Did I like this? Yes. Were there some issues? Also yes. But for the most part I really did like it. And now I want to read the other one featuring country music by Brian next. Because this was so much more fun than I thought it would be.

As someone who’s not a theater kid I was a little worried about this one. It seemed that it was going to have a lot of references about plays and musicals etc. And it was, but it was more than that also and I enjoyed it. I liked that all of them were explained or at least said where they came from. I was able to go back and look them up or find out more information about them. I was happy I was never left in the dark because of it.

However, I wish I liked the characters as much as I liked the premise. The main characters were not great. Wade was HELLA annoying. And let me just say, I don’t think he learned anything even tho the book ended the way it did. And Brady was so cute, but he had to have anxiety or social anxiety, but they never gave him a specific thing, I guess it was because he didn’t want to seem as if he was cured because of Wade, but I think if he framed it as helped him get confidence and made it clear that that’s all it was, it wasn’t GONE, just he gave him a way to help manage it.

The romance was cute, but I also hated some of it. I really disliked how they were playing with Brady. They took advantage of him because he hardly knew people’s social cues and I just didn’t like that. But I was glad that they actually talked before they got together. Because Wade needed to come clean. (Although he didn’t deserve what Brady and his ex did to him either.)

The writing style was ok for the most part but it wasn’t anything that like felt new or epic. I hope you all can find a better balance than me. Let me know if you read it and what you think about it.

A queer, love triangle, YA romance is everything I love to read, I'm absolutely addicted to these tropes, but sadly, this didn't spark as much joy as I'd hoped it would.

First, we have Elijah, who I really vibed with! As an autistic adult, I've always felt like my random word-vomit stops conversations in their tracks, and I really can't help but relate to how he is always deep in thought. And when he was changing to try to fit in and make friends any way he could, it sounded a lot like when I have to mask my autism and wow, it is tiring. I felt deeply for Elijah through his whole story.

Wade, however, was unlikeable at first. I did grow to like him eventually, though. He was very selfish originally and really only looked out for his own interests for about 70% of this story though, which put me off a bit.

And then there's Reese, and I honestly loved that boy for the most part. He was sweet and kind, and he was constantly looking out for Elijah. If only Elijah could've figured out how to communicate with him better, I feel like this story could've gone very differently.

When it comes to plot, that was barely existent. This was a very character driven book. If you're looking to read something with a deeper story to it, that's not this, but the character growth made it mostly enjoyable.

Where this really didn't work for me was the writing. I didn't really feel a connection with this story as a whole. It didn't make me laugh or feel any deep emotions. The opportunities were there for feels, and yet it just didn't hit. Sometimes, these moments were even skipped over by POV changes or time skips, and the characters came back all fine and dandy.

Part of my disappointment was also to do with the romance. I just didn't feel as much with Wade and Elijah as I did with Reese and Elijah. I wanted to, but it didn't seem to grow as naturally as I had hoped it would. It almost seemed forced

Overall, this was a quick, easy read with some sweet queer romance, but I was just missing the chemistry and wow factor

➛ 𝟑 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘻𝘦𝘳 + 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘺 𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘋. 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥𝘺. 𝘔𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

MY FAIR BRADY was such a brilliant surprise. It was an impulse request, mostly because I liked the My Fair Lady angle. I was surprised how quickly this book hooked me. I read the whole thing in just a couple of sittings, and if you’d asked me, I’d never have thought it was 350 pages – I flew through it!

The characters were really likable and engaging, and the relationship between them was really sweet. I enjoyed both the POVs: Wade who’s outgoing and popular, learning to be less self-centred; and Elijah (Brady) who’s shy and socially awkward, trying his best to push himself out of comfort zone and make more confident choices. I really liked that both characters had a little struggle within themselves, but neither was unlikeable. There’s a pretty big supporting cast too, and although most of them aren’t given a huge amount of page time, I felt they were all unique and distinct.

The story is charming, with lots of fun references to pop culture and musical theatre. Despite never being a theatre kid myself, I think I have to accept that plays and musicals are something I really like in my YA romances lately! It’s quite a simple plotline, although, obviously, there’s a few romantic speedbumps along the way, but this was just a great example of a sweet and touching romance. An easy, engaging read and pretty much a perfect YA romcom.

One I’d definetly recommend.

Something that shows how much I enjoyed MY FAIR BRADY, is that I immediately went off to look up the authors other books. After looking, I realise I had actually heard of his debut (A Little Bit Country) but wasn’t drawn to the country music angle. Now, having read MY FAIR BRADY, I’m adding A Little Bit Country to my TBR and will be eagerly anticipating Brian D. Kennedy’s future books!

Oh boy does reading about theatre kids take me back. This book did such a good job of putting us in that world of high school theater, where who gets the lead in the school play can be life shattering. As someone who never really fit in in high school I really related a lot to Elijah & I feel like a lot of kids will as well.

YA romance at its best in this M/M My Fair Lady x She's all that mashup that is equally fun and heartfelt. I really enjoyed this great cast of queer high school drama students as they help support each other through their last stage performance and deal with the anxieties of life after graduation. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Emma Lord, Becky Albertalli or Calyssa Erb. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

wade westmore’s senior year was supposed to be his best one yet. but he receives multiple blows to this when he loses his boyfriend, most of his friend group, and the lead role in the spring musical. elijah brady is used to being overlooked, which he’s mostly fine with, except for the fact he doesn’t have many friends. he joins stage crew and soon makes a deal with wade to learn how to be more popular.

messy theatre kids will always have my heart, so getting to know the dramatic (and, let’s face it, self-centered) wade and the wayyyy-too-self-conscious elijah was really enjoyable. wade was dumped because of how self-centered he was, and even when he agreed to help elijah, he had his own self interest at heart. elijah almost immediately regrets joining stage crew but learns to love it. they both went through so much growth and i’m proud of them🫶

i highly recommend this book to YA readers and i look forward to reading more from brian d. kennedy!

Rating: 4.5 stars

Wade Westmore is a high school senior who can’t believe his spring semester is becoming a dumpster fire. His boyfriend broke up with him for being show-boaty and self-involved, and some of Wade’s besties aren’t hanging with him over the ordeal. His college prospects are not meeting his expectations. And now, his coveted role as Henry Higgins in the spring musical of My Fair Lady has been filled–by his ex. Wade, perennial leading man on the stage, is now a supporting character. And, it sucks.

Elijah Brady is a sophomore at the same private prep school as Wade, and he’s probably not even a wallflower. Elijah might be the wall that wallflowers rest against. He has crippling social anxiety and his one sort-of friend stopped talking to him once Elijah came out to him. Elijah joins the tech crew in attempt to meet people–and prove to his eager parents that he’s got something, anything, that resembles a sphere of acquaintances.

A chance meeting in the prop room connects Wade and Elijah when they’re at their most vulnerable, and prompts a desperate Elijah to ask Wade for help changing his image so he can make friends. Wade decides helping Elijah to gain self-confidence could be seen as a selfless act, something that could even win his ex back, because prom is right around the corner. But, only if he sells this as being Elijah’s friend. And, the first step of this journey involves creating Elijah’s alter ego, Brady, who’s bold enough to do all the things Elijah’s been too anxiety-stricken to attempt.

This a sweet retelling of My Fair Lady, with gay teen boys who enter into a bargain expecting certain social outcomes and end up forming an unexpected bond. As a person who adores the play, I really enjoyed this updated young adult romance. Wade isn’t a bad guy; he’s a little naive about how to be a good partner, but he genuinely regrets the Valentine’s Day debacle that caused his break up. He’s felt off-kilter ever since and not getting the lead role has further chastened him. Wade’s college acceptances are slow and unsatisfactory, and he’s really struggling with disconnect between the out-of-his-control reality of life, in contrast to the awesomeness he’d imagined. Helping Elijah become “Brady” and make friends is a mission that affords Wade control, as well as an avenue for possible reconciliation with his ex. The thing is, the more time he spends with Elijah, the more Wade sees how cute he is–and how much fun they actually have together. As his other relationships get more strained, Wade truly values the friendship he’s built with Elijah, even as other boys begin to notice the upwardly mobile Brady.

Elijah wants a true friendship. Wade’s coaching really does help Elijah build confidence that allows him to connect with other people, even cute boys. While some boys are clearly interested in more than friendship, he’s kinda hung up on Wade.

The ending was really interesting and had some twists I didn’t expect. Wade’s growth was really central to the story, and he had a bummer of a senior spring, let me tell you. But, he also got his priorities realigned in a way that helped him feel better about his own self, and I valued that. He’d felt like an outsider in his family at the beginning, but by the end he basked in the glow of genuine acceptance he hadn’t grasped before. (No homophobia, just Wade having internalized feelings of inadequacy that were unfounded.) His friendships felt true, but they were still predicated on Wade’s overinflated ideas, and the reckoning was healthy, if hard in the moment.

Elijah was a typical awkward boy who blossomed with some true friendship. He didn’t forget about his values, or make poor choices to ascribe to some arcane peer code. I liked that he was so honest, and that he and Wade developed a real connection. Their romance wasn’t easy, and that was cool, too. The book has a solid heart, and strong messages about loving one’s self, being okay with vulnerability, and living an authentic life in the face of social media and 24 hour “news.” For readers who like queer YA rom-coms, this book should absolutely satisfy.

What a love letter to anyone who was ever a theatre kid. Kennedy writes quirky, fun characters and sweet romances like no other. I adored his debut release, A Little Bit Country and was incredibly excited to receive an ARC for this release. It’s messy and relatable and full of fun moments that I really enjoyed.

My Fair Brady is a cozy YA romance that's an ode to musical theatre and teen rom-coms! It's a tale as old as time, but it still manages to tug on your heartstrings and wring some serious emotions out of you.

Wade is the popular actor who wants to redeem himself after a breakup. Enter Elijah, a lonely sophomore who just wants to make friends and be more comfortable in the world. Together they go on a quest to reinvent Elijah into Brady, a more confident, outgoing version of himself. But while some things go according to plan, other things definitely don't.

What I like most about this book is how relatable the characters are. Elijah and Wade are teenagers with big, messy feelings. Every little moment feels like the most life-changing event of their life, but underneath it all, their emotions were what really ruled them. The constant anxiety and insecurity, and that feeling of never being good enough and being judged for every little thing just felt so relatable to me and managed to make me cry multiple times.

But those big feelings and little moments are what makes this story so warm and fuzzy too. The times where they reveal hints of who they really are, like Wade's love for all things musical, and Elijah's trivial knowledge that pop out at the most inopportune moments, are really what bonded these two and endeared them to me.

This book took me back to the days where I would devour teen rom-com films, but it felt more intense because we get to peek inside their heads to truly understand them. It was a joy to read Wade and Elijah's story and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys queer YA romances!

Not entirely spoiler-free.

3.5 stars for My Fair Brady. Many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, even if the review is a little after the release date.

Elijah Brady is a nervous, socially awkward, nerd. Wade Westmore is a pretentious, self-absorbed nerd. Together, they make for a pretty insufferable pair. It didn't want to work until it did. I'll admit, I was rooting for them by the end of the book. I wish there had been a little bit more of a character growth with Wade. I feel like his story was skipped ahead by miles off-page. He was upset to the point of lying to his friends about NYU but then 2 pages later had accepted his lot in life to go to a lesser school with no issues? I know and love high school drama nerds that's just not possible that quickly.

What I did love was seeing Elijah evolve. He was so shy and snarky and I loved seeing his transformation. Him learning to voice his own opinions and speak out was really great. I wish the camping trip was actually longer because it would have been nice to see him and his dad bond a little bit, even if Elijah wasn't super into it. Cutting it short did that part of the story a disservice.

Fun Fact: The only interaction I've ever had with My Fair Lady was in my 12th Grade English Class, we had an assignment to update a story we read in class to modern audiences and my group used Pygmalion and remade it into MTV's MADE. It was great.

This book covers a lot, more than I was expecting. From figuring out parental relationships, to the mortifying ordeal of being known, to first crushes and kisses, to dealing with perfectionism and failure, to balancing friendships and relationships. It’s a light and fun YA romance that sneaks in some emotional depth and heartbreaking internal monologue as a treat. 100% recommend.

Elijah Brady, shy sophomore nerd who lost his only friend to homophobia, wants to be different, better, more confident, worthy of Cool Connor’s affections. Through a rare burst of confidence or sheer desperation he asks the most popular theatre kid to teach him how to be confident. Wade Westmore, very cool, over the top dramatic senior who’s just been dumped, comes to the rescue of Elijah and ends up with a master plan to get his ex Reese back by showing him how selfless he truly is! What could go wrong?

Oh man, this was such a beautiful and heartwarming story. Perfect YA representation of queer romance and the behind the scenes of the theater scene. Loved it!!

Brian D. Kennedy is absolutely one of my favorite writers. He has a perfect way of creating characters you absolutely love and placing them in to a plot that feels so believable real that you fall in to it as if youre living it alongside the characters.

I couldnt wait to get my hands on this title to meet Wade and Elijah and man oh man did I love them both! This book was entertaining, sweet, romantic and so much more. Thoroughly recommend it!

"My Fair Brady" is a delightful homage to musical theater from all perspectives, behind the scenes and on stage. If you're a fan of My Fair Lady, you'll enjoy this playful spin on the classic musical. Wade, the confident senior, undergoes a transformation as significant as Elijah, the shy and endearing sophomore. Elijah, in particular, is someone you can't help but want to protect. I enjoyed witnessing Elijah's journey of self-discovery and friendship. The story is heartwarming and resonated with the little theater enthusiast inside me.

I really loved this book, I think Brian did it again with "My Fair Brady", I got into more details in the Instagram review that you can also check it.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for this advanced copy.

This book was the best version of romance school YA. I loved the idea that Wade was older than Elijah. It was good, so there was many events based on their age gaps. The romance was sweet and cute.

My Fair Brady is an insanely cute YA romcom set in the captivating world of high school theater. I’ve never read anything in a theater production setting, but I was GRIPPED. The story beautifully weaves themes of identity, self-love, and queerness, creating a heartwarming narrative. Perfect for snuggling up, the book is a delightful exploration of personal growth and acceptance. With witty dialogue, a charming high school backdrop, and relatable characters, it's a page-turner that you may finish in one sitting!

4.5 ⭐️

Honestly, the first chapter in I was skeptical. By the end though? I had a hankering to watch Mamma Mia! and bask in the joy that was this novel. Elijah and Wade are so cute in this YA novel. Both characters are well thought out and read like real teenagers not just stereotype high school students in drama. There issues are not simply related to the musical but are all about them figuring out who they are. And yet, these inner issues they are working out connect perfectly to them being in the musical. As someone who has limited high school musical knowledge, I felt it had enough info and was perfectly realistic but easy to follow. I wish we got to see more of Elijah and Wade together but just like in any romantic comedy of the 90's their get together is the finale. A satisfying ending overall.

4.5/5 Stars rounded up to 5

What a stunning sophomore effort from Brian Kennedy! I loved the characters and the setting and everything about it! Thank you for an amazing book!

Calling all current/former theater kids - this YA was written for us! This is a great sophomore installment from Kennedy, off his debut with A Little Bit Country (which I also loved). Kennedy has proven he can write warm and fuzzy YA’s with the best of them.

My Fair Brady is the amalgamation of My Fair Lady and She’s All That (yes, the 90s teen rom-com film), updated to appeal to today’s high school audience. Wade and Elijah make an unlikely duo, which took me a moment to warm up to... especially Wade who starts very self-centered but with a good heart. It was clear they complemented each other well. Their little ‘project’ to transform Elijah from shy/awkward into “Brady”, a cool/confident student anyone would want to be friends with - naturally grows their friendship. (The camping trip was sooo damn cute!)

The third part twist did make me feel a little negative towards the story - but I feel that was the point and the story needed it to progress adequately. Luckily they got their acts together by the end.

In short - I LOVED it and would recommend for any fans of YA queer romance.

Pick this up now anywhere where books are sold.

Thanks to @bdkennedybooks, @harpercollins and @netgalley for a chance to early review this story in exchange for an honest review.