A very cute contemporary teen romance novel that follows Evie Jones as she deals with the catastrophe of her young acting career after her alleged best friend, Simone, betrays her. Evie decides to visit her grandmother (aka Gigi) in New York in order to solve the problem of her scandal; however, when Evie arrives, she finds that many things about THE Evelyn Conway have changed--including up-and-coming musician Milo who is now Gigi's 19 year-old best friend? When an argument between Evie and Gigi causes Gigi to "clear her hear"--by disappearing, mind you!--Evie attains the help of Milo to help search for Gigi. What Evie finds is herself and a deeper understanding of her recluse grandmother.
This was a very sweet first-person narrative YA novel that had me feeling frustrated with Evie (selfish, self-centered, self-important, self-involved...etc) but also deeply sympathizing with how lonely she seems as we learn more about her. I absolutely loved the use of getting to know Gigi through Evie watching old home movies and interacting with those in her grandmother's world. And Milo (swoon!) is a doll who seems too good to be true. Overall, so much POC representation and a fun romance, adventure story that was a quick, light-hearted read!

What a fun and super sweet YA romance! I will absolutely be reading more of Kristina Forest in the future!

I enjoyed the way this book highlights the difference between toxic and true friendships. I absolutely hated Simone for what she did to Evie, but I liked the fact that it really showed that some people will go to great and ruthless lengths to get whatever they want; while others, like Milo, would dedicate every single minute of their time to helping others, even if it means their own personal needs and wants are put on the backburner.
Evie's grandmother had my heart. I really wish that Evie appreciated her more but that's the true teenager for you. I would love to see how she is later on in life when she can look back and maturely appreciate all she has done for her. Overall, this is a sweet YA romance, and great for those looking for a light, fluffy, quick read.

Synopsis: Evie Jones is the next big thing in Hollywood — until her best friend betrays her and she’s blacklisted. Evie goes to spend the summer with her Gigi (grandma) in New York City — and maybe convince her - who, by the way, is the reclusive Hollywood star, Evelyn Conaway - to make an appearance with Evie, putting her back in everyone’s good graces. But her Gigi disappears and Evie needs to find her, with the help of Milo, Gigi’s friend and the last person to see her before Gigi disappears.

Thank you @netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in an exchange for an honest review

This was a fun YA romance that is light-hearted enough (with enough drama!) to pull in more hesitant readers. I can think of more than a few students that this would be perfect for!

This year has had a lot of heavy books but this is a lighthearted slow burn romance to mix things up. The grandma is probably the best character and you will never guess the twists. The main character was almost unlikeable but if you stick with the book it's an enjoyable happy read.

This romance novel was very cute and a light pace to the other books that I have read this year. I found grandma Peggy to be the most intriguing character in the story. I had many thoughts of what her secrets were... and I was wrong. I felt myself in a constant struggle to like the MC, Evie. At times she was lovable and at other times, I wanted to be like "sis really, why are you so mean?" However, her character development was good. Once you learn more about her, you realize how much adversity she has faced and why her attitude was the way it was.

Now that I’ve Found You is a romantic comedy that does not disappoint. Although the reader sees the romance coming from a mile away, the slow burn is satisfying. The twists and turns in the second half of the book make up for the slow beginning. Overall, a good read for anyone looking for a fun romance that’s not too heavy.

This book is about teenage Evie Jones, she’s a rising acting star, known for her grandmother’s legacy as one of the best actresses of the century. Unfortunately for Evie, a drunken video of her is leaked online and ruins her rise to fame and blacklists her form acting jobs. Depressed and disgraced she moves in with her grandmother for the summer. Until her grandma mysteriously up and leaves in the middle of the night, sending Evie on a wild goose chase to find her.

Likes:
-super super cute love interest
-I love the idea of some eccentric old grandmother mentoring her granddaughter, those bonds are some of my favorite kinds to read

Dislikes:
-The main character was so immature and selfish. I know she was meant to be unlikable so we could watch her grow into herself but it was just so tiring to read about.
-there was never any moment where I wanted to keep reading to see how it ended.

Overall this book was cute and fine, but it didn’t live up to my expectations.

Are we searching for Grandma? Will everything fall into place once we find Grandma? Do we really know Grandma? Do we really know our own self? A straightforward mission has some surprises to reveal along the way! An enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC e-book. I have not been compensated for my opinion and this is an honest review.

Cute story.

Too unrealistic for my taste.

Evie was not a very likable character. Milo seemed more developed than Gigi even though Gigi was supposedly the most important person in Evie's life. Inattentive parents who became strict for a short time but then trust their daughter in NYC? Most of the drama revolved around poor communication and hiding the truth. The ending was both too tidy while also leaving many avenues unfinished.

My biggest criticism surrounds the 5 second mention of a male-male crush that was never acknowledged again even though both characters continued in the story. So why bring it up in the first place unless it was a hint towards diversity that was never really developed?

This was a super cute romance! I loved Milo and I was so proud of Evie’s character development and growth. It was a quick read, but well written and enjoyable! I would definitely recommend this book to romance fans.

*Thanks to HarperCollins for approving the arc on NetGalley!

I heard from someone on booktube that this book was great, and I totally agree!
Things I loved:
-Evie's growth throughout the book, she started out as a vapid character and soon became more empathetic.
-I loved the idea of a movie remake involving someone's granddaughter, we need more BIPOC representation in film!

The only thing I dislike about movies being mentioned in books, is that when they're fictional I want to watch them the most! But I loved this book for the character's growth of confidence and belief in herself the most!

I loved this book! It was exactly what I needed to read during the dark days of 2020. Forest writes characters I want to root for and helps us to see their complexity, their joy, and their love.

Forest lives up to her debut in her sophomore novel. <i>Now That I've Found You</i> is a character-focused story focused on the importance of putting your own needs against the expectations of others.

Evie's such an interesting main character, one who gets to be flawed and unlikable at the start of the book. Yes, I used that word, but I'm doing it for a reason, because I think that she's meant to be an obnoxious, self-centered brat at the start. It's hard not to feel for her after her friend's betrayal, but it's also hard to countenance the way she initially treats Milo and yells at her grandmother. Evie's in a bad place when the book starts, and she takes that out on others. This just makes the emotional journey sweeter as she opens up and confronts the fact that she maybe wasn't the best.

The romance aspect is actually at a pretty similar level as <i>I Wanna Be Where You Are</i>. It's a constant presence, as the forced proximity between Milo and Evie helps push her into new realizations, but the romance also really isn't the focal point. The emotional journey very much comes first. That said, I ship it. Milo's adorable, and I'd love to read more about them.. <spoiler>One thing that's interesting to me is that Forest very much does clear HFN endings, leaving the characters together but with long distance on the horizon.</spoiler>

Forest writes such wonderful contemporary novels about connection and personal growth. I can't wait to see what she does next.

Now That I've Found You is an absolutely adorable YA novel. This is a super cute romance that my high school students will definitely love! Thank you for the e-arc!!

I LOVED I Wanna Be Where You Are, so when I saw Forest’s next book coming out, I knew I had to read it! Y’all don’t know how important she is to me, as a lover of diverse contemporary romance. And although IWBWYA is still my favorite, I still liked this one a hell of a lot!


When trusting her best friend goes wrong, Evie is worried that she won’t be able to follow in the footsteps of her grandmother. She does whatever she can to help herself get back on track with becoming the actress she knows she can be. Until her beloved grandmother goes missing. With the help of the weird boy her grandmother knows, can she find her and help her career all at the same time?


I flip-flopped on the rating for this book because of the main character. Evie was mean and stuck-up for a lot of it. Or maybe it’s just because I liked Milo so much, but she really worked my nerves. Buttttttt, I also felt bad for her. I really couldn’t blame her for pushing everyone away after the way that “friend” did her. I wouldn’t trust anyone either. But I think in a situation like this, you need all the help you can get and she shouldn’t have acted that way to him.


And then there’s Milo. I REALLY wish we had a gotten a look in his head or like a small novella from him. I would kill to see an inside look at his performances or some of the interactions he’s had with Evie’s grandmother. Milo was a really sweet kid and he was the perfect soft love interest for someone as stubborn as Evie.


As for the plot, I thought it was really interesting to see some of the messy sides of Hollywood. All the drama that comes with being a legacy in a world where talent is most important, where Black people are snubbed from certain awards time and time again, etc. Speaking of that, I thought it was pretty cool that Forest mentioned that the movie that was beloved for 50 years was popular because it was a high profile Black romance that was widely successful. I think it was cool because that’s how I felt about HER. She wrote I Wanna Be Where You Are when there were hardly any YA books about two Black kids falling in love. I remember asking on Twitter for just one rec of a fluffy Black romance, and I was sent interracial romances, more, but none of what I wanted. And then someone sent me info on that book. There may be others out there from a long time ago, but this is the one I read and that stuck with me. I see this as my bookish, “Every Time We Meet.”


This book was very different from Forest’s first novel. In a way it felt more serious. To me that showed the depth of her writing style. I love that she’s so versatile. I hope we get more of both in her next book.


An interesting topic and 2 teens falling in love, what more could I ask for?And by one of my favorite authors too? I knew it would be a hit before I even cracked it open! She is definitely an author that’s making her way up my auto buy list!

Awww this was sooo good. Evie is a huge brat in the beginning; she was a rising actress, following in her famous grandma’s footsteps, until a scandal stopped her career in its tracks. (The scandal was probably the most dumb part of the whole story, but it was just a plot device anyway.) She goes to her grandma’s after sulking for a while, for completely selfish reasons that we soon learn.

Of course, it’s not as simple as it seems, and she spends the next week looking for her grandma who’s kinda just disappeared with a hot guy her grandma knows. There’s a great cast of characters in this novel, Milo and his 3 bandmates, Evie’s grandma, Gigi, Evie’s publicist, Gigi’s ex-husband, a bouncer, and just a wide array of side characters with a lot of, well, character.

Speaking of character, Evie’s character development in this story was REAL. She learned to open up from a past betrayal, communicate her fears, trust in her own self-worth, and be receptive to others’ feelings. She learned a lot over the course of the week and it was really sweet.

And the ENDING of this story was soooooo good. I may have cried a little lmao but it was just Evie with everyone who loves her going after something she really wanted (no spoilers) and ugh it was the cutest

This was a fun read and I recommend it to anyone who wants mostly fluffy with some self-reflection and a very inclusive cast!

Now That I’ve Found You had me constantly smiling and laughing while I read it. But first can we talk about how a main character wore a scarf to bed. Yess!!! Let’s normalize the bonnets and scarves because not all of us got silk pillowcases.

The characters in this story were so special. I loved Milo and Evie’s interactions and every time Milo got snippy at Evie after she was rude to him. This is also a book where I liked the minor characters just as much as the main ones. Michelle, Adrian the bouncer, and Ruby all have my heart.

I ping ponged with how I felt about Evie cause at first, I was sympathetic and then I was irritated with her lashing out others, but then I found myself sympathizing again. She definitely knew how to get under my skin, but I still enjoyed her story and relationships with the other characters. And trust I hated the “close friend” for betraying Evie more than I was ever frustrated with Evie. I’ve never fought anyone before, but if I saw this “close friend” on the streets one day, best believe it would be on sight. This is how I know Evelyn’s words on choosing to forgive people didn’t sit right with my spirit yet cause I don’t know if I could forgive the friend.

I fell in love with Milo so many times during this. When he wrote that song and played that guitar, I was looking up chapels near me okayyy. I heard the wedding bells. He wasn’t perfect in this, but neither was Evie, so they balanced each other out, and his sweetness made up for any wrong decisions he made. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the importance of friendship in this story and finding your people.

I loved Evelyn Conaway so much. She was preaching with all the wisdom she gave and she definitely made me wish my grandmother was still alive. Now the ending…….that ending was perfection with a capital P. I was nervous. I swooned. I read it twice. This was my first Kristina Forest book, but wow does she know how to pull you in and then end a book so wonderfully. Now That I’ve Found You truly is a gem that I recommend if you’ve been craving an interesting novel with a diverse and lovable cast.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a YA contemporary novel, and even longer since I’ve read a YA contemporary with black characters, written by a black author. (The last one I read was The Sun is Also a Star back in 2016!) I was very excited to join this tour and read this spectacular book, which really helped me to break what felt like a never-ending reading slump!

The book is quite adorable, and it reads fairly quickly. It’s full of talk of both new and old Hollywood while being set in modern New York. I’m not very familiar with NYC (I’m from the Chicago suburbs and haven’t been farther east than Ohio) but the descriptions of the settings and streets helped me to understand the setting quite well.

I quite enjoyed the “mystery” elements in the book. It’s not a typical mystery novel, but the hunt for Evie’s grandma Gigi and the mystery behind Gigi’s past with her ex-husband were quite intriguing, and I liked the little clues and hints that were dropped throughout the story like breadcrumbs.

There were a few loose ends that I wish had been tied up better, like Simone and howthe relationship between Milo and Evie will go, but aside from those, everything wrapped up quite nicely. I thought it was a very cute read with a unique premise. Fans of La La Land, old movies, and Hollywood culture in general will enjoy this tale of young stardom, family, and public image.

To speak from a #ownvoices perspective, this book was quite fun to read. Hearing Evie talk about hair products for her curls was great, as well as the fact that she totally normalized wearing a wig to cover up your natural hair (which can be a great way to protect your hair or to cover up your hair after a big chop!) I also really liked that hairstyles like dreads and twists were mentioned throughout the book.

On top of everything – and this is a bit odd to say – but I’m glad that this book wasn’t really focused on race. Sure, out main characters are both black, but the overall story wasn’t about their race; it was about finding Gigi and redeeming Evie’s career and all of that. Sometimes it can be a bit exhausting for me to read books where the black characters are involved in race issues. A book where our characters just happen to be black is really great for showing that black people live normal happy lives too, and that narratives about people of my race aren’t only featured in novels about race issues or slavery. Definitely quite refreshing and just what I needed considering the current state of the world. Now That I’ve Found You gets a solid 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 on review sites.

Kristina Forest has a way of writing a fun and exciting book. Although I definitely don’t understand why Evie had to have such an attitude toward Milo initially, who was very obviously a good friend of her grandmother, I really had a soft spot for Evie. She idolizes her grandmother and the relationship they have, strangely since neither my grandmother or myself are actors or fancy in any way, reminded me of the relationship I had with my own grandma. And let’s be honest, most people would love to have someone like Gigi in their life.

I love that Forest writes a little mystery into her books. It kept me reading trying to figure out where Gigi went and what would happen with the movie remake. I honestly felt the relationship between Evie and Milo was too forced, but I didn’t hate it. Although, I think I would have enjoyed the book more if the two didn’t have this blossoming romance between them. This was definitely an enjoyable read, even if it wasn’t my favorite. I am a fan of Kristina Forest and I think she’s officially an auto-buy or auto-read author for me. Excited to see what she does next!

Jumping from coast to coast, where the differences between LA and New York make it feel like entering another world, Evie Jones is shaking from the shock of a massive betrayal that threatens her burgeoning career. Fleeing to her world famous grandmother's NY apartment, prepared to be photographed with her esteemed Old Hollywood relation, she's aghast when an unknown younger man appears to have taken up residence there and her grandma is nowhere to be found.
Milo isn't the nefarious, plotting, gold seeker that Evie assumes him to be, but he is also never painted as a knight in shining armor. While Evie digs into her grandma's past to find her in the present, she opens up to Milo in a way she hasn't been able to with many in her Hollywood sphere. Milo, likewise, is presented with opportunities and insights that are new to him, and both change their viewpoints as they see a bigger section of the world through the other's eyes.
This is a story with incredible dimension, especially for a contemporary YA romance. While Gigi (Evie's grandma) is off the page for most of the book, she still feels like just as much of a main character as Evie or Milo. The author does an exemplary job of showing the real person behind the celebrity status and how much works goes into maintaining a certain image that can make or break a career. A must-read for anyone who enjoys this genre, I'm rating this a four only because my vindictive nature wasn't satisified with Simone's lack of punishment (though that's probably more realistic than the ending she deserved).
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy. This did not impact my review.