ARC review
Publication date 30 September 2025.

"You've Found Oliver" by Dustin Thao is a sequel (or companion) to "You’ve Reached Sam".
I did not read it first, but I plan too.

I received an e-ARC from Penguin Young Readers Group (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

This is a lovely book.
I did not read anything by the author before, but the cover and description convinced me to read it.
The writing is beautiful and I loved the characters (especially Oliver and Ben).

The book deals with grief, bit also has a lighthearted and romantic side.
I did not expect the paranormal twist, even if it was hinted by the cover.

Oliver is such a kind, lovable and sweet character and I am glad that he found Ben.
The connection that they have is emotional and I am very happy with the ending.

I hesitated reading "You’ve Reached Sam" because I expected to be very sad, but after reading this book I plan to give it a chance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

The Lake House meets The Butterfly Effect

I knew absolutely minimal going into this book! I only knew that Oliver was one of the MMCs.

You’ve Found Oliver has the essence of The Lake House.

Two people communicating with each other in different time lines. Oliver has been messaging Sam’s phone number for months. No response is normal because Sam is no longer alive. When he is finally ready to let Sam go he gets a response from Ben. Ben has acquired Sam’s old phone number.

When they start hanging out they realize that Ben is in a different time line. He is 6 months prior to the current timeline.

This book was beautifully written. I loved Oliver! I was routing for Ben the whole time!

I was so happy to see Oliver finally get his own story — and the closure he deserved for everything he went through with Sam. This book threw me for a loop (in the best way!) with a twist I did not see coming. The idea of overlapping timelines added such a unique layer, and honestly, that reveal left me speechless.

One of the things I love most about this series is how it constantly pushes the boundaries of storytelling. Every book makes you think outside the box, and just when you think you know what’s coming — surprise! You don’t.

This was sickeningly sweet! I loved every part of it! You've Found Oliver starts out as a romance between two men that starts to take a turn I didn't really expect. I maybe should have, considering this authors other books have a similar otherworldly aspects, but it caught me off guard in this one for some reason. I loved both main characters and the atmosphere. My only complaint for this would be its writing style. But considering that it's YA and I am an adult, I don't necessarily consider it a true fault of the book, just a personal preference. Regardless, it was a wonderful book and I will for sure be looking out for more queer books from this author in the future.

[4⭐️][ARC]

This book follows Oliver, Sam’s best friend. Set after “You’ve Reached Sam”. Since Sam’s death Oliver has been texting almost daily to deal with his grief and keep Sam alive in his memory, but when Oliver decides to finally stop he accidentally dials his number and someone picks up. Not Sam, but another boy named Ben. Oliver and Ben’s weird meeting causes them to connect over Oliver’s text and start texting more and more sharing their interests. After deciding to finally meet up something weird has happened, they are both at the very restaurant they said to meet up at but Oliver claims the building is locked and run down when Ben says he’s inside. Moments later Ben finds Oliver and they walk into the building, but now it’s open and full of lights and people, odd but Oliver rights it off as a mistake. But as time goes on and more meetings happen they can’t find each other. They both say it’s weird but when Ben comes to meet Oliver at his College, Oliver brings Ben to his dorm except all his stuff is gone and his roommate isn’t there, almost as someone completely different, and his favorite cafe that shut down weeks ago is suddenly open again. Then Ben mentions that it’s September but Oliver says it’s April. Oliver realizes that somehow he has jumped into an alternate universe 6 months from his present time. They have to figure out how this is happening and how to build their relationship past this defect. Can they do it? How will this work in the end?

This book was such a good sequel!! I really wish it was longer. Ben & Oliver were such amazing characters, so much depth gone into them. After reading this I have so many theories & thoughts!! You could even read this without having read “You’ve Reached Sam” it’s a pretty quick read! Dealing with the topics of grief and unrequited love. (And if you are really wondering yes it has a happy ending ❤️)

I’m so grateful for the Read Now ARC opportunity on NetGalley by Dutton Books—You’ve Found Oliver was one of my most anticipated reads, and it’s a moving, heartfelt follow-up to You’ve Reached Sam. While this one leans lighter and more romantic than its predecessor, it still explores themes of grief, identity, and second chances in a way that feels both tender and hopeful.

Oliver is such a lovable character, kind, funny, and easy to root for and his connection with Ben is sincere and quietly emotional. The story had me hooked, especially in the second half. I do wish the parallel universe concept had been explored a bit more deeply, but overall, this was a warm and beautifully written read that left me smiling.

The title of this book is so accurately written in the sense that oliver truly did find himself and who he wanted to be and what he wanted to pursue. this book served as the perfect time gap romance to show how people are ever evolving and how loss or longing should never force a person to get stuck in the past (both figuratively and literally in this instance). it not only depicts a sense of loss and restarting but also showcases the aspect of those who you truly love coming back to you regardless of the circumstances. oliver found his way back to his love even though he had no recollection of ever meeting oliver. this book also made me so very happy in the aspect of being able to see julie grow and evolve past the loss of sam yet hold him in her heart. the evolution of writing and character development as seen through the two books is commendable and although youve reached sam broke my heart, this book served to show that not all love stories end in tragedy but rather that people will find their way back to one another.

A companion novel that could still be read by itself, Oliver's story a year after Sam’s death exemplifies ongoing grief in Dustin Thao’s beautifully tear-jerking prose. I loved how Oliver slowly falls for ben, a boy with sam’s number who lives 6 months in the past, through texts and cute dates that any college student could relate to.

Just like You've Reached Sam, this book reeled me in and just shattered my heart.

It flowed so nicely, while some of it did drag at times, it just obliterated my emotions.

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Teens for this arc for my honest review!
4.5 stars out of 5/First person pov(Oliver)

Oliver's friend, Sam, passed away over a year ago but that hasn't stopped Oliver from messaging his old phone constantly. He knows he won't get a response but they doesn't stop him.
One day he accidently hits the call button and someone picks up the call. The voice isn't Sam but a stranger who has the old phone number that used to belong to Sam. Someone named Ben has been receiving his private messages for months and just not responding.
When Ben and Oliver meet in person something magically happens.


This is technically book 2 in the series but it works as a standalone because I never struggled to follow along without reading the first book. I loved this concept of missing your friend and then it blooming into something so beautiful. I loved all the layers with the use of time.

If you loved You've Reached Sam like I did - get ready for Sam's best friend, Oliver's story. Losing Sam, Oliver turned to Julie as his rock, but when she leaves for a study abroad program, Oliver finds himself alone for seemingly the first time. Oliver has been continuously sending Sam's phone number text messages, but in a twist of fate, accidentally calls the number and it's answered by unassuming Ben. Ben and Oliver quickly drum up a connection, however, Ben is in a timeline six months in the past. Can Oliver and Ben figure out how to make this relationship work in a timeline of the future? Or will they constantly be in the past.
I loved this story. It's truly about Oliver finding himself through both timelines presented. Also, Dustin - what's the story with that dedication? I need to know!!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this book! I’d firstly like to say this follow up book to the first one is even better. It was so heartbreakingly beautiful. It’s such an enjoyable read, and there were a lot of moments that almost felt poetic. Genuinely such a beautiful book, with incredible quotes.

“Out of all the universes I could have ended up in, I’m grateful it was yours”

I got the ARC from NetGalley and started reading as soon as I got the chance! I have now read You've Reached Sam, When Haru Was Here and You've Found Oliver by Dustin Thao. I really liked Sam, and cried a lot reading it. Haru was a bit of a mess, but I still liked it. This one is probably my favorite of the three. It's less sad. And (slight spoiler warning!) the theme of time acting weird appeals to me. Dustin Thao's writing style is simple and readable, in a way I like. This book was very nice and easy to read for my tired brain.

After You’ve Reached Sam, I didn’t think Dustin Thao could emotionally gut me again but You’ve Found Oliver proved me wrong in the softest, most bittersweet way.

This story picks up a year after Sam’s death and follows Oliver, still struggling with grief, who sends a message to Sam’s old phone number… and gets a reply. What unfolds is a quietly moving story about love, healing, and learning to let go. The relationship that develops between Oliver and Ben is slow-building and tender more emotional than romantic at first but that made it feel honest and earned.

Thao writes grief so well it’s never heavy-handed, just deeply felt. Oliver’s inner world was portrayed with care, and his journey toward finding connection again felt grounded in reality. I especially appreciated the way this book explores what it means to choose to keep living, even when part of you still lingers in the past.

This isn’t a fast-paced romance it’s a story about reflection, hope, and learning to love differently. It stands on its own but adds beautiful layers for anyone who read You’ve Reached Sam.

I'm rounding up from 3.5. I did enjoy the story. the alternate universe thing was a little confusing and sad at the end. I wish it was expanded on a little. I feel like things were glossed over when Oliver was stuck in the past. I would have like Oliver and Ben's connection fleshed out a little more too. still an enjoyable read. more of a YA read, but still enjoyable.

Thank you to Netgallery for an early copy of this book.

You've Found Oliver is a direct sequel to You've Reached Sam. It isn't necessary to read the latter to understand the plot of the former. Oliver, a friend of Sam's, attends the same college as Sam's girlfriend, Julie. They forge a friendship based on the mutual loss of Sam. Missing his best friend, Oliver keeps texting Sam's old phone number. He never expects an answer from the other side...

Until he gets one from someone named Ben, who has been reassigned Sam's old number. Just like the previous two books the author has written, something supernatural is at play during the relationship between Oliver and Ben. Also like When Haru Was Here and You've Reached Sam, the mechanics behind the supernatural is never fully explained.

The plot to the book was solid, except for a few small plot threads that are never expanded on (Julie says she'll explain something to Oliver and never does, there's a connection between what happens to Oliver and Ben and Sam's phone, also never hinted at). There were some spelling errors ('dinner' for 'diner' for example) and italics in odd places that took away from the prose. Hopefully, these will be corrected before a wider release. Oliver and Ben aren't Julie and Sam; while some people will appreciate that, I found their relationship and connection to be less satisfying overall by comparison. The narrative doesn't take any risks or cover too much new ground, giving a familiarity to it that readers of the previous may appreciate. However, if you're like me, you may find yourself wishing there were more differences and risks taken with the plot so it was less like the previous entries in this series.

I was genuinely saddened that You’ve Found Oliver didn’t live up to its promising premise. As a companion to You’ve Reached Sam, the story follows Oliver grappling with grief by texting Sam’s old number, only to connect with Ben, its new owner—except they are separated by six months in time, a concept that could have added depth but ultimately felt rushed and underexplored. While I admired the original book and appreciate Dustin Thao’s creative ideas and worlds, this novel left me feeling merely whelmed rather than moved, with a romance that lacked foundation and characters that felt underdeveloped—especially Ben, who had potential but was never fully realized. Oliver as a protagonist failed to inspire, and the narrative often fell flat, save for a few poignant moments touching on grief. The writing style was disappointingly simple and choppy, diminishing emotional impact. Though I did enjoy the ending, as I have with Thao’s other works, it wasn’t enough to redeem the overall experience. Unfortunately, this solidifies my feeling that Dustin Thao’s books are not quite for me, and I’m rating this one 2 stars.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC by Dustin Thao.
First, I'd like to start out by saying I have not had a chance to read any other books by Thao, but I saw that he posted on Instagram saying that you could read this as a stand alone and that is exactly what I did.I thought this book was so cute with just a touch of magic that I was not expecting. I was immediately hooked from the very first chapter experiencing Oliver's memories of Sam. Just that one chapter made me feel sorrow in my heart for Oliver. As the book progressed, I stayed hooked on following Oliver's journey to the end.
I really enjoyed this book! I read it all in one session because I could not put it down! The only reason I did not rate it as 5 stars is because I felt myself just wanting a little bit more at the end!

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton Books for the ARC

4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I really enjoyed You’ve Found Oliver! Dustin Thao has a beautiful, emotional writing style that pulls you in, and I loved returning to the world introduced in You’ve Reached Sam. While this book had a different tone, it still carried that same heartfelt depth and quiet sadness. Oliver’s story was moving and relatable, and I appreciated the way grief and healing were explored. Some pacing felt a little slow at times, but overall, it was a thoughtful and emotional read that stuck with me. A strong follow-up to the first book!

Thoughts:
[ ] Oliver reminds me a lot of my best friend
[ ] This story reads a lot easier than You've Reached Sam, I find that I like Oliver much more than Julie
[ ] I love getting the Sam and Oliver backstory, the friendship and the longing
[ ] I do really struggle with the fact that you've reached sam never gave us exactly how Sam and Julie were connected, and same here, but the discussion of space and time between Ben and Oliver was a cute analogy. The phone is the connection again, but we don't quite get an explanation of how.
[ ] It's interesting that we get more of Julie's mom in a book from the piv of Oliver than we did from Julie's. I do think that both books lacked some fleshing out of the parent relationships between the narrators and parents, especially with Oliver's mom being so important in his ending.
[ ] I kinda wish we'd gotten some closure/Julie telling Oliver about her phone calls with Sam from Youve Reached Sam. The book alludes that she will, but it would have been nice to see on page
[ ] The ending was so bittersweet. Overall, this was a good read! I enjoyed this much more than the first book. Oliver is such a loveable character.