As You Walk On By follows seventeen-year-old Theo Wright, who has it all figured out. His plan is foolproof— exceling at his school so he can get scouted by college recruiters and then live the dream by going to Duke on an athletic scholarship, exactly what his dad always wanted for him. The next big goal, in comparison, is pretty simple: have the perfect prom night. After his best friend Jay dares him to prompose to Theo’s crush at a party, he’s ready to put it all on the line for that perfect night. But when the promposal goes epically wrong, Theo seeks refuge in an empty bedroom while the party continues on. There’s just one tiny thing standing in the way of him having his existential crisis in peace—he’s not alone in the room. As more of Theo’s classmates show up one by one with their own ghosts they’re hiding from, Theo realises he’s not alone in being confused and scared, not by a long shot. And what starts as an unexpected meeting between him, his ex-best friend, a quiet outsider and a few familiar faces might just turn into new friendships that’ll last a lifetime.

As You Walk on by is as close to perfect as books get for me these days. Winters truly put everything in this book —from complex friendships and the challenges that come with re-evaluating them, to incredibly sweet queer romance that kind of melts your heart and learning how to make up for the mistakes you made in the name of protecting the ones you love. Add to that an incredibly fleshed-out, diverse cast of characters that feel like you’ve known them all along and you have a masterpiece. Coming-of-age stories can sometimes feel like too much or too little, but Winters somehow strikes the perfect balance between hard-hitting topics and funny moments that make this novel work so well.

One of the elements of this story that nearly broke me (you know, like, in a good way) is how Winters approaches being an ally and what makes a friendship work. What happens if your best friend, who seems to be your biggest fan, biggest ally…doesn’t really stand up for you when it matters? Only gives a noncommittal shrug instead of saying, “hey, that’s my friend and it’s not okay to talk about him that way”? We definitely don’t talk enough about this in real life. Sure, there’s ghosting and there’s friendships breaking apart for good (and totally ridiculous) reasons but Winters here offers an incredibly vulnerable, nuanced look at what it means to truly be an ally and what kind of horrid turmoil it causes in your heart and mind to question the people you thought you could always trust, no matter what. Theo’s friendships are a central theme of the novel and I loved how there’s not really a good and evil division here—we have people (including Theo) making mistakes, but not everyone owns up to them, and not everyone grasps what they did wrong even when they’re told. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an accurate portrayal of how you sometimes feel obligated to overlook certain things when you’ve been friends for a long time but at some point, enough is enough. And I bet everyone who will read this book may re-evaluate their own friend groups after this.

Lest you think this book is only heavy-handed, there is also so much queer joy within these pages. And most of that joy happens in the room where Theo meets people who turn his whole world upside down, in just a few hours. I loved how open these characters were with each other under these less-than-ideal circumstances. Each of them is hiding from something at that party—and in their lives—but what starts out as hiding turns into finding a piece of themselves in that room. I loved the subtle nod to how every one of us behaves differently depending on who we’re surrounded by. Everyone in the room blossoms into the best version of themselves and while it’s a struggle to cling to that version once they leave the room, I loved how Winters reminds us with this book that to be yourself is always the best course of action. The right people will find you and love you for exactly who you are.

All in all, this book was an absolute delight and shows you that nothing bonds you quite like being on the outskirts—but that it might just be the best place to be sometimes in order to find where you truly belong. A perfect blend of a sincere exploration of what makes a friendship work and much-needed light-hearted moments of queer joy, As You Walk On By is a warm hug for anyone who’s ever felt like an outcast.

This was a really fun, heartfelt read that is exactly as the synopsis describes: The Breakfast Club meets Can’t Hardly Wait, but with more diversity!

I read this in a day because I was so invested in the characters and didn’t want to put this down. This book talks on social economics, privilege, pressures of being a modern teenager with big shoes to fill and maneuvering as a queer youth in a big world.

There were a lot of ups and downs and fun shenanigans. There was also a whole lot of heart in this book. Friendships are tested, new relationships are forged and alliances made, while truths are revealed that give testament to the levels some will go to selfishly achieve their goals.

I highly recommend this book.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from penguin teen and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Comparing this to Cant Hardly Wait was perfect. The setting of a significant portion of this story is an upstairs bathroom/bedroom during a high school party. A found family of queer misfits emerge as each character ends up in that room for their own reason. This group was the best part of the story.

Overall, it was a nice coming up age story with a sweet romance, second chance friendship, and a great father and son relationship.

Such a stunning story. I loved the aspects about code switching, the struggles with being queer and non white, and defying societal norms. Loved this book beyond words.

The pitch of this book "The Breakfast Club meets Booksmart" is brilliant; I clicked "request" the second I saw it. What's even better is that AS YOU WALK ON BY by Julian Winters delivers on that pitch--and, frankly, exceeds all expectations. I can't wait to recommend this to my writing students as a great read and to use it as an example of character depth.

Theo's relationships with his dad and his long-time best friends Jay and Darren are clearly defined in the beginning of the novel. That history and the dynamics feel real and lived-in. As the story continues, we learn more about Theo's relationships, including a surprise (and fantastic) reveal about this dad and the reveal of another past friends. The way these histories unfold as the narrative continues to move forward adds so much depth to Theo and his story.

Julian Winters is also impressive in the way he builds the characters that spend time with Theo at the fated party. I'll avoid spoilers but do want to say that they are all distinct, well-developed, and interesting. What they bring out in each other is something to celebrate; what they teach each other is heart-wrenching and valuable. And genuine! Everything feels earned.

I devoured this book in one sitting--there was no putting it down. I have pre-ordered it and can't wait to read it again.

Heartwarming YA novel celebrating queer POC joy and the harsh reality of friendship.

This is my third time reading a Julian Winters novel (Remy Cameron, Right Where I left you) and all I can say is Julian writes stories that hit the right strands in my heart.

In this one, we follow a junior athlete in Brook Oak High School, Theo Wright, and how he navigates the messy world of teen life.

I really enjoyed how the author developed the main character's relationship with his current and former friends and how the message about the importance of genuine friendship (hint: people who truly cares about you all the time and not only when it's convenient.)

The book is sprinkled with Theo and his queer friends' experience with racism, homophobia, and microaggression coming from the people they trust the most.

It's a quick read and the development of the story can be dissected into pre-Chloe's party, Chloe's party, and post-Choe's party.

As a sucker for found family, I will say that you should definitely read this book if you are looking for an equally important and heartwarming read that will make you realize about the people you value in your life.

Definitely a 5 star read!!

This book was like a refreshing ice-cold lemonade on a hot summer's day, Theo goes through issues with friends, parental pressure, and having to face the music of things he's done for the sake of other people and not himself. I honestly really related to him because having to come to the conclusion that all of the sacrifices you've made weren't really for you is a harsh conclusion to come to. He finds himself in a bedroom with a group of unlikely friends, all of them hiding away from what brought them to the party. Julian Winters blew me away with this incredibly diverse group of characters that were painfully real and had issues that I could relate to I honestly related to Theo's dilemma with his friend group because I've gone through that one too many times and it's always a struggle seeing how your friends can turn into different and harmful people when you arent around. If you loved The Breakfast Club then this is definitely the book for you with more of a diverse cast that'll grip you by your heart and never let go this is a book that'll stick with me for a while

Rep: Black Gay MC, Black Gay LI, Black/Japanese mixed SC, Latinx bi LI, various BIPOC SCs, bisexual single parent, Chinese nonbinary SC, Black queer SC

CW: public humiliation, past death of a grandparent, microaggressions, homophobia, underage drinking, weed, toxic gossip, sexism, misogyny, sexual harassment, biphobia, death of a teen friend by car accident (past)

Thank you Penguin Teen for providing me with an advance copy to read and review.

Thoughts and Themes: I really enjoyed reading Right Where I Left You and because of how much I enjoyed that one I really wanted to read this one. I ended up getting through this one really quickly and could've sworn I wrote the review but I guess I didn't I must have written it in my head or something.

There was a lot that I really did enjoy about this book and one of those things is how quickly everything occurs. This book definitely feels like much more than one night where the majority of the story takes place with everything that is unpacked in that one night. I really do like how everything does occur in such a short time span because it just shows how time changes things.

I love the messages this book sends especially about friendship and what that means. I like how Theo needs to learn to share himself with others and how to move forward from the friendships that were causing him harm. I like that we have to first see him struggle with the loss and things aren't perfect at the end but you see him be surrounded by loved ones because of who he is now.

Characters: In this book you are introduced to several characters through their interactions with our main character, Theo, as well as their interactions with each other. We get to meet his friend group, Jay and Darren, Theo's dad, and a few people Theo meets while seeking refuge in a random room at a party, River, Makayla, Luca, and Aleah, his ex-best friend.

I really loved all of the relationships that are shown throughout this book and how complex they all are. I like how we see friends happen out of convenience and then friends happening because you let them into your life. I really liked watching the group from the room bond with each other throughout the night and watch how that all unfolds. I like how that bond strengthens throughout the book and how they know each other's truth.

Writing Style: This book is told through first person through the perspective of Theo which is something that I really enjoyed. I liked this aspect of the story because when bad things happen we only know how Theo feels and not anyone else. We rarely get to know other people's feelings unless they outwardly express them and I think this adds a layer to the story.

This was the funest thing ever! I love love a good book with messy characters that grow and are just a delight in general and this is filled with that. There's so much amazing representation and it's just a fun premise overall!. The found family vibes were immaculate. Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

As You Walk On By is a coming of age romantic comedy that truly delivers. While this is clearly aimed at a younger age range/audience anyone will be able to feel their heart warmed and be brought to tears by this story. I personally feel this will be really relatable to teens these days and all the characters truly have something to offer!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely adored this book. There was genuine growth in the characters which I feel like has been lacking in a lot of book lately. I fully enjoyed every character in this and wanted to get to know them more. I’d read books centred around along of the characters, especially River! I’d love a novella about them and their best friend. I think it touched on really important topics in a way that felt realistic to a teenager’s life and how they would handle it. Overall, fantastic book.

Reviews Posted: November 26, 2022
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This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotion. I laughed, smiled, and cried my whole way through.

First off, I enjoyed so many of the characters, and the author did a fantastic job of showing imperfections in each of them. So much of high school is spent figuring out who you are and how to be that person around there, and the author captured that feeling perfectly for me. The main character also had a good arc throughout the story, yet he was never made to seem overly perfect, which made it all the more real.

At the start of the book, I thought the whole ‘dare’ concept would not be for me, but I ended up loving that aspect. It was a great way to show character growth in multiple characters, especially by seeing everything from only one perspective. It also showed how each person was more than what people saw on the surface and that often what we see in public is just a mask presented to the world.

I loved that there were so many different friendship dynamics within the book. Sometimes we outgrow people, and it is okay to move on from someone at any point in time.

The romance was so adorable that I could not help but smile. Everything related to the romance gave me butterflies, and I was rooting for them the whole time.

Overall, I loved this book and am so glad I got to read it.

Ever since i read Right Where I Left You, I have hopped on the Julian Winters train and never looked back. I've now read all of his books and have been dying to read and review this one for quite some time. Pitched as Breakfast Club meets Can't Hardly Wait, two of my favorite eighties movies, I couldn't have devoured this faster. Theo is so relatable and this was such an original concept, and I was obsessed with all of the characters we're introduced to throughout the course of the night. And the fact that this takes place inside one room as we see everyone literally walk by? Absolute genius. Full of humor, heart, and a touch of sadness just like a classic Winters novel, this book is everything and definitely a favorite of mine this year, so don't skip it!

This book was like the queer She’s All That + The Breakfast Club came together in a book that I was totally here for by the first chapter when Jay dares Theo to ask Christian to prom & just continued to show it was a must-read YA.

I really admired the strengths and openness of these characters, especially the group of teens who end up in the bedroom together at the party. Each of them running away to hide from what brought them to the party and finding a bit of themselves with the help of this chance meeting. Winters blew me away with the diverse cast of characters he created, and how he was able to write each of their personalities in a way that was unique to them, but easy to find yourself in. There were so many moments in the book where I was blown away at how thoughtfully the moments were written. Winters wrote with such care and intention that beautifully represented how hard high school can be and the pressures of fitting in, and the fine line between standing up for what's right vs. the loyalty you feel towards your friends and family.

Do yourself a favor and read this one, learn from the emotions and heart of the story and get a reminder of what it's like to have the innocence of youth and the struggles you push through to get those moments of happiness. Absolutely one of my favorite recent reads, I cannot wait to share this one with teens + adults alike.

Thank you Penguin Teen for providing me an advance copy to read and review.

Julian Winters has skyrocketed to the top of my favorite authors list! As You Walk On By is the perfect coming-of-age story about discovering who your true friends are and examining how you want to live your life. With the majority of the book taking place in a single location (a bedroom at a house party), the reader really gets to know all of the characters on a personal level, especially the narrator– Theo. This book has it all: an unexpected friend group, a super cute romance, and very real discussions about familial pressure. I laughed, I *cried*, and I fell in love with the entire cast of characters. The writing is simple and aimed at younger audiences, yet Winter explores mature themes that make the story realistic to teen audiences of today. I loved this book. I cannot recommend it enough!

This was so much fun to read! As You Walk on By is perfect for fans of Love, Victor. This is a cute rom-com feel good book.