Right Where We Belong

by Farrah Penn

Past and present collide in this swoony romance when a girl searching for a sense of belonging may have found it in an unexpected—and undeniably charming—visitor from the nineteenth century.

Delaney Carmichael's final year of boarding school at Ivernia is not off to a great start. Losing her father has left her feeling completely unmoored—both emotionally and in terms of what she wants to do with her future. So when Delaney discovers that Ivernia—the one stable place in her life—is on the brink of shuttering its doors, it feels like the last straw. If life is measured in what she has to lose, then does anything matter?

Desperate for a solution, Delaney makes a wish—for a way to save Ivernia. The universe's response? Enter Lord William Cromwell of Dunbry, a tall, handsome, and woefully out-of-place-boy from nineteenth-century London. At first, Delaney thinks this charming English heartthrob might somehow be the answer to her problems, but when disastrous consequences begin to unfold at an alarming rate, she realizes that if she can't return William to where and when he belongs, the present could unravel completely. Much to Delaney's dismay, the only person capable of helping her is her brother's infuriating best friend, Sumner, a boy who seems dead-set on getting under her skin. With time quickly running out, can the two set things straight before the past begins messing with the present in irreversible ways?

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romantasy, Time Travel, Audiobook, Fiction

432 pages, Hardcover

Published October 28, 2025

About the author

Farrah Penn is an author and writer based in Los Angeles. Her published works include her debut, Twelve Steps to Normal, and Cancelled (March 2024). She graduated from the University of North Texas. You can find her on Instagram @FarrahPenn.

Reviews

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!*

3.75 stars.

I really loved this book! It’s such a heartfelt story about starting over, figuring out who you are, and finding your place after everything changes. The characters felt so real and easy to connect with — flawed but trying their best.

Farrah Penn’s writing is emotional in a quiet way, and some moments really hit deep. It’s one of those books that leaves you feeling hopeful and seen. Definitely a comforting, honest read about healing and finding where you truly belong.

[Anila · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had way too much going on. There were so many plot lines being introduced throughout the story, but the author didn’t go into much detail on them and so it all felt very surface level. It made the book lack substance and it couldn’t maintain my interest because of that. It was hard to understand the motivations and feelings of the characters as well. It felt very much like I’m being told things rather than shown them. The time travel aspect wasn’t as interesting and fun as I thought it would be too. The same goes for the boarding school setting. All in all, this turned out to be a disappointing read and if it wasn’t so short, I probably would have DNFed it.

[Dul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this one! The story was fun and easy to read. I loved the idea of a boarding school with time travel . it sounded so cool and different.

The best part was definitely the friendships. They felt real and sweet, and I enjoyed watching the characters support each other. The main character was easy to like, and her journey was nice to follow.

My only issue was that I wanted more from the time travel part. It could have been explored better, and some moments felt a bit rushed. I also wished we got to know the other characters more deeply.

But overall, this was a cute and cozy read! It’s perfect if you want something light and heartwarming about friendship and finding where you belong. I’d recommend it for a quick, feel-good read!

[jo ୨୧ · Rating 2 out of 5]

𐙚⋆°🦢.⋆ᥫ᭡ 2.75

first off, just know it pains me to give this my 2.75 rating, it really does because this book had so so much potential! it really did, but it fell flat for reasons unknown.

first off, i remember absolutely nothing about this book. even though the notes app in my phone has notes about it and the little 100% mark of me reading it shows i read it. i remember jack frickin squat. which is fine sometimes if the vibes hit, but the vibes didn't.

first off, the cover? i thought the romance innitatlly was going to be between our time traveling bestie boo, william and our mc delaney. of course it wasn't, it was between delaney + sumner (naur offense, i thought sumner was his last name. spoiler: its not).

also sumner really wasn't that annoying, the second he stepped on page i was like oh? him? he's just playing with delaney and hes probably in love with her

DING DING DING

guys call me a writer for the way i pegged this entire plot so badly that i could write the next chapter. i did love the friend group and all the different characters btw, thought that was fun. there's this trophy plotline as well which confused the crap out of me im ngl but that may be my problem.

𐙚⋆° 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𐙚⋆°


delaney

i wish i could say she had a personality but her main personality in the beginning was being annoying imo. she's okay, ive seen white bread with more gusto

sumner

brothers annoyingly hot messy best friend who somehow starts dressing + acting nicer + cleaning his room when delaney's interest shifts to william? wow

william

ah yes, the main glue of the plot. the showstopper, the je ne sais quoi might i even say. william is from the 19th century. aka, broski said why on earth is a lady wearing pants. and where is my butler? but pookie honestly was a sweetheart and kept me reading. william dunbry, i probably would have slapped some sense into you if you questioned my "trousers" but u slayed


𐙚⋆° 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𐙚⋆°

er, what romance? i mean this so nicely but the chemistry that sumner and delaney had wasnt even really there because she'd had a major crush on him and vice versa but she shoved it away and he did too (bro code) and then they had sex-- 💀

their romance was not swoon worthy

swoon worthy is me giggling at my phone at 2am not staring at the screen with the wendy williams "what was that??? gif in my head

𐙚⋆° 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𐙚⋆°

the plot was actually decent! we had the time traveling, the science, the friend group who really wanted in on the action, the tea, the gossip, the boarding school, it slayed! everything else didn't !!

all in all, an okay book, nothing special! i was going to add in a quotes section but i highlighed nothing saurr

────୨ৎ────────୨ৎ────────୨ৎ────────୨ৎ────────୨ৎ────────୨ৎ────────୨ৎ───────

so yes there are my very rambly reviews, if it makes no sense i'm blaming the energy drink i chugged and my extremely late night. i wish i could have liked this book but life is too short to like mediorcre books! hopefully someone else will !!

happy reading loves!
xx jo

i really wanted to like this, i really did.
frtc!

thank you to netgalley + the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute young adult story with academia vibes and time travel! 3.5 stars!

Delaney is a teen who has recently lost her father to cancer.
She attends the boarding school he used to work at, a place very special to her as it keeps her connected to him.
Everything is threatened when she overhears that the school may be getting shut down soon.
She wishes for the universe to give her what she needs to save the school, but she gets something very unexpected.

I really enjoyed most of this story.

I love the boarding school vibes, I love the magical time travel theme- it kind of felt nostalgic. Like watching an old Disney halloween move!
It kept me entertained throughout most of the story.

As for the characters- i liked them quite a bit.
I felt connected to Delaney, and I really liked William as well.
(The idea of teaching someone from the 1800s England how to operate in modern American society is so funny and so adorable to me). AH.
I wanted them together SO SO badly. I was praying for them to be endgame.

I didn’t care as much for Sumner, Delaney’s ex boyfriend and the other love interest of the story.
I really just did not feel any connection between the two of them, and he felt like a side character. Maybe thats just me though.

I will say this book is very long, and i felt like it started to drag a tiny but around the 70-80% mark.
I really did enjoy it! My attention was just started to falter. I was losing momentum.
It did pick up again nearing the end though. AND, the ending made me so emotional!
I don’t even know if I was happy or sad. Probably a bit of both.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and author Farrah Penn, for providing me with the eARC of “Right Where We Belong”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: October 28th, 2025

[Amee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My hopes for choosing the ARC for Right Where We Belong was for a quick, fun and lighthearted read to help offset some of the angst filled stories I typically choose. Though for the most part it did the trick, there are thoughts and feelings of grief throughout. Our narrator, Delaney is in her senior year of boarding school, attempting to grieve her father at the same time as pushing the boundaries of who she thought she was. When we first meet her she’s being caught red handed in the boy's dorm by her long time crush, Sumner, attempting to participate in the senior prank. Delaney was a good student and all around rule follower so everyone has a strong opinion, one way or another, on this change. Sumner is her crush and Lord William is our time traveler she needs help with. There is some real humorous dialogue especially when teaching William about his new present. Technology and other funny new differences he has to learn. There is a bit of a love triangle of sorts, but the plot leads you to a certain ending needed for the sake of the time space continuum. I don’t try to make sense of time travel, I just go with it and suspend reality Back to the Future style.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC, these opinions are my own.

[Anna (annasbookstacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED this!! Time travel, academic rivals to lovers, boarding school setting, found family. had me hooked from beginning to end!!

[Arisha (Free Palestine 🇵🇸) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review

In the author’s note of this book, Farrah Penn says that she was drawn to “stories that left the reader transformed and hopeful”. I want to congratulate her for managing to write exactly that. This is one of my new favorite books. It tackled grief, friendship, relationships, pressure, and so many other issues and it does it would much grace. I found myself tearing up at so many different parts and smiling at my kindle at others. I reevaluate my decisions and relationships because of this book. I don’t even want to talk about the romance that’s in this book because as adorable and perfect as it was, this book is so much more than a romance. This is a book about love, but more than just romantic love. It’s about love for life, for your family, and for knowledge. I don’t even like physics and I loved seeing the way the characters talked about it in this book. I’m adding this to the list of books I want my future kids to read because how am I supposed to read another book after this.

I want to add something to this review after reading the others (I’ve only been reading them for like 2 mins but hear me out). I don’t know how this book has been marketed, but it is not a romance book. It’s a book with a heavy romance subplot. That’s a very important distinction. Romance plays a big role, but it is not the main focus. And it’s also not very tropey either (imo). Like technically it’s rivals to lovers and brothers best friends but it’s not really that serious? Like idk, the tropes don’t feel very present, like this didn’t feel like brothers best friends book or a rivals to lovers book, it’s just felt like a book. And if we’re going to talk about the tropes in the book I don’t think enough people are acknowledging how well the author managed to do the love triangle. Like I’m usually a love triangle hater. But this didn’t feel like a typical love triangle so 0% of this felt irritating to me. And it didn’t have most of the issues a typical love triangle had ya know. Yall don’t understand this book like I do.

Sorry if this review doesn’t make sense I had a really bad wave of insomnia and chose to read until I could fall asleep and ended up finishing the book because my brain hates me so im not in the right state of mind ya know I’ve had a pounding headache for hours because I was sleepy and i still couldn’t sleep it’s literally 6 am I went to bed 4 hours ago I’m literally not a person right now

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh, this book unexpectedly killed me. For as much as it’s a YA time-travel romance, it’s as much or more a study of grief. It was big, and hit hard at a few truly surprising moments in the latter half of the book. I enjoyed this book so, so much. Thanks to Viking for the ARC.

[Meredith Schorr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love novels with a speculative edge and find time travel fascinating. And I'm a romance writer who also loves to read romance. All of these elements were combined in Right Where We Belong and I really enjoyed. I found Delany's grief over her father's death very authentic and it hit me right in the heart. I will admit to skimming some of the long and detailed science stuff regarding time travel, but otherwise, this book was thoroughly enjoyable!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

[She Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right Where We Belong is a tender coming-of-age tale that balances fantasy, friendship, and healing. Delaney’s journey through grief is handled with sincerity, and the historical twist adds whimsy. While it isn’t a borderline-romcom, its emotional depth and character growth (alongside a slow-burn romance) will appeal to readers who cherish heartfelt YA narratives more than full-time swoon. If you’re looking for a contemporary YA with a strong emotional core and a unique time-travel element, this book may still work for you. But if you’re hoping for a sweeping, passionate love story, this might not hit the mark. The romance feels secondary, almost like an afterthought, which clashes with the expectations set by the premise and cover.

[Madelyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Delaney finds out that Ivernia boarding school, the one place where she's really felt like she belongs, might be closing, she makes a desperate wish for a way to save the school. Her wish is answered in the form of Lord William Cromwell, an unexpected visitor from nineteenth-century England. The longer William stays, and the more Delaney's feelings for him grow, his presence starts to have disastrous consequences that could completely unravel the present. Delaney is forced to work with her long-time academic rival and former crush, Sumner, in order to save reality as they know it.

This was a fun and quick read. I love any sort of story with time travel elements. I found Delaney to be a very relatable character and a lot of her insecurities and the pressure she put on herself were also things I went through in high school. Overall, this was a cute story and a great way to start off the new year.

[Katia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Publication Day!! 3.50🌟

“Take the leap. Do the big thing, and do it with fearless wonder.”

Wow, this book left me with a few valuable lessons.
I’ve been struggling with many changes in my life lately, and this story offered me pieces of advice I didn’t even realize I needed.

Even though I hit a few roadblocks while reading, I’m truly glad I stuck with it. The story was well structured, and the way it explored heavy topics—grief, mental exhaustion, co-parenting, absent parenting, self-discovery, and career choices—was handled with sensitivity and care. The time travel element blended beautifully with all of these themes, adding a sense of wonder and fun.

“It was around then that I realized loss isn’t a lesson. Grief isn’t a moral. Death isn’t a grand design to teach us something about ourselves. Instead, it’s a reminder that we’re all tiny specks on a massive planet within a vast galaxy.”

I loved the growth Delaney, Sumner, and William went through—each in their own way. I deeply related to Delaney’s fear of messing up in life; sometimes, life really can feel overwhelming and uncertain.

The romance frustrated me at times, yet I enjoyed it just the same. Such stubborn hearts—but watching them navigate the intensity of first love was both nostalgic and sweet. Sometimes, all we really need is courage and a little push.

Overall, this book is a small gem.
If you enjoy time travel, romance, YA, academia, and slice-of-life stories, this one will surely make you happy.

ARC provided by Netgalley. Courtesy of PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers

[Sam (Bookpaperraven) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely novel this was! Delaney is in her senior year of high school at Ivernia, a private boarding school in the US that caters to STEM focused students. She's dealing with the grief of her father, the pressure of what comes after high school and figuring out friendships and relationships. To add to what's already going on, a boy who appears to be from 19th century England appears out of nowhere, and may be affecting both the past and present with his very handsome and caring presence.
This book deals really well with grief for the loss of a parent, but also in trying to find yourself, and the friends that are best for you. This is YA, it's a high school student but, honestly, I think much of this applies to adults as well. It's really fun, and tearful, and even though physics, space and I don't get along, I still enjoyed the content and found it stimulating and interesting. I also really enjoyed the side characters and some of the teenage hi-jinx. I would absolutely recommend this book, I won this arc from the author, thank you so much Farrah!

[Mariahs_BookNook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gut rating: ⭐⭐⭐
CAWPILE rating: 3.36
Spice: 🌶️
Publication date: October 28th 2025

Tropes:
- YA coming of age
- boarding school setting
- time travel
- love triangle

Trigger warnings: Death of parent, cancer, grief, abandonment, panic attack, toxic friendship, bullying, blood, misogyny, cursing, alcohol, mental illness

Quote: “Everything ends,” he’d said after a while. “But what a gift, Delaney, to have been part of it at all.”

Synopsis: In the wake of her dad's death, overachieving highschooler Delaney Carmichael feels adrift in life. Now with the news of Ivernia boarding school on the brink of closing, Delaney may not lose just her school but the place her and her father called home, too. To add to her problems is the question of who their attractive but eccentric exchange student really is and where (or when) he's come from. With the help of the annoying Sumner Winchel, Delaney's academic rival and brother's best friend, can Delaney keep her life on course?

Review: This book took a while for me to get into, but I did enjoy the story once the awkward and complicated plot setup was over and the problem solving started. This is very much YA writing and plot, with big emotional issues and the story focused on personal growth. However, the SciFi elements, especially the scientific parts, felt more University level than boarding school and I mostly skimmed these as they were a little dry. The romance aspect was a little frustrating, with everything pointing towards one pairing and yet this flipped later on in the book.

With thanks to the Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[lillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

"right where we belong" is a cute ya time-travel flick with elements of fantasy, friendship, and healing. farrah penn blends a historical twist with a sincere portrayal of grief and growing up. the book felt a bit long and started to drag toward the end, but overall, penn created a very cute romance, full of magic and heart.

[Lizz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.75 ⭐️

Spice: 1/5 (tension and kisses)

Main Tropes: rivals to lovers, brother’s best friend, love triangle, YA romance (with a touch of time travel magic)


Review:

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book took me on a whirlwind. I honestly didn’t plan to rate it as highly as I did at first, mostly because I found myself generally disliking Sumner for much of the book. He was immature, frustrating, and (the thing that bothered me most of all) supportive of hazing???

The characters were well developed, even if the teenage boyness of Sumner made me want to sock him on many occasions. The rivals to lovers dynamic was honestly so well done though — I was frustrated right alongside Delaney through it all. However, I will say that I think there could have been more softness, more tension and romance, built into their relationship earlier. For most of the book, he feels like just a tired, immature teen boy — which is sort of exactly who he is. From a character development stance, he was spectacular. From a romance stance, I wish it had been done differently.

As mentioned above, my biggest criticism and the piece that held me back most from fully enjoying Sumner’s character, and the book as a whole, was the hazing plotline. To me, this added nothing to the plot, except for make Sumner less likable and to weaken his character. While he does not perpetuate the hazing, he condones it, saying that it’s for the best to fit in socially at their school. While this may be “accurate” in some settings, I found this to be aggravating and unnecessary in this story. Just because something is realistic does not mean it should be included with a character who readers are meant to like. Again, all it did for me, was serve to cheapen William’s growth and make me want to sock Sumner every time he showed up on page. As a result, it made me have a much harder time having sympathy for Sumner, swoon when I was supposed to swoon, or even root for him in the love triangle. If I were to be so bold as to offer any advice (and if editing were still viable at this stage in the ARC process), I would suggest removing hazing and find a new way of showing William get connected within the school, a way for him to actually earn other’s respect that doesn’t include mild bullying. And yes, I know that to some, this may seem like a silly complaint, but as someone who experiences bullying as a child, this was so disappointing to see in an otherwise exceptional book.

But, I’ll say that besides that, I love his core emotional arc and the dynamic between him and Delaney. I started the book literally giggling at their rivalry and their banter, telling my family I thought this book had the potential to be one of my all-time favorites. Once the hazing scene occurred, I was fully team William for a while, until more like the last 80 pages or so and (reluctantly at first) got back on the Sumner train. Their relationship is full of chemistry and tension, especially at the beginning and end of the book.

& the rest of the characters: Delaney is such a wonderful character. She is so well developed, relatable, and likable. Her core emotional arc is so well thought out, and it was so satisfying to see her grow. Lionel is a sweetie pie, and I felt so protective of him. I loved Sabine and Inessa — they are the sort of best friends you know would go to war for you. But I was ambivalent about Analiese and Delaney’s siblings.

The plotline was wonderful. I loved how it felt like a mix of Ali Hazelwood’s STEM heavy storylines, Back to the Future’s time travel shenanigans, rivals to lovers chaos, so much subtle yearning, identity exploration, grief & healing discussions, and star symbolism. In so many ways, it felt like a book that was made for me.

The author has an exceptional way with words. She shows that she knows people SO WELL. & she knows how to write a killer rivals to lovers ARC.

I 100% recommend checking this book out on October 27, 2025 when it comes out! Enjoy the cosmic chaos, friends. ✨

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming and fun YA romance meets time travel read.

Delaney is a senior at Ivernia School which the a STEM based boarding school in NY where her parents met and fell in love. As her father sadly passed away a few months prior, Delaney starts off her year trying to hold on to every memory of him. When she finds out the school may be closing, she makes a wish to find a way to save the school.

Enter, Lord William Alexander Cromwell of Dunbry. On her way back from wish night, Delaney runs into (literally) William. She assumes he is the missing foreign exchange student and brings him to Sumner, her academic rival and older brother’s best friend. Delaney and Sumner quickly sus out that William is NOT the missing student, but a teenager from London in 1859. Now these two academic rivals must work together to find William a way back.

Overall, this book had charming and cute elements and parts that I really enjoyed. But it felt like there were too many things and side plots happening that it all sort of ended up feeling messy. Off the top of my head there was:
•Delaney’s grief over her late father
•Delaney not knowing what she wanted to do with her future and feeling pressured to live up to her parent’s expectations
•Delaney and Sumner kissed over the summer and there is tension.
•Delaney’s seemingly straining relationships with her older brother and younger sister
•Delaney’s fracturing relationship with her best friend
•The school possibly needing to close and Delaney scrambling to find a solution
•William being here and finding a way to send him back
•Romantic tension with William and Delaney
•Romantic tension with Sumner and Delaney
•The Lady’s of Polite Society group Delaney is forced to take part in
•Sumner’s family drama
•Normal school drama

And I feel like I am still missing a few things. It was too many things and it bogged down the plot.

It felt like the plot was trying to build up a love triangle between Delaney, William, and Sumner. But there was far too much focus on William that when Sumner sweeps in at the end, it left me feeling perplexed. He supposedly has always been into her and explains away a lot of his interactions as him not knowing how to talk to her and being nervous. But he only seemed to start to care once she started to like William in earnest.

There is a smattering of side characters, fellow students, professors, and Delaney’s siblings. But they felt forced into the story rather than an integral part of it.

The science of the time travel was interesting. I appreciated that given the school is STEM based that there was a scientific explanation and solution. However, some of the science bits felt a bit technical and I found myself just skimming past it. But kudos for the unique take and consistency to the overall plot and setting.

Overall, it’s a cute YA book that leans heavier on the time travel x magical elements than romance, but still a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Thamy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delaney has just lost her father and she might also lose the school that connects her to the memories of him. Right when she wishes for something to save her school, a boy time travels and appears right in front of her. And he's the person who would later found her school, even though he doesn't know it.

2.5 rounded up to 3.

This book had everything to be charming. But I think it became a big mess instead. It's rare for me to struggle so much, but this was a hard one. I couldn't grasp what was up with Delaney, and that's probably one of the reasons I couldn't get into what was upsetting her.

My other problem is the romance. The book has all the characteristics of a romance but in trying to build a love triangle, it give too much focus on the other guy, the one any reader can tell is going to lose. So I didn't care for Delaney, and I couldn't care for her love interest either because I knew he wasn't her endgame, give me the real one right now!

The other characters were okay, but they also pop up in the story out of nowhere, as soon as the plot needs them. There's probably a lot more to each of them, there are signs they were constructed to be rounder but they never get the time to show that and end up as just tools to the plot.

And finally, the challenges Delaney needs to overcome felt too abstract. For a book who tries to build a time traveling machine based on articles and calculations, it lacked in more concrete hurdles. Author made, author solved, was the feeling I got. That is, when I could follow what the problem was.

There were good points, of course. Although the plot seemed convoluted, the writing is clean and easy to read. Also, the parts of Delaney dealing with her grief were sad, but they show the readers hope too. There are some good lessons in it and they aren't there in a preachy tone, so I feel the younger readers will benefit a lot from this story.

In sum, I've read another book by this same author and I remember enjoying it, wanting to read more from her. However, this needed more cleaning up, more focus so the good parts and the writer's strengths could shine.



Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

[Blurb It Down Official · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right Where We Belong is a heartfelt coming-of-age story laced with just enough magic to make reality feel a little less heavy. Farrah Penn has crafted a tender and emotionally grounded YA novel that centers grief, self-discovery, and friendship, with time-travel adding a light, whimsical layer rather than dominating the narrative.

At its core is Delaney, a teen caught in the turbulent aftermath of loss, whose journey toward healing is written with remarkable care. Her emotional arc is the heartbeat of the novel—raw, honest, and at times beautifully understated. The way she navigates identity, change, and the uncertainty of her future feels deeply personal, especially within the setting of a boarding school where every hallway echoes with both memory and potential.

The addition of a historical figure—Lord William Cromwell—suddenly dropped into the modern world offers a fun twist, though the humor that could’ve come from this fish-out-of-water dynamic felt slightly restrained. There’s definitely charm in watching William adjust to phones and slang, but those moments are fleeting, more backdrop than spotlight.

Romance plays a softer, more peripheral role here. Despite a love triangle setup—with William and Sumner (her brother’s best friend)—the swoon factor is subdued. If you’re expecting high drama and breathless declarations, this one leans more toward quiet conversations and tentative steps forward. That said, Sumner brings some compelling emotional tension, and his connection to Delaney adds to her growth in meaningful ways.

For readers who like:
- Contemporary YA
- Slow-burn relationships
- Strong themes of friendship, healing, and finding your place

Final Verdict
Right Where We Belong delivers where it truly counts—with heart, hope, and a heroine you’ll quietly root for. It’s not a grand love story, but a quiet reckoning with grief, identity, and belonging. A thoughtful read for fans of emotionally resonant young adult fiction with a magical twist.

Grateful to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Farrah Penn for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

[Nessa’s Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars

This was such a sweet, heartfelt time-travel romance with a dash of magical realism and a whole lot of teenage longing.

Right Where We Belong blends grief, nostalgia, and identity with a fun, fish-out-of-water premise that totally charmed me, though I did have a few mixed feelings along the way.

Delaney is in the middle of a lot: mourning her dad, trying to survive her senior year at boarding school, and freaking out over Ivernia possibly shutting down. So when a desperate wish somehow conjures a literal 19th-century boy into her life… chaos (and feelings) ensue.

Enter William Cromwell of Dunbry, a charming, Regency-era heartthrob who is equal parts confused and captivating. I really loved his gentlemanly mannerisms clashing with modern-day reality. It gave me Kate & Leopold meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before vibes.

But what I didn’t expect was how layered the book would be emotionally. Delaney’s grief is woven throughout the story in a way that feels honest, and the book gently explores how we try to hold on when everything around us feels like it’s slipping away. Her struggle to find a sense of belonging was really touching.

Sumner, her brother’s best friend, plays the "annoying-but-actually-understands-her" role really well. Their banter gave the book some of its brightest moments. I kind of wish we got more of their dynamic earlier on, it felt like it clicked a little late in the game.

The reason I couldn’t rate this higher was because of one main thing. The magical mechanics of the time travel felt a little rushed or under explained. I had to suspend a lot of disbelief, and sometimes the emotional stakes felt higher than the logistical ones (which isn’t a bad thing! Just something to note depending on your mood).

However this is a great pick for fans of soft magical stories with romantic heart.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A senior at a STEM-focused NY boarding school taps her academic rival to help her send a time-traveling British lord back to the 19th century, only to discover that the altered timeline threatens her very existence.

Blending a romantic triangle with physics, a smart, relatable protagonist, and a visceral exploration of grief, this is a fun and layered love story. Although the narrative clocks in at over 400 pages, I whipped through it, found myself thinking about it during non-reading time, and intentionally read a little slow to make it last.

It's those layers that make this a really stand-out story. Delaney is down-to-earth, smart, and passionate about science. In addition, she struggles with really painful periods—and also struggles with how to tell her mother that the doctor’s fix for this (birth control) hasn’t been much help. Delaney’s reluctance to self-advocate is ultimately part of a bigger pattern that finds her constantly allowing others to define her and make critical life choices for her, such as intending to major in premed/become a dentist at her late father's recommendation. I really enjoyed how these subplots worked together to echo the novel’s theme of emerging agency, as Delaney gradually lets go of “the ideal guy” to pursue "her (personal) ideal guy."

And that stuff about the periods feels unique and noteworthy. A lot of teens don’t realize that extreme menstrual pain isn’t normal—I for sure didn’t--and that’s part of the reason why it generally takes folx upwards of 7 years to be diagnosed with conditions like endometriosis. Delaney doesn’t get a diagnosis in this book, and that’s ok—the arc of the story is about learning to trust yourself enough to advocate for what you need, what you want and how you feel. It’s nice to see this representation here.

More like this, please.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finding out that her beloved boarding school may shutter its doors before the end of the year, 17 year old Delaney makes a wish during a geomagnetic storm that the school will stay open. She then (literally) collides with William, a teenage boy who has apparently time traveled from 1859 during a similar geomagnetic storm. Delaney and her rival Sumner then set about trying to figure out how to get William back home. This story also revolves around Delaney's grief following the recent death of her father, a cosmologist who used to teach astronomy at Delaney's boarding school.

Overall, I liked Delaney. I found her pretty passive about her own wants and desires for most of the book, but that is a critique she receives from just about every character in the book by the end, and she does eventually sort herself out. William is funny and charming, though I wish we had gotten a bit more insight from him on the whole existential crisis of time travel. I liked Sumner, though he did behave like a normal stupid teenage boy from time to time. There is a love triangle dynamic, though it's very obvious from the beginning where that's going.

There was a big stretch in the middle that felt long, tedious, and repetitive. The squad is... doing math things... and welding... and arguing about math things... and then every single character in the book gets their turn to tell Delaney to stop playing it safe and letting others tell her who she is. (Like OH MY GOD, WE GET IT.) The story picked up pace again in the last quarter to feel like a manic race against time.

Altogether, it's a story about grief, figuring yourself out, and pursuing your own passions, with a sweet romance. I give it 3.5 stars, rounded up.

(I received a free advanced review copy from the publisher/NetGalley.)

[Dany's Reading Pile · Rating 3 out of 5]

"𝚃𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚏𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 [...] 𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚎'𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍"

My Honest Review:
I don’t know what it was, but I just couldn’t stay focused while reading this book. I got easily distracted, and it took me almost half a month to finish just 300 pages🫣🫣.
The story follows Delaney, who overhears that her school might be closing. She makes a wish to the universe to send her what she needs to save it…👀👀
This book includes time travel, friendship, grief, healing, and a touch of romance; there’s even a hint of a love triangle. But at some point, when the romance still hadn’t developed from any angle, I caught myself thinking, “How long is this going to take?!?!?”
That said, I was rooting for Sumner 🙈 from the very beginning!
I think this book has potential, and I  probably just wasn’t in the right time or headspace when I read it. You go and read it and make your own opinion of it.
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
📖 Release date: October 28th

Mi honesta reseña:
No sé qué fue, pero simplemente no podía concentrarme mientras leía este libro. Me distraía con facilidad, y me tomó casi medio mes terminar solo 300 páginas 🫣🫣.
La historia sigue a Delaney, quien escucha que su escuela podría cerrar. Ella le pide al universo que le envíe lo que necesite para salvarla…👀👀
Este libro incluye viajes en el tiempo, amistad, duelo, sanación y un toque de romance; incluso hay una pizca de triángulo amoroso. Pero en cierto punto, cuando el romance aún no aparecía desde ningún ángulo, me la pasaba pensando “¡¿Esto cuanto tiempo nos va a llevar?!?!”
Aun así, era Team Sumner 🙈 desde el principio.
Yo creo que este libro tiene potencial, probablemente solo no estaba en el momento o en el estado mental adecuado cuando lo leí. ¡Te animo a que lo leas tú y formes tu propia opinión!

Gracias a Penguin Young Readers y NetGalley por proporcionarme este ejemplar anticipado (ARC) a cambio de mi reseña honesta.
📖 Fecha de publicación: 28 de Octubre

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Delaney's senior year at Ivernia but it seems like the school is about to be sold before she gets to graduate. And this is one of the places where she felt closest to her late dad. She wants to find a way to save Ivernia, and it seems like the answer might be Lord William who travelled from 19th century England. But things are changing and William needs to go back. Good thing her brother's annoying best friend, Sumner, is willing to help.

I was so in love with the author's previous book so I'm so excited to dive in to this one too! The plot is not one to disappoint. I love the aspect of time travel. And what's so fascinating about this is the science fiction. You know how there are books where the titles are Science-based or Math-based? But for some reason they barely contain science or Math! But this book had enough science and math jargons that it made my STEM heart happy! It's like the science of the Back to Future movies where you can follow the Science even though it's fictitious.

The story is so good too! I love the flow of it. The things they in counter, the problems that arise, the friends they made along the way made this book so solid. Speaking of friends, I love the characters! Whether they're the main characters or the minor characters, each served a purpose in the story that it felt like I was part of the school.

This was such an amazing book for me. I enjoyed every bit of it. Well, maybe expect for the part that there was a point where I don't know who the main love interest was. LOL! I'm so happy I got to read this book. It was very entertaining and I love the lessons you get to learn.

* I received an eARC of this book

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I’m gonna be so honest, I did not read the description of this book when I requested it on NetGalley😭 The cover was cute and it looked perfect for Fall, so I requested it and then I got approved. So when the time travel stuff happened, I was beyond confused. But it’s fine! Time travel is fine! Not a problem, obviously, I was just very confused for a second.

This book is written beautifully. It’s so descriptive and the author is able to use “big” (for lack of a better phrase) words without it sounding weird or sticking out from the narrative. The book is set at a boarding school full of pretty smart students, so even though it’s first person YA it doesn’t seem weird that Delaney is using these descriptive/smart words. (Unlike me describing it lol) -> I highlighted a spoiler free paragraph to showcase the writing style!

I really like Delaney, the main character. Her grief about her Dad passing away is handled really well, as is her rocky relationship with her best friend.

I loveeeee Sumner!! He’s an icon. I was #teamSumner the whole book (sorry William). But anyways, there’s a lot of really great characters in this book!

I will say, this book took me forever to read. I don’t really know why, because I liked the characters and it was written very well and I liked the plot. Something about it, though, made me only want to read a chapter or two at a time. I feel like the pacing was a little weird? I’m not sure, but I still enjoyed it and definitely recommend it! It’s great for Fall.

[Ayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right Where We Belong by Farrah Penn

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group, Viking Books for Young Readers, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Right Where We Belong is a delightfully charming YA novel with such a heartwarming storyline full of love, warmth, and emotional depth. It’s both unique and super entertaining throughout!

Delaney Carmichael’s final year of boarding school at Ivernia is not off to a great start since losing her father has left her feeling uncertain and overwhelmed. So when Delaney discovers that Ivernia might close, she feels desperate for a solution. So, Delaney wishes for a way to save Ivernia. That’s when Lord William Cromwell of Dunbry, from nineteenth-century London, appears. When chaos ensues, she realizes that if she can’t return William to where he belongs, the present might unravel. The only person who can help Delaney is her brother’s best friend, Sumner. With time running out, they have to work together to make things right before the past begins interfering with the present.

An enjoyable read, Right Where We Belong is equal parts whimsical and heartfelt. The combination of time travel and academia made for an interesting and engaging read! Delaney, as well as all of the other characters, have authentic journeys and the plot touches upon a variety of emotions thoughtfully. The romance was super sweet and the ending was wonderful.

Overall, a fantastic YA read that’s perfect for fans of slow‑burn romance, academia, and a bit of magic/time travel!

[Kate Dash · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 💫

This book feels like watching an old Disney movie on a rainy afternoon — a little whimsical, a little sad, and strangely comforting.
Right Where We Belong isn’t really about romance (despite how it’s marketed). It’s about grief, about feeling untethered when the one person who made the world make sense is suddenly gone, and about desperately wanting something — anything — to stay the same. Delaney’s wish doesn’t bring an easy solution… it brings a boy from the 1800s who is charming, confused by trousers, and unexpectedly kind.
The boarding school setting is cozy and nostalgic, the time travel element is fun in a soft, magical way, and the emotional beats sneak up on you. I loved the found-family dynamics and the way the story explored love beyond romance — love for home, for learning, for people who see you when you’re falling apart.
That said, the book does run long, and around the 70–80% mark I felt the momentum dip. Some plotlines felt more introduced than fully explored, and not every character arc landed for me. But the ending? Quietly devastating and hopeful at the same time.
This is the kind of book that won’t work for everyone — but for the right reader, it feels like being gently reminded that it’s okay not to have everything figured out yet.

Vibes & Tropes:
💫 Boarding school nostalgia
💫 Time travel fish-out-of-water
💫 Grief & healing
💫 found family
💫 Soft love triangle (no chaos, no rage)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Polina Kurotskina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right where we belong ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Delaney is a final year student at Ivernia, a boarding school at which her late father taught at, doing everything she can to hold onto the memories of her dad.

Sumner is Delaney’s brothers best friend, who now is trying to navigate Ivernia without Jared and his own issues at home.

When Delaney and Sumner overhear the principal of the school mention that it could be shut before Christmas, Delaney makes a wish to save Ivernia, which brings Lord William, a 1800’s British Aristocrat into her life.

Sumner and Delaney team up to try and understand how William got to their timeline, try to bring him up to speed to the 21st Century, as well as figure out a way to send him back, recruiting Lionel, a recluse in the school.

This book surprised me so much!

I wasn’t prepared how much I enjoyed this book, and for a while was unsure whether I wanted to rate it four or five stars. However, it was so well thought out, so lovely, and had me rooting for everyone to get a happy ending that it had to be a five star. It was also a lovely read close to Halloween with the time travel and all stuff science! (I am not science brained so that’s as close as it’s going to get for me).

Read if you love:
- High stake books
- A wee love triangle
- Navigating grief
- Found family
- All things time travel!
- Happy endings

[tiff rasberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so I’m starting to notice a pattern in which Young Adults are easiest for me to connect with. For some reason (because these circumstances have literally never happened to me), I absolutely love when it’s in a boarding school or college setting, where they all live on campus together.

“We often look ahead at all the nexts that are to come, but darling, don't ever forget to look up. Enjoy the view. It is endless and grounding and majestic, full of extraordinary possibilities.”

Where do I even begin??? The author does an absolutely fantastic job at weaving together science fiction elements while still keeping the reader in a contemporary story arc. Many factors that play into the story can easily be fact checked and are real things or events!

As for the romance, whew!! I don’t normally enjoy a love triangle because in my experience, there’s clearly a winner and a loser. NOT IN THIS READ!!! I was cheering both boys on hoping everything could just come together in the end, which it did. In such a beautiful way, I had tears streaming down my face while reading the epilogue.

This book covers many topics anyone can connect with such as grief from a loss and friendships that change over time. I also very much appreciated the period representation and hope Delaney received answers to her monthly pain.

Pub Date Ocotber 28 2025

ARC provided by Penguin Group, Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley. Thank you.

review posted to NetGalley & Goodreads