I enjoyed following Imogen on her journey of self discovery. Because of a "friend", she had so much doubt that she could identify as anything but heterosexual and kept worrying that she was invalidating others and that she couldn't change how she felt. I really disliked Gretchen and thank goodness for Lili, she said all the things I was thinking.

I think there are people who have felt the way Imogen did, worrying about changing your identity and if others will accept it or not. Feeling pressured to come out or else be accused of invading a certain space. Maybe this will help them feel seen and know that it's okay to just be you and no one should try to take that away.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Balzer + Bray and NetGalley for the copy.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Netgalley HaperCollins Children's Books and Becky Albertalli for the honor of reading this book!

I just wrapped up this amazing book called Imogen, Obviously by @beckyalbertalli and I'm in love with it! The author does such a good job at making the reader be able to relate to the characters in the story. The book was written in such great details and descriptions it really made me feel like I was back at a college campus. While reading, I had very related moments that our main character Imogen was going through or thoughts that I wondered to myself. I found myself laughing through out the book on just how fun and cute this book was. It was a book I couldnt put it down until I finished it. I rated this book 4 stars on goodread.

Thank you again for the honor of allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

L0ved 90 percent of this one from Albertalli! Most of the text message scenes could be skipped entirely, imo, except for the important ones at the end. I liked the nuance in this book and it felt like a very personal account from Albertalli.

I can't even begin to describe how much I loved this one!❣️✨ It'd be a disservice to label this as just a simple coming of age story. I wanted to reach into this book and give Imogen a hug and I hope I can give the author a hug too *virtually* 🥺 It felt deeply personal in ways that I can't describe and perhaps I'm not ready to yet but it was also beautiful, fluffy and fun at the same time!

We have Imogen Scott, a high school senior and the sweetest ally who is surrounded by queer people - her sister, best friends and many others, and she's convinced she's straight. If she were queer she would know it, just like her sister did - atleast that's what she thinks! And then she's invited to spend the weekend at her best friend Lili's college(the one she's also planning on attending) where she'll finally get to meet Lili's new squad of queer friends. She also learns that Lili has told her friends that they'd dated for a short while(as she felt insecure about her late coming out). So, her friends think that Imogen is bisexual and Imogen decides to go along with it to help Lili. It's just a tiny lie about the past, shouldn't matter much right?🤔 But, as she starts spending more time with Lili's friends - especially Tessa, she starts questioning a lot of things and even wonders whether she has a crush on Tessa. Can one weekend and one girl change one's complete outlook on things?

Imogen is adorable and lovely - she's a people pleaser, overthinker(her thoughts sometimes made me more anxious than her😂) and the best friend anyone could have. Like she's so understanding and helpful(some of her friends like Gretchen did not deserve her but anyway we won't talk about that). She has a lot of things to discover about herself and it's a wonderful journey that explores a lot of topics about how fluid sexuality is, and does one actually need to declare things before one has time to process it. Is one allowed to change their mind and how all the online discourse makes one scared and confused at the same time. There's so much more to say and I could keep talking about it but there's a lot of relatable stuff that I loved seeing. In the end, it's about learning to love and accept yourself while giving yourself and others space for exploration. Noone can/should deny you that space or force you to make a choice or put you in a box for their satisfaction.

And coming to the romance with Tess - it was so cute and perfect! I'm not ashamed to admit that I squealed at times when I was reading their interactions and text exchanges!☺️ It felt so natural and soo cute at the same time. I loved their banter and how they made each other happier. Also, loved the lack of drama when it came to their relationship! I was very happy about that! 😆 Imogen's friends were equally fun and amazing - especially Lili! And her family was lovely! I'd love to see her sister Edith's story too!

Anyway, I should probably stop gushing about this one now but I can honestly tell you that this is one book that will stay with me for a long time and I'm pretty sure it'll change many lives and I hope it reaches the ones who need it, because many do!

I've always wanted to read a book by this talented author since enjoying the movie Love, Simon a few years back. With Imogen, Obviously, I was able to fully immerse myself in Becky Albertalli's words and her flair for writing about young adults and their daily struggles. This coming-of-age book opened my older person's eyes to more of the queer community and the intricacies each of these characters deals with as they embrace their sexuality and pride in their decisions. For Imogen, she's at a true crossroads as she is almost finished with high school and is on her way to a new life at college, facing a new world that will undoubtedly have more changes in it than she might be ready for.

The use of a college visit to her hometown bestie starts a series of events for Immy that change her outlook and her very being forever. I felt all the insecurities right along with her as her long-awaited trip to Blackwell College to finally see Lili is full of trepidation and doubt. Definitely feeling like a fish out of water, it was heartwarming to see Lili's core group of friends embrace Immy almost from the get-go and help her begin her own journey of self-discovery. In fact, Tessa, who becomes a key component of Immy's metamorphosis of sorts, is the true highlight for our girl and gives her a surprising jolt of want that truly knocks Immy for a loop.

Their text messages once Immy back home make her blush way too often and gives her pause in what she might be feeling for a girl, which is something she never thought could happen to her.

You have to understand that Immy is surrounded by many who are a part of the queer community and it was very interesting to watch as long-time friends together with her sister and the newfound friends in Lili's world truly transform Immy in more ways than one. It was eye-opening to witness how so many simply want to put a person in their designated box, so to speak, when that person is almost desperate to break down those walls and simply be the person they were destined to be.

I really did love Immy and the way she navigates this complicated world. I am impressed with how caring a person she is and how she simply wants to be herself in whatever form that might take. This new journey for her won't be easy but I was very happy to have experienced a glimpse into her life and those of her crazy friends. Immy has so many who have her back and even those, I'm looking at you, Gretchen!, who can't handle her newfound curiosity, still matter to her and her loyalty and being able to forgive is something to be admired.

Overall, this is a sweet read and definitely one that I enjoyed. A few hiccups wrt descriptions of fellow students put me off a bit but didn't take away from the message this story set out to proclaim. All of the characters were fun to watch and it was wild to feel those unsteady thoughts as growing pains could be felt through my e-reader. So yeah, I'm glad I took the chance on this talented author and give Imogen, Obviously, a solid 4 stars.

WOW! I loved this book so much! Imogen is such a relatable character and I loved to see her experience with find herself and her sexuality! I hated her friend but that was the point! She was so negative and stereotypical, which held the plot of this story. I would love to see this adapted, as it would help so many people and myself to see this on a big screen. This book was amazing and I speed though it! Becky Albertalli did it again!

This book is a must read for anyone who is currently or has ever questioned their identity. Imogen is so relatable and I just loved how supportive some of her friends were through all of her inner turmoil.

I am so happy a book like this exists for youth today!

Imogen Obviously is an important book about the quest for identity, and the difficulty of existing in a world where some people attempt to fit others into tidy boxes, when reality is almost always anything but neatly packaged like that. This story was about bi joy, but it was also about how to deal with a toxic friendship and people who attempt to gate keep within communities.

Imogen is visiting her best friend at the college she will attend in the fall, and over the course of a weekend, goes from a questioning and self doubt that many young queer people will recognize, to finding not only a crush, but also, and most importantly, herself. I wish I had this book when I was in high school years ago, or even when I was in college. It will mean a lot to students, and to any readers who need to read someone write out that other people don’t get to define us or decide that we are not enough.

This book hit my heart hard, folks. There is no way I can be objective about it. There may be a thirty-five year age difference between myself and Imogen, but some things transcend the bounds of age. Things like being a chronic overthinker. Like always trying to please other people instead of yourself. Of taking a long, hard look at who you are and maybe being a bit surprised by what you find.

Read this book if you want:
• A realistic look at a person attempting to find her true identity.
• Shout-outs to some of my other favorite queer authors and books.
• A big FU to the bullies who think they get to dictate who is "queer enough."
• Beautiful friendships.
• Adorable flirty texts.
• An delightful array of queer characters.
• A hilarious subplot involving hiding the sausage - and no, that's not a euphemism.
• Queer joy oozing out of every page.

Thank you to NetGalley and to HarperCollins Childrens Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One of the easiest 5-star ratings I’ve ever given out. Becky Albertalli has written a story full of self-love, self-discovery, and heart.

Imogen, Obviously follows our main character Imogen as she stays a week on a college campus with her friend, in prep to go there in the fall. Imogen has always been the perfect ally, the “token straight friend.” She has a queer sister and queer friends, but has always said she’s straight. She consumes queer media, participates in the Queer club at her school, perfect ally.

Imogen is so excited to spend time with Lili, her best friend, and Lili’s group of queer friends at college. But when she arrives, she learns that Lili had previously told her friend group that the two of them dated. This turns into a journey of self-discovery that shows Imogen that her “pretending” to be bisexual really hasn’t been pretending.

Imogen’s inner journey of discovering her queerness is Becky Albertalli’s love letter to her own bisexuality. There’s never a time where it’s too late to come to terms with who you are and your own self-identity and there should never be pressure to come out. This book is an answer to the controversy that happened online where Albertalli was basically forced to come out to justify her writing of queer stories. Imogen is used to other people defining who she is. She’s a people pleaser and describes herself as a liquid- always forming to the shape of the container she’s in. That alone is relatable for so many people. One person’s definition of queerness is not another’s.

This book is real, it’s funny, it’s heartwarming, and it’s full of moments that made me smile. Becky Albertalli is one of my auto-buy authors so I knew I had to read this book. There were ups and downs and in-betweens. And this book has my heart, 100%. (Obviously)

Thank you again to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review! Happy Pub Day to this beautiful book.

This is an absolutely beautiful story about self discovery and LGBTQIA+ rep with deeply personal routes from the author. The book matches this gorgeous cover so well. Fantastic read

High school senior, Imogen, is the ultimate ally to her sister, best friends, and most of the people she surrounds herself with. But even though she is the ultimate ally she is constantly questioning her motives and if she is doing the right thing. After a visit to see her best friend, Lili at college, Imogen is taken in by Lili’s friend group who starts to bring her out of her shell. Her time with these friends leads her to look deeper into a question that has been on her mind; is she the ultimate ally or does she also identify as LGBTQIA+?
I felt like this story could resonate with anyone, even if they haven’t had to grapple with their sexuality. Imogen’s constant anxiety about doing and saying the right thing is something that I think many people can relate to these days or possibly can remember relating to back when they were younger. I think we are all becoming hyper aware of wanting to do things for the right reason and not stepping into the spaces meant for others and to have good intentions along with the correct actions, and Imogen faces these concerns in an understandable way. This was a sweet coming of age story from an LGBTQIA+ lens. It also explored overpowering friendships and dealing with different personalities within a friend group. I loved the dynamics within the college friend group as well as between Imogen and her younger sister, Edith. I would absolutely recommend this book for any adult or teenager.

Becky Albertalli does it again! I loved Imogen, Obviously hahaha! The storyline caught my attention from the beginning and it did not disappoint. I truly enjoy Becky's writing style and her way of telling a story. With every line, we got to see a piece of Becky's personal experiences. Imogen was so sweet and it was wonderful to see her struggle to comprehend what she was going through. Seeing her grow into her self was so heartwarming and seeing those around her supporting her was beautiful. This is a great book for young adults to read and think about the big questions Imogen asks herself and her overall journey. I truly enjoyed reading this book!

Special thanks to Becky Albertalli and Harper Collins for providing me an ARC copy to share my honest review.

A cute cover that matches a really nice story that I enjoyed reading. It’s definitely the book to read this year. Once I started I didn’t want it to end. With an easy writing style and lovable characters it’s easy to recommend this one.


Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

I don't even know how to start. This book hit a chord with me and I saw so much of myself reflected in Imogen. This was so real and genuine that the internal monologue really felt like being in someone's mind. Imogen is such a likable person and is so sweet and you just want to hug her and help her. If you are a part of the LGBTQ+ community or an alley this book is worth reading! I cried happy tears and tears over my own experiences as events unfolded in this novel. 
Spoiler: <spoiler> I have never read a book before that has reflected my own bi-coming-out experience, so many start the story with them already confident in the knowledge of who they are. For some it takes times to see what obivously was always there and true. </spoiler> 

This book was like therapy for me!

*I got this book as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you pay at all attention to Beck Albertalli's internet presence then you know just how extremely personal this book must have been for her to write. You can feel her personal journey in every page of Imogen, Obviously and there are some "ripped from the headlines" moments the book interrogates and while it had the effect of taking me out of the book in some ways, in other ways I found the conversations the book has incredibly engaging and thought provoking.

The heart of this book, though, is a YA coming of age story -- my favorite kind and the kind that Albertalli writes beautifully. Imogen is on the precipice of college and even though she is going to school relatively close to home and one where her best friend goes, college isn't only a huge step in her life but it is where she will get to be exposed to different people and opportunities outside her localized existence.

Imogen grapples throughout this book on what it means to be an ally, what it means to be queer and overall, her identity. I can't tell you how much I wished I had a book like this to read while I was growing up and I love the idea of younger people getting opportunities to read this and so many other books by queer authors.

Imogen is working through these huge questions about her identity while also trying to be a kid, growing up and questioning who she is. Throughout this journey she has supportive friends and some not as supportive and you as the reader get to figure out who is who together with Imogen which is pretty rewarding.

Imogen's anxieties and thoughts are a little repetitive but overall I found the questions she asks really interesting and thought provoking and important and I can't wait for other people to read this.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic, tender, deeply personal bisexual coming of age YA story that follows 18 year old Imogen whose lived her whole life thinking she was straight but then comes to question everything after spending a weekend with a group of queer friends on a college campus visit.

The way the author explores sexual identity complexities, internalized biphobia and the confusion that comes with learning you may identify differently that society has made you believe. Incredibly moving and such an important book for young queer and questioning readers!

Great on audio too narrated by Caitlin Kinnunen and perfect for fans of authors like Rachel Lynn Solomon or Dahlia Adler. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. Also let's just all take a second to admire the GORGEOUS pink Leni Kauffman cover design!!

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli is my most anticipated 2023 release, and I've got to say that it did not disappoint and I'm grateful to netgalley for the eARC! It's a great, heartwarming romance that packs a punch with its themes about gatekeeping and acceptance.

Imogen is a rising college freshman, excited to spend a weekend at her future school with her best friend Lili. Lili introduces Imogen to her friend group but warns her that she has to pretend to be bi. Lili lied to sound cooler to her college friends. Instead of being mad, Imogen is happy to play along and get to know these friends from college. But is it queerbaiting when she starts leaning into this lie too hard? Is it wrong when she starts talking to a girl? She's the token straight friend, and is it wrong for her to question her role? Imogen is a great character. I enjoyed being in her thoughts as she finds her world turned upside down with her questions and as she navigates the relationships she has at this turning point in her life. The writing was easy to read, threw me back into the world of Becky Albertalli's writing, and it made me cry (just a little bit).
This book tackles some great themes. I know it ties into a lot with Albertalli's own experience, and I could definitely see that. Imogen has a friend that "keeps her in check" and calls her out on her biases, but also keeps her in a predetermined box. I unfortunately know people like her. They tell you that they're more oppressed than you as if it's a pissing contest. They tell you that because you're "straight-passing" or have the option to like the opposite sex, you're not as queer as them. So unfortunately that character was all too real to me, but thankfully she's in the minority in this book. Gatekeeping is unfortunately something that a lot of people in the queer community have to deal with, but Albertalli tackles the subject well.
Once again this is a great novel that is accepting and full of queer joy. I've already been recommending this to everyone in my personal life, and I hope the rest of you pick this up as well.

This was an ultimately very kind, obviously personal, excellent young adult coming-of-age novel about discovering yourself and recognizing that queerness, by its very nature, is different for everyone. The slightly farcical "pretend ex" setup, the descriptions of all the romantic butterflies, the family and friend group relationships, and in general all the characterization are really excellent. There were times when I thought the (for lack of a better word) "villain" of the novel was too obviously telegraphed as villainous, but other times I was impressed and in fact skeptical of how sympathetically and generously this character was treated, which I feel is overall a good balance.

A book on queer representation, a coming out story that will totally resonate to anyone who reads this. 💖