You Jump First

by Myah Ariel

Better Than the Movies meets Beach Read in this young adult rom-com about a girl whose heartbreak pact with her crush’s brother turns into something she never expected.

Andie has had a hard year. With her parents now divorced, it’s just her and her mom at their lake house for the summer. But Andie is trying to forget about that and focus on reuniting with Patrick, her long-time, will-they-won’t-they crush. Did Andie and Patrick have a disastrous attempt at a first kiss last August? Well, yes. That’s behind them, though. This summer will be all sunshine and fireworks—literal and otherwise.

Tommy is supposed to have the perfect summer with his girlfriend, Chloe, who’s staying with his family at Big Bear Lake. He’ll finally feel like he fits in with the lake crew—something his brother, Patrick, always seems to do with ease. This summer will be all about working on his writing and being blissfully coupled up with the girl who has the most gorgeous eyes he’s ever seen.

Then Patrick shows up to the lake with a girlfriend of his own in tow and Tommy gets spectacularly dumped via text. Suddenly, Andie and Tommy are weighed down by heartbreak instead of buoyed up by romance. But who can better help you weather a broken heart than someone in the same boat?

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Summer, Contemporary Romance

272 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 30, 2026

Reviews

[Belle₊˚⊹♡ (for keeps ∞♡) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars! ★★★☆☆
(Spoiler~free~Arc~Review)

~ "𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶." 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴.
𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳, 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯.

Thank you so much to Netgally for giving me an Arc for this book 🥹💗💗

Okay this book was so adorable and PERFECT for any reading slump because this got my attention FAST and went straight to the point which I loooved. 💗

Patrick & Andie were adorableeee and I really liked how simple and clean this was! And I love me a good friends to lovers trope 💃

~‘𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦, a 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦.
𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘦,
𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳.
𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.

Definitely recommend this book for a good summer read, it’s so easy to go through and overall would read more from this author if she writes another YA novel!!

I do wish we had a little more build up for these characters and the plot went on for a little longer but it was still good! 😌🤌🏻🌞
The summer vibes were immaculate 🌊

🌟Rating: 3/5
📚Age Rating: 14+
🔥Spice: 0/5 (clean!)

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️—GREAT!

Thank you to Netgalley for this E-arc!
You Jump First is so awesome! The plot is amazing!
I would totally recommend! This is the first book I read by this author and I will be reading more of her works!

Andie is so unique and just a young quirky girl! She shows the best parts of being a young teenage girl. Andie is one of the most original characters I have ever read! Now to Tommy! He was not what I was expecting at all! His storyline is very interesting and different than what I thought he was going to be like. All the characters are sweet, kind, and funny!

There were no actual bad parts in this book! There were some moments and dialogue that I felt was very cringey. Besides that this was so much fun to read!

In total, this book was is such a fun summer read! This piece is not spicy at all, which makes it great for the young readers too! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a new sunshine, happy vibe in a book!

[♡︎.ᐟજ⁀➴ Erie · Rating 3 out of 5]

You Jump First ☀️🌊💛
by Myah Ariel
3.5 stars

Thank you to Simon Teen for the ARC 💖

This book felt like sitting on a dock at sunset with messy feelings, lake water hair, fireworks in the distance, and a playlist full of soft summer songs. 🥹🌅

You Jump First is cute, breezy, emotional, and very much for the people who love yearning, awkward crushes, heartbreak healing, and that magical “one unforgettable summer” vibe. It gave me major comfort-read energy.

Andie and Tommy were honestly adorable together. I am forever weak for the “we’re both heartbroken so let’s emotionally spiral together” setup 😭 and the way their friendship slowly turns into something deeper was sweet without feeling overly dramatic.

Things I loved:

☀️ The summer-at-the-lake setting was immaculate
💔 The heartbreak pact setup was genuinely fun
🫶 Tommy being the quiet, misunderstood sweet boy? Inject it into my veins
🌊 The whole book feels light, cozy, and easy to binge
✨ The emotional moments stayed soft and realistic for YA

Things that held it back a little for me:

📖 I wanted more buildup and depth to the romance
🌀 The plot is pretty simple and low stakes overall
💭 Sometimes it felt more like vibes than story progression

But honestly? Sometimes vibes are enough. This is the kind of YA contemporary that reminds you why summer romances are so addictive in the first place. Cute tension, lakeside longing, emotional awkwardness, healing after disappointment, and two people slowly realizing the person they needed was beside them the whole time. 🥹💛

A very easy, comforting summer read that would absolutely cure a reading slump. 🌊✨

[Claudia G · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

This was such a great YA romance book. “You Jump First” was so cute and fun. I think this would make a perfect read for the summer. It’s become my favorite book by Myah Ariel. From the first few chapters I knew it was going to be a book I’d love. I read it in less than 24 hours. Could not put this down.


I adored Andie and Tommy. I thought they were both such sweet and caring characters. Their connection felt real and I loved their dynamic. Seeing them slowly realize they were falling for each other made my heart melt. The little things Tommy would do for Andie without her knowing was thoughtful and cute!! I also thought it was sweet how encouraging Andie was with Tommy’s writing. He’s never had someone who was interested in it so seeing Andie genuinely want to read his book and how he reacted to that was everything.

Andie’s mom and Mel (her bestie) were my favorite side characters.

Honestly could have read 100 more pages of “You Jump First”. A must add to your summer tbr.

ALSO I need a book on Andie’s mom and Simon.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon Teen for the arc!

[fanboyriot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andie and Tommy team up for a summer of having each other’s backs. Andie falling for her friend after they kissed last summer and realize this summer wasn’t going to be the connection she had hoped for. Tommy (brother of said friend) just got broken up with and is trying to get over the heartbreak of that and figure out what he is going to be doing next with his life.

This was such a cute and fun book; absolutely perfect for a summer/beach read. I loved the characters, the friendships, and the romance. The characters helped each other work through their problems and I just really enjoyed them getting to know each before any feelings came up.

(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)

POV: Duel, First Person
Spice Level: n/a
Sad Level: 💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Andie and Tommy
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🌊👙✍️

[Emily | booksandbedtime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED Myah’s novel NO ORDINARY LOVE last year so I knew I had to grab her newest! YOU JUMP FIRST is a cute summer YA romance filled with perfect lake vibes.

The whole cast of characters were great and it’s a perfect read for the older teen or young adult in your life! Andie and Tommy’s friends to lovers story arc was so sweet. And I loved the depth of Andie’s parents storyline. (I would love to dive more into this though!) Andie’s best friend, Mel, is a real girls girl and we all should be lucky to have a friend like her.

I’ve been in a major book slump but gobbled this one up in less than 24 hours. It’s a quick, sweet read! And one that will be perfect reading on a beach or a day in the sun!

What You’ll Find:
☀️Summer romance
💖Friends to lovers
💨Quick read
👙Lake setting

Age level:
This is marketed as Young Adult. There is no on-page explicit scenes. (Kisses only!) Mentions of drugs, alcohol and sex. I’d recommend for ages 16+.

[Monique B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've all had a high school crush gone wrong - where you feel one way, but they may not feel the same. This is all of those awkward teen emotions/worries wrapped in a cute friends to lovers romance.

Andie was my favorite; I felt SO bad for her. But I'm glad Tommy helped her get through a miscommunication based on his brother's misdoings. I also enjoyed the male perspective of Tommy juggling feelings for his ex! All those confusing emotions from both Andie & Tommy I felt. Seeing how their relationship unfolds was enjoyable.

One thing that didn't work for me were the pop culture references. One or 2 were spot on for this year, some I understood (but don't think any teen would grasp) and then many that even I had to look up because it was either before my time or something/someone I have never heard of. 😅 I felt like this is a YA book written for adults. The slang was "teen" though.

Overall, I liked this quick summertime read.

[yourlocalhobo · Rating 3 out of 5]

☀️🐚Thank you NetGalley and the author for letting me read the ARC for this book in exchange for honest feedback!🐚☀️

🎧Now Playing - I Like Me Better by Lauv🎧

~ “I like me better when I’m with you” ~

Romance: 13+ (kisses, zero spice)
Cursing: Little to mild (Uses of s-word a couple of times, b-word used once in a while)

☀️🐚Characters🐚☀️

Andie: Andie kind of reminded me of Belly from the summer I turned pretty, she was always in the most awkward scenarios possible 💀😭 justice for Andie

Tommy: Ah the quiet-boy-who-seems-standoffish-but-once-you-get-to-know-him-he’s-actually-very-sweet trope, a true classic.


☀️~ Overall ~ ☀️: This was a cute read! I enjoyed the beachy vibes and will always eat up a summer romance. However, I do wish that there was more of a plot to this book. The entire book kind of just felt like they were just hanging out at the beach and that was it. But if that’s the type of book you want, this is for you!!!

⭐️Rating⭐️: 3 stars!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It was short, sweet, and such a fun summer read.

The characters were really compelling, and I loved that there wasn't really any miscommunication going on. The characters were mostly up-front with their feelings and thoughts, and they handled things pretty maturely.

The plot was fun, and the romance was really sweet. My only issue with this book is the cursing. There is a fair bit of cursing (which I get it, the book is about teenagers). Also, I think the texting format kind of bothered me. I don't think teenagers really text like that, but I could be wrong.

Overall, this is a really sweet summer read that I would definitely recommend reading!

** Thank you to Simon and Schuster Publishing for giving me an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review! **

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an LA girl who spent summer vacations at Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead growing up, I just had to pick this book up. It’s a great read for the lake, short and sweet. And for the older crowd, there’s even some romantic mystery with the FMC’s mom.

The setting was nostalgic for me, but this is clearly a book written for today’s younger generation, as evidenced by the of-the-moment lingo. I found it humorous. As for the romance, it was cute, and there were some moments with emotional stakes. There was also parent/child tension for both the FMC and MMC, but overall, the tone was light.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 rounded up!

Overall, this was a cute summery read. I would definitely recommend for a lake/beach read. This one is described as Better than the Movies meets Beach Read. Being YA, it does have similar vibes to BTTM and The Summer I Turned Pretty. It’s a quick read & I loved that there are diverse characters in the plot.

Personally, I would recommend this book to younger readers. Although the same genre, It does read a bit more “YA” than BTTM, Fake Skating, or TSITP. There are also quite a few pop culture references and slang terms used that felt out of place.

Thank you to Simon Teen for sending me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, this was a pretty cute coming of age romance with some sweet nostalgic tones and fun lake vibes. Unfortunately, it was really lacking in depth and tension, making the overall story feel flat. The conflicts were resolved really simply, and there were quite a few side stories that did not feel fully developed, so it was hard to feel very invested. The love story was nice but could have used some longing. I love a good YA novel, but the dialogue made these characters seem very young. If you're looking for a fun and light YA romance, this might be up your alley!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster's for this ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Stenasia Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so cutesy. Like a fun summer read.

My goodness the FMC was going through it though. But I utterly adore the MMC .

I felt like the FMC min plot line dragged the story, but it was still good.

The MMC brother is just yuck. How could he?

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect YA beach read! Myah Ariel continues to wow me with her writing. This is a rather compact summer romance, but don’t let the length of the book fool you. Heartbreak, love, friendship and shenanigans are all fleshed out in glorious technicolor. Thanks to Simon Pulse for the arc.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of "You Jump First" on Goodreads First Reads. Thank you for choosing me to read and review this book. This is a sweet book that I think we need more of. I enjoyed reading it so much and I'm sure that it will be a popular beach read. I loved the characters and the storyline.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

[McKenna Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute! I love Tommy and Andie

[Betsy Satchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as an ARC from NetGalley

Highly recommend! This was just a fun cute summer read. It was a breeze to read through it!

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
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