Before We're More Than Friends

When We Faced the Music #1

by Lizzie Franklin

They’re just friends behind the screen. Until they meet in real life.

Dallas Alexander Friar loves no one like his pen pal Chloe. He’s been talking to her nonstop since fifth grade. Somewhere along the way, feelings sparked for her that he couldn’t shake. Are those feelings terrifying? Definitely. Do they matter? Of course not—he doesn’t even know her real name.

But plans take a turn when Dallas’s mom gets a new job at an animal shelter in the suburbs of Las Vegas. As if things couldn’t get any worse, he slams into a rude girl at his first school event—who happens to be wearing the same bracelet he made Chloe six years ago. How could a meet cute be any worse?

Raina Chloe Vermont trusts no one like her pen pal Alex. But when she needs him the most, he falls off the face of the earth. While she’s watching her perfect family fall apart, she has no idea that her charming Alex is the weird new kid who keeps popping up everywhere—and blushes way too easily. But soon, they become close friends . . . and maybe a little more.

As Dallas joins a band with Raina, he has two choices—tell her the truth about everything or pretend that she isn’t the reason he’s blushing so much. Whatever he decides, he better decide fast . . . before they’re more than friends.

BEFORE WE'RE MORE THAN FRIENDS is a closed-door YA romance with passionate kisses and moments that will leave you laughing, crying, and squealing until the very last page. It is first in the series When We Faced the Music but can be read as a standalone.

Genres: Friends To Lovers, Romance

490 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Lizzie Franklin is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance author who lives for making angsty characters fall in love. What romance is complete without some struggle? Add humor and family drama to the mix, and you have her favorite recipe for a novel. She has written fifteen books and has finally published her debut, BEFORE WE’RE MORE THAN FRIENDS. When she’s not writing—which is pretty rare—she’s suffering through her English major, going on trips, or playing with her cats.

Reviews

[Maven_Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before We’re More Than Friends by Lizzie Franklin Review

Before We’re More Than Friends by Lizzie Franklin is a tender YA contemporary romance and the first book in the When We Faced the Music series. It introduces Dallas Alexander Friar and Raina “Chloe” Vermont, who have been anonymous pen pals since fifth grade, forging a connection filled with shared jokes, secrets, and deep emotional support across years of messages. Dallas has quietly fallen for his pen pal known only as “Chloe,” while Raina trusts him more than anyone as her family life fractures. Their worlds unexpectedly collide in real life when Dallas meets a girl wearing the bracelet he made for Chloe, and neither realizes the other is the person they’ve shared their heart with online. Thrust into friendship, band rehearsals, and lingering feelings, they must decide whether to confess the truth, risking everything for the possibility of love. This closed-door YA romance is full of laughter, heartfelt moments, and the joyful pangs of questions that make first love feel both real and terrifying.

Reading this felt like revisiting that fluttering moment of discovering a connection you never expected, when a simple message can make your heart race and a real-world smile feels like sunshine after a long storm. I adored how Franklin captured the emotional depth of long-term digital friendship and the tender awkwardness when that friendship begins to take shape offline: Dallas’s nervous charm and Raina’s quiet resilience made every text, glance, and blushing moment feel personal and real.

Their slow-build chemistry drew me in so that even small conversations carried that full-bodied warmth of something precious and budding. The blend of teenage insecurity, family struggles, and hopeful anticipation made me laugh, ache a little, and root for their courage to bridge the gap between screen and face-to-face truth. While the pacing sometimes leaned into familiar YA rhythms, the sincerity of the characters and their evolving bond left me with a bright, hopeful feeling about love that begins as friendship and might just become something unforgettable.

Rating: 3 out of 5
Because the heartfelt journey from online friends to real-world connection made this young romance sweet, compelling, and emotionally satisfying.

[Arobis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this arc from a dear friend aka Author Lizzie and while I was prepared with the tropes and everything I was NOT prepared on how emotional this book would make me feel. There were countless times when I teared up or tried to contain a smile (so I don't look like a crazy person in public) on the wholesome scenes.
There's also the found family trope which I LOVE and the friends have a designated place to call theirs "What Do You Bean" café and the animal shelter. The vibes in both are immaculate! At the shelter we meet a number of different characters like Oliver, Hayden, Caleb and Sienna (so excited for her book 🤭). I can't wait to read their books!!!
Despite the lively found family and the cozy settings Lizzie Franklin dabble into sensitive topics and the complexity of emotions, loss, grief and different ways of coping. Lies and forgiveness and family problems. Though this book is a guaranteed happy ending its a long way to there. But every chapter delivered the characters feels and stuggles perfectly and in a way that captures the reader's attention and heart.

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so firstly I want to thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to beta and ARC read this amazing book! When I first found your page I didn't expect to fall in love with this series as much as I did but here I am!!!! My new favorite author and series!!!
On the review now😅
I adore the way Dallas is portrayed. Even though he is in highschool he is not the typical bad boy💀 who doesn't want love and things like that. He flushes easily, he lets his emotions control him and ALL THE ANXIETY is so relatable. Also I know Raina has OCD and I don't but I feel her with all the worry and always having to check things multiple times but STILL feeling like something will go wrong and it's my fault for it.
Also I love how every character was well thought. Every one of them had their own issues that got in the way of them just trying to live their teenage life and it showed how hard having family problems is for a teenager. No teenager deserves to go through what they did and even tho it's not like it's gonna happen LIKE that to real teenagers it shows their struggles and it makes us feel seen.
Also the friend group is AMAZING! I love how they joked between them and how you didn't make them the perfect group. they had their differences every one coming from a different style of life but trying to complete and understand each other while still having fan.
Another point (to not repeat also again😭) that I loved about the book is that even if it was a romance book it didn't end there. Yes it showed us the struggles until they got together and it made me punch them but in the same time it continued to show us how even though they ended up together this ain't a fairytale and problems still occur but we need to learn how to solve them together. As Dallas said even when you're mad at someone you still love them!
This book makes you travel through all the emotions known and it loves to break your heart just to mend it right back for it to break again!!! I smiled so much while reading my checks literally strated to hurt but at the end it is an amazing and easy read! Everyone should give it a chance!

[Amara Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I just want to say that I’ve been following the author for a while, and she is so passionate and has put so much energy into this, and it truly shows. You can tell as you read that she has taken the time to understand and get to know her characters. Each is so well written and so individual.

The way the book is written really pulls you into Dallas and Raina working through all the new challenges thrown their way in a beautifully immersive experience.

The writing itself is straightforward, bold, and clear. Franklin knows exactly where’s she taking you in the story, and not once does she leave you stumbling.

AND THE STORY ITSELF??? GUYS, IT’S SO CUTE!
The whole friend group is fun and exciting, but Dallas and Raina specifically (of course, it’s their book) will have you squealing. And maybe crying. Franklin doesn’t not hesitate to mess with your heart a bit.

ALSO CALEB! The man is FULL of sarcastic one-liners and snarky remarks and I AM HERE FOR IT! Oh I love him. I love him.

Easily one of my favorite reads so far this year, and I cannot wait to get my hands on Franklin’s next piece.

[Destiny Ada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I want to thank Lizzie Franklin for this ARC!

This was such a cute story that captured my attention with the pen pal aspect. Reading about Dallas and Raina’s honest and vulnerable relationship from childhood warmed my heart. It made me think about the beauty of communicating through written letter, a lost art in our current dating sphere. BRING IT BACK!

I have a habit for giving teenagers tons of grace when criticizing their reactions and reasoning behind some of their actions. Navigating life, hormones, and emotions at that age is difficult. It’s why I really loved seeing the dive into OCD and Anxiety (something I struggle with myself). Both Raina and Dallas showed character growth in understanding and recognizing their emotions while knowing how to appropriately approach others during those moments. Add on the arduous strain of family conflicts and fresh romance in the mix, and you’ve got an anxious person’s worst nightmare.

The relationship between their friendship group was also so fun to read. It is exciting to know this will be a series because I definitely want to keep up with them. The parents also felt fleshed out and nuanced, which can be hard especially when they aren’t on the page as often.

My only critique would be the length. I was engaged from beginning to end, but was wondering when it actually would end 🫣 Nevertheless, this was a precious read and I can’t wait to read more from this author!!

[ella.bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, thank you Lizzie for the arc for BWMTF--I had such a fantastic time reading this book!
➥ ★★★★✩

read if you enjoy:
➼ messy relationships/friendships
➼ they start a band (Lemonade Mouth vibes)
➼ the main characters are penpals
➼ dogs, cats, or any animal companion
➼ clean/YA romance

NOW for the real review; I really, really enjoyed BWMTF I flew through it in just 3 days, and I'm so grateful for that because I've been sick (😭) but I was able to BINGE this book. I haven't read a solid YA romance in a god while, and this was the perfect book to help pull me out of the slump that was plaguing me earlier this month.
The book was so easy to read, it had such a fluid tone & wording (is that the right word?) so like I said, you can fly through this book. I will note that the pacing in the novel, while very fast sometimes halted or quickened in a few spots, making it slightly awkward for a chapter or two, but nothing too irritating, and this is a debut so there's bound to be room for improvement. I also enjoyed the setting, I enjoyed the animal shelter and (my favorite part) THE BAND now this is a no spoiler review okay, so I can't say much but I ate every crumb left by the band because their drama and banter was so easy and fun. Raina and Dallas are adorable, they have the perfect mix of subtle angst---while also having the flustering, warm feeling of first love. Their relationship was solid, and I enjoyed a lot of their interactions with one another, and especially loved how open and vulnerable they were able to be with one another. Overall, this was a super fun read for me and I'm so grateful I got to follow some of L.F.'s journey and will be looking out for book 2!
➥ P.S I love you Caleb never stop being funny

[Annalise Healey · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars
While young adult romance isn't typically my go-to genre, Before We're More Than Friends completely won me over. I was genuinely impressed by the author's ability to craft a story that felt both heartwarming and authentic. The characters especially were well-developed. Their anxieties, hopes, and the sometimes awkward, sometimes exhilarating moments of teenage life were portrayed with a perfectly realistic touch. The dialogue felt true, capturing how teenagers actually speak.

The book does lean towards the longer side, and at times, I felt the pacing could have been a bit tighter. However, the depth of exploration into the characters and the diverse range of topics covered justified the length.

I also really enjoyed the author's note at the end, detailing the background and inspiration behind the story. It was a really nice touch, adding a layer of appreciation for the sheer amount of work that goes into creating a novel. I'd love to see more authors, especially debut writers, include such insights.

Overall, I would highly recommend readers check out this book and this author. I eagerly look forward to more books by Lizzie!

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I want say thank you for allowing me to read this arc. I thought this book was cute and fun. It definitely portrayed the real life problems and anxiety associated with high school. I appreciate the reality of the book. Dallas and Raina were very cute together.

[Lainey Sigafoos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to start by thanking you for an sending me an ARC of your newest story. I truly enjoyed every minute of it and could not put it down. I loved the found family and the banter between all of the characters. The writing style is amazing and easy to flow through and just enjoy reading. Books like this is why i love reading. Thank you and i cant wait to read more.

[Shai Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Was this book long? Kinda
Did it justify its length? Definitely

This is a cute ya romance debut with an actually good OCD rep (not the 'cleaning obsession' OCD). It might be a bit long, but it's worth its length.

[Manjima Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Reader Review:

Before We're More Than Friends by Lizzie Franklin 💞

This is a 5⭐ read for me , absolutely no doubt !!!
Spice🌶️ rating is ZERO, and just LOVED the romantic scenes nevertheless. Y'all a book can be a 5⭐ without having smut as well 🤌🏻🥹💖

This wasn't just a romance read. The author beautifully portrayed love, friendship, parenthood, and all the struggles, joys, the ups and downs that comes with it and this absolutely stole my heart. This was a very heart touching read for me. I teared up right from the first page, Lizzie has portrayed the emotions behind every act so beautifully in simple words, it was easy to read and kept me hooked to read "just one more chapter" until I got to the part I wanted to. The pace was just right, not slow, not rushed, just the right to keep you hooked and engaged. The hurts, the emotions, the banters, the love in every relationship, be it friends, sisters, brothers, parents or between couples has been very realistic and easily relatable which I loved the most! ALL the secondary characters were absolute love. I can't choose and be partial, they all were such humorous and lovely friends and characters. Love them! I might have a soft spot for Hayden and Arielle though 🤌🏻🥹

If you are looking for a heartfelt, emotional and beautiful read, nothing too intense or complex, no complicated relationships, just beautiful and simple love, friendships and family bonds, you are at the right place.

Go ahead and read the book. I can guarantee that you'll love the read and have a nice time.

[Joanna Noronha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, firstly, I'm so lucky to read this book! AND be friends with the amazing author!!! I really will forever tell everyone “i knew here before you did!! Hehehe." Now onto the actual review haha.

Within the first few pages, I was already glued to the book!! I LOVE the way both, Dallas and Raina were written and portrayed!! They were so relatable throughout the entire book. I FEEL Dallas whenever his anxiety was mentioned.
One of the things that I look for in books, is being able to feel seen and heard. I really love books that help me in that way, and this was one of the books that did exactly that.
It shows the struggles almost every teenager goes through nowadays and that's what I really loved about it. It shows how family problems affect a teen's life, the way they feel, everything. And Lizzie portrays it very well.
Another thing that I absolutely ADORE, is the FRIEND GROUP. It's so good, it's... I have no words that can possibly describe it, because it's THAT good. I love the fact that they go through tough times too. It shows that even friends go through rough patches and the important part is to go through those rough patches together, as one. And I think that's really important.
And the humor throughout the entire book? I COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING WHEN I STARTED. I swear, I've learnt my lesson to never read during class 'cause I couldn't stop laughing and I got me and my lab partner into trouble. That's how good the humor is, in fact the entire book is.
It's made me go through all the emotions possible, and I am so glad I had an opportunity to read it, to live with the characters.
It really warms your heart as you read it and also breaks your heart only to warm and mend it again.
I can't wait to have Dallas and Raina in my hands soon!

[Becky H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I felt like I had to force my way through reading this book. There were several points where it just felt like everything was way to cluttered. Also there were several points where I was so thrown off because the sentences made zero sense. It didn't feel like they were their age either. They either sounded way to old, or way to young. Also It felt like the author tried to force to much into the book. In my opinion it should have stuck to either the band mates route or the pen pals route. Having both threw me off and became extremely confusing. There is so much going on in the friend group that is trying to be mentioned and it got to be a lot. Also in my opinion this book would have been so much better if it was about 100-150 pages shorter. There was so much fluff that I feel like the exact same thing was being repeated two chapter apart in the exact same way. This book had so much potential and I was so excited to read it, but it just was so cluttered I had to force myself to pick it up. (And if I read the word "freaking" one more time, I was going to loose it. This word was repeated at least ever other page, if not multiple times on the same page.)

[Lilly H. Dove · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, thank you so much to the author for the early ARC copy of this book, and I'm honored to be one of the first to read the final version of the book, as well as be the first to review it.
Okay review now:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I LOVED THIS BOOK GUYS. I haven't read a romance book (or even a normal book) in a while, and I AM GLAD THIS WAS WHAT I STARTED WITH. It gave Disney channel vibes in the best way possible, and was so cuteeee. Raina and Dallas are legit adorable together, I screamed and giggled during all their scenes (or almost cried, no in between). All the characters were literally amazing, the stories on both Dallas and Raina's sides were soooo good.
The friend group was all so hilarious, peak humor people around me through I was crazy because of how much times I laughed. It was also so real, and dived deep into the idea that big friend groups are always messy, hiding behind a fake reality that everything is okay. I love the way the author portrayed it, and just the whole friend group in general was peak.
Dallas, he's a complex character. He's amazing, he's trying his best throughout his move, which is so realistic. No matter how good the place you move to is, it always hurts, and you try so hard to see the bad because you're still stuck in the past life you had, and Lizzie portrayed that so well. Especially with him being the new kid, and his own conflict toward the end with the group. But at the same time, he would make mistakes with others that caused his own problems. But you know what, that's what a teenager is, and the author did that so well. Wish he hadn't ghosted Raina, but yk what, I forgive him.
Raina, oh my, I loved her. She is also a complex character, but everything she did was valid in my opinion. (I might be biased...) Seriously though, she is such an amazing character, and her struggling with her OCD and the fact that she will have to live with it all her life was heartbreaking, and I've seen it firsthand with people. But she tried her best, and is such a strong character in my opinion. She deserved so much better, especially towards the end, because WHY WAS EVERYONE ACTING LIKE SHE WAS AT FAULT FOR EVERYTHING. Valid crashout when it came to Jennifer, I don't like that girl. The whole messy parents part of her life, even with her luxurious life, I felt was like such a strong topic too. All the money in the world can't make up for absent parents, or in her case also her dad's mistakes and bad publicity. AGAIN, EVERYONE TREATED HER SO BAD AT THE END, WTH.
The whole story is just so good, I loved it, finished it in a day (Technically, it was over midnight, but who cares.) It's a great mix of cute, steamy (but not smutty) scenes, hilarious exchanges, and complex life plots. Perfect for any teens or young adults, and even older people if you're into YA.
NOW GO READ PREORDER THE BOOK AND MAKE LIZZIE FAMOUS.

[Tiffany Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, thank you so much to the author for an early ARC I truly enjoyed this book so much! And I can't wait for the next books to come out!

(My other account was deleted so I’m reposting this)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
DUUUUUUUUUUDE. I don't even know where to begin. Like
holy crap. l've read a lot of romance books last year (being it my first year reading books) and I don't even know how to explain how good this book was like DALLAS AND RAINA literally are sososossosoo cute it hurts my brain. Like they're so adorable and the way I was giggling like most of the book after their first kiss АНННННННН
Omgomgomgomgomg and I also wanted to scream like I can't omg.
The friend group was also so adorable and so funny. And personally, I loved the bromance between Hayden and Dallas like I was laughing so much. Everyone had their problems and the way Lizzie balanced their lives and their families problems were so on point, I could literally never do
Dallas was a very complex character. He had his ups and downs and the way he managed to move almost across the country. It was all so realistic, I loved it sm! And with him being the new kid, it was messy at the end with the friend group but it's ok because he managed to make so many friends. One of the things I loved about this story was, everything is so realistic. Like teenagers actually act like this with their messy friendships and their messy feelings (definitely feelings) I don't know if someone would ghost their penpal like Dallas did to Raina, but I think it all worked out for the best
Raina was literally one of my favorites. Despite everything that went home at home she still loved her friends and her family. I loved how she had a twin because that's not very common, especially in books. But she had this messy, very complicated life and somehow Lizzie made that amazing
(but also traumatic)
But overall, this is one of THE best books l've read so far this year, and I'm pretty positive it'll stay like that. I'm not just saying this because l'm an ARC reviewer/reader. I am GENUINELY IN love with this book, with the characters, with the writing, like holy crap, Lizzie. You're such an amazing writer and I CANNOT wait, (beyond excited) for the next books. I am so excited to see what these other characters (the friend group) has been through but in their pov AHHH I LOVE THIS BOOK SOOOOSOSOOOO MUCHH! Thank you sm, Lizzie, for taking so much time out of YOUR day (s), to write this amazingly written book.
Now go pre-order Before We're More Than Friends on Amazon! You will NOT regret it at all. This book will fr change your life. I know it changed me.

[Liberty Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEFORE WE’RE MORE THAN FRIENDS BOOK REVIEW 💜🎵
ok yall. get ready because this book is UNREAL. it was kind of a spurr of the moment arc sign up but it did not disappoint! a lot of people probably won’t be super happy with the length, but i was all for it! (except that fact that i have another arc i have to read in a week 😬 but we don’t talk about that lol)
i also enjoyed the high school romance because i haven’t read one of these in so long! anyway hope you enjoy!
.
FMC- Raina. literally means “princess” because SHE IS 🤩 she was diagnosed with OCD as a child, but not the neat-freak kind. she always checks things in groups of four, which i think is so cute ☺️ she has lots of spunk and she has her own style which is also so girl coded 👄 her favorite colors are purple and black and silver 💜 which is totally giving olivia rodrigo and she’s also a singer so there you go 😂 there is A LOT of heavy topics in this book and a lot of difficult moments with friends but especially with family. it’s crazy to see Raina struggle but overcome this challenge in such a diva way 🩷 and accept her circumstances like a champ 💪 i just love how strong mentally and emotionally she is and how kind and forgiving she is as well 🥹
.
MMC- Dallas. he such boyfriend (future husband bc they’re still in high school lol) material. 💚 he is such a sweetheart and he cares soooo much about those he loves 🥹 i love how raw and emotional he is a lot and how he’s not scared to express his feelings or cry in front of people which i didn’t expect bc i feel like most guys jusr hide their feelings and never cry in front of others but NOPE not Dallas 💕 he’s just an open book (get it 😉) and he’s also such a peacemaker in the friend group even though he just got there lol 😂 and HIS BLUSHING omg it’s my fav that man cannot stop blushing for the life of him and even at the smallest hint his cheeks are pink and it’s so cute ☺️ honestly when guys blush it’s so cute 🫠 and he has dimples 😍 so there you go he’s perf. also he has family struggles as well and it’s so sweet to see how he handles it as well 🩷

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read an ARC of this book and was super excited about it! The author is very passionate about this project and the premise intrigued me. I enjoyed reading this story!!

I loved the plot itself- the idea of childhood pen pals finding each other later in life is so stinking cute. I found the characters to be complex and relatable in regard to the struggles they were going through. Raina's OCD and Dallas's anxiety were both well depicted, in my opinion. I appreciated that this was a YA novel with no spice. I did personally have a difficult time keeping track of who was who in the friend group (I think this will get better as I read more from the series), and I thought the novel itself was a little on the longer side for a YA romcom. I had a slow start with it, but once I got to the 50% mark it picked up significantly for me! The ending was very sweet, and it kind of set it up in a way for the author to continue with the series at the same time.

I'm looking forward to watching the author continue this series- she has a vision and I'm excited to see it come to fruition. I think she's going to be one to watch for sure.

[Linda Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before We Were More than Friends is a closed door YA romance. This is the first book in the When We Faced the Music series.

Chloe and Alex have been pen pals forever but have avoided revealing their true names. When Dallas Alexander mother takes a job in Raina Chloe’s city, they attend the same high school not knowing about the other.

When Dallas realizes Raina is his crush Chloe, he cuts off their online communications until he can figure out what to do. Sadly, that was when Raina needed him most as her family situation falls apart.

I loved the realistic depth of these characters. I empathized with them from the start. The difficulties with their friends and feelings of abandonment make you want give them hugs. The author allows story to progress in a realistic timeframe and pace, making the outcome much more believable.

The side characters--their bandmates, family members, and friends—add depth to an already intriguing story. The tender moments and passionate kisses add to the fun.

Once you start this series, you’ll be hooked!

[Twyla Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this arc from the author. Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to read your work. I really love the two characters in the book and their stories as the book progressed. They were very relatable with their banter and friendship. Hayden and Arielle are characters I found myself getting engrossed with. Their stories, their emotions, all of it I felt deeply. This contemporary romance is relatable and refreshing. I really enjoyed the aspect of the two main characters being pen pals. Their story is sweet, but their lives are complicated. Arielle's parents broke my heart. However, I rooted for the main characters and their story. The slow burn was intense, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[The Olympian Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm still finishing up this book, but I already know it's going to be a 10/5 stars for me! This book is SO GOOD, and honestly, it's one of the first good books I've read in a very long time and that reminds me why I loved reading. The characters and dialogue is so well written, that it feels like I'm right there with them. Lizzie does a fantastic job writing her love interests and making them feel very real and authentic. I am so excited to read more of the books in this series, and I look forward to the other characters' stories!

*Will add to the review once I completely finish the book! :)

[L. M. Ransom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this story about Raina and Dallas and their group of friends (who will feature in later books in the series). Both the FMC and MMC deal with high anxiety, and the FMC also has obsessive compulsive disorder. They start out as pen pals in elementary school, and things take a turn for the worse...or better...when they are in high school.

The anxiety was well-done in this book, and I think readers who also have it will enjoy seeing how these two work through theirs on a daily basis. Both of them have a lot on their plates, but with the help of their friends and siblings, they make it through to a great ending.

[Joseline Pineda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked how the characters were written as regular high school kids and were relatable and weren’t written super cliche and cringey. Honestly the characters remind me of how I was back in high school and I liked how it was dual pov and we got to read their thought process and inner thoughts. I could easily imagine the characters and their interactions and it felt like I was watching a disney movie.

[shaysreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

i enjoyed the idea and storyline overall and thought it was a very unique premise for a book that isn’t done a lot. it was a bit slow for me at the beginning but once i reached the 50% mark it started speeding up and it ended up being a quick and easy to read little romance!

thank you to lizzie franklin for the arc i’m intrigued to see what else is in store for this series

[Anna]

okay, I've made it to 86% and think that maybe I'm just not the target aidience?

I liked the first half - the hidden identities, the yearning, the expactation. but then it just got really hard to relate, so not sure how to feel about this book

[Ulla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Dallas and Raina are my new favourite couple.

And that says a lot.

This was the easiest 5 ⭐ read I ever had