Camille Kellogg’s upcoming debut adult rom-com, “Just As You Are,” is a sapphic “Pride and Prejudice” retelling that will be published next year by Penguin Random House. Liz Baker dreams of being a novelist and telling the kinds of queer stories she never had growing up, but due to her current job as a columnist at queer magazine The Nether Fields, she barely has time to write outside of work. And just as the magazine is about to shut down for good — which would secure Liz the opportunity to work on her novel for the first time — it gets bought by two wealthy women. The two investors are Bailey Cox and Daria Fitzgerald, the latter of whom is an attractive butch lesbian. Only, when Liz meets them, she discovers that Daria is not only determined to cut costs but also hates Liz and her “fluff articles.” But the more Liz and Daria’s paths begin to cross, Liz discovers another side of Daria, one that’s much softer than she expected. And rather than hating Daria, Liz finds herself falling for her.

Kellogg writes an intimate, witty portrayal of queer life in the novel, one in which every character of the cast shines in their own right. And the exploration of queerness alongside gender presentation was remarkable; Liz’s struggle with how she wants to present herself to the world, finding herself most often in the space between butch and femme rather than clearly one or the other, is an experience many queer readers will relate to. At its heart “Just As You Are” is a book about everyday queer life and lets queer readers know that a happy ending exists for them, even if they’re imperfect and unsure of themselves.

Daria and Liz’s romance was written beautifully, full of yearning and misunderstandings but a testament to this idea of love as something that doesn’t have to be earned and can instead be the result of someone seeing every part of you and finding that it’s enough. Despite the struggles both women have with their queerness, it ultimately is something that enriches their lives, and they’re able to find happiness because of it. As a lesbian who adores Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” this novel felt like home and as if it were a promise of all the things to come in my own future. The novel is currently available for pre-order.

A realistic and enjoyable romance that is all too easy to read in one sitting, JUST AS YOU ARE has wonderful queer representation and an important message, paired with a delightful romance that gives a wonderful sapphic twist Pride and Prejudice fans are sure to adore.

I adored this. It felt so queer and familiar and fun. I especially loved Liz, and if I'm honest, there were a lot of moments when I thought she could do better than Daria. But by the end I was fully rooting for them, so Kellogg definitively did the work of building that relationship. If I have any complains is that the final conflict felt a bit confusing to me. I couldn't remember anything in the book that set-up Liz and Jane's relationship would go in the direction that it did, so some of the reactions felt a bit off to me. But I still really loved he book (and I wanted more Jane and Bailey for sure).

Just as You Are by Camille Kellogg was a phenomenal debut rom-com!
A beautifully written sapphic contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice.
I enjoyed reading Camille Kellogg's writing. I especially liked the angsty moments. This is one of those books where you continue reading because you want to know what will happen next.
Kellogg's characters are well written, relatable, and fun to read.
I'm excited to see her next creative book and characters!
A romantic, delightful enemies-to-lovers story.
Truly a captivating page turner!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Random House & Dial,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the chance to review this novel.

This is a pride and prejudice inspired novel, and I would probably have told you, before reading, that the world didn’t need another one of those. But I was wrong. The world needs this one! Everyone else can stop as this was my favourite Austen-inspired romance so far.

I love the queer village of characters the novel sets up, in the context of folks working at a small lesbian magazine in NY that is struggling and bought by some rich investors. The characters are sharp and interesting. The plotline is creative in its reinterpretations so you don’t feel like you immediately know what is coming. The romance is sweet.

There is a fair amount of soul searching by our main character, which I might have had issue with if I didn’t relate to her so much. Quite a bit of discussion early on about her self-presentation and where she fit in the queer spectrum - something I also dealt with when I was younger. Confidence struggles and a lack of clear direction by the protagonist also came through and it gives the romance a bit of depth. Nice work.

A sapphic contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice, Just Are You Are is clearly the work of someone who loves romance and New York City and queer community and the nuances of instastory signaling. I started this book thinking it would be charming and I ended up so engrossed it made me cry. Liz Baker is a white writer for a queer women’s magazine, Nether Fields. She lives with her roommates who also work at the magazine. Jane is a Black trans woman who’s the best writer. Lydia works in ad sales and Katie is on the pop culture beat. At the beginning of the story, they’re all commiserating that Nether Fields is shutting down after two decades with Charlotte at the helm. Well, mostly commiserating. Liz is secretly relieved because she’s tired of writing advice columns and listicles and is ready to try to become a Serious Writer. And then, at the eleventh hour, the magazine is saved, by a friendly woman, Bailey Cox, and a less friendly minority owner, Daria Fitzgerald. Plot ensues. Happy endings for the main couples all around.
One of Liz’s big dilemmas is what kind of writer she wants to be. She had started a blog and liked that but it had tapered off. And she likes getting readers with her pithy writing but also feels like it’s not substantial enough. I liked this part but wanted more of Liz’s writer voice. Give us more blog excerpts. And just as Liz is trying to figure out her authorial voice, she is also trying to figure out her gender presentation. She’s often feeling like her outfit doesn’t match how she wants to be presenting, and she also doesn’t have the money to find clothing options that do fit her vision (there is a flowered jacket that I thought would be Chekhov’s gun but it is hardly mentioned again). Daria on the other hand is masc and wears suits and works in finance. The conversations and connections between Liz and Daria are great, but again, I wanted more that shows the connection between the two at the beginning. Still, Kellogg hits on Fitzgerald’s introvert nature that comes off as stuck up but is not about that at all, really. Class issues come up in the book, and you get a good picture of what living in New York is like at both Liz’s income and Daria’s.

One of the changes I liked most was changing the scandal/crisis to not be something that happens to Liz or her found family but something they do. Liz has to take ownership of her culpability here in a way that reflects how much more active a role she has in 2020’s queer New York (versus 19th century England). It’s not enough of a scandal for Lydia to run off with the Wickham character (here Weston); Lydia (and Liz) do something that attacks the legitimacy of Nether Fields. And Daria doesn’t fix everything like OG Darcy does; instead, Liz steps up publicly while Daria works back channels.
Even the little nitpicks I’ve mentioned here (and also the queersplaining of the significance of each of the rooms at the Nether Fields office irks. Just call it the Kiyoko kitchen and trust that the reader will get it) don’t detract from the joy of the book, which manages to be celebratory while still talking about the downfall of print media. Just As You Are is an intensely hopeful book as well as a romance. And the big finale scene is a messy muddy delight (though this reader would have loved an epilogue). Just as the movie Fire Island showed new layers to Austen’s classic, so does this book as its spiritual sister.

I got an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars
This queer romcom had me from the beginning to end. I loved how liz was still trying to figure herself out and how relatable that was. The way everyone came together, I lived for the characters no matter if they were mentioned for just a second or was in the book from the beginning they were funny,relatable, and just down right amazing (well expect for a couple people). this book is perfect and so relatable I cried,laughed, wanted to scream at a couple of people.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me this arc!!
This review will be posted on my booktok at the end of November!

Unfortunately not for me. I couldn't connect with the characters. Loved the idea as it might work for others. I just unfortunately struggled as characters and I couldn't connect. Might try again at a later stage

I will never say no to a queer Pride and Prejudice retelling. Especially one that includes a work place romance.

Liz and Daria were fully evolved characters and not hollow misrepresentations of Elizabeth and Darcy from the original tale. I appreciate an author who sticks to the basics but with their talent is able to elevate a tried and true story to the modern age.

The amount of LGBTQIA+ rep in this story is something not to be missed. So often it can feel shoehorned, but here its truly enveloping. I had wonderful time reading this book and you will too.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dial Press Trade Paperback, and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for providing an eARC in exchange for a sincere review.

This might be my favourite Pride and Prejudice retelling I’ve ever read! This queer retelling is heartwarming and I can already tell that these characters will stick with me for years. I thought Daria especially was masterfully written- she initially reads as so cold and detached but as the story progresses we see proof of her affection for others and what a complex character she is.

One of my favourite things in this book was the portrayal of friendship and community. The dynamics of the friend group are so complicated that it seemed incredibly realistic. So many of the scenes between characters just absolutely warmed my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest review!

I thought this was a wonderful book, and loved all the characters. I ended up reading it all in the same day and it completely sucked me into the story. What I really liked about the characters was how realistic they were. These people made mistakes, just like regular people, and the characters were able to work through their issues in a normal, non-outrageous way.

I loved this book! It was funny, relatable, frustrating, happy, sad and it was amazing. There is alot of characters and stuff going on with everyone throughout this book so I was confused at some points and it was hard to keep track of all the time.

This was an adorable book, I love the queer retelling of pride and prejudice.

This is a great millennial book

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

4.0 stars
Taylor Swift song I'd assign to this book: Snow on the Beach (ft. Lana Del Ray)

An ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. A sapphic Pride and Prejudice retelling featuring a hot butch love interest, a bit of gender confusion, and workplace romance(s).

I think this is the perfect millennial contemporary queer romance. I get that on some parts of the internet, this could be an insult but I don't mean it as one. I just mean that this book is perfect for this demographic because it is written about that experience. This book is for people who grew up on tumblr and took "Am I Gay?" Buzzfeed quizzes with your phone tilted away from anyone who could see. For people reading queer advice columns on a private browser because you were just so desperate for guidance and felt lost and confused about how to identify and how to present. For people who, despite every possible thing holding you back, were still able to carve out queer spaces for themselves and their friends. This book is for late-20, early-30-somethings who are just trying to figure it out and scared to try but scared to not-try.

Some people might not get this one and may scoff at the way the queer references are laid out but I think if you've experienced it, you'll know it and you'll get it.

Absolutely yes! I really enjoyed reading this novel. The characters were fun, it held my interest, and provided an escape from reality. I would definitely recommend!

I LOVED this book. It's such a real and sweet read. I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day. It was the perfect combination of romance and life with a nice sprikle of spice. It felt relatable but fun.

I feel in love with Liz, Jane and Daria. Their lives, their heartbreak, their fights and difficult situations. Everything. Their stories felt so real and raw. They discussed the challenges LGBTQ+ face in real life sitations and brought life to this sweet romance read like so few other books have.

Liz was so relatable. Following her through her slump with work and relationships, questioning who she is hit hard. I wanted to know more about Daria and her life.

I need a follow up book to this. I want to know what the future holds for them. I want a full story on Jane and Bailey. I want to know what happens next with Katie.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level 🌶️🌶️/5

I started this book and couldn’t put it down. I read it all in one setting and let me just say I loved every minute of it!

We love a good enemies to lovers trope. This book was so well written. I’m obsessed and wished there was more.

I love that every character in this book is a representation of the 2SLGBTIA community. The found family and roommates made me fall in love the first few chapters.

I laughed, cried and quite literally cursed at this book in a good way.



Book description:

The only thing worse than hating your boss? Being attracted to her.

Liz Baker and her three roommates work at The Nether Fields, a queer magazine in New York that’s on the verge of shutting down—until it’s bought at the last minute by two wealthy lesbians. Even though Liz is eager to leave listicles behind for more meaningful writing, she knows that she’s lucky to still have a paycheck. But it’s hard to feel grateful with minority investor Daria Fitzgerald slashing budgets, cancelling bagel Fridays, and password protecting the color printer to prevent “frivolous use.” When Liz overhears Daria scoffing at her articles, she knows that it’s only a matter of her time before her impulsive mouth tells Daria off and gets herself fired.

But as Liz and Daria get thrown together more and more, Liz starts to see a softer side to Daria—she’s funny, surprisingly helpful, and actually seems to like that Liz’s gender presentation varies between butch and femme. Even as the evidence that Liz can’t trust Daria piles up, it starts getting harder and harder to keep hating Daria—and harder and harder to resist her. 

This page-turning, sexy, and delightfully funny rom-com celebrates queer culture, chosen family, coming of age, and falling in love against your better judgment.

Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone and can’t wait to read more from Camille Kellogg in the future.

★★★★☆ - 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴

at first, i was a little hesitant on how i would feel about this book. the start was a bit slow for my liking, but i really did end up enjoying this read! i actually finished a majority of it in one sitting. the story follows liz baker, a journalist for a queer magazine called the nether fields. i found her to be endearing but frustrating at times, but that's why o think i ended up liking her so much. she felt very realistic, and seeing her struggles with how to portray herself will really hit home with some readers. her relationship with her roommates is something that i love, especially the friendship between her and jane.

onto daria fitzgerald, i really wish that we got to dive more into her character. at first, i really overlooked her and her character. don't get me wrong, i am a huge fan of characters being more than meets the eye, but i found myself craving more and more from her. as a reader, we really did not get to see much of her true personality until the last quarter of the book, and i just wish that it was a bit more prominent! i would die to see things from her point of view.

the side characters really helped me enjoy the reading of this book as well. i adored jane so much as a character, but i found myself wanting a bit more from katie's character. i also do wish it would give us a bit more detail on their background. i did end up loving the relationship between jane and bailey, and the notes about queer women dating really did make me laugh, and i thought some of the comments made were pretty funny and accurate.

all in all, i loved just as you are and would recommend this to lovers of pride and prejudice, as well as someone looking for a sapphic romance that features "disaster gays" that will pull deeply at your heartstrings.

** thank you so much to netgalley and random house publishing group for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! :)

outlet review will be posted on: goodreads, instagram, amazon
date available: goodreads (10/31/22) - , instagram and amazon - (8/31/23)

I could not put this down! It was such a beautiful, sapphic romance that is inspired by Pride & Prejudice.

So, the main characters are Liz and Daria. Liz is a writer for The Nether Fields, a queer magazine that is run by a wonderful group of people. Her 3 roommates (Jane, Katie, and Lydia) also work for the magazine. Bad news? The magazine is about to shut down until two wealthy lesbians, Bailey and Daria, buy it and try to bring it back to life. Daria is an arrogant boss who believes Liz writes fluff pieces and doesn't think Bailey is doing the right thing by investing in the magazine. Liz hates her. Many things happen and it's just such a cute story. I really feel like Liz grew a ton as a character and there are so many wonderful lessons sprinkled throughout the book.

I loved the discussion on identity and the femme/masculine aspect. I learned a lot and I feel like this story can help so many people. It was really well done!

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Books!

I couldn’t put this one down! This story balanced being a romance, being about figuring it all out, and being about what happens when things fall apart so beautifully. I loved these characters and they way they grew as you learned more and more about them, even when that growth came with having to grow up and be accountable and say you’re sorry and that you’re wrong, like Liz. The story is so fresh but also feels deeply relateable- I loved this diverse cast of characters and how deep and unique each person feels. And the romance is totally butterfly-worthy. I can’t wait to share this book with others!