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This Must Be the Place
This Must Be the Place
by Kelly Quindlen is a forthcoming title from Roaring Brook Press.
Unknown Binding
2 people are currently reading
660 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Quindlen
6 books2,688 followersKelly Quindlen is the bestselling author of the young adult novels She Drives Me Crazy (winner of the Volunteer State Book Award; Goodreads Choice Awards nominee), Late to the Party, Her Name in the Sky, and the forthcoming This Must Be the Place (May 2026). Her books have been featured in The New York Times, Business Insider, Vulture, and Paste.
Kelly enjoys speaking to high school GSAs, PFLAG groups, and all manner of LGBTQ+ organizations. She lives in Atlanta with her fiancée and their saucy cat, Peach Marie.
Kelly enjoys speaking to high school GSAs, PFLAG groups, and all manner of LGBTQ+ organizations. She lives in Atlanta with her fiancée and their saucy cat, Peach Marie.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
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May 11, 2025From the rights report: "a YA novel about an 18-year-old lesbian who unexpectedly inherits a gay bar from her late, not-so-straight Uncle George. Following graduation, she spends the summer in football-obsessed Rustin, Ala., serving the bar's colorful patrons, digging up family secrets, and fanning the flames of an old spark with her childhood best friend-the closeted daughter of Rustin University's venerated head football coach.'
November 24, 2025
[4.5] it’s 2 am and it’s 2020 and i’m writing a review about a book named her name in the sky. it’s 2am and it’s 2025 and i’m writing a review about this one and i see THEE hannah and baker again…..funny how time works.
this book was so, so special. it is a book about the places that make us feel seen. the loving and supportive found family that we find as queer people. it is about the places that help you feel like you belong.
it is also a book about confusing grief. about grief that takes a shape that no one speaks about, so you don’t know how to navigate it either. i’ve experienced grief for people i didn’t know well either, so louisa’s process definitely pulled at some heart strings for me.
it felt so special and every character meant so much to me. and my absolute favorite part was seeing baker and hannah again. while not the main characters, their contribution to this book made is so special and felt so tremendously full circle.
hannah and baker have lived in my thoughts ever since i read them. there is not a single day where i don’t think of them and their coming out journey. seeing them as thirty-something year olds now, and being exactly who they needed as teenagers for louisa….i could just tell that this is exactly who they needed to meet at 18, and now they get to come full circle and be that support for more baby queers. that’s what it’s all about. that reminder that everything will work out. the universe has a plan for you.
i loved this book. i love how kelly quindlen writes. and i’m so thankful i get to tell her what her words mean to me, and that she took the time to reply and to listen. i feel less alone with her characters.
thank you to kelly quindlen for allowing me to read an advanced review copy of this.
this book was so, so special. it is a book about the places that make us feel seen. the loving and supportive found family that we find as queer people. it is about the places that help you feel like you belong.
it is also a book about confusing grief. about grief that takes a shape that no one speaks about, so you don’t know how to navigate it either. i’ve experienced grief for people i didn’t know well either, so louisa’s process definitely pulled at some heart strings for me.
it felt so special and every character meant so much to me. and my absolute favorite part was seeing baker and hannah again. while not the main characters, their contribution to this book made is so special and felt so tremendously full circle.
hannah and baker have lived in my thoughts ever since i read them. there is not a single day where i don’t think of them and their coming out journey. seeing them as thirty-something year olds now, and being exactly who they needed as teenagers for louisa….i could just tell that this is exactly who they needed to meet at 18, and now they get to come full circle and be that support for more baby queers. that’s what it’s all about. that reminder that everything will work out. the universe has a plan for you.
i loved this book. i love how kelly quindlen writes. and i’m so thankful i get to tell her what her words mean to me, and that she took the time to reply and to listen. i feel less alone with her characters.
thank you to kelly quindlen for allowing me to read an advanced review copy of this.
November 11, 2024
already know this is a five stars read
December 9, 2025
4.5/5⭐️ Let me start with, I love Kelly Quindlen and my favorite book ever is Her Name in the Stars so yes, I’m biased. However, this is for good reason! This book was all I could have hoped for. It was raw and honest about the experiences of being queer especially in less forgiving southern towns but also witty, funny and sarcastic at times (thanks to our lovely main character Lou). Now I can’t talk about the characters without mentioning Hannah and Baker. If you know you know. They were adorable and I really did love the cameo of sorts they made being Lou’s mentor in.. well all things gay. The romance (though not the sole purpose of the book/plot) was well written and just added on to my enjoyment. I did feel as though the book dragged at some points and sped through others a tad (also I would have loved to see Hannah and Bakers wedding but I understand that this is Lou’s book not theirs!). I definitely 100% recommend you check this book out, as well as her other books if you have not yet, especially if you’re looking for a good entertaining sapphic romance novel to sit down and enjoy. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!
December 22, 2025
I absolutely ATE this book up!!!! I fell in love with Louisa and all of her quirks.
This Must Be the Place does an incredible job capturing what it feels like to be a young adult stuck in that liminal space of your hometown, waiting to leave for college and convinced that new people and new places will finally mean acceptance. What I loved most was how the story challenged that belief. Sometimes growth doesn’t come from leaving, but from standing up for yourself and daring to be fully, unapologetically who you are right where you are.
This book reminded me of one of my favorite sayings:
“Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are.....” — Maya Angelou
The story also thoughtfully explores the confusing emotions of grief and how they affect everyone differently, shaping how we act, feel, and perceive the world after someone’s passing.
Louisa’s journey is tender and quietly powerful, and I highly recommend picking up this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This Must Be the Place does an incredible job capturing what it feels like to be a young adult stuck in that liminal space of your hometown, waiting to leave for college and convinced that new people and new places will finally mean acceptance. What I loved most was how the story challenged that belief. Sometimes growth doesn’t come from leaving, but from standing up for yourself and daring to be fully, unapologetically who you are right where you are.
This book reminded me of one of my favorite sayings:
“Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are.....” — Maya Angelou
The story also thoughtfully explores the confusing emotions of grief and how they affect everyone differently, shaping how we act, feel, and perceive the world after someone’s passing.
Louisa’s journey is tender and quietly powerful, and I highly recommend picking up this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 18, 2025
i will always appreciate a kelly quindlen original, ESPECIALLY one featuring the lomls baker and hannah. this book was such a fun read and gave such a good perspective of the small town queer experience. the dialogue’s were hilarious and it felt like i was a part of this family. it amazes me how kelly is able to write such witty lines while also have some of the most heartbreaking scenes in HNITS. she is such a talented author and i cannot wait for tmbtp and the hnits re-release to hit shelves soon so the rest of the public can fall in love. thank you to macmillan for the arcs for both
December 19, 2025
Tough to explain the best part of this book. Kelly Quindlen has a way of using humor and heartfelt sentiment to bring characters to life, all of whom are flawed yet loveable. Highly recommend to anyone with a heart.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews