The plot can feel a bit predictable at times, and some side characters are underdeveloped, which makes the emotional stakes feel a little lower than they could be. Pacing lags in the middle, and while the conflict is relatable, its resolution feels a bit too neat. Still, The Next Chapter is a delightful read with plenty of heart, and it’s a great pick for a cozy weekend escape. It doesn’t quite hit the heights of top-tier rom-coms, but it’s a solid addition to the genre—and a promising step forward for Kellogg’s voice in queer fiction.

The Next Chapter begins with one of the main characters, Jude, working in a bookstore and crying over a Sapphic romance novel. She's interrupted by Kat, the other main character, to ask for queer book recommendations. Jude's sincere thoughts and love of queer books here will resonate with many queer readers and writers.

We learn that Jude works in the bookstore that her mom used to own. With her mom's death, a wealthy businessman purchased the store and is slowly making changes that Jude isn't happy with. Jude also still lives in her mom's increasingly expensive apartment and has been stuck in a rut since her last breakup. Kat is a former child star who is trying to reinvent herself to secure more mature roles. As she is just discovering her queer identity, her team suggests using her queerness to get some press. Her manager decides that having Kat publicly date a girl will gain her both attention and a new demographic of loyal fans. Since Kat recently had a moment at the bookstore with Jude, Kat decides to invite Jude out.

Kat isn't exactly likable for some of this book. Her actions are selfish, and there were moments when she made me frustrated with her snowballing lies. Jude also has a few moments of selfishness. Both characters are dealing with several heavy, stressful, and emotional issues in their lives, and neither is in a good place to start a stable, healthy relationship. This makes their early relationship bumpy!

Thankfully, in the second half of the book, the characters and their relationship go through some major growth. The longer Jude and Kat know each other and the deeper their relationship gets, the more they inspire each other to make changes and improve their lives. By the third-act breakup, I was fully rooting for both and wanted to see them work through all of their relationship issues.

My favorite part of this book is Jude's three friends and co-workers, Rhys, L.J., and Talia. These three characters are a fun, loyal, and diverse group. Lovers of the Found Family will love what they add to the story. Their support of Jude is lovely and all the best scenes in the book involve these three!

I'd recommend this most to romance readers who don't mind their romances a little messy. These characters aren't likable at times, and their relationship isn't healthy for much of the book. If you're willing to go on a journey with them as they grow into better, more mature people together, then I think you'll likely love where they end up. Like Jude, you too may end up crying at the end of a Sapphic romance; I certainly did!

THIS BOOK WAS SO READABLE.

We have our two main characters- Jude and Kat. Jude works at her mom's bookstore, but it's no longer owned by the family. Right before she passed, Jude's mom sold it to an outsider, who promised that Jude would be able to buy it back someday if she stayed on to run the shop. Jude is also afraid to live her life after losing her mom and her romantic partner back to back two-ish years back. Enter Kat, a former child star who is trying to transition into an adult career... oh, and she's also queer and is trying to figure out how to become who she is and present herself to the world. She's in New York to try and make it in the theatre world as a way to jumpstart her adult career.

Jude and Kat start to date and be seen out with one another, but Jude doesn't know that Kat asked her out because her agent told her to. However, Kat does start to feel real things for Jude, but has real trust issues and, at this point, will listen to her agent over everyone else.

This is a story about becoming who you are, living your life, moving on, forgiveness, and realizing that there's no timeline to life.

Dual POV alternating chapters made this really readable and hard to put down. Check trigger warnings, though. There's some disordered eating, grief. Also, not a trigger warning, but there is some miscommunication, so if you hate that trope, just know that it's in here.

The Next Chapter seemed like it had a lot of promise, and did have some sweet (and spicy) moments. I liked Kat and Jude's start and though they had fantastic chemistry, until they didn't... I couldn't get past how Kat treated Jude throughout the book. Both of them have some majority insecurities, but Kat kept letting hers get in the way.

Idk, overall it was cute and I did like it, but I just could not forgive or like Kat.

Queer bookstore manager Jude falls for a former child star, Kat, in NYC. Both are trying to figure out what’s next for them in life - could it be together?

I loved the chemistry between these two characters! And Jude’s band of friends were so cool I wanted to be their friend, too. Check out this queer romance for Pride month! 🏳️‍🌈

Thank you The Dial Press and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This book has one of the best meet-cutes I've read in awhile. I loved the self discovery kat has, newly coming out and meeting Jude, someone who has been out for quite some time. While initially the romance may have been a publicity stunt, not to the knowledge of Jude. I think this book did a good job of describing the "rebranding" of a celebrity, even though Jude is caught in the crosshairs of it all. Their relationship was so refreshing to read and I really enjoyed this books!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader copy.

When Katrina Kelly steps into The Next Chapter bookstore, she's hoping to gather information about queerness, as she's coming to the realization that she might also like women. Luckily Jude, the store manager, is kind and helpful in getting her started on her journey. There's also a bit of flirtation in the air between the two women, but Katrina flees before anything can happen, which is for the best, since Katrina is a famous child actress who's trying to restart her career. But perhaps Jude can be part of that? After an Instagram DM, the two start a relationship, one that Katrina is mostly using as a way of coming out as queer to her fans and getting the second chapter of her acting career started. But when she actually falls for Jude, the repercussions of her machinations just might break them apart.

This was a sweet sapphic romance (with some good spicy moments) with two characters who are flawed but lovable. The writing was engaging and even listening to an AI read aloud of the book couldn't hide the fun and emotion packed onto every page. This is a great read for anyone interested in F/F romance with fake dating and celebrity/normie tropes.

Content head's up: discussion of disordered eating/excessive exercise

The Next Chapter is out June 10, 2025

Kat and Jude are both struggling but they find that their fake relationship becomes a real one when they open their eyes to one another in this trope-y sapphic romance that touches on deeper issues. Kat's a former child star trying to revive her career, in part with social media, while questioning her own orientation, Jude is dealing with grief. And there's a bookstore (don't you love bookstores?). The fake dating trope can be annoying but these two characters are engaging and it works. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This book gets a three-star rating from me. It has some of the most romantic moments I've seen in ages, but the persistent focus on the lie took away from the experience. Jude seems to have gotten the short end, while Kat, the deceiver, walked away with all she wanted.

Overall I really enjoyed this book! I especially love Jude and her fellow booksellers at the store. They are all so much fun and always there for each other no matter what and it's so sweet. And of course love to see all the queer representation!! Love the bookstore setting and all the bookish things. Jude and Kat are very cute when no one is lying LOL. While they quickly fell for each other it still felt very genuine and I felt they had good chemistry! I was rooting for them! These characters are MESSY but that's what makes them feel so real and relatable! I loved and appreciated seeing Kat trying to figure herself out, I can relate to her in a lot of ways. I felt so much for her and just wanted to give her a hug. There are some hard topics in this book - eating disorders, parent death, panic attacks and the consequences of being a child after and dealing with fame. But they are all handled so well. This book is beautifully written and it's about being human. We make mistakes and we learn from them and we grow. Also, 10 out of 10 for the book cover! It's so gorgeous!!

2.5; disappointed this one didn’t quite work for me because I was excited about the Notting Hill comp! I did enjoy the story and heart of this. I loved how open and understanding Jude was in accepting that Kat was still coming to terms with and questioning how she fit into her sexuality. They had a sweet relationship and the softer moments were really nice. However, I never really warmed up to Kat. Her actions regarding keeping certain aspects of her motivations from Jude were bad, and considering how nice and compassionate Jude was towards her just made it all the worse. And the whole quoting from her own show part??? What was the reason.

And though I did like Jude better, she had a few rough moments like when she convinced Rhys not to ask LJ out because of her own selfish fear of being left out. I’m glad she apologized later but I wish it had all been dealt with sooner. She seemed a bit stubborn and defensive about her goal to buy back the bookstore, though I understand she was still dealing with her grief, so I’m not totally mad about that. I also hated how things went with her new job! Such a bummer.

The ending was cute but I just wish there weren’t so many annoyances throughout the plot.

I was absolutely blown away by this book! I read Just as You Are years ago, and while I liked it, I thoroughly think that Kellogg has hit the mark with The Next Chapter. First, Jude and Kat are so relatable, as individual characters and a couple. From personal experience, so many of their encounters as Kat is figuring out her sexuality hit home. The anxiety, the questioning, trying to figure out your clothing style?? Any alphabet mafia person knows that is one of the largest battles. Not everyone can have personal stylists (and I'm also a huge fan of Old Navy). Don't let me forget the spice. As a WLW, Jude's bedroom personality had me melting into a puddle. I would not last long with her bedroom eyes.

I am also a sucker for the "famous person dates a non-famous person" trope. I'm not sure of the "official" name of it, but I'm now a complete fan. I loved getting to see the ups and downs of being/dating someone well known publicly. As a non-famous person myself, I could only imagine having my entire life scrutinized on a global scale. Kat handles it so well, and Jude shows that it is 100% a learning curve. Think working retail sucks? Imagine retail with everyone trying to get a picture with you while talking at you.

Between the romantic walks through galleries and the "speakeasies", Jude and Kat show that life isn't fair when we are going through life changes. Life will absolutely throw you a curveball even as you are seeing the ground crumble beneath you. As humans, we make mistakes, lie, have good intentions with bad results, etc. I cannot say enough that THIS BOOK DOES A GREAT JOB OF PORTRAYING THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE!! I highly recommend this read to "veteran" and "baby" LGBTQ+ member but especially to the WLW crowd. 😁

The Next Chapter, by Camille Kellogg, is a cute rom-com novel with a little spice. One character is exploring her sexuality, and the other is working through her grief; drama abounds. You'll find yourself turning just one more page over and over to see how it works out for them.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC ebook that I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

THE NEXT CHAPTER is a delightful romcom that doesn't shy away from the chaos of life in progress.

Jude and Kat are disaster queers at their finest. Butch lesbian bookseller, Jude, imprints fast and hard at the first sign of flirtation. Former teen star, Kat, a baby queer, is looking to define her sexual identity while redefining her acting career. They become each other's "something to cling to" when facing uncertain futures.

I ate up the red flag behavior that fueled the drama. It was cant-look-away-train-wreck levels of red flag warnings. And yet, the work is all there on page to understand how and why these horrible choices are made. If you're familiar with Notting Hill then you know already okay.

Overall, highly recommend THE NEXT CHAPTER for a fast light read that is grounded with familiar characters. And that grovel / airport run / grand gesture combo is ... perfection.

Thank you Netgalley and The Dial Press for the advance digital copy to read and review.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed Camille Kellogg’s debut, so I was eager to try something else from her. The Next Chapter ended up being just as delightful and fun as her prior book, if a tad bit more messy and dramatic.
I really liked both Kat and Jude. Kat’s story is particularly poignant, given the growing number of stories about former child stars and the issues they’ve dealt with growing up in the spotlight, plus figuring out how to transition successfully into an adult career. I particularly enjoyed the queer-affirming side of her arc, with her figuring out her sexuality while trying to do a career revamp. Jude is also quite relatable, especially with her struggles with her mental health and her journey of working through grief.
Given my growing apathy toward fake dating, I was a bit unsure going into this book. But this book put a fun spin on the trope, giving it new life. Kat enters the acquaintance-ship and relationship with Jude with less-than-pure intentions, in an effort to garner publicity for her faltering career. And this deception does hang over them throughout. But from their first meeting, the chemistry was real, and while there were some moments that frustrated me, there were just as many that made me smile. Their experiences throughout the book really tested their relationship, but I rooted for them throughout. And I’d be remiss to point out that, while the celebrity angle is a large part of the drama of their relationship, a major positive aspect especially of their early connection is their love of sapphic romances. The bookstore Jude works at serves as a fun cozy atmosphere for them to bond in, to contrast the cutthroat world of Hollywood.
I had a lot of fun with this one, and I’d recommend it to readers interested in a sapphic romcom with a lot of heart!

cute, smart, fun ideas. loved it and it was really cute at a lot of times. would definitely recommend this romance. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

4.5/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️

I adored this book! It was such a cute, and emotional read. Jude and Kat were such great main characters and their stories were just so well written. The meddling friends and others were so well done to play into the story. This book had depth and it wasn’t just a love story it had the emotions, the lust and love of a new relationship and the raw emotions that come with that. I was also a sucker for the sub plots of both Jude and Kat handling their situations in their own ways.

I did enjoy that not everything was just perfect in the end. Kat and Jude get their happy ending but the ending played so well to the overall plot and message of “some things need to be left behind or you just need to move on from some things”.

Thank you to Dial Press for the ARC of this one! Unfortunately this one was a DNF for me because I just didn't connect with the main character. It may be a huge hit for other readers but was not for me unfortunately. Thanks for the opportunity!

The Next Chapter
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“We carry the people and places that we love with us, even when we have to leave them behind. No matter what, I’ll carry you with me. For the rest of my life.”
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I literally fell in love with Jude and Kat in chapter one and my love only grew with every conversation, every touch, every glance. The easiness between these two, the support, and kindness 🥹 I fell in love with Camille’s writing when I read her first book last year, Just As You Are (4.5 stars for me), and I loved her writing here too. I feel like it’s a deeper romance, but still so funny, I think she’s the queen of one liners lol Celebrity romances are a bit hit or miss for me, but I loved it here. Kat is all of our favorite Disney childhood actress, there was something comforting and familiar about her. We explore some tough topics…loss of parent, eating disorders, and the unregulated child acting industry (I’m Glad My Mom Died, another great resource on that), it’s all written with so much care. I could see what was going to happen, but ugh it didn’t make it hurt any less!!! 😩
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I (unfortunately) have always known I’ve been attracted to men (hello husband if you’re reading this lol) but I think it’s such a great reminder that we’re all growing and learning and life is about evolving. If you’re learning about your identity or learning about a new business there’s always room for that at any age, you’re not too late or behind schedule, you are exactly where you need to be and The Next Chapter is a beautiful reminder of that 🧡 I love the friend groups that Camille creates, they’re absolutely amazing, all the characters are 10/10. Dual POV, some spice, laugh out loud moments, bookstore and literary world setting, and gorgeous cover, what’s not to love?! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thanks so much @kellogg_camille @thedialpress and @netgalley for this e-arc, mark your calendars for June 10th!!

Ps. The little excerpt at the end, fun!!

I did not finish the book. The story was not as captivating as described in the pitch. Therefore, I will not be providing a thorough review.