5/5⭐ to The One True Me and You by Remi K. England! Thank you to Wednesday Books for the egalley to read & review early! This book was truly a delight to read, contained many of my favourite elements in YA contemporary romances, and I marathoned it in one sitting. I was immediately invested in these two characters and their story, which is told in an alternating dual perspective between Teagan and Kay. They meet when their hotel is hosting both their events - a teen beauty pageant for Teagan who is trying to win a scholarship and get out of her town, and a fandom event and panel at GreatCon for Kay who just wants to enjoy time in a safe space with people they can relate to, and figure more out about their identity. Their meet-cute is the stuff of nerdy dreams (maybe a bit insta-lovey for some, but not for me) and is too cute, but met with complications that add some delightful angst. Kay is just trying to lay low until after high school, and is just trying to figure out who they are as a person and writer when their schoolmate (a bully in a beautiful pageant package) shows up at the hotel and convention center looking to cause trouble. Also, Teagan just wants to be out, but the beauty pageant world is not too forgiving for girls who don't fit the traditional mold and she really, really needs this scholarship money. I liked how this story took place over the whole weekend, as it really allowed us to get to know these teens a bit better and see their relationship start and begin to grow. But also this tighter timeframe added some pressure, excitement, and stakes to the story keeping it interesting! Who doesn't love a Com-mance?! On a more serious note, I like the themes and discussions this book gave while not being super long. In their relationship, Teagan and Kay have to deal with homophobia, outing, difficult family dynamics, pressures on their futures, and smaller but still important things that come with first young love. I really liked how Kay's journey in their identity mirrored their growth as an author of fanfiction. Kay is quite nervous at the start to be on a panel of fanfiction writers, giving advice to others who want to improve their own fanfiction, but as the con goes on and they meet new friends and others at the Con, I got to see their confidence grow! Also, the message that just because you're young or haven't been doing something for very long doesn't mean your work isn't valuable or worthy of others looking up to it. I loved this book so much, and I cannot wait to see what this authors comes out with next! Please check it out when it releases March 1st!!

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. The One True Me and You is a cute queer contemporary that I knew immediately I would really like. From the fandom (fanfic and social media) references to the tension surrounding girls in a beauty pageant, plus super queer-positive stories for both leads?! Yes, please!
I really liked Kaylee from the start. They’ve come to some catharsis about their gender identity as the story starts, but they’re still rather selective of who they share this with…and I don’t blame them, given the bullying they’ve faced, including from a certain pageant queen. But I also love Kaylee’s investment in fandom, and their hopes that their writing will lead to some professional opportunities. As an aspiring writer myself, I loved seeing them making those strides over the course of the book.
Teagan is also incredibly relatable. I appreciate that there’s a balance between giving her a good heart to contrast with Madison the Mean Pageant Queen without resorting to making Teagan Not Like Other Girls. Teagan does find some aspects of pageant culture cumbersome, but she enjoys others. And ultimately, she is invested in a good cause which makes the goal of winning worth striving for.
I really liked the blossoming relationship between Teagan and Kay, and while it does take place over a short period of time, it doesn’t feel rushed. I appreciate how their mutual animosity with Madison provided real tension and stakes for their relationship, as each of them have realistic fears and resulting assumptions. Kay in particular fears being outed once Madison makes the connection between her real identity and online persona, and also worries at times about Teagan being “just another beauty queen.” Meanwhile, Teagan is also walking on eggshells, fearing Madison will uncover her own passion for nerd/fandom culture.
It’s ultimately really beautiful, and I loved seeing these two blossom when they were able to unapologetically be themselves with the world, as well as with each other.
This is an utterly adorable book, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, queer romcom.

Thanks so much to the author, Netgalley, and Wednesday Books for the gifted, advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog

TW: gender dysphoria, loss of parent, mention of suicide, homophobia, transphobia, bullying, forced outing

Oh my gosh, when I tell you that I smiled through this entire book, I am not exaggerating. Okay, sure, there were a few scenes that I wasn't smiling because it was a sad scene. But OTHER THAN THAT I smiled through the whole thing. For the two main characters the weekend of this story is a time that they have felt more free to be themselves than any other time, and so watching them feel so open and free made for an incredibly joyful reading experience.

Let's talk characters. Kay and Teagan are our two leads, and they were both really fun to read. I think I found myself gravitating a bit more towards Teagan's chapters, since that is the side of the story that I could relate a bit more to than Kay's. But at the same time, all of the really heartwarming friendship moments between Kay and their good friends (Ami, Lady, and Cakes) were some of my favorite parts of the whole book. Between that foursome and the friendship between Teagan and her pageant-bestie Jess, this book felt like a platonic love story just about as much as a romantic one, which I found really sweet.

Overall I would absolutely recommend this book to friends, and I think I already have once or twice. It was a really joyful read, with a really sweet romance (keep in mind it is YA, so this is not where you'll find your steamy romance scenes), and some really touching moments of friendship over everything else. I would say that the best way to read this book would be as a part of a book club or buddy read with a few of your besties!

From the author:
The One True Me and You addresses the following topics that you may want a heads up about:
- Gender dysphoria: Kay is exploring their gender identity and expresses some gender-related discomfort at times. There is one instance of microagressions from their mother. Ultimately, they are happy being nonbinary and feel comfortable coming into their identity and celebrating who they are.
- Death of a parent by suicide (off-screen, before the story): Teagan experiences the loss of her mother as a child. This death by suicide resulted in the character going to therapy and ultimately pursuing art therapy as a future career. A pageant judge springs a question about it on her during her pageant interview.
- Homophobia and transphobia: The “villain” (inasmuch as there is a villain) makes a few anti-LGBTQ+ comments. Teagan hides her identity because of the general anti-queerness of the pageant world. The overall tone of the book is light and LGBTQ+ positive and affirming, though.

Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, hate crime, cursing, bullying, past break-ups, gender dysphoria, transphobia, parent death off page, suicide off page, mental health, discussion of racism/colorism in pageants, cyber bullying, outing, misgendering

Representation: Lesbian, Bisexual, Questioning, Queer, Nonbinary, Gay

The One True Me and You is the story of pageant queen, Teagan, and fanfic writer, Kay, who both are in Florida for the weekend at the same hotel. Teagan, who is there for a pageant competition, is a closeted lesbian. Kay, spending their weekend at a con for their favorite show, is questioning their gender and sexuality. The two meet by accident and risk their secrets to continue to see each other throughout the weekend.

I really enjoyed this book! I am not a fanfic reader, myself, so I loved being engulfed in this new world and learning some new vocabulary in the story! I do have to say, as a con attendee, everything the author says about the con atmosphere is true! Cons are great places to meet your people and find new friends! The author does a great job developing this world that is truly so welcoming!

This book was great and an easy read! I finished it in about a day. The story is fast paced and fun. I didn’t realize how much I had a read because I was enjoying it so much! Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a happy story with a classic romance feel! There’s a little bit of everything for everyone!

Everything about this book gave me the FEELS! I loved the setting, teens off to a comic con type of event in Orlando (I think I’m saying this whole thing wrong, I don’t know a THING about fandom or fic-whatever), and a beauty pageant going on at the same time, such a cute mix, I would love to be in that type of setting, even now as an adult. My parents would’ve never let me go that far away from home for a convention let alone a pageant, these kids have it so easy but then again it’s not a true story but a girl can dream right? Lol

Anyway, I loved Kay and her friends, they are the cutest!!!! They are so different, but they complement each other so well, and they are all so supportive, it was so sweet to read. Then we meet Teagan, she’s the beauty queen, loud and proud lesbian, I LOVED HER!!!!! I loved her boldness, and her journey together with her own journey with Kay is just the sweetest. This author did her thing, I don’t want to give anything away, but there is so much to learn from these young characters, it seriously inspired me. I am so happy I got a chance to read this book, thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for that opportunity.

tw: misgendering, homophobia / lesbophobia, public outing, bullying, loss of a mom, mentions of grief, mentions of suicide, gender dysphoria

The One True Me and You takes place over a weekend at a hotel in Orlando, FL. There's been a double-booking for the beauty pageant and fan convention.

This was... a book that I read. First, the book occurs over a single weekend yet somehow feels so long and draining that it felt like weeks had passed. Additionally - Teagan and Kay met each other for the first time on Friday night, and by Sunday (after having kissed once), were already calling each other girlfriend. I know lesbians have the U-Haul stereotype, but damn. I also just don't care for the insta-love trope, to be frank, so I don't think that aspect was for me.

The entire fan convention was based on a fictional Sherlock show, where the main ship was Johnlock. It felt so very 2014, in the worst way possible. (We know it's not 2014, though, because Miss Oregon is reading a "doorstop of a fantasy novel with an orange cover." So, <i>Priory of the Orange Tree</i>, which came out in 2019.) I don't mind fan-culture novels, truly, I think they're entertaining, but using Johnlock as the main ship just felt so very outdated.

Speaking of things feeling outdated - the beauty pageant main character wore a white lacy dress (that ended mid-thigh) WITH jeggings underneath AND a yellow flannel wrapped around her waist AND mid-calf boots. That's the most 2014 tumblr style I can imagine. It's like if Christian Girl Autumn and Tumblr 2014 Style had a baby.

Teagan and Kay were both very frustrating main characters and it made me hesitant to root for either of them. Kay just sucked (and somehow gets worse and takes their frustrations out on Teagan), whereas Teagan was terrible to her pageant bestie. Teagan also spent the entire first half of the novel explaining how she needed the scholarship money to go to college, but then is willing to risk her entire pageant career (and this money) for a person she's known for literally 24 hours?

The pros, for me, were short:

Jess <3 Miss Pennsylvania <3 I love her so much. Teagan should've treated her so much better.

There was a section where a gay man briefly discussed how most mlm fic is written by women and not queer men like himself, which was a great point and definitely could have been expanded on. I hope that little gay man has a good day.

I also loved that Kay got to explore their identity.

I like fan culture, I do enjoy other books about fan culture, but this just missed the mark. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this book to people, and would likely point them in the direction of another fan-culture-based book, but I also understand how some people might really see themselves represented on page here.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Being a teenager is hard enough without navigating the added complexities of gender identity, homophobia and narrow expectations of your world--whether that's the pageant circuit or a small town. And I LOVE that books like this exist to help people feel seen and a little less alone.

In The One True Me and You, author Remi K. England presents readers with a wonderful coming-of-age YA romance. The characters, their individual and shared journey were a joy to read. I also really loved the female friendships across the fandom and pageant circles.

The writing is fantastic, I equally enjoyed Kay's Tumblr posts as much as Teagan's responses to interview questions. I did selfishly want more karma for the "villain" in this story. I know this wasn't about her, but still--she got off too easily.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved how three-dimensional the characters in this novel seemed, and Teagan in particular. The fact is, for every book in which gay characters thrive without prejudice, there's probably a kid out there more like Kaylee or Teagan, worried about what will happen if people find out, or if they express themselves in a way that feels more comfortable and authentic to themselves. I'm glad England presents characters who are both aware of the repercussions of breaking out of their boxes, but also willing to try.

A sweet romance about finding your true self and your romantic partner. Kaylee and Teagan both have things they've hidden from others and now, in one weekend all that changes. It's a quick read with good characters you'll root for. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, The YA crowd should give this one a whirl.

One of my reading goals this year is to read more diverse reads, including: sapphic, nonbinary, written by BIPOC, etc. The One True Me and You was a great addition to that goal.

TOTMaY stars Teagan, our “very lesbian” pageant queen competing for a $25,000 scholarship and Kay, our “might be nonbinary” fanfic author. Both are attending events at the same hotel, and the two run into each other (literally!) when Teagan sneaks into the fandom/GreatCon’s events. Sparks fly and soon after the two do their best to maximize their short time together.

I have a few criticisms of TOTMaY. Nearly all the Con’s attendees have name tags and go by their Tumblr names, and I just can’t relate to this. You consider some of these people your best friends, and yet they are never called by their real names the entire book? Maybe it’s just because I am Old™ but I can’t relate. And while I have read quite a bit of fanfiction, the fact that TOTMaY is about Sherlock fanfiction makes the entire story feel so dated.

What I did love was the inclusion of Kay’s gender struggle. I loved that they were so curious about what fit them, both gender and sexuality, and that they didn’t feel restricted to fit inside a single box.

I struggled with connecting with either Teagan or Kay, as I thought they both made some bad decisions and honestly needed to dole out some major apologies. Instead, Kay’s and Teagan’s friends were the true MVP of the story—so supportive of everyone.

I think this one is best read by actual Young Adult readers, but the message it sends is worthwhile to everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the review copy.

This is a fun and heart-warming read. Kay and Teagan, both high school seniors, find themselves at the same hotel in Florida for very different reasons. Kay is at the hotel for GreatCon, a fan convention for her favorite show The Great Game. Kay is a passionate author of fanfic for The Great Game, and has begun to build quite a following. The convention is a time away from her parents and small-minded hometown to explore openly using they-them pronouns and finally kiss a girl in a safe environment. Teagan is there to compete in the Miss Cosmic Teen pageant. She is hoping to win the pageant and its scholarship money so that she can afford to go to college. To do so, she believes she needs to keep her secrets, most notably that she is gay, under wraps. Kay and Teagan run into each other their first night at the hotel, and are immediately drawn to each other. As they tentatively explore their feelings, they must navigate their respective fears, including that their secrets come out before they are ready, as they both explore what they want for their futures.

This was an engaging story about what it means to define yourself, finding your community, friendship, family, and pursuing your passion. It offers interesting insights into the whorls of both fandom and pageants, through the eyes of two strong characters.

Highly recommend!

An interesting read about a teenager who was just finding her way in the world. And competing in pageants. I think many young readers will find comfort and support in the book’s themes of being true to yourself and also don’t be afraid to be who you are.

The One True Me and You is a sweet story about a fanfic geek and a pageant queen. I very much enjoyed both of our main characters. Kaylee is a writer of fanfic and is from a very conservative town, which makes their coming out as non-binary a bit of a problem. They have decided to try out they/them pronouns at a fic convention, and they also have made it a goal to kiss a girl before the con ends. Teagan is Miss Virginia at a teen pageant taking place in the same convention center as Kaylee's con. Teagan resents the fact that she has to stay closeted because the pageant system is not ready for an openly queer contestant.

The plot was enjoyable but fairly predictable. The supporting characters were a diverse group and each got at least some development. There are a couple of them that I would like to see get their own books. The "villain" was pretty much a one-dimensional caricature of the evil nemesis, but I can let that go. But there was one thing about this story that I felt was glossed over just a bit too quickly. Kaylee and Teagan have a common enemy - one of the girls participating in Teagan's pageant is also Kaylee's homophobic high school bully. In an effort to take down both Teagan and Kaylee, this rival publicly outs Kaylee on social media, which of course instantly makes the rounds of their small, conservative high school and town. While there is a discussion of the effect that this outing has on Kaylee, I don't think the reader is given the time to truly sit with the horrific nature of the situation. This is a devastating event in Kaylee's life, and I think that more time should have been spent showing the aftermath of that action.

Overall I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to those who enjoy stories with characters who are exploring their gender identity. I'll be interested to see what else this author brings us in the future.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and to Wednesday Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

This book is basically an aged AO3 fic with a Johnlocke fanfic writer, with some AO3 rep, like YES fanfics, not sure about the delivery/choice of fanfic our mc fanfic writer choose as it did feel out of touch with current fanfics that are being written .
This was okay ? Nothing amazing or that I will remember a lot or fondly but a quick read with some good representation. The characters are not perfect which I really enjoyed and the diversity of the characters, they were tangible and not "all perfectly wrapped up".
Story wise, it's a bit of a blur, it has been a while since I read this one (since I wasn't sure of what rating I would give it yet and did not want to review it on a whim) , from memory I remember a couple of trigger warnings (please check other places for more details) that hit me in the feels like a forced outing and homophobia.
As a bi person, I really related to the forced outing as a "friend" sort of did that to me in high school thinking it was "okay, because all of us are queer" even though I wasn't ready for that.
Our MC needs the money from the pageant she is competing in to be able to go to college, part of the "high stakes" were less high in my opinion due to that as the book only spans over a weekend I felt like I did not care enough about her yet to see why this was her only option, while I sympathized with the need for money to go to college it just was like a "ah okay this is why she is partaking in the pageant".
In terms of romance, because of the timeframe of the the book (a weekend) it also meant that the romance felt a lot like insta-love. It was rushed and with everything "being at stake" for her to go to college I couldn't help but feel like it did not make a lot of sense for her to put herself even more at risk to lose the money.
They're romance was not perfect, as they say hurtful things and make a lot of mistakes, but I appreciated the fact that they apologized and did not just gloss over things in order to make the romance work (the author made a good point of balancing that and not letting the characters "off the hook" so to say in order to progress her plot).
Overall,
not really for me, but I can see why some people enjoyed it.
An okay YA book with some good rep and imperfect characters.
2.35/5 stars
Bookarina

What happens when a fanfiction writer and a pageant queen unexpectedly meet? The One True Me and You follows up and coming fanfic author Kaylee and pageant queen Teagan as they meet at a hotel that’s simultaneously hosting a pageant and a fancon. Both Teagan and Kaylee have goals for their stay: Kaylee wants to try out they/them pronouns…and kiss a girl for the first time. But when Kay’s hometown bully turns up, their goals for the weekend are becoming harder and harder to reach. Meanwhile, Teagan wants to win the Miss Comic Teen USA pageant scholarship and has to keep being gay a secret long enough to woo the judges. But when Teagan and Kay meet, sparks fly and when they suddenly find themselves facing exposure neither of them wants, it’s up to them to decide whether being their authentic and true self is worth the costs.

This story is so wholesome and entertaining! Kay and Teagan are such lively characters and their individual struggles somehow morphed together beautifully to let them both emerge victorious from this whirlwind weekend. England’s writing style is engaging and paints a visual picture which helps you set the scene in your mind. I also loved the juxtapositions we got in this story. Basically, you have the setting of the hotel where two worlds seemingly collide—a fancon that offers up the space to be your most authentic, nerdiest self and a pageant that makes you think of fake smiles, women being pitted against each other and beauty standards being perpetuated. However, I loved how England here really focuses on the misconceptions and stereotypes when it comes to what people associate with these two heavily connotated spaces. Kay basically has to hide in their hometown because their school bully Madison (who’s also in the pageant competition) has made it their mission to humiliate Kay. So when they get a chance to be themselves at this con, meet people they’ve known online forever and now actually see face to face, it’s the chance of a lifetime. Yet when Madison gets wind of them being there, everything unravels. There are so many discussions in this novel about what it means to be part of a fandom and how fandom can feel like family and this was really shown in how Kay’s friends protect them from Madison’s attempts of destroying them.

Speaking of fandom, my favourite part of The One True Me and You, though, was how authentically fandoms and being a part of one was portrayed. In terms of accuracy and description, this reminded me a lot of Alice Oseman —the way England writes about Ao3 (Archive of Our Own) and fanfic made it clear that they know what they’re talking about from personal experience. As someone who spent a majority of her teens on Tumblr and Ao3, it’s always such a pleasure to see fandom culture accurately represented in books even years after the fact. And here, we not only get to see Kay participate in GreatCon but also see their cosplay outfits, geeking out with fellow shippers and fanfiction writers and altogether have a great time being with friends who feel like family. I loved how this novel showcased the close-knit community that being in a fandom can offer and what it’s like to have a safe space to be yourself in.

This space of being yourself without any hesitation is fascinatingly juxtaposed with the second POV, Teagan and her world of pageants. Now, my knowledge of pageants is limited to my many rewatches of Miss Congeniality, but I loved how England, via exposing stereotypes, showed that pageants aren’t all bad or superficial. Teagan, for example, has made it her mission to use her platform as a pageant queen to help make the world a better place. Though she dislikes the rigid, unattainable beauty standards the pageants perpetuate and the racism that is rarely addressed, she uses her platform for good, participating in volunteer projects and raising awareness for important environmental and social issues. Teagan is also incredibly supportive of her fellow competitors and I loved how we got to see the community and friendship that comes with working toward the same goal and how your mindset is really what informs how you perceive of these competitions.

Now, as for Kay and Teagan’s romance, all I can say is that I was absolutely smitten. England doesn’t shy away from showing how misconceptions can cause mistrust and issues and Kay and Teagan have a lot to work through for such a short amount of time, yet none of the issues (e.g. Kay thinking pageants are superficial AF) were glossed over or swept under the rug. Neither Kay nor Teagan are perfect and sometimes they make mistakes or say the wrong things but it doesn’t feel like a bad thing, if that makes sense? Instead, we get to see Kay and Teagan openly communicate their fears and their goals and it’s paired with so much chemistry (and sweet tension leading up to an even sweeter moment) that made it the perfect mix of sweet and realistic. The climax of the story was also so well handled. The possibilities of the backlash both Teagan and Kay face if their true identity was revealed are always in the corner of your mind while you’re reading, but during the climax, when it all becomes a reality, the drama, tension and anxiety are skyrocketing and made me flip the pages at nanospeed.

Fast-paced, geeky and wonderfully queer, The One True Me and You is perfect for anyone who loves fandom culture, the opposites attract trope and stories that make you feel hopeful for a more inclusive, accepting and kind future. Perfect for fans of Oseman’s I Was Born for This and Dugan’s Some Girls Do.

This is a great book for sitting back, relaxing and enjoying a good book! This was very sweet and I adore that cover! You won't be able to put it down!

I really enjoyed the fandom aspect that was mixed with the beauty pageant world. If anyone has watched TLC, they know that world well and how interesting it is to witness! The romance was so sweet in this book and you'll be rooting for the MCs the whole time!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the earc in return for an honest review.

A cute, fast, easy love letter to fandom and friendship. Despite making me feel old as dirt (my fandom days have been over for a minute now...), The One True Me and You will surely be adored by plenty of teen readers who see themselves in its leads' identity crises, young love, and big-hearted emotions.

I will say that some of the character choices leading to the predictable conflict about 3/4 into the book felt like they came out of nowhere, for me. And since the beauty pageant world was treated with thoughtful nuance in all its good and bad, it's a shame the world of fandom was painted as 100% utterly perfectly wonderful and accepting; I would have appreciated some sense of the problems and harsher realities in that community, too. Despite these issues, I zipped through this sweet, very readable story in one afternoon, and I have no doubt its target audience will be charmed and moved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pageants do not have to be your thing to fall in love with this book. The story is so much more than pageants and fandom, and it is in the interactions of girls supporting each other that the book shines.

I'm not a fan of insta-love, but it doesn't make me not read a book. But this was more of an instant, insta-love situation. Teagan proclaimed Kaylee was the one person who knew everything about her after a day. They had barely spent time together. There was no foundation to make the insta-love believable. But sometimes, when you know, you know.

The One True Me and You is an adorable read. I loved the representation, the support the characters had for one another, and the evolution of the characters themselves. I'm a firm believer that we make our families, and I think England encapsulated that well in the story. Overall, this is a quick, satisfying read that ticks a lot of boxes for the reader. Thank you, St. Martin's/Wednesday Books, for sending this along!

More representation in books for YA!! Yes.
The One True Me and You was a sweet story of one young fanfic writer discovering themselves and allowing anything and everything to happen during the GreatCon that they are attending with friends. It's also about one young woman's last hurrah on the pageant circuit, hoping to come away with some college tuition money. What happens when these two worlds collide??

Kay is a fanfic writer and the two things they really want to accomplish the weekend of the Con is to kiss a girl and try out their new/preferred pronouns. Life is hard enough for kids growing up, but trying to find themselves and figure out who they are is difficult. Especially when they feel like they are misunderstood and bullied by their classmates. Luckily, Kay has this weekend away and feels comfortable with their friends and the whole "fandom" family. They were more about acceptance and allowing Kay to be whomever they chose to be and want to be.

But while Kay is enjoying their fandom weekend, their hotel has also scheduled a pageant for the same weekend and those young women are staying in the same hotel. These two groups cannot be combined, can they? Teagan is competing for Miss Cosmic Queen and she just wants to be herself. But being a part of the pageant life is dressing one way and putting on a face for the judges. She is hiding a HUGE part of who she is, but still maintains a beautiful persona on the inside as well as the outside., I ADORED her. But when Teagan sees that the GreatCon is taking place the same weekend, she hopes she can sneak away since she is also very much interested in that whole world. Can pageants and fandom work together??

I LOVED the meet cute between Kay and Teagan and I enjoyed seeing their friendship and attraction blossom. I didn't understand all the fandom stuff (I could be these characters parent), but it seemed realistic and like it was described as it would be if you were at a con. I genuinely liked Kay's friends and Teagan's roommate. But there were definitely some bad seeds (ahem, Miss North Caroline).

Overall, The One True Me and You was a well written YA story that focused on these teens and allowed them to really work through their issues while celebrating their differences, both good and bad. I am so so glad we are seeing more queer representation in books and including non-binary characters in that spectrum as well! People need to see others like themselves and see that it's ok to be YOU.

A very fast, ode to fandom, queer love story, The One True Me and You is a YA book about not making assumptions based on the appearance of each other. England deftly shows that community is incredibly important in the journey to feeling supported and open in expressing your identity -- and more truly yourself.

The book is told through the dual POV of pageant princess Teagan and fanfiction writer Kaylee. The two teens are staying at the same hotel for the pageant and the Sherlock-esque con and have a meet-cute that might just lead to something more. Kay is using the con as a chance to use they/them pronouns and be out as nonbinary, and Teagan is exploring her nerdy interests by sneaking into con events. Overall, the book is very sweet and very lighthearted, are there are (TW) some homophobic comments and situations highlighted throughout.

All of the surrounding characters in this book are so supportive and I wanted to get to know them more -- from other pageant participants from Pennsylvania and Oregon to other fan fiction writers and cosplayer designers Ami, Lady, and Cakes. It was very nice to have an LGBTQ+ group that involved nonbinary/women characters and not involve men -- I feel like a lot of the YA stories in the past have centered their experience. This will be popular with a wide audience, from AO3 readers to the millennials that watched a lot of ANTM, to readers needing something light and fast. Thanks to NetGalley for an early review copy, all opinions are my own.