Sobbing because what do I do with myself now that this is over? Well, read it again of course.

Experiencing Tia’s (yes, it’s an experience) work feels like I’m going to burst out of my skin, I feel so elated and lucky and satisfied. Pure joy.

So wonderful to be back in the same world as Eva & Shane. It felt really refreshing to see them from Audre’s perspective, especially in light of the strain Audre feels had developed in her relationship with Eva now that she’s been with Shane again for a few years and they have a new baby (Audre’s half sister Alice). I’m also glad we got more info about the Mercier women and our mother daughter duo were able to discuss their history.

Audre and Bash, oh man. Those two tender lil chicken nuggets - they were straight up magical together. Each with their own demons, they met at just the right time to undertake the ultimate summer of fun, discovery and romance. They may have resisted the attraction for awhile but in doing so they truly bonded, unpeeled each other’s layers and became intrinsically linked.

Audre was very much still the funny, fierce and studious gal we were first introduced to in SDIJ but she’s found that to grow into the person she wants to become she needs to experience new things and break out of her carefully constructed mould. Enter Bash. He’s new in town but has been woefully misunderstood by the Brooklyn crowd - he’s not a player but the most earnest and kind guy Audre has ever met, The reason he moved to NY? Brutal. And I felt so much anguish for him. Nevertheless all of the adventures these two went on led them to healing and realising that their ideas about the world & themselves could change. Reshma & Clio were also lovely additions to the story and added some brevity.

One thing I love about Tia’s romances is that she doesn’t shy away from making her characters confront their rough edges, in some moments they are genuinely unlikeable, frustrating (to the reader and themselves) and they make stupid decisions. Audre & Bash were no exception and to finally be together they also needed to be honest and vulnerable, something they both found hard. Hence why they feel so very real and human.

I felt and still feel immensely lucky to have read this early - Tia’s writing makes me feel like I can go out into the world and meet people where they’re at, because nobody is perfect but you can choose to be open and look for the light in other people. It’s life affirming.

Very much hoping Tia will write more YA romance too because I think this was a stunning addition to the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author (Tia I’ll read anything you write) for this beautiful ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus books and Tia Williams for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had an absolute blast reading this!! It is a teen fiction friends to lovers romance. Audre meets Bash at the ideal time for their lives to collide, she needs to experience the world and he seems like the perfect guide. Of course it’s strictly professional …

I love the LGBTQ+ and minority ethnic representation, it didn’t feel forced, rather very authentic to the characters. Learning more about their backgrounds made them even more endearing.

I recommend this to readers aged 13+ looking for a charming teen romance. Spice level is mild which is part or the reason I think it’s suitable for younger teens.

The characters were even relatable as a 26 year old (which is rare for teen fiction, even though I still enjoy the genre). It reminded me of books like ‘what’s a girl gotta do’ by Holly Bourne and ‘Love is for Losers’ by Wibke Bruggemann.

I absolutely adored Seven Days In June when I read that a few years back, so when I saw Williams had written a YA about Eva’s daughter, Audre, I knew I just HAD to read this.

💜 What I liked about it 💜
✍️ Audre and Bash are one of my new favourite fictional couples. They’re such great characters in their own right, but together? They have such exquisite chemistry together and their super sweet friendship-turned-romance was everything. I need more of these two together!
✍️ Williams is such a talented writer - she’s very in tune with Gen Z slang and culture, and I’m sure this will feel like a highly relatable book to younger audiences
✍️ There’s a lot of depth to the story. Audre and Bash are both feeling immense pressure from their parents to be the best and we see how this affects them both mentally and physically. It’s a joy to see the two of them push back, test boundaries and resist in their own different ways.
✍️ Bash is also grappling with toxic masculinity and queerphobia and again, I appreciate how Williams shows him pushing back against it and learning to unashamedly be his true self
✍️ I loved the inclusion of a character who is a budding tattoo artist! I mean, I wasn’t super thrilled about Bash being and unlicensed and underaged tattoo artist (😅), but I loved seeing his passion for art and his dedication to his chosen career path - as a tattoo enthusiast, I want more tattoo artists in books!
✍️ It was also great to see a bit more of Eva and Shane in this book, and to see what they’ve been up to since Seven Days and where they’re at in their relationship now

✨️ What to expect ✨️
🎙 Multiple POVs
💙 Friends to lovers
🏳️‍🌈 Queer characters
🧠 Characters dealing with anxiety, panic attacks and depression
👌 Recovering perfectionists trying to find their place in the world
🤔 Themes of self-identity
🏫 YA romance
☀️ Summer setting

i think i've found my favourite ya romance!!! "audre & bash are just friends" had so much teenage angst and i absolutely ate it up.

aubre is 16 and she wants to gain more "real-life experience" for her college applications. she enlists the help of bash - the new kid who already has a huge "bad-boy" reputation. i adored both of the main characters and their friendship to romance was everything i want from ya and more, filled with tension and longing and angst. their connection felt super realistic and authentic. loved it!!

i wish this book existed when i was 15, i think it would work so so well for the target audience (i'm now 24 and did feel a little old for this book at points). this book handles lots of teenage problems so well, and includes complicated friendships, complicated relationships with parents, and dealing with expectations. mental health struggles are included and handled really well, with lots of care. i loved seeing aubre's journey and her growing up throughout this book. it includes lots of references and funny moments that don't feel forced or cringy. i think it felt so authentic to the teenage experience and highly highly recommend this story. easy 5 stars!!

this is the first book i've read from tia williams and didn't realise it was connected to seven years in june, which i am now so so excited to read.

thank you to little alien & netgalley for an ARC!! (will also be posting a review on tiktok @tamsbookshelf closer to release date)

3.5⭐️ rounded up because I think it was the YA-ness that made this book fall just a bit flat for me in comparison to Seven Days in June, and I’m not the target audience for YA. That being said, this was still a fun, easy read, and I really enjoyed being back with these characters.

Although this can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading Seven Days in June first because that’s where we first met Audre and her mum, Eva. Audre was so precocious and charming in SDIJ, and it was great seeing her when she’s a little older, getting her POV and understanding how her life has changed since the end of that book. I also thought her BFF, Reshma, was a great addition and Bash was an absolute sweetheart! One of my favourite things about Tia Williams’ books is the complexity she gives her characters, none of whom have easy lives, even if they are (from the outside) living a life of privilege. And while Bash is a very different person from Shane, he’s a 17 year old kid who’s dealing with his own, very real issues.

Although I did love the way Audre and Bash’ personalities complemented each other, I do think the chemistry was slightly lacking and I would’ve liked more time seeing them together (and more of their text chats, which were so cute and funny).

The audiobook is really well done - it’s dual narrated and they use the female narrator’s voice to speak the female lines in Bash’s POV and vice versa (why don’t more audiobooks do this when they’re already employing 2 narrators?!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC and ALC of this book.

THANK YOU QUERCUS BOOKS AND NETGALLEY FOR THIS ARC!!!!

(spoilers ahead)

okay first and foremost, i should start by saying: i NEVER read seven days in june. so i do NOT know shane and eva’s story. if their was more of eva’s background in her book, i was DEFINITELY left in the dark in this book. which is PARTIALLY why .. i did not like eva. she pissed me off, as a mother i get she’s struggling with a newborn and all but she and audres relationship always felt strained. even to the ending, like i WANTED audre to just scream, to just yell like to even just SLAP some common sense into her mum. audre, she’s my girl. i LOVE her to the ends of the earth. she was so relatable with older golden child syndrome, her always being the therapist friend, like to me, I GET IT. it was all so relatable. also just to mention, why did the kids keep referring to their parents buy their first name??? no hate, just wondering because it made them feel less family like and more friend/stranger like. instead of a close family relationship. also what was THE DEAL with their ENTIRE “mercy bad luck” like we had one girl like escape arrest, i can’t remember what was what or the exacts but wasn’t their like prostitution AND like cults?? like i wanted a DEEPER DIVE!! i needed MORE of that. shane, was good, like he was very little featured but in his scenes i did like him so i probably WILL read seven days in june because i want ANSWERS. now, to the ACTUAL BOOK, this part i THOROUGHLY enjoyed. like i sped through this book once i got into it. bash and audre were ADORABLE. through both their POVS with them telling themselves they don’t like each other while it’s OBVIOUS they do!! reshma and clio were also cute!! i loved their plot line with them both technically “using” one another but soon falling in love!! and clio and bash being HALF SIBLINGS?? i want to give both of them, but ESPECIALLY BASH a GIANT HUG. he deserves the world from all his past history and trauma honestly. two broken souls finding comfort in each other was audre and bash to a TEE. like i love them, i love their story, their journey. all their fun scenes as he was a funsulant. i loved the whole world of brooklyn they lived in, where their were SO MANY SERVICES??? some people hate it but i ahve no problem with more modern references. i feel like it made it more natural to the fact that they are TEENS surrounded by OTHER TEENS. i absolutely HATE elliot or whatever his name is. i hope he rots in a dumpster because the pain he put my girl through? NUH UH. i LOVE when bash punched him because so what? HE DESERVED IT. no lie. the ending for me was too.. rushed. like you think eva and audre were on good terms then she FORBIDS her from dating bash? GET OUT. i kinda hated eva in this book. but THANK GOD they ended together. i definitely need to read seven days in june even though i feel like i got MAJOR spoilers for their book basically in this book. i know my review is bleak, but i really did love this book!! audre is MY GURL, i ADORE bash, he’s just a cutie and the side characters too! it had depth, drama and just a REALLY GOOD TIME!!

Thank you NetgalIey for giving me this ARC. I absolutely loved this book. The characters of Audre and Bash felt really real to be and I resonated with the, very heavily. I had already read Seven Days in June and it was really nice to get back into this world with these characters. I loved the love story between Audre and Bash and their individual character arcs. I also really loved the snippets of advice that came up in between some of the chapters and it would really nice if they were in front of every chapter. But, the one thing that I thought didn't really fit was the title of the book. I love the title Seven Days in June, it really fits with the story and vibe of the book and I don't think I can say the same for this book but everything else I absolutely adored!

4,5⭐️

Honnêtement, je n’ai rien à redire sur cette histoire que j’ai vraiment beaucoup aimée. Je l’ai largement préféré à Seven Days in June (Sept Jours de Juin) !

Tia Williams a su aborder avec beaucoup de justesse une relation naissante entre deux adolescents. J’ai trouvé toute l’histoire très touchante et réaliste, notamment dans la relation entre Audre et Eva. J’ai été un peu déçue de voir que leur relation mère-fille avait évolué dans le mauvais sens mais j’ai aimé avoir le point de vue d’Audre que j’ai trouvé tout à fait justifié.

J’ai également été agréable surprise par l’histoire de Bash et la dynamique de sa famille. À force de lire des romans où les personnages ont pus un passé désastreux, je deviens un peu pointilleuse et je me lasse des mêmes histoires. Pourtant ici j’ai totalement adhéré au passé traumatique de Bash.

La relation est mignonne est m’a rappelé Better than the movies mais en plus engagé. Ce roman pourrait devenir la référence en terme de romance Young Adult selon moi !

Bref, c’est une romance que je recommanderai sans aucun doute à quiconque cherche une lecture YA douce mais qui aborde des sujets importants et intéressants !

Pourquoi lire ce roman ?
• pour la relation YA pleine de tendresse
• pour plonger dans la tête d’un ado à l’époque actuelle
• pour retrouver les femmes Mercy de Seven Days in June
• pour se plonger dans l’ambiance de New-York l’été

NB: c’est écrit à la 3e personne mais ça ne m’a pas dérangée du tout !

This book was… okay. 🤷🏽‍♀️📖 I don’t think it was bad at all, but it wasn’t really my thing. If I compare it to books I’ve given three stars ⭐⭐⭐, it just doesn’t quite match up, so this is a 2 ⭐ for me. The writing is good ✍🏽, the story is interesting 🧐, but I just couldn’t get into it. 😶

Now, Audre. 😵‍💫 I get that she’s dealing with a lot, but some of her behavior just didn’t sit right with me. 🚩 The sibling jealousy? 😒 I understand why she feels that way—her sister is getting a different kind of treatment than she did—but the girl is literally a baby 👶🏽🍼. It’s not her fault. The way Audre harbors these weird resentments isn’t fair. 😬 That being said, I totally get her frustration about not having her own space. 🚪➡️🚪 Her room got split in half, and that would annoy me too. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Her panic attack scene… 😕 I didn’t love how it was written. I wish there had been more of an explanation of how she felt when she was with Bash. 😵‍💫💨 Panic attacks aren’t always predictable, but the way it was thrown in felt a bit random. 🤷🏽‍♀️ To me, it read more like an emotional overload 😖 or overstimulation rather than a full-blown panic attack. And then Bash asked her what she was anxious about right after, which makes me think the book kind of blurred the lines between anxiety 😟 and panic attacks. 💭

And then there’s Audre and her mom. 😬 I don’t think Audre really respects her. The way she straight-up told her mom she was overreacting? Ma’am. 🚨 No, she wasn’t. 😤 Audre had a responsibility 📋 and should have prioritized it, but instead, she wanted her mom to be worried about her 🤦🏽‍♀️ while also arguing about one of the few rules her mom had. 🚫 She’s giving self-centered 👑 (which I’ll blame on her being an only child until 16 🍼➡️👧🏽), but still. When you’re part of a family, things don’t always go your way. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC! 💬🐇📚✨

I want to preface this review by saying that I absolutely adore the SDIJ world and I was so glad to delve back into it and the characters who live in my head rent free.

Audre is now 16 and trying to make great strides in her life in being a high-flyer in all aspects of her academic life. I appreciate Audre's determination to give the personal parts of her life some attention and she does it in the classically fun way of making a list and roping Bash to help her.

One thing about Tia William is that she is going to write beautiful scenes describing the feeling of falling in love for the other person and she really shined when displaying this in Audre and Bash.
Bash is a refreshing MMC to read, delightfully queer and refreshing in his interests, I enjoyed reading about him finding himself and what he wants to do for his future now that he's Cali life behind.

The people-pleasing and high pressure expectations that Audre faced were realistic in their depiction of being the first born daughter who just wants to make her mother proud and every high achieving student could potentially relate to this.

I'm glad Audre found her love the same way Eva found hers and may the Mercy girls continue to do what others can't!

Oh how I LOVE Tia's romances. She's the queen at writing yearning and that moment when you realise you're head over heels in love with someone. And gosh, did she deliver that beautiful romance with Audre and Bash. My favourite parts of the book were watching them build this romantic connection. It was heartfelt and sweet to the age group. Audre was such a hilarious character in Seven Days in June and by far, an icon from the story. She continued to be an icon but Tia let us in to a much deeper side of Audre.

We got to see Audre, the people pleaser or the golden child, and the impact that's had on her. As a previous people pleaser myself, gosh did I relate so hard to Audre. My heart ached for her knowing she was carrying all this pressure on her shoulders and she still has so much life to live. And what's where Bash, a funsultant came in and swept her off her feet - as she deserved! I'm so glad we saw her break free of that pressure placed on her and seek her own narrative. It actually hurt to read how Eva and Shane projected their past onto Audre. It's so difficult to navigate having read the first book becuase you understand why they were so protective but I often found myself wanting to scream for Audre.

I can't not talk about Bash, because he was such a great character. I loved how different he was to usual love interests. So soft, loving and fiercely loyal to those he cares about. Tia explored how Bash breaks free from 'typical' male stereotypes and is someone completely different - and in the world we live in today it feels so much more reminiscent of the teenagers we see and know.

Overall, this was a lovely read and I'm so glad we got Audre and Bash's story. It was wonderful to catch up with my favourite couple from Seven Days in June.

I read Seven Days in June a bit ago and I absolutely loved it, so I was ecstatic to know that there was going to be a book specifically about Audre.

It was really nice to see that shift in Tia William's writing in her debut YA novel - I loved reading about Audre's life in this present time, as she was just a kid in Seven Days in June, so I really got to see her in a different light. I was obsessed with her relationship with Eva, and I'm glad to read about it again in this book!

I related to Audre's struggles, as a teen girl, as a woman in her late twenties. The anxiety, panic attacks, generational trauma, and even just suppressing feelings/communication out of fear of burdening a loved one. It was a real and raw storyline, delivered in a light / self-discovery-esque way.

This novel gives justice and acknowledges mental health in young adults which is so important because it shows how multi-layered teenagers actually are at such a vital stage in their personal development. I loved the contrast between Audre and Bash and how they were introduced in the book only for us to realise that they had quite a lot in common and were two kids who just "got each other".

Tia Williams, as always, does an excellent job at displaying a character's internal monologue. It was evident in A Love Song For Ricki Wilde, Seven Days In June, and now in Audre and Bash are Just Friends. Excellence, strength and vulnerability have always been at the forefront of the characters she writes which is exactly what I think resonates with readers like me.

Key take-away from this novel: "Nothing less than emotional honesty because anything less than that is cheating" - Audre Zora Maya Toni Mercy-Moore.

Thank you Tia Williams for this novel, Quercus Books and NetGalley for this ARC! I can't wait for this one to come out!

Spring is the perfect time for a YA romance and this did not disappoint!

I was locked in from the very first pages of the story. I absolutely loved reading from Audre's perspective, and could definitely relate to the high achiever/perfect daughter storyline so I felt for her quite deeply. Bash was absolutely charming, and their chemistry was off the charts. Definitely instant attraction, but nothing too overwhelming to where I didn't find it believable.

Loved the writing for the most part, though I felt the last 50 pages or so were quite rushed (especially the scene where Audre, Bash, Reshma and Clio all figure out what's been going on),but other than that the story flowed nicely.

Definitely a feel good book with some heartfelt and deep moments, absolutely loved it!

Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital copy of this book (now on to read Seven Days in June cause I did not realise these were interconnected......)

4.75⭐️
This book was so swoon worthy and adorable, while also being very real with flawed characters, which I really liked. I also really enjoyed the setting, i really felt like I was running around Brooklyn with Bash and Audre. I highly recommend giving this a read, once it comes out and I will definitely be checking out more books from this author.

endless thanks to netgalley and quercus books for this e-ARC!

First off thank you to Tia for writing this book and giving me access to an Advanced Copy.

I read Seven Days in June a while ago and adored Audre as much as I adored the second chance romance that brought Eva and Shane back together.

In this book, we’re introduced to Audre in her own right and the Seven Days in June leads are now the supporting cast. It was a lovely journey seeing her work through an obsession with perfection, anxiety and young love.

Bash was a delight and while he’d been shrouded in that teen mystery, Tia does a good job in letting us know that he’s not a stereotypical bad boy… he’s not a bad boy at all.

Tia’s writing is beautiful and the characters, back stories, and side quests all come together for a beautiful story about a summer romance between two teens just trying to figure things out without having any idea what they’re doing.

It was also good to see Eva and Audre unpack family trauma and talk about how in the quest to break generational curses we often end up falling into similar traps and unhealthy habits.

This was a great coming of age story and a sound reminder not to judge book by its cover, to ask for help when you need it, and to communicate in your relationships with “nothing less than emotional honesty because anything less than that is cheating” (said by Audre in the book)

This was a 5 star read for me.

This book is so freaking cute omg!!
Such a breath of fresh air to read a YA romance like this.
I found my self feeling the emotions of the characters as I read laughing when they laugh, crying when they cry.
The sweet friendship of the main characters felt like a real, true teen romance reminding me of my first love, the bubbling feeling inside, the excitement!

First off, big thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the ARC! I’m giving it a solid 4.5 stars because honestly, it’s just *so* cute and charming.
After reading *Seven Days in June*, I had high hopes for this one, and it totally delivered. If you’re into YA stories with great writing, a bit of drama, and characters who feel like real, messy, lovable people—you’re definitely gonna enjoy this. Audre and Bash have such great chemistry, and their personalities are layered and relatable. They’ve got their flaws (and yeah, there were definitely moments where I was frustrated, thus the 0.5 deduction), but that also just made them feel even more real to me. I also really enjoyed how Audre had frustrations with her mother (Eva) and we saw another side and another perspective of Eva than in Seven Days in June and that Eva wasn't just perfects but she was part of the plot.
I just love Bash so much—he’s thoughtful, sweet, and just really well-written. Audre is so relatable and I loved how she kind of is a therapist.
If you're in the mood for something that’s heartfelt but still light and fun, this one's a great pick. Definitely recommend it if you’re a YA fan who loves stories with real emotional depth but also that comforting, sweet vibe.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus for the opportunity to read and review this arc of Audre & Bash Are Just Friends.

I really enjoyed the book, even though this is a YA book I feel that readers of all ages can relate. Tia Williams has such a great way of writing, I love that Audre got her own book.

I enjoyed the character development and particularly the relationship between Eva and Audre and how they learn best to communicate with one another.

I like that there are real life topics in this book such as mental health and complex parent/child relationships that both teens and adults can relate to.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone to read, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will always read a Tia Williams piece.

This is a book filled with joy and intricate teen experiences.

As a huge fan of Seven Days in June, seeing a fan favourite character get her own story brought me so much excitement! Audre is a character that so many will see themselves in: perfectionism and compassion. I loved the complexity of her relationship with Eva, the maternal love but the distance that time and distraction can cause was so emotional.

Meeting Bash felt refreshing! He is passionate and trustworthy. While he carries so much trauma from his past, his relationship with Audre showed his attempts to communicate healthily. He sets boundaries and is vulnerable on his own terms, like every teen they each make mistakes and it’s written so powerfully.

I also loved the themes of this book. Following Audre’s anxiety and generational trauma through multiple characters was a great way to feel the dimensions of these characters. Tia Williams writes these issues with such care and understanding that it had me tearing up with sadness for the characters but happiness for readers getting to see this representation.

There is a realistic lack of communication with characters trying to overcome so much without burdening the other. Yet while carrying this weight there is always an underlying bond between them of safety which I loved, Tia has mastered the art of subtlety.

Of course, this is a romance book so we must discuss this fun and at times even goofy plot! I adored the dynamic between Audre and Bash immediately, they have chemistry romantically but also so much connection platonically despite their differences. I loved the classic moments of teenage awkwardness being mixed with the serious vulnerabilities that they are willing to share together. Their relationship builds so slowly with such depth that readers will be head over heels without realising it. Their story is wrapped up so perfectly and I can’t wait to be able to discuss the story with so many people who I am sure are going to love them!

Thank you Tia Williams for putting together such a sweet and emotional book, and for trusting me to be an ARC reader!

Main characters
Audre
Bash

Storyline
Could Audre Mercy-Moore's life get any worst, her dad cancelled her Malibu beach holiday and now she has to stay home with her mom, stepdad, and baby sister.

And on top of that she has a self - help book to start and finish so she can get into her dream university.

In walks in Bash Henry the person to help her experience 'Fun' , Audre hires him as her ' Fun Consultant'

Can they stay professional despite their obvious connection?

Thoughts
This was a lovely young adult romance, Tia Williams is a great author who knows how to build stories that make you want to jump into the book.