Float, Volume 1

Float #1

by Kate Marchant, C.J. Joaquin (Illustrator)

Dive into summer fun in this graphic novel romance from Webtoon. It's perfect for fans of True Beauty and Pumpkinheads!

Amidst the chaos of her parents’ bitter divorce, Alaskan teenager Waverly Lyons trades in her textbooks and parka for a summer of suntans and short-shorts with her aunt in Florida. A fish out of water even back in the snow, Waverly is determined to be everything she isn’t back home: cool, fun, dare she even say part of a group? There’s just one problem. She doesn’t know how to swim.

Enter Blake -- the super-tan, super-hot, super-arrogant boy next door who seems to hate her guts. When he discovers her secret, Waverly is positive that her perfect summer is perfectly over. But then Blake does the unthinkable. He offers to teach her.

This slice-of-life YA romance is illustrated in an anime-inspired style that readers will love. What are you waiting for? Dive in!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Romance, Young Adult, Comics, Teen, Summer, Friendship

224 pages, Hardcover

Published July 1, 2025

About the author

Kate Marchant is an author of Young Adult and New Adult contemporary fiction. She holds a bachelor's degree in creative writing from the University of Southern California and lives and writes in San Francisco. Her debut novel, FLOAT, is being turned into a feature film.

Reviews

[joni ౨ৎ (semi - ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

the fastest i ever read a book?!!! fun but a bit insta-lovely...

𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ౨ৎ
haven't read a graphic novel in ages 👀 throwback to middleschool when all i'd read are those LOL

anyway this sounds like the perfect summer vibes and the art is rlly pretty so im excited !!!

>> many many thanks to rajdeep @scholastic for the finished copy!!!

[Cassidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

lol did I just read a graphic novel episode of The O.C. but in Florida??? Will read volume 2 🤙🏼

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 1 of a new slice of life YA graphic novel from @webtoonofficial published by @graphixbooks
🌊
Waverly is over her parents’ fighting so when she gets the chance to leave Alaska and head to Florida for the summer to stay with her aunt, she jumps at the opportunity. She also hopes to use this as an opportunity to stop being so shy and awkward. Too bad she ruins it right away by almost drowning. Where her aunt’s neighbor rescues her, they strike a deal that Blake will teach her how to swim. Unfortunately Waverly develops a huge crush on him, even though she suspects he’s not over his ex.
👙
I’m obsessed with this romance graphic novel! I loved Waverly’s character, the artwork and the budding relationship between the two main characters. I need more episodes/volumes immediately! @katethegiraffe @ceejurs

CW: physical assault, violence, emotional abuse, cheating, anxiety, alcohol

[Lilian♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the grafic novel to one of my favorite books of the year so far. It was decent but not as good as the original book!

[D.T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This feels like a Wattpad story adapted and lo and behold, the story came from Wattpad; this is not a put down. There’s just a type of flavoring those stories have where they focus more on the romance, brooding bad boys, and just form the plot circumstances around that.

The male character is just so terribly ANGRY for reasons, but in-universe “hot.” The female lead is plain and wants to fly under the radar, so you know what’s going to happen. I also hope there's more to Lena than just being the "support" friend.

For positives, I liked some of Waverly's narrative. She's an overthinker, and it's easy to see how she can work herself up. The artwork was cute. Blake’s little sister was adorable.

Listen, cliché can still be entertaining, so that's not the issue. There are a few trope diversions with Blake's step-mom not being entirely one-note. But overall, Float is not high on my list to continue reading.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: 3.75 stars

I saw a trailer of the movie this was based off before hearing about the book. It is always wonderful to see a graphic novel following in its stead.

While it isn’t usually the type of graphic novel I tend to read, I did enjoy it for a light summer read. Waverly is spending the summer with her aunt in Florida for the first time in years to get away from her parents. She will finally get to enjoy the summer weather, be a normal teen and make some actual friends. However, she has never known how to swim and almost drowned in the sea while retrieving the volleyball. Enter, her grumpy hot-looking next door neighbour, Blake who offers to teach her how to swim in exchange for her babysitting services for his baby sister.

I empathise with Waverly as she goes through her teenage anxiety and chooses to lie about her swimming ability in an effort to fit in and her struggles with social norms. The story also speaks to teen romance in the form of crushes, breakups and rebounds. It feels like everyone has a secret within a secret making it sometimes an interesting read.

The art is beautiful! Colorful, vibrant with a great display of emotions. The illustrations and the flow of it portrayed the characters’ feelings so well using their facial expressions and verbal body language. Waverly’s overimagination here is also fun to see and read. The aesthetics are on point for the art.

The only thing that lost me at times is the formatting of the panel layouts as it got somewhat confusing to which direction I should be reading top to bottom or left to right…it felt like the formatting didn’t quite hit right when transferred from webtoon to page format.

Thank you Scholastic Canada for the lovely finished copy! It was a great summer read!

[Bookish_Aly_Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a perfect quick summer read. I loved the art style and the flow of the story. It had a nice balance of serious moments and humor, especially when it came to Waverly’s inner thoughts.

The story is about Waverly who is visiting her aunt in Florida for the summer and she doesn’t know how to swim. She tries to keep this information from her new friend group as her grumpy neighbor teaches her how to swim without anyone knowing. She then develops a crush on said neighbor.

The only thing that bothered me a bit was the miscommunication between the characters, but I think that often comes with being a teenager.

If you are looking for a cute summer graphic novel this is the one.

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of the book.

[Keri · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters felt two dimensional to me and I felt like emotions or actions changed suddenly in the middle of the scene. The MMC didn’t seem very redeemable yet. I had no idea this was a novel first so maybe things are fleshed out better there.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute. But I hate the ending. We don't learn anything. It's giving us a reason to pick up Volume 2, but like nothing felt resolved or fixed. Real review to come to my blog.

[♡ Alisa Doe ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you cringe very badly, hate when characters are assuming instead of communicating, and dramatic love shapes this is not for you.

The main character is constantly finding ways to dig herself in even deeper embarrassing holes then she started out with.

Everyone likes someone, if they introduce any more crushes I wouldn't be able to keep track of them all.

But it's strangely addicting, they're all a complete mess and I'm still gonna be reading the next one to see if they can figure out how to communicate, pull themselves together, and form a health relationship.

[Kira Simion]

I won this in a giveaway from YABC thank you all (writer, publisher, distributor, designer, etc!) so much!! :D <3

[Shireen Hakim · Rating 4 out of 5]

FLOAT Manga is a cute, well-developed YA rom com based on a book and TV adaptation. My favorite character is the friendly, goofy aunt (since I am one). The main character is dorky and endearing, while her love interest still needs to grow on me. The character Lena needs to be drawn younger-looking, she currently looks 30 y.o.
I think the entire story could have been made into one book and there was no need to divide it up into different volumes, since I read the whole volume in 1 hour, and I think the targeted teen reader could finish it in 3.
Thank you Scholastic for the physical copy!

[Anna Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ his writing 'penis' on the Scrabble board.
If this is society? I'm glad my family eschews it.

This book is about deplorable people with absolutely no brains. They lie, cheat, steal the aunt's car, fight, back-stab, blackmail... WHY, again, are we reading about and glorifying these nasties? Really, I'd love to know. Because there's not a thing about them that speaks of good character and decency.

And NONE of it jives as a story, either. If she's a C+ student? She wouldn't be headed to a *BOOKSTORE* for a job, she'd be making sno-cones or selling Dippin' Dots, hello. And the two bimbo Florida girls wouldn't work in a *BOOKSTORE*, either.

More, if it's a summer job? They would be working evenings, NOT prime day jobs, hello. The owners want their nights with their families, so the extended (later) summer hours would go to kids, NOT the afternoon ones.

There's NO WAY the aunt wouldn't notice she doesn't have a cellphone, or rectify the problem. And there's NO WAY a girl whose parents are separated wouldn't be doting on her whenever it was their turn, to prove they were the better parent - she would *NOT* neglected, she'd be over-spoiled and arrogant. Psychology isn't the author's forte, apparently.

The whole effort is badly contrived, uninspiring, and craptastic, and I don't want my kids anywhere near it. THIS is why I read the books, first. Because this is garbage, and garbage in equals garbage out. We don't live like this. We live set-apart *FROM* this.

[Ashley Urquhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 - A fish out of water story done in a manga-ish style. I liked Waverly and the inner monologue that she sometimes has. I felt like the author and illustrator really took advantage of this format to enhance the overall story and communicate emotion and inner thoughts.

At the same time, the story felt a little too simple. We have this unknown conflict hanging over the whole story and not even part of a resolution. I know there’s another volume coming out, but since we got nothing in this volume, it’s hard to believe we’ll get a full resolution even in volume 2. Why did Waverly purposefully leave her phone in Alaska? Will we ever know? Why is she even visiting her aunt in the first place? In addition, her crush on Blake happens so fast when he’s kind of only been mean to her? So I’m not sure that’s a great message.

I also felt confused at times at the layout of panels. It wasn’t always clear to me which order I was supposed to be reading them in. I’m not reading graphic novels all of the time, so perhaps this is a “me” issue, but I feel like the flow between panels should be a little more natural.

Overall, I did like this book and would definitely read the second volume. The back says that it’s intended for ages 12 and up—I’m not sure I agree with that. It feels like the content is a bit more mature with teenage relationships and underage drinking. I would probably say 14-15 at a minimum.

Note: I received a finished copy from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read the original novel yet, but I liked the movie last year so I had decently high expectations for this graphic novel. While there are definitely differences such as the characters’ ages (adults in the movie, teens here), this was enjoyable, too.

Though the chemistry is there, Blake isn’t the easiest love interest, he’s surly towards Waverly from the moment they meet. I would have liked to get more into the why of Blake’s behavior, though this is only Volume One, so I imagine Volume Two will be more satisfying as far as exploring/explaining his relationship with his dad and stepmom.

I thought Waverly handled Blake’s moodiness well, with her crush on him this could have devolved into a doormat situation but she doesn’t let him get away with too much.

Waverly’s anxious moments and struggle with confidence were well conveyed. Part of her story involves embarrassment over not knowing how to swim, that won’t be every reader’s experience, but wanting to hide something about yourself that feels “abnormal” is a very relatable feeling.

As for secondary characters, while Waverly’s Aunt doesn’t play a huge part here, the bits where we see her suddenly plunged into a parental role were nicely done. I also loved Blake’s little sister, she added humor and is absolutely adorable.

If you enjoy summer romances and don’t mind a lack of closure (as mentioned this is Volume One), give this a try, the story’s engaging and the art is really effective at capturing the characters’ emotions.



I received this graphic novel through a giveaway.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Amidst the chaos of her parents’ bitter divorce, Alaskan teenager Waverly Lyons trades in her textbooks and parka for a summer of suntans and short-shorts with her aunt in Florida. A fish out of water even back in the snow, Waverly is determined to be everything she isn’t back home: cool, fun, dare she even say part of a group? There’s just one problem. She doesn’t know how to swim. Enter Blake—the super-tan, super-hot, super-arrogant boy next door who seems to hate her guts. When he discovers her secret, Waverly is positive that her perfect summer is perfectly over. But then Blake does the unthinkable. He offers to teach her." --Webtoons summary.

This was a pretty straightforward YA romance, with Waverly obviously being intended to get together with Blake, though it was a bit of a slow burn. It's been a while since I read it and I know I enjoyed it, but also remembered being a little bothered by the fanservice; would an insecure, never-had-a-boyfriend girl who has been living in Alaska and doesn't know how to swim really choose an itsy-bitsy bikini for her first swimsuit and swimming lesson? Didn't seem logical, especially as she had "great tracts of land" and I just couldn't put that together with insecurity and a few wisps of fabric. But, #I'mOld. There were some good backstories and interrelationships, which made it worth finishing. Not sure I ever was able to tell all the secondary characters apart, though.

[Rachel Feeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone teach these kids about communication, please. Fist fights are not the way!

This summer vacation is Waverly's chance to be a cool, normal girl - chill with her aunt, maybe get a job, make friends (okay, maybe not with the grumpy neighbor), not let anyone find out she can't swim, and think as little as possible about her parents' divorce. Her ensuing joys and mistakes candidly express fears and social anxieties that are modern and relatable, and leave you rooting for this girl far from home to find her confidence.

This first volume has two major sources of drama - Waverly's swimming ability (or, inability) and wanting to fit in, and the tangled relationships within her newfound friend group. Crushes, breakups, rebounds, you name it, someone's doing it. While it's not my favorite thing in a story (angst is stressful!), I appreciated the candid portrayal of how people can lash out when hurt, or make impulsive decisions driven by emotions that might blow up in order to cover an internal void or insecurity. Everyone in Waverly's circle has some secret to unpack in future volumes.

But there's also laughs. The depictions of Waverly's overimagination are cute and funny, and I particularly liked the baby-sitting experience (what happens when two impulsive teens watch an infant? chaos). I hope that future chapters continue to lean into this levity.

For some reason, I found the panel layouts a little confusing. Usually left-right, top-down, but somehow that didn't always work? The way this webtoon got transferred to page format just didn't click for me.

**Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to review with YA Books Central. See YABC for more reviews!**

[andie ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I luv a good romance & I loved Blake *twirls hair*. Though, Waverly irritated me at first because she’d let Blake get the best of her, and would blush over him even when he was a total butt. I’m not a fan of main characters who are so easily forgiving of the love interest’s actions. Like, if you want to write an enemies to lovers go for it!, but don’t make only one of them the enemy … (and yes! I know! Blake was a biatch, buuuut we all knew that his character was written with the intention of growing and opening up and becoming kind. #badguyapologist)

Oh, and I am soo not a fan of the miscommunication trope (._.) … Genuinely, this was another aspect that bothered me.

Notwithstanding, I really did enjoy the lovely bits and even the angst resolutions. Got me all giggly and emotional and stuff ♡💋

#WEBTOON

[mila_readss · Rating 5 out of 5]

˖°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹 𝟭 ˖°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: YA romance
𝗟𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵: 224 pages 
𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5 ⭐ 

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:

• Anime style
• YA romance 
• Forced proximity 
• Next door neighbour 
• Found family
• Graphic novel

𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴!

The ultimate beach read doesn't exist? Say less! 🏖️🌊

I totally loved this! The story was super fun and engaging, featuring a slow burn enemies to lovers trope, which is my all time favourite! There was plenty of tension, angst, tenderness, and those special moments that kept me glued to the pages.

It wrapped up in a way that made me crave more! I'm really hoping for a Volume 2 because the illustrations were beautifully done, and the quality is just amazing. I just NEED more of this vibrant world!

If you're searching for a quick, easy, summer-themed beach read, then look no further!

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Thank you to scholastic for sending me a copy of this graphic novel! My first ever physical arc and I was so so excited to receive this!

Float is the graphic novel version of the Kate Marchant book of the same name. Described as a slice of life summer romance I can confirm it certainly lives up to those vibes and is perfect for a summer beach read!

When Waverley moves from Alaska to Florida to stay with her aunt, she is immediately thrown into this new world of sun, beaches and stiflingly hot weather. She’s determined to be cool and fit in, but she doesn’t know how to swim. That’s where Blake, who lives next door, steps in after discovering her secret and offers to teach her.

It’s a really lovely ya romance with a cast of fun characters and I’m so ready for another volume to find out what happens next! I may be impatient though and read the novel… we’ll see!

[Fallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such an interesting start! The worldbuilding is unique and the art is gorgeous—so many panels I wanted to linger on. The story has a dreamy, surreal vibe that pulled me in right away, and the atmosphere alone makes me want to keep going with the series.

That said, the main character grated on me at times. Their choices felt frustrating, and some of their reactions made it harder to connect. But I also get the sense that’s intentional—their flaws are part of what the story is working through—so I’m curious to see how they grow in future volumes.

Overall, a strong beginning with style and mood that make it worth picking up, even if the protagonist isn’t always easy to love.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pacing seems off from beginning to end of the first volume of this webtoon turned graphic novel in which Waverly is visiting her aunt in sunny warm surfside from cold, dreary Alaska. From the get-go a grumpy hot-headed hot boy next door becomes the enemies-to-lovers story as she nearly drowns and he figures out that she can't even swim and offers to teach her.

It's filled with teen drama that she steps into right from the start with this friend group.

There are things to love-- the pops of color and art are vivid and fun, secondary characters like Waverly's aunt and the friends have more dimensions than the main characters seem to have, and the sunny atmospheric setting that makes you wish for summer.

It's just a little too dramatic for its own good.

[Gabriel]

Thank you so much to Scholastic for a finshed copy in exchange for an honest review! I had heard about Float (both the novel and the movie) here and there, but I had no idea that it was being adapted into a graphic novel, so that was a nice surprise! While this wasn't my typical type of graphic novel story I'd gravitate towards, it was a fun and enjoyable read with great summer vibes. The most stand-out element was CJ Joaquin's fabulous art! CJ's illustrations made this story come to life and they were so colorful, bright, and filled with the best summer vibes. This graphic novel is perfect for anyone wanting a short, slice of life, summer fun story!

[Anne-Elodie Nagau · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished the WEBTOON in 2024, 3 stars because it’s definitely not bad : didn’t read anything problematic, the plot is nice and makes sense, and there are good characters.
But if there’s something that I really don’t like is miscommunication, it can really spoil the entire thing for me, thankfully there’s like 50 episodes so it’s not something that was dragged for 2 years like some other series.
It had me giggling and I even cried when it finished, this story really embodies the fresh, dreamy summer where you make a brunch of new connections and felt like a splash.

[Monica Lourenco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It covers episodes 1 - 24 on Webtoon, and I will have to read the next 25 episodes on Webtoon. I love Waverly’s character and how the story line is developing. I can’t wait to see what will happen between she and Blake, and also to learn more about her past. I think my High School students will really enjoy this book!

[Abigayle Devendorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this one night. Very cute, awkward, adventurous, and a little steamy but the awkwardness gets in the way. High school summer love on full blast with a touch of being out of touch and some culture shock.

Rooting for the main character that she will get over her insecurities and go after what she wants.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute summer romance. I'm not sure I like how broody Blake is. Also did it bother anybody else that Blake's baby sister is so poorly drawn??

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect, cute summer teen romance read!

[JC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone returned this at the library and it peaked my interest. Cute graphic novel, loved the story and art. Can't wait for volume 2.

[norah melden (death by tbr) · Rating 1 out of 5]

lowk will be reading volume two out of SPITE 🤘