.This book is such a cute YA romance! I loved the story of Audre and Bash. Full disclosure, I have NOT yet read Seven Days in June even though I own it. But it’s definitely getting pushed to the top of my TBR now. This book is about Audre, the daughter of Seven Days in June’s FMC.

First, this is very much written for teen readers but it’s written in a way that is not too heavy handed in up-to-date modern slang, so I think it can be enjoyed by many adult readers too.

Audre is a teen growing up in Brooklyn with her mom, Eva, and her stepdad Shane and her half sister, baby Alice. Audre is a perfectionist at everything she does so she decides to have some fun with a list of dares in order to give her material for the self-help book she is writing - a book she is hoping will get her into Stanford.

Audre has an immediate connection with Bash, the new guy on the scene in Brooklyn. Audre hires Bash to help her complete her list of dares for her books. The two definitely catch feels in their time together. This book takes us on their whirlwind teen summer of romance, fun, teen drama, and family issues.

Just absolutely one of the cutest YA romcoms I've ever read! I loved the 2 different narrators and all of the different cell phone rings, it just made the audio that much more fun to listen to. I was certainly rooting for Audre and Bash the whole time, they were just so damn cute together!! I can't wait to get a physical copy once this is released (I believe on May 6th!) Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my audio ARC!!

Tia Williams' Audre and Bash Are Just Friends is a luminous exploration of friendship, love, and self-discovery. Williams masterfully crafts a narrative that is both heartwarming and poignant, drawing readers into a world where the lines between friendship and romance blur beautifully.

Audre and Bash, the protagonists, are wonderfully complex characters whose chemistry is palpable from the first page. Williams' talent for creating authentic dialogue and relatable scenarios makes their journey feel incredibly real. The story navigates the intricacies of maintaining a profound friendship while exploring new facets of personal identity, all with grace and sensitivity.

The novel's vibrant prose and sharp wit are complemented by its emotional depth, allowing readers to connect intimately with the characters' struggles and triumphs. Williams' ability to tackle themes of love, growth, and the importance of self-awareness ensures that this book resonates long after the final page.

Audre and Bash Are Just Friends is a testament to Tia Williams' storytelling prowess, making it a must-read for anyone who appreciates a heartfelt and insightful narrative. This book is a celebration of the bonds that define us and the courage it takes to embrace change.

Ahhhh this was such a cute YA romance that is OUT THIS TUESDAY (5/6). I would have ATE this up when I was in high school 🫶🏻

Thank you @hachetteaudio for the ALC, it was phenomenal! The narrators were both great at switching back & forth between the different characters (mom, Audre, baby, Bash, and stepdad, etc.) I also loved the sound effects that were incorporated to bring in more of the Gen Z/iPhone kid vibes!

Parents of teens, this is a great age appropriate novel. They did talk about sex (ofc, they’re 16-17 lol), but did not have any open or close door scenes.

Besides the romance, the plot included themes of blended families, trials and tribulations of teenage friendships and relationships, mental health representation, queer representation, parent/child relationship struggles and strengths and so much more.

Audre is not your typical 16 year old. Named after some important Black female writers, she is singularly driven. Debate team captain, junior class president, Stanford hopeful, she’s going to spend her summer writing a self help book for teens to make her college application stand out. After all, everyone comes to her for therapy sessions.

Except Audre never cuts loose, never takes risks, never has any fun.

Enter Bash.

Bash is a lot of things wrapped up in a tall, lean, tattooed package: mysterious senior just arrived from the west coast, everyone’s crush, the guy who knows how to have fun.

So when Audre’s best friend gives her a list of experiences to conquer over the summer, Bash volunteers his services as fun consultant.

As the two trek across Brooklyn and Audre finally starts to let herself experience things outside her neat little box, sparks fly between these witty, funny, emotional teens.

The dual narration on this one is sparkling! With text messages and self help snippets interspersed between chapters, it was an enjoyable listen!

And swoony! Despite telling everyone they were just friends, there was so much chemistry between these teens that you’re just waiting for them to realize they are so much more!

But it also touches on issues like divorce, single mothers, mental health, and the pressure of elite athletics with just the right amount of focus.

Audre has some difficult discussions with her newly engaged mother about their family history, the expectations placed on her, and her spot in their family which has grown by both a stepdad and a baby sister. It’s messy and ugly at times, but Bash is firmly on her side.

This is YA with heart, angst, and drama that ultimately gives a couple of teenagers space to amplify their voices. I loved it!

Format: 🎧
Rating: 4 ⭐

I’ve been eagerly anticipating Audre’s story ever since reading Seven Days in June last year. This YA romance perfectly captured everything I love to see—mental health representation, queer representation, and diverse cultural context. I also appreciated the realistic depiction of Audre’s relationship with Eva. The mother-daughter dynamic was portrayed with nuance, showing how teens often navigate complex relationships with their parents. I loved how Tia infused her authentic voice into her debut YA romance - keeping it so real as we journeyed alongside Audre while she uncovered how generational trauma lived within Eva's experiences. So well done!

🎧 Audiobook Note: I absolutely loved listening to Audre & Bash Are Just Friends on audio. Jordan Cobb and Torian Brackett did an outstanding job with the dual narration, bringing Audre and Bash's banter to life in a way that was both engaging and dynamic. They truly elevated the story, and I was hooked from start to finish—I devoured the audiobook in a single day!

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Tia Williams and NetGalley for the ALC!

Thank you to Hachette audio for this ALC. This audio book was fantastic and I am obsessed with the duet style of narration!!!

I'm so glad Tia Williams' wrote this. I am a huge fan of Seven Days In June and Audre was a favorite in that book, so I was really excited when it was announced that Audre would be getting her own romance. This book was not only cute and heartwarming, but also hilarious. It was such a fun story and Audre and Bash were absolutely adorable!

Audre was a delight as usual. She still a teenage therapist and absolutely brilliant. My earth sign queen. Her and Bash were very different yet similar in ways. It was fun to see their bond develop as Bash taught Audre how to live a little for the summer. I feel like they were able to really balance each other out. I also really liked Bash’s character because everyone made these crazy assumptions about him when he was just a chill guy LOL. He had his own stuff going own that made him the way he was, but he was a good kid and really good for Audre. They were just overall really cute.

It was nice to get acquainted with Eva and Shane again and catch up with them and their new lore. And I found it hilarious to see Shane’s father figure moments with Audre. Eva is still my girl, but I can’t say she didn’t work my nerves at times in this book. She was being a true helicopter mom. But given what we know about her past from Seven Days In June, I definitely understood why she was acting like that.

I loved this book and these characters are my actually family.

This book follows 16 year old Audre, the high achieving daughter of Eva Mercy (from Seven Days in June!!). When Audre's best friend challenges her to complete a series of tasks to get her out of her box, she enlists the help of the new kid in town, Bash Henry. As their summer progresses, Audre and Bash's connection deepens until they realize they might be more than friends.

First off, I actually screamed when I got approved for this ALC, so thank you so much to NetGalley and Hatchette Audio.

This is a young adult novel, but if you loved Seven Days in June, you're going to love this. Audre is the class president. She's an honors student who feels like she has to be perfect in order to live up to the legacy of the women who came before her. I related to her character so much and I think there are a lot of people out there who will feel the same way. Then you have Bash who feels very unmoored at the beginning of the story. He's been kicked out of his dad's house and moved cross country to finish high school. The future he had planned out since childhood is gone and he's figuring out what comes next for him. His character development throughout the book is so well done.

As expected, the author's writing is fantastic. I loved the choice to do dual POV which gave us a really great look into both characters. I loved how perfectly she mixed plot points from Seven Days in June into the story. You don't have to read Seven Days in June in order to understand this book, but if you have it's definitely very exciting when the references pop up.

My only complaint with this book is how quickly it wrapped up. The third act breakup happened very late in the book and then they reconciled very quickly. There was some stuff that happened in between with Bash that I wish we could have had more of a peek at.

Both narrators were fantastic. It did throw me off a bit the first time they switched narration for dialogue, but once I got used to it I actually really liked it.

Tia Williams is one of my favorite adult romance authors. As a young adult librarian, I was worried about how she would adapt her writing for a teen audience. Part of me thinks this story is more suitable for adult readers (especially those who have read 7 Years in June), but I still think certain teen readers can pick this book up and enjoy it. The audiobook was a blast. I loved the narrators. I loved jumping back into the Tia Williams universe. I really hope this book does well! 5 stars from me.

If you loved Seven Days in June by Tia Williams, then you will have a wonderful time following Eva's daughter Audre during the summer after her junior year of high school. Audre & Bash Are Just Friends is the perfect example of the best of the YA romance genre, full of teen angst, yearning, confusion, and tender love. The dual narration of this audiobook made it even more enjoyable.

Tia Williams has done it again. Audre and Bash Are Just Friends was everything I needed—and more. From the very beginning, I was hooked by the beautiful, emotionally rich dynamic between Audre and Bash. The way Bash took care of Audre, truly saw her, and instinctively knew what she needed—it melted me. Their connection felt genuine, layered, and full of heart.

I also loved that this was a spinoff of Seven Days in June—getting to see Shane and Eva again was such a treat. Their interactions with Audre added so much depth, especially for readers who adored that first story.

Bash was a standout. I appreciated that he wasn’t what people assumed. There’s so much more to him beneath the surface, and watching that unfold was deeply satisfying. Audrey, too, was a force—persistent, passionate, and true to herself. She didn’t back down from what she wanted or how she felt, and I admired that so much.

Also? Major bonus points to Tia Williams for writing a modern romance that felt authentic and current without leaning into cringey slang or forced trends. Everything just worked.
5/5 stars for me!!!
thank you netgalley, hachette audio & Tia Williams for this ALC.

Audre and Bash Are Just Friends was a solid read that gave me a lot to think about—both in terms of character development and the messy reality of growing up in complicated families. While I didn’t love Audre in Seven Days in June (I found her bratty and hard to connect with), I did come to understand her more in this book, even if I didn’t entirely warm to her.

Audre is dealing with a lot—her mom, Eva, and Shane are together now, engaged with an impending wedding, raising their daughter Alice, who’s about a year and a half old. The changes in their family dynamic have left Audre feeling completely displaced. She’s lost her room, her summer plans, and seemingly her place in the home. That’s tough for any teen, and I could feel the weight of her loneliness and frustration. That said, her attitude toward Alice—almost like she resents her existence—was hard to read at times, even if understandable.

What I did appreciate was seeing another side of Audre: the high-achieving girl quietly struggling with anxiety and panic attacks, trying to craft the perfect college essay while realizing she’s missed out on being a regular teen. Then comes Bash, who helps her break out of her rigid routine and embrace spontaneity. Their dynamic was sweet, emotional, and honest. They helped each other process internal and family struggles while slowly realizing their mutual attraction.

Bash was a standout. He’s sensitive, grounded, and dealing with his own challenges, and I found myself rooting for him throughout. He didn’t deserve some of what life threw at him, and his story added much-needed warmth and depth.

That said, one of the biggest issues I had with the book was the codependency between Eva and Audre. We clearly see how unresolved trauma from Eva and Shane’s past relationship is still playing out, and unfortunately, Audre bears the brunt of it. Eva projects a lot of her past mistakes onto Audre and assumes her daughter’s changes must be Bash’s influence rather than taking the time to understand her. It was frustrating to read, especially when Audre has always been incredibly responsible and now simply wants room to grow.

The idea that Eva would prefer her daughter to “rebel” in college, when she’s no longer around to support her, rather than letting her make small mistakes under her guidance, felt backwards—and frankly, harmful. It was particularly triggering for me, as it echoed my own experiences with family projection and unfair expectations.

Now, the audiobook was a fantastic way to experience the story. Jordan Cobb did an excellent job capturing Audre’s emotional complexity. Her voice carried Audre’s strength but also revealed her vulnerability—high-pitched annoyance when clashing with her mom, soft anxiousness during panic attacks, and a firm steadiness that always felt true to who Audre is. She was a perfect fit for a character who is both headstrong and deeply sensitive.

Torian Brackett voiced Bash with smooth charm, balancing the character's easygoing nature with just the right touches of adolescent uncertainty and emotional depth. His performance gave Bash a gentle charisma that made his chapters a joy to listen to. Together, Cobb and Brackett made the audiobook an engaging, emotionally resonant experience.

In the end, Audre and Bash Are Just Friends is a complex, heartfelt YA novel. While the mother-daughter relationship made it tough for me at times, the emotional growth, friendship, and stellar audiobook narration made this a meaningful read—and listen.

Tia Williams how I love thee!!🫶

Seven Days in June is one of my favorite romances so I was thrilled to see Audre (Eva’s daughter) was getting her own book! And it was wonderful!!🥹

Audre is still “therapizing” all her friends while silently struggling with panic attacks herself. Her life is not going according to plan and she doesn’t know what to do about it! Her best friend makes her a summer dare list and who better help her complete it than the new hottie in town?! Enter, Bash😮‍💨

Audre & Bash have such great chemistry and I just adored watching them go from friends to more than🤭they can both open up with one another, they can relax and have fun without needed to uphold their public personas!! This YA romance was one I could get behind👏

BUT in true Tia Williams fashion it also tackled tougher topics like generational trauma and the weight of familial expectations!

The audiobook for this was soooo good with duet narrations and sound effects for things like the on-page texting! Highly recommend!💯🎧

I didn’t *love* how quickly it all wrapped up - I would’ve loved to see more of that work being put in! Plus Reshma’s random POV chapters threw off the ~flow~ but overall another win!

Tia Williams has hit it out of the park with her new YA romance, Audre and Bash are Just Friends!

Having read and loved Seven Days in June, it was such a blast to return to Eva and Shane from the perspective of Eva’s daughter, Audre. Named after a whole list of the greatest Black women authors of all time, Audre was told from day one that the expectations for her were high—and that she could accomplish anything. She’s always thrived as a high achiever, focused on winning every prize from debate champion to class president, and going into her senior year of high school, she sets her eye on the biggest prize of all: admission to Stanford to study psychology in the best undergraduate program in the country. She’s planned out exactly how she’s going to succeed—until a wrench is thrown into her plans and she is forced to spend the summer in her crowded Brooklyn apartment with her family that has just doubled in size.

To beef up her college application, Audre seeks out a new kid in town, Bash Henry, whose reputation as a chill but mysterious guy makes him the perfect “fun consultant” as Audre tries to gain all sorts of teen experiences over one consequential summer. Alternating perspectives between the two teens as they fall in love (with some of Audre’s meddling best friend Reshma thrown in!), this book beautifully depicts teen love with all the intense emotions and angst that comes at their age. I absolutely loved how Tia Williams did not shy away from the conflict between Audre and her mother, whom we had grown to love in her previous novel but come to see in a more complex and nuanced light from the perspective of her daughter.

The audio was excellent, with two great narrators telling the story with great, engaging narration. I highly recommend this novel for YA fans of all ages—it’s terrific! 4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette for a free ALC in exchange for my honest review!

There aren't a whole lot of YA novels these days when I'm sitting here and actually disagreeing with the parents. Especially when those parents are such beloved characters from another book. I was mentally yelling at these parents. Audre, what a legend, Bash, what a good kid. And it's heartbreaking to watch how the parents in this novel for both MC's failed at mostly being what these kids needed at the time.

This was a great coming of age, complicated and thorough depiction of being a teenager with emotionally consitapated parents. It was so good. Friend drama, family drama, a bit of Charlie Bartlett but better, and mental health representation, kinda had it all.

Lastly, I think that you would get more out of this if you have read Seven Days in June. because it's her parents, but even if you were meeting Eva and Shane, the author did a good job of not leaving you hanging with details from the parents novel.

The narrators of the audio book were perfect for these characters and would 100% recommend reading this that way.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for an early copy.

When is say I want a YA romance this is what I mean. I need swoons, I need heart flutters, I need some drama. PLEASE. This is the blueprint for young love!

I instantly fell for and related to the FMC, I see so much of me back then but also I see my daughters (now in high school) in her as well. I truly love the ups and downs and how grand it feels to the MCs because in that age yes everything feels like life or death at stake. I am in love with Tia Williams writing a YA novel. She brings the clever plot that she is so good at and it is the best news for me as a Tia fan.

This was rom com perfection! Ugh I can’t even describe how this made me feel! I was smiling so big the whole time. It felt so nostalgic of high school. Tia nailed it with Bash and Audre! And the audio book made this read sooo good! I loved the duet narration it felt so real!

(copied from my review on Instagram)

Audre & Bash are Just Friends by Tia Williams 🩵❤️ I was blessed by and interrupting Meredith (my cat) when I went to take a photo for this post. She wouldn’t sit still though so this is what we are working with today 🤣🐾

I listened to an ALC on NetGalley. Thank you @HachetteAudio for that! The audiobook is narrated by Jordan Cobb and Torian Brackett. They were great! It’s an excellent audiobook. I just saw that it’s one of the May ALC options in the @LibroFM program so if you are a part of that I would recommend it. Also like in general once it comes out!

This is a YA romance about Audre Mercy-Moore, who we first meet in Tia Williams wonderful adult novel Seven Days in June, as the main characters daughter. This is more of a connected story or companion novel than like a direct sequel maybe? Like Eva and Shane are there but it’s not a lot them, it’s about Audre and Bash. Also the tone is wildly different, Seven Days in June was beautiful and devastating and this is adorable and fun.

Anyway, onto to the book! Audre and Bash gives us a park meet cute, a summer romance, friends to lovers, no no we are just friends, but like no he’s really hot, maybe we could date?, the beach, secrets, and family drama.

I loved both of them as characters. Audre is class president, captain of the debate team, an aspiring therapist, and is learning to have a good time. Bash is all the good vibes, king of having a good time, has pink crocs, also perhaps has some secrets. They were so cute and fun together. I was smiling listening to the book last night.

Tia Williams can do it all. I am eternally a fan! (tempted to drive to Chicago on a weeknight to see her for the book release tbh)

Loved this book, the characters are great. I laughed hard at the scene with the fake cat and the rapping. It was mature, I was very impressed with all the topics touched upon.

This book opens sort of weird, but when it settles into the story it was really enjoyable. I think the intro is a bit heavy handed in some ways… but when you get past the first couple of chapters it really starts to get interesting, and the characters grew on me. I really enjoyed the character arcs, the way they grew and became friends and then more. It demonstrates the confusion and emotional feel of being a high schooler. Definitely a lot of fun. I ended up loving the second half especially.

The audio was especially good— I loved the male narrator especially. They were both great, allowing the emotion to come through well.




CW: mmc’s dad was abusive; language; heavy kissing; underage tattooing;