Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye


Kai Sheridan is a senior at Fairvale Academy. He’s also gay, but he’s not out to anyone.

Bryson Keller is one of the most popular boys at Fairvale. He’s also involved in a bet/dare: he becomes the boyfriend of the first person who asks him out at the beginning of the week. At the end of the week, they break up and the process starts over.

It’s all about the futility of commitment when it comes to high school relationships.

To be clear, the definition of dating is more akin to the “olden days” than contemporary times: dating involves rides to school and carrying books and there’s no physical stuff—not even kissing.

So, as the story begins during a hectic Monday morning, Kai asks Bryson to date him and Bryson becomes the first person Kai comes out to. Bryson is totally cool with the arrangement; he even points out that the dare involves the first “person” to ask him out, not the first “girl”. Bryson is also fine with not telling people that he’s Kai’s boyfriend for the week since Kai isn’t ready to come out to everyone yet.

And as the week progresses, it becomes harder and harder for Kai to avoid catching real feelings f0r Bryson, who is the best fake boyfriend a boy could ever ask for. But it’ll be over in a week, and then Bryson will date someone else.

Kai is a solid protagonist and a reliable narrator; there’s not much he withholds from the reader. He’s an average kid in many regards, with a great group of friends and plans for the future. It’s getting harder for him to hold onto his biggest secret, but he’s petrified of how his family will react. He’s also not sure about how the school community will take the news—there are several openly gay kids at his school, but it’s still a label, so he doesn’t even want to tell his closest friends until after they graduate.

So, I think Kai is more surprised than anyone else by his decision to ask Bryson out. He’s usually never impulsive like that, but it turns out to be much better than he could possibly have imagined.

This book is full of feelings as Kai and Bryson navigate their relationship over the course of the week. Kai initially sees Bryson as someone unattainable, but he learns that they have a lot more in common than he realized.

Kai and Bryson are supported by a well-rounded cast of secondary characters, some of whom are nice and some of whom are not so nice. But then again, that’s high school for you. I especially enjoyed Kai’s two best friends Donny and Priya, who are also dating each other.

As lovely as this book is, I do want to point out that there’s a fair amount of homophobia, moreso than in some of the comparable contemporary queer YA books. The ugly parts of the narrative add a level of gravity that make this book more poignant and they serve as a counterbalance to the lighter parts.

I would absolutely recommend Date Me, Bryson Keller. I loved every minute of this book as Kai figures out the right time to share his truth. This book is sweet and poignant and simply delightful. I’m looking forward to reading more from van Whye in the future.



I received a copy of this book from Random House Children’s/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

TW: homophobia, forced outing

This was cute and sweet, and I think the first secret “fake-dating” I’ve read.

Bryson Keller has agreed to “date” whoever asks him out first on Monday at school for the rest of the school week, and our closeted main character shocks himself a little by being one of the people to ask when he and Bryson are alone one Monday morning. Bryson is sweet and willing to roll with it, but since Kai isn’t out, agrees to keep who he’s “dating” this week secret. That just makes some people more determined than ever to find out who is dating Bryson Keller this week, and they won’t let secrets stay secret.

Kai has very religious parents, and I found that extremely relatable to my own upbringing, <spoiler> and honestly their reaction is pretty mild and short lived compared to what someone with religious parents might expect to go through. Hard for Kai, but I struggled a little with how quickly they realized the error of their ways, because on the one hand that wasn’t my experience and that hurts, but on the other, it’s nice to see </spoiler>

I think if you like the fake-dating in YA trope, plus some diversity, that this one will be a hit.

“Gay means happy, too, you know.”

Kai Sheridan has gone his entire high school career without anyone finding out he’s gay. He knows when he goes to college, he’ll come out of the metaphorical closet and be able to live truly as himself. But for now, being a high school student is easier when no one knows you’re gay. Bryson Keller doesn’t believe in dating in high school. So when he’s dared to date a new girl for a week until Spring Break, he agrees, knowing he’ll win the dare with ease. That is until Kai asks Bryson out on a whim, and everything changes for both boys.

I enjoyed this novel so much! It was a simple, short read that packed a heartfelt punch. I would describe this novel as Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, both novels that I think are classics in the YA category. Date Me, Bryson Keller! deserves a spot right next to them.

Both Bryson and Kai were pleasant characters to read about. Kai’s worries over coming out were written well and reads authentically, as expected from an OwnVoices novel. The experiences these teens had coming out to friends and family were both so different, and they showed the dangers (and happiness) LGBTQIA+ teens have when they do come out. Coming out is different for everyone, and I enjoyed that this book showed two unique perspectives.

The way the dare works is Bryson Keller has to date someone new for a week, each week, until Spring Break. We see each day pass as both Bryson and Kai become closer, their relationship budding into something from day one. At times, it feels as if their relationship is moving a bit quick, but then there are other times were we see Kai giddy from holding Bryson’s hand and their relationship feels so slow you just want them to kiss. It’s innocent and sweet, while also tackling some big issues, like homophobia, bullying, biracial experiences, and religion. This feels like a poignant novel in more ways than one because of the different issues it tackles, and yet it still feels lighthearted and sweet in the typical YA romance genre. I look forward to reading more novels from Kevin van Whye in the future.

Date Me, Bryson Keller releases on May 19th, 2020.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I went into this #Ownvoices book with high hopes and was so, so worried it wouldn't live up to my internal hype. Friends, it totally held up. WOW, I ADORED this book.

Okay, first up, I love the premise. It is corny and sweet the fact that Bryson has to date a new person every week up to Spring Break. I went in hoping for the corniness though, so I ate it up. The fact that the drama teacher is so stereotypical added to the whole corny situation.

The characters... Bryson Keller & Kai Sheridan. Bryson may in fact be the best boyfriend in the world. Does anyone like him actually exist in this world? He is a jock, so I was expecting cocky and narrow-minded-- way to show me my biases. Bryson is sweet, adorable, understanding, open-minded, romantic, and not afraid of his emotions. How could Kai not fall in love with him? Kai is also adorably cute and so easy to love. He is shy, but confident, he sticks up for those he loves, and can be silly. Bryson and Kai are the absolute best to read about.

The relationships in this book are great. There is open communication, allowing people space, the normalization of fighting/arguing in a relationship, and nothing is over the top dramatic. We see both positive and negative aspects in a parent-child relationship. The friendships are a little... they are very much in the background, but we see some good bonds there too. It is also nice to see siblings getting along!

This book is super, super cute and fun to read.
That being said, there is more to it. See, Kai is in the closet and his family attends a church that believes being gay is a sin. Kai isn't ready to come out -- asking Bryson out is a spur of the moment thing and a chance for him to live as himself for once. Kai is only mix-raced with his dad being from South Africa, so there are mentions of race policing and racism along with homophobia.
While there were many moments that had me squealing from cuteness and smiling in joy, I was also misty-eyed over some of the trials these boys face.

Honestly, this might be one of my favorite books so far this year. I will definitely re-read this one.
I recommend this book to people you like cute romances with a slice of real-life.

TW: homophobia, racism, forced outing, bullying

I haven't read this fast and prioritized a book like this in SO LONG. I was completely captivated from page 1 (well actually- I was captivated from the premise, but same idea), and it never let me go. I was reading this on my kindle in bed, on my phone in the shower, as I walked around the neighborhood, as I cooked dinner, I literally could not have devoured this book fast enough.

As I took some time to reflect on this book, I realized that for me (and probably MANY other gay men), this book was a day dream I've had all the way since Middle School. There were so many popular "straight" guys at my high school that I fantasized and wished more than anything that something similar to the events of this book would happen between us. Like, drawing our names in hearts in my English notebook, writing pretend love letters to them and imagining what they would say in return (you know, in the off chance they wouldn't call me names or bully me). I can count the amount of out gay guys in my high school on one hand, and the amount that I actually liked or that wasn't bitchy on one finger. This book was my fantasies and daydreams come alive, and it was a very special reading experience for me. I got to see, in greater detail, what my dreams would have looked like had they ever come true.

I found myself highlighting parts of the book on my kindle just because they were SO CUTE. Kevin van Whye's writing in his debut novel is stunning and I can really tell that he put his heart and soul into his words. The character interactions and development really made the novel more realistic and I found myself more invested in these character's past, present, and future. There were moments I laughed out loud, moments I teared up, and moment's that I had to put the book down, smile to myself, close my eyes and process. DATE ME, BRYSON KELLER has officially become my favorite LGBT Rom Com book to ever be published.

If you have reservations about buying this book, don't. Get those thoughts out of your head! This is a definite 5-star from me and probably will be one of my top reads in YA for the year. I absolutely adored this book, and if you are in the mood for a gay Rom-Com, do yourself a favor and pre-order this book! The book releases on May 19th so better act quick!

As a Language Arts teacher, I am SO excited to have already pre-ordered two copies (one for me and one for my classroom library!) so that I can put this in the hands of a student who is just like I was in high school- hopelessly romantic, hopelessly imaginative, and hopelessly and unapologetically gay.

I can not thank Penguin Random House & Netgalley for this review copy enough, I was SO PLEASED to see that I had been approved. A million thank yous!

From the starting all the way down to the end I was hooked. The Prologue had set a solid foundation for how great this book was going be. The message, the humour and the simple yet impactfull words kept me engaged and entertained.

“Living your truth is important, but sometimes living the lie is what keeps you warm, fed, looked after… breathing. Which is something a lot of people looking in from the outside don’t get”

Reading those words really resonated with me. To be quite honest this whole book resonated with me. Sometimes we want to live our truth, we want to be free, but how could that happen when the judging eyes of others are all around? Living your true doesn’t keep you safe, it doesn’t ensure that others would accept you while some would others won’t.

As Waka Flocka Flame said in his song Judge for you “They tell you to be yourself and when you do, they judge you”

This book brought across the message that even though homosexuality is legalised doesn’t mean the problems that existed doesn’t exist anymore. There are a lot of people who still sees homosexuality as being disgusting and sinful (as in the case of religion). There are people who make hurtful jokes and expects you to laugh with them and not be offended by it, so at the end of the day who should we listen to and what should you do when they say be yourself and love is love when a large percentage of people judge you for being you!!!

There was also the message of being biracial which I totally related to and I feel like a lot of people would relate to.

Kai and Bryson’s story was truly amazing. From the start Bryson was so sweet and understanding it really warmed my heart.

Two other quotes from the book;

“It’s a closed-minded views on the way things should be. On what is right or wrong. On what is normal and what isn’t. But who are you to tell me how to live? Who are you to tell me how to live?”

“We all just want to be loved… ”

“Gay or straight remember there should always be no love without a glove.”

Review on my blog, The Reading Fairy, will be available on 5/7/2020

Disclaimer: I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Any quotes taken may not match final copy. 

TW: Blood, Homophobia, Forced Outing, Racism (mentioned), car accident, cheating (mentioned), divorce, use of a slur

Rep: M/M Relationship, Gay MC, Possible Bisexual LI, Multicultural (black&white) MC, Indian Side Character

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars!

"I choose to be happy. 
Because I can be. 
Because I deserve to be happy."


Now that I think about; past me requesting this book on Netgalley, thank you very much. Present me thank you because there is so many things that I just want to talk about especially about this book. I want more of these books. I want more of these books where some protagonists question their sexuality/romantic interest, where they're debating to come out or not, the whole purpose of why many of us are closeted, and MORE ESPECIALLY FROM OWNVOICES AUTHORS and NOT cishet white women authors.

Reading this book just had me close to tears because this is my experience. This is my experience for being a closeted teen. On how it's so difficult in trying to come out to someone because you don't know how they will react and not everyone is lucky to have accepting parents or family members. This book was just something I wanted because for some odd reason, me not coming out kinda doesn't make me feel queer enough (also, maybe it's because I'm still trying to deal with something personal that happened). And also, I have never seen myself in fiction fully, and with the world world+community is always against a-spec folks. 

I love that this book talked about the experiences of being a closeted gay teen, and this book was so authentic enough that I loved it.. A lot of us were taught to hate ourselves because we had nothing to even relate to. We're always told that we're going to hell, and the fact that everyone always seems to be against us is our reality. 

What truly shocked me is the the fake-dating trope in this book? I love that we're finally getting some queer fake-dating tropes especially since that is one of my favorite tropes ever and it's just queer. 

I didn't really mind the characters too much. I liked them a lot, but I couldn't help but feel like there were a few things I was missing. I didn't have a full connection to them or it was probably due to the debut writing that made it off. I do feel like they could have been more developed, instead of kinda being a little one-dimensional. 

The writing was really okay. I'm not sure how to feel about it, as it's just really iffy. There is a lot of telling instead of showing where, yeah it's just fine, but it was weird reading some of those passages. There was a quite a lot of repetition of things and it just got annoying. 

I may be in the queer community, but it's so weird. Does anyone actually put a lot of emphasis on their sexuality and romantic interest? It doesn't really bother me too much, minus the lack of rep, but I really don't like. It's apart of me, but I don't go around thinking I'm a-spec and that I'm closeted. Which is where I'm confused, because like do people actually do this in real life?

I loved this so much! It is such a heart wrenching yet heartwarming story. It even made me cry!!

The story follows Kai, closeted mixed race a senior whose family are very religious. Although he has know he was gay for quite some time, the one time he came out to his then best friend, he was homophobic and didn’t accept it so Kai decided then that he’d wait until college to come out.

At a party, the seniors of Fairvale Academy decide that Bryson Keller, the most popular boy at school who doesn’t believe in high school love, has to date the first person who asks him out every Monday for a whole week. This dare shouldn’t affect Kai’s life in anyway but after a hellish Monday morning caused by someone desperate to ask Bryson Keller out, Kai finds himself angry to the point of asking Bryson out himself. To his surprise, Bryson Keller, although caught off guard, accepts and they start dating, albeit in secret.

Bryson is so so sweet and caring, it was a a breath of fresh air. He was confident but not arrogant and his teasing and banter with Kai had me grinning whenever they interacted - which was for most of the book. Kai on the other hand was so shy and insecure, I just wanted to wrap him in blankets and hug him tight. Such a lovely character.

The struggles Kai deals with - being mixed race and not feeling like he fits in as well as gay in a religious household - felt so real and my heart broke for him more times than I can count.

I love that Bryson is a football fan (I refuse to call it soccer) who loves cooking and photography and that Kai wants to be a writer and is in drama class despite disliking acting.

Kai’s coming out broke my heart. The fact that he didn’t get all the support he should have right away was like a punch in the gut. I don’t want to spoil too much but be prepared to cry.

Yazz is probably my favourite character. She’s so fiercely loyal to Kai and I love that. I think the sisters in this book were amazing.

Fake dating is one of my favourite tropes and I was happy to see it used differently than I’m used to. There wasn’t a lot of drama or jealousy or miscommunication between Kai and Bryson and I’m super glad the author chose to have them both being honest and willing to be there for each other at all times.

Bryson’s exploration of his sexuality and trying to understand himself and what he wants and who he loves was handled super well in my opinion. Considering this all happens while he’s still struggling to accept his father’s affair with another woman and the aftermath of his parent’s divorce, I was glad he didn’t push Kai away and actually wanted him to be close instead.

A lot of homophobia is depicted in this book. A lot of side characters, and even a couple secondary ones, are awful to Kai. It’s honestly incredibly upsetting that stuff like this still happens and I think the way the characters handled it was good. Kai didn’t back down despite all the hateful comments being made about him and Bryson was there to support him.

I could talk about why I love this book for a long time (my review is already massive) but I’ll let you fall in love with Kai and Bryson yourself when this book comes out May 19th.

As expected, I highly recommend this book to everyone. And I want to thank PRHInternational for the chance to read this book in advance!

I love this book! Seriously, the only thing I could think of when I finished it was: How am I suppose to find another book as great as this one?

This reminded me of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda because we are following a high-school gay student that is not out yet.

Kai is not popular, he is always the plus one to parties, he is not the guy you would think will do something crazy. But Bryson Keller is. Bryson is the star of Fairvale Academy, he is good looking and everyone loves him, but he doesn’t belive in high school relationships. To prove his point, during a party, he accepts a dare: for three months he must date the first person to ask him out on Monday morning.

Everything seems to be going well, Bryson is changing girlfriend every week (doing nothing physical with them) and Kai is surviving keeping his secret. But then, one Monday morning, everything goes wrong for Kai due to Bryson Keller. So he decides to ask Bryson out and everything change in Kai’s life. Now someone, other than him, knows he is gay, plus it’s the first time he has a boyfriend, even if it’s just for one week.

Luckily for him Bryson decides to keep his secret and to be a great first boyfriend. They talk, spend a lot of time together and discover how many things they have in common. Quickly Kai is falling for Bryson, but falling for a straight boy is the last thing he should be doing.

I loved the story, I wish I could tell you even more but I don’t want to spoil anything. While I was reading I had a big smile on my face for the entire time. It’s cute, funny and refreshing. The two main characters are adorable, I enjoyed every scene, text and moment they spent together and wished it would last forever.

This book deal with important subjects, such as homophobia and outing, but even in those moment I found myself loving where the story was going. The author was able to talk about sensitive subjects in such a good way that made me wish there were more books like this one.

I loved all the conversations about sexuality that Bryson and Kai have. The way Bryson is open to listen and understand made my heart melt. And the sweet relationship that develops on the page made me so happy. If they stay just friends or start a love story is up to you to discover, just know that I would have loved this book in both directions, everyone needs a friend and a boyfriend like Bryson in their life.

I read this book too quickly and now I’m here wishing for more. I will miss Kai and his humor, Bryson and his sweetness, and this story in general.

I highly, highly, highly recommend Date me, Bryson Keller if you are looking for a cute, fun and adorable lgbtq+ young adult novel.

Really enjoyed this one. Such a cute M/M romance

I flew through this book so fast, that I felt like time just stopped. this was such a heartwarming contemporary novel and definitely a perfect read for right now in the current situation. it just has that essence of being able to get sucked into a book and joining the lives of the characters of this book.

the grow of this relationship we see between both the main characters kai and Bryson was the best part of the story for me from start to finish seeing them go on all their little dates and the fake dating trope (love it ) and it was also great seeing Bryson learning more about his sexuality, and learning more from Kai too.

such a lighthearted book but yes it did also have some upsetting scenes too with both characters but more with Kai as he has to go through a lot with the school and all the pupils. but overall a really lighthearted book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of Date Me, Bryson Keller!

It all began with a dare; Bryson Keller has to date a new person each week, and he has to say yes to whoever asks him out first on Monday morning. Previously, Bryson had only been asked by girls, but that changes when Kai slips up and asks to date him for the week. The only problem is, Kai hasn’t come out to anyone yet, and he certainly didn’t mean for Bryson to be the first person to know that he’s gay. Bryson agrees to date him in secret for a week, to complete the dare while also protecting Kai’s identity. Kai is shocked by Bryson’s willingness to date him, but decides to give it a chance. Soon, Kai begins to realize just how wonderful it would be to have Bryson Keller as his full-time boyfriend, but that will never happen because Bryson is straight... right?

You can get your copy of Date Me, Bryson Keller on May 19th from Random House Books for Young Readers!

Date Me, Bryson Keller is Kevin Van Whye’s debut novel, and is every bit as fantastic as the synopsis sounds! The story balanced the lighthearted wonder of falling in love for the first time with the struggles faced by many LGBTQ teens all over the world. The plot was very quickly moving, and had me immediately rooting for each of the characters! My favorite thing about this book was its ability to capture some of the conflicting desires that I went through as a closeted teen, who was torn between wanting safety and just wanting the relationships everyone else got to have without constantly worrying. I really connected with Bryson in a way that I have with very few book characters.

My Recommendation-
If you have been looking for a sweetly romantic LGBTQ story that deals with real issues faced by queer teens, Date Me, Bryson Keller would be a great choice for your next read! This book would be great for fans of Adam Silvera, Phil Stamper, and Shaun David Hutchinson! I also would strongly recommend that queer teens read this book, because of the emotions presented inside that are rarely shown elsewhere.

Date Me Bryson Keller by Kevin Van Whye is an #ownvoices story that follows Bryson Keller and Kai Sheridan who are classmates at Fairvale Academy. As part of an ongoing dare, Bryson Keller has to agree to date someone new every week and cannot keep dating that person or else he will lose the dare. Kai Sheridan decides to ask Bryson out and as they start to fall for each other, Kai has to decide whether he can come out while Bryson starts to question his sexuality and also starts to consider losing the dare. While this was an #ownvoices story that featured a biracial main character and was a pretty quick read, this book had a lot of issues. As Bryson and Kai formed a relationship and Bryson questioned his sexuality, the word, ‘bi’ was uttered once and pansexuality was never even mentioned in the book, which is a problem since there are many other sexualities. Furthermore, there was way more telling than showing, the characters were very flat, and although Kai and Bryson had instantly fallen in love, there was no chemistry between them. Overall, this could have been a lot better. 2.5/5
TRIGGER WARNINGS: homophobia, homophobic slurs, outing, bi-erasue, pan-erasure

I liked this enough to put it as an option on my students' independent reading list, but personally, I found it rather dated. Stories like this, where the primary struggle is coming out to religious parents (and with a nice, public outing, because why not), are not exciting to me in 2020. There are many books I could recommend to my students that have already covered this territory, sometimes even with the same plot beats: Annie On My Mind, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Our Own Private Universe, and more.

I liked the style of this and that it's an own voices book, but the plot and its development were nothing unique.

I would argue that Date Me, Bryson Keller is the perfect LGBT rom-com. It has romance, funny characters, heartfelt moments and just made me smile! I loved every second of it! If you liked Love, Simon and To All the Boys i've Loved Before you are going to ADORE this one.

The book follows closeted teenager Kai Sheridan and popular football player Bryson Keller. At their high school there is a dare, the first person to ask Bryson Keller out every Monday dates him for the week. One week Kai decides to ask Bryson out and is shocked when Bryson says yes. But its just for the dare. Right?

What follows is a series of ADORABLE dates, flirting, awkward moments, and lots of hand holding.

This book is just so pure, i loved it.

Bryson and Kai are now my new favourite couple. I LOVED them together. There were so many adorable moments between the two of them and i love how they were so supportive of each other throughout the whole novel. I loved watching them grow closer as the book went on and eventually fall for each other. The cute dates, the romantic tension and the time they spent discussing issues they were both facing all came together to make such a fun reading experience. I literally could not put this book down - i read it all in a day.

Another thing that made this book so charming was the supporting cast of characters. Every character in this book was just so loveable and well developed. I loved how supportive Kai's friends were and the chapters where we met Bryson's family were so much fun to read! They all added to the realism of the novel and just made the reading experience more enjoyable!

This book also made me laugh a lot. There were lots of scenes where Kai is just so awkward which made me laugh a lot and scenes where Kai's family were just joking around with each other which i loved a lot.

Read this book if you want something to make you smile. It really is such a feel-good, cute rom-com and I really wish I could read it all again without knowing what will happen.
I can't wait to see what else Kevin Van Whye writes in the future<3.

I would like to thank Penguin Random House International for providing a review copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book captured my heart and made me blush and grin like an idiot the whole time. Date Me, Bryson Keller is an endearing fake dating romance and coming out #ownvoices story with a mixed race protagonist. This novel is inspired by a manga series, Seven Days. Even when it is a cute YA read, this story also includes certain topics that our queer friends struggle every day and it may trigger other readers.

Bryson Keller is a popular, good-looking senior who does not have any interest in dating… until he agrees on a dare. Every Monday, for three months, he must date the first person to ask him out for a week. There are rules for it, and Bryson will win this dare if he does not fall in love for anyone. Kai Sheridan is a closeted gay from a religious family. Caught up in the moment, he impulsively asks Bryson out. To his surprise, Bryson agrees. If this date is only for a week, there will be no problem, right?

My heart swells with love while reading Bryson and Kai’s fake dating turn into friendship and then more. The chemistry between the two is just so perfect. The author nailed capturing all the things and feels you experience, like the stolen glances, the flirting, and the awkwardness, when falling in love for the first time. I also like how this novel highlights how important it is to have an unwavering support system. For Kai, he finds it with her best friends, Donny and Priya, and her sister Yazz. I like how Yazz stood up for Kai specially when everything seemed to be falling apart.

This book reminds me that even when it is already 2020, there are still people out there who experience homophobia and being outed publicly which should have always been the person involved choice. It is a sad reality, and the part of the book which tackled this broke my heart. That is why I am really happy for Kai that he meets Bryson, who is kind, sweet, and understanding.

Overall, Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye tells us to be ourselves freely and that we should live our life whatever we want. It is cute and makes you swoon all over the place. I recommend this book!

4.5/5 stars!

Oh man, this book was EXACTLY what I needed. I'd been struggling with reading during quarantine (and honestly was behind on my challenge BEFORE too) so Chris suggested I take a break from the book that was taking me forever and putting me in a slump, and read something quick and fun. I was able to sit down and read DATE ME, BRYSON KELLER in one sitting on a Monday night and it was exactly the kick in the pants I needed to read more and finish April stronger.

The story is about a dare that popular guy, Bryson Keller, takes on at the end of their senior year. He vows to date one person per week until spring break, based on whoever asks him out first on Monday morning. He shows up late to school and royally messes up Kai's morning, so he randomly spits out "date me, Bryson Keller" and to his surprise, Bryson says yes. Kai is a closeted gay teen who really just wants to experience having a boyfriend and see what it'd be like to hang out with Bryson all week.

Needless to say, sparks fly between the two boys and it was THE CUTEST. I was literally squealing multiple times throughout the story. I like that Bryson was so easygoing about everything (especially compared to the inner turmoil poor Kai was going through), so there was a nice balance of the two "extremes" when it comes to "coming out," family reactions, school/friend reactions, etc. Yes, they were both extremes, I'd say. 

I thought their chemistry built up REALLY nicely throughout the week and felt so real to me. It just made me smile and keep reading all night. All of the swoons made up for the writing style, to be honest - I didn't love it? There were a loooot of unnecessary descriptions in this one that could have been eliminated easily. It could have easily been a five-star read for me otherwise.

I highly recommend this one if you need something similar to SIMON VS. but honestly? This had even more swoons and chemistry and smiley moments for me. It got super real at the end, so be prepared for homophobia triggers from various sources. Otherwise though, this book made me so happy and I can't recommend it enough for this time in our lives.

Well, this was everything I could have wanted.

I loved Kai. He’s sweet, loyal to his friends, and annoyer to his little sister. Bryson is charming, likable, and open minded. Together they’re adorable and their relationship was fun to see grow from casual to friendly to more. Oh, and Kai’s sister Yazz was the absolute best.

Plot wise, it was nearly all fluff. There is a bit of conflict and hatefulness, but thankfully it doesn’t last too long. I wanted these two kids together as much as possible and that’s pretty much what I got. I could have done with a couple of junk punches to a couple of characters, but that’s just me being greedy.

Overall, it was a quick and wholly enjoyable read. I hope the kids that need to read this story are able to get their hands on it and find comfort in being seen.

**Huge thanks to Random House BFYR for providing the arc free of charge**

I was expecting a fluffy high school falling in love story, and for the most part got it - it's very sweet, but there's an emphasis on some of the complications involved with being gay in high school even now. The characters are likable and the book manages to avoid the predictable plot twists, which is great. I really liked it and ripped through it in one day!

This was, unfortunately, DNF for me. I went into this book with a fair amount of skepticism after seeing the (in my opinion, justified) criticism of its blatant borrowing from a well-known manga. But I had also seen van Whye discussing this very issue and emphasizing that it was a different take on the story, and I decided to withhold judgment until I had actually read the book.
Unfortunately, while the book would've been a bit of a lukewarm read for me anyway (nothing was necessarily bad, but the characters and writing felt very bland and "cookie cutter" for lack of a better phrase), I ended up DNF'ing it because I just couldn't get past the way van Whye was borrowing material.
Please don't get me wrong; I have no problem with the idea of doing a sort of "retelling" of Seven Days. My issue is that there seems to have been little, if any, effort (apart from van Whye's own brief disclaimer on Goodreads, which I actively sought out) to actually acknowledge the book's relation to the manga. Comping it to TATBILB and Becky Albertalli while completely neglecting to give due credit to the manga leaves a really bad taste in my mouth. It seems very disingenuous to write and publish a book for readers who will quite likely not be familiar with Seven Days and assume that van Whye has come up with a completely original idea.
I would have liked to see a great deal more effort and care in acknowledging the manga as a heavy influence, including a forward or author's note *in the book*, an explicit note on the back copy and all websites (Amazon, Goodreads, B&N, etc.), and just generally a more evident show of goodwill and intent in how this book is being marketed.
I really wish I could be leaving a different review, and I would still be interested in reading van Whye's next book if and when he writes it.

Hilarious but also tender. This love story is perfect for high school readers and fans of LGBTQ themed stories. A great fit for my Rainbow Shelf!