Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This one was okay! Not a new favorite, but I appreciate that it exists and I think I would have really, really loved this if it had been around when I was in middle school.

I remember when Bianca Montgomery came out. I had never watched American soaps (though I had watched some Telenovelas with my grandma), but it was such a groundbreaking moment in All My Children that I probably watched the show for a handful of months waiting for the scenes with Bianca and Lena.

Unlike me, Brie is immersed in all things soap opera because it is one of the things she shares with her mom. But when her Mom catches her looking at nude pictures of a female soap opera, she comes up with an elaborate plan that involves her getting the starring role on her Catholic school's Christmas production.

Interspersed with scenes that were LGBTQ milestones in soap operas, Brie's school year unfolds and we see the pressure to try to be the daughter she thinks her family wants her to be, but we also see her fall in love for the first time.

As any story where main characters embrace their sexuality, there are heartbreaking moments and heartwarming moments, but I will tell you this: It has replaced The Miseducation of Cameron Post as the LGBTQ+ YA novel I can relate to the most.

This adorable middle grade book stole my heart!
Queer middle grade is something I need more of all the time.
I loved this one from start to finish and can definitely see myself reading this one again at a future point.

Thanks to Netgalley for proving a copy in exchange for a review.

It was a charming, heart-stopper, and family-oriented book. The beautiful relationship between daughter and mom was captivating. The flare of drama, the emotions, and goals. It was a really lovely story. I enjoyed it.

An enjoyable YA read - not typically a genre I would pick up, but I definitely feel that this is an important and vital read for teenagers - one I wish I'd picked up when I was younger!

Love, love, loved Brie Hutchens! What a fabulous story about being true to yourself.

Brie is an eighth grader at a Catholic School. She dreams of becoming an actress. Her goal is attend drama school next year. She's also struggling with her feelings - trying to figure out what they mean and what they say about her. She's noticed that whenever she looks at photos of her favorite actress, her stomach gets filled with butterflies. Brie is feeling so many things she doesn't know what to do. She does know that a kid got in trouble for looking up "gay" things on his phone at their Catholic school. What does this mean for her? What will happen to her if people find out she's gay? Will her mom still love her?

Talk about a wonderfully delightful book! I just LOVED getting to know Brie Hutchens. She was such a fun character to spend time with - her love of drama was such a treat to see; her journey in figuring out how to be who she really is, along with her relationships with her loved ones was so honest, raw, and real. This was truly a gem of a book.

When Brie’s mother almost catches her looking at photos of a naked woman, she tells her mom that she was chosen to crown the statue of Mary at the end of the school year. She told her mom that to distract her, but Brie wasn’t chosen to crown Mary, and she probably won’t be since that special role is given to one of the best students. After that moment, Brie realizes she may like girls more than boys, since she isn’t boy crazy like her best friend. Meanwhile, Brie really wants to be an actress. She wants to audition for the acting program at an arts high school, but her parents may not be able to afford the tuition. Brie is discovering herself and how to share her identity with her family and friends.

This story dealt with so many important topics in the life of a middle schooler. Brie’s family is going through changes. Her father lost his job, and got a job at her school to get a discount on tuition. The problem was that Brie was embarrassed for the other students to know he was her dad. Her father was also depressed, and Brie had a difficult time figuring out how to behave around him while he struggled. Brie also had some problems with her mother, who wasn’t completely supportive when she learned that Brie may like girls.

Brie was learning about her sexuality. She doesn’t like boys the way her friend does. She could relate to the queer characters in her soap operas, so she suspects that she is queer too. This was especially difficult because Brie’s family was religious and she went to catholic school. It was heartbreaking to see the way Brie acknowledged she had to hide her true identity because it wouldn’t be accepted at school or in her home.

This story was heartbreaking but also uplifting.

Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Coming out themed stories are really attached to me in some way because I have my personal experiences about it. The story of Brie Hutchens reminds me of the time when I was dealing with my coming out and those experiences she had are quite familiar. I enjoy the chapter entries and it feels like I am reading her diary and the same time, I am connected with her life.

Brie Hutchens deals with a lot of thinking and I love how her best friend, Parker, comforts her when she has a problem. Knowing that Parker have a crush to boys and he’s straight forward skills really amaze me, and that gives a plus point in the story. Kennedy, on the other side, have its own unique story that put me into confusion but the end of the story, I finally realized what she really wants to convey in the book. Kennedy, is not just a revelation or just a temptation to Brie but it symbolizes that you can find your happiness and your true self into a someone. The connection of Brie and her mom are very touching. Sometimes we are drive by our anger and sometimes, we don’t think for our actions but when you realized something, then it’s a wakeup call for you to see and reflect with what you have done. And having those challenges that the characters encountered, it’s just so beautiful way of storytelling.

SOAP OPERAS. I also enjoy this element in the story because here in the Philippines, watching soap operas or teleserye was also been a tradition and it established a good family bonding at home. And the other story from the soap opera is a good strategy that the book brought. I am always looking forward for the small entries in every chapter.

The writing style of Nicole Melleby is great, since she used the third persons point of view as more likely wide to understand more the character views. In total, this lovely humor from the glimpse of the story from Love, Simon and Lady Bird is an absolutely worthy.

I started this book thinking it would end up a solid 3/5 - a good book but not exactly a favourite. But by the time I hit the halfway mark it was catapulted to a 4 and eventually 5-star read. I guess this places it as a 4.5/5 overall.
First things first, I cried. Actually cried. I was sitting in my living room waiting for my mum to come home and I cried.
"In the Role of Brie Hutchens" is a wonderful book that explores religion, sexuality, the normal spectrum of teenage emotions and mess-ups, and media in one wonderful, heartbreaking, and simultaneously uplifting story.
Brie is a difficult protagonist at times: she argues with her parents, she lies about something important, and she messes up a lot. But guess what, so do all teenagers. At the same time she struggles with her Catholic upbringing and her sexuality, which isn't something all teenagers do, but a fair number.
I, for one, grew up in a Protestant liberal family, and even I was afraid to come out (and it took me a few years longer than Brie, actually). So her story is relatable to many if not all queer kids, Catholic or not, but I am glad that a novel exists that takes on that specific perspective.
At the same time, "In the Role of Brie Hutchens" is a love letter to the media we consume, that shapes us, and that gives us strength. We experience a lot of the outside world through media, so it is no surprise Brie would take solace in LGBT Soap Opera moments. LGBT media helps us find the words for our identity in communities where such identities are seldom discussed. It helps us find a silver lining, find our own strength to come out, and to feel less alone.
And exactly the same is this book doing for a new generation of queer Catholic kids who see themselves represented for maybe the first time and see that there is a word and a place for them.

I really enjoyed this one very much!!! A very cute coming of age story mixed in with some hard topics such as coming out to parents who are religious. F/F romance

This was a great read about Brie a theatre loving, soap star watching 13 year old girl who goes to a catholic school and is hiding that she is a lesbian… until she starts falling for the Always top of the class Girl called Kennedy, they start to bond and become closer and closer but one thing is stopping them from being their true selves and that is Brie’s parents and family who are very religious and are set in their ways. We see what unfolds as the book continues on.

One other part I loved if the book was the supportiveness of two of Brie’s teachers at school and also her best friend who always comforted her and made sure she was the best person she can be

Really enjoyed this one and I read this book In two sitting in one morning it was so easy to fly through and recommend very much.

3.5 a coming of age story of a teen needing to fit in. I didn’t love some of the issues pushed but overall a relatable story and one that many can Benefit from Reading at the right age.

I was sent this Middle Grade by the publisher who contacted me directly. I have to admit, I was immediately intrigued. A lesbian middle grader... Sign Me Up.
I should really read synopses fully though because I had missed the part about this being set in a catholic school. An let's be honest, that's really not my scene.
It's not a critique on the book though, I guess it just really didn't work for me. I tried again and again to connect with the main character but just couldn't. I found her often annoying and so very self-centered. She never thought about anyone else's feelings.
Also, the whole setting felt out of this time to me. I know it was a contemporary books but very often, it felt like it was set in the 90s and not in 2020.
I mean, I understand how people could love it if they love soap operas and can relate to the main character more. The whole soap opera mentions were very well done. It just didn't work for me, I guess....
So it took me a long time to get through it too.

A Beautifully written story that touches subjects of faith, identity, self-exploration and self-denial. In the Role of Brie Hutchens is a journey of emotional turmoil and finding one's true being while dealing with every day life. The author has done a commendable job with character development while maintaining plot pace and my overall experience with this book was amazing.

I absolutely love that a middle grade book like this exists. It’s not too often that I dive into reading within the MG age group but I’m so glad I gave this one a chance because I think it’s a really important read. In the Role of Brie Hutchens is a story about an eighth grade girl who has big plans for her last year before high school that includes being the star of the school play and getting into her dream high school for performing arts to help her become an actress one day. Sounds ambitious enough, right? Except when Brie’s mom accidentally walks in on Brie looking at naked pictures of her favorite actress, Brie blurts out the first possible thing the comes to her mind. “I’m going to crown Mary!” – which is quite possibly the worst thing she could have said. Brie’s lies quickly turn into a snowball effect as she desperately tries to win the Crown Mary essay competition, convince her parents to let her audition for the new school she wants to attend, and navigate her sexuality as she starts to have feelings for a girl in her grade.

The writing in this was so well done that I unintentionally ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. The author does a great job of keeping readers engaged whether they be in eighth grade or like me…much older (let’s leave it at that). Brie, was fleshed out extremely well and while she did have flaws they really weren’t more than just being an eighth grader who is trying to figure out who they are. I think that we can all relate to that in some way shape or form since we’ve all walked down that road. Obviously, for Brie it’s harder when trying to understand your sexuality and feeling like your parents aren’t supportive or as easy to talk to as you would have liked. The side characters were all just as enjoyable to read and I loved to see how supportive a few of her teachers were as well since they can become such an important person in a teenagers life.

Additionally, while it was hard to read about Brie’s mom initially having a hard time coming to terms with her daughter’s sexuality and how to talk about it with her I still think it was a vital part piece of the story. Not every teen has the luxury of accepting parents from the get go and I think it will further help teens in similar situation feel less alone and isolated if going through the same thing. While this does end on a happy and more positive note for Brie I enjoyed how it showed that sometimes things aren’t always perfect and often times very hard but it can and will get better. All in all, like I said earlier it makes me so happy to know that books like this exist for middle age readers. I think it’s so important for readers to be able to see themselves represented in books whether it be race, sexuality, religion, etc. If you’re looking for a heart-warming, quick paced, inspiring read I would definitely recommend picking up this own-voices queer novel!

Brie Hutchens is not far from your average eighth grader. She attends catholic school, devours soap opera drama and has a bit of an attitude. She also can’t figure out what’s so great about boys? Kelly Monaco, for instance, is a much more interesting person to listen to – and look at. As Brie goes through the roller coaster ride of being a teenager, she struggles with everything from her family relations to her.. not liking boys. She’s confused and overwhelmed but in the middle of all this chaos is a shining little light. An “enemy” who turns out not to be all that bad.

I wouldn’t say, that Brie is a sympathetic person but what eighth grader is? Her confusion, surrounding who she is and what she wants, is portrayed really well though. She’s a very realistic character to follow – with both annoying flaws and a big heart. Whether or not you’ve struggled with your own orientation as a teenager, there’s lots to recognize from this trying time. Did that look mean something? Why can’t dad just work extra hours and give me what I want? I hate that girl, because I want to be her! Am I weird for thinking this?

All this and more goes through Brie’s head on a daily basis and this is what Nicole Melleby excels at. She’s extremely good at taking complex feelings and real issues and present them in a way that we can all relate to. Even when we’re a lot older than the main character (and we have gained some perspective since).

Speaking of the author, Melleby writes with such ease that you just fly through the story. As I said, the book is filled with important topics and real issues, but it’s in no way heavy or packs a lot of info dumps.

The setting is a little different than usual and that was quite refreshing. The religious backdrop was not the main focus of the story but it was always present. In her mother’s attachment to God, in her catholic school prayers and even in Brie’s own religious struggles.

In the Role of Brie Hutchens is really a brilliant portrayal of a young girl getting to know herself. Yes, that may sound cheesy – but it’s true! On top of a realistic character, we get the confusion of sexual orientation at a younger age than we’re used to. It’s an important aspect that authors shouldn’t be so afraid to approach. Props to Melleby for writing a real LGBTQ+ book within the middle-grade range.

I was lucky to get onto the blog tour for In the Role of Brie Hutchens written by Nicole Melleby and published by Algonquin Young Readers which I received through Netgalley. Even though In The Role of Brie Hutchens is a middle grade book it is not afraid to pack a punch and boy did it do that and so much more. I found myself in tears alot throughout my reading of the book. Brie is in 8th grade and will be leaving her Catholic School to go to High School but Brie is finding herself conflicted in so many areas. She is beginning to find out that she likes girls so she finds it difficult as this goes against what her family believes in. One day her Mum nearly finds out what Brie has been hiding from her so Brie tells an untruth and worked to make this lie come true but to no avail. This is my first Nicole Melleby book but I do have her debut book which I am going to read as soon as I can but also every book she has published I will be reading. I feel In the Role of Brie Hutchens is a very important book and I believe it should be added to books which are read in schools. I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever and I have to give this wonderful book 5 stars

Brie Hutchens is half way through her grade 8 year at her small Catholic middle school. Brie is also a soap opera junkie, an actress in the making, a below average student, and a lesbian? Of course while she is trying to figure out that last bit her mom happens to walk in the room while she is looking at pictures of her favourite Soap Opera star that would likely be deemed less than appropriate. Without thinking she blurts out she will be crowning Mary, which is a lie no one has been picked yet and the chances of Brie being picked are pretty slim.

We follow Brie in her journey through the rest of her journey through grade 8 in a Catholic school where she fears maybe she wont be accepted. Telling others about who she is, while she also figures that out. With a best friend who has a crush on everyone, but can Brie talk about her crush? Plus Brie has to figure out how to be the one to crown Mary, be the star in the play, and get into Arts High school of her dreams. Grade 8 isn't easy for anyone.

I enjoyed this book and the characters Nicole Melleby built. In particular Brie Hutchens, it took me back to grade 8 and puberty and all the things were trying to figure out, all thing things we thought we knew all yet all the things we still had yet to learn. Truly it gave me an idea even as an adult know how much our children have on their minds, I think we forget as an adult how much we really think about as kids and how hard it can be once puberty comes and we begin to have questions about ourselves and others and our feelings. Of course at the same time life is still happening around us, there might be family issues, money issues and dangers that could be occurring.

Nicole Melleby did a great job showing how real life can be, how family struggles are multidimensional and can really be more than one thing and can stack up on each other. While Brie was the most developed character I did feel attached to other characters as well, though I wish that I could have gotten a bit more out of them during the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys middle grade stories. Also to anyone who has middle grade aged children, I think it is easy for us as we age to forget how much can truly be on the mid of children that age group. There is a lot changing for them.

Brie is an eighth grader in her last year of middle school at a Catholic school. When her mother catches her looking at some pictures of her favorite soap opera actress, Brie tells her mother a lie. She'll be crowning Mary. This is a big thing for her mother and Brie must now find a way to make it happen.

I'm a big fan of books that take place at school and In the Role of Brie Hutchens had a good balance between home and school. I was never a student at a religious school, so I can't relate. I imagine that it can be difficult for students who are struggling with their identity in many ways. It has to be hard trying to figure that out when at a school that tells you you should think a certain way.

In the Role of Brie Hutchens is an important book. I think it's great that our main character goes to a religious school, because I'm sure there are many students in the same position as Brie these days. Being a teenager isn't easy. You have a lot to figure out, school, friends, family and your sexuality in some cases. That can be a really scary time and Nicole Melleby really hit me in all the feels.

Brie is a character that I had to get used to at first, but she ended up with a special place in my heart. All she wants is her mother to see her and be proud of her, especially after her mother catches her looking at the pictures. Brie is in many ways a typical teenager: she likes hanging out with her friends, school isn't always fun and crushes start happening, just not the way she was expecting. Brie grows so much as a character. She lets herself feel, really works for what she wants and eventually is in a place that she can open up to her parents. All while she's trying to figure out where she fits in this world.

Brie's family is a complicated situation. I think it shows us the stresses that parents can have when they lose their job and money gets tight. This definitely influences the home life and the author definitely adds that element to the story. If I'm honest I had a hard time with her mother a lot in this story. I just wanted her to sit down with Brie, talk to her and give her a hug. You could really feel that Brie just wanted to be accepted. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen for every teenager. Brie's Dad was a character I ended up loving. He wants his family to have everything, even if it ends up being hard on him. The relationship between him and Brie was an interesting one and I loved seeing it grow.

On top of the family, we have Brie's friends and crush. They made me laugh and I am such a big fan of Parker for being a really good friend. Besides the characters, I loved the connection to the soap operas Brie loves. The added scenes before the start of every chapter was such a nice touch and I loved how it related to something Brie was experiencing in that chapter. It's nice when you can find something to relate to! Some story lines were left open, but that didn't really bother me.

In the Role of Brie Hutchens is an amazing books with a lot of messages. I love how it talks about family, friendship, sexuality, finding out what you want, fighting for your dreams and maybe even accepting yourself. I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author to see what she does next.

This book was provided through Netgalley by the publisher, in return for an honest review.

This book has some powerful messages to tell the young LGBTQ+ community. This is a coming-of-age story of Brie Hutchens, a 13-year-old girl struggling with her feelings and the implications when her family and friends find out she likes girls.

Each chapter starts with a scene entry from famous soap operas that deal with mother/daughter and LGBTQ+ themes.

Getting insight into how difficult navigating your feelings are when you’re young and don’t yet understand how to express yourself, isn’t something you see geared towards the younger readers. Being different and coming to terms with who you are is difficult already, but then you have to think about whether your family and friends will accept you when they inevitably find out, too…

Nicole’s writing was engaging and emotional, had me tearing up a few times. Just thinking about someone having to go through an identity crisis, thinking that what they feel is wrong, is scary. It’s also interesting that Nicole decided to add the additional pressure of a Catholic upbringing.

What I liked most about this book is how you can easily feel everything with Brie, all of the ups and downs, and the roller coaster while her family tries to come to terms with their new normal…