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If We Were a Movie
Lights. Camera. Love?
Rochelle “The Shell” Coleman is laser focused on only three things: becoming valedictorian, getting into Wharton, and, of course, taking down her annoyingly charismatic nemesis and only academic competition, Amira Rodriguez. However, despite her stellar grades, Rochelle’s college application is missing that extra special something: a job.
When Rochelle gets an opportunity to work at Horizon Cinemas, the beloved Black-owned movie theater, she begrudgingly jumps at the chance to boost her chances of getting into her dream school. There’s only one problem: Amira works there . . . and is also her boss.
Rochelle feels that being around Amira is its own kind of horror movie, but as the two begin working closely together, Rochelle starts to see Amira in a new light, one that may have her beginning to actually . . . like her?
But Horizon’s in trouble, and when mysterious things begin happening that make Horizon’s chances of staying open slim, it’s up to the employees to solve the mystery before it’s too late. But will love also find its way into the spotlight?
Rochelle “The Shell” Coleman is laser focused on only three things: becoming valedictorian, getting into Wharton, and, of course, taking down her annoyingly charismatic nemesis and only academic competition, Amira Rodriguez. However, despite her stellar grades, Rochelle’s college application is missing that extra special something: a job.
When Rochelle gets an opportunity to work at Horizon Cinemas, the beloved Black-owned movie theater, she begrudgingly jumps at the chance to boost her chances of getting into her dream school. There’s only one problem: Amira works there . . . and is also her boss.
Rochelle feels that being around Amira is its own kind of horror movie, but as the two begin working closely together, Rochelle starts to see Amira in a new light, one that may have her beginning to actually . . . like her?
But Horizon’s in trouble, and when mysterious things begin happening that make Horizon’s chances of staying open slim, it’s up to the employees to solve the mystery before it’s too late. But will love also find its way into the spotlight?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 22, 2025
69 people are currently reading
13110 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 350 reviews
March 5, 2025
★★☆☆☆ 2.5/5
rounded down
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review will remain spoiler-free as it has not been published at the current date of my review.
⋆ Tropes :
▹Frenemies
▹Intelligent FMC(s)
▹Childhood friends to dislike to lovers
▹Slice of Life
If We Were a Movie is a fun, cute, coming-of-age young adult sapphic romance. It was such a cute read and I had a really good time with this one, shown in how I devoured this entire read in one sitting. It was my first read by Zakiya N. Jamal, and although my rating is low, I will definitely be checking out books she releases.
: ̗̀➛ Main Characters
Rochelle is our female lead in this novel. She is dead set on going to Wharton for college and just needs that one little thing to make her application stand out. She is highly intelligent, introverted, rational, and a little hot-headed. I enjoyed her as a character, seeing her rationalize her irrational feelings and come to terms with them was really fun!
Amira is our female lead love interest. She is snarky, sassy, dedicated, and doesn't take insults kindly. She turns her grades upside down and becomes a stellar student, much to Rochelle's dismay. She is the assistant manager at Horizon and takes her job very seriously, as she truly loves the theater.
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
This book was just so cute. The blossoming friendship turned relationship between Rochelle and Amira was so fun to read! They had fun banter and really made the progression of their relationship feel natural. Not to mention the cover - oh my gosh, the cover!!! It is SO perfect and I feel like the representation of Rochelle and Amira's characters were portrayed perfectly. I couldn't have envisioned better.
The side characters were my favourite part of this novel. Each one of them had their set personality trope and really aced it. They were a bunch of characters, ranging in diversity, who really made Horizon come to life for me. I could see why Rochelle got so quickly attached to the theater because I did as well. I loved reading about and getting to see the lives of side characters develop and see the mishaps or exciting events happen to them.
While I also enjoyed that each character had their quirks, from book smart but emotionally constipated, theater kid, goth kid, overachiever, dumb-jock party guy, rich blond, the-one-guy-who's-always-high, to the drama/soap opera obsessed. There were a lot of tropes, and they were SO fun to read about in such a large group of friends, however I feel like these tropes also made the characters feel very one-dimensional. They never really developed outside of those tropes and stayed true to them til the end - which isn't a bad thing, especially since this was a fun and light read, but for me personally, I would've loved a bit more for them because I was so attached!!
I also feel that the plot was a bit draggy at parts, especially when Rochelle is able to deduce the entire situation quite early on, and then you are left knowing how it'll end. A little more mystery or bigger plot twist would've really lifted the tension and excitement in the book!
Glory's character was a bit of a drag to have around, and Rochelle's thoughts of them were perceivable by me too. Even during the most difficult bits, the high schoolers had to take over and keep things from Glory because they felt Glory couldn't handle news emotionally well, or Glory was shoving extra work onto them that a manager should be handling, not their minimum wage paid employees.
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
Overall, a 2.75/5 rating for If We Were a Movie. Despite my rating, I promise this is not a bad book and I do recommend it! I enjoyed it. It was light, it was fun, Rochelle and Amira were very cute. It didn't quite meet my expectations, but it was by no means a bad book because of it. I struggled to feel attached to characters, but the slice-of-life bits were very fun.
Jennie and Lisa were by far my favourites in this book, as well as Kerry!!! Kerry is so fun; I would love to have a friend like her!!
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC! To anyone who has added this book to their TBR or is on the fence, please do consider picking this up on its official publication date, April 22, 2025.
rounded down
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review will remain spoiler-free as it has not been published at the current date of my review.
⋆ Tropes :
▹Frenemies
▹Intelligent FMC(s)
▹Childhood friends to dislike to lovers
▹Slice of Life
If We Were a Movie is a fun, cute, coming-of-age young adult sapphic romance. It was such a cute read and I had a really good time with this one, shown in how I devoured this entire read in one sitting. It was my first read by Zakiya N. Jamal, and although my rating is low, I will definitely be checking out books she releases.
: ̗̀➛ Main Characters
Rochelle is our female lead in this novel. She is dead set on going to Wharton for college and just needs that one little thing to make her application stand out. She is highly intelligent, introverted, rational, and a little hot-headed. I enjoyed her as a character, seeing her rationalize her irrational feelings and come to terms with them was really fun!
Amira is our female lead love interest. She is snarky, sassy, dedicated, and doesn't take insults kindly. She turns her grades upside down and becomes a stellar student, much to Rochelle's dismay. She is the assistant manager at Horizon and takes her job very seriously, as she truly loves the theater.
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
This book was just so cute. The blossoming friendship turned relationship between Rochelle and Amira was so fun to read! They had fun banter and really made the progression of their relationship feel natural. Not to mention the cover - oh my gosh, the cover!!! It is SO perfect and I feel like the representation of Rochelle and Amira's characters were portrayed perfectly. I couldn't have envisioned better.
The side characters were my favourite part of this novel. Each one of them had their set personality trope and really aced it. They were a bunch of characters, ranging in diversity, who really made Horizon come to life for me. I could see why Rochelle got so quickly attached to the theater because I did as well. I loved reading about and getting to see the lives of side characters develop and see the mishaps or exciting events happen to them.
While I also enjoyed that each character had their quirks, from book smart but emotionally constipated, theater kid, goth kid, overachiever, dumb-jock party guy, rich blond, the-one-guy-who's-always-high, to the drama/soap opera obsessed. There were a lot of tropes, and they were SO fun to read about in such a large group of friends, however I feel like these tropes also made the characters feel very one-dimensional. They never really developed outside of those tropes and stayed true to them til the end - which isn't a bad thing, especially since this was a fun and light read, but for me personally, I would've loved a bit more for them because I was so attached!!
I also feel that the plot was a bit draggy at parts, especially when Rochelle is able to deduce the entire situation quite early on, and then you are left knowing how it'll end. A little more mystery or bigger plot twist would've really lifted the tension and excitement in the book!
Glory's character was a bit of a drag to have around, and Rochelle's thoughts of them were perceivable by me too. Even during the most difficult bits, the high schoolers had to take over and keep things from Glory because they felt Glory couldn't handle news emotionally well, or Glory was shoving extra work onto them that a manager should be handling, not their minimum wage paid employees.
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
Overall, a 2.75/5 rating for If We Were a Movie. Despite my rating, I promise this is not a bad book and I do recommend it! I enjoyed it. It was light, it was fun, Rochelle and Amira were very cute. It didn't quite meet my expectations, but it was by no means a bad book because of it. I struggled to feel attached to characters, but the slice-of-life bits were very fun.
Jennie and Lisa were by far my favourites in this book, as well as Kerry!!! Kerry is so fun; I would love to have a friend like her!!
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC! To anyone who has added this book to their TBR or is on the fence, please do consider picking this up on its official publication date, April 22, 2025.
June 22, 2025
Childhood friends to rivals to friends to lovers? Seated!!
This was such a cute read, and I loved how diverse all the characters were. The theatre proved to be the perfect setting for the story, everyone was so passionate about saving it and preserving its history.
There was a strong emphasis on friendship, and the found family trope was thriving. The romance was adorable, and there was a lot of character development *cough * Rochelle *cough*.
I liked the author's attention to detail, it made the world even easier to visualise. I'll definitely be checking out her adult debut when it's out.
This was such a cute read, and I loved how diverse all the characters were. The theatre proved to be the perfect setting for the story, everyone was so passionate about saving it and preserving its history.
There was a strong emphasis on friendship, and the found family trope was thriving. The romance was adorable, and there was a lot of character development *cough * Rochelle *cough*.
I liked the author's attention to detail, it made the world even easier to visualise. I'll definitely be checking out her adult debut when it's out.
Want to read
July 23, 2024This title and cover??? Oh we’re SEATED.
July 16, 2025
rating: 3.75⭐️
the concept of being hired for a job you never even applied to in this economy 😭
overall this was pretty cute! tho it was pretty glaringly obvious from the start who hooked Rochelle up with the job, i really loved the setting of a black-owned theater esp as a former cinephile.
i liked the backstory between Rochelle and Amira and both characters respectively, but i did feel like the romance was a bit on the underdeveloped side.
overall a very cute YA romance 💖
the concept of being hired for a job you never even applied to in this economy 😭
overall this was pretty cute! tho it was pretty glaringly obvious from the start who hooked Rochelle up with the job, i really loved the setting of a black-owned theater esp as a former cinephile.
i liked the backstory between Rochelle and Amira and both characters respectively, but i did feel like the romance was a bit on the underdeveloped side.
overall a very cute YA romance 💖
May 10, 2025
YA romcom 3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was such a sweet, wholesome read! The story covers themes of first love, friendships and community.
Rochelle is a driven, determined student planning to get into Wharton College. She has everything going for her expect she’s never had a job. She takes a job at the local theater for the summer.
Amira is her arch-nemesis in school and the manager at the theater. Her job and the theater mean a lot to her.
I like both of these characters. Rochelle’s fears about going off to college felt very real. Her thoughts and anxiety were true to the experience of knowing how your life is going to shift when going off to college. Amira and her learn they have more to relate over than not as they go from rivals, to friends, to lovers. Their romance was super cute and felt real to falling in love for the first time.
I did think there could have been a little more to their rivalry. It seemed to be based in academics and being that the story was set in the summer, it felt a little off. There also could have been more character development from them.
Besides that, this was an enjoyable read. Their banter was cute and felt real. The element of the mystery, despite being a little obvious, added a fun element to the story of protecting the theater. The side characters were the best! We got to learn about their lives, the good and bad, it made the whole community of the theater come to life. We saw the progression of Rochelle seeing her job as a resume builder to truly loving the theater.
This is a perfect coming-of-age, teenage story. There aren’t any traumatic events and the narratives of the characters are relatable. The coming together of people who have their differences to help their community was a great message.
This was such a sweet, wholesome read! The story covers themes of first love, friendships and community.
Rochelle is a driven, determined student planning to get into Wharton College. She has everything going for her expect she’s never had a job. She takes a job at the local theater for the summer.
Amira is her arch-nemesis in school and the manager at the theater. Her job and the theater mean a lot to her.
I like both of these characters. Rochelle’s fears about going off to college felt very real. Her thoughts and anxiety were true to the experience of knowing how your life is going to shift when going off to college. Amira and her learn they have more to relate over than not as they go from rivals, to friends, to lovers. Their romance was super cute and felt real to falling in love for the first time.
I did think there could have been a little more to their rivalry. It seemed to be based in academics and being that the story was set in the summer, it felt a little off. There also could have been more character development from them.
Besides that, this was an enjoyable read. Their banter was cute and felt real. The element of the mystery, despite being a little obvious, added a fun element to the story of protecting the theater. The side characters were the best! We got to learn about their lives, the good and bad, it made the whole community of the theater come to life. We saw the progression of Rochelle seeing her job as a resume builder to truly loving the theater.
This is a perfect coming-of-age, teenage story. There aren’t any traumatic events and the narratives of the characters are relatable. The coming together of people who have their differences to help their community was a great message.
April 27, 2025
A sweet, fun book about firsts in the life of a teenager. Rochelle Coleman is looking for a summer job before her HS senior year. She has never been employed. She’s never had a girlfriend. Other than her two besties, Kerry and Taylor, who dragged her into their circle, she has no other friends. Rochelle guards her time and space. She wants to follow her brilliant mother’s footsteps to Penn University. Valedictorian or Go Home. But Rochelle soon finds out life is messy and can’t be controlled.
Firstly, I liked the backdrop of an old fashioned neighborhood movie theatre, especially one steeped in Black history. I grew up in Chicago which had those small theatres in the 1960’s and 1970’s nestled in Black and Latine areas catering to the residents because of segregation and later just the sense of community. The Horizon Theatre setting felt spot on. I got a kick out of these modern day teens appreciating the older classics like Shaft and Space Jam.
The diverse crew are a good mix of quirkiness and high energy. As the story moves along, Rochelle opens up to becoming friends with them. Learning the responsibilities of a job gives her a nice confidence in practical matters. Finally, her first crush on her rival surprises then thrills her. Very cute connection and I loved Amira Rodriguez. The author does a great job at expanding Rochelle’s world.
My favorite parts of the book are the interactions between Rochelle and her mother. There’s a lot of love there and a me and you against the world closeness that comes from the bond of a single mom and her only child. But Rochelle’s heartfelt words to her mother, breaking down her feelings about expectations, about first love, and the challenges of being 17 really touched my heart.
4.25 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc. I am leaving a review voluntarily.
Firstly, I liked the backdrop of an old fashioned neighborhood movie theatre, especially one steeped in Black history. I grew up in Chicago which had those small theatres in the 1960’s and 1970’s nestled in Black and Latine areas catering to the residents because of segregation and later just the sense of community. The Horizon Theatre setting felt spot on. I got a kick out of these modern day teens appreciating the older classics like Shaft and Space Jam.
The diverse crew are a good mix of quirkiness and high energy. As the story moves along, Rochelle opens up to becoming friends with them. Learning the responsibilities of a job gives her a nice confidence in practical matters. Finally, her first crush on her rival surprises then thrills her. Very cute connection and I loved Amira Rodriguez. The author does a great job at expanding Rochelle’s world.
My favorite parts of the book are the interactions between Rochelle and her mother. There’s a lot of love there and a me and you against the world closeness that comes from the bond of a single mom and her only child. But Rochelle’s heartfelt words to her mother, breaking down her feelings about expectations, about first love, and the challenges of being 17 really touched my heart.
4.25 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc. I am leaving a review voluntarily.
September 7, 2024
I truly loved this! Rochelle was amazing. I loved how deadset she was to prepare for college. And her two besties were also amazing! I was so astonished by the characters that worked at the Horizon and how hardcore they wanted to help save it. Also, the whole enemies to lovers vibe in this love story was so beautifully played out! I loved every bit of this!! Such a cute book with a great variety of inclusiveness!!
I received this book from HarperCollins to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this book from HarperCollins to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
August 16, 2025
3.5 stars.
I loved almost everything about this. From the main characters, Rochelle and Amira, to the side characters, to the romance even if it was a cheesy...it was so cute. The only thing I didn't like was how Rochelle was able to deduce everything from the start and STILL manage to dawdle for 5 chapters each time.
I loved almost everything about this. From the main characters, Rochelle and Amira, to the side characters, to the romance even if it was a cheesy...it was so cute. The only thing I didn't like was how Rochelle was able to deduce everything from the start and STILL manage to dawdle for 5 chapters each time.
December 1, 2024
4.5/5
This was such a cuteeee sapphic YA romance, if you’re looking for a light read you should pick this up. The fmc Rochelle needs a job for her college application and gets a call letting her know she got the job to work in a black owned movie theater. I loved Rochelles relationship with her mother and how cute her relationships. I love the theater backdrop and the cast of characters that we meet, the friendships are written so well. The love interest is Amira who is technically Rochelles boss and rival. Technically i wouldn’t call this an enemies to lovers but there is a little bit of animosity between them after something that happens in the past. I thought the romance was so cute and realistic and i loved seeing their relationship grow. I also really liked the saving the theater plot and overall this was just so cute. Thanks to Harper Collins Teen for this arc!
Read for:
- Queer romance
- Diverse cast of characters
- Black romance
- Dislike to lovers
- Childhood friends to dislike to lovers
- Quirky friend group
This was such a cuteeee sapphic YA romance, if you’re looking for a light read you should pick this up. The fmc Rochelle needs a job for her college application and gets a call letting her know she got the job to work in a black owned movie theater. I loved Rochelles relationship with her mother and how cute her relationships. I love the theater backdrop and the cast of characters that we meet, the friendships are written so well. The love interest is Amira who is technically Rochelles boss and rival. Technically i wouldn’t call this an enemies to lovers but there is a little bit of animosity between them after something that happens in the past. I thought the romance was so cute and realistic and i loved seeing their relationship grow. I also really liked the saving the theater plot and overall this was just so cute. Thanks to Harper Collins Teen for this arc!
Read for:
- Queer romance
- Diverse cast of characters
- Black romance
- Dislike to lovers
- Childhood friends to dislike to lovers
- Quirky friend group
December 24, 2025
3.5
this was cute. except it's marketed as enemies to lovers and they were never actually enemies??? many such cases.
there's also the common issue of everything being excessively described when it's not really needed (i.e. clothes) and not described enough when you actually need to know more (i.e. the backstory between rochelle and amira)
this was cute. except it's marketed as enemies to lovers and they were never actually enemies??? many such cases.
there's also the common issue of everything being excessively described when it's not really needed (i.e. clothes) and not described enough when you actually need to know more (i.e. the backstory between rochelle and amira)
April 27, 2025
Thanks to HarperCollins Children’s Books for sending me an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review! Happy publication week to this hilariously sweet ya sapphic romcom 🩷
3.75 ⭐️
🎞️ black sapphics
🩷childhood academic rivals to lovers
🎞️ wholesome queer representation
🩷found family, comedic banter
🎞️ diverse cast of characters
I buddy read this review copy with sea !ೃ ✿𓈒 📖
If We Were A Movie was so wholesome from start to finish. But I do have some valid criticisms, which I will start with. The author’s extreme attention to detail kind of ticked me off at some parts of the book (especially while describing literal clothing). I also kind of didn’t like the pop culture references (free me from Tiktok I beg), and Rochelle kind of irritated me at times especially with how much of a pessimist she is. Moreover, Amira didn’t feel like a fully-fleshed out character, considering she was the female love interest for Rochelle. I honestly felt that they weren’t given enough development individually and together. Some of the dialogue also felt extremely cringe but what are romcoms if not slightly criinge? (doesn’t always mean bad yall I promise)
Nevertheless, IWWAM is just one of those books that make you uncontrollably giggle because of the characters’ chemistry, as well as the comedic timing of the found family trope. The author also never lacked in the diversity department, especially in terms of having queer characters. As someone who identifies as aroace, it makes me happy to see myself represented in a romcom.
What made this book more important is how it highlights Black history and their contribution to theater. The whole concept of The Horizon and it’s founding was very enlightening to me. It was such a creative and radical way for the Black community to set themselves apart from white culture and of expressing resistance against segregation and racism in the US.
Overall, IWWAM is not only a book that features the pride of Black theater, but it also tells a story of queer identity and a splash of teenage drama.
3.75 ⭐️
🎞️ black sapphics
🩷childhood academic rivals to lovers
🎞️ wholesome queer representation
🩷found family, comedic banter
🎞️ diverse cast of characters
I buddy read this review copy with sea !ೃ ✿𓈒 📖
If We Were A Movie was so wholesome from start to finish. But I do have some valid criticisms, which I will start with. The author’s extreme attention to detail kind of ticked me off at some parts of the book (especially while describing literal clothing). I also kind of didn’t like the pop culture references (free me from Tiktok I beg), and Rochelle kind of irritated me at times especially with how much of a pessimist she is. Moreover, Amira didn’t feel like a fully-fleshed out character, considering she was the female love interest for Rochelle. I honestly felt that they weren’t given enough development individually and together. Some of the dialogue also felt extremely cringe but what are romcoms if not slightly criinge? (doesn’t always mean bad yall I promise)
Nevertheless, IWWAM is just one of those books that make you uncontrollably giggle because of the characters’ chemistry, as well as the comedic timing of the found family trope. The author also never lacked in the diversity department, especially in terms of having queer characters. As someone who identifies as aroace, it makes me happy to see myself represented in a romcom.
What made this book more important is how it highlights Black history and their contribution to theater. The whole concept of The Horizon and it’s founding was very enlightening to me. It was such a creative and radical way for the Black community to set themselves apart from white culture and of expressing resistance against segregation and racism in the US.
Overall, IWWAM is not only a book that features the pride of Black theater, but it also tells a story of queer identity and a splash of teenage drama.
April 28, 2025
2025 reads: 95/300
2025 tbr: 35/111
i received a finished copy from the publisher as part of a book tour. this did not affect my rating.
buddy read with ellie!
rochelle is desperate for a summer job, sure it’s the only way to make her wharton application good enough to be accepted. when she receives an offer for a place she didn’t even apply, black-owned movie theater horizon cinemas, she decides to take the job. little does she know, her once friend, now nemesis, amira, works there…as assistant manager. the more she works with amira, though, the more she starts to realize that maybe she isn’t so bad, after all. working at horizon is more chaotic than rochelle anticipated, though, what with the constant mishaps and the slew of angry customers those bring.
as someone who was obsessed with hannah montana as a child, i was immediately drawn to this book thanks to its title! i was also drawn in by the promise of a sapphic rivals to coworkers to lovers story. i can gladly say i was not let down! this book was so fun from start to finish, though it had its heavier moments, such as the themes of grief and having high expectations for yourself. still, i thought this was a mostly lighthearted read that would be perfect for summertime. i loved how rochelle became such good friends with her coworkers while still keeping her two best friends in the loop. strong friendships in romance are so important to me! i also loved the romance between rochelle and amira. they used to be friends when they were really young, but amira changed schools and when she came back, rochelle had decided that they were rivals and couldn’t be friends again. i liked seeing how their relationship progressed as they worked together (not quite together since amira was technically her boss…). overall, this was a sweet YA rom-com. i can’t wait for whatever’s next from zakiya n. jamal!
2025 tbr: 35/111
i received a finished copy from the publisher as part of a book tour. this did not affect my rating.
buddy read with ellie!
rochelle is desperate for a summer job, sure it’s the only way to make her wharton application good enough to be accepted. when she receives an offer for a place she didn’t even apply, black-owned movie theater horizon cinemas, she decides to take the job. little does she know, her once friend, now nemesis, amira, works there…as assistant manager. the more she works with amira, though, the more she starts to realize that maybe she isn’t so bad, after all. working at horizon is more chaotic than rochelle anticipated, though, what with the constant mishaps and the slew of angry customers those bring.
as someone who was obsessed with hannah montana as a child, i was immediately drawn to this book thanks to its title! i was also drawn in by the promise of a sapphic rivals to coworkers to lovers story. i can gladly say i was not let down! this book was so fun from start to finish, though it had its heavier moments, such as the themes of grief and having high expectations for yourself. still, i thought this was a mostly lighthearted read that would be perfect for summertime. i loved how rochelle became such good friends with her coworkers while still keeping her two best friends in the loop. strong friendships in romance are so important to me! i also loved the romance between rochelle and amira. they used to be friends when they were really young, but amira changed schools and when she came back, rochelle had decided that they were rivals and couldn’t be friends again. i liked seeing how their relationship progressed as they worked together (not quite together since amira was technically her boss…). overall, this was a sweet YA rom-com. i can’t wait for whatever’s next from zakiya n. jamal!
August 30, 2025
This charming YA debut is such a great summer read. The movie theatre setting was wonderful, and I love how much time we got to spend there throughout the story. The writing is often funny and worked great on audio, and there's such a fun cast of characters. It took a while for me to get on board with the romance, because their rivalry seemed very one-sided, and I didn't like how Rochelle treated Amira at first. But once things started to turn around for them, their romance was so adorable. I would love to read more from this author.
September 25, 2024
Overall, I had a good time reading this book. Romace was cute, and the setting was so much fun. Even though certain plot points started to drag, this was still entertaining queer read.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2025
Family (best) friends to rivals to friends to lovers, anyone? While it may not roll off the tongue like the cutting remarks of an enemy, this has all of the romance that comes from friends who have known each other their entire lives, secretly (even to theirselves) being infatuated and then in love with each other. So you may say that’s a lot.
Rochelle is looking to pad her college application with the one thing it seems to be missing… work. The only problem is: she hasn’t gotten a job yet. But when the manager of Horizon Cinemas calls her (the historic Black-owned movie theater in town), offering her a job, she snatches it up. Weirdly enough, she was recommended by one of their employees even though she hadn’t applied.
When she shows up to her first day and sees her ex-friend, Amira, works there, it takes everything in her not to turn right back around and walk out. But she needs the job. And she’ll do whatever it takes to get into her first choice college.
Did I know from the start that they would get together? Absolutely. Did I care that that was predictable? Not in the least. They were both perfect and meant to be. I shipped them hardcore from the moment I found out they were ex-best friends. So when it started heading towards a first date, I cheered internally.
I really enjoyed that there was a mystery involved that had nothing to do with the relationship. It was about the theater and keeping it open, but that wouldn’t have impacted the girls staying together. A lot of books have that main focus be directly tied to the MC’s and this was a nice change IMO.
I really loved this book. It took me 3 or 4 days to really get my thoughts down on what to write in this review, because I really want to express my overall joy at how great this was.
4.5⭐️
Rochelle is looking to pad her college application with the one thing it seems to be missing… work. The only problem is: she hasn’t gotten a job yet. But when the manager of Horizon Cinemas calls her (the historic Black-owned movie theater in town), offering her a job, she snatches it up. Weirdly enough, she was recommended by one of their employees even though she hadn’t applied.
When she shows up to her first day and sees her ex-friend, Amira, works there, it takes everything in her not to turn right back around and walk out. But she needs the job. And she’ll do whatever it takes to get into her first choice college.
Did I know from the start that they would get together? Absolutely. Did I care that that was predictable? Not in the least. They were both perfect and meant to be. I shipped them hardcore from the moment I found out they were ex-best friends. So when it started heading towards a first date, I cheered internally.
I really enjoyed that there was a mystery involved that had nothing to do with the relationship. It was about the theater and keeping it open, but that wouldn’t have impacted the girls staying together. A lot of books have that main focus be directly tied to the MC’s and this was a nice change IMO.
I really loved this book. It took me 3 or 4 days to really get my thoughts down on what to write in this review, because I really want to express my overall joy at how great this was.
4.5⭐️
July 8, 2025
rochelle is beyond insufferable and EVERYONE deserved a better friend, daughter, girlfriend, NEIGHBOR- you name it- than her.
the mystery was ridiculous and so unnecessary, why couldn’t we have just focused on a summertime movie theater romance?? loved the diversity but that’s about it 😭
the mystery was ridiculous and so unnecessary, why couldn’t we have just focused on a summertime movie theater romance?? loved the diversity but that’s about it 😭
March 26, 2025
Literally one of the cutest YA romcoms I've read.
December 14, 2024
BRB gonna go tell the daughter of my mother’s best friend that being friends with her would not be conducive to reaching my academic goals so she interprets this as us being mortal enemies, but what it really meant was that I am so deeply infatuated with her that I can’t even think straight when she’s near let alone do school work.
This book was so adorable and sweet. We follow Rochelle who is frantically searching for a summer job that will beef up her college application. When given the opportunity to work for the beloved black-owned movie theater Horizon Cinemas, she immediately accepts. However, it’s only after arriving for training that she learns her ultimate nemesis Amira will also be working there. And to make matters worse, as assistant manager Amira will be her boss all summer. When things start going wrong at the theater, and it seems like sabotage is afoot, Amira and Rochelle decide to put aside their differences to save Horizon. But the longer they work together, the more Rochelle begins to see Amira in a different light. And long dormant feelings begin to resurface.
I loved Rochelle as a character. She’s loyal, hyper-focused, and a bit judgmental. There are many instances where she makes harsh assumptions and is immediately humbled for it. Her flaws added a pleasant well-roundness to her character that made her relatable and also allowed for development. It was nice to see how despite being satisfied in her life and friendships, she was still able to make room for new connections. It’s nice to read about a character who feels very certain in who she is and what she wants out of life.
I really liked Amira as a love interest. I thought she pushed back against Rochelle in some really positive ways. She wasn’t afraid to call her out when she got too negative. She also challenged her perspectives and offered a more casual outlook. At times it did feel like she was a little less fleshed out than Rochelle. However, I think the conversation about her past struggles in school was a nice touch that added some roundness to her. I think Amira and Rochelle make a really great pair and are completely adorable together.
I loved the entire theater crew, as well as Taylor and Kerry. There were some very entertaining conversations that took place throughout the book that left me giggling. The entire sabotage plot was a little silly since Rochelle and you as the reader figure it out pretty quickly. But it wasn’t a main focus of the story anyways so it wasn’t that big of a deal. Glory was an interesting authority/adult figure and they also allowed Rochelle to expand her worldview in more ways.
Overall a very quick and cute romance that you will absolutely devour. Thank you for the NetGalley ARC!
This book was so adorable and sweet. We follow Rochelle who is frantically searching for a summer job that will beef up her college application. When given the opportunity to work for the beloved black-owned movie theater Horizon Cinemas, she immediately accepts. However, it’s only after arriving for training that she learns her ultimate nemesis Amira will also be working there. And to make matters worse, as assistant manager Amira will be her boss all summer. When things start going wrong at the theater, and it seems like sabotage is afoot, Amira and Rochelle decide to put aside their differences to save Horizon. But the longer they work together, the more Rochelle begins to see Amira in a different light. And long dormant feelings begin to resurface.
I loved Rochelle as a character. She’s loyal, hyper-focused, and a bit judgmental. There are many instances where she makes harsh assumptions and is immediately humbled for it. Her flaws added a pleasant well-roundness to her character that made her relatable and also allowed for development. It was nice to see how despite being satisfied in her life and friendships, she was still able to make room for new connections. It’s nice to read about a character who feels very certain in who she is and what she wants out of life.
I really liked Amira as a love interest. I thought she pushed back against Rochelle in some really positive ways. She wasn’t afraid to call her out when she got too negative. She also challenged her perspectives and offered a more casual outlook. At times it did feel like she was a little less fleshed out than Rochelle. However, I think the conversation about her past struggles in school was a nice touch that added some roundness to her. I think Amira and Rochelle make a really great pair and are completely adorable together.
I loved the entire theater crew, as well as Taylor and Kerry. There were some very entertaining conversations that took place throughout the book that left me giggling. The entire sabotage plot was a little silly since Rochelle and you as the reader figure it out pretty quickly. But it wasn’t a main focus of the story anyways so it wasn’t that big of a deal. Glory was an interesting authority/adult figure and they also allowed Rochelle to expand her worldview in more ways.
Overall a very quick and cute romance that you will absolutely devour. Thank you for the NetGalley ARC!
May 9, 2025
⭑ ⭑ ⭒ ⭒ ⭒
2.5 stars
♰ Oh, oh my god. This book made me so fucking frustrated.
₰ The main character really, really, REALLY annoyed me. She’s so self-absorbed, so full of herself, like she needed to be put DOWN so bad. The love interest? Deserved better. Like… WAY better. I hated the main character. I hated how she constantly victimized herself and acted like she was better than everyone else. She really pissed me off.
₰ I don’t even want to go deep into this review because just thinking about it is making me mad again.
₰ And the mystery? Please. That was supposed to be the thread tying this whole thing together, and when the “reveal” finally came? It was literally what the book had been hinting at since the start. Like… y’all just repeated it louder and called it a twist? Be serious. That’s not mystery, that’s just lazy.
₰ Honestly, everything about this pissed me off. The MC. The reveal. The wasted potential. Bye.
2.5 stars
♰ Oh, oh my god. This book made me so fucking frustrated.
₰ The main character really, really, REALLY annoyed me. She’s so self-absorbed, so full of herself, like she needed to be put DOWN so bad. The love interest? Deserved better. Like… WAY better. I hated the main character. I hated how she constantly victimized herself and acted like she was better than everyone else. She really pissed me off.
₰ I don’t even want to go deep into this review because just thinking about it is making me mad again.
₰ And the mystery? Please. That was supposed to be the thread tying this whole thing together, and when the “reveal” finally came? It was literally what the book had been hinting at since the start. Like… y’all just repeated it louder and called it a twist? Be serious. That’s not mystery, that’s just lazy.
₰ Honestly, everything about this pissed me off. The MC. The reveal. The wasted potential. Bye.
May 29, 2025
July 23/24: I just saw the cover on IG and omg I need front row seats to this book ( and it releases in my birth month so excited.)
May 24/25: love to see young queer black/afro-latina girls in love, gave extra star cause we need more Black sapphic books. Can I just say Rochelle and Amira really thought, well I should say Rochelle thought she was being slick when during the sleepover hahaha.
Representation
Queer FMCS
Ace, Gay & NB SC
Black MC
Afro-latina MC
Korean SC
May 24/25: love to see young queer black/afro-latina girls in love, gave extra star cause we need more Black sapphic books. Can I just say Rochelle and Amira really thought, well I should say Rochelle thought she was being slick when during the sleepover hahaha.
Representation
Queer FMCS
Ace, Gay & NB SC
Black MC
Afro-latina MC
Korean SC
April 14, 2025
My friend wrote a book!!! Zakiya if you’re reading this STOP READING YOUR GOODREADS REVIEWS 😊
June 14, 2025
This was such a fun YA sapphic romance! I loved the setting of the movie theater and how they’re working to save the business and honor the history of Black filmmakers. There’s a very entertaining group of side characters, plenty of character development, making up for past wrongs, and of course plenty of adorable moments between Rochelle and Amira. Definitely check this one out if you’re in the market for a sweet queer romance.
October 18, 2025
!! Steven Universe and Among Us mention !!
September 15, 2024
If We Were a Movie is a super cute sapphic rom-com with my all time favorite tropes, enemies to lovers and found family. All of the characters were so beautifully written and had their own distinct personalities. I especially loved how Rochelle actually felt like a real teenager who is ambitious and determined to get into her dream college, yet wonderfully imperfect. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a cozy YA romance with amazing representation.
Thank you so much NetGalley and HarperCollins for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much NetGalley and HarperCollins for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Read
December 23, 2025pre-read:
IT'S BEEN ON MY TBR FOR SO LONG AND MY FRIEND IS LETTING ME BORROW IT
HUZAHH!!
review:
dnf at 30ish% it was kinda cringey and wasn't really interesting to me.
IT'S BEEN ON MY TBR FOR SO LONG AND MY FRIEND IS LETTING ME BORROW IT
HUZAHH!!
review:
dnf at 30ish% it was kinda cringey and wasn't really interesting to me.
October 31, 2024
4.5⭐️
This book was such a blast! I adored every character; they were all so charming and fun. Rochelle’s determination really stood out. The relationship between the main characters was absolutely adorable. Jennie might be my favorite—she was hilarious!
The friendships in this book were truly something special.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
This book was such a blast! I adored every character; they were all so charming and fun. Rochelle’s determination really stood out. The relationship between the main characters was absolutely adorable. Jennie might be my favorite—she was hilarious!
The friendships in this book were truly something special.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
April 15, 2025
Thank you to @epicreads for an advance copy to review!
An enemies-to-lovers queer romance, set against the backdrop of a historic Black-owned movie theater, the quirky employees who work there, and the suburbs of Long Island.
^from the publisher!
This was a cute and fun debut YA sapphic romance. I found myself really enjoying the storyline. As someone who also sought a lot of perfection and top grades in school, I could definitely relate to Rochelle! I thought her conflict with Amira was interesting and there was a bit to unpack there. I also really enjoyed the development of her relationship with her mom. As a girl who lost her dad young, some of those story beats hit hard!
But honestly - the real enjoyment in this story comes from the fun group of teens working at the theater. I fell in love with all of them, and how they called out Amira and Rochelle (IYKYK). I loved how Rochelle brought together her friend groups to save the theater. Can I just say how much I loved the golden retriever Shawn??? He’s too much in the best way.
Amira and Rochelle’s romance was very sweet and tender. I very much enjoyed those butterfly descriptions and longing looks. Very adorable! Their first kiss was cute! I also liked how they figured out how to be friends first.
Out 4/22!! Check it out :)
An enemies-to-lovers queer romance, set against the backdrop of a historic Black-owned movie theater, the quirky employees who work there, and the suburbs of Long Island.
^from the publisher!
This was a cute and fun debut YA sapphic romance. I found myself really enjoying the storyline. As someone who also sought a lot of perfection and top grades in school, I could definitely relate to Rochelle! I thought her conflict with Amira was interesting and there was a bit to unpack there. I also really enjoyed the development of her relationship with her mom. As a girl who lost her dad young, some of those story beats hit hard!
But honestly - the real enjoyment in this story comes from the fun group of teens working at the theater. I fell in love with all of them, and how they called out Amira and Rochelle (IYKYK). I loved how Rochelle brought together her friend groups to save the theater. Can I just say how much I loved the golden retriever Shawn??? He’s too much in the best way.
Amira and Rochelle’s romance was very sweet and tender. I very much enjoyed those butterfly descriptions and longing looks. Very adorable! Their first kiss was cute! I also liked how they figured out how to be friends first.
Out 4/22!! Check it out :)
Want to read
September 29, 2023From the rights report: "With the backdrop of the history of Black cinema, the book follows overachiever Rochelle as she is forced to work with her rival, the easygoing Amira, to determine who is trying to sabotage the historic Black movie theater they both work at—and try not to fall for her in the process."
March 29, 2025
4.5 stars!
Books like these are why I love YA!
I started this book not sure what to expect and found a book that was hard to put down and something I looked forward to reading every free chance I got. Rochelle, our MC, is determined to go to Wharton and will do whatever she has to do to make that goal a reality. She's stubborn, a bit close-minded and prefers to stick to herself and her small group of friends and isn't one to take chances in life. She desperately needs a job for the summer--to have something on her college application, of course--and a job at a local movie theater quite literally falls into her lap. She takes it, expecting it to be a simple job that won't change much in her life...and ends up getting so much more than she bargained for.
First off, I have to say that I loved that the story took place in New York, and Hempstead at that! I feel like I haven't read a book in a very long time that took place in New York and it wasn't Manhattan. I also really liked that the author took the time to describe the neighborhood and I found myself smiling at the little quirks the author would point out about the area. I also really liked the movie theater and I found myself googling to see if it was a real place to visit.
I really enjoyed Rochelle, her friends (both her best friends and the friends she makes at her job) and especially Amira, the love interest. I enjoyed how they all had distinct personalities and I could always imagine them in my mind. Rochelle had little moments that annoyed me a little, mostly how judgmental she could be, but I also can't fault her for it because it was a part of her growth and it's something she is aware of and calls herself out on. I also really loved the romance and thought it was so cute!
Overall, I really had a great time reading this book and I can't wait to read what's next from this author.
Books like these are why I love YA!
I started this book not sure what to expect and found a book that was hard to put down and something I looked forward to reading every free chance I got. Rochelle, our MC, is determined to go to Wharton and will do whatever she has to do to make that goal a reality. She's stubborn, a bit close-minded and prefers to stick to herself and her small group of friends and isn't one to take chances in life. She desperately needs a job for the summer--to have something on her college application, of course--and a job at a local movie theater quite literally falls into her lap. She takes it, expecting it to be a simple job that won't change much in her life...and ends up getting so much more than she bargained for.
First off, I have to say that I loved that the story took place in New York, and Hempstead at that! I feel like I haven't read a book in a very long time that took place in New York and it wasn't Manhattan. I also really liked that the author took the time to describe the neighborhood and I found myself smiling at the little quirks the author would point out about the area. I also really liked the movie theater and I found myself googling to see if it was a real place to visit.
I really enjoyed Rochelle, her friends (both her best friends and the friends she makes at her job) and especially Amira, the love interest. I enjoyed how they all had distinct personalities and I could always imagine them in my mind. Rochelle had little moments that annoyed me a little, mostly how judgmental she could be, but I also can't fault her for it because it was a part of her growth and it's something she is aware of and calls herself out on. I also really loved the romance and thought it was so cute!
Overall, I really had a great time reading this book and I can't wait to read what's next from this author.
April 22, 2025
It was the title and book cover that drew me in, but the story was good, as well! It felt nostalgic thinking about those summer days when school let out. Days were spent were twiddling around trying to figure out how the next school year will turn, worrying about college and making sure your application stands out - it was all the feels. Rochelle had a few goals that she was trying to reach, including finding a summer job and after countless rejections, an opportunity at the local movie theater, Horizon Cinemas, literally lands in front of her. However, accepting the role, meant Rochelle would have to work in close proximity to her enemy, Amira. The two had history - they were in constant battle with each other, as well. But frankly it seemed their issues stemmed from a longstanding crush and denial about feelings for each other. It was funny because everyone at the cinema could see the tension and admiration Rochelle and Amira had for each other- but them. The story was easy to read, not too heavy, and had its moments of humor. Together they worked to shine the spotlight on the history of Horizons Theater and reach a HEA. Great debut from this author.
**Arc Review
**Arc Review
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