stories with this friend group (zakiya, can we get a horizon cinemas #2, pleaaasseeeee)

as for rochelle and amira: adorable. this isn't the kind of romance that tries to be super emotionally intense or angsty, and honestly, i kind of loved that? it was sweet and awkward and so easy to root for. that said, i never fully got the original tension between them (but that's teenage emotions for you), but i’m very glad their conflict didn’t spiral into some overblown third act drama. nothing irks me more than an overdramatic third act conflict.

also, that scene between rochelle and her mom, if you've read this you know the one. yeah. i teared up, not gonna lie. their relationship added such a heartfelt layer to the story, and i appreciated how much care was put into showing their bond.

overall, this was a quick, fun, heartwarming read that i’d absolutely recommend to anyone who loves YA, summer stories, or just wants to spend a few hours smiling at ink on pages.

4.25!

This was a cute enemies to lovers forced proximity summer romance between two queer Black teens who try to save the local Black-owned movie theatre where they work. I liked this, it was entertaining, had fantastic diverse queer characters and was good on audio. Recommended for fans of authors like Jasmine Guillory, Leah Johnson or Elise Bryant. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I absolutely loved reading this sapphic novel, it had so man cute elements mixed with mystery and fun.

A truly wonderful sapphic YA romcom that has easily become one of my favorite novels EVER!!!

The characters are so fleshed out and I love that we got so many of them. I think it fit the story really well, especially since they were in high school and it was summer/a summer job.

The little mystery aspect of it was fun, very low stakes while also being important. It was predictable but also not predictable because it was too predictable if that makes sense? I don’t know but I did enjoy that aspect.

The friendships in this were hilarious. I liked that we got Rochelle, Kerry and Taylor as like the main trio but as the story went on, there were more duos and such that developed and just the huge group all being friends was nice.

The romance between Rochelle and Amira was so cute. For a large part of this novel, Rochelle is sort of hating Amira, but it’s funny because she’s also thinking about her so much and absolutely hates that fact. When they finally get together, it’s just so wholesome.

I really enjoyed seeing all the representation in this, to a Black FMC, to a nonbinary boss, to Korean twins. We need more of that in traditional publishing and in the book world in general so I will always shout about that and say that I really loved that so we can get more books that represent us!!!!

I have a special place in my heart for debuts, and this one was no different. There was truly no part of this that I didn’t love.

It was hilarious while also being emotional and having complicated family dynamics/feelings. I also loved that everyone was trying to come together to save Horizon and everything it stood for. This just makes me want to work at a movie theater so bad!!!!

Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to read this early!

4.5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!

If We Were A Movie is a YA novel about Rochelle, a stubborn academic who suddenly needs a job and gets hired at the local movie theater. What ensues is romance, friendships, and a low-stakes mystery.
This was a very nice palate cleanser. The romance (✨sapphic✨) was a slow, sweet burn that took time to establish a friendship before the kissing. I was really rooting for Rochelle and Amira the whole book, even if Rochelle was annoyingly stubborn at times.
The mystery was very low-stakes, with a reveal that everyone saw coming from a mile away. But it made for some great character bonding moments, so I enjoyed it. I did feel like the ending was a little sudden. I would’ve liked a little more, just to wrap the story up a little tighter.
Altogether, though, I really liked this. It was very sweet and easy to read.

CW: parent death

3.5*

This was cute! It's very YA, and I found the reasons for the 'enemies' in the enemies-to-lovers setup to be totally goofy, but whatever. This was very much a beach/popcorn read. It wasn't trying to be deep. It was cute as heck and I devoured it in two sittings. I spent most of this book going, "Oh my gosh, why is Rochelle SO ANNOYING" and then having to immediately admit to myself that I was Rochelle in high school. I read her has someone with undiagnosed OCD, which would certainly explain her tendency to hyper-fixate on particular things.

As a whole, the cast of characters enduring chaos in a movie theater reminded me of the webcomic "Enjoy the Show!" as I haven't read many other movie-theater-based romcoms. There were plot points I wasn't crazy about and which I won't spoil, but overall, especially for a debut, this was a low-stakes sapphic comedy of errors that kept me entertained and engaged right to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Big shoutout to NetGalley and Zakiya Jamal for the ARC! All tea, no lies—these thoughts are all mine.

At first? Rochelle had me rolling my eyes hard—girl was insufferable. But plot twist: that’s exactly the point. Her glow-up? Chef’s kiss. One of the best YA arcs I’ve read in a minute.

This one’s giving cozy summer YA vibes with a splash of mystery, but let’s be real—it’s heavy on the sapphic romance, and I was so here for it. The Black-owned movie theater setting? Obsessed. Can I get this same story but from Amira’s POV next? That girl? Diabolical in the best “get the girl” way.

The side characters were fab and had me lowkey craving more of their stories—everyone felt real, and I love when a cast brings it like that.

Queer rep? On point. Every flavor under the rainbow shows up and shows out. The way the book handles identity, corrections, and accountability? Chef’s second kiss.

If you’re into butterflies, happy sighs, and that “omg they’re so cute” feeling, this book’s for you. “SAT word”? Yeah, that line alone had me swooning. Rochelle + Amira’s slow-burn magic kept me hooked.

Tropes we love: close proximity, soft enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, sapphic cuteness, semi-slow burn, and a childhood friends reunion moment.

This one's going straight to my reread shelf. Can’t wait to cop the physical when it drops!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

Thank you to Harper Collins for the eARC.

If We Were a Movie was a pretty cute read.

Rochelle is a very dedicated student, who wants a summer job to make her college applications look better and gets a surprise job at the local black-owned movie theater. And let me tell you, this girl doesn’t even watch movies! But surprise, her arch enemy from school is the assistant manager (you’re not the boss of me…jk you are).

Rochelle had such a one-track mind; she was so focused on academics and oblivious to life going on around her. I liked seeing her make friends and start to realize that her rivalry with Amira was actually not a big deal. And Rochelle’s bffs explaining to her that she’s basically had a crush this whole time? Priceless.

I did feel like the romance between Rochelle and Amira moved quickly, I was hoping for more of a progression between them. But as this is all from Rochelle’s point of view, it’s likely that it was happening the whole time and she just didn’t recognize it was occurring.

Overall, If We Were a Movie was an adorable debut and I’d happily read more from this author.

‘If We Were a Movie’ was a really fun romance set in a historic cinema. Almost as if it were a movie! The characters are so easily loveable, so fun, so endearing and this story becomes a mystery as we unravel pranks hurting this cinema almost teetering on the edge of closing as it is.

The weakest part of this story was the mystery. It’s the most obvious person with a very weak build up and resolution - it almost felt as if someone had told the author this book didn’t have any plot and they had to add something in. But honestly, I would’ve taken more dates and more different backdrops of natural friendship drama over the mystery plot (and I love a mystery!) the romance was fun and the found family was incredible. I just wished for more of the story developing the group outside of the cinema (although entirely understandable whilst the entire book is set there, just would’ve loved more atmosphere). BUT had a really fun time with this one! Excited to see what else this author puts out.

If We Were a Movie by Zakiya N Jamal is a sweet sapphic romance and an intriguing mystery that will have you cheering for all the tropes.

The summer before her senior year, Rochelle gets a job at a movie theater so she has one more activity to put on her college application. Unfortunately, it happens to be the place where her nemesis Amira — the girl who used to be her friend but might be competition for valedictorian—also works. The girls put their rivalry aside because someone is sabotaging the historic Black movie theater and they’ll have to solve the mystery before the theater closes for good.

Can I say that I love drama? LOL It’s one of the best things about reading YA. There’s so much going on and everything feels high stakes. Rochelle is such a [relatable] serious girl who studies all the time and never parties. When things go sideways at the theater, she makes it her job to fix that too. I enjoyed watching her come out of her shell and the romance is just adorable.

This was a realistic snapshot of the stress of the summer before senior year and a reminder that some of that pressure comes from parents, even if unintentionally. The secondary characters were really fun too and the vibes of hanging out with friends at a summer job were like a teen movie. Overall this was a fun debut novel.

This is a really cute YA sapphic romance book. I enjoyed setting at a Black-owed movie theater and that there was a bit of a mystery aspect as well. Recommend to anyone that likes sapphic romances.