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Riley + Sam
Riley Anderson swears she will never fall in love with Sammy Hong.
After all, every girl on earth already has.
But when Sam shows up next door with a scandal on his heels, their childhood friendship is rekindled and Riley feels the pull toward something more. But Sam is only here until the end of the summer and then he’s leaving to face the consequences of his actions and return to the world of pop stardom.
The pair, accompanied with Riley’s rambunctious younger cousin, make a list of all the things they want to do while Sam’s in town, but as they work through the activities and dodge rabid fangirls, letting Sam go may be harder than Riley ever imagined.
After all, every girl on earth already has.
But when Sam shows up next door with a scandal on his heels, their childhood friendship is rekindled and Riley feels the pull toward something more. But Sam is only here until the end of the summer and then he’s leaving to face the consequences of his actions and return to the world of pop stardom.
The pair, accompanied with Riley’s rambunctious younger cousin, make a list of all the things they want to do while Sam’s in town, but as they work through the activities and dodge rabid fangirls, letting Sam go may be harder than Riley ever imagined.
348 pages, Paperback
Published August 12, 2025
4 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Schaller
8 books34 followersAshley Schaller is an award winning author who prefers tea over coffee, will never say no to puppy snuggles, and proudly wears the title of “Dog Mom”. When not writing, she can often be found reading her next favorite book, baking, obsessing over owls (but only the cute cartoon ones), or learning new crochet patterns. As a writer, she seeks to create stories that glorify God. Stories that entertain, but you never have to worry about the content. To connect with Ashley and stay updated on all things books and writing, follow her on Instagram @ashleyschallerauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 11, 2025
4.5 stars, personally ⭐️ Christian Fiction - Contemporary YA
About this book:
“Riley Anderson swears she will never fall in love with Sammy Hong.
After all, every girl on earth already has.
But when Sam shows up next door with a scandal on his heels, their childhood friendship is rekindled and Riley feels the pull toward something more. But Sam is only here until the end of the summer and then he's leaving to face the consequences of his actions and return to the world of pop stardom.
The pair, accompanied with Riley's rambunctious younger cousin, make a list of all the things they want to do while Sam's in town, but as they work through the activities and dodge rabid fangirls, letting Sam go may be harder than Riley ever imagined.”
Series: No, seems to be a stand-alone novel.
Spiritual Content- Many Prayers & Thanking God; A couple Scripture are mentioned; Some talks about God, praying, & having a faith; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Sam confesses to Riley about faith when growing up was easy because of it being his family’s thing and going to church, youth group, and Bible studies, but now that he is on his own, he isn’t sure he is saved (Riley tells him that he can be by believing that Christ died for his sins, repent, and ask Him into his heart); *Spoiler*; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of singing hymns & songs that point to the Savior; A few mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; A few mentions of church going, youth group, & Bible studies; A couple mentions of faiths & sharing daily Scriptures on social media; A mention of blessings; A mention of a cross necklace;
*Note: Mentions of luck & being lucky; A few mentions of ghost stories; A couple mentions of aliens (regarding to someone’s appearance when getting his hair dyed); A couple mentions of fate; A mention of the tooth fairy; A mention of a cavewoman.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, a ‘shoot’, an ‘oh my word’, two ‘wimp’s, three ‘dumb’s, five ‘duh’s, and six forms of ‘stupid’; Riley exclaims “cheese and crackers!” seventeen times; A mention of curses (said, not written); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Riley avoids lying; Some grief (Riley for her mom); Riley wonders about Sam’s relationship with his parents (including her wondering if they moved on from him once he bought them a mansion); Mentions of the death of a parent (from an unnamed illness) & grief (Riley and her family for their mom/wife); Mentions of death threats; Mentions of possible a serial killer or axe murderer, crimes, criminals, arrests, break-ins, kidnappings, & ransoms; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of parties & partying (which is not Riley’s idea of fun); A few mentions of car accidents; A couple mentions of blackmail; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of vomiting; A mention of a tattoo;
*Note: Riley struggles with the idea of her father dating.
Sexual Content- A bit of staring at lips, two fingers-to-lips touches, a cheek kiss, a forehead kiss, two almost kisses/wondering if a kiss will happen (barely-above-not-detailed), and one border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Some touches, embraces, hand holding, warmth, shivers/tingles, butterflies, & nearness; Noticing & Blushes; In a song, someone is called ‘baby’ a few times; Riley vowed a long time ago that she wouldn’t fall for Sam; Mentions of dates, dating, boyfriends/girlfriends, break-ups, & exes; Mentions of blushes; Mentions of crushes; A few mentions of broken hearts; A couple mentions of cute guys; A mention of a summer fling; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of a dog shoving his nose up a woman’s dress.
-Riley Anderson, age 17
1st person P.O.V. of Riley
323 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Five Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars (and a half)
So this was pure enjoyment for me. 10/10, no notes on that detail. This was so much fun to read and I think I had a smile on my face for the large majority of the book. At some points, it reminded me of “Sketchy Behavior” by Erynn Mangum even though the plots are completely different. (This is a very high compliment if you know me!) Maybe it was the artist main character or just the humor throughout the book, but I enjoyed this one even more because of it.
I loved the family element of this with Riley, her sister, dad, and younger cousin. Even though there was the grief of missing their mom/wife/aunt, they were such a happily realistic family and made me laugh often. Lou-Lou is a mess, but she was fantastic and really made the book even better. I think I highlighted over fifty parts that made me laugh out loud and most were because of her.
This story almost reminded me a bit of a teen movie—maybe Starstruck? But instead of the love interest being arrogant, they’re childhood-best-friends-to-more. That’s an easy “sign me up” to say because I love that trope with every fiber of my being. Riley and Sam were truly best friends despite the years apart and were able to go right back to how it was. I had a couple questions at the very end of the book that weren’t answered and would have liked the end to go longer, but overall I greatly enjoyed “Riley + Sam” with the summer setting, friends-to-more trope, the sassy cousin, and the perfect YA feel!
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
About this book:
“Riley Anderson swears she will never fall in love with Sammy Hong.
After all, every girl on earth already has.
But when Sam shows up next door with a scandal on his heels, their childhood friendship is rekindled and Riley feels the pull toward something more. But Sam is only here until the end of the summer and then he's leaving to face the consequences of his actions and return to the world of pop stardom.
The pair, accompanied with Riley's rambunctious younger cousin, make a list of all the things they want to do while Sam's in town, but as they work through the activities and dodge rabid fangirls, letting Sam go may be harder than Riley ever imagined.”
Series: No, seems to be a stand-alone novel.
Spiritual Content- Many Prayers & Thanking God; A couple Scripture are mentioned; Some talks about God, praying, & having a faith; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Sam confesses to Riley about faith when growing up was easy because of it being his family’s thing and going to church, youth group, and Bible studies, but now that he is on his own, he isn’t sure he is saved (Riley tells him that he can be by believing that Christ died for his sins, repent, and ask Him into his heart); *Spoiler*; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of singing hymns & songs that point to the Savior; A few mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; A few mentions of church going, youth group, & Bible studies; A couple mentions of faiths & sharing daily Scriptures on social media; A mention of blessings; A mention of a cross necklace;
*Note: Mentions of luck & being lucky; A few mentions of ghost stories; A couple mentions of aliens (regarding to someone’s appearance when getting his hair dyed); A couple mentions of fate; A mention of the tooth fairy; A mention of a cavewoman.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, a ‘shoot’, an ‘oh my word’, two ‘wimp’s, three ‘dumb’s, five ‘duh’s, and six forms of ‘stupid’; Riley exclaims “cheese and crackers!” seventeen times; A mention of curses (said, not written); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Riley avoids lying; Some grief (Riley for her mom); Riley wonders about Sam’s relationship with his parents (including her wondering if they moved on from him once he bought them a mansion); Mentions of the death of a parent (from an unnamed illness) & grief (Riley and her family for their mom/wife); Mentions of death threats; Mentions of possible a serial killer or axe murderer, crimes, criminals, arrests, break-ins, kidnappings, & ransoms; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of parties & partying (which is not Riley’s idea of fun); A few mentions of car accidents; A couple mentions of blackmail; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of vomiting; A mention of a tattoo;
*Note: Riley struggles with the idea of her father dating.
Sexual Content- A bit of staring at lips, two fingers-to-lips touches, a cheek kiss, a forehead kiss, two almost kisses/wondering if a kiss will happen (barely-above-not-detailed), and one border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Some touches, embraces, hand holding, warmth, shivers/tingles, butterflies, & nearness; Noticing & Blushes; In a song, someone is called ‘baby’ a few times; Riley vowed a long time ago that she wouldn’t fall for Sam; Mentions of dates, dating, boyfriends/girlfriends, break-ups, & exes; Mentions of blushes; Mentions of crushes; A few mentions of broken hearts; A couple mentions of cute guys; A mention of a summer fling; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of a dog shoving his nose up a woman’s dress.
-Riley Anderson, age 17
1st person P.O.V. of Riley
323 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Five Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars (and a half)
So this was pure enjoyment for me. 10/10, no notes on that detail. This was so much fun to read and I think I had a smile on my face for the large majority of the book. At some points, it reminded me of “Sketchy Behavior” by Erynn Mangum even though the plots are completely different. (This is a very high compliment if you know me!) Maybe it was the artist main character or just the humor throughout the book, but I enjoyed this one even more because of it.
I loved the family element of this with Riley, her sister, dad, and younger cousin. Even though there was the grief of missing their mom/wife/aunt, they were such a happily realistic family and made me laugh often. Lou-Lou is a mess, but she was fantastic and really made the book even better. I think I highlighted over fifty parts that made me laugh out loud and most were because of her.
This story almost reminded me a bit of a teen movie—maybe Starstruck? But instead of the love interest being arrogant, they’re childhood-best-friends-to-more. That’s an easy “sign me up” to say because I love that trope with every fiber of my being. Riley and Sam were truly best friends despite the years apart and were able to go right back to how it was. I had a couple questions at the very end of the book that weren’t answered and would have liked the end to go longer, but overall I greatly enjoyed “Riley + Sam” with the summer setting, friends-to-more trope, the sassy cousin, and the perfect YA feel!
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
August 16, 2025
Yes I finished this in all one day. Past my bedtime and starving from reading through my dinner time. But worth it….I hope lol! Ahh I enjoyed this so much. RTC in the morning!
August 5, 2025
Reading Riley+ Sam is like enjoying a warm chocolate chip cookie with a cool glass of milk: sweet and refreshing. It's often difficult to find a cute YA rom-com without added mature drama and this book is it! Very sweet, very cute and perfect for a light summer read that will leave you feeling happy all day long.
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August 9, 2025This was a cute YA romance!
August 9, 2025
As a widowed father. A dad of a tween daughter. This book was fantastic. I listened to the audio through net-galley. I found myself physically smiling, chuckling, and trying to guess how the spunky cousin was gonna respond. Such fun sass. It is a clean read I would give to my daughter happily. The father in the story is a widower as well. The author shows a real dad. He is not a doofus you can’t respect, but he isn’t perfect either. He is a loving dad trying his best to manage life, work and children as a widower. That is hard. I know.
June 20, 2025
Sooo cute!! I’m a sucker for friends to lovers and Sam and Riley are the cutest friends. I loved their relationship so much!! They seemed to genuinely love each other as people which I’m such a fan of.
There were a few things that I would’ve liked to have been explained (like why at the end did a certain someone not answer another someone’s calls?), or some things could’ve used a bit more polishing, but I still really enjoyed myself reading this.
This book is pure summery fun, clean as a whistle, and the perfect book for Christian teen Kpop fans!
There were a few things that I would’ve liked to have been explained (like why at the end did a certain someone not answer another someone’s calls?), or some things could’ve used a bit more polishing, but I still really enjoyed myself reading this.
This book is pure summery fun, clean as a whistle, and the perfect book for Christian teen Kpop fans!
June 27, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were relatable and easy to connect with, and the story had a great mix of humor, heart, and just the right amount of romance. The crushes and friendships felt authentic, and the adventures kept things moving at a fun pace.
It’s the kind of book that doesn’t try too hard—just a genuinely enjoyable, light read that makes a perfect pick for summer. Funny, sweet, and easy to fall into.
It’s the kind of book that doesn’t try too hard—just a genuinely enjoyable, light read that makes a perfect pick for summer. Funny, sweet, and easy to fall into.
July 27, 2025
What a delightful, perfectly summery read! Famous pop star reconnects with childhood best friend after years of touring? Yes, please! It felt like the sweetest Hallmark movie with just the right amount of humor and sass. (most of the sass coming from Lou-Lou, of course, who was endlessly entertaining.) I also loved the faith aspect and how Riley talks through everything she goes through with God. A charming story with lots of heart!
July 24, 2025
This book had a very slow start for me, but when it picked up steam around the last quarter, I got really into it. Also thankful for another YA Christian contemporary romance!
June 12, 2025
From chapter one this book reminded me of all the good things about summertime, young love, boy band crushes, following your dreams, loving your family, and living life to the most. I couldn't put it down and loved every moment. I just wish someone would make it into a movie...
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June 10, 2025I'm so excited to share this book with you!
June 24, 2025
Well this was delightful! I love the characters and the summer setting. The humor, the faith and grace, kindness and love woven into this story was done so beautifully. I will definitely be rereading this again before the summer is over!
Thanks to the author for providing me an ARC of this novel, releasing in August this year!
Thanks to the author for providing me an ARC of this novel, releasing in August this year!
June 26, 2025
Cute, funny, summery read! Loved the character dynamics, comedy, and (of course) a happy ending.
~~I received an early copy of this book from the author and was not required to leave a positive review.~~
~~I received an early copy of this book from the author and was not required to leave a positive review.~~
August 12, 2025
I adored this sweet contemporary Christian YA fiction novel. The characters and relationships are so well done. I understood all of Riley’s hesitation to allow renewed feelings for her childhood best friend (though maybe more) with now international superstar, Sam. The family dynamics are solid and the minor characters impart a lot of wisdom which I don’t see often in a lot of YA fiction these days. Ashley Schaller is a trustworthy voice in Christian fiction and I look forward to anything she writes next.
September 30, 2025
4.5/5⭐️
This is such a sweet summer read! This book focuses on Riley and Sam, two teenagers/young adults that are finding themselves and young love. I loved the way Riley talked with God throughout and encouraged Sam in his faith.
This is such a sweet summer read! This book focuses on Riley and Sam, two teenagers/young adults that are finding themselves and young love. I loved the way Riley talked with God throughout and encouraged Sam in his faith.
October 7, 2025
I absolutely adored this book!
It was so sweet and funny and had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions. It gave me all the happy feels after I finished reading it.
I haven't read a lot of books were an ordinary person falls for a famous person, but I really do love reading stories about it, so when I read the premise for this I was intrigued. And I was not disappointed!
Riley hasn't heard from Sam, her best-friend and former neighbour, since he went and became a famous singer four years ago. Until he shows up next door one day out of the blue. It doesn't take long for the two to reconnect. Soon, along with Riley's younger cousin Lou-Lou, the trio come up with a list of things to do for the summer, working through each item one by one.
Riley is happy to have her friend back, but torn because he is leaving. Feelings start to surface, but she is determined to keep them buried, not wanting the attention that would come with dating a famous singer. Sam, to me, was suffering from a case of burnout. He needed some time to experience normal life once again. How was he meant to write songs if he isn't actually living life to give him inspiration? He lost his path and needed the break to find it again.
Loulou stole the show. She was funny, bossy and full of sass, but she clearly loved Riley and it was sweet how she looked out for her.
All the characters were realistic and well-written. There was a really strong family dynamic in this which I really appreciated. I love when characters have a pet dog, and Riley's dog featured heavily in this! I thought it was a nice touch that Riley was an artist creating art for writers.
I also loved the strong faith themes threaded throughout the book. Riley prayed consistently throughout the book, showing her close relationship with God, and she encouraged Sam to get back in touch with his faith.
Overall, this was such a feel good, fantastic read. I cannot recommend it enough to fans of contemporary YA romance.
Content: This was a clean story with no swearing, no violence (though death threats were mentioned in relation to obsessed fan girls sending them), no spice - kisses only. It does deal with the death of a parent and the grief associated with that, which may be a trigger for some.
#I was given a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own honest opinion.
It was so sweet and funny and had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions. It gave me all the happy feels after I finished reading it.
I haven't read a lot of books were an ordinary person falls for a famous person, but I really do love reading stories about it, so when I read the premise for this I was intrigued. And I was not disappointed!
Riley hasn't heard from Sam, her best-friend and former neighbour, since he went and became a famous singer four years ago. Until he shows up next door one day out of the blue. It doesn't take long for the two to reconnect. Soon, along with Riley's younger cousin Lou-Lou, the trio come up with a list of things to do for the summer, working through each item one by one.
Riley is happy to have her friend back, but torn because he is leaving. Feelings start to surface, but she is determined to keep them buried, not wanting the attention that would come with dating a famous singer. Sam, to me, was suffering from a case of burnout. He needed some time to experience normal life once again. How was he meant to write songs if he isn't actually living life to give him inspiration? He lost his path and needed the break to find it again.
Loulou stole the show. She was funny, bossy and full of sass, but she clearly loved Riley and it was sweet how she looked out for her.
All the characters were realistic and well-written. There was a really strong family dynamic in this which I really appreciated. I love when characters have a pet dog, and Riley's dog featured heavily in this! I thought it was a nice touch that Riley was an artist creating art for writers.
I also loved the strong faith themes threaded throughout the book. Riley prayed consistently throughout the book, showing her close relationship with God, and she encouraged Sam to get back in touch with his faith.
Overall, this was such a feel good, fantastic read. I cannot recommend it enough to fans of contemporary YA romance.
Content: This was a clean story with no swearing, no violence (though death threats were mentioned in relation to obsessed fan girls sending them), no spice - kisses only. It does deal with the death of a parent and the grief associated with that, which may be a trigger for some.
#I was given a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own honest opinion.
July 27, 2025
This is what YA used to be and I miss it so much! Right when I opened the book, I was greeted by adorable artwork on each chapter head. I was getting To All The Boys I've Love Before ibes in the beginning of the book (LuLu really reminds me of Kitty), but as the book went on, it felt more like Morgan Maston's type of summer fun. The grocery store scene was my favorite of the whole book!
The characters are all very well written, even side characters felt almost fully developed. An example being even though Sam's family had very little time in the story, those scenes felt like watching a movie. I love that Riley has a pineapple allergy, I felt like I had found a comrade whenI read that little detail. I really loved that Riley would say little prayers all the time. She didn't just reserve her prayers for big, fancy prayers at important moments. I will say that LuLu can have quite the attitude at times, so while romance wise I think this book would be fine for middle schoolers, maybe LuLu isn't a great example.
The writing is so good, as Riley starts to have some feelings, I was getting butterflies too while reading her thoughts. The list and adventures made me smile so much, this is what I miss about YA. I do wish there were more 'after' scenes, as I would like to see more of how things worked out.
18 year old me would give this 4 glowing stars, adult me wishes there was a bit more family growth or growth in Riley's business mixed into the romance plot.
I would recommend this to anyone missing the clean, fun YA they grew up with, or highschool girls looking for a sweet summer romance read. The only trigger warning I would give is previous loss of a parent (mother) is mentioned moderately, and grief is brought up quite a bit.
The characters are all very well written, even side characters felt almost fully developed. An example being even though Sam's family had very little time in the story, those scenes felt like watching a movie. I love that Riley has a pineapple allergy, I felt like I had found a comrade whenI read that little detail. I really loved that Riley would say little prayers all the time. She didn't just reserve her prayers for big, fancy prayers at important moments. I will say that LuLu can have quite the attitude at times, so while romance wise I think this book would be fine for middle schoolers, maybe LuLu isn't a great example.
The writing is so good, as Riley starts to have some feelings, I was getting butterflies too while reading her thoughts. The list and adventures made me smile so much, this is what I miss about YA. I do wish there were more 'after' scenes, as I would like to see more of how things worked out.
18 year old me would give this 4 glowing stars, adult me wishes there was a bit more family growth or growth in Riley's business mixed into the romance plot.
I would recommend this to anyone missing the clean, fun YA they grew up with, or highschool girls looking for a sweet summer romance read. The only trigger warning I would give is previous loss of a parent (mother) is mentioned moderately, and grief is brought up quite a bit.
July 28, 2025
This is such a sweet, sweet story. ❤ I love the interaction between them and Lou Lou (Riley's cousin), who is just WHOA. For being 12, she sure has her finger on the pulse of other people's feelings.
Sam was Riley's next door neighbor growing up until he became a well-known musician. His parents have moved elsewhere and the home sits empty. One day, Riley spies someibe sneaking in. Cue the summer fun list.
I love the family interactions of Riley, her dad, her sister, and her cousin. They all genuinely care for and love each other well. ❤ Healthy family relationships, YAY!!!
There's a slight distraction of a (male) classmate of Riley's. I was really hoping that turned out only *slightly* different than it did, but I empathized with Riley in what did happen.
Finally, one thing that I absolutely loved was how they encouraged each other to grow - in faith, out of grief, in communication.
It was absolutely a sweet teen love story. ❤ I hope we someday see an update. :)
Sam was Riley's next door neighbor growing up until he became a well-known musician. His parents have moved elsewhere and the home sits empty. One day, Riley spies someibe sneaking in. Cue the summer fun list.
I love the family interactions of Riley, her dad, her sister, and her cousin. They all genuinely care for and love each other well. ❤ Healthy family relationships, YAY!!!
There's a slight distraction of a (male) classmate of Riley's. I was really hoping that turned out only *slightly* different than it did, but I empathized with Riley in what did happen.
Finally, one thing that I absolutely loved was how they encouraged each other to grow - in faith, out of grief, in communication.
It was absolutely a sweet teen love story. ❤ I hope we someday see an update. :)
August 21, 2025
I loved this one !! The romance was so sweet and the family dynamic was realistic while still being fun !
I really related to Riley and the fears she faced throughout the book . We're in similar stages of life , so I think I read this at the perfect time .
Unfortunately though , I do not relate with falling in love with a super star . Tragic , I know 😉 😂.
To be honest , I think Lou - Lou was the real main character of this story 😂.
I really related to Riley and the fears she faced throughout the book . We're in similar stages of life , so I think I read this at the perfect time .
Unfortunately though , I do not relate with falling in love with a super star . Tragic , I know 😉 😂.
To be honest , I think Lou - Lou was the real main character of this story 😂.
June 18, 2025
Riley + Sam is everything that's good about summer:
warm, fun, exciting, and a little bitter-sweet.
With a lovable cast of characters, and one special summer, this is a story about childhood friends, and moving forward after difficult times. Riley + Sam is the perfect nod to summer, and should be on anyone's list looking for a fun and clean contemporary romance this year.
Special thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC!
warm, fun, exciting, and a little bitter-sweet.
With a lovable cast of characters, and one special summer, this is a story about childhood friends, and moving forward after difficult times. Riley + Sam is the perfect nod to summer, and should be on anyone's list looking for a fun and clean contemporary romance this year.
Special thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC!
July 28, 2025
This book was so, so sweet! I am new to the world of K-pop/kdrama so that was an early hesitation for how this story was gonna go, but I simply can’t get enough! It had the right amount of drama, meddling (I need me a Lou-Lou), and the romance was transitioned so well from friends to more that it just made my heart so happy!
The characters were so well created and felt so real, that it made this story really special to me! I also really love the little internal prayers from Riley. Everything is so well rounded, I could go on and on about how much I loved it.
Towards the end, the reminders to enjoy the little things, was such a huge thing for me, especially because my life has been so crazy with loving on a newly two year old. It was nice and refreshing to be reminded of these things while doing something I love. I LOVE that this book is very faith centered–brings a lightness to my heart and just makes it extra “feel-good”. The song puzzle made me happy cry 😅, along with the last chapter!
Four stars to this wonderful read, from my shelf to yours!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The characters were so well created and felt so real, that it made this story really special to me! I also really love the little internal prayers from Riley. Everything is so well rounded, I could go on and on about how much I loved it.
Towards the end, the reminders to enjoy the little things, was such a huge thing for me, especially because my life has been so crazy with loving on a newly two year old. It was nice and refreshing to be reminded of these things while doing something I love. I LOVE that this book is very faith centered–brings a lightness to my heart and just makes it extra “feel-good”. The song puzzle made me happy cry 😅, along with the last chapter!
Four stars to this wonderful read, from my shelf to yours!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 26, 2025
This was a cute story of friends to lovers with no heat and spice and no kiss until the very end. The writing was good and the story flowed smoothly through the entire story.
July 2, 2025
Riley + Sam is the teen-summer, feel-good book you won’t put down. Schaller takes you back to your first crush.
Through trust in God’s guiding light, Riley and Adam are brought back together … with a little help from Riley’s side-kick cousin, Lou Lou.
This book will renew your faith in listening to your gut, stepping out of your comfort zone, and following your heart. Because with God, anything is possible.
Through trust in God’s guiding light, Riley and Adam are brought back together … with a little help from Riley’s side-kick cousin, Lou Lou.
This book will renew your faith in listening to your gut, stepping out of your comfort zone, and following your heart. Because with God, anything is possible.
July 31, 2025
Riley and Sam, childhood friends and neighbors, drifted apart when Sam hit it big as a pop star. Now, though, he's run away from his career in the spotlight and turned up back home, where he just wants to have a normal summer with Riley and her cousin Lou Lou. As they work their way through a list of fun activities, the danger that Sam will be discovered, and his unresolved feelings about his faith and his fame loom over them, as does Riley's complicated long-time crush on the boy next door.
This book has everything I love in a YA romance novel. The characters are believable, and they behave consistently with their age and maturity level. (The romance is also age appropriate. Parents don't need to worry about the content!) The connection between Riley and Sam is so sweet and pure, and even though Sam is famous, the celebrity aspect of his character doesn't overwhelm the story. I love the way Christian faith is woven organically into the story, and that the question of belief in God, and of acceptance of Jesus is part of these two teens exploring their romantic feelings.
Riley + Sam is cozy and warm, funny and deep, sweet and satisfying. I had a wonderful time reading it, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
(I received an advance copy of Riley + Sam from the author.)
This book has everything I love in a YA romance novel. The characters are believable, and they behave consistently with their age and maturity level. (The romance is also age appropriate. Parents don't need to worry about the content!) The connection between Riley and Sam is so sweet and pure, and even though Sam is famous, the celebrity aspect of his character doesn't overwhelm the story. I love the way Christian faith is woven organically into the story, and that the question of belief in God, and of acceptance of Jesus is part of these two teens exploring their romantic feelings.
Riley + Sam is cozy and warm, funny and deep, sweet and satisfying. I had a wonderful time reading it, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
(I received an advance copy of Riley + Sam from the author.)
August 12, 2025
I loved this sweet, YA book that was full of fun and games while still touching on all ways you grow and change as a teen. Sam’s biggest struggle is deciding whether to return to his career as a famous KPop singer, while Riley, who dreams of pursuing art, is met with distain from some of her relatives regarding her choice. Alongside those issues, Riley is determined not to fall in love with Sam just because every other girl already has. I loved the ending where we find out Sam has only had eyes for her for quite some time.
Things I loved:
- the list they make of the things Sam hasn’t
gotten to do since becoming famous
- Lou-Lou’s meddling
- supportive and involved family members
- faith elements like prayer
- THE song (IYKYK)
Thank you to the author and to Quill and Flame Publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Things I loved:
- the list they make of the things Sam hasn’t
gotten to do since becoming famous
- Lou-Lou’s meddling
- supportive and involved family members
- faith elements like prayer
- THE song (IYKYK)
Thank you to the author and to Quill and Flame Publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 13, 2025
Faith, friendship, family and fame collide in this sweet YA romance about discovering who you are and having the courage to be that person, even through the doubts. From the first page, I was in love with this quirky family and the way they cared about each other. Add in the boy-next-door/first crush/second chance at love popstar hiding from his scores of teenaged (and not so teenaged) female fans, and what you get is a beautiful story which tugs at your heart, catches your breath, and leaves you smiling. Such a great, fun read.
August 15, 2025
This book was amazing! I'm a little later on my review because I received the ARC & ALC and I was loving this book in both so much I wanted to finish both first! This was a book that just draws you in!
We are introduced to Riley, first, and her family! Riley is a 17 yr old girl, who loves to draw, wants to take a gap year between highschool & college, and is just trying to get things figured out.
Lou-Lou, is her 12 year old cousin, who is a whirlwind of energy & spends lots of time with Riley & her family, as her parents go on trips. She is more like a well-loved but annoying little sister to Riley & Mackenzie. She comes in like a whirlwind and is instantly in the middle of the trio's adventures.
Then enter Sam.... hiding behind his ball cap, sweatshirt, & glasses in the hot weather..not at all suspicious! Add the hot pink hair and his face is everywhere because he is running but doesn't want to tell Riley or her family why. But the famous singer, Sammy Hong is back home which is all Riley thinks about at first. It will be interesting to see how the group handles his famousness.
So Riley, Sam, & Lu-Lu make a list of things he wants to complete before he goes back. The list highlights all the things he hasn't been able to do with his rise to fame as a singer! The list in itself is great but the adventure coming from the daily life of the trio will have you turning the page or raptly listening to the audiobook!
I highly recommend this book! I would recommend it to 15+ yr readers of clean YA fiction. It has some mild romance but I found it almost tempered with the 13 year old view of Lu-Lu.
The opinion given is a 💯% mine and I'm so grateful to Ashley Schaller for the ARC and the ALC. Thank You for the wonderful opportunity to read and listen to this delightful story!
We are introduced to Riley, first, and her family! Riley is a 17 yr old girl, who loves to draw, wants to take a gap year between highschool & college, and is just trying to get things figured out.
Lou-Lou, is her 12 year old cousin, who is a whirlwind of energy & spends lots of time with Riley & her family, as her parents go on trips. She is more like a well-loved but annoying little sister to Riley & Mackenzie. She comes in like a whirlwind and is instantly in the middle of the trio's adventures.
Then enter Sam.... hiding behind his ball cap, sweatshirt, & glasses in the hot weather..not at all suspicious! Add the hot pink hair and his face is everywhere because he is running but doesn't want to tell Riley or her family why. But the famous singer, Sammy Hong is back home which is all Riley thinks about at first. It will be interesting to see how the group handles his famousness.
So Riley, Sam, & Lu-Lu make a list of things he wants to complete before he goes back. The list highlights all the things he hasn't been able to do with his rise to fame as a singer! The list in itself is great but the adventure coming from the daily life of the trio will have you turning the page or raptly listening to the audiobook!
I highly recommend this book! I would recommend it to 15+ yr readers of clean YA fiction. It has some mild romance but I found it almost tempered with the 13 year old view of Lu-Lu.
The opinion given is a 💯% mine and I'm so grateful to Ashley Schaller for the ARC and the ALC. Thank You for the wonderful opportunity to read and listen to this delightful story!
July 1, 2025
As I get older, I feel like I’ve been moving away from YA romances, but I adored this one! The characters are so sweet, and while they are young, they are also able to make some mature decisions.
I felt for Riley! We’re in her POV for the entire book, so I really got to understand her. She liked her quiet life and did not want it to change. But she also loved Sam and wanted the best for him. I really liked her loyalty to her friends and family and how she was willing to push herself out of her comfort zone to love Sam. She had definitely been through a lot in her life, but she was still a teenager which I appreciated. I did not feel as if she was oddly aged up in some of her decisions.
I loved Sam! He is such a sweetheart, and his relationship with Lou Lou was adorable. I think it’s adorable when the family bonds with the MMC too. You really get to see that with Sam as Riley’s whole family adopts him. He was going through a lot as he navigated what it looks like to be in the spotlight. In the end, I felt like his decision fit his character and where he was trying to go next.
I was hooked the entire time on this story! I couldn’t wait to see if Riley and Sam got their HEA, and I loved seeing their adventures with Lou Lou. I would have loved to see some more elements of faith throughout the story, but I did like how Riley encouraged Sam to put God first in his career. This is a clean YA romance with only kisses.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
I felt for Riley! We’re in her POV for the entire book, so I really got to understand her. She liked her quiet life and did not want it to change. But she also loved Sam and wanted the best for him. I really liked her loyalty to her friends and family and how she was willing to push herself out of her comfort zone to love Sam. She had definitely been through a lot in her life, but she was still a teenager which I appreciated. I did not feel as if she was oddly aged up in some of her decisions.
I loved Sam! He is such a sweetheart, and his relationship with Lou Lou was adorable. I think it’s adorable when the family bonds with the MMC too. You really get to see that with Sam as Riley’s whole family adopts him. He was going through a lot as he navigated what it looks like to be in the spotlight. In the end, I felt like his decision fit his character and where he was trying to go next.
I was hooked the entire time on this story! I couldn’t wait to see if Riley and Sam got their HEA, and I loved seeing their adventures with Lou Lou. I would have loved to see some more elements of faith throughout the story, but I did like how Riley encouraged Sam to put God first in his career. This is a clean YA romance with only kisses.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
June 20, 2025
I must begin by saying I am SO grateful I had the chance to read this gem; to step outside my usual genre and give contemporary romance a chance. I am by no
means exaggerating when I say I loved every heart-warming, wholesome minute! This book is the epitome of summer with ice cream dates, trips to the lake, bike rides, water fights, and of course blossoming romance.
The family dynamics were ADORABLE! Who couldn’t love a kind-hearted, protective dad, caring sister, feisty, little opinionated cousin Lou Lou, and the family pooch, Sarge! The way they look out for each other was so very touching, in the aftermath of a family loss.
The romance between childhood best friends, Riley and Sam was so believable and sweet. I was rooting for them SO hard, and I will admit I even shed a few happy tears at the end. I also love how Ashley wove faith into the story. Riley was such an incredible example of how to incorporate prayer into your life and lean on God to guide your path.
means exaggerating when I say I loved every heart-warming, wholesome minute! This book is the epitome of summer with ice cream dates, trips to the lake, bike rides, water fights, and of course blossoming romance.
The family dynamics were ADORABLE! Who couldn’t love a kind-hearted, protective dad, caring sister, feisty, little opinionated cousin Lou Lou, and the family pooch, Sarge! The way they look out for each other was so very touching, in the aftermath of a family loss.
The romance between childhood best friends, Riley and Sam was so believable and sweet. I was rooting for them SO hard, and I will admit I even shed a few happy tears at the end. I also love how Ashley wove faith into the story. Riley was such an incredible example of how to incorporate prayer into your life and lean on God to guide your path.
August 16, 2025
THIS BOOK IS PRECIOUS. 🥹
Cotton candy sweet with meaningful, heartfelt themes—it’s the perfect YA summer romance!
I loved the childhood best-friends reunited after he becomes a famous celebrity pop star and she just the girl next door angle. Schaller didn’t shy away from the hurt of being “left behind,” but also paved the way for forgiveness and growth. And the way they work through their friendship-trying-to-be-a-regular-guy bucket list was too cute!
In short, this book was so wholesome. I think I just found my new go-to teen romance recommendation. Prepare to be sick of me. 😂
The cast was excellent—I adored Sam and Riley as MCs—but Lou-Lou stole the show. She’s an utter card. 😂 Talk about a wingwoman. Yes, I got more of an 8-10yo vibe from her as opportunity 12yo, but I love her. 🤣
I stayed up till 2am for this book, and it was WORTH IT!! Can’t recommend highly enough!! 😍😍😍
Cotton candy sweet with meaningful, heartfelt themes—it’s the perfect YA summer romance!
I loved the childhood best-friends reunited after he becomes a famous celebrity pop star and she just the girl next door angle. Schaller didn’t shy away from the hurt of being “left behind,” but also paved the way for forgiveness and growth. And the way they work through their friendship-trying-to-be-a-regular-guy bucket list was too cute!
In short, this book was so wholesome. I think I just found my new go-to teen romance recommendation. Prepare to be sick of me. 😂
The cast was excellent—I adored Sam and Riley as MCs—but Lou-Lou stole the show. She’s an utter card. 😂 Talk about a wingwoman. Yes, I got more of an 8-10yo vibe from her as opportunity 12yo, but I love her. 🤣
I stayed up till 2am for this book, and it was WORTH IT!! Can’t recommend highly enough!! 😍😍😍
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