Tia Williams returns with a YA novel that is just as swoon worthy as her spicy second chance romance “Seven Days In June.” When I read “Seven Days In June”, I was hoping that the story of Shane and Eva would continue and clearly I wasn’t alone. This time Eva’s teenage daughter Audre gets her own love story.


Audre is ambitious with stacked curricular activities including being her high school’s unofficial therapist and she is hoping to impress Stanford with her own self help guide for teenagers. Her friend Reshma gives her a list of things to do that challenges Audre to have fun this summer to flesh out the self help book. Since her father canceled her trip to him in California to await her new sibling and Audre isn’t getting along with her mom and stepdad because of the new addition of her baby sister, she figures that she can do the dares.


She hires Bash, the mysterious, aspiring tattoo artist that seems to be the denominator when it comes to the broken hearts she’s recently had to be the therapist for, to be her “funsultant”. He doesn’t mind helping her complete the list since it’s a great distraction from his home life. With strict rules for professionalism (that are bound to be broken), Audre and Bash end up changing each other's lives as their chemistry takes over.


I loved the dialogue and descriptions in this book. The romance didn’t seem forced and there were twists that I didn’t see coming. It’s such a fresh and lighthearted romance with relatable issues. I’ve been a fan of Williams’ writing since “The It Chicks” and somehow she has managed to create an incredible connection in the titular characters that I almost forgot they weren’t real. I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to be in a giddy mood over a sweet teenage love. Tia Williams does it again for me with another 5 star read.

What a fun read and ride! Audre has grown up from a pre-teen into a full-blown teenager, and she is still in pursuit of a psychology degree and becoming a licensed therapist. The problem she has identified is that she is all work and no play. Enter Bash Henry! Among the family dynamics that are shifting and an apartment undergoing renovation, to say the least, things are changing in Audre's life, and she is trying to figure out how to navigate it all. Audre's experience is relatable, especially being a young lady focused, and that young man comes in that makes time stop, and your heartbeat escalates simultaneously. This book is so rich with character development and a good time! As an adult, it brings the old feelings and memories of being in love for the FIRST time and learning to navigate the turns of familial relationships as you begin to chart your path. Tia Williams has done it again!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the arc!
4.5 stars

THIS WAS SO CUTE! If you read Seven Days in June and absolutely adored Audre like myself, then you will definitely enjoy getting to know her story.

Quick spoiler free summary: We pick up where Audre is now 16 and has to think about college. She wants to stand out in her application and decides she needs to write a book about the life experience of a teenager. The only problem is that Audre doesn't really know what that is. Who has time for crazy outlandish teenage behavior? Then we meet Bash who is the new kid in town that everyone can't stop talking about. Audre decides to befriend him and asks him to teach her how to be a fun person lol.

I really enjoyed this! I don't typically read a lot of YA romcoms but I trust Miss Tia and I was not disappointed. Tia's humor shines in this one and she created two main characters who you just want to protect at all costs. It portrays the nostalgia of teenage summers where everything affects you tenfold, good or bad.

It's also interesting to see Eva through Audre's eyes. I love that they kept such complex dynamics in this romcom because I never knew what emotion I would feel next (in a good way!). I also expect a lot of open dialogue that will occur for Mothers who read this with their teenage daughters.

I absolutely loved the relationship between Audre and Bash!! Their banter was hilarious and their communication so open. I wish I could share some quotes because they had me kicking my feet!

I appreciated the mental health aspect of the story as well. I would have been obsessed with this book as a teenager, and connected with Audre on so many levels. What Audre and Bash go through, both in their past and present, was deeply relatable. All us anxious girlies deserve a Bash in their life 🥹.

AHHH i adore williams’ adult romances and getting audre’s story is TOO exciting!! she truly listens to the people, and it will be an absolute pleasure to read and review this book 💫

3.75⭐️

I thought this book was very sweet, the romance was well developed, the characters were diverse, and the language used felt authentic and accurate to current Gen Z culture.
I particularly enjoyed Audre’s character. She was very well written and relatable, and was very easy to root for. I thought it was impressive how real the author made her feel. As for Bash, he wasn’t my favourite. I thought the “bad boy boyfriend who isn’t actually bad” aesthetic was a bit overplayed, but he was still sweet nonetheless.
I do have some criticisms- I didn’t like Reshma. Her personality felt just a little too stuck up, and we didn’t get to know her enough for me to really understand her. Also, as much as I love how she was queer and had a relationship with Clio, there just didn’t feel like much buildup or development in their romance. One second they bump into each other on the streets, and the next they were dating.
I also thought the book relied a bit too heavily on pop culture references and that they were a bit unnecessary.
Overall, my biggest issue with the book was the amount of drug use. Mind you, these are 15, 16, 17 year olds we’re reading about, and they were vaping, smoking, drinking, and doing drugs/mushrooms like it was nobody’s business. Bash’s mother even offers to smoke pot with him at a point in the book. I wish this was left out or at least downplayed in the book because it made me uncomfortable how normalized it was to the characters.
Still, this book was amazing! A cute, contemporary, urban take on romance, with a believable storyline and characters. I hope to read more by Tia, and I was honoured to receive this eARC from NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

I was lucky enough to be an arc reader for this book. I absolutely love Tia Williams writing. This was my second book of hers and I cannot wait to read more. Even though I’m not normally a YA reader, This book had me laughing and kicking my feet. The relationship between the two characters was so fun and romantic. Reminded me of real life relationship.

A really wonderful YA book — reflective, connected to Williams’ previous novel, and a joy. I appreciated the growth of the characters. Well done!

Audre & Bash was such an EXCELLENT read!! I'm not surprised at all because Tia Williams' writing is always so perfect. This book was utterly hilarious. Tia Williams is very good at inserting very ridiculous and sometimes hyperbolic statements that describe a character, set a scene, or reference a moment in pop culture. I highlighted so many of these and found myself laughing so many times throughout this book.

Speaking to the romance between Audre and Bash, Audre was perhaps my favorite character in Seven Days in June. I was so pleased to find out that we would be getting a YA romance following her. From the first page, I fell in love with the characters in this book and the sweet friendship-turned-romance between her and Bash. This book felt like a true teen romance. From the very accurate Gen-Z slang to the confusing and innocent feelings of your first love to the friendship fights to the overly annoying parents, I can easily see so many teens relating to this story. I felt like Tia did an excellent job of putting the reader in the shoes of teen Audre (who was a fiesty 12-year-old in Seven Days in June. It was so interesting and heartwarming to see her perspective of Eva and Shane after learning about their story in Seven Days in June.

I cannot recommend this book enough for Tia Williams fans and YA readers overall. This is easily going up on my list of all-time favorite YA romances!

Thanks to @netgalley for approving my request, I was able to read the arc for ‘Audre and Bash are Just Friends’. If you are familiar with Tia Williams ‘Seven Days in June’ you would remember Eva’s daughter Audre. Tia mentions this, but Audre was the highlight of that book. She listened to her audience and Audre got her own story. I remember saying “I’m interesting in reading about Audre” so I jumped on this. Let’s just say I almost forgot Audre is 16 in this book. Maybe because I’m a high school counselor and Audre was counseling her peers and charging them lol I think that’s what drew me in. I don’t really like to rate books, but I would give this a 4.5.

Thank you for the arc!
There was a lot about this book I loved, and a lot that did not work. Very mixed bag experience. I love Tia Williams' adult books, but this one didn't hit as much.
Audre and Bash were adorable, if a bit cringey, in their own right. I loved both of them working through their issues with perfectionism and parental expectations. I liked them learning to trust each other and overcoming his reputation. They clicked in a very cute way.
Where this book ultimately fell flat was dealing with Reshma, Audre's best friend, and some of the completely contrived mess at the end. A point is made that Reshma throws herself at older girls, including a 20 year old. An adult while Reshma is 16. Reshma then falls for an 18 year old with the acknowledgement that their age gap wasn't enough for jail time. It left a very bad taste in my mouth because Reshma's issues were not given the weight I feel they deserve. I understand her chapters are from her perspective, but they felt very flippantly treated. I would've liked a separate book about Reshma, because her inclusion here didn't feel all the way there.
I also felt some of the mess at the end was completely contrived. Entertaining, but also very annoying. I won't list it here to avoid spoilers, but all I could think was really?
Overall, I still love Tia Williams, and I'm super excited to see what else she puts out! I would honestly love a sequel with Audre and Bash as adults.

Audre and Bash Are Just Friends is a refreshing take on friendship, self-identity, and the societal and familial pressures teens live with. With well-developed characters and a compelling emotional core, this novel offers a heartfelt and engaging reading experience.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its characterization. Audre is overthinking, introspective, and high achiever, making her an easy character to connect with. Bash, charming, and outwardly confident, yet underneath, he struggles with feeling guilty and unseen. His dynamic with Audre is what truly makes the book shine, offering a refreshing take on male-female friendships and the blurry lines between platonic and romantic relationships.

Thank you NetGallery and Little Brown Books for the ARC. Cute and engaging YA book that will have readers smiling and giggling. Great for secondary students and can see this book part of a Book Club. Will purchase for classroom library and for teenage family members.

Wowwowowow, where do I start?

Seven Days in June is one of my favorite books, and honestly I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this one knowing it was a "spin-off."

This book had everything I need especially in a YA book! The drama, the love, the family, the family drama, the friendships, the intense love that teenagers feel!

The reasons it wasn't 5 stars for me are as follows:
I get if you are a reader and haven't read SDIJ you'd need a summary of Eva and Shane, but I feel like the call back to their past was excessive. I also recognize it played a factor into the ending and emotion, but there were too many references done in the same way.

The third act break-up was frustrating and I wish could've been done differently, but whatever it was still a solid book.

The reasons it was 5 stars for me:

The characters. Bash, Audre, Clio, Preshena, Eva, Shane, The Goblin.
I felt like the were all so well thought out and had personalities and added to the story. The secret Bash and Clio were keeping was done well. Lowkey the plot twist of WHY Bash left California took me by surprise in a good way.

The dialogue and banter and chemistry between Bash and Audre felt so genuine. There relationship developed super well and although a little fast imo also v on brand for teens lol.

The fact that I got attacked in this book??
25% in: "I have one condition, though"
"I'm listening." Audre planted her fists on her hips.
"Please don't ask me anything too personal."
"Virgo?"

Audre's list to accomplish for the summer going full circle and Bash ending it with his own list was v cute!

Audre learning about the family history and who her grandmother was solid and the way it happened was well done.

I'm pretty sure there is more I could say about it, but I'm gonna leave it without spoilers. It just had everything I needed in a book and turned out so perfect.