This book was packed with angst, heartbreak, heartache, and the emotions of messy love.

Sloane and Ethan met in college and had a fling, neither believing in love. But Sloane fell, and Ethan…well, he did too, but he struggled to let his walls down.

These two were very on and off again, and I really don’t like when the main characters are with other people during a “break up.” I guess it’s not cheating since they’re broken up, but still. And Ethan and Sloane weren’t technically together, since they had no labels. But it was obvious they loved each other.

<spoiler>And fine, Ethan slept with another girl. And I hated that. But at least it wasn’t detailed. And later, Sloane started dating someone else after her “official break up” with Ethan. But then she cheated on that guy, who was amazing, with Ethan. Like girl, what the f*ck.”</spoiler>.

Sloane really loved Ethan, and he obviously had feelings for her. They couldn’t stay away from each other. And my heart broke for Sloane because she tried so hard, but Ethan just couldn’t get past his hang-ups. He loved her, but…it wasn’t enough.

I didn’t like this book because of the cheating, and the no HEA for the couple. But I also couldn’t stop reading it. It was messy, it was emotional, and it’s real.

Ended up DNFing this one around 40%. It was just way too New Adult college, first love, toxic relationship, angsty for me. The FMC can't move on from Ethan who is her first college crush but who continually treats her like dirt and won't let her move on the one time she actually tries. Too much drama for me. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I love the story behind why this book was written and the message Alissa DeRogatis wanted to share with readers. However, for that reason, I just didn’t enjoy reading it.

This is like reading my own journal but it's well written and funny. In the most relatable way, DeRogatis outlines the absurdity that is being in a situationship in your 20s in NYC. It happens to all of us, but this is the only way it's fun. She knocked it out of the park with this.

I have been waiting for this book for so long and I felt so seen. it hurts me but it was so good... I felt like Alissa was in my brain because I actually went to a spiral and made me think about my situation too. books like this is what the girls (me) want

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of *Call It What You Want*! This novel captures the bittersweet essence of college life with a nostalgic twist. Set in 2016, Sloane Hart is determined to make her senior year unforgettable as she navigates the excitement and pressures of impending adulthood. With dreams of moving to New York City and a strong focus on her goals, Sloane’s plans are disrupted by her charming but enigmatic upstairs neighbor, Ethan Brady.

The chemistry between Sloane and Ethan is palpable, creating a tension that draws readers in as they explore the depths of their connection amidst their personal struggles. Ethan’s guarded nature adds layers to the story, making Sloane’s journey toward love both thrilling and heart-wrenching.

This heartfelt coming-of-age tale beautifully examines themes of almost-love and the complexities of relationships without labels, reminding us of the transformative power of connection. With its relatable characters and evocative prose, *Call It What You Want* is an engaging read that resonates long after the last page. I liked it so much I purchased it on release day!

First of all, this cover is STUNNING! I will also always love a book that references a Taylor Swift song in the title. This book really captured the essence of an old rom-com movie but it also felt so modern and relatable at the same time. I will say the romance was a bit frustrating at times. I found myself rooting for the main character and not for the love interest at all. The back and forth, will-they-wont-they love stories are not typically my cup of tea but the book had other good aspects that I focused on instead and managed to enjoy myself just the same.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel.
Unfortunately I didn't finish this book because after reading the first chapters I feel like this book wasn't really for me so my rating is the average for this book expressed here on netgalley because I also feel like I didn't really give it a chance.

This book was such a real and raw look at situationships and how those “non-official” relationships can really affect you. Alissa really captures what it’s like to go through. It was a quick read that made me feel lots of feelings.

I was so excited to read this book after seeing it on Tik Tok; but unfortunately it didn't grab my attention and the story was just meh.

I spent most of the book wishing Sloane would find a therapist and Ethan would find a new apartment.

Call It What You Want explores the complexities of a situationship between Sloane and Ethan. While the premise is engaging, the plot can feel predictable and somewhat repetitive. It would have been more compelling to see a deeper exploration of their initial connection and understand why they keep returning to each other. The characters also feel a bit underdeveloped, leaving their motivations and backstories vague. As a result, the story feels like it’s missing some emotional depth and insight into who they truly are.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Sloane and Ethan. They meet their senior year of college. There is an instant attraction. They date. They go weeks and then meet up. Shane tries to explain why this is not working. Ethan breaks up with her. They graduated from college and break up once again after trying to do long distance. They each have issues but somehow don’t seem to make it.

I truly have zero idea what the point of this book was and have so many problems with it's execution... Do I love books set in NYC? YES, but it's painfully obvious that the author has never lived there herself or did research on the lifestyle or culture, because all of the descriptions and geography where wrong. Beyond these errors that I tried to resend a blind eye to, the characters were awful. I hated them. Zero redeemable qualities. Ethan and Sloane lacked any sliver of chemistry and the conversations were pretentious, whiny and repetitive. Their dynamic was extremely problematic. On top of the fact that I therefore didn't care about the characters, I'm pretty sure an editor was nowhere near this book before publication. Grammatical errors on every other page, typos, and the inconsistencies throughout made my head hurt. 250 pages too long... This read like a high schooler writing fanfiction about every other NYC romance ever written.

I know this booked was hyped up on tiktok a lot and other platforms and there are a lot of mixed reviews however I really enjoyed this one!

It felt very relatable and was an absolute rollercoaster of a book!

I was really hoping for a happy ending and that's not the author's fault. The characters were alright, and I found myself more annoyed at them throughout the book.

Hmmm...

I think I only finished this because it was a short read, but this lacked everything for me.

No. This book was not it. I had high hopes but it wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. There was no chemistry and the format did not suit me.

Based on the buzz surrounding this book, I was expecting an amazing read. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype.

i. The Plot:

The concept had potential, but the execution missed the mark. The plot was incredibly repetitive, making it feel like I was reading the same thing over and over. I understood the message the author was trying to convey, but it got lost in endless circles. There was also a noticeable lack of backstory, which left me feeling frustrated and disconnected. It felt like a case of "been there, done that."

ii. The Characters:

After 250 pages of the same repetitive content, I was hoping for some character growth—but it never really came...

Sloane: I can’t defend her actions. She made the same mistake three times and never learned from it. I understand she had an idealized version of Ethan in her mind, but that excuse only goes so far. Her behavior became contradictory, and she ended up feeling like a walking contradiction.

Ethan: I couldn’t stand him. If you’re aware that you have issues and can’t commit to a relationship, fine, at least you’re self-aware. But to repeatedly hurt people like he did? Unacceptable.

I could recommend this book to someone who has been through a similar situation and might connect with it more than I did. There were some good moments, but overall, it just wasn’t for me. This could just be because I haven't been through a similar situation.

It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

So first off this was an amazing book! I remember reading the indie version about two summers ago and just crying my eyes out at how emotional the story was and how it resonated with the situation I was going through at the time. If I could gives this book a million starts I would!