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Encore!
Not yet published
Expected 2 Jun 26In this queer rom-com graphic novel for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom, two ex-best childhood friends reconnect again in high school only to discover they might be something more than friends. Based on the popular Webtoon of the same name!
Senior year is in full swing, and Clay’s determined to have a good year filled with friends, theater dreams, and newfound confidence. But when his ex–best friend, Aron, suddenly reappears in his life—and his theater class—it throws a wrench in all of Clay’s plans. Annoyingly, the two are paired up during an improv exercise, and being vulnerable together onstage swirls up all sorts of old, complicated feelings. Even more annoyingly, Aron is acting like there’s nothing weird or confusing about being back in each other’s orbits again. Which is ironic, since Aron was the one who ghosted Clay in the first place.
As their class assignment continues and they spend more and more time together, Clay isn’t sure he can keep his old feelings buried. But can he trust Aron again, after everything they’ve been through?
Senior year is in full swing, and Clay’s determined to have a good year filled with friends, theater dreams, and newfound confidence. But when his ex–best friend, Aron, suddenly reappears in his life—and his theater class—it throws a wrench in all of Clay’s plans. Annoyingly, the two are paired up during an improv exercise, and being vulnerable together onstage swirls up all sorts of old, complicated feelings. Even more annoyingly, Aron is acting like there’s nothing weird or confusing about being back in each other’s orbits again. Which is ironic, since Aron was the one who ghosted Clay in the first place.
As their class assignment continues and they spend more and more time together, Clay isn’t sure he can keep his old feelings buried. But can he trust Aron again, after everything they’ve been through?
Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
April 8, 2026
This ended up being a really solid, quietly emotional read.
What stood out most to me was the history between Clay and Aron. Their falling out isn’t overly dramatic, but you can feel how much it still affects them. That awkwardness of being around someone who used to be important to you—but isn’t anymore—felt very real, and the story handles that tension well.
Clay was easy to connect with. His insecurities and fear of being left behind felt grounded without being overexplained. Aron’s growth also worked for me—he’s not perfect, and it takes him time to understand both himself and what he did wrong, which made things feel more believable.
The theater setting was a fun touch, especially the improv scenes. It gave them a reason to interact and be vulnerable in ways they probably wouldn’t have chosen on their own.
The art style is bright and expressive, and while it’s not anything super new, it fits the tone of the story really well.
It does feel familiar if you’ve read other queer YA graphic novels, but I don’t think that takes away from it. It’s more about how well it executes those familiar beats—and this one does that well.
Overall, it’s sweet, a little messy, and very character-driven.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What stood out most to me was the history between Clay and Aron. Their falling out isn’t overly dramatic, but you can feel how much it still affects them. That awkwardness of being around someone who used to be important to you—but isn’t anymore—felt very real, and the story handles that tension well.
Clay was easy to connect with. His insecurities and fear of being left behind felt grounded without being overexplained. Aron’s growth also worked for me—he’s not perfect, and it takes him time to understand both himself and what he did wrong, which made things feel more believable.
The theater setting was a fun touch, especially the improv scenes. It gave them a reason to interact and be vulnerable in ways they probably wouldn’t have chosen on their own.
The art style is bright and expressive, and while it’s not anything super new, it fits the tone of the story really well.
It does feel familiar if you’ve read other queer YA graphic novels, but I don’t think that takes away from it. It’s more about how well it executes those familiar beats—and this one does that well.
Overall, it’s sweet, a little messy, and very character-driven.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2026
A warm, swoony, and super joyful queer graphic novel dripping with heart and lovable characters. When ex-best friends Clay and Aron are paired together in theater class, the forced proximity and awkward improv exercises lead to a slow-burn rekindling of their friendship and their feelings. I loved the diverse representation, queer/trans joy, and the high school backdrop that gave the story authenticity. Also, the art was so wonderful and I can't wait to check out more content in its original location, Webtoon. If you're a fan of Heartstopper or Bloom, then make sure to check out this graphic novel as well.
Sincere thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and HarperAlley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sincere thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and HarperAlley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2026
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was so cute and a little messy and absolutely perfect! I loved Clay and everything about him. I died over Aron and how he was figuring things out and how their friendship broke apart when they were in middle school because they both wanted something more from each other, but didn't entirely understand what or how.
My heart went out to them and how they were growing up and changing and how that impacted their friendship. It killed me that Clay just wanted to spend time with Aron and Aron wanted to be friends with everyone, and how they ended up hurting each other because they didn't communicate that.
But I loved how they reconnected in drama class and became friends again. I love how Clay spent more time with Aron and Aron was realizing that what he felt was more than platonic.
I loved all the side characters and the simple diversity of this story. Erica owns my entire heart and I died over her figuring out she was ace and Aron breaking up with her and them being honest with each other. I loved Hana and Alex and Quinn and Dhyana and all the friends Clay made along the way and how they all became a little group and played DnD together. This was just so cute and amazing and I loved everything about these messy kids and how they fell in love!
This was so cute and a little messy and absolutely perfect! I loved Clay and everything about him. I died over Aron and how he was figuring things out and how their friendship broke apart when they were in middle school because they both wanted something more from each other, but didn't entirely understand what or how.
My heart went out to them and how they were growing up and changing and how that impacted their friendship. It killed me that Clay just wanted to spend time with Aron and Aron wanted to be friends with everyone, and how they ended up hurting each other because they didn't communicate that.
But I loved how they reconnected in drama class and became friends again. I love how Clay spent more time with Aron and Aron was realizing that what he felt was more than platonic.
I loved all the side characters and the simple diversity of this story. Erica owns my entire heart and I died over her figuring out she was ace and Aron breaking up with her and them being honest with each other. I loved Hana and Alex and Quinn and Dhyana and all the friends Clay made along the way and how they all became a little group and played DnD together. This was just so cute and amazing and I loved everything about these messy kids and how they fell in love!
Want to Read
January 16, 2023I'm literally so in love with this Webtoon I can't wait to be able to have it on my shelf 🥺💖
February 22, 2026
Thank you HarperAlley for the ARC.
This was an absolutely adorable graphic novel! Perfect for fans of heart stopper it was giving queer high school musical vibes!!
Aron and Clay used to be close but now they aren’t. When all star popular swimmer Aron is forced to take a theater class they are brought back together and suddenly it’s more then friendship in the air!
I loved how age appropriate this felt. I loved the trans rep and though some anxiety from Clay was shown, no one ever made it into a problem. I loved the group of friends around clay and the clear communication to resolve problems.
The art style was also very enjoyable and easy to follow along to. Stunning work! Perfect for heart stopper lovers who are going to be sad once the last book comes out!
This was an absolutely adorable graphic novel! Perfect for fans of heart stopper it was giving queer high school musical vibes!!
Aron and Clay used to be close but now they aren’t. When all star popular swimmer Aron is forced to take a theater class they are brought back together and suddenly it’s more then friendship in the air!
I loved how age appropriate this felt. I loved the trans rep and though some anxiety from Clay was shown, no one ever made it into a problem. I loved the group of friends around clay and the clear communication to resolve problems.
The art style was also very enjoyable and easy to follow along to. Stunning work! Perfect for heart stopper lovers who are going to be sad once the last book comes out!
Review of advance copy received from Verlag
Thank you so much to the publishers for the ARC!!
Sometimes a graphic novel finds you at just the right time when life feels overwhelming and you just need a cute fluffy heartfelt comic about the most adorable set of queer characters to warm your heart. I loved every bit of this!
Being a teen IS rough man and juggling all the new desires of your heart for the first time is ever tougher! So glad I could spend time with these absolute cuties and I will recommend this to absolutely everyone!!
Sometimes a graphic novel finds you at just the right time when life feels overwhelming and you just need a cute fluffy heartfelt comic about the most adorable set of queer characters to warm your heart. I loved every bit of this!
Being a teen IS rough man and juggling all the new desires of your heart for the first time is ever tougher! So glad I could spend time with these absolute cuties and I will recommend this to absolutely everyone!!
April 21, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
Encore! is full of heart, humor, and mermaids! If you were a fan of Heartstopper then you’ll love Encore! I loved both Clay and Aron, independently and together. The novel balances friendship issues, anxiety, budding romance, and flashbacks so well. The art style is full of color and adds to the story. I would love to see this on the screen one day! An adorable, warm and fuzzy, and witty story.
Encore! is full of heart, humor, and mermaids! If you were a fan of Heartstopper then you’ll love Encore! I loved both Clay and Aron, independently and together. The novel balances friendship issues, anxiety, budding romance, and flashbacks so well. The art style is full of color and adds to the story. I would love to see this on the screen one day! An adorable, warm and fuzzy, and witty story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was excited going into this graphic novel, but it left me disappointed. Encore! follows Clay during his senior year of high school as he focuses on theatre, until his former best friend Aron suddenly tries to befriend him again after ghosting him years earlier. Being forced to work together in drama class brings all their unresolved history back to the surface.
Unfortunately, even though I liked parts of the setup and the representation, the story itself ended up frustrating me more than anything else. One of the biggest issues for me was Aron as a character. Even though he didn’t cheat on his girlfriend, he was emotionally somewhere else (Clay), and she really didn’t deserve that. It made the situation uncomfortable for me. Instead of rooting for Aron and Clay, I mostly just felt bad for both Clay and Erica. It was difficult for me to get into their relationship.
I also struggled with how the characters interacted with each other throughout the story. A lot of their communication felt immature, which made their dynamic frustrating. Since the romance depends so heavily on their shared history and unresolved feelings, I really needed stronger conversations between the main characters—but instead, many of their issues stayed vague or unaddressed for too long. I never fully connected with either of them or their relationship.
That being said, I did enjoy the representation. I especially appreciated the inclusion of asexual representation, which still doesn’t appear often enough in queer YA stories, and I liked seeing such a diverse friend group. I surprisingly liked Erica a lot, and she was my favourite character.
Overall, this was a graphic novel where I really liked the idea and the representation more than the execution. I wanted to connect with Clay and Aron’s story, especially since I love forced proximity and childhood friends to lovers, but I didn’t enjoy the romance as much as I hoped I would.
This book comes out on June 2nd, 2026.
Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, even though I liked parts of the setup and the representation, the story itself ended up frustrating me more than anything else. One of the biggest issues for me was Aron as a character. Even though he didn’t cheat on his girlfriend, he was emotionally somewhere else (Clay), and she really didn’t deserve that. It made the situation uncomfortable for me. Instead of rooting for Aron and Clay, I mostly just felt bad for both Clay and Erica. It was difficult for me to get into their relationship.
I also struggled with how the characters interacted with each other throughout the story. A lot of their communication felt immature, which made their dynamic frustrating. Since the romance depends so heavily on their shared history and unresolved feelings, I really needed stronger conversations between the main characters—but instead, many of their issues stayed vague or unaddressed for too long. I never fully connected with either of them or their relationship.
That being said, I did enjoy the representation. I especially appreciated the inclusion of asexual representation, which still doesn’t appear often enough in queer YA stories, and I liked seeing such a diverse friend group. I surprisingly liked Erica a lot, and she was my favourite character.
Overall, this was a graphic novel where I really liked the idea and the representation more than the execution. I wanted to connect with Clay and Aron’s story, especially since I love forced proximity and childhood friends to lovers, but I didn’t enjoy the romance as much as I hoped I would.
This book comes out on June 2nd, 2026.
Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After a string of heavy or frustrating reads, Encore! was exactly the palate cleanser I needed. It’s an incredibly sweet story that is perfectly pitched for its target audience - it’s simple enough for younger readers to follow, but it has enough emotional depth that it never feels superficial.
I was honestly surprised by both the art and the plot. The cover didn't necessarily promise a lot, but the interior art is actually much better; it’s simple, clean, and has a nice cartoony style that makes the story very easy to follow.
The characterizations are what really sold it for me. I loved that the conflict felt realistic rather than leaning on tired tropes. Clay pushing his friends away because he’s afraid they’ll drop him first felt like a very authentic defense mechanism. On the other side, Aron’s struggle with comphet was handled so well. Even with an accepting family, that internal pressure to fit in and follow a specific mindset is a real hurdle, and seeing him work through that was really touching.
The representation here is also delightful. It strikes a great balance where the story is about being queer (like Aron's journey with his sexuality), but it’s also just part of the world-building. You have trans characters like Clay and his best friend where their identity isn't the "conflict," plus non-binary and asexual representation, which I appreciated. Queerness is both the subject and the conflict, but it's not all it is for every character.
The book ends right as the main pair gets together, and while it's a satisfying conclusion, I would honestly love a sequel following them as adults. Between the glimpse we get of Aron finally embracing himself (wearing makeup and flashy clothes at the winter formal) and the fact that they both still have growing to do, I’d love to see them more settled and established in their relationship.
A really lovely, surprisingly deep story that I’d highly recommend.
I was honestly surprised by both the art and the plot. The cover didn't necessarily promise a lot, but the interior art is actually much better; it’s simple, clean, and has a nice cartoony style that makes the story very easy to follow.
The characterizations are what really sold it for me. I loved that the conflict felt realistic rather than leaning on tired tropes. Clay pushing his friends away because he’s afraid they’ll drop him first felt like a very authentic defense mechanism. On the other side, Aron’s struggle with comphet was handled so well. Even with an accepting family, that internal pressure to fit in and follow a specific mindset is a real hurdle, and seeing him work through that was really touching.
The representation here is also delightful. It strikes a great balance where the story is about being queer (like Aron's journey with his sexuality), but it’s also just part of the world-building. You have trans characters like Clay and his best friend where their identity isn't the "conflict," plus non-binary and asexual representation, which I appreciated. Queerness is both the subject and the conflict, but it's not all it is for every character.
The book ends right as the main pair gets together, and while it's a satisfying conclusion, I would honestly love a sequel following them as adults. Between the glimpse we get of Aron finally embracing himself (wearing makeup and flashy clothes at the winter formal) and the fact that they both still have growing to do, I’d love to see them more settled and established in their relationship.
A really lovely, surprisingly deep story that I’d highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
There's something about a queer YA graphic novel that just hits me right in the heart every time.
Encore follows Clay, a queer trans boy navigating his senior year of high school, as he reconnects with his childhood best friend, Aron. The two boys drifted apart in middle school, with both of them having different interpretations of why that happened. When Aron suddenly has to join Clay's theatre class to ensure he has the necessary credits to graduate on time, they're thrust back into one another's orbits. Over time, as they're reminded of all the ways they fit together, it becomes clear to both Clay and Aron that their feelings for one another aren't just platonic anymore.
This book is bursting at the seams with queer joy, found family, teenage angst, and a very sweet romance. Clay's struggles with self-esteem and fearing he'll be left behind by the people he cares about felt so true to his stage of life. I loved Aron's journey to realizing—and accepting—that he's gay, and I found it really charming that it went hand in hand with his girlfriend, Erica, coming to terms with her own asexuality. They were able to offer love and support to one another at the end of their relationship, and I think that's what everyone needs when they're going through a period of such important self-realization. The cast of side characters is incredibly diverse, with so many different queer and trans identities, races, and body types represented on the page. And, of course, it's worth mentioning that the illustrations are bright and colorful and beautiful, a perfect complement to the lovely, warm story being told.
If you love Heartstopper or any other queer coming-of-age stories, I think this will be right up your alley, too.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Encore follows Clay, a queer trans boy navigating his senior year of high school, as he reconnects with his childhood best friend, Aron. The two boys drifted apart in middle school, with both of them having different interpretations of why that happened. When Aron suddenly has to join Clay's theatre class to ensure he has the necessary credits to graduate on time, they're thrust back into one another's orbits. Over time, as they're reminded of all the ways they fit together, it becomes clear to both Clay and Aron that their feelings for one another aren't just platonic anymore.
This book is bursting at the seams with queer joy, found family, teenage angst, and a very sweet romance. Clay's struggles with self-esteem and fearing he'll be left behind by the people he cares about felt so true to his stage of life. I loved Aron's journey to realizing—and accepting—that he's gay, and I found it really charming that it went hand in hand with his girlfriend, Erica, coming to terms with her own asexuality. They were able to offer love and support to one another at the end of their relationship, and I think that's what everyone needs when they're going through a period of such important self-realization. The cast of side characters is incredibly diverse, with so many different queer and trans identities, races, and body types represented on the page. And, of course, it's worth mentioning that the illustrations are bright and colorful and beautiful, a perfect complement to the lovely, warm story being told.
If you love Heartstopper or any other queer coming-of-age stories, I think this will be right up your alley, too.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Alley, and HarperCollins Children's Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up Encore! on June 2, 2026.
I love a delightful, fun, emotional graphic novel, and Encore! hit on all counts! The art style was so cute and fit the characters really well. It felt seamless transitioning back and forth between past and present, and I felt totally immersed in the story the whole time.
Encore! follows Clay, a trans high school student whose ex-best friend, Aron, reenters his life when they're stuck as partners in theater class. Performing scenes together brings back childhood memories of when they would playact imaginary stories, and Clay tries to keep his distance so the hurt of their friendship breakup doesn't affect him. But Aron misses Clay and the bond they shared, so he starts breaking down Clayton's walls bit by bit.
Their dynamic is a bit similar to Charlie and Nick from Heartstoppers, mainly in that Aron is caught between the heteronormative/toxic masculine world of his sport (and its insensitive teammates) and his desire to be himself around Clay. Of course, he can't balance everything, and we watch his internal struggle between what he wants and what he thinks he wants.
Similarly, for Clay, we see him cling to his fear of being abandoned by Aron once again, and, in turn, abandon his current friend group to spend more time with Aron. For such a short graphic novel, we really get great glimpses into both Clay and Aron's character growth. I really loved how Clay and Aron resolved their issues by the end of the story, and I can't wait to see where their journey goes next!
All in all, if you love a queer second-chance friends-to-lovers YA romance, this is your book!
I love a delightful, fun, emotional graphic novel, and Encore! hit on all counts! The art style was so cute and fit the characters really well. It felt seamless transitioning back and forth between past and present, and I felt totally immersed in the story the whole time.
Encore! follows Clay, a trans high school student whose ex-best friend, Aron, reenters his life when they're stuck as partners in theater class. Performing scenes together brings back childhood memories of when they would playact imaginary stories, and Clay tries to keep his distance so the hurt of their friendship breakup doesn't affect him. But Aron misses Clay and the bond they shared, so he starts breaking down Clayton's walls bit by bit.
Their dynamic is a bit similar to Charlie and Nick from Heartstoppers, mainly in that Aron is caught between the heteronormative/toxic masculine world of his sport (and its insensitive teammates) and his desire to be himself around Clay. Of course, he can't balance everything, and we watch his internal struggle between what he wants and what he thinks he wants.
Similarly, for Clay, we see him cling to his fear of being abandoned by Aron once again, and, in turn, abandon his current friend group to spend more time with Aron. For such a short graphic novel, we really get great glimpses into both Clay and Aron's character growth. I really loved how Clay and Aron resolved their issues by the end of the story, and I can't wait to see where their journey goes next!
All in all, if you love a queer second-chance friends-to-lovers YA romance, this is your book!
March 5, 2026
Thank you to HarperAlley and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of "Encore!" by Miles Toriko Burks.
This was a cute young adult M/M cozy graphic novel romance that reminded me of a crossover between Raina Telgemeier's "Drama" and Alice Oseman's "Heartstopper." Although I feel like the story is in similar vein to many other recently published LGBTQIA+ graphic novels, the story is cute, I loved the illustrations, and I know that it will be a huge success with middle and high school students who enjoy "Heartstopper" and other sweet M/M romance comics and webtoons.
Clay and Aron were friends all throughout elementary school and then as Clay transitioned in middle school and stopped wanting to hang out with Aron when he was around his other friends, they fell out of friendship. Now it's their senior year and Aron finds out he's short credit-wise and is given the option to take an art or theatre class. He chooses art and is thrown into class with Clay and his friends. Clay is still resentful of the fact that he feels that Aron dropped him as a friend and when Aron appears in class, he struggles when paired up with Clay for an improv unit. Will the two be able to become friends once again or are they destined to continue their separate ways and with their separate groups of friends? Be ready for a diverse and adorable cast of LGBTQIA+ teens and a pleasant and realistic story of finding yourself, learning how to be a good friend to others, and stepping outside of your comfort zone.
I suggested purchase for middle and high school libraries as well as public libraries serving teens and young adults.
This was a cute young adult M/M cozy graphic novel romance that reminded me of a crossover between Raina Telgemeier's "Drama" and Alice Oseman's "Heartstopper." Although I feel like the story is in similar vein to many other recently published LGBTQIA+ graphic novels, the story is cute, I loved the illustrations, and I know that it will be a huge success with middle and high school students who enjoy "Heartstopper" and other sweet M/M romance comics and webtoons.
Clay and Aron were friends all throughout elementary school and then as Clay transitioned in middle school and stopped wanting to hang out with Aron when he was around his other friends, they fell out of friendship. Now it's their senior year and Aron finds out he's short credit-wise and is given the option to take an art or theatre class. He chooses art and is thrown into class with Clay and his friends. Clay is still resentful of the fact that he feels that Aron dropped him as a friend and when Aron appears in class, he struggles when paired up with Clay for an improv unit. Will the two be able to become friends once again or are they destined to continue their separate ways and with their separate groups of friends? Be ready for a diverse and adorable cast of LGBTQIA+ teens and a pleasant and realistic story of finding yourself, learning how to be a good friend to others, and stepping outside of your comfort zone.
I suggested purchase for middle and high school libraries as well as public libraries serving teens and young adults.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A second chance friendship becomes friends to lovers between a theater kid and a swimmer: a tale as old as time!
Clay has two best friends, Hana and Alex. He doesn’t like to talk about the friend who used to be there and then suddenly wasn’t. But on the first day that he felt comfortable enough to finally use the boys restroom, who does he run into? Aron, the best friend of the past, along with his newest girlfriend.
Aron is the star of the swim team, but his senior year plans may be ruined if he can’t make up two credits in the arts. That’ll be no graduating and, definitely, no swimming. So with limited options to choose from, he chooses theater.
Now the forced proximity of spending every day together gets even worse when they get paired together for class. Proving that the friendship that was always there could be once again with a little work and maybe a little romance.
I do love queer love stories, but I really enjoy when a book has so much representation that it’s spilling out. There were 3 trans kids, including one person who’s nonbinary, an asexual person, and people all over the spectrum. Both Clay and Hana are trans and also in same sex presenting relationships. So to say that I was excited for the array of letters all over the place may be the largest understatement ever made. LGBTQIA+, with a double underline on that plus!
I’m always here for great stories and even more when they give me all the queer joy!!!
Thank you to HarperAlley and NetGalley for my gifted eARC.
Clay has two best friends, Hana and Alex. He doesn’t like to talk about the friend who used to be there and then suddenly wasn’t. But on the first day that he felt comfortable enough to finally use the boys restroom, who does he run into? Aron, the best friend of the past, along with his newest girlfriend.
Aron is the star of the swim team, but his senior year plans may be ruined if he can’t make up two credits in the arts. That’ll be no graduating and, definitely, no swimming. So with limited options to choose from, he chooses theater.
Now the forced proximity of spending every day together gets even worse when they get paired together for class. Proving that the friendship that was always there could be once again with a little work and maybe a little romance.
I do love queer love stories, but I really enjoy when a book has so much representation that it’s spilling out. There were 3 trans kids, including one person who’s nonbinary, an asexual person, and people all over the spectrum. Both Clay and Hana are trans and also in same sex presenting relationships. So to say that I was excited for the array of letters all over the place may be the largest understatement ever made. LGBTQIA+, with a double underline on that plus!
I’m always here for great stories and even more when they give me all the queer joy!!!
Thank you to HarperAlley and NetGalley for my gifted eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you HarperCollins and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This story was so cute! Clay is starting his senior year and he’s determined to have a good year. One thing that sucks is that in theater they are starting out with Improv and Clay hates improv, he doesn’t like that it’s not structured, but at least his friends are there. Only things get worse when his ex-best friend Aron joins theater and they get paired together on their improv unit. Now he’s forced to spend time with the guy who hurt him in middle school, just ghosted him like Clay wasn’t important. The worst thing is Aron is acting like nothing ever happened and they are still friends. But as they two spend more time together, old feelings start to resurface. Clay starts to see that Aron is a good guy. But can he trust those feelings? After all Clay trusted Aaron once and that turned out horribly. A super cute and quick graphic novel about ex friends who maybe become something more! This one was super queer, had lots of charm and sweetness! Miles Toriko Burks writes and illustrates a sweet story about second chances that I completely consumed!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy of Encore! By Miles Toriko Burks to review! This is a quick read, but an absolutely delightful one. I felt like the art style fit the overall tone of the story well, bringing Aron, Clay, and their friends to life. It’s a rare instance where Hearstopper is a comp title and it feels accurate.
The theater framework for the story works well, especially since Aron feels like he’s been playing a role for everyone else. Hanging out with Clay allows him to let his guard down and feel like himself for the first time in a long time. It’s sweet that he finally doesn’t feel worried about what other people will think of him.
However, Clay feels the opposite. Re-igniting his friendship with Aron has made him put his guard up with his other friends because he is afraid of rejection. Part of his journey is coming to terms with this fear and learning how to still be a good friend despite his anxiety.
I’m glad we’re getting more fluffy, romance themed graphic novels. Can’t wait to recommend this when it comes out in June!
The theater framework for the story works well, especially since Aron feels like he’s been playing a role for everyone else. Hanging out with Clay allows him to let his guard down and feel like himself for the first time in a long time. It’s sweet that he finally doesn’t feel worried about what other people will think of him.
However, Clay feels the opposite. Re-igniting his friendship with Aron has made him put his guard up with his other friends because he is afraid of rejection. Part of his journey is coming to terms with this fear and learning how to still be a good friend despite his anxiety.
I’m glad we’re getting more fluffy, romance themed graphic novels. Can’t wait to recommend this when it comes out in June!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm obsessed with Encore! This graphic novel is so perfect, with the art style especially standing out. Clay is a theater kid who is worried about his improv class when his former best friend shows up. Aron is on the swim team and needs the imrov class for credit. He's excited to see Clay in his class but doesn't realize Clay is still upset with him. The two are forced to work together on sketches and slowly build up their friendship to where it used to be. The two boys take a long time to realize their feelings for each other, which is made complicated by Aron's girlfriend. Clay's story arc is very moving and relatable, and his chemistry with Aron is stellar. I loved this book so much and the whole cast of characters were great. I especially liked how the improv sketches mirrored Clay and Aron's relationship. Thanks to HarperAlley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Miles Toriko Burks, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for the eARC!
As a fan of the original webcomic, I was so excited to get to read tbe published graphic novel of Encore! I always loved the story and couldn't wait to see how it distilled into this work. It is interesting to see everything that didn't make it into this final product, but I still quite enjoyed it!
Overall, this is a very sweet, queer YA romance that I think deals with very realistic problems in a way that felt really relatable. Clay and Aron's falling out is understandable, and neither comes out the bad guy cause you see both points of view. I also really love the artstyle and just all the relationships between the characters. I especially loved seeing how many playbills on Clay's bedroom walls I could recognize! Would recommend if youre looking for another queer YA graphic novel that deals with real issues while still being incredibly feel-good after you've finished Heartstopper and Bloom!
As a fan of the original webcomic, I was so excited to get to read tbe published graphic novel of Encore! I always loved the story and couldn't wait to see how it distilled into this work. It is interesting to see everything that didn't make it into this final product, but I still quite enjoyed it!
Overall, this is a very sweet, queer YA romance that I think deals with very realistic problems in a way that felt really relatable. Clay and Aron's falling out is understandable, and neither comes out the bad guy cause you see both points of view. I also really love the artstyle and just all the relationships between the characters. I especially loved seeing how many playbills on Clay's bedroom walls I could recognize! Would recommend if youre looking for another queer YA graphic novel that deals with real issues while still being incredibly feel-good after you've finished Heartstopper and Bloom!
March 18, 2026
I got lured into this one by the Heartstopper read-alike and I’m so glad I did! My middle schoolers CAN NOT GET ENOUGH and I’m on the hunt for something that gives them the drama and romance that they crave from Heartstopper, but is clean YA so if an 11 year old takes it home from our school library, I won’t get fired!
Encore! is perfect! The fast paced plot had me read this in one sitting. We love a used to be besties and then there was DRAMA plot! I’m in love with the whole gender-expansive character list! And perhaps best of all, is the tender illustration style. Encore has a ton going for it and I can’t wait to see how my middle schoolers react to this one. I’m predicting HUGELY popular. Loved this!!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: June 2, 2026
Encore! is perfect! The fast paced plot had me read this in one sitting. We love a used to be besties and then there was DRAMA plot! I’m in love with the whole gender-expansive character list! And perhaps best of all, is the tender illustration style. Encore has a ton going for it and I can’t wait to see how my middle schoolers react to this one. I’m predicting HUGELY popular. Loved this!!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: June 2, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was so cute, a little messy, and honestly kind of perfect. I loved Clay right away, but Aron really got me—watching him figure himself out, especially with their history, hit hard. That middle school fallout felt way too real: two kids wanting something more and not having the words for it. What really worked for me was how much of their hurt came down to miscommunication—Clay just wanted Aron, Aron wanted to be everything to everyone, and they kept missing each other because of it. I loved how they found their way back through drama class and slowly rebuilt something real. The side characters made it even better too—Erica completely stole my heart, and I really appreciated how her story was handled. The whole friend group (DnD included) felt warm and lived-in. Messy kids, complicated feelings, and so much love at the center.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow. This debut MM friends to lovers second chance romance featuring a theatre loving trans boy and his former bestie, a popular swimming jock who has to make up some arts credits stole my heart and had me in near tears so many times!!
This book explores big feelings about first love, friendship, sexuality and bullying. Set in their senior year, two childhood friends who had a falling out in middle grade are forced to work together on an improv assignment for drama class.
Old feelings reunite and the two have to decide if they can take a chance at friendship or something more or if peer pressure is going to get in their way. Highly recommended especially for fans of the Heartbreakers series! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
This book explores big feelings about first love, friendship, sexuality and bullying. Set in their senior year, two childhood friends who had a falling out in middle grade are forced to work together on an improv assignment for drama class.
Old feelings reunite and the two have to decide if they can take a chance at friendship or something more or if peer pressure is going to get in their way. Highly recommended especially for fans of the Heartbreakers series! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
March 2, 2026
This book was beautiful! The storyline is fantastic and the artwork is eye-catching and vibrant. Clay and Aron were childhood friends who drifted apart in middle school. Now it is senior year, and they find themselves thrust together again when Aron must take a theatre class to ensure he has the right credits to be able to graduate. Theatre is Clay’s safe space, and he isn’t thrilled to find his former friend in his class, especially when the two of them end up paired together for a class project.
This is a great coming-of-age story with a lot of LGBT representation! You’ll get lost in this story and definitely won’t be ready for it to end. There are so many wonderful characters within the pages of this book, you will definitely find one that you connect with. Of course, there are the typical high-school age challenges that you would expect to find as well, friendship strains, dances, etc.
This is a great coming-of-age story with a lot of LGBT representation! You’ll get lost in this story and definitely won’t be ready for it to end. There are so many wonderful characters within the pages of this book, you will definitely find one that you connect with. Of course, there are the typical high-school age challenges that you would expect to find as well, friendship strains, dances, etc.
March 29, 2026
Honestly this gave me all the fluffy rom-com vibes I was looking for ! Clay and Aron are literally sweet baby angels who both are struggling with re-entering each other's lives. This story was literally so sweet and adorable. I really enjoyed the art style and felt like the story had perfect pacing! This book is both funny, emotionally deep, has queer, multifaceted main and side characters, and a simple yet engaging story! I feel like this book felt more realistic than other queer romcoms I have read in the past, which I really appreciated and enjoyed! I also felt like the conflicts were realistic and resolved in realistic ways! :)
Something about a queer YA romcom, done correctly just warms my heart and makes me giddy!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Something about a queer YA romcom, done correctly just warms my heart and makes me giddy!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Harper Collins Children’s for letting me read and review this graphic novel early. All thoughts are my own!
Encore! was very sweet and very reminiscent of being a teenager and navigating all the emotions that feel really big at that time in your life. It’s also angtsy, in that they were childhood friends who grew apart, and those feelings lingered as they reconnected. I really enjoyed it!!
I love a diverse ensemble!! I would gladly read a story about each of them! They all added so much to the story, and I really enjoyed seeing them all interact and shine.
The art was also some of my favorite that I’ve seen in a graphic novel so far! And a Hadestown reference at the end LOVE TO SEE IT!!!
Encore! was very sweet and very reminiscent of being a teenager and navigating all the emotions that feel really big at that time in your life. It’s also angtsy, in that they were childhood friends who grew apart, and those feelings lingered as they reconnected. I really enjoyed it!!
I love a diverse ensemble!! I would gladly read a story about each of them! They all added so much to the story, and I really enjoyed seeing them all interact and shine.
The art was also some of my favorite that I’ve seen in a graphic novel so far! And a Hadestown reference at the end LOVE TO SEE IT!!!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This is a sweet LGBTG+ graphic novel.
While there is only a handful of characters, this novel touches on being trans, gay, straight, bi, asexual or just realizing your preferences.
I really loved how organically it was woven into the story, making preferences or orientation normal and not taboo. I also adore that there was real life teen difficulties of feeling “accused” of being gay when friends tease meanly, but there wasn’t a forced outing.
I also think it’s his graphic novel touches on normal growing up and apart, which is (again) normal but tough.
Would definitely recommend this to YA and potentially mature middle grade (think PG13) as there are tough topics and makeout sessions depicted.
While there is only a handful of characters, this novel touches on being trans, gay, straight, bi, asexual or just realizing your preferences.
I really loved how organically it was woven into the story, making preferences or orientation normal and not taboo. I also adore that there was real life teen difficulties of feeling “accused” of being gay when friends tease meanly, but there wasn’t a forced outing.
I also think it’s his graphic novel touches on normal growing up and apart, which is (again) normal but tough.
Would definitely recommend this to YA and potentially mature middle grade (think PG13) as there are tough topics and makeout sessions depicted.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to the e-ARC for review purposes.
This was really cute. The characters were adorable and likable. It kept my interest because the characters were so cute. The plot was a typical YA romance plot with unique little details that set it apart a little. I'm a sucker for the childhood friends trope and I think the author did this really well.
I would have enjoyed this a little more if we got to see a little more of their childhood and address some of the issues that they had that led them to stop speaking. I feel like that was glossed over a bit, but other than that a totally solid plot with lovable characters.
I would recommend checking this one out if you want a cute, easy and fast read with great characters and a fun art style!
This was really cute. The characters were adorable and likable. It kept my interest because the characters were so cute. The plot was a typical YA romance plot with unique little details that set it apart a little. I'm a sucker for the childhood friends trope and I think the author did this really well.
I would have enjoyed this a little more if we got to see a little more of their childhood and address some of the issues that they had that led them to stop speaking. I feel like that was glossed over a bit, but other than that a totally solid plot with lovable characters.
I would recommend checking this one out if you want a cute, easy and fast read with great characters and a fun art style!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the ARC of this book!
4 stars
This graphic novel is a good read for high school age students. It has excellent representation of ethnic groups, especially Asian, Latino, and biracial individuals, as well as the LGBTQIA+ community.
The illustrations are very well-done and have a warm and friendly feel. The story feels a little disjointed, but my 15 yo child, who I had read it also, reported that it read like any other graphic novel.
The story follows two boys who were childhood friends and are renewing their friendship after drifting apart in middle school.
4 stars
This graphic novel is a good read for high school age students. It has excellent representation of ethnic groups, especially Asian, Latino, and biracial individuals, as well as the LGBTQIA+ community.
The illustrations are very well-done and have a warm and friendly feel. The story feels a little disjointed, but my 15 yo child, who I had read it also, reported that it read like any other graphic novel.
The story follows two boys who were childhood friends and are renewing their friendship after drifting apart in middle school.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this ARC.
10/10 highly recommend this well told high school love story! When the description said for fans of "Heartstopper" and "Bloom" I knew that I would instantly enjoy this graphic novel! As a theatre kid myself I loved that aspect and bringing back what Clay and Aron used to play at recess was just such a cute way to build and further their friendship to where it ends up by the end of the book. I will always be a fan of a well written book with queer and trans representation where its just easily and without a problem accepted within the world!
10/10 highly recommend this well told high school love story! When the description said for fans of "Heartstopper" and "Bloom" I knew that I would instantly enjoy this graphic novel! As a theatre kid myself I loved that aspect and bringing back what Clay and Aron used to play at recess was just such a cute way to build and further their friendship to where it ends up by the end of the book. I will always be a fan of a well written book with queer and trans representation where its just easily and without a problem accepted within the world!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In Encore!, Clay is paired up with his childhood ex best friend, Aron, for the improv unit of drama class. The two slowly resolve their issues, develop a friendship, show up for each other, and discover they might have deeper feelings. While getting closer to Aron, Clay also starts to neglect his other friendships.
Clay was such a special main character. I loved seeing him open up and try to come out of his shell, but also not lose himself in those changes. I also loved his very supportive and loyal friend group. The art style was so cute, and it really helped keep the story clear.
This book releases on June 2nd, and I really recommend checking it out!
Clay was such a special main character. I loved seeing him open up and try to come out of his shell, but also not lose himself in those changes. I also loved his very supportive and loyal friend group. The art style was so cute, and it really helped keep the story clear.
This book releases on June 2nd, and I really recommend checking it out!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25 stars rounded down
Encore! was utterly adorable. I think this encapsulated how difficult middle/high school can be while trying to find your place, and that sometimes “slights” are just miscommunications and part of growing up. I loved all the representation in this story, the art was great, and the romance was sweet. Some characters’ choices were a bit dubious, but they’re high school students, and it’s the time to make mistakes! The ending rushed at me all at once, and I wanted more time with Clay and Aron as a couple, but it was still very, very cute!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Encore! was utterly adorable. I think this encapsulated how difficult middle/high school can be while trying to find your place, and that sometimes “slights” are just miscommunications and part of growing up. I loved all the representation in this story, the art was great, and the romance was sweet. Some characters’ choices were a bit dubious, but they’re high school students, and it’s the time to make mistakes! The ending rushed at me all at once, and I wanted more time with Clay and Aron as a couple, but it was still very, very cute!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This graphic novel was cute and had a lot of representation! I liked the characters and I loved the art style. The biggest issue to me was that it felt too rushed. I wish it was longer! There could have been some more character development to get to the ending. (Also, I was finding issues with some of the swimming stuff as a lifelong swimmer and current swim coach, but maybe high school swimming is much more different in other states than I realize. Regardless, I always get distracted when swim stuff is or seems inaccurate; however, that is definitely my problem.) Overall, I enjoyed this and would have probably enjoyed it even more as a teenager. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
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