Running Mates by Emily Locker presents an intriguing premise—two teenagers from opposing sides of the political spectrum navigating their differences in a politically charged town. It's essentially a modern-day Romeo and Juliet or West Side Story, but with the dynamics shifted to reflect contemporary issues of political polarization, which makes for a timely and thought-provoking narrative.

Annabelle Morningstar, a passionate and quirky high school activist, is raised by progressive-minded mothers, one a news anchor and the other a surgeon. She lives on the East Side of town, the "Democratic" side. On the other hand, Gabe Delgado is the epitome of the all-American boy, molded by his conservative Cuban senator father, living on the North Side, the "Republican" side. Their worlds could not be more different, so when they find themselves training for track together, the relationship that blossoms between them seems as improbable as it is exciting.

As the story progresses, Anna and Gabe's growing connection challenges their friends and the town's expectations, making their journey of self-discovery even more complicated. The book cleverly touches on the idea that perhaps these two teenagers, from seemingly opposite worlds, can learn from each other and find common ground. It has a strong message of dialogue and understanding, which is important in today's polarized world.

However, while the book's premise is intriguing, I felt that it could have benefited from stronger editing and deeper character development. Many of the characters felt one-dimensional, and some of the subplots, especially the political themes, were over-emphasized. It often seemed like the town’s focus on political issues was so extreme that it stretched the plausibility of how deeply high school students could be invested in them. I appreciated the book’s attempt to make readers aware of the importance of forming their own political opinions and working with others from different backgrounds, but the execution sometimes felt forced.

That said, I did enjoy Anna and Gabe's relationship and the way they both grow throughout the novel. The secondary character of Sam was a highlight for me—his laid-back attitude and level-headed perspective added much-needed balance to the story.

Running Mates does an excellent job of showing how dialogue and collaboration can break down ideological walls, but its heavy reliance on political themes and some underdeveloped characters left me wanting more. While this YA novel could use some refinement, it's still a compelling read for anyone interested in contemporary political themes and young adult romance.

hank you to NetGalley, Emily Locker, and Bancroft Press for the advanced copy of Running Mates.

The concept of two teens from politically divided sides of town falling in love had potential, but the story didn’t fully deliver for me. The pacing was slow, and while the romance started with promise, it quickly felt overshadowed by constant arguments. Despite saying they were trying to make their relationship work, Anna and Gabe spent more time clashing than connecting.

The political focus of the story felt over-the-top and unrealistic. The town’s obsession with politics dominated the plot, making it hard to relate. I also found the characters and storylines underdeveloped, with some parts feeling disjointed and lacking flow.

While the book had a good message about being open to different perspectives, the execution didn’t quite work. It had potential, but overall, it felt a bit boring and could use more polish.

"In politics, as in life, the line between right and wrong often blurs, and sometimes you have to choose the lesser of two evils.”

The story revolves around two main characters who find themselves navigating through the world of a political campaign, each with their challenges and goals. Engaging narrative with well-developed characters that are highly relatable. Annabella copes with the pressures of her role while trying to maintain her sincerity and personal relationships. Gabe shares similar goals but his approach to politics is more strategic and calculated. He is motivated by a desire for power that keeps clashes with Anna's ideals. Their relationship evolves as they face challenges together, revealing layers of trust and conflicts. Both of them have polar opposite opinions on things.

The dynamics between the characters are nuanced, showcasing the balance between personal ambition and loyalty. The book delves into the political life, including the dilemmas faced by those in power. It also emphasizes the importance of friendship and support while facing challenges.

“Friendship in the political sphere is a luxury, not a guarantee.”

The author's writing style is fluid and easily accessible, making it easy for me to immerse in the story from the start. The dialogue is realistic, capturing the essence of political discussions and highlighting the personal stakes involved. The author dives deep into the elements of sacrifices and ambition. A thought-provoking read as it combines political drama with personal growth. Emily captures the nature of navigating a complex world while staying true to ourselves. It's a compelling story that offers entertainment and emphasises the importance of friendship and support while facing challenges.

If you're looking for a book that offers both entertainment and navigates you into the slight world of politics, then this book is for you.

Running Mates was such a cute read!! I enjoyed that the book was not only about running but also about politics. The book navigated the politics really well showing representation from both sides. As a YA story, I feel like teens would find a lot of common ground with this book in comparison to their own lives. I also appreciated the LGBTQ+ representation. Thank you to Bancroft Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book. I would recommend this to teens and adults who enjoy YA!

Ich weiß ehrlich gesagt nicht, wie ich dieses Buch bewerten soll, da ich es aufgrund relativ kurzer Ausleihdauer (ohne Verlängerung) nicht lesen konnte.

I loved the twist on enemies to “lover” being teens on the opposite end of the political spectrum. Overall I really liked their story, at times Gabe got a little frustrating to me. Make up your mind dude! I really loved how they both discovered that no issue or event is black and white, and it takes compromise and nuance to make sense of the world.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, my opinions are my own. This was definitely interesting! This was, as another reviewer said, " a Romeo and Juliet story of the Trump era", and I agree. It is cute in concept but in today's world it is hard to negotiate a relationship with strong political differences. Thankfully this focuses more on the characters than it does the actual politics so it is kind of ignorable. Still, walking away from it feels like finishing a fantasy novel.

I love the "opposites attract" arc in books, and this was fantastic. The romance, coupled with the humour, made it a light, heartwarming and enjoyable read. I look forward to more books by this debut writer.

Running Mates was a really good read. Solid representation and discussion over who people are and what can build bridges between beliefs on different sides of the political spectrum. Sometimes our differences aren’t all that different! Emily Locker acknowledges the divide between Republicans and Democrats and creates friendships and love interests for a little bit of teenage rebellion and refocus of schooling/sport.

I expected something light and easy to read and I got it.

Edgartown, a town in North Carolina, has been politically divided since anyone can remember. Annabelle is from the Eastside, liberal part of town, and Gabe is from the Northside, conservative part of Edgartown. They don’t really know each other until, suddenly, they start to train running together.

I was in a mood for something with running and romance in it when I picked this book, and while there was romance, running kind of faded away. It started with a lot of running, and later it was just mentioned. I really hoped there’ll be more of it, but in the end it was fine.

Despite that, kind of too much drama for me. I mean, I know where it came from, but still there was this point when Anna and Gabe were saying they’re trying to make their relationship work, but I didn't really see they were trying, because every chance they had to talk and spend time together they were fighting. I know, teenagers, different views, but for teenagers that were so aware of a lot more than I was their age I would expect that if they said they were trying they really tried that, at least once. And in my opinion they never tried until the end of the book. Of course, the drama was not only about these two, but also their friends, but I’m not going into that. For me, it was just too much.

However, don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad book. It’s a nice read for a cozy evening with tea and a blanket, and I’m sure I would really like it when I was a teen. But now, in my opinion it was just a light book I’ll probably forget in a few weeks, like many similar other books.

really good
this lowkey made me want to start running and build a connection like that
I wasn't really expecting much, but this totally exceeded my expectations!!!

This book was not for me. So much so that I dramatically tossed my Kindle once I reached the end.

I was excited about this title because I just had a conversation jokingly with my partner about there being a lack of running romance books, and then this popped up so I grabbed it immediately.

I knew with the "Running Mates" title this was going to be political , but there wasn't a hint of dialogue or character thought that wasn't laced with political or social commentary -- often feeling forced and unnatural. Because of that, I felt that it took away from getting any real in-depth character development and it became insufferable trying to work through the plot. Toward the end of the book, it felt like there were a lot of loose ends that tried to get tied up really quickly, and the timelines seemed a bit off.

This book had a lot of things going for it and a couple of things that were a stretch.
The characters were, for the most part, interesting and real. They had struggles and successes. They were not perfect but they did grow and develop during the story. The dialogue was funny at times as well as honest. The author did a great job making this a fun read.
The stretch was the Romeo and Juliet aspect of it where the family feud was over politics. It pushed the boundaries of believable into the over the top kind of story. The politics on both sides were just to rabid. If it had been dialed back a bit I think I would have liked it a lot more.
That being said, I'm still looking forward to seeing more books from this author.
Enjoy.

In this debut novel Emily Locker tackles some of the difficulties of being a teen today. With politics at the forefront of most conversations from around the dinner table with family, to lunch in the cafeteria with friends, and even in the classroom with teachers interjecting their own views into their lectures politics seems to be a stressor Gen Z kids have to deal with that their parents did not and I think this YA novel is a great way to show teens how even people with different viewpoints can be friends.
The town of Edgartown in North Carolina has been politically divided for as long as anyone can remember. Eastside is known for their liberal political views and Northside for their conservative ones. When Anna Morningstar (an Eastsider) starts training with her cross country coach, he teams her with Gabe Delgado, not just a Northsider, but the son of the Republican senator with whom Anna and her mothers do not agree. Soon sparks are flying between the two high schoolers and they are torn between their personal views and the other’s view. When they both realize that the other makes some valid points, they end up needing to reconsider why they have the views they do. Are their opinions truly theirs, or those of their family and friends?
My favorite part of this book is one that’s so secondary to the main theme it might go unnoticed- destigmatizing learning disabilities. Anna has a language processing disorder that she’s quite open about. I have a number processing disorder and an auditory processing disorder (though you’d never know it given the amount of books I listen to), and growing up I always felt like the least smart person in the room. The way Gabe acknowledged Anna’s smarts despite her learning disability was heartwarming to me. If I had had just one person outside of my parents remind me that I was smart despite my learning difficulties it would have made a world of difference.
This was a great YA novel and I think it would be perfect for a high school book club. Thank you to NetGalley and Bancroft Press for an advanced copy. Running Mates hit the shelves on February 14th.

I was so excited to receive this ARC from NetGalley and Emily Locker; unfortunately, I struggled to reach the finish line of this book.

Locker presents a tale of high schoolers in the midst of standing their ground vs figuring out who they are in an incredibly political setting. As discussed in the book description, "Running Mates" truly highlights youth activism but the amount of political focus seemed a bit extreme for this age group. Locker contrasted liberal vs conservative families and views in the way her characters and their families interacted; however, this book was so burdened with politics that the rare moments free of political drama felt like breaths of fresh air.

I came close to DNFing this book so many times but kept reading in hopes of finding redeeming pieces to enjoy. Unless the reader is prepared to spend a significant amount of time reading about politically charged drama, with a sprinkling of young love and high school antics, I feel like they could read the book description and the last 4 chapters and understand the whole story.

In light of the above, I do appreciate how Locker portrayed positive family units for the main characters of Anna and Gabe; those interactions were enjoyable to read when they took place. I also applaud Locker for her accurate description of young love and developing relationships.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC.

Thanks to the author for a copy of Running Mates by Emily Locker which comes out on Wednesday - February 14th. This debut YA book takes a current spin on Romeo & Juliet with two polar opposite high school students in North Carolina.

We meet liberal activist Annabelle and Gabe, the son of a Conservative politician when they both join the same training program to help their chances at being recruited for scholarships in college. Annabelle
fights for every cause her school's activist club stands behind until her beloved local bookstore is the scene of the next protest when employees want to unionize. She starts to question the black & white behind her activist ways and it doesn't help that she starts to form a friendship and more with Gabe.

I liked that deep down this book was about getting to know others and that your preconceived notions may not always be right and that there are nuances in every situation. This book read very YA to me (which is the audience) and I liked the friendships and think high school students will find this book relatable.

3/5 stars.

What a sweet, light-hearted read this book was! I thought the politics would initially be one-sided, but the author did a great job navigating both sides very well. I also enjoyed reading about Gabe and Anna working through their opposing political views and their influence on each other. However, I do feel like it would have been nice to have a few characters with moderate political views. There were also quite a few typesetting errors throughout my copy. All in all, I think this was a good debut novel!

Thank you to Bancroft Press, Emily Locker, and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

what a great book and i loved reading this author. I haven't read her in many years. loved the romance and how the couple came to be. Loved that they worked through their issues and found love.

I saw raving reviews for RUNNING MATES by Emily Locker on Bookstagram. The synopsis described it as a political romance, which was right up my alley. We are introduced to two teenagers - Anna, who is from a Democrat household with two moms and Gabe, son of a Republican senator. They both start running together aiming to get into colleges. Truthfully, I was nervous that the political issues would be biased but the author represented both sides very well. It is suited for YA, I enjoyed this adorable, entertaining and heartwarming read about friendship, self-identity, family and more!

I received an ARC from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Running Mates by Emily Locker was such a delight to read. Truly. It’s heartwarming, funny, timely, and very entertaining. It does lean heavily on the young adult side—which isn’t a genre that I read often—but Locker also included strong elements of friendship, parenting, family, activism, and social issues which broadened the scope for a wider audience. I actually think that this novel will appeal to a lot of moms—especially ones with a teenager in the house. My daughter is just months away from becoming a teenager, so I’m all about dissecting the teenage brain! Ha!

Before picking up this novel, please be aware that politics is a major component to the story. I feel that a lot of politically-themed novels tend to be one-sided lately, which may deter readers from picking them up. What I appreciated most about Running Mates is that we receive representation from both sides. A liberal teenage girl gets involved with a conservative teenage boy. It causes some major rifts and ripples between their friends, family members, and even the couple themselves! I’m happy to report that Locker handled this tricky dynamic wonderfully.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Running and fitness
- Young love
- Politically-charged storylines
- Teenage behavior
- Witty banter
- Family drama
- LGBTQIA+ representation
- Opposites attract trope
- North Carolina setting

Overall, this debut was a major winner for me, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. 4/5 stars for Running Mates! It’s out on February 14th!