I love a spin on a "classic" romcom, and reimagining While You Were Sleeping was such an amazing choice. Alice finds herself being identified as the girlfriend of her crush when she saves his life. As the WYWS story arc goes, while he's in a coma, she falls for the family, and she really falls for his sister. What I really liked about this one was the threads of humor woven in as Alice navigates all the things. That said, this is also a read that is packed with emotion - Some of it was to be expected given the story, but there were some additional layers that added complexity to the story. Overall, it was a great variation of the original. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the look at this October 2025 release.

allice saves her crush Noah but when Noah ends up in a coma, his family mistakes her for his fiancé. He is in a coma and they family thinks Alice should stay near him.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. Such a refreshing, fun and new idea. The premise kind of gave me Dear Evan Hansen vibes, if DEH was sapphic & about adults, but it really grew into its own life and story. It was both funny and sad and just generally written very well. This is a hell of a debut novel and I cannot recommend it enough for anyone looking for a fresh, campy romance.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for the ARC!

3.5⭐️


En este sáfico homenaje a While You Were Sleeping, una recepcionista con mala suerte se confunde con la novia de un hombre en coma y no tiene el corazón para ser sincero con su devastada familia, incluso cuando comienza a enamorarse de su hermana.

Alice Rue nunca ha hablado con su enamorado de toda la vida, Nolan Altman, pero después de salvarle la vida, los EMT le dicen a su familia que Alice es la novia de Nolan. Ella quiere aclarar las cosas, pero Nolan está en coma, y si la familia se siente reconfortada por la idea de que Nolan tenga a su "novia" a su lado para lo que podrían ser sus últimos momentos, ¿no es más amable de acompañarlo? ¿Al menos por ahora?

Los Altman son increíblemente amables y solidarios, y hay algo en la hermana de Nolan, Van, que hace que Alice se sienta más vista y comprendida de lo que lo ha hecho en años. Ella sabe que está mal mentir, pero es fácil convencerse de que está haciendo lo correcto al evadir la verdad.

Pero lo que no puede evitar es su creciente química con Van. Alice debe decidir si puede desentrañar esta maraña de mentiras para salvar sus posibilidades con la mujer que puede ser el amor de su vida, especialmente si Nolan se despierta. Cálido, ingenioso y lleno de corazón, este debut romántico es una historia de amor para pesimistas que secretamente esperan su propia felicidad para siempre.



Gracias NetGalley por el ARC.

Looking for a comfort, rom-com? Check out “Alice Rue Evades the Truth” by Emily Zipps. This modern-day take on While You Were Sleeping features a WLW relationship with a chaotic bisexual, and a Jewish masc lesbian Van Altman.

Like the film, Alice rescues a crush from afar, Nolan, only to be mistaken for his fiancée by his large, loving, and kooky family. Lonely Alice finds her place in the family but must confront her lies or misunderstandings.

Like Alexis Hall’s “10 Things That Never Happened,” this book captures the humor, complexities, and love of a family. This cozy, sapphic tale is perfect for a rainy or snowy winter day. Cuddle up and feel loved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House | Dial Press Trade for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was a cute read. I think the epilogue went on a little long, and to me it was very reminiscent of “Dear Evan Hansen.” I would have liked to see more of the fallout with Nolan, cause it was kind of glossed over for a happy ending. I think adding it in would make the characters more real.

This was a really warm and moving take on While You Were Sleeping! It kept all the charm of the original movie while still having characters that felt fresh. Alice's loneliness and desire for family were heartbreaking at times and it was lovely to see how she fit in with the Altmans, even knowing that the lie would eventually be discovered.

I'm not saying I'm the biggest <i>While You Were Sleeping</i> fan in the world, but surely I'm in the top 10 list of lesbians obsessed with the movie. That is my comfort movie. My movie that makes me think "maybe love is real." And perhaps even the inspiration behind my own 23k fanfic for a certain ship of mine (coughs). All this to say <i>Alice Rue Evades the Truth</i> had a lot to live up to, starting with selling me on the lie that kickstarts the entire plot. It's a difficult lie. So much of <i>While You Were Sleeping</i> leans on the fact that Sandra Bullock is so lovable as Lucy — give that role to a lesser actress and the whole movie falls apart. But <i>Alice Rue Evades the Truth</i> isn't a movie, and the only thing the story can rely on is the writing.

Alice, in my opinion, isn't so much "lovable" as she is pitiful, but it's a level of pitiful that keeps from being either ridiculous or unbelievable. You understand how Alice has gotten into the rut of her life. If you've ever worked a job with a shitty schedule you know exactly how soulcrushing it can be and how easy it is to become trapped. Add on Alice's personal tragedies, and her betrayal is far from irredemable. It helps that Van — her real love interest and Jack stand in — has been genderbended with consideration for what that means. Van is a masc woman and pays the price for it. Her relationship with her family, how she behaves around Alice, her feelings toward her brother... all of it is affected by this switch and adds a new dimension to the romance. A reveal later on in the story just compounds it all. Van isn't just sweet and perfect — she has her own problems, her own worries, her own fears that make her just as in need of love and support as Alice is. For all I love <i>While You Were Sleeping</i>, Jack's happiness is somewhat of an afterthought to me. It's Lucy who I want to see loved and appreciated, Lucy who tugs at my heartstrings, and Lucy who I'm cheering for at the end. In <i>Alice Rue Evades the Truth</i>, I'm as invested in Van getting a happy ending as I am with Alice.

Now, the main reason this isn't quite a 5-star rating for me is that this is a book with a lot of characters, and they didn't all quite leap off the page. It's one thing to juggle a large cast in a movie and quite another to do it in a book. The two (or three?) older men in the Altman family were so unmemorable that I don't even know how many of them there were. Alice's friends were likewise a nebulous blob outside of her coworker (but even she was barely on my radar). Alice's cousin has a husband whom I, mere days after finishing the book, don't remember if Alice meets. It's a bit rough in that sense as these characters aren't Shopkeeper #5 but friends and family of Alice and Van. They shouldn't feel so lifeless, but they do.

Still, I had a great time with this book, and it joins a small but mighty list of contemporary sapphic fiction that I didn't cringe DNF after one chapter (I'm sorry! I'm extremely sensitive to silly stereotypes and one-dimensional characters!), so that definitely counts for something.

🌻 Bookish Thoughts
This book is equal parts romcom and emotional healing, and I loved every second. Alice hasn’t had an easy life. She’s carrying so much grief, loneliness, and self doubt, but she faces it all with quiet resilience. I just wanted to wrap her up in a big hug and be her new bestie.

Alice and Van were everything. Their connection felt natural, grounding, and very tender. Van saw Alice so clearly and always put her first. You’re instantly rooting for them because they fit together so perfectly!

I also loved Van’s big, chaotic, and deeply loving family. They reminded me so much of my own! And can’t forget the doggo Frank! I’d die for him 😭

Even with the heavier themes, the story balances emotion and humor without making light of the pain. The ending was satisfying, and the epilogue was exactly what I hoped for.

🧡 What You Can Expect:
• Sapphic romcom
• She falls for her fake boyfriend’s sister
• Big, chaotic, loving family
• Grief and healing arcs
• One very good dog

📅 Pub Date: October 28, 2025
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was great, but I also have a lot of complicated feelings about it that I'm still sorting out! I can unequivocally say that I love the cover and I love Van.

This was such a sweet book. A really fun conceit reimagined for 2025. The writing was really natural, and characters fully developed. I would happily read a sequel or book from the same world. In my booktok review I wrote that the book was like "if while you were sleeping was chaotic-bisexual-core," and credited Net Galley with giving me pre-release access.

although alice rue couldn’t outrun her truth, this book was still an amazing read. so fun and a lil bit campy, my favorite kind!

I liked Alice, I liked Van, and I liked this one overall! While it is a romcom, it is also pretty serious about a lot of topics, such as sexuality, gender, illness, grief, and more. The bi rep was everything to me. I wish it had explored some of issues a little further; however, I enjoyed this read and added the author’s upcoming book to my tbr already. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A charming reimagining of While You Were Sleeping. Alice is broke and working the night shift as a receptionist at an office building. One bright spot of her job is seeing the very handsome Nolan who works on the 14th floor. Alice thinks she’s in love with him. Sure, they’ve never had a conversation, but he has said hello a few times! When Alice ends up saving his life in the lobby, the EMT mistakes her for his girlfriend and drama and well-intended deception ensue.

The writing is assured and energetic and Alice and Van are endearing characters. Recommended to anyone looking for a cozy romance.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

New favorite author, great butch and disabled rep. I loved the late bloomer arc and how you can redefine your world at all time.

i wish i can erase my memory and reread this all over again. by far one of my favorite releases of this year

I absolutely adored this book! ALICE RUE EVADES THE TRUTH was a sapphic take on While You Were Sleeping, and it had all the chaotic bi disaster energy I was craving from a story like this. I love Alice and I ADORE the love interest, Van. I feel like this book would really appeal to fans of HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL and ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE. Love love loved it, can't wait to get a final copy.

Alice Rue Evades the Truth by Emily Zipps is a book that gradually unravels you as you read, only to gently reassemble you, piece by piece.

Zipp’s writing is simply breathtaking. Each chapter is imbued with tension and quiet grief, making it impossible to look away. While I wasn’t on edge in the traditional thriller sense, I was deeply engaged in the emotional, all-consuming way that makes you want to know what happens next.

Alice is a beautifully complex character—grieving, searching, and running. Despite her struggles, there’s this quiet strength within her that makes you root for her throughout the story. Her narrative feels raw and authentic in all the best ways.

The intricate connection between Alice and Nolan kept me constantly guessing. The emotional tug-of-war, the confusion, and the “shared past”—it kept me hooked. However, I found myself rooting for Alice and Van throughout the story. Their slow-burn tenderness felt genuine and earned. I appreciated how Van supported Alice without trying to fix her—just giving her the space to be herself. Their dynamic brought a warm and comforting presence to the story.

And let’s not forget the women of the Altman family. Their love, honesty, and support created a safe space that felt healing not only for Alice but also for me as a reader. It was refreshing to witness a family dynamic that radiated warmth without pretending to be perfect.

I am incredibly grateful to @NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early. Alice Rue Evades the Truth is an unforgettable story that I know will linger in my mind for a long time.

I read this book while camping and have to use my precarious data reach to share my review while it’s still fresh and emotional in my brain!!!
Alice Rue Evades the Truth was hilarious, tender, real, SOOO real - I felt like I was there. Alice is SO tangible, Van is so dreamy, their love story is so bumpy and beautifully messy and exquisite. The chaos of the truth-evading and the visceral longing for family and closeness drew me in immediately.
I think this is probably my new favourite book. As a disabled person myself, when it came up that Van has MS, I felt a bit of a twinge wondering how it was going to be portrayed. Out of the sapphic books I’ve read that have portrayed MS or other physical disabilities, they’re so rarely done properly or by actual disabled people. This was done PERFECTLY. I won’t give any spoilers on how it’s discussed or treated but it was so tender, so beautiful, so healing (the things she loved about Van having MS instead of the age-old “in spite of MS”) oh my gosh I cried SO hard I was sitting in my campsite with tears EVERYWHERE. To the author, thank you thank you thank you for this gorgeous delicious book. It has healed a very sore part of me and it also was just incredibly FUN to read.
For lovers of hot butches, chaos-bisexuals, couch snuggles, BIG dogs, and unsavoury men being in comas.

Alice Rue Evades the Truth by Emily Zipps is a warm, witty debut that takes a wildly awkward premise and spins it into a heartfelt exploration of identity, guilt, and unexpected love. When Alice is mistaken for the girlfriend of her unconscious crush, she reluctantly plays along—only to find herself drawn not to Nolan, but to his insightful and magnetic sister, Van. Zipps handles the moral complexity of Alice’s situation with a deft, empathetic touch, all while delivering sharp humor and tender moments of self-discovery. With its slow-burn sapphic romance and deeply relatable heroine, this novel is perfect and relatable for anyone who’s ever lied with good intentions and found the truth pointing them somewhere better than they imagined.