Meet Me Under the Lights

by Cassie Miller

My Life with the Walter Boys meets The Notebook in this small town baseball romance perfect for fans of Kasie West and Carley Fortune.

High school junior Eliza Crowley is known as the Princess of Fairfield, a farm town in North Carolina that loves two things—tradition and baseball. Although Eliza loves “the game,” her life goal is to become a lighting designer on Broadway. Shaking off her reputation as the rich girl and focusing on her town's community theater production are what she’s set her sights on this summer, and nothing will stand in her way. That is until Reed Fulton, the grandson of a struggling Fairfield farmer, and ace pitcher of the Fulton Hawks, returns to town. Reed dreams of putting the catastrophe of last season behind him and leading the Hawks to a championship victory against the Crowley Cardinals. When his childhood friend turned stranger, Eliza, strolls back into his life, she makes his heart accelerate quicker than his fastball, and he’s not sure he can stay away from the girl he’s supposed to despise. Small-town summers and baseball draw Reed and Eliza together, even though the Crowleys and the Fultons are determined to run each other out of town. When the families make a deal to settle their thirty-year-long dispute once and for all, Eliza and Reed are stuck in the middle during the most important summer of their lives.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Sports, Contemporary, Sports Romance, Young Adult Romance, Baseball

Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 3, 2026

Reviews

[cate · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really enjoyed this! even though it's YA, eliza and reed still felt well fleshed out and relatable. this is a dual pov book and their voices were distinct enough to feel like they're two different people without falling prey to caricatures or stereotypes about how girls and boys should act (especially reed; i think we all know how male characters sometimes feel like exaggerated versions of men).

the plot was easy to follow and i enjoyed how eliza and reed had their own stuff going on outside of their relationship. this might be a romance book, but it didn't neglect character development in favor of relationship development, which is always a plus. ben was also a highlight of this book, and i'd LOVE a second book in the series following him (pretty please).

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

[tiana ♡]

pre-read notes:
ARC received! I’m so excited for this release, especially based on some early reviews I’ve seen 🥹🩵

[A.M. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are just some books that you love with your whole heart and soul and that is this book. Cassie does an amazing job bringing this small town baseball story to life. Reed and Eliza and wonderfully fleshed out and by the time you close the book they will feel so real, and like they are your friends. Small town romance, competing baseball families—you will be cheering for this couple!

[Mel Fleischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Penguin Teen, NetGalley, & Cassie for an early e-copy of Meet Me Under The Lights. It feels so special and made me so giddy to finally meet Reed & Eliza after all of these years. Reading this book felt less like a book, but more like a screenplay. It played in my head like one of those romance movies I would watch as a teen/tween on Disney Channel (seriously though a production team needs to get on it!!! The dramatics would play out so well on screen!!!)

Tropes & What to Expect:
- Romeo and Juliet/opposing families/lifelong family feud - a bit of “secret” romance
- Sports romance!!! Love of baseball (This is an ode to the Yankees- so be warned, Red Sox fans)
- She falls, he catches her
- Dual POV (very well done - two distinct points of views and each have their own voice!!!)
- Childhood besties to frenemies
- Definitely a bit more mature side of YA (for language and talk of alcohol)
- Small town, close-knit community vibes
- A love for theatre and all that it has to offer — this one is not just for the baseball lovers but for the thespians

SPOILERS!!!!:
Please I swear to God this needs to be a movie so I can see the fire scene on my screen and bawl my eyes out and then they come together and everything is happy in the end and I will cry again

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer! I have worked with and known the author for the past 18 years.

Such an adorable book that really plays on the Romeo and Juliet theme. Set against the backdrop of rival baseball teams as well as a summer production of the play Romeo and Juliet, Eliza and Reed soon realize that there's still a spark between the two of them, even though they know their families would not approve of their relationship. Told between both of their points of view over the course of the summer, readers will be quickly turning to the last pages to see how all of the conflict is resolved between not only the two of them, but their families. A definite worthwhile read that should appeal to readers of all ages.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this novel via giveaway and did my best to savor every moment of reading it, while also finishing it in a timely manner to share a review ahead of release.

Meet Me Under the Lights feels like coming home. Full disclosure, the author is a friend of mine and several references throughout the book had me kicking my feet because of the familiarity. AND many other moments throughout the book had me kicking my feet out of pure enjoyment of what I was reading.

Reed and Eliza, two teens from rival families yet tied together with an invisible string, feel familiar to anyone from a small town. As a theatre kid myself I felt drawn to Eliza for obvious reasons but what made me love her even more is the technical theatre representation! Theatre kids in books are so often portrayed as the main character kids stealing the spotlight, or the quiet nervous ones hiding backstage. Eliza is neither! She’s confident, knowledgeable, talented, and knows how to work her way through a light board. She prefers to keep a low profile, but that has nothing to do with being a theatre kid. Reed feels like the guy you can’t help but love. He’s smart, hardworking, fiercely loyal, and has a huge heart! He’s not a theatre kid himself but I get a sense that he wouldn’t think twice before jumping in to help if needed.

I love how Cassie incorporates a relevant quote at the begging of each chapter. I think they do a great job setting the scene (pun intended!) and pulling the reader even farther into the world. The baseball setting had me yearning for a hot dog at a ball field in the dead of November. And I just really love when kids of a rivalry family give the families a reason to come together.

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Report: Meet Me Under the Lights by Cassie Miller

This one first came on my radar thanks to one of my favorite podcasts…Meg’s Reading Room where Meg chatted with Cassie and the second I listened I knew I needed a copy.

Set in a small North Carolina town that loves tradition and baseball we follow Eliza…Fairfield’s unofficial princess 👑 who dreams far beyond the local fields. While her family expects her to embrace the legacy of the Crowley Cardinals Eliza is determined to spend her summer in the world she loves most…theater and lighting design 🎭✨

Enter Reed…ace pitcher…grandson of a struggling farmer and the boy Eliza was always supposed to dislike… except her heart didn’t get the memo 💘⚾ With a decades long family feud simmering between the Crowleys and Fultons their connection has all the best Romeo & Juliet vibes (minus the tragedy) Small town summer nights…high-stakes ball games and that warm YA sweetness? Yes please!

One of my favorite details…each chapter opens with a quote tied to the POV adding a thoughtful rhythm to the story 📚💫I also loved the blend of behind the scenes theater life and intense baseball moments…two worlds that shouldn’t fit together but totally do.
I will say there were a few moments…some language and certain situations that felt like they could’ve been softened or left out especially for a YA audience. But overall the heart of the story still shines through 💛✨

Wholesome & heartfelt. Perfect for fans of small town rivals to lovers with big dreams and even bigger feelings.

Thank you Viking Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Teen for ARC

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...

[Luv2TrvlLuvBks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trifecta: a combination or set of three wins.

With this book, the author, achieved the trifecta aspired by all authors; that is, for the title, storyline and cover to beautifully complement one another.

The cover, features Reed and Eliza, on the baseball mound during sunset with the stadium lights shining upon them. The lights physically and metaphorically shine on their growing romance both in the field and in the playhouse theater.

The storyline flows beautifully reminiscent of authors like Kasie West, Sarah Dessen, Jenn Bennett and Morgan Matson. The number of parallels (see: chosen play that Eliza does the lighting for vs the hatred between Reed and Eliza's family), the drama (hoping that Reed's bff will later have a story of his own) and the significance of both immediate (Eliza with her father's) and extended family (Reed with his grandparents) are well developed.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#MeetMeUndertheLights #NetGalley

[Red ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Thank you netgalley & Viking/Penguin for this arc!]

A classic Romeo & Juliet retelling, but add some baseball. Honestly, it was a really fun read. Forbidden romance usually makes me roll my eyes, just because I never feel like it’s that serious in modern day settings, but I had a lot of fun reading this one and was just decided to go with the ‘you know what? hell yay!’ attitude. I will say, some of the characters felt like they just kind of changed up a bit too suddenly, mostly side characters, but stories like this one kind of have to be like that, cuz you only have so many pages to work with before the YA romance feels like it’s dragging (in my opinion). Also, Reed and Eliza were super adorable! I’d definitely recommend this to people looking for a cute romance book with a lot of heart and family centric vibes!

[Antonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thankful for the chance to read an ARC of this book! I thought the story was great and the characters well drawn. The alternating chapters in the voice of the two protagonists I thought was a great way to organize this book and to delve deeper into character development. I loved the narrative style and the substance of the story reminded me of teen and tween books that I loved as a youth; a good backstory, a challenge for the characters to overcome, but mostly good clean fun. That said, I would offer that perhaps the swear words were a disconnect for me when looked at from the lens of the book as a whole, and I felt like they didn’t really advance the story. But overall, this is a book that parents would feel most comfortable sharing with their tween and teen kids and might enjoy reading along as well.

[*ੈ✩‧₊˚Bella⋆.ೃ࿔*:･]

ARC~
3,5⭐

If you like Lynn Painter's books, you'll like this one.

It's super fun and cute, but I didn't give 4 stars because it's not the type of book that I'd go for normally.

- If you are a theater kid, this is a MUST read
- There are so many Lin Manuel Miranda jokes
- Romeo and Juliet
- 2nd chance-ish

[Jenalee Jewett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Field of dreams + Romeo and Juliet, Yes please!

Childhood friends now frenemies spend the summer both fighting a long time family feud.
Loved the banter between the main characters.
The dilemma the characters are in is so relatable to what a lot of young adults go through. Highly recommend.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect book for your baseball-loving kids!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for childhood-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, especially when you throw in baseball rivalries and long-standing family tension. This setup should have been an easy home run for me—small town drama, generational feuds, a second-chance spark—and in a lot of ways, the bones of a great YA romance are definitely here.

But while I enjoyed the premise, the execution didn’t fully land. The writing itself felt a bit uneven, especially in the emotional beats. Eliza and Reed’s connection never totally convinced me in the present timeline; their “enemy” dynamic resolves very quickly, and the shift to romance reads more like insta-love than slow-burn. Eliza’s dad wasn’t even that upset when they finally told him they were dating—and he was made out to be this huge jerk. Plus, we’re told they had this deep childhood bond, but we don’t see enough of it fleshed out glances back to make their reunion feel truly earned.

Because of that, the central tension feels more like a background feud than an interpersonal conflict that shapes who they are now. The overarching family rivalry is compelling on paper, but between the rushed romantic pacing and tidy resolutions, I found myself wishing for more complexity and more time spent actually sitting in the discomfort of that history.

All that said, the baseball setting is fun, and the summer atmosphere hits the right notes—nostalgic, warm, easy to fly through in a single weekend. If you like light rivals-to-lovers with low angst and a breezy pace, this might work better for you than it did for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

[Claire McWhorter · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Review to come.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy of this book!

I wanted to like this one so badly, but so much felt rushed. The story was dual point of view and was enemies to lovers. It went from both of them hating each other to deciding to like each other very quickly. The conflicts I found rushed and not really believable. I dont think the couple would still be together and the best friend probably wouldnt be the best friend either. I did really like the concept, I think the execution could have been better.

[Beth Icard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Counting books in my reading challenge that I copyedited or proofread, when they're available here on Goodreads for me to add in a timely manner (several I've worked on already exist and are being repackaged/rereleased by a publisher). It's only fair. It's a damn lot of reading I'm not including otherwise.

[C · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was not for me, unfortunately. Such a cute cover. Such a cute premise. I had such high hopes for it, but the writing fell flat for me and I found myself skimming huge chunks until I just stopped.

Romeo and Juliet retelling. Small town. North Carolina setting. Dual, 1st person POV. Kissing only but. cussing so I'm not sure if we're still calling that clean? Enemies to lovers yet also instalust when they give up their enemies status. Rich girl, poor boy.

The beginning felt rushed and like it dragged at the same time and ultimately just didn't quite pull me in like I prefer for a book to. They hated each other because of their families' pasts, but also MMC seemed to always seek FMC out in a way that implied she did something personal to him to make him hate her. But then both of their feelings changed so fast for each other. If he'd been seeking her out every summer for blah-blah, why was it suddenly this summer that they realized they didn't actually hate each other? In probably the only time I'll say this, I wish there had been more immature pettiness between the two before their feelings shifted. Then the whole "oh it's a big misunderstanding because our families hate each other" would've hit a homerun instead of a single.

Because their feelings changed so fast, it weakened the family feud aspect, which was pretty much central to the whole story, and I just did not care about their families hating each other or the ballgame bet. If the characters don't care, why would I?

Also because their feelings changed so fast, they get together pretty quickly and then hide it. And again, I think if the family feud aspect had been stronger, this would've worked fine.

And I think all of that culminates in, unfortunately, I didn't love the writing style. There were some awkward tellings-as-introductions that read like info dumping. And some of the beginning dialogue was also used similarly to tell-not-show things that just felt unsmooth. Almost clunky in a fanfiction/self published kind of way that comes from being a more baby writer. Example:

"You know me. I never back down from a bet." "Yeah, we know." Lauryn crossed her arms. "My mom says the other nurses in the ER still talk about that stunt you pulled last summer at the railyard."

It's a hard line to walk, because I know the reader has to be told certain information to set up the characters and story, but the way the author did it just didn't work for me. My thought reading it was that this was Adult-trying-to-be-YA (meaning book age ranges not life age ranges) in a hello-fellow-kids kind of way, and given that the author's "read" books on GR are very eclectic but mainly Adult (with a handful of YAs that are the uber popular/successful ones), I think that explains why I felt that way.

For me, personally, if the enemies part had been more solid or their feelings hadn't changed quite so fast, I could've overlooked not-my-fave-writing-style. If the writing style had been more solid, I could've overlooked like weak enemies or feelings changing so fast part. So, since this is also the author's debut, and I always have high hopes that authors improve with their sophomore book, I'd be interested to check out any future work!! Just because this one was a swing and miss for me doesn't mean it would be for you! Or that the author's future work wouldn't work for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this one! I really wish I'd liked it more.

[Aleish Cuaresma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my heart. Reed & Eliza can have it all. 🥹🤍

📖 Meet Me Under the Lights by @cassiemillerwrites
⭐️ ARC — 🎁 thank you Penguin Teen & Cassie Miller for this copy! #penguinteenpartner
🗓️ RELEASE DATE — March 3, 2026

TROPES ✨ —
- Small Town 🏠
- Baseball Romance ⚾️
- Rivaling Families 🏟️
- Forbidden Love 🤫
- Summer Romance ☀️
- Young Adult Romance 💕

REVIEW 📝 —
I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did. This was simply the sweetest & most wonderful love story, and it was simple yet had all the drama I wish high school had. 🤭 (Also it releases during my birthday month, meaning it’s basically an early birthday gift)!

I loved how fast-paced the story was, yet Miller gave us the time to meet the characters and learn their backstorie. I thought the small town rivalry was such a fun touch, and the summer vibes? Well, I live in CA, so I am not turning down a little summer-y romance— even if it’s the middle of December.

The romance was just perfect. I loved the human mistakes, miscommunication, and silliness that Reed & Eliza had. I mean, they were in high school. I loved how their stories intertwined and developed, and that they are getting their happy ending.

Sooo good. I so recommend this to anyone who wants something that’s super sweet and wholesome. I adore them. 😭🫧🥹🩷 & am so happy I got an ARC!!!

[Alyssa Knappenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing read! This book is dual POV and follows Reed and Eliza. Eliza is the town "princess," and Reed comes from a family of farmers. The story follows Reed and Eliza as they develop a relationship that is forbidden due to the rivalry between their two families in relation to the town stadium that Eliza's dad owns but offered up if Reed's grandfather's team can beat his in the baseball championship.

My favorite parts of this book were the fact that it also followed their families, not just their relationship, and the Romeo and Juliet feel of the story. Both Reed and Eliza are experiencing problems within their families, and we get to see this in each of their chapters. I love that their romance wasn't front and center and that their was room for the story of their families. With the families being rivals, their relationship was very much like Romeo and Juliet (without the tragic ending). Not only was their relationship like Romeo and Juliet, but Eliza was actually part of a Romeo and Juliet play in the story, which I think was a great touch.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I put this arc off because YA isn’t always my favorite especially when it comes to contemporary but wow this book pleasantly surprised me.

I loved how both FMC and MMC were passionate about their craft and determined to misunderstand each other. I wasn’t expecting the parallels between Romeo and Juliet and the mc’s but it was a really cute nod to it.

I like to cry over books and this one was no different, happy tears of course. This had the type of ending I love.

The characters development the forward movement of the plot and romance all were great. I’d read this again. 4/5 for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Books/Penguin Young Readers group for the arc. All opinions here are my own.

[Delaney (flairforfiction)]

I was enjoying this book, but I had only gotten 5% in when the author made a Harry Potter reference. It’s 2025 and this book is going to be published in 2026, so there are no excuses for including references to a book that is written by an author who is actively harming the trans community. As a nonbinary person, it completely takes me out of the story when someone references Harry Potter. I immediately stop enjoying a book as much when a reference to this IP is made and cannot keep reading this book knowing that this author included a reference to it. There are no excuses for being ignorant to the harm JKR is causing and authors can absolutely substitute these references for other things without changing the content of the story. Do better.

[addy bae · Rating 4 out of 5]

i got this as an arc and ohmygods.

okay, first! i love all the musical references especially Hamilton 🥹 I LOVE HAMILTON SMMM!! this is an amazing book for being Cassie’s debut! Meet Me Under The Lights is certainly one of my favorite baseball romances and its so simple yet so amazing and fun.

i loved the farm and just the entire town. i loved how small town-y the area was and how everyone pretty much knew everyone, lol!

the ending was amazing and definitely made me smile after crying when Reed’s dad came home from the military, lol. i love this and the couple so much!!

4.5 stars! ⭐️

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that has been years in the making. Reed and Eliza are both proud, driven teenagers, trying to follow their own paths and dreams during the most important summer of their lives. If you enjoy small towns, summer romances and summer vibes, complex family dynamics, enemies to friends to lovers, and, of course, BASEBALL, then I hope you'll consider adding, reading, and reviewing my book, MEET ME UNDER THE LIGHTS! Thank you!

[Brea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Me Under the Lights was such a fun and heartfelt YA read. I loved how the romance unfolded against the backdrop of baseball—it gave the story an authentic and cozy fall vibe.

The plot flowed smoothly, with well-developed family dynamics and just the right amount of drama. It was a quick, engaging read that left me smiling by the end.

✨Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.✨

[Amanda Ocilka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for selecting me to be the Goodreads Giveaway winner!

This book was amazing! I loved the tension between Eliza and Reed. This was a perfect combination between modern Romeo and Juliet and a sports romance. I was kicking my feet the whole time because I just loved their dynamic. There were a few strings left unwound, but overall, this was one of my favorite reads of December!

[Deidre Epps · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like a cute combination of High School Musical and A Cinderella Story. I enjoyed the overall storyline and the romance was sweet and appropriate. I found Ben to be kind of annoying but I also recognize these characters are Juniors in high school and not matured adults. The final 100 pages or so were REALLY good. I couldn’t put it down and was happy with how the story rounded out.

[jo ୨୧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own

full review to come. im moving to a small town to reverse back to childhood to have a guy who falls in love with me rq

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

how can you not be romantic about baseball 😭😭😭😭😭 RTC

[J R · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic and lyrical romance with awesome vibes and impeccable plotting. the characters are really fun and everything worked really well. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.