I originally read this book when it was first self-published after hearing about it on TikTok! I read it in one day and sobbed all the way through it because I felt so much for Sloane. I feel like every college-aged girl has had similar situationship and experiences and they HURT. Although I definitely enjoy happily ever afters where the main characters end up together I feel that Call It What You Want had its own type of HEA. It was the HEA where Sloane discovered her worth and decided to put herself first. Maybe this book isn't a traditional love story, but it is something I think all girls should read because they may relate to it, or it may teach them to put themselves first in these types of situations.

I loved this book so much and I can't wait to see more from Alissa DeRogatis!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

So I’ll be honest, the writing isn’t very detailed, and it isn’t that deep. BUT man this story just hit me right in my feels, and was such a cathartic reading experience for me.

It was so refreshing to read a Romance that didn’t have a HEA, because sometimes life doesn’t work like that! It was also so nice to see an “almost relationship” written about in a book. I don’t speak for all girls, but I know I speak for myself when I say I had an almost relationship JUST LIKE this one in my early 20s. And honestly this is the first time I’ve ever read anything like it, in a book. I felt seen, and my guess is that many other girls in their 20s are going to feel the same way reading about something they more than likely have experienced in some caliber.

All in all, this book should be mandatory reading for college freshmen everywhere. The failed “almost relationship” isn’t the star of this story; the star is YOU and learning to love and lean on yourself.

I highly recommend this book! It’s a short and easy read, that will leave you nostalgic for those college years, and also feel so validated because someone has written about something most of us go through.

Oh and chefs kiss on the perfection of the title explanation in the epilogue.

“Call it what you want, but for me it was love.”

I really wanted to like this one given the setup- a girl falls for the unattainable guy who won’t open up to her and just wastes her time. I love that- it’s not something I’ve read before; but it’s the writing that made it fall flat for me. I can’t picture the characters, I can’t put a feeling to them, i felt no connection to Sloane or Ethan- not even enough to hate Ethan for Sloane!!
I think if there was more editing, more getting behind their feelings and actually reading that rather than just being told this is happening and this is what’s Ethan said or Sloane did, I think i would have liked it better.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Funny, witty, just the right amount of all the feels. I cried and laughed so hard along with Sloane. As a brand new college grad, I related to this book more than I expected to. I genuinely felt like I related to a character on a new level and immersed myself into the book itself. Thank you for making something so relatable, this will help so many girls struggling with college heartbreaks.

As someone that’s in my early 20’s and has gone through a situationship, this hit me real hard. Call It What You Want entails a realistic experience that readers can relate to. Whether that’s Sloane (who’s had her heart broken a few times), or Lauren: the supportive friend that just wants Sloane to be happy. I kept highlighting quotes from Lauren and Graham because they are so wise! They were with Sloane since day one.

The writing was easy to read, it felt somewhat like diary entries so if you’re into that, this book is for you. Did I find the writing of Sloane’s (and Ethan’s) emotions to be repetitive? Yes, but I feel like that is what a situationship actually entails (i.e. going back and forth with your thoughts and feelings), so it didn’t really bother me that much. However, there were some chapters where it changes POV and the scene is shown again—for readers to understand what the other main character is feeling, but the writing already feels repetitive. I suggest cutting those scenes that are mentioned twice and put them elsewhere in case readers want to read them (i.e. a bonus chapter at the end of the book, or on Alissa’s website). In my opinion, the duplicated scenes aren’t really necessary to enjoy the book as a whole.

The characters moving from North Carolina to New York post-grad felt fun and exciting! It still felt like a small town vibe though, especially since Sloane kept bumping into people she wanted to avoid. I feel bad for Reese though.

I feel like anyone that reads this book can learn some life lessons. It has a specific demographic, but if you feel like the story doesn’t relate to you [at that moment], it’s a nice refresher to tell your younger/future self or even a friend.

I would give this book 4.25 stars! ⭐️

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a review!

I like that this is quick read. It was recommended to me about another blogger. It was a cute book, but it is not a book I would recommend. I don’t feel like there was ever any resolution or ending. The book just ended.

i had a hard time with this, i wanted to like it because it felt very raw and real but i hated having ethan’s perspective, i think as a woman who has been in these situationships its hard to humanize the person treating you like this

thank you netgalley for an arc of this in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to the publisher and Netgallery for this copy.

I really loved this book overall but the ending kinda fell flat for me. I wanted more for the sloane. Breakups are hard and It really is a hard topic to deal with.

I really did enjoy the story and the characters though.

no plot, no back story, this was not good. did the author have an editor? there were so many grammar mistakes and wrongly chosen words. my biggest problem about this is i know the city very well and seems like the author has never even visited the way she described landmark placements and being able to travel so easily from place to place.

This was a great book. I connected with the characters. I felt engrossed with the plot. I would read another book by this author.

Thank you NetGalley,

This is my second time reading this story although I love the 1st book of this I love this new version even more.

The character growth and I love sloan relationships through out the book weather it was friendships or more we got it all.

The story felt so real and i wanted to keep on reading it kept me wanting more and more

I'm disappointed that I didn't like this book because I feel like the scenario is one that many of us have been in. A break up that isn't a break up but hurts just the same if not more. Though I probably won't be recommending this book to my friends, I have to say, wow, what a situationship!

Something felt very juvenile about this book, beyond it being YA. It was relatable but I don’t think it’s something I would have flipped through at the bookstore and purchased. Something about the writing style made everything seem too immature and the relationships were definitely immature. I liked Graham and even Lauren grew on me, but all the other characters seemed so highschool. Even Sloane’s articles for the gist seemed so silly.

It’s been a while since a romance novel has left a bad taste in my mouth, but this one did.

Definitely not my kind of romance. Luckily, this is my last ARC for now and I’m excited to read all the new releases by some of my fav authors. Sarah Adams and Abby Jimenez, I’m ready to fill my life with your latest!

I loved the way this story played out. I was rooting for Sloane and Ethan the entire time even though I knew how it was going to end, and I still sobbed. Alissa did an amazing job showing scenes from both perspectives and made sure the readers would understand why things were happening the way they did. Such an incredible book, I cannot wait to read it again over the summer.

Sloane and Ethan meet in college and fall into a steady rhythm of a situationship.

While this book had a lot of promise, in the end it was not for me. I wanted Sloane to stand up for herself and her feelings more. I wanted Ethan to figure out that he was good enough for happiness. And above all I wanted a HEA.

If you are looking for a romance that has a lot of real life aspects but no HEA, than check this one out!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this title! I loved the taylor swift references throughout the book. I was drawn to this story because of the title. I think the idea of writing a love story that’s based on a situationship is interesting. The story didn’t end in the typical way. It’s relatable in some ways to my own life. I would’ve liked to hear more about Ethan’s life story. I would’ve liked Sloane to bring up his past at some point. The book could use some polishing but I did enjoy it overall. (3.5)

I'm sorry, but what 😭 was 😭 that 😭? My 5-star rating of this book is not for what you think.

I rated this book 5 stars because as I read it, I couldn't help but reflect on my experiences as a college student. To be honest, I resonated so much (my freshman year instead of the book's senior year) because all we want is to be loved and to find affection.

Sometimes our brain and heart do not align. While we know something may be toxic or not worth our time, our heart keeps us daydreaming for something that isn't there. Love is a two-way street and can be even more harmful if not treaded carefully.

If you read this, you will experience a raw journey, and to be honest, you will literally appreciate every little lesson you learn in college. That's what it did for me. 5 freaking stars, I have no other words.

Thank you Netgalley, Bookmarked & Alissa DeRogatis for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.post-reading vibes⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
this books made me realize all the things i learn as a girl trying to find unconditional love in college — my heart hurts of how beautiful the author made me resonate so much with the fmc experience.

Despite the author’s beautiful contemporary writing, this novel lacked significant plot building and personality in its main characters. What would have made it stronger would have been more backstory and chemistry between the main love interest characters. Additionally, this book could have been strengthened by the inclusion of the deeper emotions of the protagonist, instead of solely focusing on the narrative and events.

Thanks all for the e-arc!

If you love the 00's romcom movies where you follow the fmc going through major life issues, this one will be for you! Right up my street, thank you!

This book was everything I needed! I love this cover and was super excited to dive into this. Definitely recommend

Nostalgic romance at it's finest. The book explores all kinds of relationships, from parenthood to first lover - accurately relatable for a lot of people. Loved it and am keen to see other DeRogatis novels.