A fun rivals-to-lovers slow burn romcom. I enjoyed how Liz and Darcy were both able to grow into better versions of themselves throughout the trials they faced.

I really enjoyed Liz's character, though I do wish Daria and their connection had been fleshed out more. I enjoyed Jane a lot and enjoyed that she had her own arc as well.

I did feel like the conflict was blown out of proportion for what it was, though, especially considering that Liz had no intentions of ever sharing it with anyone. Everyone came down on her WAY too harshly. She was entitled to her own feelings. And like she even said, it was almost like a journal entry, so it was a little odd to me that everyone got so mad at her for her own private thoughts that were written at a very emotionally charged moment.

I also would have liked more showing, less telling. There were parts, especially at the beginning that read like an info dump and had almost too much detail.

Overall, I really enjoyed Liz's character, and ultimately she is the main reason I enjoyed the book. She had that perfect balance of being quirky but not so much so that it wasn't believable. I also loved her tenacity when she realized her feelings for Daria. I would definitely read this author's work again.

As soon as I heard about this book, I wanted to read it, and it didn't disappoint! I'm a huge Pride & Prejudice fan and also queer, so naturally a queer P&P retelling is right up my alley. This book is so clever. I loved how Austen's themes and storyline were reimagined in this modern day NYC young queer context. I found myself rooting for Liz, the main character, immediately, and Daria Fitzgerald really feels like a modern day Mr. Darcy. In other words, swoony and at times infuriating! There were also moments where the characters discussed very real feelings and thoughts I've had that I haven't seen discussed or presented elsewhere. For example, Daria goes into the fear and anxiety she experiences when she enters any space as a queer woman, and how those feelings can color her perception of the world to her detriment. That whole section really spoke to me, as well as Liz's feelings about her own gender representation and identity. This book does what its own characters strive for--representing the queer experience with joy and drama and everyday problems, down to the stress of waiting for someone to respond to your vague IG posting! I really loved it and will be recommending it widely.

(1.5) oh boy, i really wanted to like this book. i really did. unfortunately, i didn’t.
this book is a prime example of why “show don’t tell” is important… and not in a good way. people’s sexualities, races, and hobbies are pigeonholed into their introduction, this also had the added effect of making the diversity feel forced. most of these labels were brought up once in their description and never again. it wasn’t a part of their character, it seemed like they were just tacked in for arbitrary diversity brownie points.
the main romance felt very two dimensional as well. i don’t think the “oh but she was into you this whole time” works very well in this scenarios because there were no hints up until then. it felt like they went from hating each other to professing their undying love to each other in a couple pages.
i know this is camille kellogg’s first book and i think they definitely have potential! i liked the concept and the little nods to new york, i just think this book felt a little amateur.

This book will definitely be going on my list of all time favorites. I don’t even have the words to describe how much it means to me to read about a character figuring out their gender expression and navigating life as a queer person who doesn’t know exactly who they are yet. To have so many characters casually use they/them pronouns was so powerful to see. Gender identity is never made out to be a big deal in this book, which is so refreshing.

I am usually not a big fan of slow burns. I would rather read about a relationship than get invested in two people who don’t get together until the very end. But this time, I loved it. Daria and Liz had such a rollercoaster of a relationship that I couldn’t look away. I was so drawn into these characters and their world that I could not put the book down. Even all of the supporting characters and side plots were incredibly well written. We need more books like this.

I absolutely loved this debut book from Camille Kellogg! The range of characters and the depth of the storyline itself was awesome! Main Character Liz works for a queer magazine that is on the cusp of being shut down until two new owners come into the picture to try and save the day. From there, an enemies to lovers romance! The story of Liz and Daria was so well written that I could picture exactly how everything went down with them and their friends.

I loved how the author put the reader into Liz's mind as she worked through her thoughts and feelings on her personal and professional life. The book wasn't solely about a love story either...there were lots of underlying stories about gender identification, defining queerness and more. The variety of characters you meet throughout the book is lovely and I'd read a book about any and all of them!

Equal parts light and fun and hot and heavy...you'll love this book if you like reading queer stories!

Just as You Are was a delightful and refreshing queer retelling of Pride and Prejudice and I could not put it down. Kellogg creates this beautiful found family with loveable and eclectic characters in a space you never want to leave. The character dynamics and friendships are complicated and messy and lovely and add to the perfect bit of escapism and levity that this book creates.

Thank you to NetGalley for this delightful ARC, I can’t wait for the next Camille Kellogg book!

Just as You Are was everything you could ask for in a Pride and Prejudice retelling. The angst, the pining, the tension…that scene in the kitchen….Swoon!

This book had me hooked from the jump. It starts right off making you feel so invested in Liz and her tight knit group of roomies/coworkers as they navigate a takeover of their beloved company by outsiders Bailey and Daria. Liz and Daria get off on the worst foot and from there the games begin.

I highly recommend this for fans of enemies-to-lovers, queer romance, and just good books in general. You won’t regret it!

Thank you so much to Dial Press and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Queer found family? sign me up! this was such a lovely story that I really enjoyed. The romance was nice but I think my favorite part of this was the friendship and their beautiful dynamics.

I did not love this book. The idea is great, and I enjoyed the plot, but the rest of it wasn’t really fleshed out. Liz and Daria just don’t seem to have a healthy relationship. It’s very will-they, won’t-they and a lot of back and forth, and I just wasn’t invested. Weston was extremely two-dimensional, and Jane and Bailey were very cliche.

This was such a lovely little Queer interpretation of pride and prejudice, it took me significantly longer than it should have to realize this. I think that Kellogg made really intelligent decisions in how they showcased the diversity of queer presenting people and the intersection of their identity struggles. By no means is this groundbreaking or revolutionary, but it is fun escapism and a non traumatic queer story, and I can't ask for better representation than that.

I loved this book. I am a sucker for Pride and Prejudice retellings and the fact that they were lesbians made it so much better. I loved the modern queer magazine take on the plot and how true Liz and Daria were to Lizzie and Mr. Darcy, despite how different the setting was. The conflicts were just so perfect and I loved that the book followed the plot of Pride and Prejudice without being predictable. This was such a good retelling, and simply just amazing outside of that.

This cover was what drew me in - and I really enjoyed this title.

I don't think that I felt like there was much of anything contrived or said just to be said in this novel. It felt really real, really authentic, and although there were a few fantastical elements I think it really spoke to me and came across 'just as it is'.

It was also a bit of a surprise, and at first unwelcome but then refreshingly I realized how welcome it was, to not have it be full of sex. This was more than sex, more than heated moments. Which brings me back to the last paragraph of my review - it's real. Life is more than sex. It's more than heated moments. It's figuring things out, losing friends, questioning choices and decisions.

I really liked this book.

You had me at queer Pride and Prejudice inspired but wow, I’m blown away at how much I enjoyed this.
I haven’t connected with a character quite like Liz Baker before. It was so easy for me to feel for her while she navigated friendship, dating, an upcoming layoff, and how to present herself to the world comfortably and authentically. Parts of Liz reminded me of parts of me and seeing her character development until the very end is damn near inspirational. Liz’s struggles with gender presentation were written incredibly well and in a way that I think most people can empathize with, even if they’ve never struggled personally.
I wanted to throw hands with Daria at first, ngl. The author does an excellent job at showing us why Daria is the way she is and by the end, she’s 100% my favorite character.
The NYC vibes were immaculate.
Liz’s roommates and coworkers (except one, you’ll understand who once you read it) are the queer friend group of my dreams. Liz’s relationship with Jane is so special, I love them so much.
The representation in this book is so important and an honest delight to read. The amount of stellar queer books that are coming out honestly makes me emotional. This would have meant the world to me as a disaster bisexual trying to figure shit out in my early 20’s. As a disaster bisexual nearing 30, it still means the world to me.

Liz Baker is a pop culture and listicle writer (who is a lesbian) at queer online magazine, Nether Fields (an online queer publication that is owned by a queer woman of color) which is teetering the line of shutting down. When our story begins it is believed to be the magazines last day when two independently wealthy queer women purchase the magazine. Majority investor Bailey Cox and minority investor (and Bailey’s best friend) Daria Fitzgerald. Bailey is bubbly and friendly and optimistic while Dara is prickly and a realist at best and pessimist at the worst.

Right after Bailey and Daria meet the team for the first time (a meeting where Liz was very in her head and rambling) Liz comes back to the conference room to retrieve her forgotten water bottle when she hears Daria say some less than favorable things about her, fueling Liz’s intense dislike of Daria from the beginning.

The characters in this book are MESSY (I mean, this is a Pride and Prejudice re-telling). They’re dramatic, they’re emotionally volatile, they love deeply, they get angry, they don’t always think before they act, they’re flawed and they’re not always 100% likable. I believe this makes them far more reliable and realistic.

Liz’s three roommates: Jane (a black trans woman), Lydia (who is non-binary) and Katie (a curvy, queer, woman of color) all also work at Nether Fields along with Liz. Jane being Nether Fields star writer and Liz’s best friend. Soon after Bailey and Daria purchase the magazine, Jane becomes romantically involved with Bailey. There is also an outing where one of Liz’s romantic interest is present and there is some clear backstory and bad blood from earlier in life with Bailey and Daria while in college.

I don’t wan’t to give away too much more of the story but this is very much Liz’s story and she isn’t a perfect person. She is deeply flawed, insecure, anxious and judgmental and doesn’t always bite her tongue when she should but she is also passionate, caring, creative and a devoted friend. She apologizes when she knows she’s in the wrong and attempts to do better and listen.

There are a few instances when I felt Liz and a few of the other characters came off as particularly immature or petty that feel a little juvenile but I don’t think that’s always unrealistic, as I think all people can be that way.

Overall, I enjoyed this very queer story full of modern queer pop culture references and full of heart and the ups and downs of life.

4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!

A QUEER PRIDE AND PREJUDICE-INSPIRED ENEMIES TO LOVERS ROMANCE???? *requests*
I’m so glad I got to read this. It delivered exactly what it said it would.

My favorite things:
1) The Found Family trope. The friend group was super realistic and their dynamic was great.
2) Liz’s character development. I think her gender expression was very well written, and it was wonderful seeing her figuring her life out.

This was such a good book. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest book review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. A delightful queer romance with a whole cast of quirky characters. The setting of an LGBTQ magazine made this book next level gay & not in a bad way. I could have used more chapters of the happy ending!

I really enjoyed this. Creative set up with a group of friends instead of sisters, I loved the way Lydia's betrayal was set up. Daria was complex and interesting, and I adored Jane and Bailey as a couple. The one thing that bugged me was that Daria didn't do the big selfless gesture at the end that has become so much part of P&P for me. I mean, yes, she did nice things, but one of them was before Liz went off on her and the other is something any decent human would have done. Or maybe the Insta-finish was just too slow building for me. Good overall, but the end wasn't what I'd hoped for.


Review based on ARC.

A huge thank you to Camille Kellogg, Random House Publishing, and Netgalley for an eARC inexchange for an honest review. Just as You Are comes out April 25, 2023.

Just as You Are is a a queer modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Liz is a listicles writer at Nether Fields, a queer magazine that is vert close to shutting down. She lives with Jane, Katie and Lydia who happen to also work at Nether Field. All four are contemplating what they are going to do with their futures and lets be honest how they are going to pay the rent, that is until the magizine is bought by Bailey and Daria. Due to some quick judgements Daria and Liz do not get off on the right foot, it seems that they actively hate each other. Even though Liz has been given evidence that liking and trust Daria are not in her best interest, but will she be able to keep resisting the atraction she senses between them and can she really trust the sources of said evidence.

I have to say that Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite movies and classic novels, and I thought that Camille Kellogg did such a good job retelling it. Liz is loyal, caring, and driven but she is also impulsive and stubborn. Daria is arrogant, harsh and closed off but she is also loyal kind and driven. Both characters make quick and harsh judgments about one another right off the bat, and to get to the end they had to go through alsot of charcters growth. I think that there was amazing representation including different people of gender, sexuality and race. I liked that Kellogg didn't shy away from there being conflict in the main queer friend group, it was honest and real. The only thing i would have loved was if there was an epilouge a couple years in the future.Otherwise, Come as You Are is brimming with romance, heart and queerness and it was an honor to read. I am looking forward to read what Camille Kellogg will write in the future.

For all the people who've read Pride and Prejudice and thought, "I wish this were a modern sapphic workplace romance."

I'm torn on this one, because although I loved the concept, I think the execution wasn't fully there for me. I was hoping for more depth to the characters and the story and the relationships. I also think that the book may have relied too heavily on the audience knowing the names/backstories of the characters from Pride and Prejudice, because for at least the first part of the book, it would have been hard to keep up if you weren't familiar with them. I had to constantly remind myself that it was a retelling just to keep the characters straight.

That said, the representation was excellent (only one character wasn't explicitly queer!), and it was an overall enjoyable read!