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;

THE WAY I ATE THIS UP 🍽️

when I tell you i turned this audiobook off and was UPSET when it was over. I never paused or turned it off, i just fell absolutely in love with this stories and it’s characters.

Tia Williams writing is probably one of my absolute favorites. It’s beautiful, but also simple in the absolute best way. I feel like she writes in a way that just draws you in and memorizes you to the point where you’re having the absolute best time and time is absolutely not even real.

I loved the characters in this book and the growth they had was absolutely beautiful. The way Bash and Audre were yearning for each other in the most innocent and beautiful way just warmed my heart.

I also feel like this is a real YA plot that a lot of young adults / teenagers can relate too - entering into a more adult ish atmosphere of college and feeling like you’re not prepared for the experiences.

I adored the growth between Audre and Eva
and just the overall way ALL of the relationships bloomed throughout the words.

NARRATION. I seriously cannot say enough good things about the narration. I was IN IT. The small sound effect additions and the emotion in the narrator were perfection! 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼

The vibes you’ll find:
-Friends to Lovers
-Summer Romance
-Young Adult Romance (suppper appropriate)
-Themes of Self Identity
-Mental Health Struggles

Absolutely pick this up! You cannot go wrong with Tia’s writing! 😊

(3.5) Two high schoolers with messy lives and even messier feelings try to stay "just friends" - but of course, that never really works out, does it? I think I would’ve liked this more if I had read Seven Days in June first, since a lot of the plot felt kind of random until I realized it ties into that book. I also think YA contemporary romance might just not be my thing, even though this was sweet and had some good moments. The audiobook was really well done though, and I’m glad I gave it a shot.

Thank you NetGalley for the E-ARC 💕

Audre and Bash are just friends. Or this is how all started at the beginning of this summer. But the more they interact the more they feel a deep connection that help each other face their fears, their deepest secret and growth as individuals and as a couple. But life has a way to interfere and their journey to each other will be difficult and full of challenges. Great story and better audiobook. The narrators, Jordan Cobb and Torian Brackett, do an amazing job with the different voices, accents and words. Thanks to Hachette and NetGalley for the ALC copy. This is my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC! As someone who loved Seven Days in June, I was so, SO excited to read this story. Unfortunately, I will be DNFing at this time. I'm not a fan of the narrator, and I also don't love the characterization of Eva and Shane in this story. I understand a new baby can change a family's dynamic, but they felt like two totally different people from seven days in June. This story would probably be better suited for a reader coming in with a fresh perspective - it just wasn't for me.

Thanks again!

This was so incredibly cute and I had such a fun time listening to it!! Audre and Bash are adorable and the author really portrayed the emotions of the teens in a really concise and honorable way. I felt for both of them and their home life. I truly enjoyed this book! The narrarators did a superb job and made me truly feel like I was listening to the characters. The production was phenomenal! 4.5 stars all around!! Thank you to Netgalley and Hatchette Audio for this ALC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)


Set in Brooklyn, this YA romance follows 16-year-old Audre (yes, that Audre—Eva’s daughter from Seven Days in June) and 17-year-old Bash, a laid-back guy who’s just trying to enjoy summer. Audre, known as the unofficial teen therapist at her elite private school, hires Bash to help her have a “normal” teenage summer—mainly to boost her college app. But what starts off as a checklist quickly turns into something deeper as the two navigate friendship, feelings, family, and growing up.

Told in dual POV, this book is everything a YA romance should be: full of heart, strong pacing, layered characters, and just the right amount of feel-good predictability. The Gen Z lingo can be a lot at times—but it’s doable, and it makes sense for the characters. There are also some great moments of adult relatability sprinkled in through the supporting cast.

It’s official—I’m even more in love with Tia Williams. I’ll be re-reading her older books and waiting very impatiently for what she writes next.

**Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review**

Tia Williams doesn’t miss. This book was exactly what I thought it would be… and then some. We get Tia Williams amazing story telling, glimpses of Eva from a different perspective, side characters who are adorably flawed and a romance that gives you butterflies. I love it! There are heavy topics and realistic life situations as well as romcom elements that make this story fun. I aspire to Audre’s level of emotional security at my big age! This is the YA book I needed when I was younger and trying to figure out my own family dynamics and life. Buttt I get to relive the joys of young love and how messy and complex they can be. Great read.

Audre & Bash Are Just Friends was so cute! I really liked Audre’s character development and her relationship with her mom, though her mom had me so mad at times. Bash was a very nuanced character as well. I liked his growth, too. I thought the pacing got a little slow throughout the middle, but the overall plot was really fun. It is very hard for me to believe that teenagers act as wild as they did in this book, but that’s just my own personal experience of not going to parties at all hahah. I was definitely kicking my feet a few times throughout!!!

Thank you so much to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Happy Pub day to THE most anticipated book this season for me. I don’t even know where to begin or how much to share on how excited I am that this book exists in the world. When I stumbled across Em’s profile . I think her name was introduced by @rtwilliams during one of his monthly wrap-up lives) I was amazed. I had never heard of bibliotherapy before. but come to find out it is one of the reasons I love reading. Reading is healing and reading is community. I think this book celebrates both. As a mother of a son that struggles with mental health issues and addiction-getting this book in my hands has definitely impacted our relationship and given me a better understanding of ways we can understand each other and communicate. This book is no replacement for therapy, no book is. Seek professional help always. But this book is a tool and I recommend it for every household. Especially therapists and teachers. I loved the vulnerability of this book. The research is outstanding and the reading recommendations and example are so helpful. This book fully resonates with my spirit and I can tell /e/m really but her whole spirit into this amazing book. This book is broken down in sections and is useful for understanding all the types of bibliotherapy and ways it can be implemented. I especially am drawn to the chapter on trauma and healing. It really helped me understand why I choose to read the heavy books I do. I was also blessed with the ALC read by Wesleigh Siobhan who not only reads us our fiction, but is changing he game reading this book. I highly recommend getting the audible as a companion with this as well. Totally worth it.

I think for me at the beginning of the book I was feeling like I was not the target audience, the characters felt like they had too much going on and it wasn't totally clear if that would work out. However as I continued through the novel I found Audre to open up more as a character and grow to be wildly interesting to me. I think that the book feels more adult coded then YA,

Audre & Bash Are Just Friends by Tia Williams
Pub Date: 5/6/25
Format: audio
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What an absolutely delightful return to the Seven Days In June universe in Tia Williams’ upcoming YA novel! This romance follows Audre (Eva Mercy’s daughter) in a sweet coming of age summer tale and I adored it!

YA romance is not a genre I tend to read because, in my mid 30s, it’s just not something that calls to me or holds my attention. However, if there is any author I’d trust blindly with whatever genre her heart desires it’s @tiawilliamswrites!

This book was equal parts funny, adorable, and tender! Audre and Bash are such incredible characters who are helping each other come to terms with their pasts and shape their futures through one restless summer in Brooklyn. Their chemistry feels so genuine and the lack of miscommunication tropes/drama was so refreshing!

This may be a YA romance, but it deals with a lot of topics that adults often grapple with too. Both of these teenagers are wise beyond their years and genuinely looking for connection and to be seen to their core and it’s such a beautiful story!

Also - it was SO fun seeing Eva and Shane through the eyes of Audre. Seeing the perspective flipped on its head a little bit was such a refreshing way to revisit this family while making it feel like a whole new thing. All the supporting characters were a total blast too!

Big thank you to @netgalley for the advanced listening copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The narrators Jordan Cobb & Torian Brackett were expertly cast and portrayed these characters wonderfully.

If you’re looking for a book that will have you squealing in delight and kicking your feet, I cannot recommend Audrey and Bash are just friends more.

When her summer plans fall through, Aubre decides she needs a bucket list to help her gain life experience before college applications. Who better to help than the mysterious Bash, with his carefree attitude and handsome face?

Get ready for a fun, relatable, and relevant teenage summer.

From the opening lines, Tia Williams has written a complicated and insightful teen who feels entirely relatable. As someone who excelled in high school, I could not help but relate to Aubrey‘s academic stress.

Jordan Cobb and Torian Brackett’s narration was perfect for teenagers, and the DUET perfectly captured the fluctuating emotions of a 16-year-old.


The audio was so fun to listen to, from the text message exchanges to the highs and lows experienced by these teens. I spent the vast majority of my time smiling, and I know that the narration enhanced my experience.

Having previously loved Seven Days in June, I initially hesitated to read a novel about Aubre. But Tia Williams outdid herself. While being YA, this book still delves into complex family dynamics. The tension between mother and daughter was incredibly written and had me simultaneously agreeing with both of them on different issues. I love how Williams expanded on the previous novel without rehashing too much from Seven Days in June.

While the vast majority of this book had me smiling, there is so much depth to these characters that I think will appeal to adults and young readers alike. I can imagine my 16-year-old self screaming in delight, and my mid-30 self did as well with the joy it was to watch Bash and Aubrey sort through their feelings for each other.

With outstanding narration, an incredible plot, and brilliant writing, I highly recommend Aubrey and Bash Are Just Friends.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for an early listening copy.

Audre Mercy-Moore stole the show in "Seven Days in June" and it is delightful that Tia Williams gave us her own story. This take place a few years afterwards, when Audre is 16 and can be read as a standalone. Williams did a fantastic job of depicting the tumultuous teenage experience, and the audiobook's voice actors and production are extremely well done.

I loved listening to this audio book following Audre, Eva's daughter from Seven Days in June, and Bash. Both teens are dealing with a lot of issues and it was quite the adventure as their summer unfolded. Lots of anxious moments and can I just say I'm glad I'm not a teenager navigating the current world? Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for a chance to listen early in exchange for an honest review.

If I had to describe this book in two words, it would be: generational trauma. While that’s an incredibly interesting topic, it’s also where the book lost me. I’ve read Seven Days in June and seeing Eva here felt so disappointing. A character I once loved and respected became an unfair, emotionally abusive parent. Even though the story tries to give her a redemption arc at the end, it wasn’t enough for me to like her again. The way she dismissed her daughter and pressured her to be perfect felt almost as damaging as Bash’s father’s abuse, even if Eva’s wasn’t physical.

As for the rest of the book, it was okay. I’m probably not the target audience, since this leans more YA romance, but I can still appreciate what it tried to do. I usually dislike Type A FMCs, but I found myself empathizing with Audre. She’s a little unlikable at first, but her growth won me over. Bash was the perfect balancing opposite, and I enjoyed their dynamic.

Honestly, I almost DNF'd this several times, but the audiobook saved it for me. It’s a duet narration, and both narrators did an incredible job. They made it worth finishing.

The audiobook version of Audre and Bash are Just Friends was one of the best narrations I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. Within each chapter, no matter the main narrator, both narrators were involved within dialogue sections. This increased my immersion in the story massively! The voices for each character were distinct, so I found it easy to follow along.

The story itself was a cute and fun romance following Audre and Bash as they navigated a transformative summer. The struggles of each character were treated with care and sensitivity. I haven't read the associated adult book (Seven Days in June), so I started reading with no expectations and felt that this was a well contained story. I now also want to read Seven Days in June to learn more about Audre's family.

4.25

Brief overview:

Audre, a high school senior, wants to become a therapist. She even gives sessions to her classmates for a fee. After both of her (divorced) parents brush her off for the summer for their new babies (one of which Audre affectionately calls "the goblin") her friend tells her that in order to be a better therapist she needs to live her life to the fullest. Taking this advice, Audre hires Bash to help her loosen up and live life to the fullest.

My thoughts:

I really enjoyed this super cute audiobook. The narrator did a great job with the voices! I am usually put off by narrators trying to do voices for other characters, but this one really pulled it off quite well! The characters have incredible depth, I really felt like I got to know everyone so well during this story.

The story itself was a bit nostalgic for me, I really did relate to Audre in my teens and I want nothing but the best for her! I want to mentally slap her parents for brushing off such a smart and motivated daughter! The parents were honestly the biggest villain in this story - they all need to learn how to talk to their kids! As a teen reading YA, I remember having no interest in the parent plot lines, and now as an adult I spend half of the time criticizing their imaginary parenting!

Super cute story with some awesome underlying themes of generational trauma and the danger of setting expectations of yourself too high.

This is an excellent young adult addition to the characters we meet in Seven Days in June, Eva and Shane. We follow Eva’s daughter in this novel, Audre. As a high-achieving teen grappling with anxiety and the pressures of being the “perfect” daughter, Audre elicits help from Bash as a “fun consultant” to help her complete a list of daring experiences. Their relationship evolves as they complete this list, filled with banter, genuine connection, and a slow-burning chemistry.

While in the young adult romance genre, this book offers a narrative that’s both emotionally resonant and mature. While it centers on teenage protagonists, the novel delves into complex themes such as mental health, familial expectations, and the journey toward self-acceptance, making it a compelling read for both teens and adults. Audre is emotionally intelligent, until it comes to herself. The dynamic with her mother, Eva, explores the intricacies of mother-daughter relationships and the weight of generational expectations. Speaking as an eldest daughter myself, one line that really sums up Audre’s struggles that I relate to is, “Do you have to be getting an A+ in life for her to love you?” Bash’s own struggles with family dynamics and identity add depth to his character, making their interactions all the more poignant.

The audiobook adaptation enhances the storytelling experience, featuring dual narrators who bring Audre and Bash to life with distinct voices. The production includes realistic sound effects, such as text message dings, adding an immersive layer to the narrative. This attention to detail in the audio version provided a dynamic and engaging experience.

Ultimately, this is more than a teen romance; it’s a heartfelt exploration of the challenges young people face as they navigate the path to adulthood. Williams masterfully balances humor, romance, and serious themes, crafting a story that resonates on multiple levels. I would highly suggest this book to fans of Seven Days in June and teens or young adults looking for a more mature and emotionally resonant romance.

4.5 stars from me! Tia Williams' writing is so unique and compelling. She uses third person narrative beautifully, moving from main characters, to side characters in a way that feels seamless and keeps the plot intriguing. The moments with Eva and Shane made me miss reading Seven Days in June soooo much, I truly adore that family with all my heart. Audre and Bash's friends to lovers romance was sweet and tender and funny, and the it fits the current YA genre wonderfully. This felt like Tia giving readers a warm hug after all the emotions she gave them in Seven Days in June.