How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend

by Jordon Greene

Standing at the foot of my comatose crush’s hospital bed is not how I envisioned becoming Hayden’s partner. First I needed to find out if he’s even into the theys, then hopefully some flirting, a cute date up in the valley or at Taco Bell, a kiss. The normal cutesy stuff, but this? No! Hayden wasn’t supposed to get hurt, especially not a trauma-induced extended nap from slipping on a wet floor at my job. On top of that, one of the nurses told his family we’re dating. Sure, it might have been because that's what I told her when I was trying to get to his room to see him…but it’s not true.

The wild part is his family believes it! They really think I’m the Hayden Marcus’s short little curly-haired enbyfriend. His partner! With one little lie, now they think he isn’t straight, and I’m terrified he actually is.

So now I’m having Thanksgiving with a family I barely know because, as far as they’re concerned, I’m “dating” their son. I can’t tell if this is a sign my love spell worked, or if I royally messed up and I’m being punished. I mean this family is amazing. It’s everything I wish I had, and honestly more. But it’s all based on a lie.

Oh, and as if all of that wasn’t bad enough, my comatose crush has an even cuter brother who I think I might be falling for…

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Young Adult, Contemporary, Queer, Fantasy

304 pages, Paperback

Expected publication March 10, 2026

About the author

Jordon Greene is an award-winning author and software engineer raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. His work ranges from tense horror thrillers to cute romance stories, however, Jordon's heart is most invested in writing young adult romance stories where both young and young-at-heart readers alike can feel the acceptance and worth they so deserve. Since his debut young adult novel in 2019, Jordon's stories have reached young readers with messages of diversity, found family, and hope while also handling difficult issues.

An alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.S. in Political Science, Jordon works professionally as a senior software engineer. When he isn't writing or at work you can usually find Jordon at his favorite little coffee shop with his found family, cuddling with his little demon spawns (aka cats), or posting online about his latest Asian-pop music or BL drama obsession. Jordon lives in Kannapolis, NC with his children Genji and Freyr (aka the aforementioned demon spawn).

Jordon is the award-winning author of EVERY WORD YOU NEVER SAID and A MARK ON MY SOUL.

Reviews

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun witchy YA read! 4 stars!

Kenzie has a massive crush on Hayden.
Things get tricky when Hayden comes into Kenzie’s place of work, hits his head and ends up in a coma.
Kenzie pretends to be dating Hayden to just to check on him in the hospital, but the small lie quickly spirals into something much bigger.
Now, Kenzie finds themself falling for Hayden’s brother, Zach.
Kenzie’s lie looms over them- and threatens to ruin everything.

I thought this was a nice story.
Kenzie is a witch, so it has some magical elements.
While I don’t feel like magic is a huge part of the story, it does play a role, and adds a wymsical feel to it.

I’ve not read anything from this author before, but now I will be looking into his other books!
I thought the writing of this one was quite nice.
It has a classic young adult novel feel, but with a lot of moderness- which I love. It was also simple, but engaging at the same time.

The only thing i struggled with here, was connecting to Kenzie. They felt a bit immature, even for their age. They also seemed to be a little bit of gaslighter at times, turning things back around on others when they were the one in the wrong.
But i try to keep in mind that Kenzie is not an adult, so the emotional maturity isn’t always there. Which makes sense.

Overall, a pretty nice book and I enjoyed it!

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Franklin/Kerr Press | F/K Teen and author Jordan Greene for providing me with the eARC of “How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: March 10th, 2026

[Bethany Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS SO CUTE IM MELTING ACTUALLY

Thank you @franklinkerrpress for an advanced copy to review!

This book was *SO MUCH FUN!!!* I was so obsessed with both Kenzie and Zachary and I really loved this While You Were Sleeping homage, but make it teens and witches. I had an absolute blast reading this book and I actually stretched it out a couple of days because I didn’t want to finish.

Kenzie was such a great character, accidentally becoming Hayden’s enbyfriend when Hayden slips and falls and goes into a coma. It’s like a comedy of errors getting to that point, which was amazing to watch. I loved Kenzie’s inner monologue so much, it was so endearing to see them struggle. They made me laugh and get frustrated because I was *SO* rooting for them and Zachary!!! (This is not a criticism, I LOVED IT - this means that I was so invested in the character of Kenzie that I felt for them!!!) I also was interested in Kenzie’s dynamic with their mother.

Zachary!!!!!!! Came by surprise!!!! And made me love him so much. Gosh he was such a little cutie face with all of his flirting and the first kiss was *SO* cute??? I was dyin. I also really just loved how they pursued Kenzie and how they gave them the nickname of Mack. THAT ENDING HAD ME SQUEALING SO HARD.

I love young love. This was beyond adorable. I am definitely going to preorder a copy for my shelf.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

First of all, this cover is so pretty! I fell in love with the cover before I realized I’ve read more books of this author. So that made me even more excited when I was approved to read this arc🤭 (thank you so much Franklin/Kerr press and Jordan Greene for letting me read this in return for an honest review)

I really liked this book, queer ya books will always have a special place in my heart. I liked Kenzie as a character, I think young non binary people would be able to feel seen by them. Some of the choices Kenzie mad did bother me a little bit. They let the lie go way further then was necessary.

I did love how they discovered that the perfect image of Hayden they had in their head wasn’t the truth. Hayden definitely wasn’t bad but Kenzie had so much more in common with Zack. Also Zack going to the abandoned house with them even tho he really doesn’t like scary stuff melted my heart.

There was only one little plot hole that kind of bothered me. Even if Hayden really had the amnesia and didn’t remember dating Kenzie, there would have been pictures of them together, or at least text messages. If someone told me I was dating them and I didn’t have their number or a text thread to look back to I would definitely think the whole situation is sus

[Erik McManus · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

This book had such a fun premise and cozy vibes! I really enjoyed following along with an enby main character. It is always refreshing to see more queer representation like this in YA. The woodsy, witchy atmosphere was right up my alley and made the setting feel extra charming.

That said, I expected a bit more magic. The cover and description make it sound like there would be more emphasis on the magic, but the magical elements take a bit of a back seat to the relationships and character drama. The constant lying from the main character did get a little frustrating too. I understand that they are young, but the doubling down was pretty tough when a lot could be solved with some honesty.

The ending wrapped up a little too quickly for my liking, but overall, this was a sweet, sort of witchy read with a cozy small-town feel. Also, can someone please make the café in this book real? I would be there every weekend. ☕🌿

[Effy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thanks goes out to NetGalley, Franklin/Kerr Press, and Jordon Greene for letting me read How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend, publishing on February 28, 2026, in exchange for an honest review.

Before I move on to my review, I also want to thank Jordon Greene for teaching me the term for a non-binary person in a romantic relationship.

I was absolutely enamored by this story. This young adult novel does a great job of combining rom-com vibes while also exploring deeper and more meaningful topics like self-discovery, gender identity, family, and love—all delivered beautifully, without overwhelming or overcomplicating things.

Our main lead, Mackenzie, a non-binary kitchen witch, is a tiny bit awkward but also one of the cutest cutie-patooties I’ve ever encountered on paper. Honestly, I think we all have a little bit of Mackenzie in us.

So, when Mackenzie’s crush Hayden—someone they don’t really talk to aside from taking his coffee order—gets into a rather unfortunate accident and falls into a coma, Mackenzie (bless their soul) sneaks into his hospital room and introduces themselves to Hayden’s family as his partner. Already wild, right? Well, it gets even better, because in comes Zachery, Hayden’s brother—and someone Mackenzie gets very close with. Very close, if you catch my drift.

Anyway, it’s a mess, just as you’d expect from a “fake dating where only one party knows about it” trope combined with a “my crush’s brother” trope.

The found family theme hits hard in this book.

But my favorite part is the natural, thoughtful exploration of queer identity, handled without clichés or stereotypes.

On top of that? The cover is stunning.
Pre-order it or put it on your TBR right now.

[Martina · Rating 5 out of 5]

5★

First, I'd like to thank Netgalley, F/K Teen Press, and author Jordon Greene for providing me with the eARC of “How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend”, in exchange for my honest review!

Now, onto the review itself. Getting into this book, I expected a cozy urban fantasy like Love at Second Sight, which motivated me to request this ARC in the first place. I only skimmed the summary, so, boy, was I surprised to find out our MC, Kenzie, to be the more realistic kind of a witch, with spells whispered over Walmart candles, jar necklaces filled with herbs, and crystals. Now, this was in no way a bad surprise, don't get me wrong, I loved Kenzie's character and it was incredibly refreshing for me to see some AMAB nonbinary representation.

Speaking of representation, this book is exactly what I meant when I said we need more of it in the literary industry. Each character was so beautifully crafted, and all of them were different and had their own personalities—even if, I must admit, I was getting a bit lost in the Marcus family. As for Kenzie themself, I didn't agree with many of their decisions, but each time that happened, it reminded me time and time again that they are just a teenager, that they're allowed to make bad choices and mistakes. And, in the end, it all turned out well for them! I absolutely adored Zach's character. Yes, he was a bit of an ass in the beginning, but he was only trying to protect his older brother. In the end, he always had Kenzie's back and always tried to stand by them, even when they weren't exactly nice to him. Hayden, on the other hand, I could stand less and less each chapter after he woke up. I mean, yeah, bro was in a coma and suddenly gained an enbyfriend, but still...

The plot was quite fast-paced, which I can appreciate in a book. It wasn't too fast, so all the important information was still there, and I, as a reader, could enjoy all the sweet scenes, but it also didn't unnecessarily drag on, like some YA books tend to. Kenzie's constant inner battle between their conscience and their selfishness—or however else I could call the desire to continue lying about dating their crush—was written so well, I could believe the author went through it himself. I also just LOVED the character of Super Old Gran, cause, I mean, we'd all love to have a great-grandma like that.

Overall, this book was a beautifully cozy read, and once I got invested in it, I couldn't put it down. It had everything you could want in a queer YA romance, and yet it was like nothing I've read before.

[That_awkwardbook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Franklin/Kerr press , NetGalley and Jordan Greene for this ARC


Kenzie is working as a Barista and has a crush on one of their Regulars. They would be a perfect couple if only they could talk to Hayden for once and not be awkward as hell.

I Some of the choices Kenzie mad did bother me. They let the lie go way further then was necessary and hurt so many people.

It was a fun quick read that had me rooting for Zack the whole time.

[Néea Stern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love spells aren’t supposed to feel like lies, but sometimes they lead you somewhere unexpected ✨

I picked up How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend for the cozy vibes, the queer representation, and that sprinkle of magic, and it delivered all of that - and more. Kenzie, our nonbinary kitchen witch, feels so real and relatable and seeing their identity woven naturally into the story was such a comfort

The heart of the book, for me, was the found-family energy. Hayden’s family is warm, chaotic, and completely lovable, and the way Kenzie navigates their trust and care gave the story a depth beyond the usual rom-com beats. And then there’s Zack - gentle, sweet, and quietly brave. The moments with him, like the abandoned house scene, were the kind of scenes that make you sigh and grin at the same time

The magic itself is soft and whimsical, more aesthetic than central, which kept the focus on relationships and feelings. And yes, Kenzie’s choices are messy - very teen, very real - but that’s part of their charm and the story’s honesty

Overall, this is a tender, queer, witchy YA rom-com that left me smiling. It’s not perfect, but its warmth, humor and inclusivity make it a really enjoyable read

3.5/5 ✨ whimsical, affirming and full of heart

[CharliReadsSmut · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4/5

This was an excellent book and a truly enjoyable read. The portrayal of gender and identity was thoughtfully and sensitively handled. I appreciated the depiction of teenage experiences and dilemmas. Additionally, the representation of spirituality, including manifestation and the law of attraction, was well done.

Mackenzie is a wonderful character who has a crush on a coffee shop regular and attempts to manifest bringing their love into their life. It’s important to remember that when practicing manifestation, clarity and precision in your intentions are essential!

A fantastic read, especially for younger audiences or anyone who enjoys romance that supports diverse identities in a single story!

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so happy that I got the chance to read this ARC! Big thank you to the author Jordon Greene and F/K Teen for this opportunity to read the ARC for this book through NetGalley.

A wonderful story highlighting the feelings of having a teenage crush and navigating misunderstandings in life. What starts out as just a crush quickly turns into the pressure of keeping up with the expectations that are being heaped upon Kenzie (from both themselves and others). Add in that now they're spending a lot of time with Hayden's brother, Zach - who makes them feel things that they thought only Hayden would - what is an assumed enbyfriend to do? I think teens will benefit from being taught that we all make mistakes - it just matters how you handle it in the end but also that you own up to it - especially when it involves disclosing information about someone else that they may not have been ready for. Excellent ending that summarized that we don't always end up where we think we will and sometimes that's for the better!

[Gee Rothvoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet, fun, and endearing little YA romance this was! If you're acquainted with Jordon Greene's works, you'll know you can expect laugh-out-loud shenanigans, beautiful found family, a nuanced look at complex topics such as grief or the loss of a parent, and - above all - a swoonworthy love story between two young people you will not be able to not root for. If you're not familiar with Jordon's previous works, though... You are in for a treat, because this is an author you will definitely be adding to your auto-buy list once you finish "How (Not) to Conjure A Boyfriend".

Young non-binary teen witch Mackenzie has a massive crush on Hayden Marcus, their high school's star basketball player whose smoky grey eyes and perfect smile are enough to make Mackenzie weak in the knees. There's no way Hayden would ever notice them, though. Why would a jock like him ever look at a scrawny enby barista twice? One can dream, though, or so Mackenzie tells themself when they carry out a ritual to ask Freyja, one of the goddesses they have faith in, for help with their love life... Which comes in the shape of Hayden slipping on the café's wet floor, banging his head against the tiles, and slipping into a coma. Before Mackenzie can so much as process what's going on, one of the nurses has announced them as Hayden's partner to the entire Marcus family, who are both shaken by the horrendous accident and stunned to meet Hayden's enbyfriend when, for all intents and purposes, they all thought Hayden was straight. Even though Kenzie knows they should come clean, it's hard to think of losing the Marcus family when they've taken them under their wing as another one of their own. But it's getting harder and harder to keep up the farce, and the more time that Mackenzie spends with Hayden's brother Zachary, the more afraid they are that admitting to their lie might mean losing Zach forever.

Fake dating gets an original and clever twist in this novel, which takes us on a wild ride that blends one-sided fake dating with forbidden romance. It was such a fun ride that I admit to delaying finishing it, merely because I didn't want the book to be over! Mackenzie is an endearing main character whose antics were both hilarious and relatable, and I was very invested as they struggled to do the right thing due to an acute fear of being rejected by a family whose warmth and love are too good to lose. As I knew I could expect from Jordon Greene (devoted Noahverse reader here), I found myself on the verge of tears as Mackenzie struggled to do what they knew was right. Something that I love to see in YA stories is the depth, complexity, and nuanced discussion of difficult topics that are often reserved for adult fiction, and I was extremely pleased to find it in "How (Not) To Conjure a Boyfriend". While the prose was light-hearted and definitely sounded to me like a teen's narrative voice, the story was in no way simple or one-dimensional.

Another thing I deeply appreciated in "How (Not) To Conjure a Boyfriend" was how respectful the story felt. While having a non-binary main character might not be as uncommon anymore, there still aren't too many stories out there that do not focus, in one way or another and to some extent, on the discrimination and rejection faced by non-binary folks day in and day out. Granted, this is a very real issue that does happen, but every now and then it feels like a warm hug to read about a non-binary main character whose gender identity is never questioned or dismissed. In this sense, it felt extraordinary to watch Mackenzie struggle with age-appropriate stuff such as school, the idea of college or crushes, without their identity being reduced solely to how hard it is to be a non-binary person nowadays. Allowing an enby teen to have issues unrelated to their gender identity, as well as to be accepted as they are without any questions or reluctance to treat them with dignity, was a powerful choice, and I have to take my hat off for Jordon Greene because this book was filled with enby joy precisely because the non-binary character was allowed to be their own person outside of their gender identity.

The writing was really compelling, to the point that the world seemed to dissolve around me every time I picked up "How (Not) To Conjure a Boyfriend", and I was really mesmerized by the very beautiful lines here and there that packed a punch and a half. Half of their impact comes from them being objectively beautiful quotes, but the other half stems from how cheerfully YA Mackenzie is as a narrator. Many scenes were endearing and had me swooning merely because of how adorable they were, and it was super cute to have Zach fall for Mackenzie first in a story told from Mackenzie's POV! All the little cues and hints at Zach's feelings had me squealing, and Mack's obliviousness made it feel super realistic and had me sighing and swooning and kicking my feet.

Oh, and please let's give it up for Super Old Gran!! What an MVP that woman was, she made me laugh hard enough with her stellar interventions that my belly ended up hurting from cackling so much. Her and Eliza both!! Eliza was an incredible character in that she was someone Mackenzie could look up to, both as a practising witch and as someone who is clearly different from the Marcus family but longs to belong nonetheless. It was really incredible to see Eliza and Mackenzie develop a mentor-mentee relationship that was so loving, and it warmed my heart to see that Mackenzie and their faith were taken seriously. Witchcraft is often scoffed at nowadays, particularly when the people practising it are young, but this novel was incredibly respectful. It never came across as judgemental in any way, which felt like a very brave choice, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by how thorough Greene's research clearly was. There were many small day-to-day rituals that are often overlooked whenever someone who doesn't practise witchcraft writes about witch characters, and there were spot-on conversations about what witchcraft is and means to those who practise it.

All in all this was an extraordinary and fun read that you absolutely cannot miss out on!

[Lou Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Final Verdict
DNF at 20 percent. Now before you give up on this book for how I 've rated it I very much want to discuss what this book does well, because 5 years ago, I would've loved this book. The me today does not. And that's because tastes change. Also we have an enby main character which I haven't seen since Otherworldly and this book keeps up with the pronouns which believe me: I've seen so many books do awfully.

For me however: what put me off the book is we get to 20 percent and everyone is just hot to the character. And I believe I have a few enby mates who would love this book because apparently that is the bisexual experience. I have no idea what that feels like. I don't think the main character is bi- I didn't finish the book so what do I know. Which is another reason I don't want people to just look at my review and be like well he didn't like it so I won't.

But you know, the story is definitely interesting. The story literally is what it says on the blurb- that is the tone throughout the book which appeased my adhd too, because everything just kept happening. All the things, all the time, it never got boring.

I was kind of hoping for more information on the three characters on the front of the book, I couldn't get engaged with the characters personally, I was hoping for deep meaningful conversations, I think this is a young adult book but it is very adhd coded. I think this is going to be a brilliant book for a lot of people. I took one look at the cover and was reminded of when I was a huge fan of otome games, so was kind of hoping for something along the lines of the games I used to play. I was hoping that maybe the main character would accidentally summon a boyfriend, but; they don't.

I appreciated the moments though Kenzie's lens. I know if this was a gay story as in two men, I would've probably adored it, but I think not having that personal relation to the story also kind of ruined it for me. Put it this way: If you love Percy Jackson and you are an enby: and you love the narrative within Percy Jackson, how Rick Riordan writes his stories: and you also love corny romance and plot convenience: You absolutely will devour this book. You are going to devour it. You are the target audience, trust me on this one.

There are not many books about enby romances, much less books that keep up with the pronouns, so again to have a book which does that, and see that representation, it was absolutely stunning.

So enby's- go get your free ebook on Netgallery. And when the deadlines gone- go buy it. This one is for you.


Before notes:
Hoping to be an arc reader, if not will buy when released oof. I love the front cover, the colours are cute, and I really like the art on it. The title itself looks fascinating. I want whatever this book is.

[Busy_beereader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Franklin/Kerr Press for the ARC of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend!

The moment I saw the cover and read what it was about, I knew I had to request it and luckily, I got approved! The book comes out next year, on March 10th.

It hooked me really easily. I mean, give me a group of queer teens with more social life than me, and I’m sold. But even though I was super motivated and wanted to love this story, I just couldn’t. Unfortunately, I never managed to connect with the main character the way I hoped.

I get that they’re only sixteen, but the amount of lying and manipulation was exhausting. Kenzie constantly makes bad decisions, lies to literally everyone, and even gaslights the characters they have romantic feelings for it’s just too much. I understood the parts about not feeling seen or accepted, and I genuinely loved the warmth and kindness of the romantic interest’s family, but the endless lies and refusal to take responsibility completely ruined it for me.

As for the magic part (which was one of the main elements that first caught my attention), it honestly felt underdeveloped. It’s an interesting concept, but it only shows up in a few specific scenes just to move the plot along, and it never feels like a real part of the story.

And the ending… after an entire book of Kenzie lying to everyone, everything gets wrapped up in just a couple of pages. There’s barely any consequence, they end up with one of their love interests, and everyone forgives them instantly. I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t buy that.

Overall, the premise is fun and the found-family element is sweet, but the main character’s behavior made it really hard for me to enjoy this one the way I wanted to.

[Thebookwitches_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

How NOT to conjure a Boyfriend by @jorbangreene


Thanks you NetGalley, Jordan and Franklin/kerr Press for the eARC

4/5 Stars 🌟

This book was such a quick read! I throughly enjoy the store and concept and I adore ‘home magic witches’ so this felt like the perfect time to read it! Aka Spooky Season haha

We start with the lovely NonBinary Mackenzie who is crushing on a boy who comes into their coffee shop!

One day an accident happens which results in our love interest Hayden’s Family thinking Kenzie is his enbyfriend.

Hayden’s brother doesn’t exactly believe Kenzie and starts to question him about how the relationship really started.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book but honestly it was fantastic, some cringy parts but I think that made the book what it was!

Also lots of K-pop references which has introduced me to the world 😂

Again check it out when it’s fully published!

[Kai Moore-Austen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book! I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to read it as an E-ARC through NetGalley, so thank you for that.

While reading, I laughed out loud so many times! Funny and relatable, it was just wonderful reading a book from the perspective of a character who was like me, non-binary. The nuances of Mackenzie navigating the potential fears of being out to certain people after already being out to the majority were really relatable, as well as trying to work out if someone is into'theys' or not. I also found the "While You Were Sleeping" style narrative brilliant, I watched that film a lot as a child with my mother, but seeing it refreshed like this was great!

The added bonus of a real life witch being the protagonist was brilliant too, it's something I have/do dabble in and it was a really great addition.

I would definitely suggest this book to friends, and I will be keeping my eyes peeled for a copy for my bookshelf as soon as I am able to get one.

[David Souza · Rating 5 out of 5]

How (Not) To Conjure A Boyfriend
Jordon Greene
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: YA

Jordon knocked it out of the park with this one!

What do you do when your crush hits their head and is rushed to the hospital? Obviously pretend they’re your boyfriend to get into the room.

How (Not) To Conjure A Boyfriend has such a fun ride. I spent most of it screaming “TELL THEM!” Every ten seconds watching Mackenzie get themselves deeper and deeper in their lie.

Zach was so great! At first he comes off as a jerk, but I think it was hurt that his brother kept his “relationship” a secret. He slowly warms to Kenzie and the scene where the spiral down the K-Pop rabbit hole was adorable.

Hayden is the perfect representation of most of my crushes. They’re cute and you create this swoony personality, when in reality they are NOT who you created in your head!

All in all it was another amazing book from Greene and I am so excited to see what everyone thinks of it when it releases on March 10, 2026!!

[Scarlet's Book Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a charming and heartwarming read. Watching Kenzie figure things out while handling crushes and missteps felt really natural. Their time with Zach was sweet and often made me smile. The story stayed light and enjoyable, leaving me with a genuinely warm feeling at the end.

Thank you to NetGallery and Franklin/Kerr Press for the ARC.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard being a nonbinary teenage witch. Especially when you're fake dating the brother of the guy you like.

Cute & chaotic, flirty & fun.

[TeeReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

While this is a sweet, queer, YA take on the classic 90s film While You Weren't Sleeping, this didn't 100% work for me. I also had slightly different expectations going into this. This book is definitely witchy, but in a more Wiccan type of way than a whimsical Pratical Magic kind of way. I had a hard time connecting with Kenzie. They were definitely an OTP teenager, and I may not be the audience for that. I did really like Zach and found him to be rather interesting, but we don't get that much since the whole story is from Kenzie's POV. What I wasn't a huge fan of was the aspect of the story where Kenzie tells Hayden's family they are in a relationship not knowing if he is out as queer or whatever. I don't enjoy forced outings. While Hayden's family is cool about it, it still didn't sit well with me. I liked the concept and the writing is really good, but I ultimately don't this is story was for me. It's a fine enough read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great and fast read. There was witchcraft and love spells. A YA book for sure, but lovers of romcom romance will enjoy how this book progresses.

I received this book on NetGalley and was not compensated for this review.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kenzie didn’t set out to watch their crush nearly die at the coffee shop nor did they think they would happen to be at said crush’s beside when they woke up from a coma and they certainly didn’t think they would accidentally lead that same crush to believe they were dating.

And yet...

That is what happens and that is the beginning of this adorable YA about expectations, lying (and the consequences), self-confidence (or lack thereof), first love, and just a dash of modern witchcraft tossed in.

I loved the main character Kenzie. If you’re looking for books that have great NB representation, then this one fits. I love it when books seamlessly fit in diversity in a way that feels as though it’s just part of who a character is and not the whole. This is the way forward for writing and I love the way Jordon crafts his characters.

And Kenzie is flawed, and I love a flawed character. Kenzie makes the kind of mistakes that I made when I was their age. My lack of confidence often had me agreeing to things because I didn’t want to have a confrontation with someone. I mean come on... I very clearly remember being tongue-tied and confused. Especially when it came to my crushes.

This book is a unique meet-cute in that Kenzie has a crush on Hayden because he’s all kinds of perfect in their mind. So, when Hayden’s family accidentally thinks that Kenzie is their enby-friend, they can’t seem to find a way out of it. They try to build up the courage to say something on numerous occasions...but just can’t manage it. There’s more than just one enby-friend relationship at stake.

The problem is that Hayden has a brother named Zachary. And Zachary may just be the kind of person that Kenzie was looking for all along without actually knowing it. As Kenzie becomes more familiar with Hayden’s family, they begin to feel a connection to Zachary. And what’s more complicated than conflicting emotions?

In my mind this is exactly the kind of thinking that got me in trouble when I was a teenager. I mean, I thought I knew what I wanted... but sometimes, I was so caught up in the “appearances” of things that I couldn’t see what I really needed in my life.

This story really captures the confusion and decision-paralysis that can happen to people.

Don’t fret, things work out the way they are meant to. I’m just not telling you how that is.

Thanks to Franklin/Kerr for the arc!

[East of Reality · Rating 2 out of 5]

Your enjoyment of this book will hinge on two factors: do you find cringe humor funny, and do you like the main character. I … liked neither. (I’m also not a huge fan of While You Were Sleeping, for much the same reasons.)

Kenzie puts themself into a difficult position by first casting a spell to make Hayden fall in love with them — not knowing if this person is straight, bisexual or gay, involved in a relationship or someone who doesn’t want a relationship, but deciding to out Hayden to his family — because Kenzie has a crush. Then, when they escort the unconscious customer to the hospital they lie about being the romantic partner not only to the nurses, but to the family.

Then to keep lying, and lying, and lying. The refusal not only to tell the truth, but the willful cruelty of building up a life for themselves while using other people as props, not to mention Hayden, currently in the hospital in a coma that Kenzie has claimed. (And this ignoring the fact that there is probably some traumatic brain injury behind this coma, since it goes on for quite some time for story purposes.)

And, of course, the big reveal — after Kenzie has fallen for the brother and the family, lying to them over and over, especially Hayden who upon waking up thinks he must have amnesia because he doesn’t remember Kenzie, which Kenzie is more than willing to let Hayden keep thinking that because it’s convenient. What are the repercussions of all this lying?

Instant forgiveness because everyone loves Kenzie anyway. Happy ending, huzzah!

I think it’s lazy storytelling. Kenzie is a weak person, a selfish person who used others for their own gains and yet they still end up getting everything they ever wanted. They got away with lying, with outting someone, with weeks of using people. And I don’t like it. Hayden has no personality because he’s just a victim; Zachary is perfect, having no opinions other than the ones the plot wants him to have — which is that Kenzie is perfect and wonderful and flawless and adorable and blah, blah blah — and the rest of the family is a collection of mindless, smiling bobbleheads.

This book is not for me. And, personally, I don’t recommend it. There are other books with stronger plots, better characters and more believable romances. But that’s just my opinion. If you want to give this a try, I hope you have a better time with it than I did.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Owen Lach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young love is often messy. Think romantic entanglement, but real, where struggling against the bindings only makes the situation worse. And messy is the brilliant core of Jordon Greene’s How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend, a queer, sort-of retelling of that one movie where the MC lies about being in a relationship with someone in a coma (While You Were Sleeping, which I’ve never seen.)

Enter Kenzie, an enby barista who finds themselves instantly trapped behind a single, silly lie that quickly compounds until nearly everyone in their orbit is involved, including their comatose (not) boyfriend, Hayden. Kenzie isn't exactly a conventionally likeable character, but they are eminently relatable. They embody that specific age of existential struggle, desperately trying to figure out identity in a variety of ways, including witchcraft, worshipping Norse gods, listening to K-pop, and exploring abandoned buildings. Ultimately, Kenzie’s search is one of profound connection, seeking the romantic and familial ties they feel their life is lacking. Who can't relate to that fundamental human drive?

Kenzie’s impulse to lie is frustrating at times, in the same way I often found myself frustrated in real-life situations where I was forced to hide the truth for self-preservation. Anyone who grew up queer in a conservative household knows that pain of emotional concealment. Kenzie's immediate context is different. Their community seems largely accepting of their non-binary identity. But I absolutely get their instinct to deploy that protective lie, even if I don’t agree with their choices.

Greene keeps the story light, despite the potentially dark premise, and surrounds Kenzie with a vibrant cast of loving, supportive characters. The book is filled with fun, pop culture references that give it a relatable energy. Yes, the situation is messy. But in Greene’s hands, messy becomes fun, charming, and undeniably relatable.

[TenshiMari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a digital review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I have conflicted feelings about this book. I loved the characters, the witchy vibes, the LGBTQ rep, what I didn't love was Kenzie themselves. They are a compulsive liar, they're given a 100 chances to tell the truth but every time they lie and dig an even deeper hole for themselves. On top of being a compulsive liar, they're also constantly gaslighting their friends and the people around them to blame others for their problems that they themselves have caused. Every time I held my breath and thought "here's the moment Kenzie will tell the truth" they never did. Again and again. I hate lying, and it was difficult for me to not hate Kenzie throughout this whole book. I tried to give them grace, and remind myself they're what.. 16? and I can't expect emotional maturity and responsibility for their actions at that age. But it really prevented me from truly loving this wholesome story. The side characters were fantastic, and wholesome, and the found-family feeling was top notch, honestly so much of this book was fantastic, except Kenzie. I loved the ending, but at the same time I felt like Kenzie didn't really deserve it. They deserved to feel the consequences of their actions, and aside from a few chapters of moping and self-pity, that never really happened. Also, one thing that annoyed me was that the book kept referring to anything older than 2000 as "old" and kept calling things/people from the 90s "ancient" and I have never felt so old after that. All in all, this was a very promising book with so many great aspects dragged down by a selfish main character who felt really unlikeable.

[Rafael D. Lecturas · Rating 4 out of 5]

"How (Not) To Conjure A Boyfriend" is an upcoming American young adult book to be published in 2026.

Mackenzie, or simply Kenzie, is a non-binary person who works at a coffee shop and is also a witch (or at least tries to be). Kenzie secretly loves her most handsome customer, Hayden Marcus, but thanks to a failed "love spell," Hayden ends up in a coma. To sneak into the hospital, Kenzie makes the nurses believe she's dating Hayden, but this gets back to the boy's family, who invite her to celebrate Thanksgiving as if they were really together. Amidst lies and confusion, she ends up developing feelings for Hayden's brother, Zachary. Is this the work of the gods? How will this fun and magical story end?

The book focuses mainly on Kenzie's search for self-acceptance and her chance to belong to a family that loves her for who she is (even if it's a lie), and despite having the support of her mother and friends, the reality is that Kenzie demonstrates her need for acceptance.

On the other hand, we learn a little more about her crush and the idealization she had of him (to the point of wondering if it was love or just attraction) and the rethinking of her feelings directed towards another boy.

I love that it has references to pop culture, movies, and music (mostly K-Pop), and the somewhat forbidden romance isn't overly dramatic to hinder the story's progress. Personally, my favorite characters were Kenzie's mother, Zachary, and Kaitlynn. I'll keep quiet about who I didn't like enough because it would be a spoiler.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

[Doe Is Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So the reason I wanted to read this is because as y'all know I love a good queer YA and the synopsis behind this sounded like a fun read, so I decided to apply for it. Friends, I'm not gonna lie, I liked this one, but I wouldn't say this was as good as I'd hoped it be. First of all, I really loved the idea behind this story, it sounded like it'd be a lot of fun to read and would give me all the drama I wanted. I was right, this was a fun read, however most of this story was either too predictable or really unrealistic. First of all, I really loved the found family that there was between Mack & Kaitlynn, it reminds me a lot of the way me and my friends joke around and treat each other and was really sweet and funny to see. I really loved how Mack was treated with the love and respect by most of the characters that they deserved to be treated with. Once again, as I said the premise behind the story was really fun, and cute, and even a little dramatic at times. However, what ruined it all for me was the ending. I feel like the whole story was building up to the moment and then it was just rushed into a singular chapter. I feel like there wasn't enough time for Mack to make ammends with the people that they needed to, nor time for people to forgive them. I just feel like in reality, it wouldn't of happened the way it did. For me, it honestly just fell flat. Did I still enjoy the rest of the story? Yes. Would I recommend this to people? Honestly, probably not.

[linds❣ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute, cozy, YA romance featuring a non-binary main character, Kenzie. Kenzie was boy-crazy over her school crush, Hayden; so much so that one lie about their alleged relationship turned into one giant snowball, and if that insn't relatable for most teens I don't know what is. I enjoyed the sprinkling of witchy elements, especially the backgrounds on gods and goddesses, though I wish there was more. Family vibes were great!
I did struggle with the primary element of this story which begins with Kenzie essentially outing Hayden to his family while faking their relationship. This could have gone really wrong, especially if his family or friends had not been supportive of him coming out. While this is casually addressed later in the book, it's almost brushed aside as though it's not really a big deal. I understand Kenzie is a teen and this is a YA, but after the nearly 100th opportunity for them to come clean I grew tired of the lying, gaslighting, and manipulating, especially since the consequences for Kenzie were essentially non-existent. I wish the lie ended sooner and we spent more time emotionally fleshing out the relationship between Kenzie and Zach, as I felt they were super cute together but didn't have enough time together on paper by the end.

Thank you to Franklin/Kerr Press | F/K Teen for an eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Brogan Elouise · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend by Jordon Greene is a total delight. A witchy, heartfelt YA romance that’s equal parts chaos, charm, and comfort.

Mackenzie, a non-binary barista with a hopeless crush on their regular customer, Hayden, suddenly finds themselves in way over their head when a small accident leads to a very big lie.. pretending to be Hayden’s partner while he’s in a coma. What follows is a series of wonderfully awkward, funny, and unexpectedly emotional moments as Mackenzie is forced to reckon with what they truly want, who they are, and what love really means.

This story balances laugh-out-loud situations with real emotional depth with themes of exploring obsession vs love, forgiveness, and the idea that sometimes what we think we want isn’t what’s right for us… and that the universe has a way of guiding us toward something even better. The magical touches are light but lovely, and the queer rep is handled with so much care and joy.

It’s fluffy, a little bit messy (in the best way), and full of heart. If you love your YA romance with a hint of magic, found family vibes, and a happy ending that feels like a warm hug, this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[marta✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

it is hard to like a book when you actually despise the main character, which is just an unfortunate thing when the idea and the settings worked.

i understood they were just 16, but kenzie was a compulsive liar, there's no other way to put it. they spent the entire book lying through their mouth, and gaslighting every single one of the other characters you meet, even when they are given thousands of opportunities to come clean once and for all.

i did enjoy the found family you could see being created throught the story, but kenzie was just an unredeemable aspect for me to actually enjoy the book.

also, i felt like the conflict (which is the entire plot, btw) got resolved in like a chapter and a half, with everyone forgiving kenzie way too fast —and saying he was part of the family, even though they'd lied through their mouth and manipulated not only one, but two of their kids and the entire family.

thanks to Franklin/Kerr Press for the arc of how (not) to conjure a boyfriend in exchange of my honest review

[Cas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers through NetGalley for the free e-Arc in exchange for my honest review.

I have been stewing on what exactly to say about this book. On one hand I did really love some of the side characters and the setting and it was easy to read, I think I got it done in two sittings, but on the other hand, the actions and mentality of the main character constantly reminded me of Evan from Dear Evan Hansen. They make mistake after mistake and just keep digging themselves deeper, in a way that is at times comedic, but also infuriating. It was just really hard to root for them in the end because I didn't like them, I will say that they felt very fleshed out and real, but even for a teenager some of their lies are just too far in my opinion, maybe I would be able to excuse it if they faced more, really any, consequences for what they did but they don't really which made the ending feel partially unsatisfying. Is the premise fun, yes, and as I said some of the side characters are really fun, but the main character did dim my overall enjoyment somewhat.