This was a really great sophomore book by Marissa Kanter that’s perfect for Broadway fans, theater kids, band kids and Disney fans alike.

Some good Jewish representation, which we need right now.

Focused a lot on writing and rivalry. Some good banter, moved a little slow, but I did enjoy it overall!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Natalie and Reid have always had a rivalry. They have a prank war based on a history with the clarinet, and now the band is the only funded arts program at school. Natalie gave up the clarinet for drama club, and now drama has been cut. But after several pranks and mishaps, Natalie and Reid are forced to work together to try to save the drama club by making a play that Natalie wrote into a musical featuring the band. This book was entertaining. There were some serious conversations about anti-semitism, but mostly the book is lighthearted. Many of the characters were fun to read, unfortunately Natalie was not one of those characters. The book is from her perspective yet she has no growth or development. She starts out as selfish and ends the same with no consequences for her actions that sabotage others.

3.5 Stars Rounded up for Goodreads

In this book we are following a frenemies to lovers trope between two childhood friends. Our main character has just learned that her drama program has been cut in order to keep paying off the supplies/bills for the band program. In retaliation, she puts together a group of all the other arts clubs to create "Melted" a Frozen parody production.

However, following a prank war and some bitter students - all the arts programs (including the band) now must put on a production and Melted is now a musical.

I thought I would like this one more with how involved I was in drama/music and how much of an advocate I am for the arts in schools, but this book was just kind of meh to me. Honestly, the best part about it all was the fight to keep the arts programs. I did also appreciate the familial conflict and how that was brought into things and resolved.

I would recommend this to anyone who is currently or previously was involved in arts programs in their schools, or just really enjoys a fun YA contemporary!

I enjoyed the premise of this book, but it was super predictable and frustrating. The main character was so stubborn and blind and it made the story hard to keep interest in.

This was such a good look at competitiveness in high school arts, following passions and dreams, and learning to work with others that you probably don't want to work with. The character of Natalie was a bit immature for my taste and it felt like she never quite learned from the mistakes she made throughout the book. Alternatively, I really needed Natalie's dad to understand how he was treating Reid preferentially above Natalie. I think I wanted a little more of a clean narrative in the growth of relationships in this book and that wasn't the point.

CW: Antisemitism

I really loved reading Marisa's YA novels. I ended up listening to this book and it was the perfect experience. Thank y9u for letting me read and review this book.

Readers will thoroughly enjoy this story while also wanting to yell at the characters, “Don’t do it!” The story revolves around Natalie and Reid — long time clarinet rivals whose families are long time friends. The rivalry started over the first chair clarinet spot in middle school and escalated into all out prank wars over the years. Fast forward to high school where the band budget thrives but the rest of the arts have been cut- included Natalie’s drama club. While the arts “band” together to try to save their programs all kinds of antics ensue. Readers will enjoy the eclectic ensemble of friends, root for the shipping of Natalie and Reid, and cringe at some of Natalie’s rash decisions. This is a book that will leave readers with all of the happy feels!

As If On Cue solidified my love for Marisa Kanter's books. I loved the ride this book was, with characters that were talented and complex, the whole prank war and teen angst, navigating relationships and finding love. Also, I need to say that I loved the Jewish representation in this book, the sharing of traditions that are simply beautiful, and how it tackles antisemitism in a way that I hope will encourages readers to stand up against it.

I loved this book so so much! As If On Cue made my little theatre nerd heart go pitter patter. As a former theatre kid and current theatre adult, I loved the message of this book. The arts are SO important, and they are worth fighting for.

I loved Natalie and Reid and their lifelong competitions and prank wars, but I also loved watching them grow up by working together and finding a way to truly collaborate. I loved how authentic Natalie’s voice was - even though she made some stupid and impulsive decisions. She was SO relatable and reminded me a lot of myself in high school!

Reid and Natalie’s romance was so sweet and so genuine, but still found a way to be the tiniest bit steamy? I was so so satisfied when they finally kissed!!

I also loved the Jewish rep in this one. The side plot about Delia’s Bat Mitzvah and the microaggressions that often occur with young people really hit a nerve. I think most Jewish people have dealt with people like the Monicas, and I was so happy to see the way the situation was handled in this book. I totally related to the idea of the family being “High Holidays Jews” because that is very similar to how I experienced Judaism growing up! This book made me feel seen in so many incredible ways.

Overall, this is one of my favorite YA books of the year (and I read a LOT of YA!). It had everything I wanted and everything I didn’t know I needed!

A fun flirty books with a entertaining enemies to lovers trope. I love a good ya romance, especially one that makes me laugh along the way. It is so much fun to watch these characters clash and then come together. Their romance is sweet, quirky, and downright fun. A great pick me up or a fun read to pull you out of a reading slump!

Cute, fluffy romance novel with a somewhat unlikable narrator. Enemies to lovers, forced situations, and a high school musical. This story is giving all the hopeful vibes! I thought the dynamic between Natalie and Reid was entertaining, Natalie’s self destruction was unavoidable, but in the end redeemed her. It was a quick, lovable read! I know my students would love it.

GOD! This book was such a good read! I mean who doesn't love a good enemies to lovers? Or guy-falls-first? This book was one of those that hit ALL the check marks for me. I mean it just makes me jealous that my epic love story never happened like this.

Natalie and Reid have always had a friendly rivalry that includes a prank war. At some point though, Natalie became jealous of the relationship Reid had with her dad, his band teacher. When all arts are cut at school except band, Natalie is in an uproar. Her idea for a play is shot down without even consideration. With the help of other students whose art was cut, Natalie seeks a solution while also engaging in a prank war with Reid (whose art, aka band, was not cut.) When the principal intervenes, Natalie is not happy with the solution.
Opinion
This was an absolute delight to read from start to finish. Kanter keeps the rivalry alive throughout, which in turn keeps the teenage angst thriving. I highly recommend this to any student who studies band, music, art, drama. I actually sent a link to my band teacher imploring that he read it. This book is "that" good.
Many thanks to Simon and Schuster and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Thank you so much @NetGalley and @simonandschuster for gifting me a copy of As If On Cue in exchange for an honest review.

🎼 Mini Review 🎭
I was so excited to read As If On Cue by @marisakanter! I absolutely loved What I Like About you and just knew I would love this one. I was not disappointed.

I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers of any kind, especially those in YA contemps. As If On Cue was super cute and such a fun read. I loved the musical aspect of the book as well.

Natalie and Reid have been in competition for as long as Nat can remember. He has always been annoying, always in her life, and always at her house, since her father is the band teacher and Reid, who is her neighbor, is his student. It seems like the only break she gets from him is when they are in school. But when Nat finds out her school is cutting their art budget, which includes the drama club, she has to formulate a plan that will make the school rethink their decision. Nat's amazing plan somewhat works, but the only way the school will re-analyze anything is if the band is also part of the play, which means she has to co-direct it with Reid. Once forced to work together, Nat realizes Reid might not be as bad as she always thought he was, and she is not always the easiest to work with.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Natalie and Reid’s rivalry and reading about all their crazy pranks. I also really loved them having to work together and realizing their feelings for one another. The side characters were also so fun and added to the entire story. One of my favorite things about this book was the growth in the characters. There were times that I got sooo frustrated at Natalie or Reid for acting crazy that I wanted to stop reading for a bit.

If you love fun enemies-to-lovers stories that include fun pranks, then I def recommend this book. I gave it ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I binged the vast majority of this book on a long flight. At first, I thought Reid was the worst teen boy imaginable. Until he completely won me over with his soft side. I love an enemies to lovers trope. I really enjoyed watching these two characters grow, which is something that makes me obsessed with YA. Also, Natalie’s little sister is the BEST character. She’s 12 going on 25 with her attitude towards life. I also think it’s important to discuss the Jewish rep in this book. There’s a lot of antisemitic microaggressions that I think a lot of people have heard before, but it made me so happy to see Natalie and Reid come together because they knew it wasn’t ok. They had each other’s backs and the backs of their little sisters.

I can officially say that I am a Kanter fan. This book exceeded my expectations. I absolutely ADORE this book, and I hope you will too!

A good YA novel that I would definitely recommend reading!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I was a band kid in school and could only dream of the support and funding this school had! Cute story. Annoying characters.

AS IF ON CUE is a standalone YA romance by Marisa Kanter. I love a good character-driven story, and AS IF ON CUE delivers. This book will also appeal to romance readers who enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope. This book covers a gamut of emotions, and the characters totally pull you into the story and make you feel for them. Marisa Kanter writes a wide range of teenage characters that are realistically flawed yet who you still root for.

I haven’t cared so much about high school politics since the classic novel THE CHOCOLATE WAR by Robert Cormier. Although this takes a much lighter tone at times that balances the drama, it is no less compelling. The two main characters are Natalie and Reid, but the story is told completely from Natalie’s perspective. Even though it’s told from one character’s perspective, the other characters have a strong presence. Natalie and Reid have been frenemies for what seems like forever, but the current circumstances just exacerbate everything. These two teens might have buried the hatchet earlier, if not for one or two things that make the situation more complicated. Natalie and Reid think their lives might have been a little less stressful if they would have been able to swap parents. Natalie’s parents are artistic and might have been more nurturing when it comes to Reid’s passion for playing an instrument. Natalie thinks Reid’s parents with their more traditional views on education and careers might have given her more of a feeling of stability. By the end of this book, both characters grow and make peace with who they are and who their parents are.

In addition to their baggage surrounding their parents, they initially find themselves on opposite sides in the battle for funding for the arts at their high school. Reid is in the band group and Natalie’s loyalties are with the drama club. What starts out as a no-holds-barred prank battle between Natalie and Reid as they vent their frustrations, changes slightly when they are made to work together. As expected because of their ages, the emotion, friendships, family relationships, and high stakes involved, there are some uncomfortable moments as the tension increases. You, as the reader, can’t help but become emotionally invested in the outcome. You feel somewhat cheated not getting to experience Melted: The Musical in person – even though it’s a work of fiction within a work of fiction. The teen characters are complex without being stereotypes and figuring out who they are and how they want their relationships to be. I loved the evolving friendships almost as much as I did the unconventional romance. The hero in AS IF ON CUE is as enigmatic as Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. You’re not sure whether he just wants to be friends with Natalie, is annoyed by her more than anything, or secretly attracted to her. He keeps his feelings close to the vest. Natalie, by contrast, has no problem expressing her feelings – much to the chagrin of some of the supporting characters. I liked Natalie’s forthright manner and thought some people were a little hard on her, despite her moments of crazy.

AS IF ON CUE shows what happens when frenemies catch feelings while trying to navigate high school and figure out who they are and what they want in life. Natalie’s father wasn’t a bad guy, but he frustrated me constantly and made me wish somebody would shake me a few times. I look forward to reading Marisa Kanter’s next book.