Salem Grayson is the emo bad boy of my teenage dreams, and Evie Riley is all of us trying to be effortlessly cool.
Come As You Are is the perfect mix of banter, swoony romance, and just enough chaos to make you root for these two opposites to figure it out. Dahlia Adler nails the balance of heart and humor, proving once again that the best glow-up is just being yourself. If you love grumpy/sunshine dynamics, boarding school drama, and a hero who actually reads books, this one’s for you!

I wanted to DNF this book 15% into the book, but i wanted to give a full honest review. This book was not for me, i think younger kids would enjoy a book like, i just couldn't relate to the characters or the storyline. I did finish the book but would not recommend it to any of my friends or family because they have similar views. I wish nothing but the best for the author, but i just did not like this book.

I liked this story and the interesting start where Evie ends up in an all guy's dorm in her new boarding school.

I enjoyed Evie trying to remake her image and her banter filled relationship with Salem.

However, there were parts of this story that I was less enthused about. I did not feel as invested in some of the side characters, and I felt like Evie's forgiveness of her best friend came out of nowhere.

But all in all, this would be a cute beach or summer read.

I’ll be up front: I DNFed this book at 21%.

The concept is unique and interesting, but it’s not quite capturing my attention. I think if I were to continue, I’d end up giving it a lower rating than it deserves because it’s not quite what I’m feeling like reading at the moment and I keep finding myself skimming over things and not paying attention to what I’m reading.

I can say that I like the main character. She’s funny and has a complicated relationship with her family that will most likely be interesting to readers. The deal that her and Salem strike is intriguing as well, though I wasn’t a big fan of Salem’s character yet. Same goes for the rest of the characters (except Sabrina).

From what I read, there was a lot of “telling” and not so much “saying.” Basically, lots of info-dumping. This tends to make me pay less attention and is probably why I lost interest.

I think this book has potential and I’m sure a lot of people will love it!

One of my favorite things about my job is recommending books that feel real. And this book felt real. It felt like I was right in the dorms with Evie and Co. it wasn’t a wild and a far fetched plot, it felt like something that could happen to you.

This was a fun YA romance! There’s some humour and a lot of character development outside of the romance which I really enjoyed. I think sometimes there were some small issues with the flow but other than that, really solid.

I was hooked on this story from the beginning. Evie needed a fresh start and Camden was supposed to be that. But from the beginning things are going wrong and she's assigned to a boys dorm. There are rumors and gossip and hilarity that ensue and I continued to find myself cheering for Evie and waiting to see what would happen next. The writing style was memorable and fun and I continually caught myself smiling while I was reading. I thought the side characters were just as memorable as the main. I loved Going BiCostal last year and Home Field Advantage and I loved this too. Cannot wait to read more from Dahlia Adler!

I loved this one so much! The cover is absolute perfection. I love Dahlia Adler, her collection, and the representation in her books.

Come As You Are was a fun book filled with self-discovery and character development. I really liked the way that Evie pulled you in as the main character and how her relationship with Salem grew over time. I think that this book is the perfect mix of serious and sarcastic and is just what you need to breathe life into any reading slump. While the book definitely had some issues at the front (like in the first 20 pages) it picked up after this and was really enjoyable.

Very entertaining!! The plot was fun and well done and you can tell the author put so much love into this book.

Soooo entertaining. I could see it as a movie or show. I would've loved to see more of the main couple after the fact. I liked the fmc and mmc friendship so much. I really liked that the side characters had depth to them as well.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC copy

Instantly hooked by the dedication: “To all the characters who refuse to be forgotten, and all the writers who refuse to forget them” This was a very heartfelt and cozy read. The characters were all easy to like and root for. I look forward to reaching for this author again

You know those books you just need? Dahlia Adler has written one of those for me! Learning to love yourself is such a hard won gift. I cannot wait for the rest of the world to read this.

This book was really great! Come As You Are was written so well and the writing style of the book was super memorable. There was a little confusion at the beginning of the book for me but that doesn't change the fact that I seriously enjoyed this book!

A fun YA romance. Evie transfers to boarding school to try to outrun her heartbreak, and become a new version of herself. That doesn’t get off to a great start when she’s assigned to the boys’ dorm, and accidentally makes out with a future friend’s boyfriend on her first day, but she figures out a way to stand out among her new crowd by making a deal with her upstairs neighbour. She’ll help him become a “good guy” to make his parents happy if he teaches her how to become a “bad girl.” Spoiler, Evie’s not remotely edgy, and her new friends like her how she is. “Come As You Are” is a slow burn romance, but a fast paced read, with well-developed characters. The author writes teenagers and their motivations really well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC!

I was so excited about this book but it really fell flat. The characters were very surface level.

The ending seemed very abrupt - almost like the author got tired of telling the story.

There were also several things left unresolved - including the actual first name of Evie's love interest.

And maybe this is petty, but the drawing on the cover never actually happens in the book... so I'm not sure why that image is even there.

First, I want to thank NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Come As You Are by Dahlia Adler!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book—it was a quick, easy, and fun read. I really liked Everett (aka Evie) and her sharp humor. There were multiple times I found myself laughing at the things she said or thought. The side characters were also great, especially Matt and Sabrina! I absolutely loved the dynamic between all of the characters and the boarding school setting.

As for the MMC, Salem, I found him to be such a unique and fun character. The moody emo boy with a hidden softness? I ate that up. His relationship with Evie was a joy to read, and I loved how naturally their dynamic evolved from friends to something more. Their banter and arguments felt realistic, making their romance all the more enjoyable.

That said, I’m rating this 3 out of 5 stars for a couple of reasons. The biggest issue for me was the unnecessary subplots that took away from the main story. I think the Jenna and Lucas storyline could have been cut entirely—it didn’t add anything significant and didn’t contribute to character growth. There were also some contradictions, especially regarding Evie’s feelings about her former best friend, Claire. For most of the book, Evie is adamant that she doesn’t like Claire anymore and doesn’t miss her. Even her internal monologue reinforces this. But then, out of nowhere, they’re suddenly friends again? The progression of their reunion didn’t feel natural or believable.

Another thing that stood out was the setting. This book almost felt like it should have taken place in college rather than high school. There was little to no parental or teacher involvement, and the fact that 16-year-old Evie was living in a boys’ dorm completely unsupervised just didn’t feel realistic.

Overall, I still enjoyed Come As You Are and would recommend it to anyone looking for a light, easy read!

There's a very special place in my heart reserved for YA boarding school romance books.

They said, "for fans of Better Than the Movies," and I ran, guys—I truly did!

Because of her boyish name, Everett “Evie” Riley gets placed in a boys’ dorm on her first day at Camden Academy, with no other housing options. And since it's YA, it’s not too gross—just kinda funny.

This is, obviously, where she meets Salem: all trouble, all grumpy vibes. She needs help to become bad; he needs to be better to impress his parents.
A match made in heaven!

I loved the MCs’ banter—it was genuinely funny. But the supporting characters tho? That’s where this book really won me over.

It's definitely an elevated YA, meaning more mature topics and language on page, and that's MY CUP OF TEA.

Thank You to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an opportunity to read this title early!

I just could not get into this book. I'm not sure if it's the writing style or just my mood. But it wasn't working out for me

This is hardly a romance. It's kinda you just flip a page and they want each other which is fine because books are like that but it isn't my cup of tea. I don't see the chemistry between them. I read another book by the author really liked it so this one was disappointing.