If We Were A Movie is a young adult sapphic romance so warm and sweet, it feels like a hug you never want to end. It’s a funny and tender enemies-to-lovers story, with a cast of characters so relatable and charming that the whole book radiates nostalgic energy you can't help but fall for. I adored Rochelle and Amira. I was rooting for them before Amira even stepped onto the page. Zakiya N. Jamal's writing is engaging from start to finish, with a captivating tone and voice that I wanted to disappear into the story and live there as a fly on the wall. I already can't wait to see what she writes next!

Title: If We Were A Movie
Author: Zakiya N. Jamal
Genre: YA/Teen
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Marcella Cox
Publisher: Harper Audio Children’s/Harper Collins
Pub Date: April 22, 2025
My Rating: 4.3 Stars
Pages: 320

Rochelle’ the Shell’ Coleman is looking for a summer job as she fears she needs it for her college application to U Penn Wharton School of Business. She has plenty of AP courses and on track to be valedictorian. She has never been employed. What’s even worse is she recently got turned down for a job in a bakery icing cupcakes.
She is gay and never had a girlfriend. However, she does have two besties, Kerry and Taylor, who dragged her into their circle, but she has no other friends. Rochelle wants to follow her brilliant lawyer mother’s footsteps.
Rochelle does get a job opportunity she never applied and it is to work at Horizon Cinemas, the beloved Black-owned movie theater, not what she planned but it is a job.

She finds out her boss is named Amira. Hmmm Rochelle does have an academic nemesis Amira Rodriguez. Could this be the same Amira?
These two soon discover that the Horizon needs help. Attendance is down as the place is in need to modernizing – well actually needs basic repairs. The team of teen work together and do what they do best – posting on Social Media. Sure enough help is on the way. However it seems they are being sabotaged. Okay I’ll let you read the rest and as it is a funread1

I know I am not the target audience for this story but as a High School Guidance Counselor I love to read YA books as I not only enjoy a good YA story but it pleases me when I can recommend a book to my students.
I was drawn to this as I am very aware of the stress of being a high school senior applying to college and the fear that a classmate will ‘take your spot’. When the acceptance letters stating rolling in the students are excited to me as well as the other counselors know~~~ especially since counselors are an important part of the application process and submit a letter of recommendation as well as all the academic official grades via an official transcript. However, when asking the students if their acceptance may be posted on the college Acceptance Map- those applying to the highly competitive schools such as U Penn they often don’t want theirs posted as often other students will say they took their spot now they don’t have a chance.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harper Audio Children’s/Harper Collins for this great audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 22, 2025

This was a cute enemies to lovers forced proximity summer romance between two queer Black teens who try to save the local Black-owned movie theatre where they work. I liked this, it was entertaining, had fantastic diverse queer characters and was good on audio. Recommended for fans of authors like Jasmine Guillory, Leah Johnson or Elise Bryant. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!