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Left on Read
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Expected 11 Aug 26In this rivals-to-lovers romcom from Marissa Eller, overachiever Murphy wants one thing: to be the top student in her school. So when a student who could beat her turns up, she tries to keep her eyes on her own paper… and off this infuriatingly perfect boy.
School is everything to Murphy—literally everything, since she’s missed out on all of the Traditional High School Things in pursuit of academic success. Her senior year is going to be perfect, and so is she... because she's pushing herself to her physical and mental limit. All she needs to do is ignore her mounting anxiety! Which is probably clinical! La la la!
But Hayes—her ultrasmart, ultra-annoying rival for valedictorian—is making her year far less perfect than she imagined.
He's after that top spot, and he doesn’t care who he has to shove outside. But when Murphy and Hayes are paired up for a group project on student mental health, Murphy discovers that he might be the only one who understands what she’s going through. The burnout. The self-doubt. The unrelenting grind. Together, they can stand up to the pressures of academia, family, and the way most traveled... if they partner up in more ways than one.
School is everything to Murphy—literally everything, since she’s missed out on all of the Traditional High School Things in pursuit of academic success. Her senior year is going to be perfect, and so is she... because she's pushing herself to her physical and mental limit. All she needs to do is ignore her mounting anxiety! Which is probably clinical! La la la!
But Hayes—her ultrasmart, ultra-annoying rival for valedictorian—is making her year far less perfect than she imagined.
He's after that top spot, and he doesn’t care who he has to shove outside. But when Murphy and Hayes are paired up for a group project on student mental health, Murphy discovers that he might be the only one who understands what she’s going through. The burnout. The self-doubt. The unrelenting grind. Together, they can stand up to the pressures of academia, family, and the way most traveled... if they partner up in more ways than one.
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 11, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 31, 2026
Thank you RBMedia and NetGalley for the audio ARC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Left on Read was such a sweet and charming YA romance! I really enjoyed the rivals to lovers storyline, and Murphy and Hayes had great chemistry. Their journey from academic rivals to understanding and supporting each other was both adorable and heartfelt.
The audiobook narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters and their emotions to life, making it an easy and enjoyable listen from beginning to end. I also appreciated how the story explored anxiety, burnout, and the pressure to be perfect in a thoughtful and relatable way while still keeping the romance light and fun.
This was a really cute story with lovable characters, plenty of heart, and a message about finding balance and letting people in. If you enjoy sweet YA romances with academic rivals, this one is definitely worth picking up!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Left on Read was such a sweet and charming YA romance! I really enjoyed the rivals to lovers storyline, and Murphy and Hayes had great chemistry. Their journey from academic rivals to understanding and supporting each other was both adorable and heartfelt.
The audiobook narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters and their emotions to life, making it an easy and enjoyable listen from beginning to end. I also appreciated how the story explored anxiety, burnout, and the pressure to be perfect in a thoughtful and relatable way while still keeping the romance light and fun.
This was a really cute story with lovable characters, plenty of heart, and a message about finding balance and letting people in. If you enjoy sweet YA romances with academic rivals, this one is definitely worth picking up!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and Holiday House for giving me access to read this in exchange of an honest review.
🪼⋆.ೃ࿔*:
4 rounded up to 4,75 ⭐️
This YA romance book is a breath of fresh air. I loved reading the story of Nova and Hayes so much. This story really dives into how school causes a lot of stress, anxiety and other mental health issues, especially when you're in a special program. I think this is a very important topic and I enjoyed seeing it being talked about.
The story follows Nova, a 12th grade student in the fast forward program to College, while still in high school. She's one of the best students, has a high GPA, and dreams of becoming an english professor one day. She always puts all the efforts that she can in her studying. Being in the advanced program means burnout, being tired a lot and also hating on your academic rival. Hayes is the nemesis of Nova, he's the perfect picture of a guy who has it all without needing to put that much effort. That's how Nova mostly saw him, the arrogant guy who won president of BETA club the previous year and made fun of her. However, behind this persona, hides a guy that never offered too much of himself and tried to show his interest in the wrong way. Hayes is the son of two successful docters, his older brother is also in Med School in an Ivy League, so the expectations are high. But what hides behind those expectations is someone who doesn't want to go that way but doesn't know what to do to show it. Nova and Hayes both find themselves in the same American English Lit class, the one that Nova has been waiting for since her freshman year, but what awaits them was completely different from what I imagined and even managed to go throught her cracks and destroy that image she made in her head.
˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪ ౨ৎ˚ I honestly loved this story a lot, I will never stop talking about how cute they are and how the character building and background was so well done. It helped to understand the dynamic between the MC and to appreciate how they started to get closer and learn to enjoy each other's company.
If you're an adept of a slow burn, academic rivals, enemies to lovers and a cute YA romance, then this is definitely for you.
🪼⋆.ೃ࿔*:
4 rounded up to 4,75 ⭐️
This YA romance book is a breath of fresh air. I loved reading the story of Nova and Hayes so much. This story really dives into how school causes a lot of stress, anxiety and other mental health issues, especially when you're in a special program. I think this is a very important topic and I enjoyed seeing it being talked about.
The story follows Nova, a 12th grade student in the fast forward program to College, while still in high school. She's one of the best students, has a high GPA, and dreams of becoming an english professor one day. She always puts all the efforts that she can in her studying. Being in the advanced program means burnout, being tired a lot and also hating on your academic rival. Hayes is the nemesis of Nova, he's the perfect picture of a guy who has it all without needing to put that much effort. That's how Nova mostly saw him, the arrogant guy who won president of BETA club the previous year and made fun of her. However, behind this persona, hides a guy that never offered too much of himself and tried to show his interest in the wrong way. Hayes is the son of two successful docters, his older brother is also in Med School in an Ivy League, so the expectations are high. But what hides behind those expectations is someone who doesn't want to go that way but doesn't know what to do to show it. Nova and Hayes both find themselves in the same American English Lit class, the one that Nova has been waiting for since her freshman year, but what awaits them was completely different from what I imagined and even managed to go throught her cracks and destroy that image she made in her head.
˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪ ౨ৎ˚ I honestly loved this story a lot, I will never stop talking about how cute they are and how the character building and background was so well done. It helped to understand the dynamic between the MC and to appreciate how they started to get closer and learn to enjoy each other's company.
If you're an adept of a slow burn, academic rivals, enemies to lovers and a cute YA romance, then this is definitely for you.
August 5, 2026
This is quick, cute, no smut/spice romance read about two teenagers in high school, initially academic rivals, then lovers. I would recommend this book to a middle school or early high school audience. As I was reading, it gave me the vibes of a much lower reading comprehension level. It definitely reminded me of something I would have read in middle school!
The audiobook narrator was good, and I had no problems paying attention or listening to her.
Why I rated it 3 (2.75*) stars:
There were too many things going on to have the plot move so quickly. The resolutions to some of the problems; i.e. a rude, disinterested tenured professor, were unreal and could have been written better.
I see this book being called an enemies-to-lovers, which is untrue, and there was also barely any documentation of them being rivals-to-lovers other than describing Hayes mess with the Murphy's car in the past. If this book would have included more of those two being actual rivals in the beginning present, it would have been much better.
I also keep seeing this book marketed with disability representation - the only thing that has been actually said was "anxiety" when it came to Murphy. It is implied that there are other things going on (which is why others have said that the main character is neurodivergent), but never is it actually stated in the book or synopsis.
This book attempts to discuss deeper topics, like how attending an academically advanced program can cause burnout, anxiety, and stress, however, it only touches the surface level of this. As someone who attended an advanced program myself (as well as did clubs, academic leadership, and sports), if I had read this in middle or high school, it would have resonated more if the book had really discussed these deeper topics, on a deeper level.
Thank you to the publisher, audiobook production company, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The audiobook narrator was good, and I had no problems paying attention or listening to her.
Why I rated it 3 (2.75*) stars:
There were too many things going on to have the plot move so quickly. The resolutions to some of the problems; i.e. a rude, disinterested tenured professor, were unreal and could have been written better.
I see this book being called an enemies-to-lovers, which is untrue, and there was also barely any documentation of them being rivals-to-lovers other than describing Hayes mess with the Murphy's car in the past. If this book would have included more of those two being actual rivals in the beginning present, it would have been much better.
I also keep seeing this book marketed with disability representation - the only thing that has been actually said was "anxiety" when it came to Murphy. It is implied that there are other things going on (which is why others have said that the main character is neurodivergent), but never is it actually stated in the book or synopsis.
This book attempts to discuss deeper topics, like how attending an academically advanced program can cause burnout, anxiety, and stress, however, it only touches the surface level of this. As someone who attended an advanced program myself (as well as did clubs, academic leadership, and sports), if I had read this in middle or high school, it would have resonated more if the book had really discussed these deeper topics, on a deeper level.
Thank you to the publisher, audiobook production company, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
** Thank you to Holiday House Publishing for giving me an ARC of this book via NetGalley! These thoughts are my own. **
I really wish I liked this book more than I did. I enjoyed the book for the most part, but I had a few issues with it.
For one, I think the plot was a little too busy for the length of the book. Technically everything introduced in the story got wrapped up, but I wanted more depth to the storylines, and the plot overall felt unfocused and shallow.
Another huge issue I had with all of the plot lines is that they all resolve incredibly quickly or are just really unrealistic. For example, Nova and Hayes take a class with a horrible professor. I have been there, done that. However, no one reports the professor, and after Nova has a run-in with this professor later in the story, the dean gets notified (finally) and the storyline just.... ends. The dean talks a little bit about possible repercussions but nothing really gets wrapped up in a satisfying way. Then the story moves onto new storylines that also technically finish but not in a satisfying way. I got to the end of the book and actually asked myself, "is this really where the book ends?".
I also found the characters to be quite one-dimensional. I really liked Nova and Hayes, but they were barely enemies and fell in love really quickly with each other. I'm honestly not quite sure what they loved about each other, either, and that makes me sad, since they were cute together.
Overall, Left On Read had potential, but due to plot, pacing, and character issues, it fell flat for me.
I really wish I liked this book more than I did. I enjoyed the book for the most part, but I had a few issues with it.
For one, I think the plot was a little too busy for the length of the book. Technically everything introduced in the story got wrapped up, but I wanted more depth to the storylines, and the plot overall felt unfocused and shallow.
Another huge issue I had with all of the plot lines is that they all resolve incredibly quickly or are just really unrealistic. For example, Nova and Hayes take a class with a horrible professor. I have been there, done that. However, no one reports the professor, and after Nova has a run-in with this professor later in the story, the dean gets notified (finally) and the storyline just.... ends. The dean talks a little bit about possible repercussions but nothing really gets wrapped up in a satisfying way. Then the story moves onto new storylines that also technically finish but not in a satisfying way. I got to the end of the book and actually asked myself, "is this really where the book ends?".
I also found the characters to be quite one-dimensional. I really liked Nova and Hayes, but they were barely enemies and fell in love really quickly with each other. I'm honestly not quite sure what they loved about each other, either, and that makes me sad, since they were cute together.
Overall, Left On Read had potential, but due to plot, pacing, and character issues, it fell flat for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Holiday House for providing a complimentary eARC of this book via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I started reading this for a cute YA rivals-to-lovers story, but I didn't expect to be hit hard by the truth of mental health. The author does a fantastic job of weaving these elements into the story. I really identified a lot with Nova - the perfectionism, burnout, tying my worth and value to my academic success. Fantastic! I was really rooting for her throughout the book and I loved her!
Hayes felt like a good complement to her character. I admit that while I enjoyed their relationship, the movement from rivals to friends to lovers felt a little under explored. We basically got the whole “he’s rude because he likes you”, and I wish we had spent some more time unpacking how he ended up falling first. I also wished we’d spent some more time with his family expectations instead of seeing the resolution play out in a summary. Overall their relationship was cute and about what you’d expect from a YA book - though my fave part is him accepting her and learning about her triggers/migraines to take care of her. Truly adorable.
Some parts felt overly descriptive; others felt too quick and lacked some emotional depth especially when looking at her friendships. However, I enjoyed the overall vibe of Left on Read and would recommend for a quick read about academic rivals to lovers with incredible messaging on the importance of self-care and taking care of your mental health.
I started reading this for a cute YA rivals-to-lovers story, but I didn't expect to be hit hard by the truth of mental health. The author does a fantastic job of weaving these elements into the story. I really identified a lot with Nova - the perfectionism, burnout, tying my worth and value to my academic success. Fantastic! I was really rooting for her throughout the book and I loved her!
Hayes felt like a good complement to her character. I admit that while I enjoyed their relationship, the movement from rivals to friends to lovers felt a little under explored. We basically got the whole “he’s rude because he likes you”, and I wish we had spent some more time unpacking how he ended up falling first. I also wished we’d spent some more time with his family expectations instead of seeing the resolution play out in a summary. Overall their relationship was cute and about what you’d expect from a YA book - though my fave part is him accepting her and learning about her triggers/migraines to take care of her. Truly adorable.
Some parts felt overly descriptive; others felt too quick and lacked some emotional depth especially when looking at her friendships. However, I enjoyed the overall vibe of Left on Read and would recommend for a quick read about academic rivals to lovers with incredible messaging on the importance of self-care and taking care of your mental health.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Title: Left on Read
Stars : ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spicy: 🚫
Thanks to @netgalley I was able to read LEFT ON READ!
Left on read is a YA romance book, it touched on subjects that kids deal with in school and don’t usually like to talk about, stress, burned out, bullied, over worked, high expectations.
Nova is a 12th Grader of a very special school that incorporates high school with college courses, Nova is the older sister she has 2 younger brothers. Nova pushes her self to be the best In school, to show her brothers that it’s possible but also to make it easier for them, Nova is a very smart girl but puts a lot of pressure on herself to be the best, Nova also wants to be an English teacher,
Hayes is an only child both his parents are doctors and hold him up to a high standard, they also expect him to be a doctor like them even though he doesn’t want to be.
Nova and Hayes are in the same school for gifted kids, they are also In the same Beta club, after Hayes try’s to sabotage nova while she was giving her speech junior year so since then nova has hated him, but this is her last year at this school and she is determined to make it count and not let him bother her ! They ultimately have to work together to fix a problem, and nova realizes that Hayes isn’t a bad guy and that she’s actually really smart and will do anything for the people he cares about! This was a great book! Not my usual read but it was worth it!
Stars : ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spicy: 🚫
Thanks to @netgalley I was able to read LEFT ON READ!
Left on read is a YA romance book, it touched on subjects that kids deal with in school and don’t usually like to talk about, stress, burned out, bullied, over worked, high expectations.
Nova is a 12th Grader of a very special school that incorporates high school with college courses, Nova is the older sister she has 2 younger brothers. Nova pushes her self to be the best In school, to show her brothers that it’s possible but also to make it easier for them, Nova is a very smart girl but puts a lot of pressure on herself to be the best, Nova also wants to be an English teacher,
Hayes is an only child both his parents are doctors and hold him up to a high standard, they also expect him to be a doctor like them even though he doesn’t want to be.
Nova and Hayes are in the same school for gifted kids, they are also In the same Beta club, after Hayes try’s to sabotage nova while she was giving her speech junior year so since then nova has hated him, but this is her last year at this school and she is determined to make it count and not let him bother her ! They ultimately have to work together to fix a problem, and nova realizes that Hayes isn’t a bad guy and that she’s actually really smart and will do anything for the people he cares about! This was a great book! Not my usual read but it was worth it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It’s senior year at an Early College High School program, where academics is the focus and you can graduate with both an Associates Degree and your high school diploma at the same time. It’s more pressure than many can handle, but what will happen when two bitter rivals, Nova and Hayes, have to put aside their differences and work together? Both on the path to become Valedictorian, will the academic rigor, family, and navigating peer relationships help them find some common ground, or will their rivalry only deepen as the year progresses?
In her sophomore novel, Eller, pens a refreshing coming of age rivals-to-lovers story. Nova, a neurodivergent teen, is blessedly treated as “normal” by the author, where her quirks are accepted by those around her and are just an integral part of who she is as a person. I could wholly relate to the characters in this book on many levels. As a teacher at an Early College High School program, she nailed the academic intensity and pressure such a program has on it’s students, and as the parent of a neurodivergent teen attending such a program, she accurately and empathetically described what life is like on a day-to-day basis for my child, all the while weaving in the complex challenges teens face as they traverse through love and high school.
I would highly recommend this novel for a high school audience.
In her sophomore novel, Eller, pens a refreshing coming of age rivals-to-lovers story. Nova, a neurodivergent teen, is blessedly treated as “normal” by the author, where her quirks are accepted by those around her and are just an integral part of who she is as a person. I could wholly relate to the characters in this book on many levels. As a teacher at an Early College High School program, she nailed the academic intensity and pressure such a program has on it’s students, and as the parent of a neurodivergent teen attending such a program, she accurately and empathetically described what life is like on a day-to-day basis for my child, all the while weaving in the complex challenges teens face as they traverse through love and high school.
I would highly recommend this novel for a high school audience.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Nova has worked herself to the bone the past three years in her early college high school program. Not only is she going to be graduating with her high school diploma, but she’ll also have two years of college under her belt. And if that wasn’t enough, she is in the running for valedictorian and Beta Club president–as long as her nemesis, Hayes, doesn’t get in her way. So as Nova starts off her senior year, she is ecstatic to learn that she will be taking the college lit course that she has always wanted to take with the professor she has idolized. However, nothing is as it seems and when Hayes also shows up in the same class, Nova is afraid her senior year will not go as she hoped.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I loved the setting and the focus (at the end) on mental health–teaching at an early college high school I can say that there is a real need for more mental health resources for these students. The setting also brings a fresh take on a very over-written theme. On the other hand, Nova’s voice and character are inconsistent, with her coming off as much younger than she is at times. I also felt that some of her mannerisms were showcased as on the spectrum, however it felt like it was hit and miss. In the end, I would recommend this book to high school students, especially those in an early college program.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I loved the setting and the focus (at the end) on mental health–teaching at an early college high school I can say that there is a real need for more mental health resources for these students. The setting also brings a fresh take on a very over-written theme. On the other hand, Nova’s voice and character are inconsistent, with her coming off as much younger than she is at times. I also felt that some of her mannerisms were showcased as on the spectrum, however it felt like it was hit and miss. In the end, I would recommend this book to high school students, especially those in an early college program.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was cute! I found that it was perfectly suited for the young adult audience it was written for, as well as older adults who really enjoy the genre. Is it for the wider adult audience? Nah, not really, and that’s okay!
The plot moves along at a quick pace, with the various challenges the main characters face being addressed and “solved” in a very compartmentalized way before the next hiccup occurs. Beneath all of that is the romance between two academic rivals who get to know each other while working toward a common goal.
I think the plot can teach a younger audience a lot about the pressures of school, life, love, and beyond, while giving readers some insight and encouragement. I loved the chemistry between Murphy (the FMC) and Hayes, and that they weren’t your typical teen main characters. I think it’s a story many readers can identify with.
I was grateful to receive a complimentary ALC from RB Media via NetGalley. The narration by Laura Knight Keating was wonderful. She sounded age-appropriate and read at a good pace at 1x speed, and her tone remained intact even when I sped it up to 2x, thanks to the excellent sound engineering.
I think this is a timely release for teens heading back to school this fall. If you’re looking for a strong FMC, an age-appropriate romance, and characters navigating challenges at school, at home, and beyond, this is one to consider.
The plot moves along at a quick pace, with the various challenges the main characters face being addressed and “solved” in a very compartmentalized way before the next hiccup occurs. Beneath all of that is the romance between two academic rivals who get to know each other while working toward a common goal.
I think the plot can teach a younger audience a lot about the pressures of school, life, love, and beyond, while giving readers some insight and encouragement. I loved the chemistry between Murphy (the FMC) and Hayes, and that they weren’t your typical teen main characters. I think it’s a story many readers can identify with.
I was grateful to receive a complimentary ALC from RB Media via NetGalley. The narration by Laura Knight Keating was wonderful. She sounded age-appropriate and read at a good pace at 1x speed, and her tone remained intact even when I sped it up to 2x, thanks to the excellent sound engineering.
I think this is a timely release for teens heading back to school this fall. If you’re looking for a strong FMC, an age-appropriate romance, and characters navigating challenges at school, at home, and beyond, this is one to consider.
Read
August 4, 2026Thank you to RBmedia | Recorded Books for the ALC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Murphy is a textbook overachiever (literally). She’s used to pushing herself to the mental limit for academic success, and all the teacher accolades that come with the territory. She’s not prepared for either 1) competition at the top or 2) a lackluster English teacher whose approval remains out of reach.
This was a cute book, but I had a hard time believing just how far Murphy went to make up for the English teacher who had phoned it in entirely. I mean, tutoring students is one thing but no one reporting this teacher to admin was not believable to me
What I loved was Murphy explaining the intricacies of Pride & Prejudice to Hayes. This was adorable and the kind of intense literary analysis I adore. Life really does comes down to which emotional support Austen film adaptation you pop into the DVD player when life gets hard, and our FMC has great taste.
This audiobook was narrated by Laura Knight Keating. I didn’t mind the audio, but am not sure I would listen to it again.
Murphy is a textbook overachiever (literally). She’s used to pushing herself to the mental limit for academic success, and all the teacher accolades that come with the territory. She’s not prepared for either 1) competition at the top or 2) a lackluster English teacher whose approval remains out of reach.
This was a cute book, but I had a hard time believing just how far Murphy went to make up for the English teacher who had phoned it in entirely. I mean, tutoring students is one thing but no one reporting this teacher to admin was not believable to me
What I loved was Murphy explaining the intricacies of Pride & Prejudice to Hayes. This was adorable and the kind of intense literary analysis I adore. Life really does comes down to which emotional support Austen film adaptation you pop into the DVD player when life gets hard, and our FMC has great taste.
This audiobook was narrated by Laura Knight Keating. I didn’t mind the audio, but am not sure I would listen to it again.
August 5, 2026
Thank you to RBMedia, NetGalley, and Marissa Eller for the ALC!
This Young Adult romance was a refreshing change of pace from my previous reads. This book dives right into the stress, anxiety, and burn out that can happen overtime in school and in the workplace. Our main characters expressed how important your mental health and a support system are to become successful.
Laura Knight Keating did a phenomenal job on audio and the emotions felt authentic and realistic. She did a great job at narrating both our main characters. You could feel the tension throughout the story as they are academic rivals to lovers. I enjoyed the pacing of this story overall, but I felt that the conversation between Nova and her teacher in the office was a bit rushed.
If you’re looking for a sweet, rivals to lovers young adult romance this book is for you! This would be perfect for young adults finishing high school or just starting out in college, but also for anyone older! It is also a cute and clean romance to fit in between any of your heavy or darker reads.
This Young Adult romance was a refreshing change of pace from my previous reads. This book dives right into the stress, anxiety, and burn out that can happen overtime in school and in the workplace. Our main characters expressed how important your mental health and a support system are to become successful.
Laura Knight Keating did a phenomenal job on audio and the emotions felt authentic and realistic. She did a great job at narrating both our main characters. You could feel the tension throughout the story as they are academic rivals to lovers. I enjoyed the pacing of this story overall, but I felt that the conversation between Nova and her teacher in the office was a bit rushed.
If you’re looking for a sweet, rivals to lovers young adult romance this book is for you! This would be perfect for young adults finishing high school or just starting out in college, but also for anyone older! It is also a cute and clean romance to fit in between any of your heavy or darker reads.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars rounded up:
This was a cute YA read both leads are struggling with high stress placed on them by themselves and in the MMC's case his parents as well. The rivals in school aspect reminded me of the show "Never Have I Ever."
I appreciated the leads working together to try to help get appropriate mental health services set up for future students setting their sights on higher academic goals.
I understand that I am not the target audience for this book and believe that middle school/high school kids looking for an age appropriate romance might enjoy this one.
The narrator did a great job bringing this story to life!
book blog: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...
*Netgalley ALC *Enemies --> More *High school romance *high stress *class rivals
*Mental health representation *State Challenge North Carolina *long term grudge
*Single POV *good friend group *age appropriate YA
This was a cute YA read both leads are struggling with high stress placed on them by themselves and in the MMC's case his parents as well. The rivals in school aspect reminded me of the show "Never Have I Ever."
I appreciated the leads working together to try to help get appropriate mental health services set up for future students setting their sights on higher academic goals.
I understand that I am not the target audience for this book and believe that middle school/high school kids looking for an age appropriate romance might enjoy this one.
The narrator did a great job bringing this story to life!
book blog: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...
*Netgalley ALC *Enemies --> More *High school romance *high stress *class rivals
*Mental health representation *State Challenge North Carolina *long term grudge
*Single POV *good friend group *age appropriate YA
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for this cute YA e-arc of Left on Read in exchange for an honest review. Nova is a Poe fanatic, germaphobe and touch adverse, academic striving for excellence in all areas of her life. She has a rivalry with Hayes, who is also in the same academic excellence program. They have been in constant competition but their senior year brings challenges that bring them together in an unlikely partnership and unveiling feelings they can't ignore.
I love the mental health representation and classmates and friends bonding together to fight for their health and happiness. In their academic program, Nova is in burn out and luckily she has Hayes and her friends to support her through a horrible professor, personal expectations, and relationships. Hayes was so sweet and they complimented each other so well leading them to work together to accomplish great things.
This is a great teenage authentic story! 3.5 stars!
I love the mental health representation and classmates and friends bonding together to fight for their health and happiness. In their academic program, Nova is in burn out and luckily she has Hayes and her friends to support her through a horrible professor, personal expectations, and relationships. Hayes was so sweet and they complimented each other so well leading them to work together to accomplish great things.
This is a great teenage authentic story! 3.5 stars!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Holiday House for the ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Murphy is a textbook overachiever (literally). She’s used to pushing herself to the mental limit for academic success, and all the teacher accolades that come with the territory. She’s not prepared for either 1) competition at the top or 2) a lackluster English teacher whose approval remains out of reach.
This was a cute book, but I had a hard time believing just how far Murphy went to make up for the English teacher who had phoned it in entirely. I mean, tutoring students is one thing but no one reporting this teacher to admin was not believable to me
What I loved was Murphy explaining the intricacies of Pride & Prejudice to Hayes. This was adorable and the kind of intense literary analysis I adore. Life really does comes down to which emotional support Austen film adaptation you pop into the DVD player when life gets hard, and our FMC has great taste.
Murphy is a textbook overachiever (literally). She’s used to pushing herself to the mental limit for academic success, and all the teacher accolades that come with the territory. She’s not prepared for either 1) competition at the top or 2) a lackluster English teacher whose approval remains out of reach.
This was a cute book, but I had a hard time believing just how far Murphy went to make up for the English teacher who had phoned it in entirely. I mean, tutoring students is one thing but no one reporting this teacher to admin was not believable to me
What I loved was Murphy explaining the intricacies of Pride & Prejudice to Hayes. This was adorable and the kind of intense literary analysis I adore. Life really does comes down to which emotional support Austen film adaptation you pop into the DVD player when life gets hard, and our FMC has great taste.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5/5 stars
Left on Read by Marissa Eller is a delightful YA romance about two academic rivals who start to fall for each other as their English class falls apart. The story has well-written main characters with great chemistry. One of the main characters has chronic migraines which I really appreciated. The overall ensemble of characters is fairly diverse. Additionally, the radio book has lovely narration with the performer bring a lot of emotion and personality to her performance.
What I liked most about Left on Read (audio book edition):
~ Disability rep (FMC with chronic migraine)!
~ Great chemistry between MCs!
~ Diverse ensemble of characters!
~ Engaging & emotive audiobook narration!
Overall rating: 3.5/5 stars
💙Romance: ★★★★☆ 4/5
♿️Disability rep: ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
🦋Diversity: ★★★★☆ 4/5
📘Plot: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
🖋️Writing: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
🎧Narration: ★★★★☆ 4/5
Thank you RBmedia for providing me with a ARC of this audio book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Left on Read by Marissa Eller is a delightful YA romance about two academic rivals who start to fall for each other as their English class falls apart. The story has well-written main characters with great chemistry. One of the main characters has chronic migraines which I really appreciated. The overall ensemble of characters is fairly diverse. Additionally, the radio book has lovely narration with the performer bring a lot of emotion and personality to her performance.
What I liked most about Left on Read (audio book edition):
~ Disability rep (FMC with chronic migraine)!
~ Great chemistry between MCs!
~ Diverse ensemble of characters!
~ Engaging & emotive audiobook narration!
Overall rating: 3.5/5 stars
💙Romance: ★★★★☆ 4/5
♿️Disability rep: ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
🦋Diversity: ★★★★☆ 4/5
📘Plot: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
🖋️Writing: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
🎧Narration: ★★★★☆ 4/5
Thank you RBmedia for providing me with a ARC of this audio book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Eller achieves sophomore book success with this academic rivals to lovers YA romance about Nova, a neurodivergent teen struggling under the weight and expectations of her senior year at an accelerated college program. I loved that autism/autistic traits are never explicitly addressed but anyone who is familiar with them will feel seen.
There's great disability rep (Nova has chronic migraines) and mental health rep as Nova fights for better mental health supports at her school and finds love with Hayes, the one boy she thought hated her but has actually been one of her biggest supporters and who loves her for who she is. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Jackie Khalilieh and Elle McNicoll.
There's great disability rep (Nova has chronic migraines) and mental health rep as Nova fights for better mental health supports at her school and finds love with Hayes, the one boy she thought hated her but has actually been one of her biggest supporters and who loves her for who she is. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Jackie Khalilieh and Elle McNicoll.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Advanced reader's copy review
This book was so sweet and so beautiful. For starters, I love an overachieving, anxious academic, so I absolutely adored Nova. She also has a heart of gold, always reaching out to help those around her no matter what, from her family to her classmates. She pushes herself to be the best, but she also uplifts those around her at the same time. This book was also an ode to Pride and Prejudice, from Nova’s literary analysis to the romance between her and Hayes. Hayes did something truly awful to Nova and hurt her, but he was able to recognize his immaturity and the damage he did, and sincerely apologize. And he spent this whole book making it up to her, complimenting her genius and hard work and earning both her trust and her affections. Of course, I have to shout out her best friend Esha for pointing out Nova’s feelings for Hayes and just being an all round amazing friend. Lastly, I loved how this book portrayed burn out, stress, and mental health. The ending was amazing, especially for that aspect. So overall I highly recommend this book!
Thank you Holiday House and NetGalley for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
This book was so sweet and so beautiful. For starters, I love an overachieving, anxious academic, so I absolutely adored Nova. She also has a heart of gold, always reaching out to help those around her no matter what, from her family to her classmates. She pushes herself to be the best, but she also uplifts those around her at the same time. This book was also an ode to Pride and Prejudice, from Nova’s literary analysis to the romance between her and Hayes. Hayes did something truly awful to Nova and hurt her, but he was able to recognize his immaturity and the damage he did, and sincerely apologize. And he spent this whole book making it up to her, complimenting her genius and hard work and earning both her trust and her affections. Of course, I have to shout out her best friend Esha for pointing out Nova’s feelings for Hayes and just being an all round amazing friend. Lastly, I loved how this book portrayed burn out, stress, and mental health. The ending was amazing, especially for that aspect. So overall I highly recommend this book!
Thank you Holiday House and NetGalley for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
July 31, 2026
I tried to keep in mind that this was written for young adults and from that perspective. But.. a high school senior is not capable of running and encouraging a college level American Lit class. So, throwing reality out the window is a major part of this book.
Other than that, it’s pretty okay. It’s a YA romance and it fits into that mold pretty well. I don’t think it’s winning any awards, but it’s not bad.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.
Other than that, it’s pretty okay. It’s a YA romance and it fits into that mold pretty well. I don’t think it’s winning any awards, but it’s not bad.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I had a good time listening to this book. The narrator did a terrific job, and Nova was easy to root for and she and Hayes had good chemistry. However, while I know that the YA genre can be unrealistic at times, multiple storylines didn't get wrapped up that well, and the beta club subplot felt out of left field in between everything else. 3.5/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for providing me an advanced listener's copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for providing me an advanced listener's copy.
April 11, 2026
I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley. As someone who grew up with an autistic sister, it is so nice to read books that represent autistic people is a great way. Mental Health was also brought in so well, especially for YA. This also really reminded me of the show “Never Have I Ever” which is one of my favorites. If you love a good slow burn enemies to lovers, you’ll love this one!
April 20, 2026
I had so much fun with this one. You get the academic rivals to lovers who come together via a school project in which they learn to work together and dare I say… understand each other? This is a great read especially for those of you dealing with anxiety and academic pressure along with just the pressure of being a teen growing into adulthood.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"What i love the most is the way his mind connects to mine."
I absolutely loved listening to an early audio copy of this book. This one made me giggle, and "awww" and also say "you dummy" like the characters could hear me. The background towards the end also has a good lesson to learn in my opinion as well. This cute little young adult romance is a must read!
I absolutely loved listening to an early audio copy of this book. This one made me giggle, and "awww" and also say "you dummy" like the characters could hear me. The background towards the end also has a good lesson to learn in my opinion as well. This cute little young adult romance is a must read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this book as an ARC, but all opinions are my own.
4.25 ⭐
This was such an adorable cutsey read! I loved Hayes and Nova! The way they were able to work together in English and how Hayes was helpful with Novas mental episodes was so sweet and enduring.
4.25 ⭐
This was such an adorable cutsey read! I loved Hayes and Nova! The way they were able to work together in English and how Hayes was helpful with Novas mental episodes was so sweet and enduring.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5/5!! This was so cuteeee and such a fun read. I loved how there was not only a cute blooming romance but also discussion on teenagers mental health and academic pressure. I cant wait to recommend it to my teens at the library.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Left on Read by Marissa Eller is a rivals-to-lovers romance set at an elite prep school. Nora is driven to be both valedictorian and senior class president. But there’s one annoying, super-smart boy in the way: Hayes. The same kid who ruined her class presentation the year before by setting off her car alarm, forcing her to abandon her presentation and be escorted by a security guard to the parking lot. The same Hayes who will likely be both valedictorian and senior class president unless Nora can do something drastic. It’s enough to push Nora’s anxiety into the stratosphere. Then a teacher does the unthinkable: pairs Nora and Hayes on a project about mental health. And it doesn’t take long for Nora to realize that despite how much she hates everything about him, maybe Hayes is the only person who can really relate to all the stress and burnout that she’s going through. The two are in a class where the teacher is completely checked out, and Hayes does the unthinkable – much to Nora’s horror and delight – he suggests to the other students that Nora could teach them the subject matter. If you like a good slow-burn enemies to friends to more high school romance, Left on Read might be for you.
June 24, 2026
#netgalley Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advance reader copy to review.
I really enjoyed this book. I love reading YA and middle grade fiction, and this was a great book to read. I enjoyed the characters and seeing how their relationship changed throughout the book. If you like an enemies-to-lovers cute romance with no spice, this is definitely it.
I really enjoyed this book. I love reading YA and middle grade fiction, and this was a great book to read. I enjoyed the characters and seeing how their relationship changed throughout the book. If you like an enemies-to-lovers cute romance with no spice, this is definitely it.
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