Have you ever read a book smiling throughout it? Well, this one made me smile and I loved it. Nate Plus One was a cute queer love story about Nate who needed a date to his cousin’s wedding in South Africa. When his mom couldn't go and his ex was going to be at this epic wedding, Nate didn't want to go alone. When his best friend/ crush Jai volunteered to go with him as his plus one, he was thrilled, but scared since he had feelings for him. This was a story of love, family, crushes, closures, racism, homophobia, and friendships. As he navigated his way learning more about his father (who passed years ago), his Ouma Lettie (grandma), and his best friend Jai, he learned so much about his own strength, self acceptance and self love. There were tender/poignant moments that I was glad to have kleenix close by, but it was totally worth it.
The ending though I wish was a bit different, maybe an epilogue of what happened in six months time. Overall, I absolutely loved it! I recommend this cute story to everyone that loves love.
There are triggers of death of a parent.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was cute but I wish there was a bit more development. I think having maybe a small chapter from Jai's POV would help.

I received an arc from netgalley.

Nate Plus One follows a high school student named Ben (just kidding it's about a kid named Nate). He is getting over a breakup with his new boyfriend and has a crush on his friend/bandmate hottie, Jai. When Nate goes to South Africa for a wedding and to visit his late father's family, Jai agrees to come with him. But uh oh, his ex is going to be there as well!! What will happen??

I thought this book looked cute and like a fun summer romance read. I was interested in the South Africa aspect as I haven't read any books set in South Africa. Unfortunately, this book felt like a Frankenstein of a queer YA romance, a South African tourism pamphlet, a finding yourself as an artist story, and a chess strategy book.

I say the chess strategy because oh my god did this book just feel like descriptions of what people were doing. "I went to the cabinet. I took out a glass. I filled it with water. I put it to my lips. It felt cold. Then Jai came over and said, 'the water is cold, huh?' I nodded as I felt the cold water slide down my throat." 95% of the prose was just about where characters were and what they were doing. Very much tell and not show. I have no idea how any of the characters felt by the end of the book. And then sections were slammed with South African food and culture, which was fun but felt so "they did this which is done in South Africa" and "they ate this which is a traditional food of South Africa" that it felt like it was for South African tourism and not a cute YA book. And that's not even including the romance or the band subplots! Which were fine. I guess.

I liked the representation and some of the parts about South Africa but this book felt so all over the place that I finished it feeling confused. If any of what I wrote above sounds exciting to you, I would give it a try. 2.25 stars from me rounded down to 2. Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Kevin van Whye’s sophomore novel Nate Plus One follows Nate who is excited to spend the first two weeks of summer with his family in South Africa for his cousin’s wedding. But when circumstances make it impossible for Nate’s mom to join him, Nate finds himself embarking on the epic journey with none other than his best friend (and secret crush) Jai. If only there weren’t the slight issue of Nate’s ex-boyfriend showing up at the wedding…or Nate’s overwhelming feelings for Jai threatening to tear him and his best friend apart. As their trip progresses, both Nate and Jai learn a lot about themselves and what started as an epic fail summer might just turn into a summer of love instead.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, quick and light read, Nate Plus One should wander on your summer TBR immediately.

My favourite part of Nate Plus One was by far the trip to South Africa. Van Whye beautifully describes the geography, cultural heritage and overall vibe of South Africa during Nate’s trip which made me want to pack my bags and sprint off to Johannesburg. Not to mention that there are many instances where you get to know traditional dishes (that sounded delicious) and learn customs you might not be familiar with which is always a plus for me in novels that aren’t solely focused on the U.S. You could also tell that the author knows a whole lot about historical events since Nate learns more about apartheid in this story and I found myself intrigued by how history was approached in this novel. It was a good reminder that we sometimes forget how recent historical events have taken place even though we might not talk about them on a daily basis. Nate also tries to connect with the memory of his late father in this story which played a huge role in how he engaged with family members, which added much-needed depth to this otherwise light-hearted novel.

The friendship and eventual romance between Nate and Jai was also cute and fluffy. I think fans of the mutual pining trope will get their fill here and there are definitely some moments to chuckle when Nate is trying his hardest not to be overwhelmed by his feelings for Jai. I think the characters meshed well together and while I would have wished for a bit more depth for both of them, I liked how they bonded over music and had these moments of utter content between them.

All that being said, Nate Plus One didn’t quite work for me and the reason is that it felt like the book was trying to accomplish too much in a too short amount of time and thus sadly only scratches the surface of many important topics without really following through on any of them. There’s a lot going on and, of course, that’s what it’s like to be a teenager but I think the story would have benefitted more if it had one or two focal issues— just the being in love with your best friend, or the whole homophobic family members or the heritage of your father’s side of the family etc—instead of trying to figure them all out in a book that’s barely 300 pages long. Due to that length, there also wasn’t a lot of depth to the characters beyond what we get told, which is totally fine in a light summery read.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy reading Nate Plus One and if you’re looking for a feel-good with the beloved best-friends-to-lovers trope, then this one might be the perfect read for you to breeze through this summer!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Nate Plus One is a charming sophomore novel, and I continue to enjoy how Kevin Van Whye’s love for romcom tropes shines through in his writing. I’m a sucker for friends to lovers, and he delivers all the feels of that here.
Nate and Jai have such a lovely dynamic, which translates well as they take their friendship to the next level. I very much resonate with Nate’s more reserved nature, while also admiring how he’s willing to step out of his comfort zone for his best friend. And Jai is also a really solid guy who is supportive of Nate in the potentially awkward situations he is prepared to run into.
I loved the infusion of South African culture that comes into the story, especially the way it highlights how recent, relatively, apartheid occurred, and highlighting the changes that have happened since that ended. And the family dynamics are brilliant. Nate worries that they won’t accept he’s gay, as they haven’t seen him since before he came out, but they do. And there’s some touching moments that highlight his lingering connection to his late father that I really liked.
I did kind of wish a few elements had been developed more. The ex seemed like a convenient plot device to motivate Nate to bring Jai along to South Africa, but nothing really came into play with him until it came time to force a third act breakup. And given that music is a big part of Jai’s life, and forms a big part of the agreement between the two, I’d have liked to see more of it sprinkled throughout. We get some scenes, especially at the end, but I’d have liked to see more.
However, I still mostly enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone looking for a multicultural queer romcom.

At first I was really into this story and was ready to give it 4 stars. Then the love story went from 0 to 100 in like a day and it just felt rushed. And it felt like it was only rushed to add more cliche drama at the end which I wasn’t a fan of. Overall, it was a decent read and I liked learning information about South Africa and watching the MC’s write songs. I just wish less drama was added and they left it as two people falling for one another. By the end everything wrapped up a little too easily and I wasn’t really sure how I felt. I guess I would say it was an okay read.

TW: homophobia, death of a parent

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

This was an adorably quick read! Overall, the plot was pretty easy to guess, and the writing was basic. But it was enjoyable nonetheless!

This was very cute! I finished it all in one sitting
A sweet friends to romantic partners story. If you are looking for a quick, mostly light read, this one is really easy.
TW: homophobia in a family member

Nate Plus One is the kind of sweet, wholesome read that you come back to lift your spirits and warm your heart when you've just finished reading a really fantasy book that fizzled a few of your brain cells.

It's really just a simple, maybe a bit predictable YA romance story. It's cute, it's quirky and hilarious.

We have our main character, Nate, who is a young teenager boy who's got a tiny crush on his best friend and is too nervous to think about it (story of their life, right?). I love a good friends-to-lovers, and this book did it perfectly. This book also talked a bit about the racism, sexism, apartheid law and the history of South Africa. It's not really heavy and just briefly skims over these topics, but I I felt like it was a very relevant thing to touch on because of the character's background.

Nate is a likeable, relatable character from the get-go, and you're endeared to him and his friend group.

It deals with all the messy teen anxiety, coming out, family expectations and friendship. It felt very relatable and wholesome and comforting.
I think that if you are are dedicated YA reader, this is going to be the perfect slice of cake for you. But if you're not, the writing feels like a little disorienting because it definitely is simpler, but once you're a few chapters in, its the same feeling of setting in an armchair.

I love a good idiots to lovers and best friends to lovers combo. Nate and Jai were adorable and I was screaming at all their little interactions right up until the end. The exploration of Nate’s family and heritage were really well done and I loved Nate’s emotional arc throughout the book!

I absolutely adored this. Nate was such a fun MC. Being inside his head when he’s all hot and bothered over Jai was such a treat!

And Jai 👀 the perfect swoon-worthy love interest for our shy MC. I mean, c’mon…a guitarist in a band? I don’t know anyone on the planet that wouldn’t fall for this kid.

I really loved the cultural immersion once Jai and Nate reached South Africa, too. And learning about the apartheid. It’s always a good day when I can get a history lesson with my dose of queer romance:

If I had anything negative to say, it would be that at times Nate’s voice felt a little more juvenile than it should for a boy who is seventeen. But otherwise, a stunning sophomore novel from van Whye!

3 stars!

This was a cute (but VERY cringe) novel.

Plot:
Honestly, I thought that the plot would have more music, given the synopsis, but it just didn't? And it waaay too much romance focussed- I love me a good gay romance, but the entire book was Nate pining for Jai, and then it wasn't even technically a slow burn. But it was still a cute plot- best friends to lovers, so yeah, it's cool.

Characters:
This was where the book lost most of the points for me. The side characters were perfectly fleshed out, and so was Nate's, but I just couldn't pinpoint Jai's personality. I was also excited since Jai is of Indian origin, but I was a little disappointed to find out that his name's where the rep ends :(

Writing Style:
It was fun, but just a wee bit dramatic for me!

I recommend this novel to anyone who's looking for a quick gay romance read!

TW: homophobic relative

Rep: gay African American MC, bi Indian American loveinterest, gay SC; best friends to lovers


Nate is a nerdy and kinda shy teenager living with his single mother in the US ever since his father died when he was still a small child.
When they both get invited to his (very rich) cousins wedding in South-Afrika, including first class tickets and all, he’s extremely excited to finally see where his father grew up.
But the plans get upset when his mum has to take some sick coworkers shifts at the hospital.
Nate needs a replacement date for the wedding desperately, finding out his ex boyfriend will be there only making things worse.
So when his best friend and secret crush offers to come, how can he say no? Seems like the perfect idea, right?
But how will Nate manage to keep his feelings hidden and how will seeing his ex for the first time after their horrible break up again be?

I absolutely loved that this book takes place in Africa! I don’t think I’ve read a book like that before and I loved learning more about the traditions, local food and history! It was perfect that Nate was kind of a tourist himself, so we got to experience it all with him for the first time and things were explained in a little more detail.

Nate and Jai both play in a band and they’re both music lovers. I loved seeing them work out song lyrics together and go to practice.
Their romance was also very cute, for my taste we were thrown into the story a little too sudden though. I would have loved to learn more about their starting point, how their relationship developed and what made Nate fall in love with him.

All in all for me there was a little too much going on in this book.
We have Nate visiting his fathers family for the first time, Nate and a relative having their issues, Nate’s ex boyfriend being at the wedding all the way across the world (kind of a huge coincidence), Nate’s feelings for Jai, the band thing, Nate’s stage fright, the competition and the huge drama at the end (no spoilers).
To me it was a LOT and I didn’t really see where the plot was going and what the main theme was here.
It didn’t help that the style of writing was rather simple and clinical, which was my main problem with this book.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy YA LGBTQ+ romance with an amazing setting and realistic teenage characters this will be for you.

4.5 stars rounded up

This was very cute gay friends to lovers romance! And a TRUE YA romance, not just a contemporary with a romantic subplot! (which is surprisingly hard to find)

Nate is a talented singer with stage-fright who is excited to attend his cousin's glamorous wedding in South Africa. But this will be the first time he sees that side of his family since coming out as gay. And then he finds out that his secret ex-boyfriend will be there too.

Jai is part of a successful indie rock band and Nate's best friend. When their lead singer bails right before a big competition, Nate offers to fill in and Jai offers to come to the wedding as a plus one to provide buffer with the ex. But Nate is secretly crushing on Jai and the feeling just might be mutual...

I really enjoyed this and loved how much it got into South African culture and history as well. The author is a biracial gay man from South Africa and you can see how that experience is woven into the story. The book touches on apartheid and how recent it really is among other things. There are some instances of homophobia though most of Nate's family is supportive and accepting of who he is. The book is also very sex-positive. While anything beyond kissing happens off page, it is clearly stated that condoms were used. Overall a great book! Definitely would recommend. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

When Jai's band loses their singer to a rival group, Nate steps in to help Jai win Battle of Bands. And when Nate needs a plus one to his cousin's wedding in South Africa, Jai volunteers.

Through their trip abroad and collaborating on the new song, the distance from home brings them closer together. Nate can't believe Jai, one of his best friends and a super talented guitarist, would like him back. But it's clear that Jai has feelings too. Jai's confident enough to pursue the relationship, but hurdles appear when it seems Nate has unresolved feelings about his secret-ex-boyfriend.

I loved the bisexual representation, which was discussed positively in the book. I found Nate and Jai's relationship very endearing, while also modeling healthy levels of respect, communication, and boundaries.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC!

This was a cute romance with lovable characters! It had my favorite trope best friends to lovers which made me love it more!

A huge thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
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If you want a fast-paced, YA novel with a gay main character and bi love interest, this is the book for you! I flew through this book, partially because the chapters are short and the syntax is quick, but also because the plot never stops driving forward. Nate is a lovable character, and I wanted him to succeed in all of his dreams for the future. Jai is an interested love interest, with hopes and dreams of his own, and it is definitely a nice change of pace to have Nate's ex Tommy play a larger role in the book.
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Both Nate and Jai are mixed race, which also plays a large part of the novel as they travel to South Africa to visit Nate's father's hometown for a family wedding. Van Whye layers in the history of apartheid that is not typically taught in American public schools, along with many cultural customs in South Africa. The book made me want to do some more research on the cultural differences that were brought up. I also loved that music played such a large part of both Nate and Jai's lives, though they both came to it differently.

Needed a distraction from my anxiety, and this was a good fit. It was a very quick read, with a cute romance, and I loved seeing Nate go on a trip to South-Africa, to see his father's family. I was however hoping that music would play a bigger part in this book - it mostly took a backseat when the synopsis suggested otherwise. Also, I felt like the story was a little underdeveloped and I would have liked it to be fleshed out more.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our list for order this year and will recommend it to students.

I loved Nate Plus One! This is a great YA LGBTQ romcom. Nate is a dynamic main character, I loved watching his relationship with Jai develop. And I got to learn a few things about South Africa along the way! Will keep this one on the shelf for sure.