5★

First, I'd like to thank Netgalley, F/K Teen Press, and author Jordon Greene for providing me with the eARC of “How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend”, in exchange for my honest review!

Now, onto the review itself. Getting into this book, I expected a cozy urban fantasy like Love at Second Sight by FT Lukens, which motivated me to request this ARC in the first place. I only skimmed the summary, so, boy, was I surprised to find out our MC, Kenzie, to be the more realistic kind of a witch, with spells whispered over Walmart candles, jar necklaces filled with herbs, and crystals. Now, this was in no way a bad surprise, don't get me wrong, I loved Kenzie's character and it was incredibly refreshing for me to see some AMAB nonbinary representation.

Speaking of representation, this book is exactly what I meant when I said we need more of it in the literary industry. Each character was so beautifully crafted, and all of them were different and had their own personalities—even if, I must admit, I was getting a bit lost in the Marcus family. As for Kenzie themself, I didn't agree with many of their decisions, but each time that happened, it reminded me time and time again that they are just a teenager, that they're allowed to make bad choices and mistakes. And, in the end, it all turned out well for them! I absolutely adored Zach's character. Yes, he was a bit of an ass in the beginning, but he was only trying to protect his older brother. In the end, he always had Kenzie's back and always tried to stand by them, even when they weren't exactly nice to him. Hayden, on the other hand, I could stand less and less each chapter after he woke up. I mean, yeah, bro was in a coma and suddenly gained an enbyfriend, but still...

The plot was quite fast-paced, which I can appreciate in a book. It wasn't too fast, so all the important information was still there, and I, as a reader, could enjoy all the sweet scenes, but it also didn't unnecessarily drag on, like some YA books tend to. Kenzie's constant inner battle between their conscience and their selfishness—or however else I could call the desire to continue lying about dating their crush—was written so well, I could believe the author went through it himself. I also just LOVED the character of Super Old Gran, cause, I mean, we'd all love to have a great-grandma like that.

Overall, this book was a beautifully cozy read, and once I got invested in it, I couldn't put it down. It had everything you could want in a queer YA romance, and yet it was like nothing I've read before.

I am so happy that I got the chance to read this ARC!

A wonderful story highlighting the feelings of having a teenage crush and navigating misunderstandings in life. What starts out as just a crush quickly turns into the pressure of keeping up with the expectations that are being heaped upon Kenzie (from both themselves and others). Add in that now they're spending a lot of time with Hayden's brother, Zach - who makes them feel things that they thought only Hayden would - what is an assumed enbyfriend to do? I think teens will benefit from being taught that we all make mistakes - it just matters how you handle it in the end but also that you own up to it - especially when it involves disclosing information about someone else that they may not have been ready for. Excellent ending that summarized that we don't always end up where we think we will and sometimes that's for the better!

Thank you @franklinkerrpress for an advanced copy to review!

This book was *SO MUCH FUN!!!* I was so obsessed with both Kenzie and Zachary and I really loved this While You Were Sleeping homage, but make it teens and witches. I had an absolute blast reading this book and I actually stretched it out a couple of days because I didn’t want to finish.

Kenzie was such a great character, accidentally becoming Hayden’s enbyfriend when Hayden slips and falls and goes into a coma. It’s like a comedy of errors getting to that point, which was amazing to watch. I loved Kenzie’s inner monologue so much, it was so endearing to see them struggle. They made me laugh and get frustrated because I was *SO* rooting for them and Zachary!!! (This is not a criticism, I LOVED IT - this means that I was so invested in the character of Kenzie that I felt for them!!!) I also was interested in Kenzie’s dynamic with their mother.

Zachary!!!!!!! Came by surprise!!!! And made me love him so much. Gosh he was such a little cutie face with all of his flirting and the first kiss was *SO* cute??? I was dyin. I also really just loved how they pursued Kenzie and how they gave them the nickname of Mack. THAT ENDING HAD ME SQUEALING SO HARD.

I love young love. This was beyond adorable. I am definitely going to preorder a copy for my shelf.

How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend by Jordon Greene is a quirky yet heartfelt YA rom-com that blends magical mishaps with emotional depth. The story follows a teen who accidentally convinces their crush’s family they’re dating—while said crush is in a coma. What unfolds is a chaotic, cute and charming mess of mistaken identity, found family, and unexpected romance.

Greene’s writing is witty and warm, and the protagonist’s voice is truly authentic. The plot leans into the absurd in the best way, with just enough emotional grounding to keep it from feeling too fluffy. While some twists felt a little predictable, the dynamics—especially the slow-burn chemistry between characters—make it a delightful read.

A massive thank you to Netgalley, Franklin/Kerr Press | F/K Teen and author Jordan Greene for providing me with the eARC

A huge thanks goes out to NetGalley, Franklin/Kerr Press, and Jordon Greene for letting me read How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend, publishing on February 28, 2026, in exchange for an honest review.

Before I move on to my review, I also want to thank Jordon Greene for teaching me the term for a non-binary person in a romantic relationship.

I was absolutely enamored by this story. This young adult novel does a great job of combining rom-com vibes while also exploring deeper and more meaningful topics like self-discovery, gender identity, family, and love—all delivered beautifully, without overwhelming or overcomplicating things.

Our main lead, Mackenzie, a non-binary kitchen witch, is a tiny bit awkward but also one of the cutest cutie-patooties I’ve ever encountered on paper. Honestly, I think we all have a little bit of Mackenzie in us.

So, when Mackenzie’s crush Hayden—someone they don’t really talk to aside from taking his coffee order—gets into a rather unfortunate accident and falls into a coma, Mackenzie (bless their soul) sneaks into his hospital room and introduces themselves to Hayden’s family as his partner. Already wild, right? Well, it gets even better, because in comes Zachery, Hayden’s brother—and someone Mackenzie gets very close with. Very close, if you catch my drift.

Anyway, it’s a mess, just as you’d expect from a “fake dating where only one party knows about it” trope combined with a “my crush’s brother” trope.

The found family theme hits hard in this book.

But my favorite part is the natural, thoughtful exploration of queer identity, handled without clichés or stereotypes.

On top of that? The cover is stunning.
Pre-order it or put it on your TBR right now.

What a sweet, fun, and endearing little YA romance this was! If you're acquainted with Jordon Greene's works, you'll know you can expect laugh-out-loud shenanigans, beautiful found family, a nuanced look at complex topics such as grief or the loss of a parent, and - above all - a swoonworthy love story between two young people you will not be able to not root for. If you're not familiar with Jordon's previous works, though... You are in for a treat, because this is an author you will definitely be adding to your auto-buy list once you finish "How (Not) to Conjure A Boyfriend".

Young non-binary teen witch Mackenzie has a massive crush on Hayden Marcus, their high school's star basketball player whose smoky grey eyes and perfect smile are enough to make Mackenzie weak in the knees. There's no way Hayden would ever notice them, though. Why would a jock like him ever look at a scrawny enby barista twice? One can dream, though, or so Mackenzie tells themself when they carry out a ritual to ask Freyja, one of the goddesses they have faith in, for help with their love life... Which comes in the shape of Hayden slipping on the café's wet floor, banging his head against the tiles, and slipping into a coma. Before Mackenzie can so much as process what's going on, one of the nurses has announced them as Hayden's partner to the entire Marcus family, who are both shaken by the horrendous accident and stunned to meet Hayden's enbyfriend when, for all intents and purposes, they all thought Hayden was straight. Even though Kenzie knows they should come clean, it's hard to think of losing the Marcus family when they've taken them under their wing as another one of their own. But it's getting harder and harder to keep up the farce, and the more time that Mackenzie spends with Hayden's brother Zachary, the more afraid they are that admitting to their lie might mean losing Zach forever.

Fake dating gets an original and clever twist in this novel, which takes us on a wild ride that blends one-sided fake dating with forbidden romance. It was such a fun ride that I admit to delaying finishing it, merely because I didn't want the book to be over! Mackenzie is an endearing main character whose antics were both hilarious and relatable, and I was very invested as they struggled to do the right thing due to an acute fear of being rejected by a family whose warmth and love are too good to lose. As I knew I could expect from Jordon Greene (devoted Noahverse reader here), I found myself on the verge of tears as Mackenzie struggled to do what they knew was right. Something that I love to see in YA stories is the depth, complexity, and nuanced discussion of difficult topics that are often reserved for adult fiction, and I was extremely pleased to find it in "How (Not) To Conjure a Boyfriend". While the prose was light-hearted and definitely sounded to me like a teen's narrative voice, the story was in no way simple or one-dimensional.

Another thing I deeply appreciated in "How (Not) To Conjure a Boyfriend" was how respectful the story felt. While having a non-binary main character might not be as uncommon anymore, there still aren't too many stories out there that do not focus, in one way or another and to some extent, on the discrimination and rejection faced by non-binary folks day in and day out. Granted, this is a very real issue that does happen, but every now and then it feels like a warm hug to read about a non-binary main character whose gender identity is never questioned or dismissed. In this sense, it felt extraordinary to watch Mackenzie struggle with age-appropriate stuff such as school, the idea of college or crushes, without their identity being reduced solely to how hard it is to be a non-binary person nowadays. Allowing an enby teen to have issues unrelated to their gender identity, as well as to be accepted as they are without any questions or reluctance to treat them with dignity, was a powerful choice, and I have to take my hat off for Jordon Greene because this book was filled with enby joy precisely because the non-binary character was allowed to be their own person outside of their gender identity.

The writing was really compelling, to the point that the world seemed to dissolve around me every time I picked up "How (Not) To Conjure a Boyfriend", and I was really mesmerized by the very beautiful lines here and there that packed a punch and a half. Half of their impact comes from them being objectively beautiful quotes, but the other half stems from how cheerfully YA Mackenzie is as a narrator. Many scenes were endearing and had me swooning merely because of how adorable they were, and it was super cute to have Zach fall for Mackenzie first in a story told from Mackenzie's POV! All the little cues and hints at Zach's feelings had me squealing, and Mack's obliviousness made it feel super realistic and had me sighing and swooning and kicking my feet.

Oh, and please let's give it up for Super Old Gran!! What an MVP that woman was, she made me laugh hard enough with her stellar interventions that my belly ended up hurting from cackling so much. Her and Eliza both!! Eliza was an incredible character in that she was someone Mackenzie could look up to, both as a practising witch and as someone who is clearly different from the Marcus family but longs to belong nonetheless. It was really incredible to see Eliza and Mackenzie develop a mentor-mentee relationship that was so loving, and it warmed my heart to see that Mackenzie and their faith were taken seriously. Witchcraft is often scoffed at nowadays, particularly when the people practising it are young, but this novel was incredibly respectful. It never came across as judgemental in any way, which felt like a very brave choice, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by how thorough Greene's research clearly was. There were many small day-to-day rituals that are often overlooked whenever someone who doesn't practise witchcraft writes about witch characters, and there were spot-on conversations about what witchcraft is and means to those who practise it.

All in all this was an extraordinary and fun read that you absolutely cannot miss out on!

Very cute! I love the cover art on this! There is always room for great queer YA books and this one takes the cake! I recommend this book to as many people as possible.

A sweet and swoon-some queer romance that casts an irresistible spell. This bubbling cauldron of quips, heart and high jinks had me cackling and cooing in equal measure. I loved it!

gimme all the enby MCs

this book was sooooooo cute. i wish 14-years-old me could read this story.

kenzie frustrated the heck out of me at times, but i put myself in their shoes at that age and could totally understand how deeply they became ingrained in their web of lies, especially over m obsessing over a crush.

that being said, i think the story did a great job of showcasing queer characters without their queerness being the main plot point of the book. i adored kaitlynn, and the other members of kenzie’s support system throughout the story.

i was left wanting to know more about eliza’s role and why tf she didn’t say anything as an adult lmao. but i’m glad in the end, that kenzie was able to do the right thing on their own (with a little nudge from kaitlynn).

this book did a wonderful job of teaching valuable lessons to younger (and older) readers about how making mistakes doesn’t define who you are, and about the value of honesty.

✨thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc in exchange for my honest review✨

What do you do when your crush hits their head and ends up in the hospital? Obviously pretend you’re their significant other so you can visit them... right? 😂 How (Not) To Conjure A Boyfriend is chaotic, witchy, and full of heart — I spent half the book screaming “JUST TELL THEM!” every five pages while Kenzie dug themself deeper and deeper into their lie.

Zach completely grew on me. At first, I was convinced he was just another “grumpy older brother” type, but once his layers started showing — especially during that adorable K-pop spiral — I was sold. Hayden, on the other hand, was the perfect example of every crush I’ve ever over-romanticized in my head. (Painfully relatable, honestly.)

What I loved most, though, was how queer the story was without queerness being the only focus. Kenzie’s identity is just part of who they are, and that’s so refreshing to see. The friendships and family dynamics were so genuine and funny — Kaitlynn especially deserves a medal for being the voice of reason.

I definitely yelled at Kenzie a few times (okay, a lot), but I also completely understood why they made the choices they did. The book does a great job showing that making mistakes doesn’t make you a bad person — it’s how you grow from them.

This one gave me total cozy fall vibes — witches, romance, friendship, chaos — and I absolutely wish teenage me could’ve read it. It’s sweet, funny, and just the right amount of magical.

I adored this book!

While reading, I laughed out loud so many times! Funny and relatable, it was just wonderful reading a book from the perspective of a character who was like me, non-binary. The nuances of Mackenzie navigating the potential fears of being out to certain people after already being out to the majority were really relatable, as well as trying to work out if someone is into'theys' or not. I also found the "While You Were Sleeping" style narrative brilliant, I watched that film a lot as a child with my mother, but seeing it refreshed like this was great!

The added bonus of a real life witch being the protagonist was brilliant too, it's something I have/do dabble in and it was a really great addition.

I would definitely suggest this book to friends, and I will be keeping my eyes peeled for a copy for my bookshelf as soon as I am able to get one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend by Jordon Greene is a total delight. A witchy, heartfelt YA romance that’s equal parts chaos, charm, and comfort.

Mackenzie, a non-binary barista with a hopeless crush on their regular customer, Hayden, suddenly finds themselves in way over their head when a small accident leads to a very big lie.. pretending to be Hayden’s partner while he’s in a coma. What follows is a series of wonderfully awkward, funny, and unexpectedly emotional moments as Mackenzie is forced to reckon with what they truly want, who they are, and what love really means.

This story balances laugh-out-loud situations with real emotional depth with themes of exploring obsession vs love, forgiveness, and the idea that sometimes what we think we want isn’t what’s right for us… and that the universe has a way of guiding us toward something even better. The magical touches are light but lovely, and the queer rep is handled with so much care and joy.

It’s fluffy, a little bit messy (in the best way), and full of heart. If you love your YA romance with a hint of magic, found family vibes, and a happy ending that feels like a warm hug, this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

For fans of the 90s rom com While You Were Sleeping, you've hit the jackpot here. Sweet, wholesome, a little silly, and not too caught up in realism, I really enjoyed How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend.

Kenzie, our protagonist, is a barista with a major crush on one of the regulars at the coffee shop: the high school football star Hayden. What's a kitchen witch to do but cast a love spell? Well, okay, maybe that could go awry. When Hayden slips and hits his head, what's a barista with a crush to do but follow him to the hospital? Well, okay, maybe they'll have to lie and say they're dating. When Hayden's funny, loving family invites Kenzie into their home and their holidays, what's a lonely teen who's grieving their father to do but accept the invite? Well, okay, now the cute brother who has way more in common with Kenzie anyway is showing a lot of interest. What's Kenzie to do??

Romantic without being sappy, a touch of bittersweet without being melancholy, realistically teenager-y without being immature, whimsically witchy and fun, the author Jordon Greene hit all the notes of a classic YA rom com and I'm impressed.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend is a warm, queer-rom-com gem that balances humor, heart, and a touch of magic. The main character, Kenzie, is a nonbinary “kitchen witch” whose inner voice feels honest and relatable - awkward crushes, self-doubt and all. The story’s premise is chaotic, hilarious, and unexpectedly sweet. As Kenzie stumbles through lies, self-discovery, and new feelings, the novel offers a lovely found-family vibe, with characters who are supportive, quirky, and full of life. Ultimately, Greene crafts a gentle, uplifting story about identity, love, and the messy, messy path you sometimes need to take to find yourself - a read that leaves you smiling.

Fun witchy YA read! 5 stars!

I spent most of it screaming “TELL THEM!” Every ten seconds watching Mackenzie get themselves deeper and deeper in their lie.

Zach was awesome! At first, he seems like a jerk, but I think he was just hurt that his brother kept his “relationship” a secret. He gradually opens up to Kenzie, and the scene where they get into K-pop together was adorable.

Hayden reminds me of most of my crushes. They seem cute, and you imagine this dreamy personality, but in reality, they’re not at all like the person you pictured in your head!

The bonus of having a real-life witch as the protagonist was brilliant, too. It's something I have/do dabbled in, and it was a really great addition.

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Franklin/Kerr Press | F/K Teen, and author Jordan Greene for providing me with the eARC of “How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend”, in exchange for my honest review!

It is a story that feels less like a high-speed romance and more like a conversation with a friend who truly gets the messy, hopeful, awkward parts of being a human. Right away, the book pulls you in not with bravado or spectacle, but with heart, the kind of heart that is tender, self-aware and wonderfully human.

It is written like someone who remembers what it feels like to long for connection without knowing exactly how to ask for it. There is no glossy perfection here, no insta-spark magic. Instead, the story thrives in the in-betweens; the moments of uncertainty, the quiet yearning, the humour that comes from trying and sometimes failing to navigate matters of the heart.

The protagonist’s journey is both charming and grounded. The idea of ‘conjuring a boyfriend’ could have easily become gimmicky or shallow, but it is treated with a curious blend of whimsy and realism. Instead of sweeping you up in a fairy-tale fantasy, the narrative gently reminds us that love is rarely found in perfect incantations or clever formulas. It is found in vulnerability, honest growth and a willingness to remain open even when you are afraid to.

What I appreciated most about the book is how it handles emotions. It doesn’t rush through feelings like they are boxes to be ticked off. There is space here - space to blush, to second-guess, to laugh at yourself and to learn what it means to be seen. Not every moment is grand or movie-ready, but each feels true. The dialogue is warm and witty, the internal reflections are poignant without being heavy and the pacing lets you sink into the story rather than skim its surface.

Beyond the romance, there is something quietly reflective about the book. It is a love letter to growing into yourself. While the narrative explores how a relationship begins, it also shows how much of love is about understanding who you are in the first place. That deeper theme lingers long after the final page. A reminder that the most meaningful connections often start with how we relate to ourselves.

By the end, I didn’t just finish a romance, I finished a story that made me feel steadier, more present and more appreciative of the small, beautiful uncertainties of love.