What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

"I just think you're meant to meet some people. I think the universe nudges them into your path. 

There is something magical about this time of year. I spent the last couple of days eating way too much food, shopping for gifts, and decorating the house for the holidays. And though this year required us to do things differently than we have in years past, those holiday traditions still bring the same amount of magic that they always have. One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to curl up next to the fire with a good book. The Texas weather finally brought us winter this weekend, so I decided to take full advantage and finish reading What If It's Us. This cute love story was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. 

Arthur is soaking up every moment of his summer internship in New York. The soon-to-be high school senior is wholly committed to taking in all of the sights and sounds of the city life, even if that means neglecting the duties of his job. Today though, his internship has sent him on a mission that allows him to fulfill both of his desires. Today, he's been tasked with dropping off work documents at the post office. Yes, this is just a simple errand, but the city is ripe with adventure and opportunity. 

Ben is at the post office for an entirely different reason. He's got a box full of stuff that belongs to his ex-boyfriend. The breakup is still so fresh and difficult that Ben can't bear to even see his ex. Having all of this stuff that reminds him of the relationship isn't helping either. It makes sense to just mail it all back to him and rid himself of that part of his life for good. As you can imagine, fate has other plans. Ben and Arthur meet in line at the post office and have a really cute conversation. The spark between the two is undeniable, but then they are separated. Was this just a chance encounter meant to fill that small moment of time, or is this something more? You'll have to read to find out. 

I was so drawn into the story and characters that it is almost impossible for me to objectively comment on this book. In What If It's Us co-authors Becky Albertalli (of Simon vs the  Homo Sapiens Agenda fame) and Adam Silvera deliver the kind of meet-cute YA romance that you'll have a hard time putting down. I don't normally read this genre, so I was a bit apprehensive at first. As I started reading, I couldn't help but find little pieces of myself in each of the characters. There's something about navigating the final years as a teenager that is universally relatable. Take away the fact that the main characters are gay (this story could have been equally effective with a heterosexual couple), and you are still left with a story that is just too compelling to not read. Is this a great work of literature that will be touted for its prose and structure? Of course not. But there's so much about What If It's Us to like about that you won't mind the little things that would normally detract from a novel. A sequel has recently been announced, and I really can't wait to read more about these characters. 

For more information visit Albertalli's website, Silvera's website, Amazon, and Goodreads

(2020, 48)

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28 Responses to “What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera”

  1. This does sound like a very cute story! :D Mostly this time of year I just want to curl up with a ton of books, some chocolate and a warm blanket and hibernate for the winter.

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  2. This was such a sweet read and it was easy to pull for Arthur and Ben. Between the meet cute, and their banter, and them trying to figure out where they stood with each other, I was all in.

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  3. Well that's awesome. I'm glad it was a good book and you're looking forward to the next one.

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  4. I was surprised to see a YA contemporary here, but glad to hear you enjoyed it and saw bits of yourself in there. Always a plus.

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    1. Very outside of my normal reading, but I really enjoyed it. Definitely need to read more!

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  5. This sounds wonderful and as luck would have it, I actually have a copy on my bookshelf! It sounds like I should try to get to it sometime soon.

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    1. Perfect! I think you'll really enjoy this one.

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  6. It's still warm here (it was 75 degrees yesterday), so I don't know when we'll actually be able to turn on our fireplaces. I guess we could crank the a/c way down, THEN make it toasty again with the fireplace. LOL. I'm hopeful we'll get some cold weather at some point so I can curl up by the fire. Enjoy all the coziness of the season :)

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    1. In typical Texas weather fashion, we're back to the upper 70's this week haha.

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  7. I have this one but haven't gotten to it yet.

    I see you're already back to warmer weather. We're all in with the cold. In fact, I'm about to turn on my fireplace because I'm freezing lol

    I'm glad your finding some comfort in the season even if it's not a typical one this year.

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. Enjoy the fire! Hopefully we'll be able to light ours again soon!

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  8. This sounds utterly, entirely adorable!

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    1. It is! Such a nice change of pace for me too.

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  9. Isn't it lovely when the cooler weather makes it possible to snuggle up to a fire with a book? I just love it! This sounds like such a cute romance! It's nice to pick up something once in a while that's not your usual genre. Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Ethan! :)

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    1. It really is! We have a cool front blowing in again in this weekend, so that fire will be burning again soon!

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  10. Amazing review! I always love it when I can see bits and pieces of myself in the characters I'm reading about. I also really like both of these authors, and I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to read this one. Maybe this was the push I needed? ;)

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬

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    1. That personal relationship to characters is certainly an added bonus, but I really think I would have enjoyed this one either way. If it helps convince you to read it, a sequel has been announced too!

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  11. I love when we find pieces of ourselves in various characters - even better when those pieces are positive traits, lol. I too get kind of cautious when I read outside my normal genres but this sounds like it worked out wonderfully for you!

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    1. Agreed. 2020 has definitely seen me become a more adventurous reader. I'm really looking forward to continuing that pattern into the new year!

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  12. I feel like I enjoyed one-half of this book more than the other - I think it was the character that Adam wrote actually. At any rate, it was a cute read, and I love all the Broadway references. I'd read the sequel.

    Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I can see that, and I bet I could guess which character you preferred. One definitely felt a little more caricature.

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