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Meet Me at Wonderland

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A girl with a summer job at her family’s amusement park crushes on a coworker who’d rather be working anywhere else in this fun and flirty middle grade rom-com.

Fourteen-year-old Coco is Morty the Moose for the summer—the official mascot for her family’s business, Wonderland Adventure Park. Her first shift in the claustrophobic and stinky moose costume comes in the middle of a heatwave, and of course it’s when she emerges a sweaty mess that her manager introduces her to the new hire, Henry…the cutest boy Coco has ever seen.

Henry can’t believe his parents are forcing him to work at this dorky theme park. He’d much rather be hanging with his friends and working on his soccer game, but recovery from a bad injury would have kept him sidelined anyway. Being deathly afraid of heights, Henry hopes he can at least do his job without going on any of the rides.

After their first awkward meeting, Coco and Henry start to warm up to each other, and Coco confides in him about the park’s financial struggles. Soon, she thinks she like likes Henry…a lot. As the weeks go on, Henry’s dad starts asking oddly specific questions about his job, and Henry starts to suspect there’s more to his parents insisting on him working at the park than he thought. When a malfunctioning new ride leaves Henry and Coco stranded at the top, Henry’s worst nightmare comes true and secrets get revealed.

Audible Audio

First published May 20, 2025

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About the author

Julia DeVillers

50 books263 followers

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5 stars
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103 (41%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
Profile Image for Amina .
1,346 reviews53 followers
February 8, 2025
✰ 2.75 stars ✰

​“Asfwejkerfwelafjeqkwla.​​”

giphykg

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ​I know, right! 😆 The good ole' keyboard smash​ that says it all, when words fail! ​The teasing, the lighthearted quarreling, the flirty but friendly vibes, even the presumed misconceptions, the steady trust, and the gentle vulnerability they showed each other was believably done. Even when Coco felt challenged by Henry's good-natured and easy-going attitude, there was a healthy competitive camaraderie between the two co-workers that was sweet and sincere. 'I felt this weird need to regain control of this narrative.​' 🥺​ They both had their own issues burdening them, but I liked that despite how Coco was intimidated by him, they were able to still be friends and help each other out in a silly, but sweet way. And just like that, that crush festers and blooms into that uncomfortable realization that you like this person! 😳💕

“Oh wait, your sweatshirt,” I remembered.
“Keep it,” he said. “It looks good on you.”
Now I had chills, but not from the cold.”


🥹🥹🥹🥹

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Shame that it turned out to be a bit of a mixed read in the end. 😣​ It had a a cute premise ​for a middle grade romance and it was very good at capturing those first flutters of the heart going ​doki doki​ with a first time crush on both sides, no less. 🥰​ But, there was something about the writing - even with the alternating perspectives between Coco and Henry - that made it difficult for me to be totally engaged.​ 'His hand locked around my actual wrist.​ Oh.​' I liked the scenes between the two ​when they would Meet Me at Wonderland.​ Very honest, very real, very cute in those awkward moments where we don't want to make a fool of ourselves, but we still do! Along with 'oh, this boy is cute, what am I gonna do?' feeling that overwhelms us, when said boy even starts to ​get those same butterflies in his stomach for you.​ 🦋​ 💘

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ As much as I liked the cute romance between the two, the rest of the plot was a bit of a struggle. ​The dialogue and interactions with the other characters never made an impact; the exchanges, the meetings - it was very haphazard in the sense that I never felt a connection to it. Maybe to capture the hectic chaos a family-owned amusement park with it's familial-lifestyle and deep-rooted appreciation of its flaws and idiosyncrasies that emanates - 'laughter, memories, and the simple joy of being together'; but, it just wasn't clicking with me. 😕 I also found it odd that though Henry is forced to be here, because he can't be part of his soccer team due to an ankle injury - either he was in the final stage of recovery, but I never got a sense of him being cautious of his ankle, and one sentence only dedicated to ankle exercise really lacked the credulity of it. Or maybe I shouldn't be too nit-picky... 😮‍💨

“Honestly, it was cute.
“You got this,” I told him.
“Okay, okay, I got this,” Henry said. “We got this.”​


‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The conflict was a predictable one that centered around Coco's determination to save her family's business by being the most reliable and dependable employee ever; even when it lands her in certain hot and messy situations, while Henry was pitted to playing both sides of the fence, unwittingly so, but still determined to rectify the problems he felt guilty for playing a hand. 😟 I was glad, though, that it did not resolve in an exaggerated sense of villainy, but treated in a more reasonable manner, absent of any melodrama - more-like, it is what it is, a mutually beneficial arrangement that works well for all, despite the emotional onslaught that came with it. 👌🏻

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ A note to the proofreading editors. Yes, it is an uncorrected copy - no points deducted for that, from me. ​However​, there is a glaring inconsistency in the final chapter​ that must be resolved - an inclusion of perspective not fitting the character the chapter belongs to.​ I'm sorry that I caught it, but it was too unnerving not to be noticed, especially when it interrupts the train of thought.​ 😞

And did I immediately break into the lyrics of Taylor Swift's Wonderland before I began? Yes, I did, just to get it out of my system, y'know. 🥰

*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jessica (Odd and Bookish).
713 reviews854 followers
May 7, 2025
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.

This was a super cute middle grade romance!

First off, I loved the amusement park setting. The majority of the story took place there and it worked so well. It was fun and added to the playfulness of the romance. The park reminded me a lot of the fictional Walley World from the movie, “National Lampoon’s Vacation” (which is a movie I love).

The romance between Henry and Coco was adorable, especially their awkward meet-cute. It was age appropriate for a middle grade audience. I liked that it included both Henry and Coco’s perspectives. I always love having dual POVs in romance books.

Not only was this a romance but it had a great message about moving on to new places and things. It can be easy to get attached to what you’ve always known and are used to, but the book highlights that change can also be good.

The story does rely on the miscommunication/misunderstanding trope towards the end, which is not my favorite. However, this book is centered around teens so the miscommunication makes more sense in this case.

Overall, I enjoyed this summertime romance set in a theme park. This is the perfect summer break book for middle grade readers!

Profile Image for ⋄⋆ taylor ⋆⋄.
124 reviews10 followers
January 10, 2026
3.5 ⭐️

This was a super cute read! The target audience is definitely younger readers, I’d say maybe 12/13+

The characters are likeable, and Henry was super sweet. There are realistic family dynamics, and how the characters act and talk is very similar to how actual teenagers of that age act, so I was happy with that.

The reason this isn’t 5 stars, is that while I can acknowledge that it’s a cute, fun rom-com story, it is targeted to younger ages, which I did not realise at first. So it’s not for me, as I prefer a bit more substance and backstory that is usually in New Adult romance books. This would totally be a fun read for a younger teen though!

I also would’ve liked to know a bit more about the characters backstories, and the history of the amusement park.

Overall, it’s a solid read and I would definitely recommend it to the younger audiences.

Thank you so much Edelweiss Plus and Simon & Schuster for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Profile Image for Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf.
880 reviews43 followers
April 26, 2025
Petitioning to have more books set at Amusement Parks! Thank you Julia DeVillers for delivering such a fun setting that I love at an older age but know that my younger self would have been GAGA for!

It’s Coco’s first official year working at her family’s amusement park and has goals to make MVP… ASAP. With a new hire… Henry that she starts to crush on… and a little bit of competition to win the MVP spot Coco’s summer is off to a good start until it isn’t.

Middle grade romcoms are some of the most wholesome books out there and this one won my heart. I loved these characters and would love to visit them again. So many opportunities to make future books with Coco and Henry 😉 The setting is one of my favorites I’ve read in a long time. You can hear the rollercoaster zipping by, smell the funnel cakes, and maybe the moose suit 🫎

Thank you Simon Kids

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
Profile Image for Samantha Parsons.
35 reviews
September 27, 2025
I finally caved and read this as a strong recommendation from my almost 11 year old. She said “best book ever!” and devoured it in two days. I humored her and it was a very cute read! An age appropriate meet cute with likable characters and fun banter.
Profile Image for Savannah Wilson.
705 reviews20 followers
March 18, 2025
this was super cute! i actually really enjoyed this even though the intended audience is probably around the 11-13 age range! i thought this was fun and lighthearted while still lightly touching on serious topics, ie., cancer, which is something that so many young kids are faced with daily and i think this book did a really good job at showing that. i thought coco was really funny and reminded me a lot of myself when i was about to go into high school. i think she was a super realistic teenager and a great fmc for this story! i also really liked henry and think he is also a perfect depiction of a young teenage boy! the way he reacted in situations is very realistic and we got to see him work through those reactions and overcome his inner struggles. i loved that this was dual pov and first person! it made for a really easy read that was very fast paced. if you have a younger reader in your life, i highly recommend checking this one out!
Profile Image for Shannon.
8,413 reviews428 followers
July 18, 2025
This was a sweet summer romance set at a family run amusement park that has two tweens falling in love as they work as employees and try to save the park from being bought out by a new company. I liked that there was anxiety rep and complicated family relationships. It was good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Almost flying.
Profile Image for Stephanie Fitzgerald.
1,214 reviews
May 17, 2025
3.5 stars
Meet Coco and Henry in the amusement park called “Wonderland”, set in the beautiful Adirondack mountains! They will take you on an adventurous, often hilarious, and sometimes scary tour of the park! Be sure to stick with Coco, because 1.)as the owner’s daughter she grew up here , so knows every nook and cranny, and 2).she sometimes gets her friends jobs here! Plus, Henry’s really new, so he’s learning the ropes about everything, from moose facts to how to choose the coolest arcade prizes. But there’s a few surprises around the corner for him and for Coco herself…
The main characters were 15, but the content would be very appealing for middle-grade readers as well as for Y.A. (especially those contemplating summer jobs!) I know as a parent/teacher, the absence of underage drinking, drug use, foul language, and sex scenes for a Y.A. novel was a refreshing change. This sweet romance book was like a breath of fresh air!

*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
Profile Image for ElsaMakotoRenge.
510 reviews48 followers
August 7, 2025
This was just so cute and just plain FUN to read! I love a good MG contemporary sometimes☺️ Meet Me at Wonderland doesn’t beat out LynnVisible for me, but I did really really enjoy it. Would highly recommend if you’re looking for a cozy summer read (for yourself or a kid).

also…RIP Kingda Ka, if you know you know lol. I bet Knox made a whole youtube video about it and made Coco and Henry watch it 🙈
19 reviews
November 7, 2025
This was such a cute book of summer fun and love at an amusement park!
Profile Image for Emily.
84 reviews3 followers
August 28, 2025
So this book was super cute however I didn’t realize they were in middle school and I found it really hard to connect to the characters because it’s been way too long since I’ve been that age.

I did really like the way Coco was written though, it felt very real to how a 15-year-old girl think/ and behaves . I just don’t think Henry was written the way of 15-year-old boy would think but I’ve ever been a 15-year-old boy so who knows. Since the writing for Henry felt off compared to Coco‘s and made it a little bit more difficult to get into the storyline and buy into what was happening.

I did absolutely love the atmosphere, and how everything takes place on an amusement park that is one of the main reasons I picked up this book. Especially since I’ve worked the theme park however, some things did not make sense at all to me like a 15-year-old being in a mascot costume, how fast a roller coaster was built, the way the park was run etc
but again it is just a little romance book.

My other major complaint was the big dramatic reveal/climax of the book felt a little lacklustre which sucked since I actually was really invested. I was intrigued by the direction they chose to take it so I wish it was built up a little bit more and we got a little bit more detail.

Overall, it was a super cute read, but I couldn’t give it anything more than three stars since it was really hard to relate to it and it felt very juvenile. (again it’s written for that age group, so it’s not a bad thing just wasn’t for me.)
Profile Image for Roberta Pierce.
46 reviews2 followers
July 28, 2025
Meet Me in Wonderland is the perfect pick for fans of sweet, slow-burn YA romance with real emotional bite. Set in a charming family-run theme park, this story follows Coco as she wrestles with the idea that the dream she’s been chasing—keeping Wonderland in the family—might not be everyone else’s dream too.

Cue Henry: the boy with a soft heart, a complicated father, and a mistake that just might cost him everything. His betrayal hurts, but his redemption? Whew. It’s tender, raw, and exactly what Coco deserves.

It’s cozy, it’s heartfelt, and it hits that bittersweet note of growing up and letting go. A solid 4-star read with just enough ache to make the sweetness land.

For readers who want love, legacy, and just a little heartbreak with their happily ever after.
Profile Image for Jaimes_Mystical_Library.
941 reviews47 followers
April 12, 2025
This was such a cute upper middle grade read. I loved following Coco and Henry in this romance story. I quickly fell in love with this book’s cast of characters and the overall storyline. This book had a lot of moments that made me laugh and also had me feeling for the characters at times. I really liked the amusement park setting since I haven’t read many books with that setting. Overall this was an excellent sweet romance book that I definitely recommend picking up.

Read this if you like:

📖 MG/YA Romance
📖 Amusement Parks
📖 Awkward Meet-Cutes
📖 Dual POV

Thank you to @simonkids for the gifted copy.
Profile Image for Ella.
5 reviews1 follower
May 19, 2025
This book is so so precious!!
The story was written so smoothly and everything flowed really well. Coco and Henry had my whole heart while reading this book!! I was swooning over all of their cute interactions haha. Absolutely read this book. It’s an easy read and an adorable middle grade story!
Profile Image for Florence Migga.
Author 1 book55 followers
May 28, 2025
Adorable. Everything I want in a MG romance and a great first book for my Summertime reads.
Profile Image for alexa.
181 reviews
February 12, 2025
A cute, quick, and easy read! I loved the premise of a family amusement park as a setting and I think it works really well for a YA/ middle grade book! Super cute and fluffy vibes

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!
Profile Image for Rebekkah.
98 reviews
March 4, 2025
A cute and quick read about Coco, a 14-year-old who is working at her family's amusement park for the summer. The characters occasionally felt a bit immature for their age, but I think older middle-grade/younger YA readers will identify with the characters and enjoy the plot, writing, and plentiful moose puns. 4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Ashli Rich.
221 reviews9 followers
April 28, 2025
Mascots, summer crushes, and a family amusement park? Yes, please!
A fun, flirty middle grade summer rom-com!
If you love amusement parks, awkward first crushes, and heartwarming coming-of-age moments, you’ll love Coco and Henry’s story.
Set against the backdrop of a family-run theme park, this sweet read mixes laughs, secret plans, and just the right amount of drama.
A perfect pick for fans of feel-good, summery middle grade reads!

1,220 reviews
August 24, 2025
This MS romance is everything our students and we librarians have been asking for: a fun romance for tweens that FEELS like a YA romance. It has the meet cute, fun banter, chemistry, ( will they kiss?) and the fact that it takes place at an amusement park brings it up a notch and makes for a fun read. Add the cute cover and we have ourselves a winner!
I purchased multiple copies because this one sells itself.
Profile Image for JL Salty.
2,025 reviews1 follower
August 5, 2025
Rating: g+ romance
Recommend: jh and up romance

Sweet. it’s just sweet. I would not think twice about recommending this to a 7th grader to read.

My only complaint is that this 14 and 15 year old act a little too old sometimes. Too … confident or something. In their speaking to each other, their handling of conflict …
Profile Image for Lila Davis.
4 reviews
August 4, 2025
I think this is an amazing book for a 12-13 year old. I also think the setting of an amusement park is perfect for the story. I will say I did predict the end which I don’t love but overall it was a great book!!
Profile Image for Maddie Vannoy.
157 reviews
August 6, 2025
I thought this book was incredible. It was very fast paced, easy to visualize, and the splash of romance with the duel POV was great! I absolutely loved Henry and Coco’s story and the amusement park aspect had me thinking about going to Knott’s Berry Farm or Disneyland. 5 Stars!
Profile Image for Genevieve Shuler.
12 reviews
November 14, 2025
Super cute book! Read it for the book club I’m in. Excited that the authors gonna sign my book! I’d let my future kids read this great wholesome story and loved the characters growth and childlike love story ❤️
28 reviews
Read
August 23, 2025
I can't decide whether to rate it 4 or 5 because I'm so far away from the intended age range. As an adult, it made for a fun, sweet, quick beach read.
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