Truly 10s across the board 👏🏽 Every author brought their own beauty to the page. The way they told stories of Black love in all its forms—set at HBCUs, whether they were real universities or fictional—chef’s kiss. I loved how each story took us somewhere new, with different styles, time periods, and vibes.

I knew this was going to be a read! The first story, “Whatever Gods May Be,” had me HOOKED. I said, okayyy, this bout to be goodt! Had me looking up Fisk so I can send my oldest and get her in Jubilee, okay! 😂

“The Musty” had me thinking about Us the movie—totally unexpected but soooo good!

“Romantic Studies”Absolutely amazing. I loved how the story was told through a syllabus and text messages. So creative, so fresh.

And whew—“Who Teaches Black Boys How to Love” was such a beautiful story. Tender, powerful, and necessary. That one really stuck with me.

Whether the love ended sweet or a little bittersweet, they all left me feeling warm, full, and smiling. I was giggling, swooning, and soaking up every moment🖤

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! Truly enjoyed it

As a Detroit-native, I flock to novels written by fellow Detroiters and I have loved everything thing Ebony LaDelle and Aaron Foley have written. Seeing both their names in this compilation of short stories made me giddy inside. I am also a lover of short story collections and this one was a banger! I loved the settings being HBCUs. I loved the diversity of love represented. Each story was so unique. Nicola Yoon, you did that girl! This collection left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside and that feeling associated with Black love and joy is transformative. I loved every moment I spent with this book.

thank you Ballantine for the ARC!

You’ve Got A Place Here, Too is such a beautiful collection of short love stories set on HBCU campuses 🥹 it quite literally embodies Black joy, love, and imagination + I loved seeing HBCUs written with such care and pride. Each story was special and felt like transporting into a different world with characters who shared a desire to be seen/loved, despite being afraid or flawed. I also loved the range of love stories represented, especially Black queer love 🏳️‍🌈

I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time, but some of my favorite stories are:

🤎 Brave the Skies by Kennedy Ryan: the chemistry and longing between these characters over time >>> I’d def follow their love story after this!
🤎I Have Come Home: I loveddd the exploration of Black lesbian love & the conversations around what it means to show up fully and feel embraced/celebrated for all of who you are, even on Black campuses where some parts of identity aren’t always valued
🤎 Romantic Studies: I loveddddd the formatting style that made it read like a syllabus! I was hella invested in these characters and loved their development and vulnerability
🤎 One Little Lie by - the suspense!!! I enjoyed being reminded of the vulnerability that comes with letting someone see you for who you are and choosing to love you anyway!
🤎The Musty by Kiese Laymon: I’m not shocked that this story is one that sat with me long after reading. It’s unique, a little haunting, and lingers long after you end the chapter. His brain >>>
🤎 The Mecca by Ebony LaDelle: I loved the multiple POVs + watching this sweet sweet love unfold over time 🥹 this might be my favorite one

There's something for everyone in this collection of short stories. All of the stories touched on similar themes and topics, but with a style unique to each writer. I really enjoyed the way some authors played with form for telling their stories, specifically Nicola Yoon.

I quite enjoyed this edited collection of short stories. I especially appreciated the diversity of stories: a story in verse, a take on a syllabus, LGTBQIA+ stories-it lived up to the name of having a place for many. I could easily see this being expanded into several volumes or an anthology. I could also see several of these stories being expanded into full novels. Overall, this was a great idea which was executed well. I would recommend this book for reading groups, summer reads and more.

An amazing collection of Black love stories. I had my favorites but overall, all of them were amazing. I totally recommend!

Big thanks to NetGalley for providing this eARC!
You’ve Got a Place Here Too feels like a love letter to Black America and all of its traditions, its history, and its ever-evolving definitions of love. This anthology captures so many layers of what it means to grow up Black in different regions, time periods, and social contexts. From HBCU Greek life to Mardi Gras traditions I didn’t even know existed, this collection schooled me in the best way. It was like sitting at the feet of my aunties, cousins, and classmates each with their own stories to tell, each one offering a glimpse into their perspective of Black life.
My personal favorites were:
* “Brave the Skies” by Kennedy Ryan: The chemistry between the main characters was undeniable (though borderline scandalous) in that slow-burn academic setting. Their dynamic left me wanting so much more which I’d happily read a full novel of if I had the chance.
* “Romantic Studies” by Nicola Yoon: This one had me laughing out loud. Her formatting style is always so creative: mixing syllabi, on-page texts, and stage drama scripts in a way that felt immersive and true to Gen Z/Alpha experiences. Despite the playfulness, the character development was solid and age-appropriate, which made the serious side of the plot land even harder.
* “One Little Lie…” by Christine Platt: While the suspense angle felt a bit extra at times, I was genuinely touched by the mmc’s fumbling anxiety as he navigated his first real relationship. It was sweet, awkward, and very real.
* “The Black Mecca” by Ebony LaDelle: Absolute chef’s kiss. I loved everything about this one.
This book is a perfect starting point if you’ve never picked up an anthology before (like me!). It offers bite-sized stories that are easy to get into but meaningful enough to leave a mark. The pacing across the collection was well-balanced, and now I have a list of new authors to get into, all from just a few pages of their work.
Also, shoutout to the nostalgic cover art style, it gave me subtle Little Bill vibes, and I loved that!
If you’re into HBCU romances, young adult dramas, or you’ve been binging A Different World and Living Single like I have lately, this one will feel like home. It pays homage to those cultural touchstones while still carving out something fresh and relevant.
While I definitely had my favorites, every story had a purpose and a perspective. There’s truly something for everyone in this collection, especially if you love Black love in all its forms.

This book is a great collection of short stories that can be targeted to high school graduates. Sure, some of the content can't exactly be described as YA but, to me, most of it can. I'd even say this is a book you might want to give to high school juniors/seniors to "prime" them for a potential HBCU experience. I can see several of the stories getting potential attendees excited about life at an HBCU.

So why the mid rating? Well, because it is immediately obvious that many of the writers in this anthology have no real connection to or lived experience at HBCUs. The best stories here are the ones written by actual HBCU graduates and/or faculty (with very few exceptions). Well, let me clarify, these are all good stories. They are just not all *HBCU* stories—not authentically, at least. I also have to admit that I am not at all in the target audience because I've already lived the Black college experience and, much of it, looks nothing like what's in these pages. Not that I am expecting to see myself in these experiences, because that was nearly 20 years ago for me. But I just want to highlight that this book is not necessarily for graduates, and that's okay!

The pub date here is for August which makes it a solid back-to-school gift. But I hope the publisher has a long-game marketing plan that can capture students in the target audience during winter breaks, spring breaks, and graduation seasons too. Please choose a different story within the anthology to highlight for Pride, Valentine's Day, etc. All in all, I think this is a niche anthology that is needed for this generation.

Ebony has done it again 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 the world building in this book is unbelievable. I didn’t go to an HBCU but after reading this book it feels like I did. There was so much diversity and culture in this book, so much representation from socioeconomic statuses to different career paths. I loved how much I learned about the different hbcus and the cultures of each school. I loved the representation in the timelines of the stories as well as the characters. Each story transported me inside their world and their life and Ebony did such a good job of putting these stories together.

This is such a beautiful anthology. The moment I saw “Black love stories” I knew I needed my hands on it asap!

It’s filled with such amazing prose in every story. I loved how each author approached love in their own way and appreciated the diversity of love and setting in this anthology. It was so special to read the works of all these amazing authors. It’s encouraged me to push the other works of authors’ I’m already familliar with to the top of my TBR and add the works of those that are new to me.

My notable stories are:
The Black Mecca by Ebony LaDelle — I think this was my favorite. Amazing prose, sweet characters, beautiful details

A Flying Lesson by Elizabeth Acevedo —- the prose captivated me from start to finish

Romantic Studies by Nicola Yoon —- love the unique formatting, the execution was perfect!

The Musty by Kiese Laymon — he didn’t write black romance he wrote Black Romance. I’m going to need to reread this a few more times for suree

Black Romance
LGBTQIA+ Rep
HBCU Experience
Diverse Perspectives
I absolutely fell in love with this anthology! The diversity of black experiences was so heartwarming to read. Some definitely hit home for me and had me tear up. This was just beautiful and the different HBCUs mentioned! I loved it! You read different experiences at HBCUs, different thoughts and feelings, and backgrounds.
I don’t want to give away any of the short stories in here but there’s a couple that touch on belonging. It struck home to me and is a great reminder that there are more of us out there who have this feeling. Another touches on grief and that was just… I had to pause after that one. You read of more than romance. You read of friendship, family, and the found families on campus. Some of them even teach you some things! I highly recommend especially if you enjoy reading about Black love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ebony LaDelle for the ARC copy of You've Got a Place Here, Too.

From the very first page, I knew this book was something special. It immediately felt like a powerful expression of Black joy and love. Ebony LaDelle’s moving introduction had me reflecting on my own experiences as a Black woman, and I couldn’t wait to dive in. I’m happy to say I was not disappointed.

Throughout the collection, there are so many incredible stories, each one unique yet equally engaging. I especially appreciated the length of the stories. Each one was satisfying without feeling rushed or incomplete, which made the overall experience feel well-balanced.

I also loved that every story took place on an HBCU campus. Seeing HBCUs highlighted in such a positive and affirming light brought me joy. Additionally, the book introduced me to a powerhouse lineup of writers. Some were familiar favorites, while others were new voices I’m now excited to explore further.

You've Got a Place Here, Too is a beautiful showcase of Black love in all its forms, and I’m so grateful I got the chance to read it.

e-arc provided by Netgalley

I don't read a lot of anthology's because I feel like the endings are rushed/incomplete. I did enjoy this anothology there were some stories that I didnt really care for but the shining stars to me were Elizabeth Acevedo's (I love her writing sm) and Nicola Yoon's (this was written in such a creative way)

I'm not a huge anthology reader, because I'm always left wanting more at the end of a short story. Like any anthology, there were hits and misses in this book. My absolute favorite story, by far, was "Romantic Studies" by Nicola Yoon. It was SO creative and felt different from all the other stories, some of which felt too similar to each other. I really enjoyed the format of course syllabi. I also liked "A Flying Lesson" by Elizabeth Acevedo because I honestly like anything Elizabeth Acevedo breathes on. I was super confused by "The Musty" by Kiese Laymon and liked that story the least. But I can accept that's because I just didn't understand it (and it didn't focus on a love story like all the others).

This anthology celebrates Black love and is like a love letter to HBCUs. Many are historical (as in, like 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, which I realize is not actually historical to some people, LOL). There is one gay story ("Who Teaches Black Boys How to Love" by Aaron Foley) and one lesbian story ("I Have Come Home" by Carla Bruce). The rest are MF relationships. Overall I'm glad I read it.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC of this book!

“You’ve Got a Place Here, Too” was such a joy to read. I loved how the stories celebrated Black love in all its forms—young love, complicated love, forever love—and all set against the vibrant, nostalgic backdrop of HBCUs.

These stories weren’t just romantic, they were full of heart, passion, and community. I felt seen in these pages. From the culture to the connections, these stories reminded me that Black love is rich, layered, and deserves to be centered. Definitely recommend if you love stories that honor our joy.