This is such a love story to New York. It’s very interesting and my first time reading something like this. I had my moments, but overall a good book.

I applied for the arc of this book back in 2024, and eventually I forgot about it. But to my surprise in March I got it. I decided to go in kinda blind and I don't regret it. It took me longer to read then normal because of finals, but when I had time to get into it I couldn't stop reading. I love the New York setting, the love interests are both interesting and add to the story in enchanting ways, and cookie was just the best, I want to be like her when I am that age. I loved the storyline with the time travel aspects allowing the main character to find himself. It was a bit slow to start but ended very fast paced. I think I actually would have liked to see more, I think there is more this story can tell. I do think there are unanswered questions about Francis and the magic system which I would have liked to see answered, but other than that I had a great time reading and I would highly recommend the read. 4/5 ⭐️

Eddie is a daydreamer, who loves to romanticize life around him. He could make up a story just by looking at something. Everything could be an opportunity for him. So when his grand aunt who he called Cookie and lives in New York requested his assistance, the decision to come was instantly made.

So he went to NYC for the first time. Cookie asked him to do some errands, and gave him a vintage polaroid camera so she could see what happens outside. At first, nothing weird happened. Then he started to time travel to the past when he use the camera. The occurrence was sporadical, but there’s 1 thing constant on each time travel: a charming boy named Francis.

It’s about self discovery, learning about queers from the past, about being more present in the moment and romaticizing life. Cookie sure was an interesting lady and she added much flavor to the story. But by the time I reached the end I still don’t fully understand what’s going on with the time travel? It remains cryptic and left unexplained. Overall it was just okay for me.

This is marketed as a romance. In my opinion it shouldn’t be, and that did not set me on a great track to enjoy it. It is a relatively short book, and it reads fast, but when it’s pitched as a romance and we’re getting more fantasy than romance (fantasy is not a genre it’s designated as), there has been a serious miscommunication problem.

Despite the length, this took me a very long time to read, and that’s a hallmark to me of something I didn’t love. I enjoyed the themes and the historical element, but the fantasy was a little wishy washy, and not in an everyday magic way.

The characters were pretty good, and the narrative style was interesting, but I think overall I’m not going to think about it ever again.

My biggest complaint is the misclassification of the genre and emphasis in the summary on something I thought got not enough of a focus in the novel. If this had been classified right, I probably wouldn't have picked it up, because it’s not my usual fare. And someone who might not pick it up may have.

i adored this book. truly. i think that Tucker is an extremely gifted writer who crafts some really special stories. his previous novel, When You Call My Name, is one of my all time favorites, expertly weaving hope, discovery, and tragedy into one story. and this book is no different. it's beautiful, heartbreaking, and truly magical.

Tucker plays with some interesting elements of story structure here, and the back and forth between the timelines is done in a unique way and it's easy to follow. the story is haunting and atmospheric, while also managing to be exciting and full of wonder. the whole thing made the present feel like a memory and made the past feel urgent and alive.

i love how Tucker describes New York City, and he really makes it another character in this book. i loved how outlandish Cookie was, and i loved how reserved Eddie was. i loved how forgiving and kind Theo was, and i loved all the layers to Albert. and i loved how warm and wise Francis was. yeah i loved it all lol

it's really great. i loved the prose, and it's really a showcase for how talented Tucker is.

There’s no question Shaw is a talented writer. While <I>Right Beside You</I> is not without its flaws, I still found it a quirky, weird, and deeply original hidden gem. I loved the way Shaw played around with voice and POV, subverting reader expectations and keeping us guessing, which was a great match to the fluidity and ambiguity of the magical realism genre. I absolutely adored the immersive and atmospheric flashes of the past, with their attendant colorful characters. More than anything, this novel is a love letter to NYC and its queer history, and Shaw is so, so good at portraying both.

He is also terrific at creating and realizing his secondary characters. From Cookie (though she does get one note, which I will go into later,) to the cranky, gleeful pathos of Albert, to Theo, who could have been the boring ‘safe’ love interest, but who instead came off lovable and human. Even Eddie’s mom, Donna, who barely appears, still manages to feel like a real, rounded person. And I still want to know more about Francis! We got a little, but far from enough.

This book read smoothly and quickly and for the most part, left me happy, immersed, and eager to learn more. That said, I do have a couple of beefs (beeves?)

First off, while Eddie was credible and fleshed out as a character, his passivity and tendency to pinball and waffle often left me frustrated. He’s our protagonist, but it takes him an awfully long time to start protagging. He did, ultimately, come into his own, but I think it must have been at the 67% mark, which is way late. At the end of the day, I found literally everyone he interacted with more interesting and engaging than him.

Secondly, some of Cookie’s behaviors through the book were actually really toxic and I wish the narrative thought to interrogate and challenge them more. Instead, they are mostly excused by her being old, dying, and quirky, and underplayed thanks to Eddie's overall passivity. I really, really wish Shaw had gone deeper on all of this, let the situation explode, and actually held Cookie to account. Instead, Eddie’s the one who feels guilty and while Cookie admits culpability to some things, it's not really enough.

And, ugh, the thing is, my issues with Eddie’s and Cookie’s portrayals aren’t even affecting my star rating, because the writing was so good. But I still needed to rant about it. Honestly, if Shaw gives us a sequel with the older, more self-actualized Eddie, I’m here for it. And if he gives us a sequel/prequel/timequel with Francis as protagonist, I would be ecstatic!

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.

Right Beside You is a tender, time-bending coming-of-age novel that blends historical fiction, queer identity, and magical realism with heartfelt grace. Tucker Shaw crafts a story that feels both whimsical and deeply grounded, following Eddie—a lonely, uncertain recent high school graduate—as he trades his stagnant Colorado life for a summer in New York City and a surprising journey through time.

Eddie is easy to empathize with: adrift, grieving the loss of connection, and searching for where he belongs. His great aunt Cookie is a delightful, eccentric presence, and her mysterious vintage camera becomes the portal to a past New York that's vividly imagined and rich with emotion. Shaw doesn’t just drop Eddie into the 1930s for the sake of aesthetic; he uses the setting to explore hidden queer histories, creating a beautiful, sometimes aching contrast between then and now.

Francis, the enigmatic boy from the past, is magnetic in his mystery, but it’s Theo—the sweet, steady baker in the present—who grounds the novel’s emotional core. Eddie’s romantic dilemma between fantasy and reality is both relatable and poignant, and Shaw wisely avoids melodrama in favor of quiet, thoughtful emotional beats.

The only thing keeping this from being a five-star read is that some parts of the story—especially Eddie’s transition from passive observer to someone taking control of his future—feel a little rushed or underdeveloped. A few emotional turns could have used more breathing room.

Still, Right Beside You is a beautifully written and refreshingly original queer story about self-discovery, chosen family, and the importance of living in the moment. It’s perfect for fans of soft magical realism and introspective queer narratives.

This book was not quite what I expected but I ended up enjoying it all the same. I was definitely anticipating there to be more emphasis on romance, but I think it’s much more of a coming-of-age type of story. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Overall, I liked Eddie as a character. At times his indecisiveness got to be a bit annoying, but I suppose that may have been the point, as it’s a character flaw he has to work through in order to figure out what he really wants out of life. I wasn’t expecting to like Cookie as much as I did, but she really did grow on me as the story progressed. I kind of predicted the ending fairly early on, at least to an extent, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. I think it’s worth the read - just don’t expect it to have a heavy emphasis on romance, because that’s not what the story’s really about.

In Right Beside You, the MC Eddie is an eighteen year old who daydreams and fantasizes his life is different than it really is. Then him and his mom get a call that his great aunt Cookie needs help, so he's off to NYC to help her. Cookie is my favorite character. She's whimsical, loves her music and movies, and has a penchant for sending Eddie on unique errands. Eddie was such a great character, and I loved seeing him experience NY in both his time and Cookie's time. The magical realism in this book was just so much fun. This is a story about finding and being your true self, relationships, and the amazing city of NY.

Eddie is a dreamer, who lives mostly picturing scenarios and stories in his head. When he visits his eccentric great-aunt, Cookie, in New York, he has to pause and process her energy and her home.

Living with Cookie has its own perks. He learns she talks to her photos and always sends him on specific errands. On one opera cake errand, he meets Theo, his baker crush.

On running errands, he is asked to carry a Polaroid camera which has lifetime supply of Polaroid film.

This right here was when I wanted to be Eddie. I’d trade place with him just for the infinite supply of films.

Eddie is soon shocked to learn that the camera is unique and magical. When Eddie clicks a picture of a place it becomes the window of the frame and teleports him to that location in the 20s.

The more interesting part is he never visits random people. Every time he went back, he’d meet a queer historical figure who played an important role in NY queer history.

I wasn’t aware of them and it was refreshing to learn about this history of NY. After a point, I got excited to see who he’d meet next.

Eddie is introduced to few of them beforehand through Cookie but he also learns about others when he comes back from the past.

The back and forth is not at all confusing until we meet another character from the past, Francis.

Francis pops up every time Eddie goes back to the 20s. His character was the most mysterious in the book and not much of his history is revealed until the last act. Eddie is stuck between yearning for Francis’ company while also fighting his attraction for Theo amidst all the chaos in his life.

I chose this book for the synopsis. I’ve read a few speculative fiction but this one had me with the Polaroid camera that takes one back to the 1920’s New York.

I had a tough time getting adjusted to the narrative style. It kind of slowed the pace for me and was telling me how to approach the story. I know the author intended to give Eddie and Francis more page time, but Theo deserved more spotlight as well. It’d have added more tension to the story.

Anyway, if you are looking for something adventurous and exploring NY in a new light this weekend, I’d recommend this book.

thank you so much to Netgalley and TBR and Beyond tours for the early copy! all opinions are my own!

as a History teacher and queer, this was pure perfection.
the writing didn't feel heavy at all despite sometimes repeating things, it just went with the flow, adding more mystery and magic to this city and the characters. i ADORED the historical bits, the many personalities and how important they later became to the story and the MC, how they added more depth to the story of the city and the LGBT+ community. speaking of the characters, i loved how not a single one was similar in character to each other. Each was so unique in their queerness, something i truly appreciated because it kinda reads like a love letter to queer people and to embrace yourself as such. the MC was kinda hard to understand but when i did, everything clicked because i'm also in his position and sometimes everything is hard and you have no idea what to do.
the ending made me tear up a little and my heart is still sore from reading it. the last chapters had me suffering so much and you truly have no idea how everything will end. but even tho it kinda hurts, i loved it.
so yeah, i have no idea what else to write so PLEASE go read this book if you haven't yet. this will probably became another queer book i will recommend without getting tired because it is that good 💜💔

What I liked the most about this book what the ways people keep finding ways to love and enjoy life, even if others try to judge you or hurt because of who you love.
Cookie was so feisty!! Loved her, Eddie was a mess! But who isn’t at 18? And he was just trying to find himself, and a place to belong. Theo was the sweetest! And Francis was magic.

DNF at 25%. I really did not get on with the writing style well at all, and it got in the way of enjoying the story. I was actively avoiding reading it so I decided it was a non-starter for me personally.

I enjoyed my time reading thus the world building I I throughly enjoyed every second I loved the plot the idea reminded me a lot of life is strange how max used pictures to go back to that moment I loved meeting all the characters would absolutely recommend

strange, interesting, well-written story. the idea was interesting and worked pretty well, and the characters were awesome. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Tucker Shaw can literally do no wrong!

Small-town boy with big-city dreams gets a call to go take of his great-aunt in THE city, living in Greenwich Village, but experiencing NYC in a way he never thought he would, by taking trips to the past via his great-aunts polaroid?? Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. And executed SO WELL! This book is just FUN, spanning across the many eras NYC has undergone, showcasing famous people, landmarks, and buildings of the past, while chasing down an absolute HEARTTHROB in the process, while also crushing on a current-day heartthrob baker :) Our bb MC is getting his big-city wish AND experiencing a romance he never thought possible when living in his tiny Colorado town. This book is just an addictive journey that I never wanted to end. Come onnnnnnn, one more blast from the blast please? Or maybe 73, I'd totally be fine with that.

Shaw AMAZES me with his knowledge and references of historical icons on the NYC scene. I was OBSESSED with being immersed in such culturally rich figures of those times, being presented in such a fun way of great-aunt Cookie dropping knowledge bombs on Eddie of these icons. You can just tell these are scenes and figures Shaw knows and loves and genuinely enjoys writing about, in addition to research I'm sure he did to ensure everything was historically accurate. An when Shaw is having a good time, I'M having the best time!

This is a book where a setting with an NYC backdrop is just done SO WELL, much like his previous book. Which is attributed to Shaw's writing. And in this book in particular, combined with the magic realism element of the polaroid, is just LUSH. Gay ball's, speakeasys, landmarks, a cast that fits the setting and each of the era's Eddie visits, and Cookie's different experiences across the city through the eras. It's just so well done and the type of world-building that makes for a fully immersive read :)

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the advanced copy!

Thank you so much to Henry Holt Books for a digital copy to review!

In this fresh, speculative blend of queer romance and coming-of-age, Eddie meets Theo in present-day New York and Francis in a New York of the past... torn between eras and his heart, he must make a decision that will change his life forever.

^from the publisher!

Tucker Shaw is an incredible writer. Absolutely one of my favorite voices in storytelling. I fell head over heels in love with his writing with his first novel When You Call My Name (which was my favorite book I read last year). I have been eagerly awaiting this sophomore novel and I can gladly tell you - no sophomore slump to be found here.

No spoilers at all - but this story is magical, dreamy, beautiful, thoughtful, and emphasizes found family. There is no more beautiful thing as a queer person living in the world than found family.

I loved watching Eddie debate real or not real, true or false, present or past, while caring for someone he had only recently reconnected with.

The beauty of this story lies in the absolutely gorgeous prose. Tucker Shaw weaves sentences together with ease, drawing you in and letting you get lost in the magic of Eddie, Francis, Theo, Cookie, and Albert.

All I can say is - I truly hope you read this one. An absolute stunner from start to finish and already a top read of the year for me.

Tucker Shaw: you have my heart. I’ll read anything you write.

I requested and received an eARC of Right Beside You by Tucker Shaw via NetGalley. Eddie has just graduated high school and isn't sure what to do next. When he receives a request from his great aunt Cookie that he come to New York City and care for her, Eddie jumps at the opportunity for a change in his life. As he settles in, Cookie gifts him a vintage polaroid camera and asks him to take photos of cherished places that she is no longer able to visit. When he uses the camera, however, he finds himself transported back in time to the New York City of the early 20th century. As Eddie discovers more about himself and history (including the handsome Francis) he finds himself torn between the past and the present.

Eddie is such a wonderful protagonist and there so many things about his character that I really grew to appreciate throughout the story. Little things, like the reason behind the falling out with his best friend, his anxiety, the way he uses his imagination to center himself, made him feel very real and familiar to me. I found Right Beside You interesting before the more fantastical parts of story kicked in, but once they did I was even more excited about following Eddie on his journey. The struggle between the past and present may physically take the form of Francis (the whimsical and sweet boy from the past) and Theo (the caring and evidently striking fellow from the bakery where Eddie buys Cookie’s opera cake) but the book doesn’t get hung up on romance and has many important messages.

From the moment Cookie appeared on the page I found her to be a complete delight. Shaw is fantastic at creating vivid and memorable characters and Cookie is a shining example. I got a kick out of all of her wonderful references and the stories she told. Albert is another terrific character, and although the affection developed more slowly I really enjoyed his role in the novel and gaining a better understanding of him. Right Beside You has all of the right elements. A little romance, a little magic, and a lot of emotion go a long way. I’m not sure when or how it happened, but I do know that it didn’t take me very long to become invested in this story. In his book, Shaw writes a beautiful love letter to queer culture, history, and New York City that mesmerized me.

I think I expected the book to be a little different but it was also really sweet and inspiring. I love books where it's not just the characters falling in love or any kind of relationship blooming but also where they fall in love with where they've ended up. This was precisely that, with the places and the people and the feeling that Eddie found with all of it. It kind of reminded me of the movie Midnight in Paris which was sweet. The entire book made me feel, just feel so much and I can't say what beyond hope and kindness because it is a wonderful book. Overall, it was great to read!

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, NetGalley, and Tucker Shaw for this ARC!

This blends time travel with queer history in a way that feels both intimate and grand. Eddie’s journey is compelling, but the love triangle feels lopsided, with one connection much stronger than the other. A strange, thoughtful book that lingers.