Member Reviews
I started following Weber on Bookstagram and quickly found the exciting news of his debut If You Change Your Mind. This was a phenomenal read - exactly the kind of book I’d want to bring to the beach and share with friends. His characters a rich and fully developed, flawed but great people you can’t help but root for. I love that Weber had characters that come with diverse backgrounds, bringing much needed diversity of LGBT characters into the rom-com genre, that has slowly been expanding. Perfect for fans of Nora Ephron.
Harry dreams of writing screenplays. His best chance at getting into the college of his choice is to win a screenwriting competition. But his ex, Grant, is back and just as charming as ever. Then, there's Logan, the adorably awkward new boy in town. Can Harry avoid distractions and focus on his goals?
This is a cute gay YA rom com. If you like love triangles, this book is for you.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
If You Change Your Mind is a story about Harry, a boy who is spending his summer before his senior year trying to manifest his dream of writing Hollywood screenplays. Harry just wants a low-key summer - one where he finishes writing his screenplay for a competition and that is distraction (A.K.A. boy) free.
This book is so cute! I fully enjoyed Harry’s journey throughout this story. He is such a romantic and you just really feel for him.
Grant, Harry’s first love, is, and I say this lovingly, a trash baby. He is very flirtatious and a little self-centered but you can’t help but to love him. You can really feel the love and nostalgia between him and Harry. Logan is such a sweetheart and from the get-go I was rooting for him! He is the complete opposite of Grant with his Star Wars and superhero movie references, and his laid-back attitude is very refreshing considering Harry’s past with Grant.
If I had the money to back it up, Robby Weber could name a price and I would pay for a book about Foster alone to be written! Definitely one of my favorite side characters!!!
I definitely would recommend this to any of my students and I look forward to rereading it!
Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
*This review can be read on Goodreads*
Oh wow, first off I loved this book. I started it two nights ago, but halfway through the first chapter, I realized that I was going to end up reading it straight through, so I have to hold off for the next morning. I have not laughed and cried at a book recently as much as this one. I love the characters, the plot, and Robby Weber's writing.
The main character, Harry, is such a loveable mess, but he is so determined in what he wants to do with his life, that it is very admirable. I enjoyed all of his different pop culture references, namely his endless repertoire of rom-com. He found himself in the middle of a love triangle with two amazing boys, and it was well-written that at times I was rooting for them both. Grant, Harry's first boyfriend, was such an interesting character to read, and I can see why Harry fell for him. He is very flirty and has kind of a "frat-boy" aesthetic, while the other love interest, Logan, is practically the complete opposite. Logan is very nerdy, loves a horrible pun, awkward, but still very confident in himself. I enjoyed reading Harry's connection to both of these men, and the conversations felt very real and realistic. The other characters were also equally as loveable, such as Lottie, Milly, Hailey, and do not get me started on Foster. Foster deserves his own book, he was a scene-stealer to me and made me laugh the most.
I honestly do not think that there is a single thing that I hated/disliked about this book. It has everything; summer, friendship, humor, romance, ice cream, puns, and hot boys. I think that Robby Weber did an excellent job writing this book, and I am looking forward to his next novel. Robby captured a beautiful story about first loves, heartbreak, as well as change and acceptance. I can't wait to get my hands on my signed copy soon, and reread it all over again!
Thank you for the arc NetGalley and Inkyard Press!
Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC of this book. I think my rating would be more of a 3.5 but I'm rounding up because of my overall enjoyment rather than the text itself. I read If You Change Your Mind over the span of one flight, from waiting in the airport to flying through the sky. It was a pleasure to spend that time with these characters. Overall, I found this book to be the kind of light and entertaining that would make for the perfect beach read (or plane companion!), but it also delved into some more emotional and impactful scenes and themes as well. As in, it's not pure fluff and clear skies ahead, but more sensitive topics like family illness were dealt with well. I would compare my reading experience to the equivalent of watching someone who thinks they know exactly what they want (like our main character, Harry) make a completely different decision out loud and in live time. From college plans that seemed very specific and set in stone to the guys he wants to date (and steer clear of), Harry flip flops back and forth quite often before realizing that there are always other options, other paths, and other points of view to consider. That's really delightful.
I would say that having bits of Harry's screenplay WIP as chapter dividers was a great idea because it's nice to see his work evolve as he writes it (and lives it), but in execution, it took me a long time to really feel like it was going anywhere besides being an off-topic distraction.
All the classic romcom references were a lot of fun, and the main characters were, too. I liked that no one in the story was a "bad guy", including the ex, and the characters in the love triangle were well fleshed out—however very few of the characters beyond these 3 were, the worst being the best friend, who I felt had little to her beyond jumping in every once in a while to yell at Harry and make him have various crises of confidence.
If You Change Your Mind is a sweet, romantic beach read that has just the right amount of self-discovery. The author set out to write a rom-com about queer joy and love and he really succeeded. I can't wait for young people to read this and experience all of its sweetness.
The thing I loved most about this book was the main character. I loved reading about this gay teen just getting to be messy. I found him comparable to the characters in Phil Stamper's Golden Boys in that way. He was fully flawed and human, but learned from all of his mistakes in a way that felt very true to the teenage experience. I loved learning about his family and friends in addition to the romance. He was very sweet and was constantly trying, which is so important.
I also loved the romance, although, like many readers I thought one of the love interests was immediately unlikable, and I thought one of the side characters should have been the romantic interest. This side character was so kind, funny and understanding. Still, the other love interest was very sweet and I definitely rooted for him.
Overall, I really liked this one. The ending felt a little rushed, and I wish the love interests were a little more developed, but this was still so sweet and fun. This is perfect summertime reading and I'm so excited for whatever Robby Weber comes out with next.
If You Change Your Mind follows Harry, an aspiring screenwriter who is determined to win a writing competition to get to the college of his dreams and start his film career. When Harry’s ex Grant suddenly reappears in his life just after Harry meets Logan, an adorable nerd, Harry finds himself torn between two people who could make for his perfect happily ever after. While Harry tries to stick to his plan and focus on his plans for the future, he soon learns that life doesn’t always follow a script.
There’s just something about falling in love during summer. If you’re looking for a read to leave behind the dark, dreary days, then this one might just make the sun in your heart rise! If You Change Your Mind also references an iconic romcom movie with every chapter title which will make long-time fans of classics like Pretty Woman as well as more modern Netflix adaptations smile fondly at the pages.
Admittedly, this book suffers from a lot of issues you sometimes encounter in debuts: there are plot points and conversations that begin but are often dropped when something else interrupts them, convenient plot points are introduced 20% into the story (e.g. a summer job that Harry is supposed to have) and there are a lot of repetitive sentences with little to no variation. For example, as we are following Harry when he learns something about his best friend’s boyfriend, Harry goes through the same cycle of stream of consciousness every few pages about what to do with the new knowledge. By the fourth time this happened, I started skimming these passages. I would have wished for a bit more show than tell in these situations—Harry continuously tells us how conflicted he is, but he literally does it in the same ten sentences every few pages. There’s no variation (or synonyms like “torn” introduced, if you catch my drift) and after a while, it felt like beating a dead horse and made me want to put the book down. Between the chapters, there’s also a screenplay introduced that is written by Harry and kind of mirrors what happens in the novel itself but it again was very much repetitive in its contents. I loved the idea of seeing Harry’s script grow as the story goes on but that could have done with a bit more fleshing-out instead of introducing even more characters that were almost indistinguishable.
All that being said, I did enjoy the overall story. Apart from the repetitions, Weber’s writing style is easy to follow and has a nice flow to it, immersing the reader in this summer of possibilities, love and heartbreak. What I think Weber gets incredibly right is in how he portrays having a crush on someone when you’re a teen. Harry is torn between a few guys in If You Change Your Mind and I enjoyed how they all brought something different to the table, so to speak. Foster is basically a dark horse in the running, Logan is an adorable, sometimes clueless sometimes confident mess of a cute boy and his and Harry’s interactions definitely deliver all the romcom vibes. There’s also Grant, Harry’s ex who’s kind of a douche but does have his moments to shine. While I would have wished for a bit more diversity in the characters, I think readers will definitely root for at least one of the boys to get his happily-ever after with Harry.
There’s also a lovely cast of secondary characters, primarily Harry’s family (his mom and his adorable siblings) that stole the show. I don’t have sisters but Weber definitely made me want to have some after reading his novel. The storyline involving Harry’s aunt gave this book a bit more depth and made this a more emotional read.
Lastly, I really like the overall message of If You Change Your Mind: Harry, as does the reader, learns that not everything in life can be scripted and that sometimes, the best things to happen are the ones we can’t plan for. I think that’s a pretty good way to describe growing up.
Delivering all the summer vibes, heartfelt family dynamics and love rectangle galore, If You Change Your Mind is a fun, light-hearted romcom, perfect for fans of Jason June’s Out of the Blue!
Light summer read about a gay teen caught between the new kid in town and the boy who broke his heart last summer. Some things are cliche, but I think that’s the point, as it hits all the notes we’ve come to love in your typical romantic comedies. It’s super cute and the writing is generally exceptional, although I could do without the interspersed screenplay.
3.75⭐️
Thank you to Inkyard Press, Robby Weber, and Netgalley for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
I had high hopes for this book and it was quite enjoyable! The story deals with main themes of relationships (hetero and homosexual) and the path of life/deciding your future.
I really liked most of the characters in this book. There is one I absolutely cannot stand and couldn’t from the second he walked on the page. I absolutely love Harry and Logan and I love Lottie’s spicy side!!!!! The characters were a lot of fun to get to know and it was refreshing reading a story where there was no homophobia or any sort of remarks that were made. I find all too often when there are M-M or F-F stories that the authors have to include that as an issue the characters have to deal with. I am happy that wasn’t the case here because it gives me hope that one day it will just be what it is and not an issue to some people!
While relevant to the story, I’m not a big fan of screenplay sections in a book so the style of that wasn’t for me. Again, it works well with the story and adds another layer.
I think this is a wonderful story of searching for a life path, dealing with social and societal pressures, and love of all kinds. Pick it up, give it a try and see what you think for yourself!!!! I look forward to seeing what else Weber comes out with in the future!!!!
If You Change Your Mind follows the senior year of Harry and his romantic interests. Harry’s story is intertwined with the screenplay he was writing as part of his application to college. The sweet romance built between Harry and Logan, but Grant, Harry’s ex, was another constant in that romance that often led to problems. Like most teen centered books, the ending of Harry forgetting his goals and dreams to continue a romance felt forced and unrealistic.
grant? or logan? who will harry choose?
this book was such a perfect book to read to get me in the mood for summer. it gave all the vibes and i was living for it. i loved harry’s family dynamic and it was so fun to see his relationship with his sisters. i loved the small town florida feel. i loved harry’s character development as he tried to figure out his goals and aspirations. his desire to become a screenwriter was insanely relatable! and it was cool is even get to read some of his script. i wasn’t a huge fan of his script being after every single chapter but i still enjoyed it. the love V (not a love triangle because logan and grant did not have a “thing”) was a lot of fun to pick a side and route for them. the dramaaaaaa, it was so fun! lol i was 1000% team logan! i ship hargan! but shhhhhh no spoilers! lol
overall, what a great read! it ticked all the boxes and i’m so glad i received an arc for this. now, I’M READY FOR SUMMER☀️!!
preorder now! if you change your mind comes out may 3rd!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5 stars!
This book made me so happy! As a lover of rom-coms, I enjoyed all the references and quotes from some of my favorite movies. But as any LGBT person knows, those movies always center around a male/female love story. Aside from the occasional role as the female character's sassy best friend, gay people don't really have an identity in that world. That's what was so wonderful about this book. It features a gay character and his dilemma as he's torn between three different young men, one from his past who brings back the nostalgia of first love, one who shows future potential and is so much more thoughtful and down to earth, and one who just likes to have fun catching waves and spending time in the sun.
I enjoyed the journey and every scene made me smile. Even though I'm older than the target demographic, it was refreshing to reimagine a high school experience like this one, where the characters were openly gay and homophobia wasn't part of the plot line. Sure, it's all fiction, but it gave me the rom-com I needed as a gay man. Thank you for that. I loved Robby Weber's debut novel and look forward to his future work.
I would gladly recommend this book to young adults to read. The swearing is minimal, the sexual references were rare and pretty tame, and there wasn't any drug use that I could recall. It's a great way to show a world of diversity where LGBT characters can thrive and it's such a great read for anyone who enjoys a sweet love story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.
I have adored following Robby over on bookstagram and could not WAIT to read his debut novel IF YOU CHANGE YOU MIND, winning a physical ARC from Shelf Awareness was super exciting for me!
Lately, I have been in such a bring me all the summer vibes mood, and this title was just perfect for that!
Harry may be living in Citrus Harbor, but his dreams of being a screenwriter are everything. He wants to spend the summer finishing his current screenplay and get started on his award-winning career path. After Grant broke his heart last summer all he wants to do is focus on his work to get into USC.
This book has such great supporting characters - Harry's siblings, his best friend Jess, the co-workers, and Logan's family I fell for them all, they made the story for me, especially the sisters and their ABBA inspired dance parties. Like all the best summer romances there are plenty of mistakes made by all that provide room for character growth.
With his debut Weber nails those feelings first loves and how to move on. focusing on school, family and friends to get over it. The confusion and struggles that come with being a teenager are done in a charming, sweet way that feels nostalgic and vulnerable, I absolutely ADORED Logan, he was my favorite! These teens will make you remember how wonderful the potential of summer could be, full of hope and sometimes heartbreak.
I'll be sharing as part of the Inkyard Press blog tour on 5/6, this book releases on May 31st!
If You. Change Your Mind is charming YA story about young love. It's full of rom com references and charming characters! Harry wants to be a screenwriter and has no time for boys. He's got his goals set and nothing can get in the way. Till he tumbles into Logan, the new very cute boy in town. They start to connect and then Harry's last summer romance Grant comes back to town making things very complicated for Harry. Things get messy and I loved it! If You Change Your Mind is the perfect beach ready! I can't wait to get a physical copy and read it again on the beach!
I always seem to end up crying at one point or a nothing in a book. Harry really had a tough decision and I love the way that Robby brought us along for each step of the way. I was overwhelmed with emotions at point and wouldn’t want it any other way. This book explores the problems with past relationships as well as the complexities of trying to find yourself and falling in love again. And even the terrible moments of wondering if love even exists. The screenplay scenes read a little like “The Extraordinaries” by TJ Klune but overall a good addition.
If you can’t make it to the beach, bring the beach to you.
And reading this soapy summer romance from Robby Weber certainly helped to channel all those boisterous beachy vibes.
“If You Change Your Mind” has all the indulgent teen drama of the best episodes of 90210 and Summerland.
Does anyone remember Summerland?
There is no one more crushable than a surfer-chic Jesse McCartney.
I couldn’t help but imagine the early 2000s heartthrob every time the novel mentioned Foster, the wild-child “town bicycle.”
Which made it especially difficult to palate when Harry treated him so poorly. Like, it’s clear the guy is in love with you.
Nevertheless, I did eventually start rooting for Harry and Logan. Especially after the reveal as to the real reason that Logan is spending his summer vacation in Florida.
All the feelings.
The end of chapter screenplay excerpts were ultra-cringe, but they did seem to authentically replicate what a 17-year-old boy would consider Oscar-worthy.
Overall, mostly satisfying and predictable. AKA a great beach read.
I really wanted to like this one. I love a cute little M/M romance, and this one seemed to fit the bill.
Except...I really didn't like either of the love triangle love interests. Grant is completely unlikable from the get-go, and that really never changed for me...even as the author tried to show him being sweet and attentive. Logan is okay, but his personality is far too generic (the most interesting thing about him is that his aunt is suffering from Alzheimer's...which really only made me more interested in his aunt).
The character that I WANTED Harry to end up with is a simple side character. Harry had a fling with him and throughout the story he's funny and sweet and was just like...WHY IS HE NOT AN OPTION?!
I also didn't love the screenplay sprinkled throughout (it felt like a less-funny version of TJ Klune's The Extraordinaries). I know that Harry is an aspiring screenwriting and he's writing about his life, but it seemed kind of pointless...especially when he abandons it altogether.
Some cute moments, but nothing spectacular.
This book was fine. I liked reading it, and there were ways that the idea of a world where there is a queer boy love square in the summer before senior year of high school was fun. But it sort of felt like there was no there there, you know? It felt like a book i had read before. And i read a LOT of rom coms, so i clearly don't mind that, but i was just sort of left with a sense of "...okay. and?" Don't regret it, but also read it two days ago and can't tell you much about it already.
This was a NetGalley ARC.
If You Change Your Mind will be the perfect book to kick off your summer reading season. Fans of rom-coms from the 90s/2000s will love this book. This book is the gay romcom I wanted to see as a kid growing up in the 90s. I binged read this in one day, I had to know who Harry would end up with. Even the most cynical of people will read this book and believe in love. This book explores love through multiple lenses, familial love, friendship, romantic, and self love. I enjoyed that this was a queer love story, and that queer love was accepted by everyone from the beginning, it was just fact, the love was never attacked or belittled by other characters. I loved all of the movie references and just overall really enjoyed this story and characters. Please add this to your beach read list, you will not be disappointed!