Thanks to @HachetteAudio and @NetGalley for the advance listener copy! I really enjoyed this book. The narrators were great, and the story kept me interested the whole time.

The book follows Audre and Bash, two teens from very different backgrounds who slowly build a close connection. They’re both dealing with tough issues like distant or neglectful parents, blended families, feeling unwanted, and more. Even though the story covers serious topics, it still felt fun and easy to listen to. I think the author did a great job making these experiences feel real and relatable for teens.

There is some underage drinking and marijuana use in the book, but it didn’t feel like it was encouraging it—it just felt like a realistic part of teen life.

I loved how the relationship between Audre and Bash developed. Their love story was sweet and thoughtful, and both characters showed real growth by the end. This was my first book by Tia Williams, and I liked it so much I want to read Seven Days in June, which is about Audre’s mom.

A really strong, emotional YA romance that I’d definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Audre Mercy-Moore is finishing her junior year of high school right where she wants to be, at the top of her class with a Stanford application in progress. Her personal life though, is far from perfect. Her mom, who used to be her best friend, is busy with a new husband and baby, and Audre has a secret that is weighing on her. When Audre's summer plans fall through, she needs to reevaluate how she spends those crucial months. Just in time, she meets Bash Henry, who agrees to help her with her summer plans.

I absolutely loved Seven Days in June, and when I heard that there was a YA spin-off following Audre as a teenager, I could not pick it up fast enough. It was difficult at first to read about how Eva and Audre's relationship had changed over the years, even knowing the family backstory that Audre was not yet aware of. That said, I don't think it's necessary to have read Seven Days in order to enjoy Audre and Bash's story on its own. I loved seeing Audre's growth, and the representation of her anxiety and panic attacks felt raw and real. I also loved Bash's character, especially seeing them both work through the traumas that led them to this point in their lives and these emotions. On top of these heavier topics, there were light and sweet romantic moments, and I shipped them so hard. I also really liked both narrators, and thought they did a great job of bringing these characters to life. I recommend this book to anyone looking for an endearing and poignant summer romance.

Great great listen following must-be-perfect Audre and carefree-but-definitely hiding something Bash through a summer of “fun consulting”. Both characters were so complex and like able, broke trope molds and there continued to be twists and turns. Great audio with two excellent narrators, I just didn’t love love the tech sounds inserted.

A YA companion novel to Tia Williams’ hit, Seven Days in June? I was sold when I heard the idea for this book— then I read it and immediately pivoted to doing the selling. I LOVED the voice here, it was so immensely readable and I appreciated how Tia didn’t condescend to young adult readers by covering the types of issues they actually face. All of this wrapped up in a romance? Sheer perfection.

This was so good. The story was great and the narration (I listened to the audiobook) was flawless.

We follow Audrey, the daughter of Eva and Shane from Seven Days in June. She's a perfectionist, a straight A student, class president, the psychologist to all her classmates and an all around good girl. But the pressure to be perfect gets too much and she needs a summer to let loose, have fun and not worry about being perfect - which she will try to do only because she needs the experience for the self-help book she intends to write. The only problem? She doesn't have a clue how to do be that kind of person. Enter Bash, her fun consultant and the sweetest cinnamon roll of a guy you've ever met.

During the summer Bash helps Audrey complete her "experience challenge" and slowly gets her out of her shell. And we get pinning and shared trauma and adorableness and it's great, especially because I found Audrey so so so relatable. I loved her.

Tia Williams brings her signature charm and emotional depth to Audre & Bash Are Just Friends, a tender, flirty, and heartwarming YA romance that perfectly captures the chaos and magic of young love. Despite the title, it becomes clear pretty quickly: Audre and Bash are definitely more than "just friends"—they're a slow-burn waiting to happen, and watching it unfold is half the fun.

Set against the backdrop of teen life—with all its insecurities, big feelings, and quiet rebellions—this story is a perfect blend of cuteness, conflict, and undeniable chemistry. Audre is witty and grounded; Bash is charming and just a little reckless. Together, their banter sparkles and their emotional connection deepens in a way that feels real, raw, and relatable to anyone who's ever had a confusing crush on their “just friend.”

What makes this book especially memorable is how it honors the intensity of young love without making it feel trivial. First kisses, first heartbreaks, and those moments when your world shifts because of one person—it’s all captured with honesty and sweetness. There’s drama, of course, but it never overshadows the warmth at the heart of the story.

Tia Williams writes with a lyrical, expressive voice that makes even the smallest moments feel meaningful. Whether you're a teen navigating love for the first time or an adult remembering what it felt like, this book hits the heart in all the right places.

Love this book so much! Made me feel so good inside! The narrators did an awesome job bringing the story to life! Made me feel as if I was watching a movie in my head. The production of this audiobook was amazing! I really enjoyed it!

Audre is an aspiring therapist who's plans to escape to her dad's for the summer has fallen through. And she's feeling all kind of lost and she's not looking forward to spending it in a cramped apartment with her mom, stepdad, and little sister she refers to as goblin baby. She's wants to write a self-help book, but she realizes she has experienced much.

Bash is the new guy in school who's everyone's crush. He's the king of having a good time. Audre hires him to be her "fun consultant" and help her complete her "Experience Challenge". They're 5 dares designed to give her the experience she needs in order to finally write her book. The more Audre and Bash spend together, the more they bond and the more they have a hard time staying professional.

I haven't vibed with a YA book in a while, but I loved this book so much. I listened to it via audiobook and the narrators did such a great job creating an atmosphere with their inflections to enhance a scene. The author thoughtfully covered so many different topics throughout the novel. Audre and Bash had so many moments that made me chuckle or laugh out loud. Their chemistry was chef's kiss.

Trigger Warnings for parental abuse, drug addiction, panic attacks, physical abuse, absentee parent, and anxiety. If you're thinking of reading this one, make sure to look up trigger warnings because I'm sure I might've missed some.


Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the audiobook ARC in return for an honest review.

Audre & Bash Are Just Friends was an adorable and enjoyable read. The characters were great and the narration was spot on. Highly recommended for all YA collections!

I adored this ya book. I love this author and seven days book. This is such a treat. The audio was great. Narrators were very expressive

I absolutely adored this book!!
Audre and Bash had a way of understanding each other on a deep love by remaining curious . They were able to crate safe spaces within each other to voice their biggest fears and insecurities. That is rally rare to see in a YA book but it was done incredibly well.
I also really loved the mental health representation of panic attacks and perfectionism that was discussed throughout the book.
Tia Williams really nailed the YA voice and I would love to read more YA from her in the future!

This YA book is a somewhat sequel to Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. I’d love to go back and read that book from Audre’s perspective now, knowing what a pain in the a$$ she finds her mother to be. 🤣 This book was cute, with a bit of a convoluted plot, but both Audre and Bash are adorably earnest and easy to root for. Audre certainly has a lot of reasons to be frustrated with her mom and proves herself to be a fine heroine.
I will say that now that I have a pre-teen daughter I do judge YA books for their appropriateness and this book is definitely not appropriate for younger teen. There is a lot of profanity (like why is it necessary in a YA book??) and lots of talk about drugs and sexual situations. I understand that the teens in this book live in Brooklyn and are supposed to be worldly but a lot of William’s depictions of teens did not seem very true to life to me.
The audio narration of this book was excellent and very engaging to listen to. Both narrators, Jordan Cobb and Torian Brackett, did a great job narrating a varied cast of characters.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

3.5 ⭐

I think I have a bit of a love hate relationship with this book. On one hand I adored the romance and the chemistry between Audre and Bash but on the other hand I hated the Audre interacted with anyone else. I do think Audre acted a younger than the age she was meant to be. Getting upset over a baby getting more attention is something a 12 year old might be more inclined in feeling than a 16 year old but that's just my opinion.

Audre's relationship with her mom is really where I struggled in this story. To put it simply I hated that relationship with every fiber of my being. The relationship tried to get better in the end but I still didn't like it. I'm just not a fan when parents take out their issues onto their kids.

The romance was really cute I did like Bash as a character, I almost wished there would have been more of Bash and Audre together but I did really enjoy what we did have.

Overall I know this book will take off, It's a really great mid to older YA romance with summer vibes and fairly relatable characters!

I absolutely loved this book! Thank you Tia Williams, NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC. The writing was beautiful, and I really enjoyed getting both Audre and Bash’s POVs, it made the story feel even more personal and real. The narrators did their thing! You can definitely read this as a standalone, but if you haven’t read Seven Days in June yet, I definitely recommend it. You get more of Eva and Shane’s story, which adds another layer to this world.

We meet Audre doing what she does best, offering advice and helping out her peers during a therapy session. She’s known for giving the best advice and she’s built a little business around it. She’s a rule follower, always on time for curfew, and definitely has her eye on the bigger picture. But this summer before senior year, she’s focused on writing a self help book for her Stanford University application and her best friend Reshma isn’t having it. She challenges Audre to actually live a little first, giving her an experience challenge which list a few different dares she needs to complete. Because how can you write a self-help book if you haven’t experienced much life?

Then enters Bash, the smooth, charming new guy from California who has the whole school talking. He says yes to everything and somehow always seems to go with the flow.

To complete her experience challenge, Audre hires Bash to help her, and let me just say, he understood the assignment. But it’s just not one-sided, while Bash helps Audre with her list, Audre helps him too. They both start to grow in unexpected ways. Audre learns to loosen up and take chances, and Bash starts to open up and confront things he’s been keeping buried.

The chemistry between them was so sweet and I loved watching their bond evolve. It’s a story about first love, friendship, healing, and stepping into who you really are.

I LOVE Tia Williams and I Loved Seven Days in June, Audre was definitely a favorite character so getting her story was such a treat.

Audre is feeling unmoored in her house with a new baby and very thrilled to go to California for the summer with her day when he calls with news that she can’t come. To be I’ll her summer her bestie gives her a list to complete and she may need to enlist help from the new guy in town.

This was darling and had some themes that felt very relatable to teens i definitely would have loved this as a kid and loved it as an adult.

Thanks to netgalley and Hachette Audio for an alc

Tia Williams brings heart and humor to this charming YA book about Audre, a focused teen whose summer plans go awry, and Bash, the laid-back new guy who helps her shake things up. Set in Brooklyn, it’s a witty, heartfelt story of self-discovery, first love, and what happens when life doesn’t go as planned.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This was really good. It’s a ya book that leans towards bubblegum pop, but it still has a good edge. I really liked it.

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Audre has big plans and the willpower to make them come true. She’s just finished her junior year in an elite Brooklyn high school and she can’t wait to get out of her cramped apartment, which is under remodeling and she has to share the tiny livable space with her mum, stepdad, and her one-year-old sister, but as is tradition, she’ll soon be flying to California to spend the summer with her father and stepmum. While there, she’s planning to write a bestselling self-help book for teen girls based on her unmatched skill in giving advice and special interest in psychology, but one phone call destroys the whole plan and now she has to spend the summer in New York instead… then she meets Bash, a new kid on the block who just completed his last year in high school and his arrival to town, mid senior year, has made everyone’s heads spin. Suddenly staying in Brooklyn doesn’t seem like such an awful idea after all.

First of all, I just feel sad for both Audre and Bash for their parents and how their relationships had become so mixed up with everything else. It was exciting to learn more about why Bash moved across the country in the February of his senior year, and they clearly had good chemistry from the beginning.

This was my first YA read from Williams and she delivered – I for one love it when the teenagers in YA books actually feel like teenagers and not just age-swapped mini adults.

In addition to the story being engaging, I enjoyed the narrators' performances and the added production value of sound effects, to make the act of listening to the audiobook a more fully rounded experience.

Okay, I was so excited to listen to this audiobook! I absolutely LOVED Tia Williams’ Seven Days in June, so when I found out Eva’s daughter, Audre Mercy-Moore, was getting her own YA novel, I knew I had to read it—and recommend it to my students.

Audre is class president. She’s motivated, organized, smart, and totally put together… on the outside. But behind the scenes, she’s dealing with panic attacks and starting to crack under all the pressure. She’s feeling rejected by her father in California, who’s expecting a new baby, and overwhelmed by her mom and stepdad’s wedding planning while being relied on to babysit her one-year-old sibling. On top of all that, she’s determined to get into Stanford by writing a book of advice for teens—except, as her friend Reshma points out, she hasn’t exactly lived the full teen experience.

So, she hires Bash—a mysterious new senior with a lot of rumors swirling around him. He’s charming, a little closed off, and full of life experience as a once world-class runner who’s been disowned and sent to live with his estranged mom. From there, the real fun begins: a checklist of teen milestones, unexpected feelings, and all the highs and lows of growing up.

This book is fun, sweet, and surprisingly emotional. It’s a great reminder of what it’s like to grow up in a strict household while trying to balance academic pressure, family expectations, and first love. I’m absolutely getting a copy for my students—so many of them will see themselves in Audre and Bash.

If I had one small critique, it’s that Reshma’s POV felt unnecessary. Her character didn’t really develop, and her sections didn’t add much to the overall story. Also, the ending didn’t fully land for me. Still, I’m giving it a strong recommendation for high school readers—it’s a feel-good romance with heart, thoughtful themes, and a beautifully woven-in LGBTQ+ narrative.

The narrators were excellent and really brought the characters to life. I especially loved the dual narration and fun little sound effects—it felt like listening to a movie. Spot on!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!

Make way for a new couple to root for in this fun and emotionally driven duet narration that will leave you reeling with the utmost happiness and a cheesy grin on your face.

Firstly, Torian Brackett and Jordan Cobb capture Audre x Bash perfectly, giving a strong performance that has cemented them as my favorite newest-to-me narrators.

I absolutely adored Audre x Bash Are Just Friends. I'll be honest, I didn't really read the synopsis. All I saw was that Tia Williams was releasing a YA and I immediately requested. No thoughts, just glee! Imagine my absolute delight when I find out that Eva x Shane are IN THIS and I was squealing!

I loved the glimpses of Audre in Seven Days in June as a bright and intuitive kid, And this, is still very true in her own book.

The novel explores anxiety, the complexity of expectations from parent to child, friendship, vulnerability, and first love. On the subject of love, Bash is an excellent love interest who is sweet, caring, and mindful. I loved seeing how Audre had to shift her own perception of him because of rumors and how his outward appearance doesn't match his persona (gender non-comforming). He is also a complex character with a harsh past that weighed heavy on my heart. It is refreshing to see someone like Bash depicted on the page, making his very existence authentic and inclusive. Seeing how their relationship blossoms is so sweet it'll give you a cavity, and the chemistry between these two is charming with sharp and witty banter.

Tia Williams is the blueprint for romances and as her YA debut? This was a KNOCKOUT!! *gives all the stars*