Super cute. The main character is so dramatic but in a charming way. His progression and growth (mostly facilitated by his growing relationship with cute tech boy Sebastian) is very well done. It’s not got a lot of grit or darkness to it. Just a sweet tooth ache romance and friendship and I’m here for it🫠

Thank you HarperCollins and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I always have an enjoyable time with a Robby Weber read, they’re cute, fun, and feel good! Teddy has been preparing for the drama clubs end of year New York trip and scavenger hunt for a while. He and his best friend Annie have to win as the prize is tickets to an after party that Benji Keaton, famous singer and actor, will be at and they are both beyond fans. But the unthinkable happens when Annie can’t go. Now he’s forced to share a room and partner with Sebastian the tech guy who keeps to himself and no one knows that well. Teddy is determined not to let anything stop him from winning but Sebastian using making it easy on him. However as they traverse New York City he might just find there’s more to Sebastian then meets the eye. Is Teddy starting to develop feelings? And why is Sebastian so secretive? Can he win the scavenger hunt? I loved the concept of the scavenger hunt and how it led Teddy and Sebastian all around New York. A fun way to see the city and get to spend some quality time together! Teddy’s so full of positivity and optimism, I’m much more of a Sebastian who I see as a realist! The hijinks they get up to are funny, intriguing, and will give you the warm and fuzzies! A sweet story you won’t be able to put down!

it's sweet. it fits this very specific niche of hopeful heartwarming gay YA. homophobia is virtually absent from the story, the boys are cute but appropriately complex and melodramatic -- mixed in with that specific brand of plot armor that is practically deus ex machina, tho here it is simply called 'luck.' ultimately it's recommended because we could use a little more sweetness, hope, and heart in our lives.


*I received a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review

“Do you just love living in New York? It’s so horrible, and so amazing.”
I roll my eyes. “No way it’s horrible.”
“New York City will literally rip your throat out and stomp on it and then feed it back to you,” Claudette says coolly.
“And it’s still worth it.” Lucy grins. “Even when it breaks your heart. Or gives you really, really fucking bad blisters.”

What Is This Feeling? is another warm, summery rom-com from Robby Weber that just makes you feel happy to be part of the same timeline as his wonderful brain.
Teddy and Sebastian were a joy to get to know, and following their journey through their NYC senior trip had a nostalgic-like feel (if you ever took a school trip to NYC, be prepared to laugh and shake your head while you relive these memories!) while still feeling fresh and exciting (I actually put the book down to see if Wonderland ice cream was a real thing, because hello?? That’s genius, and I would absolutely go there on my next New York trip!).

I had to keep reminding myself that this WAS a YA novel and Teddy’s obsession with Benji (the pop star) is 1000% 17 year old theatre kids do. Hell, I did it well into my 20s!
I was surprised there wasn’t more of a wrap up connection with Sebastian’s dislike of Benji at the end, but overall I thought this novel was fantastic, and can’t wait for the next blockbuster hit!

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC, check out What Is This Feeling? on September 17th!

This was a light and sweet book. I like Weber, I've read him before when I picked up a book of his at Barnes and Noble while waiting for an oil change appointment, and I liked it so much I bought it and finished it at home. This is my second out of three books of his, and it had it's ups and downs for me. I typically tend to gravitate less towards YA books these days. There are some with more mature themes, and some that are lighter and sweeter. I tend to like the more mature themed ones, and this one was among the latter of the two. I didn't mind that it was light; I read it as a palette cleanser after a super sad found family book, so it was nice in that regard. I loved emo nerd Sebastian and his music taste, and I loved the way Theo helped him gain the confidence to do what he came to do in New York. I loved the way Theo's brain worked, and how it felt so much like me. I loved the way Weber wove in his fake celebs with real ones. It legitimately made me stop and think: am I just missing some celebs? Do these people exist? Low-key had to do some pondering for a fat second. The most juvenile parts for me were how easily they got through their troubles. Every single obstacle was met with an easy solution, many of which were probably not legal! It irked me a little bit that Theo was so willing to just.. possibly break laws to get to his end goal, I was with Sebastian on that, but it's all part of the fun I guess. It also peeved me a bit that he ended up getting what he wanted despite not winning it; it was sweet that his arch nemesis offered a truce and was actually really sweet to him, and I loved the conversation moment at the party between he and Benji. It seemed authentic and I could totally imagine something like that happening in the end scenes of a movie. I just sort of wish maybe, with the growth he'd had in learning that his trip didn't have to be all about his means to an end, that he would've been okay with not meeting his idol and just moved on. But for all it's worth, I did enjoy this book a good bit. There were just a few things that knocked it down a few stars for me. Good book and would probably read again, just maybe after it sitting on my shelf for a while. A good nostalgia read.