What do you think?
Rate this book
In Case You Read This
From acclaimed author Edward Underhill comes a trans rom-com about serendipity, chance encounter, and the ultimate missed connection. This joyful celebration of queer love and found family is perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli, Emery Lee, and Julian Winters.
Arden isn’t excited about moving. Los Angeles was an easy place to fit in and find a supportive queer community. But Winifred, Michigan? That sounds like a much more difficult place to exist.
Pasadena, California, is the perfect city for Gabe’s reinvention. Everyone knew everything about him in small-town Shelby, Illinois. Gabe, who wants to be out and proud, can’t wait to relocate.
When Arden and Gabe randomly meet in the lobby of a motel in Nebraska, it feels like fate. Both are trans, but more importantly, both are huge fans of the band Damaged Pixie Dream Boi. Clearly, the universe is trying to tell them something. Right?
But after an incredible evening of hanging out, the pair part ways only knowing the other’s first name. And as both boys struggle to adjust to their new homes, their thoughts keep being drawn back to their time together. Is one perfect night enough to bring Arden and Gabe back to each other, or will the boys need some help to find each other again?
Arden isn’t excited about moving. Los Angeles was an easy place to fit in and find a supportive queer community. But Winifred, Michigan? That sounds like a much more difficult place to exist.
Pasadena, California, is the perfect city for Gabe’s reinvention. Everyone knew everything about him in small-town Shelby, Illinois. Gabe, who wants to be out and proud, can’t wait to relocate.
When Arden and Gabe randomly meet in the lobby of a motel in Nebraska, it feels like fate. Both are trans, but more importantly, both are huge fans of the band Damaged Pixie Dream Boi. Clearly, the universe is trying to tell them something. Right?
But after an incredible evening of hanging out, the pair part ways only knowing the other’s first name. And as both boys struggle to adjust to their new homes, their thoughts keep being drawn back to their time together. Is one perfect night enough to bring Arden and Gabe back to each other, or will the boys need some help to find each other again?
368 pages, Hardcover
First published May 20, 2025
About the author
Edward Underhill
5 books487 followersEdward Underhill grew up in the suburbs of Wisconsin, where he could not walk to anything, so he had to make up his own adventures. He studied music in college, spent several years living in very small apartments in New York, and currently resides in California with his partner and a talkative black cat. He is the author of two books for adults, The In-Between Bookstore and the forthcoming The House of Now and Then, as well the YA novels Always the Almost, This Day Changes Everything, and In Case You Read This. His books have earned starred reviews, been named Indie Next selections and LibraryReads Top 10 picks, and been included on numerous “best of the year” lists, including from YALSA, School Library Journal, and Booklist.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
May 13, 2025
This was a very quick read, and I enjoyed it for the most part. I always love to see more lighthearted queer, and especially trans, YA books, and this definitely delivers. It was lovely to follow two trans teens, who both have their lives disrupted by a big move, but both in a very different way. I loved the nuanced approach of what it's like being trans in a small town or a big city. I also loved the focus on friendship, and especially making new friends. I just didn't feel as convinced by the romance - I didn't really feel the romantic chemistry. I also felt like this book was too short to properly flesh out two main storylines, which left everything kind of surface-level. Overall, I enjoyed this, but I thought this lacked the charm of This Day Changes Everything.
January 27, 2025
It always makes me sad to be the first person to write a negative review for a book. It's especially sad if said book is queer, because we need these stories. Even though I didn't really like "In Case You Read This", I won't deny that the world needs more books with trans representation like this!
I'm not gonna drag this out, but my main issue was the characters. I couldn't form a connection to any of them. Gabe and Arden had no chemistry whatsoever, they were super awkward when they first met and I couldn't feel the "spark" that was mentioned throughout.
The majority of the book follows both protagonists as they try to find each other again, which is cute in theory, but not executed very well.
The other thing that irritated me were the amount of side characters. Both main characters are moving to a new place, so we get introduced to already existing friend groups as well as new ones ... they were all so same-y and indistinguishable.
It was all a lot showing and not telling, i.e. Gabe is writing a song throughout the book, but we don't see the process AT ALL. It's all just mentioned and suddenly the song ist done? Idk.
I didn't enjoy it very much and was mostly bored, but I'm sure a lot of people will appreciate this story!
Thanks Edelweiss and Harper Collins for providing me with an early review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I'm not gonna drag this out, but my main issue was the characters. I couldn't form a connection to any of them. Gabe and Arden had no chemistry whatsoever, they were super awkward when they first met and I couldn't feel the "spark" that was mentioned throughout.
The majority of the book follows both protagonists as they try to find each other again, which is cute in theory, but not executed very well.
The other thing that irritated me were the amount of side characters. Both main characters are moving to a new place, so we get introduced to already existing friend groups as well as new ones ... they were all so same-y and indistinguishable.
It was all a lot showing and not telling, i.e. Gabe is writing a song throughout the book, but we don't see the process AT ALL. It's all just mentioned and suddenly the song ist done? Idk.
I didn't enjoy it very much and was mostly bored, but I'm sure a lot of people will appreciate this story!
Thanks Edelweiss and Harper Collins for providing me with an early review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
May 1, 2025
skimmed most of it, loved the premise and the author is one I usually enjoy but this just felt so convoluted? why were there so many side characters that didn't matter? and the two MCs felt basically indistinguishable to the point where I regularly forgot whose POV it was 🤔
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2025
4/5 stars
In Case You Read This is a lighthearted novel full of queer and trans joy. I read this in two days when I haven’t read something that quick in weeks! This follows Arden and Gabe as they meet for one night in a motel in Nebraska. They bond through their love of a small indie band, something i can very much relate to, (i loved all the silly indie band names throughout). They end up not getting each others numbers and spend a majority of the rest of the book trying to find each other again.
I would say this is more of a coming of age novel rather than a romance. There definitely was a romance between Arden and Gabe but honestly i didn’t feel much of the supposed chemistry. I really enjoyed following each of the characters journey with their new moves and their interactions with the rest of the side characters. I think there was also just a bit too much going on at times with the two different characters going through moves and meeting all these people at one time, that definitely had me confused at first. Despite that, it was a very fun book that deals casually with the complexities of being queer in different types of cities as well as complicated family dynamics.
In Case You Read This is a lighthearted novel full of queer and trans joy. I read this in two days when I haven’t read something that quick in weeks! This follows Arden and Gabe as they meet for one night in a motel in Nebraska. They bond through their love of a small indie band, something i can very much relate to, (i loved all the silly indie band names throughout). They end up not getting each others numbers and spend a majority of the rest of the book trying to find each other again.
I would say this is more of a coming of age novel rather than a romance. There definitely was a romance between Arden and Gabe but honestly i didn’t feel much of the supposed chemistry. I really enjoyed following each of the characters journey with their new moves and their interactions with the rest of the side characters. I think there was also just a bit too much going on at times with the two different characters going through moves and meeting all these people at one time, that definitely had me confused at first. Despite that, it was a very fun book that deals casually with the complexities of being queer in different types of cities as well as complicated family dynamics.
May 5, 2026
“what happens tomorrow?”
“I think we just keep going.”
as a lesbian, I have always been a firm believer that stories and representation matters so much- and this book helps prove that. there has been so much hatred and harm directed at trans people in recent years that only seems to be getting worse- but stories like this provide spaces for trans people to exist in safe ways. we follow two young trans men as they have a meet-cute only to lose one another. this allows us to experience both of their lives as they try to reconnect. we get to see their struggles with meeting new friends, their anxiety around using the bathroom, how schools can impact a students anxiety and confidence depending on how they treat them and how important it is to have other queer friends who understand you and can make you feel less alone.
It’s getting three stars because I think it felt a little flat at times, with some areas being dragged out and their first meeting feeling weird and out of character- but im still giving it three for the representation and discussions it gave us
“I think we just keep going.”
as a lesbian, I have always been a firm believer that stories and representation matters so much- and this book helps prove that. there has been so much hatred and harm directed at trans people in recent years that only seems to be getting worse- but stories like this provide spaces for trans people to exist in safe ways. we follow two young trans men as they have a meet-cute only to lose one another. this allows us to experience both of their lives as they try to reconnect. we get to see their struggles with meeting new friends, their anxiety around using the bathroom, how schools can impact a students anxiety and confidence depending on how they treat them and how important it is to have other queer friends who understand you and can make you feel less alone.
It’s getting three stars because I think it felt a little flat at times, with some areas being dragged out and their first meeting feeling weird and out of character- but im still giving it three for the representation and discussions it gave us
July 18, 2025
My heart! This book was so precious!
April 4, 2025
4.75 stars
I loved this so much. This really encapsulates how different many trans experiences can be. Both Gabe and Arden are trans teens moving to the West Coast and the Midwest, but they meet in the middle by chance on their journey. The romance was a focus, but more secondary to me than the friendships that were made and experiences had. That said, the romance was super sweet, and I really enjoyed reading it all play out. The teenage experience felt really raw and real. It's something super relatable for many reasons. What being a teen feels like, what it's like being queer, what it's like being trans, and the emotions that go along with making a big move alongside everything else. All in all, I really enjoyed this, and Edward Underhill is very quickly becoming a must-read author for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I loved this so much. This really encapsulates how different many trans experiences can be. Both Gabe and Arden are trans teens moving to the West Coast and the Midwest, but they meet in the middle by chance on their journey. The romance was a focus, but more secondary to me than the friendships that were made and experiences had. That said, the romance was super sweet, and I really enjoyed reading it all play out. The teenage experience felt really raw and real. It's something super relatable for many reasons. What being a teen feels like, what it's like being queer, what it's like being trans, and the emotions that go along with making a big move alongside everything else. All in all, I really enjoyed this, and Edward Underhill is very quickly becoming a must-read author for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 1, 2025
A cute YA romcom featuring trans characters. I’d have liked the two main characters, Gabe and Arden, to have more strongly differentiated voices. But I enjoyed my time with the book nevertheless.
Thanks to HarperCollins for providing a copy of the book!
Thanks to HarperCollins for providing a copy of the book!
June 2, 2025
I have loved all Edward Underhill books and this one is no exception. The entire premise had me hooked from the start, and I loved the dual POV as we got to really experience each of the boys' lives as they were living in drastically different places. It also heavily dives into the queer experience of loving an indie artist that has queer members, and bonding with people over the music you love. Truly transported me back to my teenage years and finding connections through music, that have lasted for years, and meeting other queer people in somewhat unexpected places. Especially in online forums, where you're able to connect with people across the country (and the world!) with a similar interest.
Both teens are moving, Arden from CA to MI, Gabe from IL to CA. Arden has to grieve the life he is losing in Los Angeles, where his transness wasn't front and center, where he wasn't the only queer or trans person he knew, to move somewhere that he doesn't know how accepting they'll be, if at all. Gabe is the opposite, he's excited to move out to Pasadena after living in a small town where he knew no other queer people.
They meet in a motel in Nebraska, spending just a few hours together before separating, without trading numbers. So while they're acclimating to the changing family dynamics, new houses, new friends, new schools, they're also trying to find each other.
The found family is strong in this one! There are so many side characters and they brighten up the story. They are a part of their lives and they should be mentioned and celebrated. To see these communities that they are a part of sparks some queer joy and connection. Their groups are largely queer, and fully accept them for who they are.
The romance did take a bit of a background here, as a large part of the story is about this acclimation to their new locations and also trying to find each other. I love the characters and the bits of beginning chemistry we see them experience. I would love to see more of them and how their relationship progresses, but I'm glad they met each other, and found each other again.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC.
Both teens are moving, Arden from CA to MI, Gabe from IL to CA. Arden has to grieve the life he is losing in Los Angeles, where his transness wasn't front and center, where he wasn't the only queer or trans person he knew, to move somewhere that he doesn't know how accepting they'll be, if at all. Gabe is the opposite, he's excited to move out to Pasadena after living in a small town where he knew no other queer people.
They meet in a motel in Nebraska, spending just a few hours together before separating, without trading numbers. So while they're acclimating to the changing family dynamics, new houses, new friends, new schools, they're also trying to find each other.
The found family is strong in this one! There are so many side characters and they brighten up the story. They are a part of their lives and they should be mentioned and celebrated. To see these communities that they are a part of sparks some queer joy and connection. Their groups are largely queer, and fully accept them for who they are.
The romance did take a bit of a background here, as a large part of the story is about this acclimation to their new locations and also trying to find each other. I love the characters and the bits of beginning chemistry we see them experience. I would love to see more of them and how their relationship progresses, but I'm glad they met each other, and found each other again.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC.
June 14, 2025
3.5 - Mini Audiobook Review: I am on a quest to complete all of Edward's books and after this one I will have one more to complete (granted he only has 4 books). I thought this was okay! Not my favorite compared to the other two but still enjoyable. I love that we are seeing more and more books that star trans teens and in this one we get two! I thought it was cool how the two teens connected while they were traveling to their new states and had to figure out a way to connect again. Though I will say I don't know if my parents would allow me to travel a far distance to meet a person I just met. I always love when any kind of (music) band are involved in books. I did this one via audiobook and this was narrated by two narrators that I have listened in the past and enjoyed - Shaan Dasani & Logan Rozos. I was able to distinguish the two characters apart because of their different tones.
June 4, 2025
This was a fun, lighthearted queer YA story that sees two trans boys meeting by chance in a roadside motel while their families are each crossing the country in opposite directions. While the two boys share one life-changing night, they lose track of one another the next day, only to manage to get connected again over a shared love of a pop band. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Tobly McSmith. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 14, 2025
4 stars
Edward Underhill has produced another charming YA romance with solid representation and intriguing development. This newest effort will please incoming fans and those looking to keep connecting with characters who are very much like and unlike them (windows and mirrors, of course).
Arden and Gabe are both on literal journeys toward big life changes. They meet (cute!) during that journey and have an interaction that is memorable, smile inducing, and almost supernatural in its seeming perfection. To hang on to this feeling, they make a choice that requires readers to set aside any awareness they have of young people in 2025 and leave each other without sharing contact info. I get why this is necessary for the novel, which goes on to focus on missed connections, but the whole time I was reading, I struggled to think of actual folks at this time and of this age would would not have exchanged some kind of info early on in this meeting. It's a clever twist, but some suspension of disbelief is necessary in my opinion.
The good news is that once the two meet, a heartwarming attempt to reconnect evolves. It's impossible not to root for both characters and to want to see them be successful not only in their obvious quests but also in their familial struggles, personal identity explorations, and new lives in new locations.
I've enjoyed books by this author previously, and I'll be adding this one to the list of recommendations for students.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Edward Underhill has produced another charming YA romance with solid representation and intriguing development. This newest effort will please incoming fans and those looking to keep connecting with characters who are very much like and unlike them (windows and mirrors, of course).
Arden and Gabe are both on literal journeys toward big life changes. They meet (cute!) during that journey and have an interaction that is memorable, smile inducing, and almost supernatural in its seeming perfection. To hang on to this feeling, they make a choice that requires readers to set aside any awareness they have of young people in 2025 and leave each other without sharing contact info. I get why this is necessary for the novel, which goes on to focus on missed connections, but the whole time I was reading, I struggled to think of actual folks at this time and of this age would would not have exchanged some kind of info early on in this meeting. It's a clever twist, but some suspension of disbelief is necessary in my opinion.
The good news is that once the two meet, a heartwarming attempt to reconnect evolves. It's impossible not to root for both characters and to want to see them be successful not only in their obvious quests but also in their familial struggles, personal identity explorations, and new lives in new locations.
I've enjoyed books by this author previously, and I'll be adding this one to the list of recommendations for students.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Read
May 22, 2025I was very intrigued by the missed connection premise in this story and I loved its execution! I really liked both our main characters and the queer friend groups on both sides.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for a copy of this eARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for a copy of this eARC.
July 22, 2025
Klassische queere YA in der man sich eine Weile verlieren kann. Mir hat tatsächlich gefallen, dass ich eine Hauptperson sogar unsympathisch fand, das hat die Geschichte noch lebendiger gemacht.
Want to Read
July 6, 2024I am reading everything this wonderful author will write. His first two books were, damn I only have the French words for this but… coup de coeur ❤️ Instant favourites.
April 29, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
In Case You Read This is a sweet teen trans story of accepting yourself, finding new friend groups, and finding the boy you left after one night in Nebraska. It's dual POV and both boys are pre-T but are out to their friends and family who are accepting of them. They meet for one night in Nebraska for a few magical hours bonding over a shared identity and a shared favorite band. However, they don't exchange numbers and spend much of the book searching for each other on opposite social media platforms. Because of this, the pacing of the book is off. It takes place from March to July broken up with chapters consisting of texts and internet posts.
They live opposite lives as Gabe moves from a small town in Illinois to Pasadena while Arden moves from LA (Burbank) to a small town in Michigan. It explores the difference between starting a new school in a small town versus a large one. The book takes on a positive note as it shows the joy that comes with being trans as they both find queer friend groups. It also doesn't shy away from discussing dysphoria and hoping they look like a boy enough. There really isn't any transphobia which I loved since a lot of books focus on the struggles rather than the joy.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!
Notes
T4T
arden uses they/them pronouns for gabe until he gets the correct ones
have a magical night (couple hours) in a motel in nebraska but arden leaves without giving him his number. they both regret it and try to find each other. an interesting premise
both have supportive parents and friends but are moving to new schools
good discussion of trans issues, fear, and joy
differences between a small town in the midwest and LA
gabe uses instagram/reddit to try to find him and arden uses tumblr - both searching through the broken up indie band they have in common
arden’s unofficial queer club (PQC)/friends are fun. Brian and his bird obsession and banter off that is great
gabe starts work at a coffee shop owned by lesbian moms and makes friends with a NB employee and the moms’ straight son. also their other queer friends
says it’s been a month since gabe posted on the forums but the entire section is called april
both pre-T
gabe being kind of awful to his sister when they’ve always had the same friends before
luna (arden) connects with vee (gabe) on reddit finding out where he works after luna sees gabe’s forum post. luna emails tess (arden) asking her to find gabe and give him arden’s number. tess and miguel also saw gabe at an indie music fest in line for boba but didnt know him at the time. confusing but small world and the power of the internet
love brian and his obsession with birds
both road trip with their friends a damaged pixie dream boi reunion concert
arden’s mom/grandma argue in the car
awkward meeting each other in real life as they both are nervous they had the wrong idea/scared of real life not being perfect
songwriter and artist
ivys uncle married to a guy
accepts his voice even if it’s not where he wants it to be
In Case You Read This is a sweet teen trans story of accepting yourself, finding new friend groups, and finding the boy you left after one night in Nebraska. It's dual POV and both boys are pre-T but are out to their friends and family who are accepting of them. They meet for one night in Nebraska for a few magical hours bonding over a shared identity and a shared favorite band. However, they don't exchange numbers and spend much of the book searching for each other on opposite social media platforms. Because of this, the pacing of the book is off. It takes place from March to July broken up with chapters consisting of texts and internet posts.
They live opposite lives as Gabe moves from a small town in Illinois to Pasadena while Arden moves from LA (Burbank) to a small town in Michigan. It explores the difference between starting a new school in a small town versus a large one. The book takes on a positive note as it shows the joy that comes with being trans as they both find queer friend groups. It also doesn't shy away from discussing dysphoria and hoping they look like a boy enough. There really isn't any transphobia which I loved since a lot of books focus on the struggles rather than the joy.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!
Notes
T4T
arden uses they/them pronouns for gabe until he gets the correct ones
have a magical night (couple hours) in a motel in nebraska but arden leaves without giving him his number. they both regret it and try to find each other. an interesting premise
both have supportive parents and friends but are moving to new schools
good discussion of trans issues, fear, and joy
differences between a small town in the midwest and LA
gabe uses instagram/reddit to try to find him and arden uses tumblr - both searching through the broken up indie band they have in common
arden’s unofficial queer club (PQC)/friends are fun. Brian and his bird obsession and banter off that is great
gabe starts work at a coffee shop owned by lesbian moms and makes friends with a NB employee and the moms’ straight son. also their other queer friends
says it’s been a month since gabe posted on the forums but the entire section is called april
both pre-T
gabe being kind of awful to his sister when they’ve always had the same friends before
luna (arden) connects with vee (gabe) on reddit finding out where he works after luna sees gabe’s forum post. luna emails tess (arden) asking her to find gabe and give him arden’s number. tess and miguel also saw gabe at an indie music fest in line for boba but didnt know him at the time. confusing but small world and the power of the internet
love brian and his obsession with birds
both road trip with their friends a damaged pixie dream boi reunion concert
arden’s mom/grandma argue in the car
awkward meeting each other in real life as they both are nervous they had the wrong idea/scared of real life not being perfect
songwriter and artist
ivys uncle married to a guy
accepts his voice even if it’s not where he wants it to be
March 31, 2026
Edward Underhill - autoread for stories in general but especially for trans youth stories.
So much of this book was so realistic including bad decisions these kids made (and not like BAD bad but like oh honey... oh you sure are like A Teenager...) (mostly with regard to communication) and how it feels to move a long way and also, Be Queer and ALSO, feel like you have to PRESENT some kind of queer! Not every queer or trans person WANTS to be "out, loud, and proud," and there's nothing wrong with either wanting to be stealth or wanting to just.... be a person, who happens to also be queer, even if you are a teenager whose only gender affirming care so far is social transition (which is totally fine to have that be the only thing too!) but Gabe especially has a lot of inner turmoil about both the want for a new start in the blessed queer land of California and also just like... wanting to *be* and not feeling comfortable with like visible signifiers of 'yes I'm queer' besides, you know, his whole existence.
There were a lot of great side characters and good discussions about how friendships and relationships in general take work, nobody's an automatic bestie just because you share blood or a social minority signifier, and that that work is important.
The only thing that DIDN'T work for me was the romance aspect in the very end! This was such a great story of connection and finding yourself in a new place and I really wish that Arden and Gabe had just felt a really strong platonic connection to each other. Love a T4T romance but even long distance, even pining, it felt so friend-pining, a deep connection you make with someone.... that doesn't have to be romantic. Honestly I hope when they get older they realize they work better as friends and just be really important to each other through their own lives... as they get other partners.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books (Quill Tree Books) for the eARC for review!
So much of this book was so realistic including bad decisions these kids made (and not like BAD bad but like oh honey... oh you sure are like A Teenager...) (mostly with regard to communication) and how it feels to move a long way and also, Be Queer and ALSO, feel like you have to PRESENT some kind of queer! Not every queer or trans person WANTS to be "out, loud, and proud," and there's nothing wrong with either wanting to be stealth or wanting to just.... be a person, who happens to also be queer, even if you are a teenager whose only gender affirming care so far is social transition (which is totally fine to have that be the only thing too!) but Gabe especially has a lot of inner turmoil about both the want for a new start in the blessed queer land of California and also just like... wanting to *be* and not feeling comfortable with like visible signifiers of 'yes I'm queer' besides, you know, his whole existence.
There were a lot of great side characters and good discussions about how friendships and relationships in general take work, nobody's an automatic bestie just because you share blood or a social minority signifier, and that that work is important.
The only thing that DIDN'T work for me was the romance aspect in the very end! This was such a great story of connection and finding yourself in a new place and I really wish that Arden and Gabe had just felt a really strong platonic connection to each other. Love a T4T romance but even long distance, even pining, it felt so friend-pining, a deep connection you make with someone.... that doesn't have to be romantic. Honestly I hope when they get older they realize they work better as friends and just be really important to each other through their own lives... as they get other partners.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books (Quill Tree Books) for the eARC for review!
March 16, 2026
3.5 stars
I know as an adult I'm not the primary target audience here, but I would have adored this if I still were a teen. Very cute YA story with two trans protagonists which I loved.
The story was sweet, but I got a bit frustrated with the characters in part. But then again - teenagers.
Two issues I had were the amount of side characters in the friendship groups - you'd get names mixed up constantly without most of them contributing much to the story - and the constant naming of social media websites or apps. I get that that's what makes it a modern YA that's about fandom and queer spaces, but I guess it might just be a personal pet peeve of mine.
I know as an adult I'm not the primary target audience here, but I would have adored this if I still were a teen. Very cute YA story with two trans protagonists which I loved.
The story was sweet, but I got a bit frustrated with the characters in part. But then again - teenagers.
Two issues I had were the amount of side characters in the friendship groups - you'd get names mixed up constantly without most of them contributing much to the story - and the constant naming of social media websites or apps. I get that that's what makes it a modern YA that's about fandom and queer spaces, but I guess it might just be a personal pet peeve of mine.
March 13, 2025
As someone from the Nebraska Dimension (as in from the state of Nebraska), I absolutely love this story. Any book that mentions or takes place in Nebraska, sign me up, especially if it's about queer people in Nebraska.
Okay, enough about Nebraska. I don't read a lot of books with Second Chance Romance and Missed Connections tropes, but I can't pass up anything written by Edward Underhill. It wasn't a coincidence that Gabe and Arden crossed paths in Nebraska, love the same band (Damaged Pixie Dream Boi), and happen to be trans. Their connection couldn't have been more perfect.
If only they could find each other again.
This book came into my life at a perfect time. A time when I need to remind myself that everything happens for a reason and that connections are meant to be made. People will always come back to you if they are meant to be in it. Also, it's okay to not be perfect! Hard emphasis on not being perfect.
Thank you, HarperCollins, for giving me an ARC for In Case You Read This!
Okay, enough about Nebraska. I don't read a lot of books with Second Chance Romance and Missed Connections tropes, but I can't pass up anything written by Edward Underhill. It wasn't a coincidence that Gabe and Arden crossed paths in Nebraska, love the same band (Damaged Pixie Dream Boi), and happen to be trans. Their connection couldn't have been more perfect.
If only they could find each other again.
This book came into my life at a perfect time. A time when I need to remind myself that everything happens for a reason and that connections are meant to be made. People will always come back to you if they are meant to be in it. Also, it's okay to not be perfect! Hard emphasis on not being perfect.
Thank you, HarperCollins, for giving me an ARC for In Case You Read This!
July 23, 2025
While I LOVED this author's other books, I only liked this one. It was enjoyable and had elements I really liked, but I just didn't feel as invested in the characters. I would recommend this one for YA readers seeking a quick read with trans characters. If you enjoyed this one, definitely seek out the other books by this author, which I highly recommend!
ARC provided by NetGalley
ARC provided by NetGalley
June 9, 2025
Lighthearted and lightweight.
The premise held more promise than what's delivered and the stakes fail to develop, but if you're in the mood for minimal drama (and lots and lots of content about fake bands) it's a nice little story about making and keeping connections.
The premise held more promise than what's delivered and the stakes fail to develop, but if you're in the mood for minimal drama (and lots and lots of content about fake bands) it's a nice little story about making and keeping connections.
July 5, 2025
DNF-ing at 11% because it's just very clearly not the YA for me. The writing is perfectly fine to decent and the characters seem well-drawn enough or at least on their way to it, so it's for sure going to be the right book for a lot of people, I'm just not one of them.
June 9, 2025
A sweet book on friendship, moving, and trying to fit in.
June 25, 2025
3.5
This is my first time reading a book with a trans people, so it was very interesting. What to me is even more interesting, is how both protagonists are portrayed as normal teenagers who are going through changes, moving to another state, making new friends, difficult relationships with their families, and all that with the extra layer of them being trans. We get to understand the specific situation of a trans man and their identity when meeting new people. They go through their lives with the same insecurities as a teenager, but multiplied by 100% because of the vulnerability that trans people, and specially trans youth live.
I enjoyed the book a lot, it was very cute and very refreshing to read.
This is my first time reading a book with a trans people, so it was very interesting. What to me is even more interesting, is how both protagonists are portrayed as normal teenagers who are going through changes, moving to another state, making new friends, difficult relationships with their families, and all that with the extra layer of them being trans. We get to understand the specific situation of a trans man and their identity when meeting new people. They go through their lives with the same insecurities as a teenager, but multiplied by 100% because of the vulnerability that trans people, and specially trans youth live.
I enjoyed the book a lot, it was very cute and very refreshing to read.
June 21, 2025
Such a cute story about these two trans kids meeting and forming a friendship right away and then trying to find each other.
June 30, 2025
this was SUCH a cute story! i was very happy with how it ended and sigh. i want MORE OF THEM TOGETHER ❤️❤️
January 28, 2026
i don’t think this is the best written book but the representation of two trans teenagers and found family is so so important and it was a very cute ya book
March 19, 2026
(2,75 ⭐️) fun little read! i love me a story about a queer friendgroup and music. i was a little confused at times abt who lived where, but maybe that's just me and my horrible memory lol.
May 31, 2026
Nice read for inbetween. Really easy to read, no high stakes.
July 27, 2026
Music........... so important......
Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews