What would it feel like to one day be texting your deceased best friend’s phone and getting a response from someone who now has their phone number?
This book asks that question in a kind of mixed results come of it.
I will be 100% honest and say that I wasn’t really a big fan of You’ve Reached Sam but I’m definitely one of those people that likes to give the author and their books 2nd chances because I know at times of reading and what’s going on in your life impacts some books that just don’t connect..
As much as I wanted to like this book, it definitely wasn’t one that I would say I particularly enjoyed.
In the beginning, I was interested in seeing what would come up between Oliver and this mystery person. And it started off good where I was actually really liking Oliver and relating to his story of just wanted to find someone to love him for him.
I think what lost my interest was the moments of I guess science fiction and the anti-climatic resolution to it.
Time travel was such a random Trope to add to this book when I feel like it didn’t need it.
I honestly wanted to see him process his grief, and for him to be happy.
Whatever my book? To be honest, I would just because I’m the kind of person where I want people to form their own opinions, and they could have a completely different opinion than me.. This book just didn’t work for me and I wound up giving it two stars..

I loved You’ve Reached Sam so I was very excited when I found out Oliver was getting his own book. I’m not big on time travel but I loved this take on the subject. Oliver was forced to look at the world from a different viewpoint. My favorite thing about Dustin Thao’s writing is how effortlessly he incorporates a sense of magic to this world.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | YA Contemporary | Queer Romance | Magical Realism | Grief & Healing

I went into You’ve Found Oliver not having read You’ve Reached Sam (I know, I know, it's on the list), but I honestly didn’t feel lost at all. Dustin Thao did a great job making this story feel like its own complete experience, even if you’re stepping into Ellensburg for the first time. Sure, reading the first book might’ve added some emotional layers, especially with the connection between Sam, Oliver, and Julie, but I was still fully invested in Oliver’s journey on its own.

This is a sweet, thoughtful, and slightly magical story about grief, identity, and finding love when (and where) you least expect it. Oliver’s been texting his best friend Sam for a year, except Sam passed away. Then one day, he accidentally calls the number and someone picks up. That someone is Ben, and what follows is a gentle, emotional romance that plays with fate, time, and the idea of healing in your own time.

Ben and Oliver’s connection felt genuine and soft, like late night conversations and vinyl records kind of love. I really appreciated how their relationship unfolded. It was slow, tender, and with plenty of heart. The themes of loss and moving forward were handled with care, and while I didn’t totally love the magical realism/time travel twist (it felt a little vague and underdeveloped for me), I did think it fit the tone and message of the story well.

Dustin Thao’s writing is quite simple and clear and easy to read, but layered with feeling. It creeps up on you, and before you know it, you’re in your feelings and wanting a random number to text you too.

Was the ending a little bittersweet? Yes. Did I wish for a bit more emotional depth at times? Also yes. But overall, this was a touching story that explored grief in a unique way and still managed to give us a queer romance that felt hopeful and meaningful.

Highlights:
📱 Queer romance with real emotional weight
🕰️ Time bending twist that’s more vibes than science
🎧 A soundtrack worthy story with dreamy writing
💔 Grief, healing, and letting go (even when it’s hard)
🏡 Found family & friendships that feel authentic

The magical realism wasn’t my favorite part because it felt more like a soft filter than a fully fleshed out element. And I would've loved a bit more depth in the ending, especially for Ben and Oliver’s future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dustin Thao, and Dutton Books for Young Readers for the eARC of the book.

I haven’t read any previous books by the author., so I didn’t know there was another book with these characters, I didn’t think I was missing out on anything that I was unable to understand the story.
This was a sweet story, I really enjoyed it!

I haven't read You've Reached Sam yet, so I was interested in how You've Found Oliver would work as a standalone. I didn't feel like I was missing any information going into this book without reading the other. I think it would've provided me with more background information and better insight into the relationship dynamics between Sam, Oliver, and Julie, but the set up of the characters was definitely done well enough for things to feel clear and cohesive. I didn't love the magical realism aspect - something about the time travelling felt a bit flat and underwhelming to me, but I think the concept worked well with the plot and the overall themes of loss, grief, and healing.

I could definitely see this as a book that fans of the first novel would enjoy, along with those looking for a queer romance with a twist of magic.

You’ve Found Oliver
by Dustin Thao

With thanks to @netgalley and @penguinteen for the ARC.

I was a huge fan of the author’s second novel, and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. I wasn’t disappointed!

The novel is short, and very clearly written. Thao’s straightforward style is imperative when dealing with the large, cosmic ideas that are the backbone of his stories (or at least, my interpretation of them! Me? Over think? NEVER!) Without being too heavy handed, Thao asks the reader to consider who we would be if we could erase our scars and change the traumatic things that have shaped us. What does it mean to be YOU outside the context of the world you’ve built for yourself? And if we could repeat time, would we, should we, actually repeat it?

I think fans of well-crafted fantasy or sci-fi such as Fringe will be really pleased with how this is all handled. So much of the world building is left to the reader to interpret, which I deeply appreciated.

Some questions are answered. Some are left for us to ponder. But, the novel offers us many take-aways, from music to philosophical ideas. I’m looking forward to experiencing this again.

I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this before publication in return for an honest review. I recommend this SO highly.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. I read You've reached Sam and Dustin Thao became my auto-read author from then. I love the author's writing. As usual I liked his this book too. Can't wait for this book to release and get my copy.

This cover? Perfect. It captures the heart of a story about time, memory, and the ache of holding on when life keeps moving. Oliver is stuck in the past, still texting his best friend Sam almost a year after losing him. Then one day, someone answers. That’s when things shift.

The writing is vivid and sneaky—simple at first, then layered with meaning the deeper you go. It’s not a sobfest from page one, but it builds in that quiet way grief often does. That ending? It hit hard.

This book is about learning to let go without forgetting, and the bittersweet courage it takes to start again. A home isn’t just where you live—it’s something you create, with the people and places that shape you.

Dustin Thao is a special writer. He has really strong ideas and he’s become stronger with each book.

I really liked Sam so I was excited to see Oliver’s book, especially as Dustin became more confident publishing as a gay man. I really enjoyed his storyline and I liked the mystery of the story.

I also thought it was sweetly romantic, especially with Ben and how they found each other. The moments with Sam made me kind of sad, and I understand why they were there. But man, it tore at my heartstrings.

The ending was really poetic, and I enjoyed it.

Overall the book was good and I’d recommend it, even though it felt like it was missing a little something. I’m not sure exactly what, maybe more yearning? Or more conflict? I’m not sure. But I’d read another book by Dustin for sure,

Where do I even begin? Oh, right. Thank you NetGalley for providing the opportunity to read and review You've Found Oliver.

I will say that I did go into this with an expectation from reading the author’s previous books. I was somewhat afraid that this was going to be a weird, cookie-cutter book that would ride the coattail of its predecessor. That quickly changed a few pages into the book.

It was very nostalgic to read about some of the characters from You’ve Reached Sam; however, the previous MC of the book had space and never fought the new MC, Oliver, for any of the spotlight. I enjoyed their contribution to the storyline, but even more that they did not overshadow the new main character. It brought fresh air to the storyline with a hint of history to bring the characters even more alive.

The pacing of the book was overall normal with its moments of speeding up. The world-building was enough to where you could separate locations without it being overdone and over-explained. That being said, due to the theme of the book, I did have some concerns as to if it would become blended and lost. However, I do believe Dustin Thao did an amazing job at keeping everything moving forward with everything where it should be, and the execution of the theme was grand.

Ben and Oliver had the cutest and most heartwarming adventure together, and you could feel the emotions they felt. Their different personalities complemented each other well without them becoming one. They had their individualism, which helped in being empathetic towards them and making their feelings more realistic than fictional.

Overall, I am giving the book 4.5 out of 5 as it did not leave me with any questions but wanting more of their stories.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a chance to read an advanced copy of You’ve Found Oliver.
When I read it, You’ve Reached Sam was one of those books that stayed with me. I was excited to step back into that universe and see Oliver’s story play out.
While there were a lot of moments in this book I enjoyed, it ultimately fell a little flat.
At times, I found Oliver a little hard to like.
The time traveling aspect took away from the story for me more often than not. The concept was interesting but I don’t think it was executed quite right.
The most disappointing moment for me personally was Oliver and Ben reconnecting in the end only for Ben to have no memories of their connection. I can appreciate the idea that they get a clean slate, but it’s still a little sad to know that Oliver alone holds the memories of their time together.
I would also have liked to see Julie and Oliver talk about the calls from Sam in the first book. It would have been a nice insight to their mutual connection to Sam after he passed and ultimately their link to one another.
3/5 stars. 🌟

this was a cute follow up to you’ve reached sam. It was nice to see how everyone was doing years later. I love how Oliver got a chance to say goodbye

Thank you Dutton Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for this eARC. Heartbreakingly beautiful! For the past year Oliver has been texting Sam, he knows that it’s not healthy, that he should move on, but he just can’t. The thing is Sam is dead. Now Oliver’s only really friend Julie, Sam’s ex, is leaving the country for a bit and Oliver is feeling lost. Sam wasn’t just his best friend but also his first crush/love. As the anniversary gets closer Oliver accidentally calls Sam’s number and someone responds. They’ve reassigned the number and Oliver had been texting a stranger for the last year. The strangers name is Ben and Oliver feels a connection to him. Which deepens when they finally meet in person. But is it meant to be or is something stranger going on? Has Oliver found love? Dustin Thao’s You’ve Found Oliver is romantic, heartbreaking, and heartwarming! I couldn’t put the book down and I was completely in my feels while reading!! Deep and wonderfully written, I would highly recommend checking this one out!

title: You've Found Oliver

author: Dustin Thao

publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers

publication date: September 30, 2025

pages: 288

peppers: 2 (on this scale)

warnings: death by car accident, cheating, not technically a romance

summary: When Oliver's best friend and crush Sam died unexpectedly a year earlier, Oliver kept texting his number. When Oliver accidentally hits the call button and Ben answers, a strange and lovely friendship/romance forms. Unfortunately, something strange is happening as the two live separated not only by distance, but also, perhaps, by time.

tropes:

dead best friend
gay crush on a straight guy
can't change the past...or can you
time travel...sort of
single mother
we'd find each other no matter what
classes that imitate life/teach life lessons

what I liked: 

philosophy classroom scenes
life must go on
strong friendships

what I didn’t like: 

time elements confusing

overall rating: 4 (of 5 stars)

Dustin Thao is back at it again doing what he does best: breaking my heart.

This novel is romantic and heartbreaking all at once. I do wish there was more closure for some of the characters, but I know why it had to be this way. Dustin Thao is a master at replicating the complexities of real life connections, and the lack of closure is, unfortunately, a realistic part of life.

This book felt kind of unnecessary in a sense because You've Reached Sam felt like a complete standalone and good finished story. The romance and grief shown in Oliver was nice though.

Another somber speculative romance from Dustin Thao that manages to tug on your heart strings while enveloping you in a cozy setting as two characters work their way to each other against the odds.