Thank you to #NetGalley, Serena Kaylor, and the publisher for the eARC copy of this book. Homeschooled student Beatrice has one thing on her mind, going to Oxford. She has dreamed of it her whole life and wants to be able to discover new mathematical challenges. The hardest part though is going to be convincing her parents to let her go. Her parents are hesitate because while she is good at math, she is not so good at making friends. The only way her parents will allow her to go to Oxford is if she makes goes to a Shakespeare camp and complete a list of teenage milestones. Soon friendships and hormones begin. Will Beatrice be able to stay focused at the tasks she needs to complete or will Oxford be in trouble?
I really enjoyed, "Long Story Short" and Beatrice! She was a very relatable character and hopefully one teens can see in themselves if they don't feel like they fit in. I will be recommending this book to others!

Very sweet, light summer read. Loved seeing Beatrice get to know herself and the friendships she formed with Mia and Nolan in a theater summer camp setting. Really enjoyed how Bea doesn't have a "label" but is just shown to be on the spectrum and how that is handled was nice to see.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for both the e-arc and audiobook arc.

I absolutely devouredddd this book! I read it all in one sitting and couldn’t get enough of the characters! I loved that the main character Bea provided great neurodivergent representation! She began the book as a shy but driven teenager, but you really see her come into herself throughout the book. This felt like the coming of age book I have been waiting for. It was more than just a romance book; you got to see Bea grow and open herself up to new people and new opportunities. I also loved that the side characters were fully fleshed out and really added to the plot; they didn’t feel like just one dimensional plot devices. As for the romance, Bea and Nik were so cute and I loved their banter and tension. They were definitely giving enemies to lovers vibes. Overall, such a cute, addictive read! It was a perfect YA book! I couldn’t recommend this book enough.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Loved the setting, great book! If you like summer camps and theatre, this is the one for you. I'd include this on my library display in the summer.

This was such a cute and fun read! The fact that she would step out of her comfort zone, but then step back in, then push herself out again was much more realistic than just doing a 180. And the Shakespeare Quote Off? Love!

I haven't had the when-your-pinkies-touch-and-your-whole-body-feels-like-it's-going-to-explode read in a minute and this was everything I didn't know I was missing out on.

This was every romantic comedy that played out in your head as a teen. Long Story Short was the dream that would have played out in my head if I found out I was going to a summer camp as a high school student.

From the start I adored Beatrice Quinn, she's a neuro-divergent character that is hell-bent on going to Oxford and focusing on her studies. She doesn't want to be stuck at home, having graduated high school at sixteen, taking community college online classes anymore. But her parents can't fathom that Beatrice could handle the huge change that moving across the world, away from home, and into a totally new atmosphere. So they come up with a deal. If Beatrice goes to a summer camp, an acting summer camp, and checks off the 8 items on their list, she can go to Oxford.

This list looks simple and easy to some but to Beatrice it feels like she's going to have to climb Mount Everest this summer. She has to make friends, share a secret, hug three people, in other words she has to force herself out of her routine and comfort zone in a big way in a short 4 weeks. But nothing means as much to her as Oxford, so she's going to make this happen.

Along the way, Beatrice does all the teenage things - friendships, rivalries, dealing with mean girls, crushes, confusion that comes with romance and first crushes.

This was a heady read. I was thoroughly absorbed in this dreamy summer camp and felt every feeling of Beatrice like it was my own. Finishing this book left me with such a giddy and happy mood. I highly recommend tit!

Beatrice Quinn has a plan. She lives in Berkeley, California, and has been homeschooled her entire life. She finished high school early and decided she wanted to go to Oxford University. But her parents are concerned about her moving to the other side of the world without having better social skills (or any social skills). She’s already spent an extra year at home, waiting for her parents to get on board with her plans. And while they were still reluctant, Beatrice applied to the college without their help.

She got accepted.

But now her parents are refusing to let her go, unless she can prove to them that she will be okay in England all by herself. That she’ll be able to make friends, that she can show some flexibility, that she can be willing to try new things. After talking about it, her parents agree to sent her to camp for the summer. They decide on a Shakespeare-themed theater camp and sign Beatrice up for the acting track, so she’ll have to spend time interacting with others and being on stage.

Before Beatrice heads out to Connecticut, her parents come up with a list of things she has to accomplish while at camp. She has to make a friend, share a secret, pull a prank, take a dare, and other summertime teenage activities. If she can check off everything on the list, then her parents may let her go to Oxford. If she doesn’t, they definitely won’t let her go. And that is the thought that she holds in her head when she flies across the country and ends up at a real camp in New England.

Beatrice shares a cabin with two other girls, but only one is friendly. And while Shelby is cold, Mia is bright and colorful and immediately takes Beatrice under her wing and helps her feel more comfortable being so far away from home and so awkward. Beatrice finds herself telling Mia about he list and about Oxford, and Mia is on board for helping her cross things off the list. In fact, she crosses off one thing herself—make a friend. Mia also helps Beatrice get acclimated to the camp and introduces her to others, like Shelby’s brother Nolan. He isn’t an actor, but he’s excited about costume design and teams up with Mia to help check things off the list.

But it’s tall, dark, and handsome Nik that gets under Beatrice’s skin. As the son of the actors who established the camp, he is the obvious choice for the male lead in this year’s play, Romeo and Juliet. And while she digs at him that he may be the lead just because of who his parents are, Nik makes a remark about how she looks, which she takes personally. And when she finds out that he got the role of Romeo because he is an amazing actor, and he starts spending time around her (much to Shelby’s dismay), Beatrice just gets more confused about what Nik wants, and what she wants.

And when Nik and Beatrice decide to put their Shakespeare chops to the test, trading quotes to see who can name the play, Beatrice is determined to win, to prove that she deserves to be taken seriously, no matter how awkward she is. And if she wins, Nik has to dress up in the heaviest costume they have, the Nurse’s costume, with wig and fake nose. But if she loses, she has to give Nik a kiss.

Beatrice only has a few weeks to get in what she’s thinking of as her full teenager experience, so she can report back to her parents that she’s ready to go to Oxford. But will her heart be able to survive being a real teenager, with all of its excitement and heartbreak?

Long Story Short is part Shakespearean magic, part theater kid camp, and all learning experience for Beatrice. Author Serena Kaylor brings so much charm in her debut YA novel that it almost makes me want to go to camp. It’s not specifically stated if Beatrice has some neurodiversity challenges or if she just never learned to play with others very well (or some combination, which seems most likely), but it’s so lovely to see others jump in and help her experience life as a regular teenager. Mia is especially compassionate towards Beatrice and her awkwardness, making sure that Bea understands she doesn’t have to do anything she’s not comfortable with. And she helps her work through her feelings when Shelby is unkind or when her feelings for Nik make her feel overwhelmed.

I will admit that I thought the start of the story was a little slow. But once Beatrice showed up at camp, Mia takes over, and her enthusiasm for life keeps things moving forward at a sharp clip. Then there is so much chemistry between these characters that the energy just fizzes, and I didn’t want to stop reading until the very end. Now I was one of those awkward kids when I was younger, so this did bring up some painful memories, but it’s also so much fun. This is a great read for anyone wanting to get through or get over awkwardness in their teen years, or for anyone who wants a fun read about a summer camp full of theater kids.

Egalleys for Long Story Short were provided by Wednesday Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This was a cute YA summer romance set at a Shakespearean theatre camp as homeschooler Beatrice is forced to attend in order for a chance to gain her parent's permission for early admission to Oxford. Opposites attract in this enemies to lovers romance between Beatrice and the star of the theatre camp (who also happens to be the owners' sons) as she works as an understudy in the summer production of Romeo and Juliet. Perfect for fans of Emma Lord with great social anxiety rep. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review.

Beatrice is a genius who has always dreamed of studying at Oxford. When she gets in at 16, her parents worry that after being homeschooled and not living a normal teenage life, she isn’t ready. As a trial run/compromise, she agrees to attend a Shakesperian summer camp and accomplish a list of tasks her parents have sent her. These tasks include making friends, hugging 4 people, and other “normal” teenage activities. If she completes the list, her parents will allow her to go to Oxford. As she makes her way through the list, Beatrice makes friends and realizes there is more to life than studying.

I adored the characters in this one and how they really brought Beatrice out of her shell. This was truly one of the best casts of characters I’ve read in a book in a while, and I adored every single one. Overall, this was a really sweet story about a booksmart girl coming into her own and learning how to let go and have fun.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the advance copy!

Beatrice (Bea) is 16, homeschooled, and determined to go to Oxford. When she surprises her parents with the news that she was accepted, they agree to consider letting her go if she does something to show them that it won't be too overwhelming for her. They decide that a four week theater camp is the perfect way to prove that she can handle being in a social environment with roommates and a dining hall that doesn't serve mushroom pizza on Fridays or any of the other meals from her daily routine.

I am a theater nut and LOVE Shakespeare, so the fact that this book took place in and around a production of Romeo and Juliet delighted me. Much like the bard himself, the dialogue was witty and snappy, and the writing had a lyrical flow. I enjoyed Bea's interactions with the other campers and the director, and I think her character showed a lot of growth and depth as the story progressed.

The romance felt so normal for a 16 and 18 year old - miscommunication, not being clear about how you feel or what you mean, flirtation that could mean something or just be a provocation to anger... I thought it was so well done.

Bravo to Serena Kaylor for an absolutely lovely book full of utterly delightful characters and love - both romantic and between the centric group of friends. Mia and Nolan's connection with Bea was just as special as the romantic plot and I adored them as characters.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an eARC of Long Story Short. All thoughts are my own.

I struggled to get through this one. I wanted to like it so bad but I couldn’t keep track of the characters and who was talking half the time.

“I could do this. I would do this. I was going to check off every one of those stupid tasks, escape this summer relatively unscathed, and finally get to Oxford.”

Mathematical prodigy Beatrice Quinn has been homeschooled her entire life. Her biggest dream is to go to Oxford University where she can study all day to her heart’s delight. Unfortunately, even though she’s accepted to the prestigious institution, her parents aren’t sure that she’s ready to live so far away by herself—especially since Beatrice doesn’t have a fabulous track record of making friends. Desperate to prove that she’s ready for this new adventure, Beatrice agrees to spend a summer at the Connecticut Shakespearean Summer Academy and complete a list of normal teenage activities that will show her parents she has what it takes to fit in at Oxford. Except things don’t go exactly to plan once Beatrice gets to the camp, and soon she finds herself adopted by a couple of eclectic theatre kids and facing off against the British son of the camp founders who can’t seem to leave her alone. Through a whirlwind of pranks, double dog dares, secret parties, and all kinds of drama, Beatrice has to decide whether she’s going to listen to her heart or her head before the final curtain falls.

Long Story Short was the perfect combination of bookish vibes, theatre shenanigans, and sweet, sweet romance for this book-loving, romantic, theatre girl! Beatrice is a fabulous protagonist, and it was a joy to watch her grow throughout the book. One of my favorite elements though had to be the banter between Bea and Nik. I adored watching the two of them get closer and closer to each other—metaphorically of course (*winky face*)—as the sparks flew. There are also so many great themes included in this story, such as found family, figuring out one’s future, coming of age, and more. Long story short, you won’t want to miss this debut as author Serena Kaylor is one to watch!

Content Warnings: Anxiety, strong language, vomiting, bullying, underage drinking

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Long Story Short, a new YA romcom by Serena Kaylor, was such a fun read for me! It follows Beatrice Quinn, a 16 year old, academically gifted homeschooled student, as she tries to prove to her parents that she is both socially and emotionally ready to head thousands of miles from home to attend Oxford University where she has been accepted.

Beatrice’s parents know their daughter is brilliant and will succeed academically at Oxford, but they also just want to know that if she goes to Oxford, that she’ll be happy, make friends, and have the full college experience. They know Beatrice better than anyone else, and what they know is that while Beatrice may be a genius when it comes to numbers and statistics, but people, specifically how to make friends, are a mystery to her. To put their own minds at ease, they decide to challenge Beatrice – if she can go away to a theater camp on the other side of the country and complete a list of tasks they consider to be “typical” teenage social activities, then they’ll let her go to Oxford.

I loved Beatrice from the moment we meet her and I have to admit that I was kind of angry on her behalf that she has to jump through these hoops to prove herself, but as a parent myself, I could understand why her parents were so worried about her going that far away. There were some characteristics of Beatrice’s personality that made me think she might possibly be on the autism spectrum, but that was never explicitly stated so I’m not sure. At minimum, she is most definitely an introvert and as a fellow introvert, I very much related to her social struggles and was really hoping for the best for her.

I don’t want to say much about the camp itself, so I’m just going to say that Beatrice’s journey is everything I wanted it to be for her and so much more. She basically gets adopted by Mia and Nolan, two other teens at the camp, and they become just as invested as she is in completing her parents’ checklist and giving her the full typical teenager experience. Beatrice learns about the bonds of friendship, how to read social cues, how to apologize if she accidentally offends or hurts someone, and she even learns a little about love.

Long Story Short is a wonderful coming of age story set against the backdrop of a Shakespearean theater camp. If you’re in the mood for a story about friendship, love, and learning to live your life to the fullest, I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a super cute book! I enjoyed going through the growth of our main characters and the journey she faces. The characters were incredibly enjoyable and I loved our main two! Although there are one or two things I found slow or could be fixed, for YA, it is pretty solid.

This was a DNF for me. I made it about 20% before giving up. I absolutely loathed the main character. She was so stubborn and annoying. I couldn't handle her and ultimately put it down.

5 stars = Outstanding!

I loved everything - the characters, Bea's growth, the people she meets at camp, her parents. The "weakest" piece was probably the romance, and that was still great. This was a home run for me! (Language)

Lovely YA summer read about moving past your comfort zone and taking what you want!

Beatrice is a bright, intelligent sixteen year old who’s trying to prove to her parents that she’ll be okay at Oxford all by herself. I feel like there’s a lot of character development that happens and helps her turn into a more independent woman who can rely on herself. Seeing as she’s 16 she’s got a bit of naivety from the lack of socializing, but honestly it’s not really her fault.
Cute book!

Beatrice Quinn is a genius, who has spent the entirety of her life studying at home to get into oxford university. Now that she has finally gotten in, her parents aren't sure that she is ready. beatrice might be super intelligent, but she has not been very successful at socializing with people her own age. she is determined that she will finally find people like her at oxford but her parents don't think it is enough. concerned that she will get lost in her own world where they can't intervene, her parents want Beatrice to prove that she can do something outside of her comfort zone and make new friends. Armed with a list of teenage experiences, Beatrice is sent off to a Shakespeare-inspired summer camp. She has a short summer to prove that she can handle herself in a new environment. Beatrice soon learns that having relationships with others may not be as easy as she thinks. Surrounded by a new group of friends, and some enemies she will tackle her list of parties, pranks, and maybe even love.
.
this book was lovely and shared a delightful and insightful look of an awkward teenage girl who is finally deciding to put herself out there. Beatrice was so so endearing and you can't help but fall in love with her and root for her throughout her challenging summer. Although Shakespeare is a huge part of this novel even if you don't know/ like Shakespeare this was so much fun. I love the chemistry between Nik and Bea, it was such a sweet first love story complete with all the cluelessness and awkwardness.
.
thank you so much Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was very cute. I really enjoyed the Shakespeare elements of the book and the character arcs. It was such a great YA contemporary and I really liked it!

This is a really fun, cute YA romance. It follows Beatrice, who is really smart and loves math and has gotten into her dream school, but her parents are worried because of how much she struggles socially. So what's the best way to help her out? Send her to theater camp! It's not a musical theater camp (to Beatrice's relief), but the theater nerd in me loved the premise. The opening chapter did have me a little skeptical of my feelings though. Mainly because Beatrice's parents seemed a little too judgmental. Beatrice isn't necessarily stated to have autism or anything similar, but there are some characteristics that would make it fit. With that lens, there were times her parents seemed to judge her for not meeting their expectations of what a social life should look like, and times when they seemed to be pushing her harder than I felt was necessary. I'm all for helping people get out of their comfort zones when anxiety gets in the way of social experiences they want, but it's also okay if the level and types of social interaction someone wants is different from "the norm." There were times when it was hard to tell which category Beatrice fell into, but I do think by the end it was clear that she actually did desire the kinds of friendships and experiences that past trauma and anxiety kept her from being able to have.

So, that small rant aside, I really did like this book. As a whole it was fun, humorous, adorable. I loved getting to see Beatrice develop real friendships for the first time and really get to explore the ups and downs of those friendships in a way that was fun and genuine. There is some mean girl drama that's slightly cliche but still fun to read. And of course, there is romance. Enemies to lovers, which is one of my favorite tropes, and it made the process of Beatrice falling in love for the first time more exciting. So, while I was a little hesitant at the very beginning of reading, as a whole I think it was a fun, well-written story with likable characters and a fun, summery, high-school plot that anyone who loves YA romance will enjoy. It kept the book in high ratings for me. And, there's a performance of Romeo and Juliet that's done like it's never been done before ;)