Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

You've Found Oliver meets Oliver near the anniversary of Sam's death. He has been secretly texting Sam's old number when he feels lonely and like he needs to talk to his best friend. Just as he's preparing to say goodbye and delete the number, he hits the call button instead. To his surprise, someone answers. Someone who has been reading his messages to Sam. Oliver thinks this person would never want to speak to him, but they start texting, and are soon preparing to meet in person. What ensues is a challenge to the idea of meeting someone at the right place and the right time. Will Oliver and Ben be able to beat the odds and their circumstances to find each other?

I like the atmosphere of Dustin Thao's books. I feel like I'm taking a stroll in a small college campus in the Pacific Northwest with Oliver and Ben. Their relationship and characters were sweet, and I enjoyed the philosophical reflection on space and time throughout the book. Unfortunately, the plot overall didn't work for me, and I was not able to suspend my disbelief long enough to really enjoy it. I typically enjoy magical realism, but not enough of the elements of this story really connected. I don't want to give spoilers, but the whole last chapter just had me so confused. I recommend this book for readers looking for a cozy YA speculative romance, if you don't mind a few head scratching loose ends.

3.5⭐️

I devoured You’ve Reached Sam and I was hoping for more of that. This missed the mark a little bit. I felt like it was a little too fast paced for the story, like it needed another 100 pages to get the point across and help it make more sense. It ended up being a little confusing and I think that’s why.

3.5⭐

Thank you PRH and Dustin Thao for an e-ARC of this book.

"You deserve someone who gives you flowers." 😭

This book was heartfelt, emotional and centered around love and I didn't expect to be so affected by it at all. I lost a friend of mine growing up suddenly and he and I were so young, but the hard thing about grief is that it matures you faster. I was interested in the premise because texting their old number was something I (and maybe even some others) did so YES this book made me tear up at work. Lol.

I really enjoyed Dustin's writing, and this was my first book by him so I know this definitely won't be the last. The way he writes is simple, but it flows so well, so I was able to read this book easily. I did have an issue with some of the pacing as we have some hints that there is a magic realism aspect, but it doesn't get addressed until halfway through. This is also a format issue, but I think some of the texts were hard to follow on the e-ARC, as some were written on the wrong side of the text page... if that makes any sense?

I think this book would've had a greater impact on me if I read the first book before this, so that is on me. I did not expect the ending to be like that though, so I need to read book 1 now as there will be a book 3! :)

“I didn't know that would be the last time I saw him.” You've Found Oliver by Dustin Thao

Oliver lost his best friend Sam one year ago, but can’t stop texting Sam’s phone. Flooded with memories of crashing weddings, laughter, and love, Oliver uses Sam’s old phone number as a journal to process his grief. Oliver then decides to call, and is shocked when someone picks up.

Ben, an astronomy student in Seattle has been given Sam’s reassigned phone number, and has been receiving Oliver’s texts for months. After picking up Oliver’s phone call, Ben grows close to Oliver, and begins to fall for him. They quickly realize a strange glitch in time threatens to keep them apart.

The multiple expressions of grief shown throughout the characters, especially Oliver and Sam’s ex-girlfriend, Julie, are complex yet so realistic. I am always drawn to books on grief, and was not at all disappointed with Oliver’s story of not just grief, but love and friendship.

“You’ve Found Oliver” is the sequel to Dustin Thao’s “You’ve Reached Sam”. I am so excited we get to return back to this world. Dustin’s beautiful writing and magical details are so engaging and give a great setting for the characters to process their grief..

You've Found Oliver is a heartfelt and emotional story about grief, love, and letting go. The premise is really unique and the writing captures some tender, bittersweet moments. I really liked the romance aspect, it was sweet, though at times I wished it had been developed a little more. The pacing also felt uneven in places, and I didn’t always feel fully connected to the characters. Overall, it’s a touching story that explores loss and moving forward with care, that definitely had me weeping a bit. 3.5 stars! Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC. Also hello, the cover is gorgeous.

Another cute story by Dustin Thao. I loved Where is Haru so I knew this would be another book of his that I would enjoy. There is just something so devastatingly beautiful about the characters.

I really wanted to like this one! I haven't read You've Reached Sam but heard good things about it. You don't really need to read that one to understand this one which was nice.

What I liked:
The relationship between Ben and Oliver was cute and I liked how well developed their characters were. They watched seem to have their own personalities and I liked to see them grow and develop as people.

What I didn't like:

The writing style was a travesty. I'm not sure if it's because I read an ARC but every sentence was short and staccato which made it seem like it was written for a younger audience. There were so many times that I thought that if he would just use a compound sentence or a semicolon or something that the book would flow so much better.

The magical realism part of the book was a surprise to me and took a little bit of getting used to. The rules of the system seemed a little random and not well explained so that took away from my enjoyment.

This was a cute read. I liked both Oliver and Ben, I wanted there to be more at the end though. I read You’ve Reached Sam, but I think this could also be read as a standalone. Overall, for me, this is a 3.5 star read. If you liked You’ve Reached Sam I think you would like this book as well.

SOBBINGGGG yet again. thao always does this to me lol. super well written, good characters, and the plot was really really cool. it’s not very often you find a book this good

Literally 6 star dustin has made me cry once again oliver was my fav in youve reached sam I loved his story

Man if you want a story that's both cute and soul crunching, Thao has done it again.

This is a story about longing, about pain and grieving and moving on. Or not.

If you're familiar with You've Reached Sam or When Haru Was Here you know what to expect with this author's style. I do think it's a different way of writing, took me a moment to get into the flow with When Haru Was Here which was the first one I read. It's definitely written in a way to bring heavy subjects to a wider range of readers and ages.

If you are a book crier then this one is likely to get you. I am an absolute sucker for angst and hurt/comfort or hurt/no comfort, but we don't need to venture back to those days (IYKYK)

There twist in this one I wasn't expecting. I could have seen the book going a different more, real world way but really it was a welcome addition. Fun I almost want to say but I don't think anything about this story can be called fun.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers for the earc.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a really cute, fast YA love story, but it’s always a story about grief and fate and how time moves. Oliver is shattered by the loss of his best friend (and secret unrequited crush, Sam). Their friendship, and Oliver’s love, are shown in a series of flashbacks at the start of the novel that are incredibly impactful given their brevity.

It takes longer than I liked to reach the central conflict of the story, the insurmountable obstacle to Oliver and Ben’s relationship. I didn’t mind that we never get a reason why though - that makes sense given the context and Oliver’s path to self discovery. I loved the forays into philosophy as Oliver discovers what makes him tick.

There’s some cheating ex/other man drama that really serves no purpose for me, but I did enjoy greatly Oliver’s relationships with Julie and his mom. I wish there were more scenes with his co-worker from the library. All in all, a cute read.

3.5 ⭐ rounded up for Goodreads

This book was cute, I liked Oliver and Ben as characters but I just couldn't get fully invested into the story. Maybe it was just because I wasn't super interested in the relationship between the two or because I do tend to find time things hit or miss and this one was kinda a miss.

The ending was cute I'll give it that and Oliver and Julie's friendship was enjoyable to read.

If you liked the first book I would recommend at least trying this one

If you’ve ever lost a friend or someone you loved, this book is the soft glowing light you walk towards after the darkest parts of the journey.

I loved Dustin Thao’s exploration into how we perceive time & capture moments in the present. There’s certainly a poignancy to the story but so positively riddled with pockets of joy, tenderness and thoughtful dialogue around gratitude towards our current space.

You’ve Found Oliver is a continuation after You’ve Reached Sam that stands very beautifully on its own & features a gentle queer love story centered around navigating grief. It is so perfectly suitable for its young adult audience while still being equally impactful for readers across all age groups.

It’s rare that I find a book hard to review, not because it was flawed but because it was so utterly and perfectly complete. Every element of this book works—theme, characters, writing—coming together to form a story that transcends its YA genre.

It would be impossible to review this book without mentioning the first book in the series, You’ve Got Sam. This book picks up with Sam’s best friend, Oliver, roughly a year after Sam’s passing. It reads as a true stand-alone, though I would still suggest reading both in order. For those familiar with the first book, this sequel explores much of the same thematic ground—grief, loss, and connection—but exceeds its predecessor by intertwining these themes with meditations on time, space, and memory. Along with the magical-realism and epistolary elements, it almost feels as though this book were custom written for me.

Oliver is such a beautifully portrayed and well-explored character. In the aftermath of Sam’s death, he feels at a standstill. Many of his peers are moving forward, but Oliver drifts aimlessly through his freshman year of college, going through the motions with no real direction or goal. While this is a romance, in many ways the story is more about Oliver finding himself and making the conscious decision to move forward after Sam’s passing.

In this way, Ben is a meaningful contrast to Oliver. Whereas Oliver feels stuck in the past, Ben is ambitious, looking toward the future. The way these traits play into the book’s magical realism feels seamless and thoughtful. Each element—Oliver’s philosophy class, Ben’s astronomy studies, and the nature of their connection—forms a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.

I very much appreciated how Thao tackled these more complex ideas, like Gaston Bachelard’s The Poetics of Space and the Theory of Relativity, in a way that makes the concepts accessible for younger readers without talking down to them. Marketed as a YA romance, parts of this read much closer to upmarket or literary fiction. This is also reflected in the end of the book, which is not a solid HEA but rather the promise of a hopeful future.

I am truly grateful that I got the opportunity to read such an incredible book. My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin/Dutton YA for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This book focuses on Oliver; he was Sam’s best friend from the first book. To cope with losing his best friend Oliver has been sending text messages to Sam’s old cell phone number. He accidentally calls it and discovers a boy named Ben has been receiving all his messages. Ben and Oliver form an unlikely relationship as they get to know each other.

The author seamlessly weaves flashbacks, dreams, and memories together to fill the reader in on Oliver’s relationship with Sam. These dream sequences run parallel to Oliver’s current life and the new exciting things happening with his story. Oliver has been learning to live his life without Sam, but still misses his best friend.

Like other Thao books, this one has a little bit of magic in an everyday situation and explores the themes behind grief and moving on at your own pace. You’ve Found Oliver was a delightful read. It is my favorite Dustin Thao book so far. His writing style and voice have grown since You’ve Reached Sam from 2021. I look forward to reading another story from this author.

oh how i love this universe, you've reached sam destroyed me and i still didn't get the time to get over it and then dustin hit us with this ?!?! .
i need to hug oliver, post losing his friend he keeps texting sam's old number....but a boy named ben receives it, and oh god, their story, my heart was hurting and feeling whole all at once, i sobbed by the end of it !!

I received this story as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I very much enjoyed this sequel to You’ve Reached Sam and getting to spend more time with these characters.

Oliver is feeling lonely missing Sam still, while also dealing with his boyfriend cheating on him. Losing his roommate, boyfriend, and all their mutual friends. Along with Julie leaving him to study abroad. I thought the trauma of feeling isolated and alone tied so perfectly into stumbling into a love story with someone who is just out of reach living 6 months in the past.

Oliver really starts to wake up and live for himself and what he wants. He finds passion in his classes and learns to expand himself beyond what he’s always known.

This love story interweaves the concept that black wholes have fallen in love and are circling each other until potential mutual destruction or a new beginning.

Overall a very cute romance that was well paced and had a happy ending. Would recommend!

Really sad then happy but it was very good.

A great seq/companion to the OG You've reached Sam but also works well if you haven't read the first book before reading this (I read this first and read the OG after). It's well written, the pacing in the middle was kind of... idk it just kind of dragged a bit in parts but was to fast in others? Not sure how else to put it. I never felt like it was so bad I had to put it down, but certain parts were harder to get through then the rest of the book and that might be because of the twist around that point. Overall, its very emotional and tactful with the subject matter and I really appreciate it.

Oliver was such a sweetheart, and I loved Julie. Ben is a very lovely. The big twist I was kinda meh about like I don't mind of bit of timey wimey shenanigans, but I felt like it could have done well without it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group | Dutton Books for Young Readers for the eARC.

I did enjoy this better than "You've Reached Sam" for the fact that they got out of high school. As an adult, I do not enjoy spending too much time in the POV of a high schooler, so this was a refreshing read.

The premise is very unique- what happens when you lose your best friend and can't really move on? You cannot stop texting and reaching out to someone who is no longer there, until someone answers.

Oliver is stuck. In life and in time. He meets Ben and starts to get unstuck and wants to move forward. Oliver shows such growth in figuring out what he wants to do with his life and creating a positive impact on the people around him.

This was a quick read at under 300 pages, although the subject matter is on the heavy side, Dustin handles it with care and attention.
The writing was lovely and touching and real. I really couldn't put this book down.

Posted to Goodreads on 9/4/2025- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7886051428