Officially obsessed with Serena Kaylor. The Calculation of You and Me excels at its young adult romance. The author did amazing job at developing characters that you fall in love with in like twenty pages.
They were slow-burn and filled with sweet yearning, and the payoff was incredibly adorable. Overall, this book solidified Serena Kaylor as an auto-buy author for me.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“What do you want, Marlowe?”

Thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the eARC!

This book is the ultimate love letter to the autistic teen and the autistic experience in general. I was never diagnosed with autism and tbh, I don’t know that I am, but I see SO much of Marlowe in my son - and have learned a lot about him, myself, and autism in general over the past few years and this book just makes me so happy… To learn more through another’s eyes. I love Serena Kaylor’s ability to show us Marlowe - not read us textbook definitions of ASD, but let us see the world through her eyes. And it’s so beautiful and inspiring.

I absolutely loved the discussions about toxic love, about learning what you want, figuring out your own life story and not letting anyone be your crutch. And I adored the discussion between Marlowe and her mom, Bunny. It’s so beautiful to read a YA book with supportive parents, especially with a neurodiverse child.

Then, there’s this lovely supportive (and slow burn) romance between Marlowe and Ash. You want nerd/emo he-falls-first? Here you go. It’s the teen romance of my dreams. God, Serena really knows how to hit the right notes: I also loved the romance in Long Story Short. And what I love about this one is that it wasn’t a copy-paste. Neither character felt like a rehash of her old ones.

All in all, there are no words I can use to describe how much this book truly hit me in my gut. And I LOVE that YA authors are now making books about neurodivergent characters- teens who don’t understand social cues, who need more time to process information… it’s so wonderful that teens nowadays get to see themselves in these books or learn more about others through them.

All the props, Serena. You AMAZE me. Looking forward to anything and everything you write.

Positively delightful. I smiled through this entire book and finished it in record time. Marlowe and Ash were so fun to read and the side characters like Poppy and Odette really make every scene enjoyable. I liked it so much I wanted to go see what else of the author I could read only to discover I’d already read, and loved, long story short. Will absolutely read whatever this author puts out next.

Serena Kaylor writes the books I want to read. Romance and swoony moments are fantastic, but her creation of real and relatable characters are really what make her writing magical. I can give this book to many of my students and they will see themselves in the diverse and entertaining cast of characters. I devoured this book, waiting for Marlowe to realize her value and that it is ok to ask questions and learn about the world, while not letting her autism put her in a box. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

100% a serena kaylor fan now.
i ATE this book up omg… and there were so many things to love about it?!

the book stars marlowe who’s a redheaded nerd who has autism (yay! neurodivergent rep is always a plus!) and her trying to get her ex boyfriend back after he dumped her. to do so, she teams up with her classmate and english project partner ash (who is an emo bookworm who works at the local romance bookstore and he’s also in a band?! honestly what more could you want?) and they have their own little romantic journey together!

the characters in this novel were SO lovable. marlowe, ash, and marlowe’s friends poppy and odette were all a JOY to read about! the other minor characters (except josh, lord i despised him so much) were too. i DESPERATELY need to go to the bookstore with sloane. everyone seems so well thought out and developed!

my favorite part of the book were ash and marlowe themselves. it’s been sooo long since i’ve been this smitten with a couple! but AH the little fieldwork “dates” they went on were SO CUTE. i was definitely kicking my feet over them. and they both compliment each other so well? ash is so patient and marlowe is great too!

i didn’t expect to like this book as much as i did but it was soooo unbelievably sweet and i truly enjoyed every moment. marlowe’s development was great to read and the whole thing made me so giddy <3 there’s so much i can say but honestly you should just read it. i recommend this book to anyone who wants a lighthearted read and loves ya romance! it’s definitely a new favorite for me!

If you love Lynn Painter and are missing Wes and Liz, this is for you!

Marlowe and her boyfriend Josh are on a break that seems way more like an actual break up. According to Josh, she doesn’t know how to love someone or even what it is. She’s just plain bad at love. She doesn’t like to blame her autism for anything, but realizes she may need a little help in the romance department. Regardless, she vows to get Josh back and prove to him she can love him how he needs. Enter Ash, a brooding boy in a band who writes beautiful, romantic lyrics. When Marlowe convinces Ash to help her get Josh back, she learns more about herself and her wants and desires in the process. She also begins to wonder if she ever even knew Josh at all. As her and Ash become closer, maybe she’ll find that Josh wasn’t what she needed and there’s someone who completes her in a way he never could.

Josh is a dick. Someone had to say it. He’s controlling, manipulative, condescending, a gaslighter and I hated him from page one. Marlowe deserved so much better than that. Honestly, everyone does. If you find yourself with a boyfriend like this-leave. Immediately. Okay, mini rant over.

I honestly can’t tell you the last time I legit laughed out loud to a book, but this one had me snorting and crying with laughter! It was witty, romantic, charming and fun! The romance was spot on and I devoured every page!

I loved following Marlowe on her romance journey and watching her find herself again. Who is she without Josh? What does Marlowe want? Ash was so patient and kind and loved all the parts of her that her ex felt made her less than. Ash was perfect! The characters-even the side ones-were incredibly developed and I felt like I knew them.

This was fast paced and swoony as hell! I honestly can’t say enough good things about this book! If you love YA romance, this is a must read!

I'm giggling, kicking the air and squealing. I'm pretty sure I looked unhinged to the ghost of meemaw in my room.

I've fallen in love Marlowe Amelia Meadows right on the first page (probably since the admission of her sticky note addiction). I want to give her a big hug, shake her to consciousness, and then hug her again. I love hearing her thoughts on how she sees the world and she's so relatable in so many ways I lost count.

And then comes Ashton Hayes — tall, symmetrical, sexy. Frying our dear Marlowe's brain with his gentlemanly gestures and rare charming smiles. The playful banter between Ash and Marlowe was hilarious and golden. The romantic tension is palpable in each and every page they are together. Marlowe thirsting after Ashton was also very funny and cute, because same girl, same. If my partner doesn't offer to watch mushroom documentaries with me then I don't want him.

5 stars for bringing my cold, wretched heart back to life. Thank you to Wednesday Books and netgalley for the eARC ✨

As I delved into Serena Kaylor's "The Calculation of You and Me," I found myself transported into a world where numbers and emotions collide in the most unexpected ways. From the very first page, Kaylor's unique storytelling captivated me, blending mathematical precision with heartfelt emotion in a way that felt both refreshing and deeply resonant.

The protagonist's journey of self-discovery struck a chord with me, as I found myself drawn to her relatable struggles and triumphs. Kaylor's portrayal of relationships, both romantic and platonic, felt authentic and nuanced, reminding me of the complexities and joys that come with connecting with others.

What truly sets "The Calculation of You and Me" apart is its exploration of the intersection between logic and love. Through the protagonist's journey, Kaylor deftly navigates themes of risk, vulnerability, and the importance of taking chances, reminding readers that sometimes the most meaningful experiences come from stepping outside of our comfort zones.

As I turned the final page of "The Calculation of You and Me," I couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and hope wash over me. Kaylor's novel is a testament to the power of love, friendship, and the beauty of embracing life's uncertainties. It's a book that left me pondering the connections that shape our lives and the infinite possibilities that lie ahead.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Six stars please. My first five star Goodreads of 2024.

Simply, the plot entails Marlowe Meadows, still reeling from a breakup from her ex, Josh, making a pact with the school goth boy, Ash, to help her win Josh back. But it was so much more.

Marlowe, neurodivergent, sees the world a little different and full believes her ex’s breakup spiel, that she is bad at love. So while Ash and Marlowe are paired up on a school project, they swap help of revamping Ash’s band website for lessons in Romance.

Kaylor wrote Marlowe and her cast of characters so beautifully, I never wanted the story to end. What a wonderful journey to see Marlowe go through. Loved every second of it.

This was everything a YA romance should be. The friendships were perfect and I enjoyed Marlowe's mom and sister too. I actually laughed out loud a few times because the writing was genuinely funny and smart and timed just right.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am going to be screaming about this book until the end of time. A darling and delightful and hilarious neurodivergent MC and her hot sulky goth love professor taking a (healthy and destigmatized!!!) journey through romance tropes? I was sold from the second I saw the synopsis, and I finished this book a changed person. An iconic love interest intro, god tier banter, hilarious jokes, mushroom facts!!! Don't even get me started on the cast of characters, because I would die for every single person who loves Marlowe (and every one of the Monsters).

Marlowe may be on her journey for the perfect mug cake, but Serena Kaylor got every ingredient right in this one. IT IS LITERALLY A PERFECT BOOK!!