I found this book to be such a fun book about always being yourself and searching for what you deserve and never settling. These characters had such personality and they each had their own story that they were pursuing. A great contemporary romance.

Dahlia Adler gets me every single time. Her characters are alive, friendly, and clever. This one was no different--I felt immediately introduced into Camden as a student, and Evie felt so alive as she met Salem and Matt. The beginning of this one was a little slow, but once I was introduced to the romance between Salem and Evie I was sucked in. I read the whole thing in one day. Even after I finished, I was left feeling like I could've read 500 more pages of these characters,

you know the coming-of-age movie you watched when you were fifteen and became so obsessed with you decided to make it your whole personality and now as a twenty-something you’re not entirely sure what is the movie and what is actually you? imagine that but in book form and you have this.

the banter, the setting, the mc, salem, sooooooooo much in this book to love. adler always nails combining a strong character arc with a fun and playful environment. add in the superb, addicting dialogue— i will definitely be stealing salem and evie’s one-liners— anything adler writes is an instant hit in my book.

my only regret about this book are 1. heather never ended up finding out, it felt like a missed opportunity, and 2. that it’s over. i’m having fun. let’s keep going with this. sabrina and isabel? he’ll yes. please. or, and hear me out on this one, matt and heather?? (although i get some alphabet mafia vibes from him).

seriously, though. loved this. can’t wait to buy it in hard copy.

This was a really great read, exactly what I've come to expect from Dahlia Adler! The banter was hilarious and it was extremely engaging to watch the relationship between Evie and Salem develop. I also really appreciated the emotional depth of the characters. My only critique would be that I felt like more could have been done to resolve the Heather/Lucas storyline - it hung really heavily over most of the story and I didn't feel like it led to anything aside from some self-actualisation for Evie. I didn't have a problem with that, but I would've liked some more external resolution as well.

Thank you Wednesday Books for the ARC!

This was a lovely, fun read with characters I wanted to wrap in a hug. This was the perfect fun read. I truly liked all the characters and was just happy to spend time with them.

"Come As You Are" is another enjoyable book by Ms. Adler. Having Everett (Evie) Owen Riley, the main character, assigned to an all-male dorm at the boarding school to which she has transferred, on the assumption that she is a guy because of her name, makes for an amusing start to the story, especially when it turns out there are no vacancies in the girls' dorms. She is not required to stay with her roommate, who is a pretentious jerk, but she is required to live in the dorm, in the handicap accessible single room on the first floor. Evie's presence in a boy's dorm quickly becomes a hot topic on campus, much to her dismay, and sets the scene for other humorous moments later. However, it is also how she meets Salem (and his sister Sabrina), with whom she develops a much-needed friendship.

The story is full of colorful, creative characters. I enjoyed the dynamic between Evie and Salem, as well as the brother-sister teasing, squabbling relationship of Salem and Sabrina, and the friendship between Evie and Sabrina. One thing that I particularly liked is that initial assumptions about some of the major characters proved not to be true; most obviously with Salem, who appears to be a grungy dope-smoking slacker, but also his roommate, Matt (with a reputation for a new girl in his room each night), Sabrina, and Isobel (one of the popular girls).

Another fun and swoony romance from Dahlia Adler! I loved the slow burn, opposites-attract tropes in this one! There's so much to love about this book, from it's vibrant voice to the great setup of the premise. I loved the characters, too! So many of them subvert expectations (especially the "mean girl" clique) and made the setting feel alive. I found the themes of reinventing oneself and dealing with the fallout of a huge betrayal compelling and very well handled. If you're looking for a fun, fast read that will also hit you in the feels, this is for you!

Evie’s journey of trying to become someone “cool” feels authentic and messy in the best way, and Salem, annoyingly perfect in all the ways she isn’t, complements her beautifully. But what really stands out is how they both grow, not by changing who they are, but by embracing who they already are. Adler’s writing is witty, sharp, and emotionally resonant, and the romance isn’t just about chemistry, it’s about two people learning to love themselves before they can love each other. If you’re looking for a feel-good, heartfelt story about finding happiness on your own terms, this one’s definitely a keeper.

I LOVE DAHLIA ADLER!!! This was a great sunshine-meets-grump boarding school romance. Honestly I've loved everything Dahlia has written, and this is just another fave for the list!

Dahlia adler’s books are the best! I LOVED Going Bicoastal and Home Field Advantage! This book was super cute. A great YA novel about coming of age.