New Adult is a hilarious and updated take on the movie 13 Going on 30. Timothy Janovsky uses wit and charm to tell the tale of Nolan Baker, a wannabe comedian and generally floundering 25-year-old who gives up everything to make it big--including bailing on his sister's wedding reception and leaving his best friend (who he is in love with) behind. Suddenly he's 30, famous, and has no idea how he got there. Nolan must figure this out--and fast--if he wants any chance at a happily ever after with his bestie. One of my favorite parts is his best friend's love of romance novels. This book is a treasure!

New Adult is a fun queer romance that tries to answer the question of what happens when you wish you could “skip to the good part” in your life.
Janovsky offers a sweet and entertaining answer that has a touch of magic to it and gives us unlikable characters that turn out to be favorites by the end of the novel. As a huge fan of the friends-to-lovers trope, I really liked the way it was executed here.
My problem with Janovsky's writing, however, stayed the same as it did with his other two novels: the pacing. This book had a really slow start and even after things finally kicked off, the plot often meandered which made the pace drag even more. I always like the author's premises and general set up for stories but unfortunately the pacing always leads me to crawling through their books. Alas, that's a personal preference and I know I'm an outlier with it. Other than that, this is a fun romp that will appeal to fans of Robbie Weber.

New Adult by Timothy Janovsky
3.5 ⭐

I enjoyed most of the final 2/3 of this book but when I tell you that it was slow to start... Oof. It was touted to be 13 Going on 30 meets One Last Stop and I was PUMPED for the 13GO30 vibes--I adore that movie and the time jump concept. It took until 87 pages in to get to the moment where the MC wakes up in the future. If I didn't know that was a main plot point and didn't like the author's previous books as much as I did, I would have probably DNF'd it before then. In general, I am still very glad I read it. The author's humor and pop culture references are excellent, as I'd come to expect, the relationship between the MC and his love interest fella was great in both timelines, and the MC's personal growth journey was well done. I know there were likely more, but there is one reference to 13GO30 that I absolutely loved and was my fave part of those first 86 pages even though it was a small almost nothing moment.

Thanks NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC, the book comes out Aug15/23.

13 going on 30 meets Freaky Friday in this time traveling, friends-to-lovers novel!

Nolan Baker, an aspiring comedian, continuously chooses his career over his friends and family. he is the man of honor at his sister's wedding, but on the day of, he gets the opportunity of a lifetime to perform at a club miles away. he selfishly agrees, assuming he can make it back in time for his MOH speech. this decision sparks a ripple effect of Nolan losing his family and his love, one by one. He makes a wish on some crystals after losing everything and wakes up seven years in the future where he is estranged from his family and his best friend, Drew, isn't speaking to him. he has to figure out what happened the last seven years to make everyone he loved hate him, and how to go back to fix it.

wow, talk about growth! Nolan started out as a terrible person to everyone in his life. he treated them as just fixtures in his life, not people who he loved and cherished. over the course of the book, when he realized the fame made him a terrible person, he altered his course and chose to be there for his family and Drew. he righted past wrongs and became the person he wanted to be all along. sure, going back in time would mean he's no longer rich and famous, but he would get the chance to live the last seven years the right way.

I couldn't put this book down once I started! I loved the constant "will he or won't he go back" question throughout. it made me want to keep reading to see how he fixed his broken relationships and if he could find a way to go back in time. the only things that make this not a full five stars for me was the magical realism aspect which, before you jump at me saying it was the point of the book, i know! i knew going in but i just can never fully vibe with it, idk something just doesn't click in my brain. also, the relationship between Drew and Nolan felt underdeveloped, something was missing. i think the story just focused more on Nolan's character growth rather than the relationship between them which is great! i'm just more of a romance girly :)

overall though, this was fun! Nolan's little quips were funny, the flow/pacing was good, and I enjoyed it!

New Adult definitely has major “13 Going On 30” vibes - it was an easy read, perfect for a pool day, but I largely felt like I was missing something, especially between Nolan and Drew.

One night of bad decisions for Nolan’s personal life set his professional life on a trajectory for success but alienated him from the people he loves. Flash forward seven years into the future and his professional comedy career is a huge success but his ties to his friends and family have gone down the drain. In order to get back to the present to fix his mistakes, he has to figure out how to navigate his self-absorbed persona of the future while trying to mend bridges wherever he can, including his best friend Drew.

Nolan and Drew’s journey to get Nolan back to his present was fun to read, but I didn’t feel the romantic draw and connection between these two. They’re great friends but every time it tipped into the romantic, it felt a little forced. Nolan in both timelines was a little too self-centered for me, even when he was trying to make things better, and Drew was a bit too much of a pushover. They made it work and figured out how to make things okay for Nolan, but it all felt a little surface level.

For Nolan being a comedian, there were hardly any comical parts in this book. I wanted to laugh more but felt conflicted about the funnier parts and sad when Nolan saw how terribly things got messed up in the seven years he skipped. I wanted to really enjoy this book, but I just wanted more from everyone.

New Adult it the queer recreation of the movie 13 Going on 30. I noted it was very similar in its premise and elements of the story seemed familiar.
Nolan Baker is a wannabe stand up comedian who’s priorities seem to be drifting away from family and friends, and more towards the selfish progression of his career. Following his sisters wedding where he left in order to perform, his relationships take a huge hit following his unforgivable actions. He goes to sleep with some crystals and a candle from his sisters employer, Doop, who are all about self-care and spirituality and wakes up in a strange place, realising he’s 7 years in the future.
I enjoyed the book. I find I’m on the fence with Timothy Janovsky’s books. I enjoy reading them but haven’t been blown away or loved them. With New Adult, I found it difficult to like Nolan. Even after his time jump I found him frustrating and selfish but that’s just my personal opinion. I know many people love Janovsky’s books and for a great reason. They’re wholesome, inclusive and have fun plots and gorgeous covers, I think they might not be for me.
Thank you for the eARC!

4,5 Stars!

This book sucked me in from the first page and I never wanted to put it down. I devoured every moment of this and wished there was more. Nolan, an aspiring comedian in NYC, is doing everything he can to advance his career. His life is spent at the comedy club he works at, serving and performing, then going home to his little apartment he shares with his best friend Drew, who he's been in love with for 2 years. Everything isn't quite going right in his 5 year plan, but it's not too bad. He knows he needs to get his life in order before he pursues Drew, he deserves that much.

Then Nolan's sister gets engaged and is having this extravagant wedding planned by her employer, Doop, a lifestyle/wellness brand that Nolan is convinced might be involved in some witchcraft. The night of the wedding everything goes so right and yet so wrong, when Nolan decides to use his goody bag's crystals and set his intentions. He wakes up the next morning 7 years into the future, a whole life he missed out on and has to jump back into. But it's not what he dreamed of his 10 year plan, and he needs to figure out how to get back, how to fix everything, and how to work on himself.

I loved the way this book handled such sensitive topics, and the character growth was amazing. I truly loved Nolan and his shenanigans, but being able to see his character development was one of the most rewarding parts. I cried so hard, I laughed even harder, and I just thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book. Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves a good queer story, especially if you're into friends to lovers (to enemies to friends to lovers)!

Thank-you NetGalley for this ARC

This book started off a bit slow and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but I ended up absolutely loving it. I love a Christmas carol/13 going on 3o tale! I got so into this book that I finished it in one evening!

New Adult is a fun queer romance that asks what happens when you wish you could “skip to the good part” in your life. Timothy Janovsky offers an entertaining and surprisingly sweet answer. He has a knack for making the most unlikable characters lovable, and adds in a bit of magic too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Nolan is an aspiring comic and, at 23, he thinks that no one respects his efforts. He’s been crushing on his BFF and roommate Drew for years. But when he convinces Drew to be his date for his sister’s wedding, he ends up taking off in the middle of the event for what he thinks is the chance of a lifetime. Drew and the rest of his family are furious, and Nolan is angry at them for not understanding how important this opportunity is to him. So naturally he wishes on some magic crystals to skip ahead to when he’s a success. Shockingly Nolan wakes up seven years later, and discovers that neither Drew or his family want anything to do with him. What happened during those seven years? And can he go back and convince Drew how important he is to Nolan?

Timothy Janovsky is an expert at creating unlikable characters, then convincing readers to cheer them on. At the beginning, Nolan is ambitious yet selfish and can’t focus on anything except getting his big break. Once Nolan ages up, the book gets more interesting. Janovsky works his magic with both characters and the plot, and has the reader racing to the end to see how Nolan gets his HEA.

Nolan takes a while to warm up to, but once the book hits the midway point, I was a fan. And Drew is believable as a sweetheart who only wants to think the best of Nolan, even though he’s been burned so many times before.

New Adult is a fun look about what happens when you get a glimpse of your future and you don’t like what you see. Timothy Janovsky’s queer time jump romance is great, and is a perfect escape from reality story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.25 actual rating!

Oh my goodness, I really enjoyed this one so much! dare I say, this is Janovsky's best book yet!

Nolan is the MC in a book that's very reminiscent of 13 going on 30. After traveling 7 years into the future Nolan has to grapple with his new reality and the fall out of his not so awesome life choices! I was an absolute sucker for this plot and couldn't stop flipping kindle pages while immersive reading this one with an ALC!

Nolan and Drew have my heart! The will-they-wont-they friends to lovers story was a freak chefs kiss! Drew is such a tender little cinnamon roll of a character! I want to be his best friend, carry him around in my pocket, and protect his tender heart at all costs!

If you love Friends to Lovers, laugh out loud funny reads, 13 going on 30, alternative time lines, parallel universes, magical realism, and emotional gut punches than this one is for you!

As I mentioned above I had the chance to listen to an ALC of this book from Libro.fm and Dreamscape Media and I'm so glad I did because I loved it! The audiobook was wonderfully performed and a great listen, its definitely one I recommend on pub day!

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the E-arc! I highly recommend! NEW ADULT is out 8/15/23

• Friends to enemies to friends to lovers
• Alternating timeline ala 13 Going on 30
• Magical Realism
• Opposites attract: he's a shy romance reading homebody, and he's an aspiring stand up comedian.
• Complex family dynamics

Okay, this one snuck up on me and surprised me in the best way. I adored this book, and these boys (slash men).

Janovsky has a way of writing such incredible character growth. No matter how unlikable a character starts off as, you will definitely be rooting for them before the end.

The writing was clever, witty, funny, and will leave you with all the feels. Highly recommend, especially for fans of 13 Going on 30!

Thank you so much for the ARC.

MY RATING 4,25/5 STARS

”We share a secretive, affirming smile as she overturns the last card in the reading and shows me my future.”

This was such a wonderful read. Nolan magically travels seven years into the future, and while he technically achieved all of his dreams, he quickly realizes the prices he had to pay for it to happen. He had become estranged from his friends and family and are now trying to undo all of the hurt he has caused them.

The relationship between Nolan and Drew was really great, and I loved seeing them come together in the future, reconnecting and strengthening that bond they had when they were younger.

The magical element was really fun, and I really enjoyed seeing them try to figure out how to get Nolan back to the present time.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an audioarc and an eARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

I really enjoyed this fluffy, time traveling, rom-com by @timothyjanovsky out next week! Can never go wrong with naming the adorkable/handsome love interest Drew! 😜

Nolan wants nothing more than to be a headlining comedian. He is so singular focused that he’s otherwise a 23yo mess, blowing off responsibilities, and accidentally hurting others. He’s desperately in love with his longtime best-friend/roommate, Drew, but doesn’t want to screw THAT up until he figures out everything else. After royally fumbling up his sisters wedding (skipping out to do a gig), he makes a wish upon some mysterious crystals, and wakes up seven years later.

The crux of the book is Nolan’s character growth, learning that success as the expense of others in his life, is not success at all - but it’s never too late to make changes (assuming he can make it back in time).

Drew is a great character that you can’t help wanting to root for. Even if Nolan is (intentionally) unlikable at times, their shared history make them a great match for each other.

Timothy is a blessed written, bringing unique and quirky humor to his characters. I loved Never Been Kissed - but this might be my new favorite work of his. It’s just a while, romping, ride that will bring a smile to your face.

Looking forward to the book release at @eastcitybookshop next week.

𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙩 by Timothy Janovsky (2023) ★★★★✬ 4.5/5

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and NetGalley for a chance to early review this story in exchange for an honest review.

23 year old Nolan just made a life altering decision - having the “Mr. of Honour” leave in the middle of his sister’s wedding to catch his big break in standup comedy definitely makes a statement. Drew, his roommate/wedding date/unrequited crush, isn’t happy with how Nolan acted, and when he leaves and requests space, Nolan finds himself drunkenly using the mysterious crystals hidden among the wedding favours. Little does he know, he’ll wake up 7 years later in his body, but with an entirely different life.

Loved the 13 going on 30 vibes of this book! Waking up dazed and confused about skipping 7 years and being a successful and love-hating comedian I also really appreciated that 23 year old Nolan was confused and disappointed with how he treated others right away.

The mysterious “Dupe” (lol at the shade) was a fun and silly instigator for the events of the book. It reminded me a little of “The Corporation” from Libba Bray’s Beauty Queens, but less hostile and monopolized.

I loved seeing Drew and Nolan reconnect, especially after Drew had so much bad blood that Nolan skipped right past. The bookstore, and Milkshake the corgi were special treats. The fact that 2030 is only 7 years away? Holy effing crap.

This was super fun - I’d definitely recommend this one, especially if you’ve watched and loved 13 Going on 30!

This might be my favorite of this author's books. I really enjoy magical realism and it's done so well here. Alternate timelines are so fascinating to me and I think this was an excellent portrayal of it. I also always appreciate the character development and this book has it in spades.

My one thing is that I would have loved to see the term demisexual on page. I'm almost positive that this author's first book had it on page yet this one did not even though it was strongly referenced. Labels are important for some people and I think seeing less represented labels explicitly on page is a really valuable thing for a lot of people including me.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the concept and the execution was definitely there as well! I enjoyed the balance between the family conflict and the romantic conflict.

4.5 stars

This book was fabulous with the magical realism, time travel, family, friends, comedy scene and the lessons taught and character development.

The MC was irritating at times but I couldn't help but love him by the end with how much he grew and learned to care about so much more than himself and realized what was important.

Bonus that the best friend owned a bookshop!

Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio & Sourcebooks Casablanca for advance copies in exchange for an honest review!

This book was such a delightful surprise! I was feeling a little skeptical about the premise, but was pulled into Nolan's life so fast, I immediately abandoned my suspicious vibes. I loved seeing Nolan learn and grow and change and try to make things right with the people in his life, especially perfect best friend love interest, Drew. The way their chemistry and pull toward each other only heightened with a wrinkle in the time space continuum was a testament to the true delight that was the way Janovsky built their relationship. It was so easy to root for them, to want the best for them - I couldn't put the book down once I finally picked it up! The light magic/time travel had me feeling like this might be the perfect cozy fall read!

I think Timothy Janovsky really thrives with unconventional takes on retellings - first with A Christmas Carol and then with 13 Going on 30. Nolan Baker is a 23 year old hustling to make his comedy career happen, with little to no regard to who he antagonizes on his way there. After skipping out on his sister's wedding for his big break and facing the consequences, he makes a fateful wish on some (magic unbeknownst to him) crystals and *POOF*. We're 7 years in the future in a selfish comic's apartment with no memories since the wedding. Thus begins Nolan Baker's atonement and amnesia relief tour - talk about personal growth. I really enjoyed the Dupe / Goop parallels, how tarot and crystals played such a pivotal role, and the theme of forgiveness. Also Drew Techler is an angel and must be protected at all costs. I'd recommend this to fans of time travel books and 13 Going on 30 - all it was missing was a Thriller flashmob!

*Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to LibroFM for the gifted ALC*

This book is perfect for people who enjoyed "One Last Stop," by Casey McQuiston. I read "You're A Mean One, Matthew Prince" last year and really enjoyed it so I was looking forward to seeing what this book would be about. I loved how magical and yet still so grounded in our society this book is/was. There were also a couple of things that TRULY stood out to me, personally, i.e., praying to St Anthony even though you're probably not the best Catholic at the moment, people of an older generation asking comedians why they aren't as "docile" (LOL) as comedians were back in their day, etc. This book was very sweet. I enjoyed the MULTIPLE love stories- loving yourself, loving your family, loving your friends, romantic love, etc. It really was a very sweet story.

The only thing I wished was that we had more time in the present before we went to the future. I felt like we spent so much time in the future but I wish I knew a little more about the relationships in the present so I could really feel what Noah was going through. However, that's me being a little picky. All in all, it's a very good book and if people are feeling like they want something after they finish watching "Red, White, and Royal Blue" and/or "Heartstopper Vol. 2," I would absolutely point them in the direction of this book.