This book is a love letter to fandom, queer love, community, and sisterhood.
⁣
I’ve been in fandoms since I was in high school; I had (have?) a tumblr account devoted to JohnLock, Loki, Bucky Barnes, Game of Thrones, even Steve Harrington from Stranger Things. I wrote fanfic, made so many precious online friendships, and even now with books, I’m still a part of fandom in every way. ⁣
⁣
I loved Teagen and Kay - seeing another representation of a non-binary character (especially one trying out they/them pronouns for the first time!) made me feel so seen and I just loved every moment of this story.

Fandom convention plus beauty pageant in the same hotel center definitely sounded like an interesting premise to me. I mean, okay my pageant experience is limited to extremely vague memories from when I was like four years old, but I have pictures to prove that I used to walk around in those frilly dresses and all that. And I have been to my fair share of fandom conventions. So while the beauty pageant part wasn’t super appealing to me, the rest of this story sounded great, and that made it worth the read.

I believe I ended up reading this so long before release date because I was in the mood for cute and nerdy, but I probably also figured I could just review this book as part of Diverse December….and obviously that didn’t happen. Once again, here we are at a book I read more than a year ago that I’m just getting around to reviewing. I can’t promise that it won’t happen again, but I’m going to try and get it to where it doesn’t happen as frequently.

I remembered connecting to both Kay and Teagan pretty quickly. How could I not? I always love my fandom focused characters. And of course I’m loving that we’re starting to see more queer and trans and nonbinary and asexual and characters from all across the delightful spectrum that is gender and sexual identity. And I really felt for both Kay and Teagan with either wanting to try out a different label or identity, or just not being able to talk about their identity. It can be rough when you’re not around people who are open to listening or understanding or accepting who you are, or who you think you could be.

Again, the whole gender and sexual identity thing is something I need to draft a post for at some point, but I’m not fully there yet. I want and need to take the time to write it up in a way that feels good and right to me. But it is something I want to talk about.

I also liked that both Kay and Teagan shared a common rival/enemy. It definitely gave them yet another reason and way to connect. Kay’s friend group at the convention was so lovely, and I totally would want more stories with these characters just to get to spend more time with each of them.

The stakes weren’t exactly low in this story, but compared to some fantasy tales where the fate of the world or the country is at stake, this wasn’t exactly a high stakes story either. But the risks of bullying or losing opportunities can definitely feel huge, so this story feels big and weighty and important.

Honestly, I remember absolutely flying through this book. I thought it was wonderful, and I was absorbed into the story and the lives of the characters, and I just couldn’t stop reading. I wish I could speak more specifically about things, but again, I read this in October 2021. I remember that I really did enjoy it, and honestly that’s enough for me.

This was an absolutely amazing story of self discovery, finding the strength and pride to come out with your sexuality, and two worlds colliding. This quirky, nerdy, incredibly adorable love story was so heart warming and inspiring. Our two main characters are at a hotel in Florida for two very different conventions, a beauty pageant and a fan fiction convention! They meet, and it’s kind of insta-love but in a really great way. This story was complex, emotional, and incredible!! I highly recommend to all.

I wanted to love this one more than I did. I found the fandom side of things a bit overwhelming and thought it detracted from the story

This was very cute, if a bit juvenile. Liked the romance though and the main characters were cute! 3.5 rounded up.

The One True Me and You by Remi K. England is just as cute and fun as its cover. This story has great queer representation, fabulously describes fandoms/cons, and has a sweet love story. It's one not to miss for YA fans.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Fabulous book. I know these people, I love these people, and I was rooting for this romance all the way. More geeky novels about Johnlock fans, please. The characters are relatable, and the important statements about the value of creation and self-awareness and acceptance and diversity in beauty just made the read all the more substantial.

This book was adorable, I'm a sucker for a great meet cute and this book definitely did it for me.

Kay is an up and coming fanfic author that is going to her first convention called GreatCon where she gets to meet her fandom friends in real life and hopefully start using her new pronouns. And hey, if she gets to kiss a girl for the first time that'd be pretty great too. When she gets to the convention, to her dismay, there's also a teen pageant being held in the hotel she's staying at, which includes her bully Miss North Carolina that she goes to school with back in her small hometown.
Teagan, also known as Miss Virginia, is competing in the pageant to win the much-needed scholarship prize but she has some secrets of her own; she hates competing in these pageants and is hiding the fact that she's a big nerd for GreatCon. Oh and the fact that she's gay which she can't let anyone in the pageant world know.
When Kay and Teagan meet the first night there are immediate sparks between the two of them. But they know that their connection will cause problems in both of their worlds. Are they willing to take the risk to be together or will they continue to hide their true selves?

Both of these characters stole my heart from the very beginning of the book. I loved the fandom aspects of this book and the celebration of femininity, it was great to read and completely put me in all my feels. I loved reading from both main characters and I honestly didn't think I could pick a favorite if I had to. As soon as I finished this book I ran out to buy my own copy and I absolutely love the cover, it's adorable and fits this book so well!

*Many thanks to Wednesday Books for the gifted copy for my honest review!

This was cute! I don’t think it’ll make my top books of the year list but it was so sugary sweet and anyone who has ever been in any kind of online fandom will see themselves in this book. Add in figuring out your sexuality, strong feminist undertones, and an inside look at the pageant world and I’d recommend it for sure!

A well-written story about people working to find themselves as they venture into the world and balance being their authentic selves while dealing with people who are small minded.

I was super excited to read this book!! But unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me so I ended up DNF’ing it.

I grabbed this one entirely for the cover - It's so adorable, I love it! Imagine my surprise when the story inside as just as great!

I loved this story. One beauty pageant contestant who can't be who she really wants. And one fanfic writing con 'nerd' who isn't sure they can ask everyone to know who they think they might be. Their first meet is adorable, their fumbling to find their way was sweet, the drama was over-the-top but completely okay, and I loved all the friends. It was a guilty pleasure read, one I would tuck right back in too to smile and feel so tummy flutters of first love. I loved the fanfic panels because it reminded me of author panels (ugh! I miss book festivals!) and gave me such beautiful nostalgia. I will definitely look for more from this author!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This book was cute and fun. I loved the characters and the love shown toward fandom. I liked the friendships and hijinks and the atmosphere of this sweet, fun story with a lot of heart.

Aaaah this one was so enjoyable! The representation was spot on and so heartwarming to read! The One true Me and You reminded me of a short story by Malinda Lo in the Fresh Ink anthology, so it was incredible to read an entire novel expanding upon meet cutes, geek culture, queer romance, and the importance of online communities and fandoms!

Up and coming fanfic author Kaylee Beaumont is internally screaming at the chance to finally meet her fandom friends in real life and spend a weekend at GreatCon. She also has a side quest for the weekend:

· Try out they/them pronouns to see how it feels
· Wear more masculine-presenting cosplay
· Kiss a girl for the first time

It’s…a lot, and Kay mostly wants to lie face down on the hotel floor. Especially when her hometown bully, Miss North Carolina, shows up in the very same hotel. But there’s this con-sponsored publishing contest, and the chance to meet her fandom idols…and then, there’s Teagan.

Pageant queen Teagan Miller (Miss Virginia) has her eye on the much-needed prize: the $25,000 scholarship awarded to the winner of the Miss Cosmic Teen USA pageant. She also has secrets:

· She loves the dresses but hates the tiaras
· She’s a giant nerd for everything GreatCon
· She’s gay af

If Teagan can just keep herself wrapped up tight for one more weekend, she can claim the scholarship and go off to college out and proud. If she’s caught, she could lose everything she’s worked for. If her rival, Miss North Carolina, has anything to do with it, that’s exactly how it’ll go down.

When Teagan and Kay bump into one another the first night, sparks fly. Their connection is intense—as is their shared enemy. If they’re spotted, the safe space of the con will be shattered, and all their secrets will follow them home. The risks are great…but could the reward of embracing their true selves be worth it?

A big-hearted, joyful romance and a love letter to all things geek, Remi K. England's The One True Me and You is a *witness me* celebration of standing up for, and being, yourself.

This was a remarkable story that I just adored. I much preferred the conventions aspect of the story the most. I am a sucker for a convention love story. I also love the ability to showcase so many individuals and their own way to "love." This is the kind of story that lives on in the lives of those who need it!

The One True Me & You was such a good, good book, so validating and comforting. Pure queer joy and a story about friendships and finding your people online.

While the book is joyous it’s has just enough drama or a tad more because us fandom people…we feed on drama and apparently so do pageant people! Our two main characters are both semi-far away from home, one attending a beauty pageant and the other a fandom convention, taking place at the same hotel, they both are trying to stick to their goals while also stepping out of their comfort zones. They of course come crashing together and instant sparks ensued.

Really solid budding romance and oh that first feeling and excitement of a con crush! This one was on point capturing those exact feels from being surrounded by a community of people who get you and are accepting, as well as finally feeling safe to be who you truly think you are. Celebrating being proud of who you are, breaking stigmas about femininity, pageants, and not letting a bully win.

The One True Me & You is a heartfelt love letter to fanfiction, fandom, online communities, being queer, and being accepted and finally feeling that sense of pride in who you are and that you are valid.


CW: forced outing, bullying

2.75 Stars

“The One True Me and You” by Remi K. England (M.K. England) is a YA romance between a coming-out non-binary person and a lesbian.

Kaylee (Kay) and Teagan meet in a hotel in Florida one weekend. Kay is there for a fan convention as a fanfiction writer while Teagan is in town for a beauty pageant.

I really thought I was going to love this as it focuses a lot of attention on fandom life. I spent almost a decade in fandom life and still stay on the outskirts of it so I was excited to read this. However, it really fell flat for me overall. The plot happens over a weekend and timewise this is very fast, the book felt very long to me. I had trouble concentrating and it took me over a week to read.

Kay and Teagan meet and fall in lust very quickly, they meet Friday night and end Sunday with being girlfriends. Kay spends a lot of time judging Teagan for doing beauty pageants and was quite mean to her in one specific scene that was easier for Teagan to forgive than it would’ve been for me. It was hard for me to grasp how someone who feels the need to hide because of people judging them would be so quick judge others so harshly. Teagan was easier for me to like but I also had issue with how she treated her best friend throughout the whole weekend.

There were also a few things I did like! One part I did like were the conversations about how positive and accepting fandom life and cons can be for queer people. I also liked a lot of the secondary characters and wished we had gotten more about them instead of the forced romance. They seemed like good friends to both Kay and Teagan, especially when they didn’t always deserve it. I love books with friendships and I think Teagan being a bad friend kept me from loving her.

I enjoyed Kay’s story of coming to terms with being non-binary as well. I can appreciate how hard it was for them with the kind of home life that was described and wanting to feel accepted. It’s always interesting to me to read about experiences others have.

While this one missed the mark for me, I do think it would be a better fit for a young person, especially one who is questioning themselves.

I received an ARC from Wednesday Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sad to say that I did not enjoy this as much as I hoped. There's nothing wrong with it, per se. It just didn't hold my attention the way I wanted it too, and just was kinda.. meh. Also, the whole story is spoiled by the cover once you get far enough in and put the pieces together.

Certain aspects felt kind of preach-y instead of just... incorporated into the story. And it wasn't even the things that you think would be preach-y in a queer, feminist story.

Also, maybe it's just me and my experience, but it talking about Tumblr and basically being Tumblr-fandom famous was. Odd and did not match my 10 years on Tumblr? Also it almost feels like sacrilege for Tumblr to be the main social media in a book, haha.

I wish we'd gotten to know the side characters better. It felt like they were just covering for our two main characters the whole time. I want more Teagan and Jess friendship! I want Kay and their whole friend group! They should've been more of a focus as friends and less just there to help the romance along. Speaking of the romance... it felt quite insta-lovey, which I wasn't a fan of.

In all, this was okay.

This was a super sweet coming of age novel. Kaylee cannot wait to meet her fellow fans at GreatCon convention. She also feels like it’s the perfect opportunity to try out they/them pronouns for the first time.
.
Teegan is a pageant queen but with secrets of her own. She doesn’t want anything exposed until she can win this final title and a college scholarship but sometimes the heart has other plans.
.
I could see this as a great YA movie. It was super fun and loved the background of a convention.
.
Thank you #wednesdaybooks and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This book was so much fun! It features queer romance, a lesbian main character, a bisexual/pansexual (character questions orientation) non-binary main character, beauty pageants, fan fiction, discussion of social issues, and a lot more. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have already ordered a copy for my classroom library. I can’t wait to explore what else the writer will create.