I adore Becky Albertalli and everything she writes! This was a fun read. I cannot wait to buy a physical copy when it comes out!

This book is a complete hot mess, but it's a fun mess. Our main character, Amelia, is a very chaotic bisexual who provides almost constant commentary throughout the book. She's very funny and out of pocket, but also so oblivious at the same time. Her friend group has good chemistry as well, there's quite a bit of great dialogue between them all.

However, I think this book spent almost too much time joking around and not quite enough establishing the relationships of the characters. While I liked Amelia and Natalie, I didn't really feel their chemistry until much later in the book. The level of joking between the friend group all flowed so naturally it almost had the unintended effect of me finding them better as friends. Zora and Mark are great fun characters but I didn't feel super connected to them or know all that much about them beyond the surface level.

As well, so much of the book focuses on Walter and Hayden and their drama via news articles and Reddit posts. While I understand this was to highlight the intensity of parasocial relationships, I found it sometimes unnecessary or distracting to the story.

Despite these complaints, this book is still very enjoyable, and I credit that to Amelia. She's such a wild funny character, I really liked reading the book through her lense. Everything felt life or death, and nothing could happen without a comment, opinion, or challenge being issued. Sometimes she annoyed me, sometimes she made me laugh, and sometimes I couldn't believe her confidence.

Overall, this book is all over the place and though the romance is still pretty cute, it feels underdeveloped. However, the great cast of characters (though I wish I knew more about some of them) and humor in this book were able to redeem it for me. 3.9/5 stars rounded up.

I love Becky Albertalli and the way she writes queer teenagers and the lovely inclusive universe she’s created for them all. Her books are exactly what I want my kids to read and I always enjoy them myself, too. That being said, this one wasn’t my favorite of hers. It had a lot of good points, namely the complex and neurodivergent characters, the deep emotional analysis, and her rare ability to make complex feelings so perfectly pinpointed and relatable. But the overall plot just wasn’t super there for me. The underlying emotional propulsion was missing, which is unusual for Albertalli. The whole book felt like it was written from slightly too intellectual a place, which made it just a tiny bit boring. Also, I was really bothered by Mark as a character as he was totally undeveloped, the twin relationship was completely unexplored, it seemed completely pointless for him to be there, and then right at the end he became a plot device. Still a solid book as I’d expect anything from Albertalli to be, but not a standout for me.

Okay, first off, I love Becky Albertalli books. So I knew I was going to enjoy this, but I loved it more than I expected! Imogen, Obviously is probably my favorite Albertalli book, so when this title was announced, I was pumped. I'll have to wait until I give it a re-read, but it may be the new reigning champion of Becky's books, at least to me.

Becky Albertelli’s gift is being capable of describing most accurately the experience of having a crush and putting into words those fleeting feelings that, barely a month after, you can't explain to yourself either.

Even if “queerness” is still the main subject and I love how she focused the entire story on the difficulties of understanding what “being bisexual” looks like and feels, I also appreciated the importance of explaining that parasocial crushes can be used as a healthy tool to escape reality - since you already know nothing will ever happen, what’s so bad in dreaming about it?
But we also see the ugly part of it, things that people who ever had a “fan-girl phase” know well — those posts and accusations gave me war flashbacks, especially knowing that so many people still think is their right to speculate about celebrities’s sexuality.

I love BA’s stories and the easy way I feel part of them, even if I'm not her targeted audience anymore.
But there's always something that holds me back; essentially, I just think her stories are a lot. I don't mean it negatively but, for example, Amelia here is a lot to take as a person and her friends will inevitably act like kids because, as someone in their 20s, that's how I perceive them. Their problems and crises rightly feel like the end of the world to them but not to me, and even if I can convince myself that both POVs are okay, I can't help but cringe at times.
I appreciate her stories more for the good they do in speaking about sexuality or the lack of it, the absence of intentionally creating drama and accepting ourselves for who we are - flaws and all -, more than the plots and whatnot.

Thanks to HarperCollins Children’s Books, HarperCollins and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a classic Becky Albertalli--funny, inspiring, thoughtful, and clever. Her characters spring to life, and they feel immediately as if they are friends I have known for years. I loved Amelia's friends, accompanying them on their road trip, and watching them grow and their relationships change. The beginning felt a little slow, and Amelia's character stood out to me as a little annoying for the first half. However, once they arrived at Blackwell and met Edith and Walter, the plot picked up quickly and became so much more enjoyable.

This book was such a delightful read! From the very first page, I found myself completely immersed in the story. The writing was so approachable and warm, making it easy to connect with the characters and the plot. I loved how the book felt both inviting and engaging, without ever being too complex or hard to follow. It was just the right mix of comfort and intrigue, and I truly enjoyed every moment of it. It’s a wonderful read that I’d happily recommend to anyone looking for a heartwarming escape!

I was super excited to see this one -- Albertalli's other works and particularly Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda helped me come to peace with my own identity as a high schooler. I'm also a huge fan of books that explore internet fame, parasocial relationships, etc. Albertalli + wlw + exploration of YouTube fame? I was 100% in from the start.

I do think the first ~60% of the book dragged a tad and was quite predictable. I also think that's kind of the point. Amelia is the ONLY one in her life who doesn't get what's happening around her and her friends are like, "yes we get it," and honestly? I've been there. It's so real. I think the slow start worked out pretty well, but teens might be less inclined to push through it than some of Albertalli's other books. I certainly wasn't as drawn in as I have been in the past.

Once the action began to pick up, though, I flew through this one. Particularly enjoyed Walter's character (&the way Albertalli uses him to comment on parasocial relationships, queerbaiting & whatever that has been twisted to mean, and chronically-online shipping discourse. I'm reading it as a commentary on her own experience coming out. Huge power move on her part and so incredibly necessary). Also a big fan of the way Albertalli's characters FEEL so high-school. Like, at times over the top, at times a bit exaggerated? Yes. But also -- I saw a lot of what was bouncing around in my own tumblr high school brain reflected here. I also loveeeed Zora's verb tense thing. Such a fun character quirk. Big fan.

Overall, recommended, especially for preexisting Albertalli fans. 4 stars.

I absolutely adore Becky Albertalli, so I was thrilled to get this book! Of all her books, Imogen, Obviously has been my favorite (so far), so I couldn’t wait to dive back into the Imogenverse once again.

On the cusp of high school graduation, Amelia and her friends - Natalie, Mark, and Zora - roadtrip to see her favorite YouTube star, Walter Holland. Amelia is slightly obsessed with Walt, so she cannot wait to meet her (moderately) famous celeb crush. However, is she actually in love with him - or with someone closer to her than him?

This was a cute, charming story that also explores fandoms and parasocial relationships. I have never seen the use of parasocial so many times in one book. Amelia is chaotic in all the best ways - and straight up hilarious (the bisexuals keep winning!). I loved the characters’ exploration of their queer identities as well as what it means to grow up in the age of social media. I also appreciated all the cameos of Imogen, Tessa, etc. The first half of the book was very slow though, and wanted more of the love story between the two main characters. It felt so rushed at the end! I also think that there could’ve been just a tad fewer social media posts included throughout the book and still get the point across.

Overall, this was a super cute read with fun, quippy characters you can’t help but adore. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the advance reader copy!

Becky sure knows how to make a bisexual feel extra nostalgic and reflect on how they interact with the internet and parasocial relationships. Also, holy moley was I stupid excited to see Imogen do a little cameo in this story and Hunter from Kiss & Tell?! Chiefs kiss for that little nod. Knowing they all exist in the same literary world made my heart so happy.

Imogen, Obviously is one of my favorite YA novels, and Becky Albertalli truly has a knack for perfectly capturing the chaos of disaster bisexuals, so I was so excited to read this. It’s very cute, mostly focused on the strange state of fangirling in the age of social media with a slow burn friends-to-lovers subplot. I really loved the queer friend group and the Amelia’s interactions with Walter after they finally met. And the Imogen and Tessa cameos made me extremely happy. I give those an A+.

I would have preferred fewer social media interruptions—some were important, but I didn’t feel like we needed quite so many to follow along—and a more page time devoted to Natalie. She was the one character I felt like I never fully got to know. Anyone sapphic ever fell for their best friend will still relate, but I would’ve liked to see the romance given a little more room to blossom.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

I usually love Becky Albertalli, but this book did not work for me. I found Amelia to be such an exhausting character, and I didn't find her funny at all. The first half of the book felt like Dan and Phil fanfic which was also very off-putting, even if it did veer away from that once we got to know Walter. The actual romance was also so rushed at the end of the book, so even though it was always clear that was going to be where the story led, it didn't feel like we got enough of the actual romance?

I struggled with rating this one because I just loved how bi teens were handled in this - no one does queer youth identities quite like Becky Albertalli - but this was my first exposure to her and this book didn't completely work for me, mostly because of the romance and the story. I definitely saw myself in these amazing out and proud neurodivergent bisexuals though and related to how they questioned themselves before realizing who they were.

This is set in the same universe as Imogen, Obviously but I never felt like I was missing anything by not reading any of the other books. Amelia, obsessed with her favorite bi Youtuber, Walter, sees that he's holding a meet and greet on the campus of her friend's college, so she and her friend group make a road trek to meet her idol. Along the way she realizes she's in love with her best friend Natalie.

I did enjoy the fandom stuff and the peek into parasocial attraction and how crazy and creepy fans can get through glimpses of text messages, Reddit forums and Twitter strings. And again the bi rep was excellent.

But there was a lot of banter and telling that bogged down the pace for me and I'm not really a cute banter fan. And I was told instead of shown that there was a slow burn between Natalie and Amelia but I didn't even feel the burn, it was barely there. I kind of saw it by the end, but I wish I had gotten more backstory into their friendship to really get emotionally invested in them as a couple.

So Becky Albertalli fans will love this but... it just didn't quite work for me, though I did love a lot of things about it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5⭐

Blurb: Amelia is obsessed with a social media influencer, Walter Holland and packs her friends, including her freshly broken-up-with best friend Natalie, and go on a road trip to meet him in person. During her trip, she starts to differentiate her obsession with Walter and discover her true feelings maybe for someone she never knew she had.

I think this book was so adorable and those who enjoyed John Green's Papertowns will enjoy this also, as the road trip amongst friends definitely reminded me of this. It is a quick read, but it catches your attention from the very beginning! At first, Amelia's energy was a little bit too much for me, but over time, she won me over with her endearing quirky nicknames for her friends and her infectious energy. There was a cameo of Imogen in here from the first book in the series which fans of the first book will enjoy so I will have to go read that soon!

How it went down between her and Walter turned out to be so wholesome, but I do have to admit that it may have been a bit farfetched to become that close with an influencer that quickly (but then again they did have that connection as Tessa's cousin and being from the same town so who knows). I think the inputs from social media made this book a bit too busy for me, and times hard to follow, but the inclusion of Amelia's comment on Walter's post, as well as the conversation between him and Hayden was really informative and added a dimension to the story. I also do wish there was more of a foundation between Amelia and Natalie and showed more scenes with them!

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I thank Netgalley and HarperCollins for an eARC of this book!

Surprisingly this is my first Becky Albertalli book and I am so happy that I got an arc of this book. IT IS SO CUTE!! It is the kind of book that I wish I had when I was in junior high and high school. I love the queer representation, the friend group, the discussion of being a “celebrity” and the lack of privacy you are given. The book was a little slow for me at the beginning, but once it picked up it went so fast! The romance is short and sweet and it is just so cute!

Thank you so much NetGalley and HarperCollins for the arc!

Becky always has amazing books and this one is another to add to the list. The way she is able to bring you back to the early 2010's with youtuber meet ups and more. Amelia captured my heart from the moment i started reading, i saw 15 year old me in her. I hope we see more of her even if its little appearances like Kate did in this book. Highly recommend reading.

After being utterly obsessed with Imogen, Obviously I had very high expectations for this book and they were not disappointed. I loved the main character Amelia, she was very relatable in many aspects to me, especially her fear of change was something that I could relate to on many levels.

I also really liked Natalie and Amelia’s banter and loved seeing the friendship turn into something more. The only slight issue I had was that I couldn’t really see any romantic chemistry between the two of them at first but that got better throughout the book.

What I found really interesting was the aspect of celebrity crushes and how sometimes you can feel like you know a person just by watching their movies/videos and this book kind of made you realize that you don’t actually know those people at all, but you can still feel such a connection to them like they are your real life friends.

This book was very fast paced and I kinda wish it would’ve been a tiny bit longer because the romance felt a little bit out of nowhere to me. Yes, there were moments when you could tell that the two main characters were already in love before they admitted it, but overall it still kind of felt a bit fast going from not even knowing that you’re in love with your best friend to saying that you’ve been in love with them since kindergarten in the span of like two chapters but otherwise it was really fun. I enjoyed the slow burn and I will continue to eat up anything Becky Albertelli writes.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early.

Amelia, If Only follows Amelia and her friend group as they take a road trip to go see her favorite YouTuber as she realizes that the person she’s in love with is actually closer to home.

I was really excited for this book because Imogen, Obviously changed my life and it didn’t disappoint! I found the banter between Amelia and her friends incredibly realistic and a delight to read. I loved the reintroductions of characters from Imogen’s book and how their continuing stories wove so easily into Amelia and her friends’ stories. It also was so easy to tell that Amelia and her friends had known each other most of their lives and it was so fun stepping into their world for a bit; I never wanted to leave!

The only issue I really had with the book was how long the slow burn was. Amelia doesn’t even realize her feelings until very very close to the end and there wasn’t a lot of time to actually see them together. But there were enough clues throughout about Amelia’s feelings that were so incredibly obvious I couldn’t put the book down.

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley again for the chance to read this early.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Becky Albertalli has done it again! I don't read much YA these days, but I always keep my eye out for her new releases, and <i>Amelia, If Only</i> did not disappoint! Such an absolutely delightful book.

I've always loved the humor in Albertalli's books, but I think this might be the funniest?? Amelia is an incredible protagonist, always armed with a quip and a witty nickname. She's so quick, and loud, and expressive. But there are also quieter moments in her narration that really stuck out to me - when she's reflecting on her journey with her own sexuality or how she navigates change. Albertalli does an incredible job putting such specific feelings into words.

The focus on parasocial relationships and how that dehumanizes celebrities (even smaller scale ones) was so deftly handled, as well. The Reddit threads and twitter arguments and comment sections - I've seen that all play out in real life, and Albertalli captured it perfectly here. The speculation around Walter and Hayden felt very Dan and Phil/Harry and Louis.

The romance was very sweet, and the supporting cast gets their moment as well (which I adored).

Such a wonderful read!

This was overall a sweet story, though not my favorite Albertalli novel. The characters were well developed, relatable, and realistic, though I felt the pacing of the story was a bit off - the first half felt like I was never going to get anywhere and the last quarter felt rushed. Even so, I’d love to see more from this quirky group of friends.