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Someone to Daydream About
Not yet published
Expected 24 Mar 26For fans of Rachel Lynn Solomon and Alice Oseman, this swoony, fast-paced romance stars a teen who falls in love with the lead singer of America's most popular boy band during a whirlwind summer tour.
This is what dreams are made of.
Every teenager in America knows eighteen-year-old Felix Song, the lead singer of the most popular boy band since One Direction. Unfortunately, Natalie Nielsen is no exception. Though she thinks of him more as an annoying rich kid from her hometown than a heartthrob.
Uninterested in stardom, Natalie dreams of honoring her late dad’s legacy and making a positive impact on her beloved Deaf community by revamping her family’s run-down Deaf Center. The issue? She has no money. When Felix's little sister's hearing loss begins to accelerate, he gives Natalie a generous job offer that would help secure the Center’s future: but she must accompany him on tour this summer to teach him ASL.
What begins as a professional arrangement soon morphs into stolen kisses and late-night rendezvous. But as their connection deepens, so do the risks—and when their relationship suddenly takes center stage, it’s not only their hearts, but Felix’s career on the line. Between relentless public scrutiny, contractual obligations, and meddling band members, Natalie must decide if their dreams can co-exist in the spotlight.
This is what dreams are made of.
Every teenager in America knows eighteen-year-old Felix Song, the lead singer of the most popular boy band since One Direction. Unfortunately, Natalie Nielsen is no exception. Though she thinks of him more as an annoying rich kid from her hometown than a heartthrob.
Uninterested in stardom, Natalie dreams of honoring her late dad’s legacy and making a positive impact on her beloved Deaf community by revamping her family’s run-down Deaf Center. The issue? She has no money. When Felix's little sister's hearing loss begins to accelerate, he gives Natalie a generous job offer that would help secure the Center’s future: but she must accompany him on tour this summer to teach him ASL.
What begins as a professional arrangement soon morphs into stolen kisses and late-night rendezvous. But as their connection deepens, so do the risks—and when their relationship suddenly takes center stage, it’s not only their hearts, but Felix’s career on the line. Between relentless public scrutiny, contractual obligations, and meddling band members, Natalie must decide if their dreams can co-exist in the spotlight.
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 1, 2026
1027 people want to read
About the author
Sydney Langford
3 books108 followersSydney Langford (they/them) is a queer, Deaf-Hard of Hearing, and physically disabled author who resides in Portland, Oregon. Their biggest passion in life is creating stories that reflect the diverse world we live in—whether that be rom-coms about quirky, disabled teens; or contemporaries that feature queer joy. Their debut YA novel THE LOUDEST SILENCE will be released 7/30/2024 by Holiday House and their YA rom-com SOMEONE TO DAYDREAM ABOUT will be released in 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 29, 2025
I always try reading books with representation on them. It's an important thing for me, I like learning more about different things and trying to stay as educated as possible. But I also like a good feel good romance, so when presented with the chance of merging both things I requested this ARC lightening fast.
I learned a lot with this book, I didn’t even know I was this ignorant about deaf and hard-of-hearing people(I didn’t even know this term existed, to be completely honest). Someone To Daydream About was enlightening while also being so freaking cute.
We follow Natalie, a teenager that teaches ASL in a center for deaf and hard-of-hearing people and is approached by a boyband member looking to learn sign language to speak to his little sister as she has a condition that is slowly affecting her hearing. She doesn’t have the best opinion of him but accepts for reasons that you will discover.
I grew up with One Direction, so books with boybands will always catch my attention, but I didn’t think it would be a big part of this book, I was wrong however. The band’s going ons is definitely an important part of the book, and I loved that. Someone To Daydream About is also full of representation, in varying forms. It is the type of book that I hope teenagers are reading for the good of the world(please, I need a little hope for the future).
I highly recommend this book. I will definitely keep an eye out for the author to see what they write next, I loved their writing and style of book.
Thank you Netgalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux for the ARC!
I learned a lot with this book, I didn’t even know I was this ignorant about deaf and hard-of-hearing people(I didn’t even know this term existed, to be completely honest). Someone To Daydream About was enlightening while also being so freaking cute.
We follow Natalie, a teenager that teaches ASL in a center for deaf and hard-of-hearing people and is approached by a boyband member looking to learn sign language to speak to his little sister as she has a condition that is slowly affecting her hearing. She doesn’t have the best opinion of him but accepts for reasons that you will discover.
I grew up with One Direction, so books with boybands will always catch my attention, but I didn’t think it would be a big part of this book, I was wrong however. The band’s going ons is definitely an important part of the book, and I loved that. Someone To Daydream About is also full of representation, in varying forms. It is the type of book that I hope teenagers are reading for the good of the world(please, I need a little hope for the future).
I highly recommend this book. I will definitely keep an eye out for the author to see what they write next, I loved their writing and style of book.
Thank you Netgalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux for the ARC!
September 1, 2025
I'm not afraid to be the first person to say that this book skews way too close for comfort to being straight-up real person fanfiction of Stray Kids' Lee Felix. Actually, I'll go one step further. This book IS fanfic of Felix, and I personally find it super weird that his name, his appearance, and various quirks of his personality have been used to create the fictionalized version of him that is the Felix of this book. (Or, as I will be calling him, Fakelix).
Maybe you're not familiar with Stray Kids. You might be wondering how blatant this could possibly be. Please use your search engine of choice (I like duckduckgo) to go look up "stray kids felix" and then come back here and look at the cover. Then consider the fact that both real-life Felix and Fakelix are members of popular boy bands, that they have the same name, that they're both Korean-Australian and described as rays of sunshine, and realize, with me, exactly how blatant this is.
This book doesn't come out until March of 2026. I seriously hope that the author and/or publisher will reconsider the name of the male lead of this book and name this character something else before this book is released.
Edit as of 9/1/25: This review was reported because I did not explicitly state that I received a free copy of this book to review. So here is my official acknowledgment and disclaimer: I received a free review copy of this book through Edelweiss. Everything in this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to FSG and Edelweiss for the review copy, etc etc etc. I've never had a review reported for this reason before which is...super interesting! Back to the review.
It's one thing to take inspiration from real life. When you're writing a celebrity romance, it's basically expected that you might pull details from your real-life celebrity crush. Maybe you even tell the cover artist, so they can make the lead in your book resemble that person! We can talk about whether all of this SHOULD be normal, but it's all normal, right? We all know how many books have Adam Driver on the cover. We all saw that Hozier book that just came out.
(I feel weird about the Hozier book, too, but I digress).
But you don't...use a real person's FIRST NAME, AND their image, AND their job. Right? Surely we can all agree this is too much.
And if you're like, "But couldn't this be a coincidence?" Good question. Great question! I doubt it, because the author posted on their instagram that they went to Stray Kids' Seattle tour stop. It's kind of hard to have plausible deniability when you're publicly a fan of the group whose member's face you're stealing.
For the record, it does seem like Sydney Langford or their team might have figured out that having a main character that is literally just Felix with a different last name might be a bad idea, because it seems like some changes are in progress. In the ARC I read (which just became available to request 2 days ago as of 8/27/25), Fakelix and his family are Australian. Recent Instagram posts from Langford show him being referred to as a New Zealander, instead. In the text of the ARC, Felix's last name is Hwang (which is also, in real life, the last name of Hyunjin, another member of Stray Kids), but in the Goodreads synopsis and the post-it notes embedded in the ARC, his last name is Song.
Unfortunately, I do not think these changes are enough, and they will not be enough until, at the VERY least, the character's first name is changed from Felix to something else. And I'm not just saying this because I'M pissed off and this it's weird. I'm a Kpop fan, sure, but I'm relatively normal. There are so many Kpop fans that are not at all normal! Why would you poke this bear! Stray Kids has over 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify! I am not the only person who is going to notice this, and I am not the only person who will think it's weird! But at least I'm ranting on Goodreads instead of trying to dox somebody, you know?
Here are some other similarities between the real Felix (or Realix) and the fictional Fakelix:
1. As previously mentioned, both of them are ethnically Korean, and both of them hail from Sydney, Australia (although this may be in the process of being changed).
2. Both of them have sharp jawlines, bleached blonde hair, and brown eyes. Fakelix is 6'2 and does not have freckles, which is one of the main differences in his appearance from the real Felix, who is 5'7 and does have freckles.
3. Both of them are described as rays of sunshine. Fakelix is only described this way once in the book (mind you, he is wearing a button-down tucked into board shorts when this description happens. Crazy!) but it stood out to me because "sunshine" is a term SO strongly associated with Felix.
4. Both of them are members of popular boy bands/boy groups (although the band in the book, DAYDREAM, feels much more One Direction-inspired and I don't think any of the supporting characters are as heavily lifted from real people as Fakelix is)
5. Both of them like fashion and are described as ethereal.
Fictional!Felix's family is not based on Real!Felix's family, thank god, and he does not have Real!Felix's trademark deep singing voice, but outside of those things (and the fact that Fakelix lives in Seattle, LOL) it's...incredibly blatant who he's based on.
One of the other differences is that Fictional!Felix has dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD, so like, clearly we are capable of building this character out into his own person to a certain degree! Just go further and give him his own name! It may be too late to give him his own face, but surely we still have time to do a find + replace on his name. C'monnn.
Even on the last page of the book, the author threw in a tidbit about Fakelix being scared of horror movies. Real Felix is also a known scaredy cat and afraid of horror movies. Like. Why add that in for no reason at the last second??
You might be thinking, "But Kerensa, what if you're just obsessed with Felix and no one normal would notice any of these things?" Don't worry. I'm only relatively normal, but I'm also firmly not obsessed with Felix. I like him! I'm fond of him! But I am not Felix-biased*.
I genuinely think that any Stray Kids fans would notice these similarities. These are not deep-dive Felix facts. These are basic things like his appearance and his job and his hometown. Even the "sunshine" thing is like, SO huge both in the fandom and within the group that it does not feel like coincidence.
It's also crazy to me that One Direction gets a shoutout in the acknowledgements for being the inspiration for DAYDREAM, but the only Kpop mention is a vague mention of Kpop concerts. How are you going to steal Lee Felix's entire identity for your male lead and then not even mention his group in your acknowledgments? If we were going for plausible deniability, that disappeared a long time ago. (Again. Public instagram post about going to a Stray Kids concert).
I think this book wouldn't have been for me even without the Felix thing, because I did not grow up reading One Direction fanfiction (all due respect or disrespect to those who did, I was not in the Wattpad trenches with y'all because I was extremely busy with the Warrior Cats naming forums on FFN). I don't generally enjoy books about a normal lead and a celebrity lead falling in love. I'm generally a lot more interested in books where two people in the entertainment industry fall in love. This is why Axie Oh's XOXO was extremely mid for me, whereas I actually enjoyed ASAP.
That being said, it truly is a shame that the RPF element of this book is so prominent, because I think it legitimately ruined the book for me. I think a lot of what this book is trying to do is great, and I wish I could support this book when it comes out! Spotlighting a deaf character getting to experience romance and a happy ending on her own terms - I'm on board with that, and I wish I could be on board with this book! I just wish Natalie's romance and happy ending could have come with an appropriately fictional boyfriend instead of Literal Felix, Serial Numbers Not Even Filed Off For Some Reason!
Every time there was a romantic moment or a kiss scene in this book, I couldn't help but wonder if this was just the author playing out their fantasies about the real Felix. It made the whole thing weird. It's impossible to get invested in a romance under these conditions, you guys.
Also, speaking of kiss scenes, one of the early moments between Natalie and Fakelix is an almost-kiss that felt oddly similar to a moment from the Stray Kids music video "Your Eyes." In the book, Fakelix leans in, they almost kiss, and then he wipes jelly from a jelly donut off her mouth and moves away. The music video is very similar except there's a pancake breakfast instead of a box of donuts and also, immediately after the almost-kiss, we cut to hanging up laundry with I.N.
(It's a busy day for Y/N in "Your Eyes.")
Maybe there aren't that many ways to execute an almost-kiss and I'm nitpicking by pointing out this specific scene, but with how many large and small details about Felix this book copies, I don't think it's unreasonable to say that that scene might have also been based off this MV. You know?
I'm honestly too fired up about the usage of Felix's name and appearance and personality to actually review the other aspects of the book in detail. It overshadowed absolutely everything for me and I cannot rate this book higher than one star as long as the male lead's entire identity is just...cribbed from Felix.
I am deeply disappointed that no one involved in the creation of this book had the knowledge or, idk, morals? to realize that this is extremely weird and questionable. I almost wonder what the legal ramifications are when Felix's name and image are being used to create a character that is so obviously based on him.
This is weird, and not in a fun, cool way. Weird in a "touch grass" way. That's my thesis statement, I guess. A book that presents itself as original fiction while being straight up "What if Felix was in an alternate One Direction?" real person fanfic is weird! And I don't think we should support it!
Unless the name (and maybe some of the other details) are changed. Then I guess it's whatever.
*I'd never write a book with a romantic male lead copied and pasted from Lee Know, my actual Stray Kids bias, because I am normal <3
Maybe you're not familiar with Stray Kids. You might be wondering how blatant this could possibly be. Please use your search engine of choice (I like duckduckgo) to go look up "stray kids felix" and then come back here and look at the cover. Then consider the fact that both real-life Felix and Fakelix are members of popular boy bands, that they have the same name, that they're both Korean-Australian and described as rays of sunshine, and realize, with me, exactly how blatant this is.
This book doesn't come out until March of 2026. I seriously hope that the author and/or publisher will reconsider the name of the male lead of this book and name this character something else before this book is released.
Edit as of 9/1/25: This review was reported because I did not explicitly state that I received a free copy of this book to review. So here is my official acknowledgment and disclaimer: I received a free review copy of this book through Edelweiss. Everything in this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to FSG and Edelweiss for the review copy, etc etc etc. I've never had a review reported for this reason before which is...super interesting! Back to the review.
It's one thing to take inspiration from real life. When you're writing a celebrity romance, it's basically expected that you might pull details from your real-life celebrity crush. Maybe you even tell the cover artist, so they can make the lead in your book resemble that person! We can talk about whether all of this SHOULD be normal, but it's all normal, right? We all know how many books have Adam Driver on the cover. We all saw that Hozier book that just came out.
(I feel weird about the Hozier book, too, but I digress).
But you don't...use a real person's FIRST NAME, AND their image, AND their job. Right? Surely we can all agree this is too much.
And if you're like, "But couldn't this be a coincidence?" Good question. Great question! I doubt it, because the author posted on their instagram that they went to Stray Kids' Seattle tour stop. It's kind of hard to have plausible deniability when you're publicly a fan of the group whose member's face you're stealing.
For the record, it does seem like Sydney Langford or their team might have figured out that having a main character that is literally just Felix with a different last name might be a bad idea, because it seems like some changes are in progress. In the ARC I read (which just became available to request 2 days ago as of 8/27/25), Fakelix and his family are Australian. Recent Instagram posts from Langford show him being referred to as a New Zealander, instead. In the text of the ARC, Felix's last name is Hwang (which is also, in real life, the last name of Hyunjin, another member of Stray Kids), but in the Goodreads synopsis and the post-it notes embedded in the ARC, his last name is Song.
Unfortunately, I do not think these changes are enough, and they will not be enough until, at the VERY least, the character's first name is changed from Felix to something else. And I'm not just saying this because I'M pissed off and this it's weird. I'm a Kpop fan, sure, but I'm relatively normal. There are so many Kpop fans that are not at all normal! Why would you poke this bear! Stray Kids has over 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify! I am not the only person who is going to notice this, and I am not the only person who will think it's weird! But at least I'm ranting on Goodreads instead of trying to dox somebody, you know?
Here are some other similarities between the real Felix (or Realix) and the fictional Fakelix:
1. As previously mentioned, both of them are ethnically Korean, and both of them hail from Sydney, Australia (although this may be in the process of being changed).
2. Both of them have sharp jawlines, bleached blonde hair, and brown eyes. Fakelix is 6'2 and does not have freckles, which is one of the main differences in his appearance from the real Felix, who is 5'7 and does have freckles.
3. Both of them are described as rays of sunshine. Fakelix is only described this way once in the book (mind you, he is wearing a button-down tucked into board shorts when this description happens. Crazy!) but it stood out to me because "sunshine" is a term SO strongly associated with Felix.
4. Both of them are members of popular boy bands/boy groups (although the band in the book, DAYDREAM, feels much more One Direction-inspired and I don't think any of the supporting characters are as heavily lifted from real people as Fakelix is)
5. Both of them like fashion and are described as ethereal.
Fictional!Felix's family is not based on Real!Felix's family, thank god, and he does not have Real!Felix's trademark deep singing voice, but outside of those things (and the fact that Fakelix lives in Seattle, LOL) it's...incredibly blatant who he's based on.
One of the other differences is that Fictional!Felix has dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD, so like, clearly we are capable of building this character out into his own person to a certain degree! Just go further and give him his own name! It may be too late to give him his own face, but surely we still have time to do a find + replace on his name. C'monnn.
Even on the last page of the book, the author threw in a tidbit about Fakelix being scared of horror movies. Real Felix is also a known scaredy cat and afraid of horror movies. Like. Why add that in for no reason at the last second??
You might be thinking, "But Kerensa, what if you're just obsessed with Felix and no one normal would notice any of these things?" Don't worry. I'm only relatively normal, but I'm also firmly not obsessed with Felix. I like him! I'm fond of him! But I am not Felix-biased*.
I genuinely think that any Stray Kids fans would notice these similarities. These are not deep-dive Felix facts. These are basic things like his appearance and his job and his hometown. Even the "sunshine" thing is like, SO huge both in the fandom and within the group that it does not feel like coincidence.
It's also crazy to me that One Direction gets a shoutout in the acknowledgements for being the inspiration for DAYDREAM, but the only Kpop mention is a vague mention of Kpop concerts. How are you going to steal Lee Felix's entire identity for your male lead and then not even mention his group in your acknowledgments? If we were going for plausible deniability, that disappeared a long time ago. (Again. Public instagram post about going to a Stray Kids concert).
I think this book wouldn't have been for me even without the Felix thing, because I did not grow up reading One Direction fanfiction (all due respect or disrespect to those who did, I was not in the Wattpad trenches with y'all because I was extremely busy with the Warrior Cats naming forums on FFN). I don't generally enjoy books about a normal lead and a celebrity lead falling in love. I'm generally a lot more interested in books where two people in the entertainment industry fall in love. This is why Axie Oh's XOXO was extremely mid for me, whereas I actually enjoyed ASAP.
That being said, it truly is a shame that the RPF element of this book is so prominent, because I think it legitimately ruined the book for me. I think a lot of what this book is trying to do is great, and I wish I could support this book when it comes out! Spotlighting a deaf character getting to experience romance and a happy ending on her own terms - I'm on board with that, and I wish I could be on board with this book! I just wish Natalie's romance and happy ending could have come with an appropriately fictional boyfriend instead of Literal Felix, Serial Numbers Not Even Filed Off For Some Reason!
Every time there was a romantic moment or a kiss scene in this book, I couldn't help but wonder if this was just the author playing out their fantasies about the real Felix. It made the whole thing weird. It's impossible to get invested in a romance under these conditions, you guys.
Also, speaking of kiss scenes, one of the early moments between Natalie and Fakelix is an almost-kiss that felt oddly similar to a moment from the Stray Kids music video "Your Eyes." In the book, Fakelix leans in, they almost kiss, and then he wipes jelly from a jelly donut off her mouth and moves away. The music video is very similar except there's a pancake breakfast instead of a box of donuts and also, immediately after the almost-kiss, we cut to hanging up laundry with I.N.
(It's a busy day for Y/N in "Your Eyes.")
Maybe there aren't that many ways to execute an almost-kiss and I'm nitpicking by pointing out this specific scene, but with how many large and small details about Felix this book copies, I don't think it's unreasonable to say that that scene might have also been based off this MV. You know?
I'm honestly too fired up about the usage of Felix's name and appearance and personality to actually review the other aspects of the book in detail. It overshadowed absolutely everything for me and I cannot rate this book higher than one star as long as the male lead's entire identity is just...cribbed from Felix.
I am deeply disappointed that no one involved in the creation of this book had the knowledge or, idk, morals? to realize that this is extremely weird and questionable. I almost wonder what the legal ramifications are when Felix's name and image are being used to create a character that is so obviously based on him.
This is weird, and not in a fun, cool way. Weird in a "touch grass" way. That's my thesis statement, I guess. A book that presents itself as original fiction while being straight up "What if Felix was in an alternate One Direction?" real person fanfic is weird! And I don't think we should support it!
Unless the name (and maybe some of the other details) are changed. Then I guess it's whatever.
*I'd never write a book with a romantic male lead copied and pasted from Lee Know, my actual Stray Kids bias, because I am normal <3
October 30, 2025
Someone to Daydream About is a story that made me smile. A lot. I loved the interactions between the band members and between Nat and the band members, and of course between Nat and Felix. The book got so much rep, most of all the deaf and hard-of-hearing rep, and I learned a lot—even though I’m ashamed to say I knew so little about the differences between deafness and hard-of-hearing!
Think the diversity from Heartstopper meets the pressure from If This Gets Out. Despite the latter, Someone to Daydream About is a pretty light story. It balances emotional depth with feel-good moments, never losing its sense of hope. Nat and Felix’s relationship is sweet and sincere, and the way the story handles identity, communication, and belonging feels both authentic and affirming.
If you’re looking for a YA romance with music, heart, and meaningful representation, check this one out. It’s the kind of book that leaves you daydreaming long after the last page.
Thank you, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley, for this sweet ARC!
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Think the diversity from Heartstopper meets the pressure from If This Gets Out. Despite the latter, Someone to Daydream About is a pretty light story. It balances emotional depth with feel-good moments, never losing its sense of hope. Nat and Felix’s relationship is sweet and sincere, and the way the story handles identity, communication, and belonging feels both authentic and affirming.
If you’re looking for a YA romance with music, heart, and meaningful representation, check this one out. It’s the kind of book that leaves you daydreaming long after the last page.
Thank you, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley, for this sweet ARC!
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May 3, 2023
oh i am never shutting up about this
September 16, 2025
The joy I felt when given the opportunity to read and review this book- unmatched.
Read if you’re interested in:
- Disability representation
- Multicultural representation
- Young adult romance
Natalie teaches sign language at her family-owned deaf center.
Their business is going under, and will close very soon if they cannot come up with the money to pay their debts.
Fate intervenes when she is presented a solution to all of their financial problems.
All she has to do is go on tour with a boyband, and teach their lead singer Felix how to sign.
The problem: Natalie sees him as someone who refuses to try, and she thinks he won’t take lessons seriously.
But, she soon realizes that there is more to Felix than meets the eye.
This was pretty awesome.
It gave me a similar vibe to a Wattpad story, which I just love.
The pacing and the writing style really makes this fly by. It feels so much shorter than it actually is.
Perhaps because I could not put this down once I picked it up.
I don’t see a lot of book with disability representation, so I always jump at the chance to read them when I come across them.
This has both deaf and dyslexic characters.
I personally do not struggle with either of those things, so I cannot really speak on the accuracy of how the are portrayed in this story.
But, I can say that I thought it was enjoyable to read about both main characters and their expereinces with dealing with them.
The romance was great too, and I really ended up liking Natalie and Felix together.
I wasn't sure about the paring at first, but by the end, I was sold.
There are also some really good side characters!
Tons of nice and supportive people that really elevated the story and boosted my connection to it.
(There were also a few not-so-nice side characters, but they were necessary to add a dramatic flare.)
Fantastic overall! I think people will love this one!
Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing group | Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR), and author Sydney Langford for providing me with the eARC of “Someone to Daydream about”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: March 24th, 2026
Read if you’re interested in:
- Disability representation
- Multicultural representation
- Young adult romance
Natalie teaches sign language at her family-owned deaf center.
Their business is going under, and will close very soon if they cannot come up with the money to pay their debts.
Fate intervenes when she is presented a solution to all of their financial problems.
All she has to do is go on tour with a boyband, and teach their lead singer Felix how to sign.
The problem: Natalie sees him as someone who refuses to try, and she thinks he won’t take lessons seriously.
But, she soon realizes that there is more to Felix than meets the eye.
This was pretty awesome.
It gave me a similar vibe to a Wattpad story, which I just love.
The pacing and the writing style really makes this fly by. It feels so much shorter than it actually is.
Perhaps because I could not put this down once I picked it up.
I don’t see a lot of book with disability representation, so I always jump at the chance to read them when I come across them.
This has both deaf and dyslexic characters.
I personally do not struggle with either of those things, so I cannot really speak on the accuracy of how the are portrayed in this story.
But, I can say that I thought it was enjoyable to read about both main characters and their expereinces with dealing with them.
The romance was great too, and I really ended up liking Natalie and Felix together.
I wasn't sure about the paring at first, but by the end, I was sold.
There are also some really good side characters!
Tons of nice and supportive people that really elevated the story and boosted my connection to it.
(There were also a few not-so-nice side characters, but they were necessary to add a dramatic flare.)
Fantastic overall! I think people will love this one!
Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing group | Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR), and author Sydney Langford for providing me with the eARC of “Someone to Daydream about”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: March 24th, 2026
October 8, 2025
A love letter to boy-bands and fanfictions, Langford delivered a romance that makes me nostalgic for the nights I spent shamelessly reading under the covers and dreaming about love.
February 20, 2025
never have i ever been as feral and unhinged as i was while reading an early draft of SOMEONE TO DAYDREAM ABOUT!! this is seriously THE perfect romcom—full of heart and humor and messiness—and i need everyone to read it!!!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
《 4.25 stars 》the most wholesome rom-com ive read in a while. natalie and felix's banter and dynamic was so stinking adorable, i was gonna get contact diabetes 🥹💗✨️ and i loved getting to know natalie and her dreams and aspirations for the deaf community, and the different relationships she formed over the course of this book. and the daydream boys grew on me soo much,, I need books about them all!! they have the best dynamics 😆 i 100% recommend this book, especially if you loved xoxo, once upon a k-prom or stay with my heart. (also really glad that nightmare of a manager got fired lol 🤭) full rtc
April 26, 2023
this book is ADORABLE and the best time. can't wait to add even more to my Sydney Langford shelf
Want to read
May 2, 2023"YA rom-com in which Deaf 18-year-old Natalie spends a whirlwind summer teaching ASL to (and trying not to fall for) the lead singer of America's hottest boy band so he can communicate with his sister—all while trying to save her family's failing Deaf Center."
Okay that sounds really cute
Okay that sounds really cute
October 10, 2024
i’m a lesbian & yet i’m in love with felix. also i laughed so many times while reading this book that ppl looked at me like i was insane. 5/5 stars
April 29, 2023
I LOVE THIS BOOK & I CANNOT WAIT TO READ IT FOR THE THIRD TIME IN ACTUAL PHYSICAL FORM, NO ONE DOES ROM-COMS LIKE SYDNEY LANGFORD <3
July 24, 2025
So I was gratefully given the opportunity to read this and I can honestly say it’s an easy 4.5/5 stars for me! I had a really fun time with it and I genuinely think this is a book that ppl should read! It helps show that no matter who u r, whether you’re disabled, queer, or generally seen as “different” u deserve love just like everyone else! And I really love how the characters (mainly the MC Natalie) talked abt being deaf and how it can be, and it genuinely feels like I learned quite a bit (alongside Felix LOL). As someone who doesn’t really know this stuff, I feel like this book is an important read if you’d like to learn about the deaf community. Plus it’s a really fun read in general and I honestly wish it didnt have to end!! 😭
April 26, 2023
You are not ready for the wholesomeness, the banter, the amazing cast, and of course, the cutest dog alive. I got to read an early draft of this novel and could not put it down. Seriously. Add it to your TBR asap and prepare to fall in love ♥️🤟🏻
Want to read
April 26, 2023haven't read but *chanting* 1d fanfic 1d fanfic 1d fanfic as a boyband and skz fanatic i think this will ascend me into the eighth plane
October 13, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the advanced reader’s copy! All opinions are my own.
Someone to Daydream About is a book following Natalie, whose main goal is to renovate her family’s Deaf Center in order to honor her late father’s legacy. Her main problem? Funds. Felix Song, the lead singer of the biggest boyband, gives her the opportunity for a job that will give her all the funds she needs. Natalie would then have to follow him on tour to teach him ASL.
First off, the care and thought that has been put into this book is so beautiful. The book starts with discussing how signing was going to be dictated, as well as some tidbits about the deaf community and how things are often referred to. I really appreciated this as a learning moment, but also for understanding from the beginning. I love how just good times and also learning are incorporated into this book. Getting a new perspective out of a romance is always such a fun way to broaden your horizons.
The plot is such a funny concept, and the characters are so loveable. It’s like jumping into your favorite friend group’s interactions, and I was constantly laughing with them. The boys’ interactions felt so genuine and realistic, especially with all the strife they had going on with being famous and under harsh management. And Felix and Natalie? I was giggling and kicking my feet for them. They are just so cute, and I love how much care and effort goes into their relationship, even as friends. Also, Nat is demiromantic, which is just a note because it is not a representation that is common in books!
I would recommend this book to anyone who had a one direction phase on wattpad… It really just hits the boyband fanfiction elements perfectly, which made this book both nostalgic and fun. Otherwise, anyone who loves romances with a lot of fun but also some more serious themes mixed in.
Rating: 4.25
Someone to Daydream About is a book following Natalie, whose main goal is to renovate her family’s Deaf Center in order to honor her late father’s legacy. Her main problem? Funds. Felix Song, the lead singer of the biggest boyband, gives her the opportunity for a job that will give her all the funds she needs. Natalie would then have to follow him on tour to teach him ASL.
First off, the care and thought that has been put into this book is so beautiful. The book starts with discussing how signing was going to be dictated, as well as some tidbits about the deaf community and how things are often referred to. I really appreciated this as a learning moment, but also for understanding from the beginning. I love how just good times and also learning are incorporated into this book. Getting a new perspective out of a romance is always such a fun way to broaden your horizons.
The plot is such a funny concept, and the characters are so loveable. It’s like jumping into your favorite friend group’s interactions, and I was constantly laughing with them. The boys’ interactions felt so genuine and realistic, especially with all the strife they had going on with being famous and under harsh management. And Felix and Natalie? I was giggling and kicking my feet for them. They are just so cute, and I love how much care and effort goes into their relationship, even as friends. Also, Nat is demiromantic, which is just a note because it is not a representation that is common in books!
I would recommend this book to anyone who had a one direction phase on wattpad… It really just hits the boyband fanfiction elements perfectly, which made this book both nostalgic and fun. Otherwise, anyone who loves romances with a lot of fun but also some more serious themes mixed in.
Rating: 4.25
October 16, 2025
“I look back toward the dark cityscape, relishing a moment of peace with the boy who has stars in his eyes and an unsung song in his heart.”
Someone To Daydream About - Sydney Langford
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Someone To Daydream About is the story about Natalie who has to go on tour with the most annoying guy she knows (boyband lead singer Felix) to teach him sign language.
This book was a fun and emotional journey. Natalie was such a determined character and an absolute grump. I loved how she reluctantly agreed to help Felix and I liked seeing her slowly get to know him better. I’m always a fan of a grumpy/sunshine trope and Natalie and Felix embodied that wonderfully.
Another thing I enjoyed was the focus on the rest of the boyband members and all their ambitions. With such success, it would seem that everything was perfect and a dream come true for them. But taking a little dive under the surface showed so many things they were all struggling with. In spite of this, they were such a lovely little family and I enjoyed seeing how they welcomed Natalie and her adorable service dog into their group.
Overall I found the book easy to get into and it had a good mix of funny, emotional and rage-inducing moments.
Give it a try if you enjoy:
🤟Queer rep (demisexual FMC, pansexual MMC, and side characters with other queer identities)
🤟Music
🤟Grumpy/sunshine
🤟Found family
🤟Family drama
🤟Life on tour
Thank you so much to the author for letting me be part of your street team and for letting me read this book early! Someone To Daydream About is out March 24th, 2026.
Someone To Daydream About - Sydney Langford
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Someone To Daydream About is the story about Natalie who has to go on tour with the most annoying guy she knows (boyband lead singer Felix) to teach him sign language.
This book was a fun and emotional journey. Natalie was such a determined character and an absolute grump. I loved how she reluctantly agreed to help Felix and I liked seeing her slowly get to know him better. I’m always a fan of a grumpy/sunshine trope and Natalie and Felix embodied that wonderfully.
Another thing I enjoyed was the focus on the rest of the boyband members and all their ambitions. With such success, it would seem that everything was perfect and a dream come true for them. But taking a little dive under the surface showed so many things they were all struggling with. In spite of this, they were such a lovely little family and I enjoyed seeing how they welcomed Natalie and her adorable service dog into their group.
Overall I found the book easy to get into and it had a good mix of funny, emotional and rage-inducing moments.
Give it a try if you enjoy:
🤟Queer rep (demisexual FMC, pansexual MMC, and side characters with other queer identities)
🤟Music
🤟Grumpy/sunshine
🤟Found family
🤟Family drama
🤟Life on tour
Thank you so much to the author for letting me be part of your street team and for letting me read this book early! Someone To Daydream About is out March 24th, 2026.
October 18, 2025
thank you netgalley for this arc!!
this immediately transported me to my past self reading one direction fanfiction - in the best way. it was almost addicting to read this, and i found myself so shockingly invested i found myself giggling at points. like a fanfiction it was super easy to read and get into, and i found that all of the characters were lovable and interesting. i really liked the found family aspect of it all. the romance was really sweet and wholesome (felix <3) and i think it progressed at a pretty perfect pace. also this was super informative on D/deaf culture!! i was pleasantly surprised!! i didn’t expect it coming in but i really do think i learned a lot about it and it made the book that much better. i know my inner fandom teenager is smiling at this.
this immediately transported me to my past self reading one direction fanfiction - in the best way. it was almost addicting to read this, and i found myself so shockingly invested i found myself giggling at points. like a fanfiction it was super easy to read and get into, and i found that all of the characters were lovable and interesting. i really liked the found family aspect of it all. the romance was really sweet and wholesome (felix <3) and i think it progressed at a pretty perfect pace. also this was super informative on D/deaf culture!! i was pleasantly surprised!! i didn’t expect it coming in but i really do think i learned a lot about it and it made the book that much better. i know my inner fandom teenager is smiling at this.
October 4, 2025
I think this book is absolutely beautiful! I love the diversity in the book while the main focus being on the characters are their relationships with one another! I was hooked from the very first page.
Want to read
March 10, 2025"For fans of Rachel Lynn Solomon and Alice Oseman, this swoony, fast-paced romance stars a Deaf, demiromantic teen who falls in love with the lead singer of America's most popular boy band during a whirlwind summer tour."
deaf and aro rep? i'm crying
deaf and aro rep? i'm crying
October 5, 2025
SOMEONE TO DAYDREAM ABOUT is an indulgent, effortlessly funny romance ripe with heart and meaningful representation. This one’s for the retired One Direction fans and the readers who grew up in fandom. Watch out, Sydney Langford is the next big name in the YA romcom world!!
November 20, 2025
Someone to Daydream About is a a tender and delightful YA rom-com that definitely Did Not make me tear up multiple times. Natalie Neilson, a queer and Deaf 18-year-old from Seattle, dreams of reviving her family’s struggling Deaf community center after her father’s passing. Enter Felix Song, “America’s Sweetheart,” the lead singer of the world-famous boy band Daydream, and older brother to one of Natalie’s ASL students. When an opportunity arises to accompany Felix on tour as his personal ASL tutor, and in turn make enough money to renovate and fund her Deaf community center, Natalie begrudgingly takes it—because even though the entire world is in love with Felix Song, Natalie finds the heartthrob egotistical and annoying. What ensues is a chaotic whirlwind of a summer spent Definitely Not falling in love. In the midst of it all, Natalie will have to face the reality of the spotlight—will pursuing a once-in-a-lifetime love outweigh the risks of losing it all?
This one was a really fun read. Someone to Daydream About puts a refreshing spin on a few well-worn tropes, and I appreciated the non-pathologizing queer, Deaf/HoH, and disabled representation. The characters were actually lovable, and as a past teenage One Direction fan myself, I found this ode to boy bands to be heartfelt and nostalgic. Daydream definitely felt fanfic-inspired, but not in a cringey way. The story is relatively fast-paced; it did lose me for a bit about halfway through, but then it picked up again in the second half.
Sydney Langford is an auto-read author for me, their voice a crucial emerging one in the larger YA romance genre. I recommend this book if you’re looking for diverse representation and a sweet (sometimes awkward, but enjoyable all the same) YA love story!
Big thanks to Sydney Langford and Macmillan Children’s Publishing group/Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for the ARC!
This one was a really fun read. Someone to Daydream About puts a refreshing spin on a few well-worn tropes, and I appreciated the non-pathologizing queer, Deaf/HoH, and disabled representation. The characters were actually lovable, and as a past teenage One Direction fan myself, I found this ode to boy bands to be heartfelt and nostalgic. Daydream definitely felt fanfic-inspired, but not in a cringey way. The story is relatively fast-paced; it did lose me for a bit about halfway through, but then it picked up again in the second half.
Sydney Langford is an auto-read author for me, their voice a crucial emerging one in the larger YA romance genre. I recommend this book if you’re looking for diverse representation and a sweet (sometimes awkward, but enjoyable all the same) YA love story!
Big thanks to Sydney Langford and Macmillan Children’s Publishing group/Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for the ARC!
October 9, 2025
I hate to say this but this one really and truly absolutely did not work for me. I completely understand that this is a normal girl x celeb romance but it reads like straight up k-pop RPF. The mmc’s resemblance to a SKZ member is subtle as a brick and for me that ruined what by all accounts could’ve and should’ve been an EXCEPTIONAL book. I live for disability rep in fiction and I love Natalie’s drive and determination to make the world a more accessible place for all d/Deaf kids. Genuinely this was a spectacular idea and I’m sorry that for me it fell flat. If the MMC was made into more of his own character this would’ve been an easy 4-5 star read. DNF @ 65%.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2024
Sydney Langford is a talented, funny Gen Z author, writing for a Gen Z audience and SOMEONE TO DAYDREAM ABOUT is the epitome of a voicy rom-com with heart! The characters are so relatable, and incredibly layered. I dare you not to fall in love with at least one of them, including Ginger the service dog.
You won’t want to put this book down once you get started, and you won’t want the story to end when you reach the last page. It’s just that good.
You won’t want to put this book down once you get started, and you won’t want the story to end when you reach the last page. It’s just that good.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5 stars
Natalie is a hard of hearing/Deaf individual who is trying to save her family’s center for the deaf community in Seattle. Felix is a superstar lead of a band that needs tutoring in ASL to communicate with his sister who has hearing loss and will be completely deaf by winter.
The catch? Natalie hates Felix and has for years. When she is offered enough funding to remodel and save her family’s center by Felix in exchange for helping learning ESL, she must agree to spend all summer teaching Felix Song ASL.
What happens when Natalie and Felix spend all summer together and travel around the USA? From fangirls to social media and even a crazy manager, Natalie and Felix have a lot to balance.
My Thoughts
This book is one that has altered my brain chemistry in a way that no other book has. From my love of fan fiction to being hard of hearing/Deaf, I loved seeing all of the personal representation in this story.
Langford does a fantastic job of intertwining both Natalie’s personal story to Felix’s struggles with familial issues, learning disabilities, and balancing both identities of Felix Song and Felix Song the pop star.
When reading this story, I found myself in tears often. How Langford portrays a disability not only in a positive connotation but as a strength is one of the most heartwarming moments in reading. Being disabled both with severe migraines/nerve pain and hearing loss, I have always seen my disabilities as a strength. While other narratives and opinions may see a disability as a negative experience, Langford breaks down the incorrect view and provides strength to being disabled and seeing the world differently in Natalie’s character. Thank you for portraying Natalie’s character in such a beautiful light.
Arguably, this book has been one of my favorite romance books I’ve ever read. If you enjoy diverse reads, understanding terms related to ASL/SimCom, you will love this book!
I want to thank the author, NetGalley, the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Natalie is a hard of hearing/Deaf individual who is trying to save her family’s center for the deaf community in Seattle. Felix is a superstar lead of a band that needs tutoring in ASL to communicate with his sister who has hearing loss and will be completely deaf by winter.
The catch? Natalie hates Felix and has for years. When she is offered enough funding to remodel and save her family’s center by Felix in exchange for helping learning ESL, she must agree to spend all summer teaching Felix Song ASL.
What happens when Natalie and Felix spend all summer together and travel around the USA? From fangirls to social media and even a crazy manager, Natalie and Felix have a lot to balance.
My Thoughts
This book is one that has altered my brain chemistry in a way that no other book has. From my love of fan fiction to being hard of hearing/Deaf, I loved seeing all of the personal representation in this story.
Langford does a fantastic job of intertwining both Natalie’s personal story to Felix’s struggles with familial issues, learning disabilities, and balancing both identities of Felix Song and Felix Song the pop star.
When reading this story, I found myself in tears often. How Langford portrays a disability not only in a positive connotation but as a strength is one of the most heartwarming moments in reading. Being disabled both with severe migraines/nerve pain and hearing loss, I have always seen my disabilities as a strength. While other narratives and opinions may see a disability as a negative experience, Langford breaks down the incorrect view and provides strength to being disabled and seeing the world differently in Natalie’s character. Thank you for portraying Natalie’s character in such a beautiful light.
Arguably, this book has been one of my favorite romance books I’ve ever read. If you enjoy diverse reads, understanding terms related to ASL/SimCom, you will love this book!
I want to thank the author, NetGalley, the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2025
As someone who was a little too obsessed with boybands as a preteen, this story hit something deep in my soul that I didn’t know I needed. This book had the same ethereal feel I remember when I was at a One Direction concert my freshman year of high school.
I love reading books about the Deaf community. Representation matters. I’m hearing but I’ve been learning ASL with my partner for a couple years now. The Deaf community has been so welcoming and inclusive in our journey.
The most real part about this book was the little peek into the social media side of the band after every chapter. I fully believe there would be even more unhinged comments if this were a real boyband, but this book pretty much hit the mark on showing how parasocial relationships can overstep boundaries big time.
Super cute romance and I really enjoyed the book from start to finish. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
I love reading books about the Deaf community. Representation matters. I’m hearing but I’ve been learning ASL with my partner for a couple years now. The Deaf community has been so welcoming and inclusive in our journey.
The most real part about this book was the little peek into the social media side of the band after every chapter. I fully believe there would be even more unhinged comments if this were a real boyband, but this book pretty much hit the mark on showing how parasocial relationships can overstep boundaries big time.
Super cute romance and I really enjoyed the book from start to finish. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
February 2, 2026
TLDR: kissfist times a MILLION
I couldn’t put this down; my heart was swooning. This was such a sweet love story and incredibly informative about the D/deaf community. I had so much fun reading it!
I received a copy of the book from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I couldn’t put this down; my heart was swooning. This was such a sweet love story and incredibly informative about the D/deaf community. I had so much fun reading it!
I received a copy of the book from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Want to read
April 26, 2023"deaf 18-year-old Natalie spends a whirlwind summer teaching ASL to (and trying not to fall for) the lead singer of America's hottest boy band so he can communicate with his sister—all while trying to save her family's failing Deaf Center."
yey omg that sounds so much fun!!!!
yey omg that sounds so much fun!!!!
May 19, 2023
the love interest is australian. bluey lookin ass. 5 stars
December 5, 2025
This was a cute young adult romance. I enjoyed following Natalie as she goes on tour with Felix and his boy band in order to teach him ASL. I loved how this book was a sweet pop star romance while also teaching readers about the Deaf community. Overall this was a great read and I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Read this if you like:
📖 Pop star MMC
📖 Boybands
📖 Deaf reps
📖 Dyslexia rep
📖 LGBTQ reps
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc.
Read this if you like:
📖 Pop star MMC
📖 Boybands
📖 Deaf reps
📖 Dyslexia rep
📖 LGBTQ reps
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc.
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