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Prom Theory
A teen girl is determined to prove that love, like all things, should be scientifically quantified…right?
Iris Oxtabee has managed to navigate the tricky world of unspoken social interactions by reading everything from neuroscience journals to Wikipedia articles. Science has helped her fit the puzzle pieces into an understandable whole, and she’s sure there’s nothing it can’t explain. Love, for example, is just chemistry.
Her best friend Seth, however, believes love is one of life’s beautiful and chaotic mysteries, without need for explanation. Iris isn’t one to back down from a challenge; she’s determined to prove love is really nothing more than hormones and external stimuli. After all, science has allowed humanity to understand more complex mysteries than that, and Iris excels at science.
The perfect way to test her theory? Get the popular and newly-single Theo Grant, who doesn’t even know Iris exists, to ask her to prom. With prom just two weeks away, Iris doesn’t have any time to waste, so she turns her keen empirical talents and laser-focus attention to testing her theory.
But will proving herself correct cause her friendship with Seth—and the tantalizing possibility for something more—to become the failed experiment?
Iris Oxtabee has managed to navigate the tricky world of unspoken social interactions by reading everything from neuroscience journals to Wikipedia articles. Science has helped her fit the puzzle pieces into an understandable whole, and she’s sure there’s nothing it can’t explain. Love, for example, is just chemistry.
Her best friend Seth, however, believes love is one of life’s beautiful and chaotic mysteries, without need for explanation. Iris isn’t one to back down from a challenge; she’s determined to prove love is really nothing more than hormones and external stimuli. After all, science has allowed humanity to understand more complex mysteries than that, and Iris excels at science.
The perfect way to test her theory? Get the popular and newly-single Theo Grant, who doesn’t even know Iris exists, to ask her to prom. With prom just two weeks away, Iris doesn’t have any time to waste, so she turns her keen empirical talents and laser-focus attention to testing her theory.
But will proving herself correct cause her friendship with Seth—and the tantalizing possibility for something more—to become the failed experiment?
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2021
48 people are currently reading
2278 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
July 17, 2021
I have established my non-favouritism on the best friend to lover trope but this one sounds promising and it reminds me of The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss. So, I was kind of excited. I love me some good teen fiction.
Meet our female lead, Iris Oxtabee who developed a Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) which made it hard for her to recognize the nonverbal cues. And can sometimes be seen to have poor coordination, needing to verbally label information, depicting the exact embodiment of a person with NVLD. This so reminds me of Evie (from The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss). Although Evie does not have any other disorder but the science obsession, the anxiety, the failure to realize the best friend's love and all. The resemblance is almost uncanny.
But I've mentioned in my review here that Evie is quite bland but started to develop a better personality as the story goes. But with Iris, not only that she can appear dull but also exasperating most of the time. Even so, I like the representation that the author is going for in this book and I could understand considering Iris is not bestowed the same ability as normal people do, which made her assumption/conclusion to be infuriating, when sometimes it's just that simple.
To boot, this book almost felt like a biology textbook, just by reading all the time Iris trying to unravel the things going on around her through scientific processes... and I hate biology for god's sake. So, this part particularly is really tricky because I get sidetracked from the book sometimes from Iris' Wiki Mode. But it's a bold move from the author and I actually appreciate it despite not liking it.
As for our male character, Seth, I definitely like his values more than Caleb (from The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss, again) because if Caleb been with many girls before while developing feelings for his best friend, Seth is more reserved and is really loyal to Iris. I think this may have to do with Iris' condition as well, so I felt like he was so considerate since he knew Iris may not be able to read his cues about being in love with her. I like the idea of staying true to the one you love (I'm just a hopeless romantic, I'm sorry).
Other than that, there's not much we can get from Seth's personality because it's a single point of view book and Iris' input about his personality and characters are not extensive seeing how the friendship kind of drifted apart. Thus, we would only know Seth as the best friend and lover boy.
While I like some of the premises in this book, but it definitely reminds me of the pain from the best friend to lover books trope I've read before which is usually indeed heartbreaking in nature. Especially the part with Pom-Pom, although she appeared to be nice but first impression matters, and I don't like her the first time I read it from Iris' view. Like, why do you all have to go for angst while trying to execute the characters in realizing their feelings towards the other person? Why must it involve a third party, EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Anyways, hands down, my favourite character in this book would be Esther. I admired her compassion while enduring Iris' personality like I said, who can be very exasperating. If I were to hear my friend being on a Wiki Mode every day, I might snap at how I don't wanna hear it. What more when it's about biology. Like, I hate biology. What's not clicking. But Esther is so understanding and very heartwarming. Always there for Iris despite the shortcomings when you befriended someone like her. Never tried to undermine her and is always supportive of Iris and her experiment, despite always trying to tell off Iris for the repercussion that might come from it. I find Esther to be lovely and as a reader, I'm glad for Iris to have someone like her around.
Still, the ending was not as fulfilling for me because I didn't get much from Seth and Iris as a pair. With Evie and Caleb, you can see how close they were or how their friendship was established (p/s: I'm sorry I keep comparing the two books). But Seth and Iris had less skinship and that's kind of a letdown. And their establishment is a bit underdeveloped for me. So when they're about to come to the epilogue, it just ends there. I wish I could get more though as I hate if the book ends after the couple get together.
For the most part, even though this book is not perfect but I still think that it's a fun read.
3.5/5
Meet our female lead, Iris Oxtabee who developed a Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) which made it hard for her to recognize the nonverbal cues. And can sometimes be seen to have poor coordination, needing to verbally label information, depicting the exact embodiment of a person with NVLD. This so reminds me of Evie (from The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss). Although Evie does not have any other disorder but the science obsession, the anxiety, the failure to realize the best friend's love and all. The resemblance is almost uncanny.
But I've mentioned in my review here that Evie is quite bland but started to develop a better personality as the story goes. But with Iris, not only that she can appear dull but also exasperating most of the time. Even so, I like the representation that the author is going for in this book and I could understand considering Iris is not bestowed the same ability as normal people do, which made her assumption/conclusion to be infuriating, when sometimes it's just that simple.
I could almost see the dopamine, the pleasure enzyme, race to her basal ganglia via her ventral striatum, directly to the reward center of the brain. Life is really about the small victories
To boot, this book almost felt like a biology textbook, just by reading all the time Iris trying to unravel the things going on around her through scientific processes... and I hate biology for god's sake. So, this part particularly is really tricky because I get sidetracked from the book sometimes from Iris' Wiki Mode. But it's a bold move from the author and I actually appreciate it despite not liking it.
As for our male character, Seth, I definitely like his values more than Caleb (from The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss, again) because if Caleb been with many girls before while developing feelings for his best friend, Seth is more reserved and is really loyal to Iris. I think this may have to do with Iris' condition as well, so I felt like he was so considerate since he knew Iris may not be able to read his cues about being in love with her. I like the idea of staying true to the one you love (I'm just a hopeless romantic, I'm sorry).
Other than that, there's not much we can get from Seth's personality because it's a single point of view book and Iris' input about his personality and characters are not extensive seeing how the friendship kind of drifted apart. Thus, we would only know Seth as the best friend and lover boy.
While I like some of the premises in this book, but it definitely reminds me of the pain from the best friend to lover books trope I've read before which is usually indeed heartbreaking in nature. Especially the part with Pom-Pom, although she appeared to be nice but first impression matters, and I don't like her the first time I read it from Iris' view. Like, why do you all have to go for angst while trying to execute the characters in realizing their feelings towards the other person? Why must it involve a third party, EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Anyways, hands down, my favourite character in this book would be Esther. I admired her compassion while enduring Iris' personality like I said, who can be very exasperating. If I were to hear my friend being on a Wiki Mode every day, I might snap at how I don't wanna hear it. What more when it's about biology. Like, I hate biology. What's not clicking. But Esther is so understanding and very heartwarming. Always there for Iris despite the shortcomings when you befriended someone like her. Never tried to undermine her and is always supportive of Iris and her experiment, despite always trying to tell off Iris for the repercussion that might come from it. I find Esther to be lovely and as a reader, I'm glad for Iris to have someone like her around.
Still, the ending was not as fulfilling for me because I didn't get much from Seth and Iris as a pair. With Evie and Caleb, you can see how close they were or how their friendship was established (p/s: I'm sorry I keep comparing the two books). But Seth and Iris had less skinship and that's kind of a letdown. And their establishment is a bit underdeveloped for me. So when they're about to come to the epilogue, it just ends there. I wish I could get more though as I hate if the book ends after the couple get together.
For the most part, even though this book is not perfect but I still think that it's a fun read.
3.5/5
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January 31, 2021
Was it cliched? Oh yes. Did I enjoy it anyway? Also yes.
This book actually made me nostalgic for when I was about eleven or twelve years old, and my school library never had the kind of teen fiction books I wanted to read, so I used to get my YA fix by reading stories on FictionPress. Remember that website? There were a ton of good stories on there, and many more not-so-good stories. A lot have been taken down now, either because they were published (yay) or plagiarised (boo). I went back a couple of days ago and reread some of my favourite stories. The top one is actually still How I Became a Teenage Voyeur by 'candid', who I think is actually Nenia Campbell! It's a great little one-shot and I was glad to see that even if so many stories have disappeared, there are still a few good ones left.
Anyway, sorry, back to the review. Our heroine is 17-year-old Iris Oxtabee, who has a nonverbal learning disorder that makes her struggle to socialise with peers. The only people she feels comfortable with are her best friends Emmy and Seth. She thinks of herself as a scientist, though, and one day she comes up with a proposition that's going to wreck her carefully constructed life: what if she can get Theo Grant, most popular boy in school, to ask her to prom using science?
When I say this is like a FictionPress story, I mean it's honestly SUCH a 'regular classic YA literature' book, like something from the mid-2000s. Prom is the be-all and end-all, Theo is an 'alpha' blond guy who does sports, Seth is the 'beta' who's been in love with Iris forever but she doesn't know it, there's even a cheerleader whom Iris gets jealous of because Seth is spending too much time with her. There are basically no twists or surprises to this story. It's a straightforward vaguely rom-commish tale with a dash of angst. I think it would actually make a pretty good film, because I can see it as being something like To All the Boys I've Loved Before (which incidentally is a GREAT film and vastly superior to the book).
I really liked the neurodiversity, too. Sometimes it was difficult to be in Iris's head because her inner monologue could be frustratingly self-centred or wilfully blind, but she recognises that she has these problems and strives to work on them. What more can you ask for?
I also liked that Seth had more personality than just 'guy who's in love with Iris'. He has a backbone, and a realistic temper, and I loved the fact that he calls Iris out on her bullshit.
[Blog]
August 17, 2025
Sadly, Didn't meet the expectations.
Thing I liked:
⭐The representation: The lead has NVLD and that is nicely depicted. I've never read or seen a rom-com with this disorder, so it was a new learning experience.
⭐ The short chapters and those cute stars on the chapter headers.
Things I didn't like:
⚫ I felt like it was a nice rom-com reading the blurb. But, it wasn't that funny and the romance... Well, there wasn't much of it.
⚫ I didn't get much chemistry between the main couple. And definitely, the ending is not at all fulfilling.
Thing I liked:
⭐The representation: The lead has NVLD and that is nicely depicted. I've never read or seen a rom-com with this disorder, so it was a new learning experience.
⭐ The short chapters and those cute stars on the chapter headers.
Things I didn't like:
⚫ I felt like it was a nice rom-com reading the blurb. But, it wasn't that funny and the romance... Well, there wasn't much of it.
⚫ I didn't get much chemistry between the main couple. And definitely, the ending is not at all fulfilling.
August 31, 2021
See this review and more at my blog, The Scribe Owl!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for an ARC in change for an honest review!
3/5 stars
Prom Theory is a heavily clichéd YA contemporary that still manages to be adorable.
As some of the reviews have pointed out, this book is basically one big cliché tied with a bow. There isn't really anything wrong with it, but it feels overdone. It also reads like early YA. You know, those YA books that came out in the 2000s when the genre was first forming? It felt all too familiar.
Prom Theory is more or less exactly what it sounds like. Girl likes science. Girl uses science to try and prove love. Girl is blind to guy that actually loves her. I feel like I've read this before, no? It feels a little bit like the YA version of The Kiss Quotient (which I haven't read so please correct me if I'm wrong) with science instead of math. The MC even has NVLD (Nonverbal Learning Disorder) while the MC of The Kiss Quotient is on the autism spectrum. I don't mean to throw shade because the book was pretty entertaining, but it didn't quite feel original.
As I just mentioned, our main character, Iris, has NVLD, a learning disorder. The neurodiversity was really nice and something you don't see very often. That said, she was a bit of an annoying character. I didn't understand half of what she said and she was obtusely blind to everything happening around her (cough cough Seth).
I really liked our love interest, though I'll be the first to admit he was a little vanilla. Seth was very sweet and protective, but he didn't really have any defining characteristics that I can think of other than Iris's neighbor/best friend/love interest. That said, I'm a massive fan of the friends to lovers trope so I did rather enjoy the inevitable romance.
All in all, while the concepts Prom Theory was built around felt overdone, I did enjoy the book and reading experience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for an ARC in change for an honest review!
3/5 stars
Prom Theory is a heavily clichéd YA contemporary that still manages to be adorable.
As some of the reviews have pointed out, this book is basically one big cliché tied with a bow. There isn't really anything wrong with it, but it feels overdone. It also reads like early YA. You know, those YA books that came out in the 2000s when the genre was first forming? It felt all too familiar.
Prom Theory is more or less exactly what it sounds like. Girl likes science. Girl uses science to try and prove love. Girl is blind to guy that actually loves her. I feel like I've read this before, no? It feels a little bit like the YA version of The Kiss Quotient (which I haven't read so please correct me if I'm wrong) with science instead of math. The MC even has NVLD (Nonverbal Learning Disorder) while the MC of The Kiss Quotient is on the autism spectrum. I don't mean to throw shade because the book was pretty entertaining, but it didn't quite feel original.
As I just mentioned, our main character, Iris, has NVLD, a learning disorder. The neurodiversity was really nice and something you don't see very often. That said, she was a bit of an annoying character. I didn't understand half of what she said and she was obtusely blind to everything happening around her (cough cough Seth).
I really liked our love interest, though I'll be the first to admit he was a little vanilla. Seth was very sweet and protective, but he didn't really have any defining characteristics that I can think of other than Iris's neighbor/best friend/love interest. That said, I'm a massive fan of the friends to lovers trope so I did rather enjoy the inevitable romance.
All in all, while the concepts Prom Theory was built around felt overdone, I did enjoy the book and reading experience.
April 2, 2021
This is such cute YA book Seth and Iris are adorable.
April 24, 2021
Rating: 3.5 Stars
In order to better understand the world around her, Iris spent a great deal of time reading and learning about neuroscience a.k.a. brain science. When she proposes to Seth and Esther, her best friends, that love is related to chemistry, Iris concocts a way to test this theory by attempting to get herself invited to prom. As she is carrying out her experiments, unknown variables get thrown into the mix, and Iris finds herself perplexed by these findings.
I saw this pitched as a YA The Rosie Project, and I was chomping at the bit to read it. I could very much see the similarities between Iris and Don. Both were neurodivergent and saw the world through a scientific lens. They had to work harder to socialize, but were lucky enough to have a few great friends who were allies and supporters. And where Don had the Wife Project, Iris had the Prom Theory.
Iris was an interesting character. Her passion for neuroscience was pretty contagious. She would do this thing, where she went into what they referred to as "Wiki-mode", and I must confessed, I enjoyed it. I love science, and found the bits and pieces shared with me extremely interesting.
The "experiments" were quite amusing too. They may have been a bit unethical, but they provided some great rom-com moments. There were reflections after each experiment, where Iris and Esther recorded their findings. I loved the contrast between Iris and Esther's notes, and these journals along with the experiments made me chuckle.
Iris was lucky to have not one, but two best friends. They had been her staunch supporters for many years and helped her navigate situations she found difficult due to her learning disorder. Though Iris built up a toolkit over the years, she found comfort just knowing her friends were there for her if she needed them. Their relationship hits a few bumps over the course of the story, as Iris persisted in proving her Prom Theory, and that's where I saw Iris discover a lot about herself. I appreciated both her struggle and her growth.
Overall, it was delightful watching Iris try to prove her Prom Theory. The combination of flirting, fun, and friendship was an enjoyable one for me.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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In order to better understand the world around her, Iris spent a great deal of time reading and learning about neuroscience a.k.a. brain science. When she proposes to Seth and Esther, her best friends, that love is related to chemistry, Iris concocts a way to test this theory by attempting to get herself invited to prom. As she is carrying out her experiments, unknown variables get thrown into the mix, and Iris finds herself perplexed by these findings.
I saw this pitched as a YA The Rosie Project, and I was chomping at the bit to read it. I could very much see the similarities between Iris and Don. Both were neurodivergent and saw the world through a scientific lens. They had to work harder to socialize, but were lucky enough to have a few great friends who were allies and supporters. And where Don had the Wife Project, Iris had the Prom Theory.
Iris was an interesting character. Her passion for neuroscience was pretty contagious. She would do this thing, where she went into what they referred to as "Wiki-mode", and I must confessed, I enjoyed it. I love science, and found the bits and pieces shared with me extremely interesting.
The "experiments" were quite amusing too. They may have been a bit unethical, but they provided some great rom-com moments. There were reflections after each experiment, where Iris and Esther recorded their findings. I loved the contrast between Iris and Esther's notes, and these journals along with the experiments made me chuckle.
Iris was lucky to have not one, but two best friends. They had been her staunch supporters for many years and helped her navigate situations she found difficult due to her learning disorder. Though Iris built up a toolkit over the years, she found comfort just knowing her friends were there for her if she needed them. Their relationship hits a few bumps over the course of the story, as Iris persisted in proving her Prom Theory, and that's where I saw Iris discover a lot about herself. I appreciated both her struggle and her growth.
Overall, it was delightful watching Iris try to prove her Prom Theory. The combination of flirting, fun, and friendship was an enjoyable one for me.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
April 3, 2021
This was a struggle. Not that it’s a bad story, the story parts were good but omg all the science. This was like reading a dissertation with a little look into the researcher’s life. About half of the chapters opened up with a hypothesis, and I mean legit thorough hypothesis. The main character would regularly info dump a bunch of scientific facts in such a way that it was like reading a research paper. I almost ditched this book multiple times but the main character had NVLD. This is somewhat similar to what my oldest child struggles with so I stuck it out to get some insight into a character that misses social cues. I wanted to see how their friends helped them out and what tricks they might use to help navigate high school. Overall the science overpowered the story.
June 28, 2025
this book was thick with tropes in the best way—it was SO cute!
and i love squeak
and i love squeak
May 25, 2021
The depiction of NVLD seemed accurate (I can’t personally comment since I don’t have NVLD), but there was sooo much science and scientific terms that it got tedious to read. Also, the nickname Squeak REALLY rubbed me the wrong way. 2.5 stars
June 19, 2021
This was such a cute, fun read! One of my favorite things about this story is that it also celebrates neurodiversity. Iris has Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD), which is similar to autism. She has trouble with things like recognizing nonverbal cues, physical coordination, and social communication. Iris' differences don't make her any less of a great protagonist. She feels like a real person, and despite her differences from many people around her, she is really relatable. This book does a good job of normalizing Iris, while at the same time not minimizing the things that are still challenging for her. At times Iris can get a bit long-winded and go on these scientific monologues, but it's endearing to her character and honestly reminded me a little bit of Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. Even though I didn't always understand what he was talking about, it never took away from my enjoyment from the show. Same here.
As for the story, the plot is pretty straightforward. Definitely some cliche moments (although I mind that less in romance) and there wasn't much that surprised me. Rather than being a book that keeps you on your toes with unexpected moments, the intrigue is in watching Iris come to terms with what we already know and to watch her come to terms with having to let go of her perfect, scientific explanations. Overall this was a sweet, fun, enjoyable read that I'd definitely recommend if you like YA contemporary romance.
As for the story, the plot is pretty straightforward. Definitely some cliche moments (although I mind that less in romance) and there wasn't much that surprised me. Rather than being a book that keeps you on your toes with unexpected moments, the intrigue is in watching Iris come to terms with what we already know and to watch her come to terms with having to let go of her perfect, scientific explanations. Overall this was a sweet, fun, enjoyable read that I'd definitely recommend if you like YA contemporary romance.
February 23, 2021
This was an adorkable high school romance with a friends to lovers trope that I didn’t mind! It was actually pretty sweet. Well, when Iris wasn’t so stuck on her experiment.
Her thoughts and Wiki moments were too scientific for me, so I did get bored at times, but it was really interesting seeing into a very literal, logical mind like hers. She sees the world so differently from me, so I appreciated the thought and care the author took to craft such a unique character.
One thing I would have liked better was if Seth’s nickname had been something other than Squeak. I didn’t like seeing him referred to as Squeak throughout the novel. I understand the importance of the characters using nicknames or given names, I just thought a different nickname would have been better.
I loved the friend dynamics between Iris, Seth, and Esther. The two friends completely understood Iris and her quirks, and they loved her the more for it. I would love to see this novel play out in movie form so we can see all the actions Iris does, and the glances holding deeper meanings between Seth and Esther.
There were a couple inconsistencies I noticed that I’m sure will be fixed in the copyedit (since I did read the arc).
In the end, I really enjoyed reading this story. The romance was sweet, the friendships multi-layered and deep, and while a little cliche, it was still a fun, nice read.
Her thoughts and Wiki moments were too scientific for me, so I did get bored at times, but it was really interesting seeing into a very literal, logical mind like hers. She sees the world so differently from me, so I appreciated the thought and care the author took to craft such a unique character.
One thing I would have liked better was if Seth’s nickname had been something other than Squeak. I didn’t like seeing him referred to as Squeak throughout the novel. I understand the importance of the characters using nicknames or given names, I just thought a different nickname would have been better.
I loved the friend dynamics between Iris, Seth, and Esther. The two friends completely understood Iris and her quirks, and they loved her the more for it. I would love to see this novel play out in movie form so we can see all the actions Iris does, and the glances holding deeper meanings between Seth and Esther.
There were a couple inconsistencies I noticed that I’m sure will be fixed in the copyedit (since I did read the arc).
In the end, I really enjoyed reading this story. The romance was sweet, the friendships multi-layered and deep, and while a little cliche, it was still a fun, nice read.
January 2, 2023
I rated Prom theory by Ann LaBar five stars because it exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t put it down. Set in Iris’ teen years, the story follows Iris as she sets out on a quest to show her friend that not falling in Love is easy. I discovered this book when looking through the school library. What I really liked about it was when Iris started to realize she had feelings for Seth this event was explored as part of the plot. When Iris first described her feelings it made me feel sad for her because Seth was already falling for someone else, because of this idea it exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t put it down. I also liked when Seth came back from his date and was gushing about the girl he was with this event was explored as part of the plot. When Seth describes his feelings, it made me imagine what would have happened if Iris had never set him up for that date, and because of this connection/experience/idea it exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t put it down. This book teaches the reader that you shouldn't give up on someone you love. I would read another book by this author because there are many plot twists within the book that you would never expect. If you read romance books and like them, then you would really enjoy this book.
March 24, 2023
Prom Theory is a very interesting love story. I gave this book five stars. I genuinely don’t have any major dislikes about this book. It was engaging and very fun to read. I loved this book because it was written using dramatic irony. It was written from the point of view of a girl with a learning disability. Due to this, she did not understand other people’s feelings and actions, but the audience did. This made the book both comical but also wholesome. Whilst reading, I was always thinking to myself, “when will she realize he likes her,” and “why would she do that, doesn’t Iris know that he is using her.”
The only part of Prom Theory I didn’t like was how little the author explained Iris’s disability. I could tell by her actions that Iris had some sort of learning disability, but just using context clues was not enough for me to understand the struggles she faced. Overall I gave this book five stars because of how different it is from other love stories I have read. While other books are written with suspense, this was the reverse where the only thing we didn’t know, was when Iris would figure everything out.
The only part of Prom Theory I didn’t like was how little the author explained Iris’s disability. I could tell by her actions that Iris had some sort of learning disability, but just using context clues was not enough for me to understand the struggles she faced. Overall I gave this book five stars because of how different it is from other love stories I have read. While other books are written with suspense, this was the reverse where the only thing we didn’t know, was when Iris would figure everything out.
December 12, 2020
This was cute. I love that Iris is an MC with NVLD, a little known disorder with many similarities to Asperger’s.
With a very likeable main cast of characters, it did drag a bit but, like Iris’ thinking, it follows a very strategic plot that allows our MC to show major growth.
I think this is a true YA read without anything too gratuitous and would recommend it to my High school students.
With a very likeable main cast of characters, it did drag a bit but, like Iris’ thinking, it follows a very strategic plot that allows our MC to show major growth.
I think this is a true YA read without anything too gratuitous and would recommend it to my High school students.
July 17, 2021
what a gem of a book this was 🤩🤩
September 14, 2023
Name : Prom Theory
Author : Ann LaBar
Genre : Romcom
I had no idea that I still like high school romcom 🤩! Okay maybe I AM more than a little biased towards best friends to lovers trope 🙈. But this book was refreshingly entertaining to read!
First, I would like to applaud the author for writing such a fun plot and for keeping the flow intact till the end, that too on a debut book. Not once did I feel bored or wanted to take a break. No, I am really not kidding - I finished this book in 5 hours, that too on a weekday, after 10 hours of grueling office hours.
The protagonist, Iris, has NVLD (Nonverbal learning disorder). I had no knowledge about this and it was really amazing of the author to raise awareness about it using a fun romcom plot, never once disrespecting Iris' condition. I won't lie, it was a really new and tough experience for me to read from her POV all throughout the book. Although most of her actions and naivity were cute to read, her Wikipedia mode of describing the anatomy and science behind EVERY single thing, did get on my nerves a little. And coming to the whole 'Prom Theory' plot, I completely understood why she was suddenly obsessed with proving her scientific theory about making the school jock fall in love with her before prom. She was in denial of her best friend leaving for college and couldn't deal with the separation. I can never imagine saying goodbye to my best friend. (Hey bestie, if you are reading this, know that I own your lazy ass, so you can't leave me 😁.)
Speaking of best friends, Esther and Squeak were the bestest friends to Iris. The way they love her, take care of her and protect her from everything! They were teenagers but very unlike other contemporary teenage characters. Their wholesomeness reminded me of the friends group in Heartstopper. In my personal life, I have experienced girl best friendship to be a no-no, being too much complex and demanding, but Esther showed me that maybe there are exceptions. My irl bestie is a boy, so imagine reading a fun goofy caring character that constantly reminded me of him. Hell, I loved him just by his name, Squeak (because his voice used to squeak when he was younger). And shout out to how we get see Squeak transform to cool suave Seth by the end of the book. Though, it was a bit weird to read Iris call him as Seth all of a sudden, it was a bit of a whiplash. I would have preferred her always calling him Squeak, the best friend from next door whom she grew up with.
My head is full of evil plans for my bestie now (no, I won't reveal what they are to keep him on edge 😂) after finishing this book. So many theories to prove 😈!
If you ever need a romcom to refresh your mind or are thinking of ways to lure in your crush, this book will the perfect pick for you!
P.S. I have finally learnt how to flirt thanks to this book. I am going to daydream about that cafeteria scene all day long now 🥰.
Author : Ann LaBar
Genre : Romcom
I had no idea that I still like high school romcom 🤩! Okay maybe I AM more than a little biased towards best friends to lovers trope 🙈. But this book was refreshingly entertaining to read!
First, I would like to applaud the author for writing such a fun plot and for keeping the flow intact till the end, that too on a debut book. Not once did I feel bored or wanted to take a break. No, I am really not kidding - I finished this book in 5 hours, that too on a weekday, after 10 hours of grueling office hours.
The protagonist, Iris, has NVLD (Nonverbal learning disorder). I had no knowledge about this and it was really amazing of the author to raise awareness about it using a fun romcom plot, never once disrespecting Iris' condition. I won't lie, it was a really new and tough experience for me to read from her POV all throughout the book. Although most of her actions and naivity were cute to read, her Wikipedia mode of describing the anatomy and science behind EVERY single thing, did get on my nerves a little. And coming to the whole 'Prom Theory' plot, I completely understood why she was suddenly obsessed with proving her scientific theory about making the school jock fall in love with her before prom. She was in denial of her best friend leaving for college and couldn't deal with the separation. I can never imagine saying goodbye to my best friend. (Hey bestie, if you are reading this, know that I own your lazy ass, so you can't leave me 😁.)
Speaking of best friends, Esther and Squeak were the bestest friends to Iris. The way they love her, take care of her and protect her from everything! They were teenagers but very unlike other contemporary teenage characters. Their wholesomeness reminded me of the friends group in Heartstopper. In my personal life, I have experienced girl best friendship to be a no-no, being too much complex and demanding, but Esther showed me that maybe there are exceptions. My irl bestie is a boy, so imagine reading a fun goofy caring character that constantly reminded me of him. Hell, I loved him just by his name, Squeak (because his voice used to squeak when he was younger). And shout out to how we get see Squeak transform to cool suave Seth by the end of the book. Though, it was a bit weird to read Iris call him as Seth all of a sudden, it was a bit of a whiplash. I would have preferred her always calling him Squeak, the best friend from next door whom she grew up with.
My head is full of evil plans for my bestie now (no, I won't reveal what they are to keep him on edge 😂) after finishing this book. So many theories to prove 😈!
If you ever need a romcom to refresh your mind or are thinking of ways to lure in your crush, this book will the perfect pick for you!
P.S. I have finally learnt how to flirt thanks to this book. I am going to daydream about that cafeteria scene all day long now 🥰.
October 5, 2021
I received this free eARC novel from Edelweiss. This is my honest review.
Best-friends-to-significant-others genre is a hit or a miss with me, and sadly this one was a miss. I appreciate Iris dealing with her internal issues and finding a way to move past things that trigger her. But her wiki moments, her tangents, got to be a bit much for me.
I'm sure this book will appeal to other readers but it just wasn't for me. I'm glad I got the chance to read this book.
Best-friends-to-significant-others genre is a hit or a miss with me, and sadly this one was a miss. I appreciate Iris dealing with her internal issues and finding a way to move past things that trigger her. But her wiki moments, her tangents, got to be a bit much for me.
I'm sure this book will appeal to other readers but it just wasn't for me. I'm glad I got the chance to read this book.
July 24, 2023
Cute plot and precious characters! I think I am beyond the intended age demographic for this book though lol. As such, I found some parts to be repetitive, predictable, and dragging on. But, overall, very cute story with NVLD representation in a main character.
January 22, 2026
Omg this book was good (towards the end)
But so insanely hard to get into
And the beginning it’s like she wrote the book but like only really wanted to write the end
Maybe I was just really tired while reading but 🤷🏻♀️
But so insanely hard to get into
And the beginning it’s like she wrote the book but like only really wanted to write the end
Maybe I was just really tired while reading but 🤷🏻♀️
May 6, 2021
Cute YA contemporary and a fast read.
June 8, 2021
3 stars. i thought the romance was kinda cute, but it was a little weird that Seth wasn’t even in the book for most of it?? the parts that were inserted to build chemistry between Iris and Seth felt a little forced and not really natural, like the part where she liked his smell. i do appreciate the representation of non verbal learning disorders and it was interesting to see the world in that type of logical way. sometimes it got a bit boring though and i wanted to skip over all the big words explaining the psychology of attraction. since seth was barely in the book, i feel like we didn’t really get a chance as readers to like him, and i wish i did. i liked him because, unlike many other cliche YA romance male protagonists, he actually calls Iris out and gets mad at her and doesn’t just worship her and allow her to walk all over him. esther was great and adorable btw, she lowkey carried the book.
October 24, 2021
Dunque, probabilmente sto raggiungendo il mio limite di young adult romance con balli di fine anno e per fortuna che ora cambio genere - almeno per un po' - perché cominciano a sembrarmi tutti uguali. O forse il meglio del meglio per il momento l'ho già letto e dopo titoli come
Today Tonight Tomorrow
,
Better than the Movies
e
As If On Cue
, il resto non mi sembra nulla di originale e diverso.
Iris Oxtabee è una ragazza al penultimo anno di liceo - anno che sta per finire e con il ballo a solo una ventina di giorni di distanza. Iris è neuro-atipica - diagnosticata con NVLD (Non-Verbal Learning Disorder), Iris è bravissima con i fatti scientifici, ma per niente con le persone tanto che non è in grado di capire il linguaggio del corpo, le regole sociali e non è interpretare le sfumature di tono di voce o le espressioni facciali di chi la circonda.
A farle da filtro con il mondo ci sono i suoi migliori amici Esther e Seth, gli unici che è in grado di tollerare per diverso tempo senza che le venga un attacco di panico. Ed è proprio discutendo con loro che Iris, forte dei suoi studi su risonanze magnetiche al cervello e biologia, afferma che anche l'amore si può provare e dimostrare scientificamente e che è tutta questione di chimica. Nonostante Esther e Seth glielo sconsiglino vivamente, Iris è pronta a mettere in atto il suo esperimento e ad usare Theo Grant come cavia da laboratorio per provare a tutti quanti che, dati i giusti stimoli e le giuste circostanze, Theo reagirà come un qualsiasi maschio e la inviterà al ballo - che l'amore non è niente di astratto o imprevedibile. In fondo, cosa può andare storto?
Allora, come spiegare perché non ho amato questo libro senza sembrare la classica persona neuro-tipica che quindi non può capire chi invece è neuro-atipico?
Il NVLD, il modo di ragionare e il comportamento di Iris sono spiegati in maniera eccellente - e non lo dico perché io ne abbia una qualsiasi esperienza diretta o indiretta, ma perché nelle note alla fine del libro l'autrice ha scritto lei stessa che il più grande dei suoi figli è stato diagnosticato con il NVLD. Ad Iris non piacciono i cambiamenti, non le piace chi le sta troppo vicino o chi la tocca, ha difficoltà con i luoghi affollati di persone e suddette persone non le sa leggere. È molto logica, si basa su fatti scientifici, può sciorinare tutto ciò che dice una pagina di Wikipedia, ma tutto ciò che riguarda emozioni o cose astratte per lei è difficile da comprendere.
Il problema con Iris è che risulta pesante e insopportabile la maggior parte delle volte. Si lancia sempre in spiegoni chilometrici con tantissimi termini scientifici che non si può fare a meno di annoiarsi - e con l'ascolto dell'audiolibro, sarà stata anche la voce della narratrice che non mi faceva impazzire, mi sono ritrovata a disconnettere il cervello per un po' e a riprendere l'ascolto quando Wiki-Iris aveva finito di parlare.
Ora, è chiaro che io come persona neuro-tipica non posso capire, ma è possibile che in sedici o diciassette anni Iris non abbia ancora imparato almeno un po' che anche le persone hanno sentimenti e non sono robot privi di umanità? Ci sono tante scene in cui Iris semplicemente tratta tutti come cavie da laboratorio e, proprio per questo, finisce per ferire anche le persone che la amano di più.
Esther credo sia stata il personaggio migliore, un'amica di quelle così preziose che se le trovi devi fare di tutto per non lasciarle andare. Esther è paziente, conosce i limiti di Iris e li rispetta cercando allo stesso modo di convincerla a provare cose nuove o ad uscire dai suoi paletti - è anche chiaramente divisa tra la lealtà ad Iris e la lealtà a Seth perché è chiaro a tutti cosa Seth provi per Iris, tranne che ad Iris stessa. Esther asseconda Iris, ma prova sempre a portarla in un'altra direzione cercando di non essere lei a svelare il segreto di Seth - peccato che non funzioni e che Iris debba sbatterci il muso prima di capire.
Ho mal sopportato anche l'uso dei soprannomi per tutto il libro: Taylor, membro delle cheerleader e bisognosa di ripetizioni di fisica da parte di Seth, viene continuamente chiamata "Princess Pom Pom" a causa della gelosia di Iris; lo stesso Seth viene chiamato per TUTTO il libro "Squeak" perché evidentemente da piccolo aveva una voce che squittiva e lo so che questo è solo a riprova di come funziona il cervello di Iris e che proprio perché rifiuta i cambiamenti rifiuta anche di vedere il quasi uomo che Seth è diventato, ma ragazzi... quel "Squeak" mi ha scartavetrato il sistema nervoso.
Inoltre, la maggior parte della dinamica dell'invito al ballo e del ballo stesso mi ha ricordato quella di Better than the Movies - qua condita però di bullismo, crudeltà e quello che temevo potesse sfociare in ben di peggio.
Non è un brutto libro, per carità - Seth è veramente dolcissimo e protettivo (ma quel "Squeak" non ha contribuito a farlo salire di livello come Fidanzato di Carta), anche se di fatto non lo si conosce più di tanto perché tutto è narrato da dentro la testa di Iris e Seth non è affatto presente nel libro quanto quanto ci si aspetterebbe. Però è stato interessante avere una protagonista neuro-atipica che lotta contro cose che per noi invece sono la normalità - è solo che la quantità abnorme di momenti Wiki-Iris e la loro relativa durata, iper-condita di spiegoni e termini scientifici, mi hanno sinceramente fatta alienare e sperare che il libro finisse in fretta perché non ne potevo più.
Peccato, avevo altre aspettative e credevo che anche questo sarebbe diventato uno dei miei libri preferiti - invece così non è stato.
Iris Oxtabee è una ragazza al penultimo anno di liceo - anno che sta per finire e con il ballo a solo una ventina di giorni di distanza. Iris è neuro-atipica - diagnosticata con NVLD (Non-Verbal Learning Disorder), Iris è bravissima con i fatti scientifici, ma per niente con le persone tanto che non è in grado di capire il linguaggio del corpo, le regole sociali e non è interpretare le sfumature di tono di voce o le espressioni facciali di chi la circonda.
A farle da filtro con il mondo ci sono i suoi migliori amici Esther e Seth, gli unici che è in grado di tollerare per diverso tempo senza che le venga un attacco di panico. Ed è proprio discutendo con loro che Iris, forte dei suoi studi su risonanze magnetiche al cervello e biologia, afferma che anche l'amore si può provare e dimostrare scientificamente e che è tutta questione di chimica. Nonostante Esther e Seth glielo sconsiglino vivamente, Iris è pronta a mettere in atto il suo esperimento e ad usare Theo Grant come cavia da laboratorio per provare a tutti quanti che, dati i giusti stimoli e le giuste circostanze, Theo reagirà come un qualsiasi maschio e la inviterà al ballo - che l'amore non è niente di astratto o imprevedibile. In fondo, cosa può andare storto?
Allora, come spiegare perché non ho amato questo libro senza sembrare la classica persona neuro-tipica che quindi non può capire chi invece è neuro-atipico?
Il NVLD, il modo di ragionare e il comportamento di Iris sono spiegati in maniera eccellente - e non lo dico perché io ne abbia una qualsiasi esperienza diretta o indiretta, ma perché nelle note alla fine del libro l'autrice ha scritto lei stessa che il più grande dei suoi figli è stato diagnosticato con il NVLD. Ad Iris non piacciono i cambiamenti, non le piace chi le sta troppo vicino o chi la tocca, ha difficoltà con i luoghi affollati di persone e suddette persone non le sa leggere. È molto logica, si basa su fatti scientifici, può sciorinare tutto ciò che dice una pagina di Wikipedia, ma tutto ciò che riguarda emozioni o cose astratte per lei è difficile da comprendere.
Il problema con Iris è che risulta pesante e insopportabile la maggior parte delle volte. Si lancia sempre in spiegoni chilometrici con tantissimi termini scientifici che non si può fare a meno di annoiarsi - e con l'ascolto dell'audiolibro, sarà stata anche la voce della narratrice che non mi faceva impazzire, mi sono ritrovata a disconnettere il cervello per un po' e a riprendere l'ascolto quando Wiki-Iris aveva finito di parlare.
Ora, è chiaro che io come persona neuro-tipica non posso capire, ma è possibile che in sedici o diciassette anni Iris non abbia ancora imparato almeno un po' che anche le persone hanno sentimenti e non sono robot privi di umanità? Ci sono tante scene in cui Iris semplicemente tratta tutti come cavie da laboratorio e, proprio per questo, finisce per ferire anche le persone che la amano di più.
Esther credo sia stata il personaggio migliore, un'amica di quelle così preziose che se le trovi devi fare di tutto per non lasciarle andare. Esther è paziente, conosce i limiti di Iris e li rispetta cercando allo stesso modo di convincerla a provare cose nuove o ad uscire dai suoi paletti - è anche chiaramente divisa tra la lealtà ad Iris e la lealtà a Seth perché è chiaro a tutti cosa Seth provi per Iris, tranne che ad Iris stessa. Esther asseconda Iris, ma prova sempre a portarla in un'altra direzione cercando di non essere lei a svelare il segreto di Seth - peccato che non funzioni e che Iris debba sbatterci il muso prima di capire.
Ho mal sopportato anche l'uso dei soprannomi per tutto il libro: Taylor, membro delle cheerleader e bisognosa di ripetizioni di fisica da parte di Seth, viene continuamente chiamata "Princess Pom Pom" a causa della gelosia di Iris; lo stesso Seth viene chiamato per TUTTO il libro "Squeak" perché evidentemente da piccolo aveva una voce che squittiva e lo so che questo è solo a riprova di come funziona il cervello di Iris e che proprio perché rifiuta i cambiamenti rifiuta anche di vedere il quasi uomo che Seth è diventato, ma ragazzi... quel "Squeak" mi ha scartavetrato il sistema nervoso.
Inoltre, la maggior parte della dinamica dell'invito al ballo e del ballo stesso mi ha ricordato quella di Better than the Movies - qua condita però di bullismo, crudeltà e quello che temevo potesse sfociare in ben di peggio.
Non è un brutto libro, per carità - Seth è veramente dolcissimo e protettivo (ma quel "Squeak" non ha contribuito a farlo salire di livello come Fidanzato di Carta), anche se di fatto non lo si conosce più di tanto perché tutto è narrato da dentro la testa di Iris e Seth non è affatto presente nel libro quanto quanto ci si aspetterebbe. Però è stato interessante avere una protagonista neuro-atipica che lotta contro cose che per noi invece sono la normalità - è solo che la quantità abnorme di momenti Wiki-Iris e la loro relativa durata, iper-condita di spiegoni e termini scientifici, mi hanno sinceramente fatta alienare e sperare che il libro finisse in fretta perché non ne potevo più.
Peccato, avevo altre aspettative e credevo che anche questo sarebbe diventato uno dei miei libri preferiti - invece così non è stato.
June 14, 2021
main character was really annoying
August 13, 2023
I got excited when I heard about a book where the main character had NVLD. As someone with NVLD, representation can be exciting. I became very skeptical when I read the description. Smart but socially inept girl uses science to relate to people feels kinda clichéd and unoriginal.
The author does not have NVLD, her daughter does. The description in the beginning of Iris chewing gum because her mom let her since she was chewing her sleeves, rang like it probably came from real life. I personally had trouble with chewing my sleeves when I was anxious. But if you read the passage carefully, it's obvious that the author is patting the mom on the back for that.
Having a child with a certain condition does NOT mean you know what it feels like on the inside. It is clear that she does not know. She falls into the trap of using "Autism Voice," a narrative device used by neurotypical authors when writing a character with autism. It involves a robotic voice, strengthening their lack of communication skills, showcasing info dumping and special interests. Yes, the character doesn't have Autism, but this narrative device is still used. Worse, authors using it get praised for their portrayal when really it just stereotypes the people it means to represent.
When someone calls Iris "Aspie" (which is a noun, not an adjective like it was used), her friend rushes to her rescue, correcting them and then saying: "Also Aspie isn't an insult. It's an honor and a gift, as is NVLD. She can do stuff you can't even imagine with your so-called normal brain. She's going to change the world. But don’t worry, she'll still tip you when you deliver her pizza." It is so cringey and unrealistic. I cannot imagine a teenager possibly saying this. Also, people with NVLD and Autism do not have super-powered magic brains, we are just people.
The author basically makes the friends be there to fill the gaps in her IEP, which is ridiculous and demeaning. As a teen with NVLD, I was mortified by teachers making people befriend me. Being pitied is not nice.
The whole book centres on Iris being oblivious. Esther and Squeak are constantly exchanging looks and Esther talks to Squeak about how he has a crush on Iris in front of her, in a way she can't understand, and lies about it when Iris tries to figure out what's going on. Squeak obviously has a crush on her and She has a crush on him, but she doesn't know it. It feels like she is constantly being made the butt of a joke. It makes this a dull and frustrating read.
Also "I wanted to attract the alpha male" is yuck and does not line up with the primate way of thinking, and it isn’t super clear how she decided Theo was the alpha male in the first place.
The author does not have NVLD, her daughter does. The description in the beginning of Iris chewing gum because her mom let her since she was chewing her sleeves, rang like it probably came from real life. I personally had trouble with chewing my sleeves when I was anxious. But if you read the passage carefully, it's obvious that the author is patting the mom on the back for that.
Having a child with a certain condition does NOT mean you know what it feels like on the inside. It is clear that she does not know. She falls into the trap of using "Autism Voice," a narrative device used by neurotypical authors when writing a character with autism. It involves a robotic voice, strengthening their lack of communication skills, showcasing info dumping and special interests. Yes, the character doesn't have Autism, but this narrative device is still used. Worse, authors using it get praised for their portrayal when really it just stereotypes the people it means to represent.
When someone calls Iris "Aspie" (which is a noun, not an adjective like it was used), her friend rushes to her rescue, correcting them and then saying: "Also Aspie isn't an insult. It's an honor and a gift, as is NVLD. She can do stuff you can't even imagine with your so-called normal brain. She's going to change the world. But don’t worry, she'll still tip you when you deliver her pizza." It is so cringey and unrealistic. I cannot imagine a teenager possibly saying this. Also, people with NVLD and Autism do not have super-powered magic brains, we are just people.
The author basically makes the friends be there to fill the gaps in her IEP, which is ridiculous and demeaning. As a teen with NVLD, I was mortified by teachers making people befriend me. Being pitied is not nice.
The whole book centres on Iris being oblivious. Esther and Squeak are constantly exchanging looks and Esther talks to Squeak about how he has a crush on Iris in front of her, in a way she can't understand, and lies about it when Iris tries to figure out what's going on. Squeak obviously has a crush on her and She has a crush on him, but she doesn't know it. It feels like she is constantly being made the butt of a joke. It makes this a dull and frustrating read.
Also "I wanted to attract the alpha male" is yuck and does not line up with the primate way of thinking, and it isn’t super clear how she decided Theo was the alpha male in the first place.
June 13, 2021
For a high schooler, is there anything more important than prom?
Not according to Iris Oxtabee who believes that prom, attraction, dating and anything related to love is all a reaction brought about my chemicals and biological processes.
Which brings about the prom theory. Namely, that anyone can be persuaded to attraction through a plan – one set forth by science and not dating magazines and gossip columns.
Iris, who is neurodivergent with an unknown non-verbal learning disorder, sees the world differently. The world is logical, methodical, and the actions of people can be boiled down to understanding via the scientific method.
In her journey to find the date for prom she has her best friend Esther who is a scene stealer on every page she’s in and Seth, known better as Squeak, who is blatantly in love with her.
Written in the same methodical and to the point prose that Iris would see the world, Prom Theory takes some getting used to. Iris is not a particularly likeable protagonist, something that would be easy to attribute to her NVLD but would be inaccurate since her friendships with both Esther and Seth speak to a goodness in her that we as the readers never really get to see. Similarly, Seth is interesting and charming and it’s abundantly obvious from the start that he is in love with Iris and that Esther herself knows about it. The plot that follows is typical of the YA genre but I couldn’t help but think that a lot of hurt could have been avoided if either of her friends approached her directly and not in innuendos, considering the length of time they’ve known her. Nevertheless, it was engaging and while the end didn’t quite fit the characters that were built up, it was a sweet ending deserving of the genre.
Sharp and interesting, Prom Theory would be a good read for anyone who wants to go back to the days of when who you went to prom with was the biggest problem you could have through the lens of a protagonist that we don’t get see much of.
Not according to Iris Oxtabee who believes that prom, attraction, dating and anything related to love is all a reaction brought about my chemicals and biological processes.
Which brings about the prom theory. Namely, that anyone can be persuaded to attraction through a plan – one set forth by science and not dating magazines and gossip columns.
Iris, who is neurodivergent with an unknown non-verbal learning disorder, sees the world differently. The world is logical, methodical, and the actions of people can be boiled down to understanding via the scientific method.
In her journey to find the date for prom she has her best friend Esther who is a scene stealer on every page she’s in and Seth, known better as Squeak, who is blatantly in love with her.
Written in the same methodical and to the point prose that Iris would see the world, Prom Theory takes some getting used to. Iris is not a particularly likeable protagonist, something that would be easy to attribute to her NVLD but would be inaccurate since her friendships with both Esther and Seth speak to a goodness in her that we as the readers never really get to see. Similarly, Seth is interesting and charming and it’s abundantly obvious from the start that he is in love with Iris and that Esther herself knows about it. The plot that follows is typical of the YA genre but I couldn’t help but think that a lot of hurt could have been avoided if either of her friends approached her directly and not in innuendos, considering the length of time they’ve known her. Nevertheless, it was engaging and while the end didn’t quite fit the characters that were built up, it was a sweet ending deserving of the genre.
Sharp and interesting, Prom Theory would be a good read for anyone who wants to go back to the days of when who you went to prom with was the biggest problem you could have through the lens of a protagonist that we don’t get see much of.
September 10, 2023
Prom Theory is just a sweet, cute book. There is literally no other way to put it. Iris is a character that some people have a piece of themselves. Because, at time, don't all of us get so caught up in our world and our work that we forget about what we are actually doing all of it for? I like how I learned a lot about neuroscience in this book while also having a fun time with all of these flawed teenage characters. To me, it seems so interesting that Iris was so smart at science but so bad with the lab specimen that she chose. I seriously laughed when she went to the extreme of putting prescription eye drops in her eye to carry out her experimentation. I don't think many people can say that they have gone that far in risking their health in the name of science. Overall, I could see that Theo was going to be a big problem from a mile away. He was literally so full of himself and arrogant. I don't think I could've gone through with the experiment like Iris did even in the name of science. And, don't get me started on Squeak aka Seth. I feel like he was the perfect friend for Iris. There are not many people who would be so patient with Iris and her different way of looking through the world as he was. He was so caring and kind out of the goodness of his own heart. I feel like I also liked this book because it is important to the world of literature. I knew very little about the condition known as NVLD before reading this novel. And, I think it is important for the world to read and understand how people with this condition live their everyday lives. I was rooting for Iris all day and I wish she would've realized her feelings for Squeak sooner. It would've resulted in a lot less headache for everyone. But, as they say, sometimes you have to make your own mistakes before you can travel on the correct path. You need to read this book! It will make you hit your head on the wall at first but then it will really make you smile:)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2022
“Squeak’s expression turned odd. I had studied microexpressions for years and what they indicated about a person’s emotions or mood, but this was new. Ever since I could remember, not understanding what people were thinking or feeling had made me anxious. I’d never seen him make that particular face. I was stumped and I didn’t like it.”
Prom Theory is a YA romance novel about a high school junior who tries to use science to get the BMOC to ask her to prom.
The main character, Iris, has a learning disorder characterized by problems with visual-spatial perception called nonverbal learning disorder. It shares many symptoms with ASD but is in fact a different disorder than can occur alongside autism. Kind of like a cousin.
The initial chapters of the book were fairly heavy on the description of symptoms and the character’s friends who provided many supports not available through a standard IEP. Turns out the author has an adult child with the disorder so I’m sure she had a lot of good info on it. Just didn’t really flow with the book. Maybe the point was to match the character’s internal dialogue to what often is apparent when verbalized by someone with nvd. Also, side note that nvd is not yet in the DSM because it (DSM) is a diagnosis guide that has out-used its usefulness. Second side note is Iris clearly has sensory processing disorder.
There’s a part early in the book where one of the besties tells off haters and says they’ll be delivering pizza as a career. That was really classist and yet probably something a high school kid would say. Recommend Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America as resource for Esther.
Prom Theory is a YA romance novel about a high school junior who tries to use science to get the BMOC to ask her to prom.
The main character, Iris, has a learning disorder characterized by problems with visual-spatial perception called nonverbal learning disorder. It shares many symptoms with ASD but is in fact a different disorder than can occur alongside autism. Kind of like a cousin.
The initial chapters of the book were fairly heavy on the description of symptoms and the character’s friends who provided many supports not available through a standard IEP. Turns out the author has an adult child with the disorder so I’m sure she had a lot of good info on it. Just didn’t really flow with the book. Maybe the point was to match the character’s internal dialogue to what often is apparent when verbalized by someone with nvd. Also, side note that nvd is not yet in the DSM because it (DSM) is a diagnosis guide that has out-used its usefulness. Second side note is Iris clearly has sensory processing disorder.
There’s a part early in the book where one of the besties tells off haters and says they’ll be delivering pizza as a career. That was really classist and yet probably something a high school kid would say. Recommend Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America as resource for Esther.
September 29, 2022
meh.
it was interesting to learn about NVLD. honestly, i love learning about medicine in this aspect where it’s truly real and can be seen in live action. while i appreciate the representation, i was let down by the fact that the book promised something and somewhat underdelivered.
i was thinking that in doing the whole experiment or whatever, iris would actually fall in love with the jock and it’d be like ‘it was a joke and i was tryna prove something but i actually fell’. kinda like the whole bet trope but twisted for nerds and academic prodigies. however, even though the blurb literally says what’s going to happen, it just felt like it could’ve gone about a different way.
iris is like a genius and dude if she just SAW IT from the beginning it would’ve been so much more nicer and just a better love story. i guess her disability prevents her from getting those social cues, but i thought like he couldn’t have made it more obvious. he practically said he was in love with her like so many times 💀
i almost hated everyone except esther… but honestly, she’s kinda eh too. like why didn’t anyone say anything? they know that she can’t recognize social cues. flirting/a sign someone likes you is one of them- and for what 😭 everyone to get hurt??
i’m mad that theo was actually annoying and brainless. not that i go to school or anything, but are people seriously like this these days? for real? i’m actually curious. cause like i’d hope especially with how society has been these past few years we’ve evolved into more empathetic and unsoul-less human beings 😀.
seth was kinda cute? i don’t know how i feel about him. or anyone, really. they’re just like there and i’m just a critic saying i wish the book went differently 😫.
anywho, i am still in search of a heartwarming and cute contemporary so let’s continue 😌.
it was interesting to learn about NVLD. honestly, i love learning about medicine in this aspect where it’s truly real and can be seen in live action. while i appreciate the representation, i was let down by the fact that the book promised something and somewhat underdelivered.
i was thinking that in doing the whole experiment or whatever, iris would actually fall in love with the jock and it’d be like ‘it was a joke and i was tryna prove something but i actually fell’. kinda like the whole bet trope but twisted for nerds and academic prodigies. however, even though the blurb literally says what’s going to happen, it just felt like it could’ve gone about a different way.
iris is like a genius and dude if she just SAW IT from the beginning it would’ve been so much more nicer and just a better love story. i guess her disability prevents her from getting those social cues, but i thought like he couldn’t have made it more obvious. he practically said he was in love with her like so many times 💀
i almost hated everyone except esther… but honestly, she’s kinda eh too. like why didn’t anyone say anything? they know that she can’t recognize social cues. flirting/a sign someone likes you is one of them- and for what 😭 everyone to get hurt??
i’m mad that theo was actually annoying and brainless. not that i go to school or anything, but are people seriously like this these days? for real? i’m actually curious. cause like i’d hope especially with how society has been these past few years we’ve evolved into more empathetic and unsoul-less human beings 😀.
seth was kinda cute? i don’t know how i feel about him. or anyone, really. they’re just like there and i’m just a critic saying i wish the book went differently 😫.
anywho, i am still in search of a heartwarming and cute contemporary so let’s continue 😌.
February 24, 2021
Initial Thoughts
I was excited to read this book because I love a good rom-com and I also love a lesser known retelling. This book is tagged as a spin on The Rosie Project so I was interested to see how that would work.
Some Things I Liked
Iris’s narration and “wiki mode”. I thought Iris was an observant and witty main character. She made a ton of interesting observations about the world around her and I really enjoyed the spin she put on them. She was definitely quirky but I loved that she owned that.
Experiment notes. I loved that each chapter ended with Ester and Iris’s observations and lab analysis. I thought this was a fun touch.
Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory vibes. I thought this was also a fun addition to the story. Iris reminded me of what Sheldon would have been like thinking about Prom today. She was very scientific and it was an interesting contrast to Ester, her best friend, who reminded me of Leonard.
One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
The pacing felt slow and then very rushed at the end. I didn’t love the way Prom night happened and I thought that it was more mean than conclusive. At least Iris is a junior so she can always make good memories at Prom next year.
Series Value
There’s not much series value here. Pretty much all of the characters we meet are in a good spot at the end of the story with not too much left to the imagination. Iris could be a fun character to see in a new setting, college perhaps? But, I don’t think this book warrants a sequel. I was satisfied with the how everyone left things.
Final Thoughts
I thought this was a cute story. I didn’t love the scenes involving Prom itself, but overall, I liked the message. I liked the set up of the story and the premise of the experiment and I enjoyed the main character’s POV.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon – if you enjoyed the themes of science vs. love and the themes of high school rites of passage, try this standalone novel about the last day of senior year.
The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor – if you liked the ideas of trying to quantify love, try this modern retelling of Emma by Jane Austen.
I was excited to read this book because I love a good rom-com and I also love a lesser known retelling. This book is tagged as a spin on The Rosie Project so I was interested to see how that would work.
Some Things I Liked
Iris’s narration and “wiki mode”. I thought Iris was an observant and witty main character. She made a ton of interesting observations about the world around her and I really enjoyed the spin she put on them. She was definitely quirky but I loved that she owned that.
Experiment notes. I loved that each chapter ended with Ester and Iris’s observations and lab analysis. I thought this was a fun touch.
Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory vibes. I thought this was also a fun addition to the story. Iris reminded me of what Sheldon would have been like thinking about Prom today. She was very scientific and it was an interesting contrast to Ester, her best friend, who reminded me of Leonard.
One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
The pacing felt slow and then very rushed at the end. I didn’t love the way Prom night happened and I thought that it was more mean than conclusive. At least Iris is a junior so she can always make good memories at Prom next year.
Series Value
There’s not much series value here. Pretty much all of the characters we meet are in a good spot at the end of the story with not too much left to the imagination. Iris could be a fun character to see in a new setting, college perhaps? But, I don’t think this book warrants a sequel. I was satisfied with the how everyone left things.
Final Thoughts
I thought this was a cute story. I didn’t love the scenes involving Prom itself, but overall, I liked the message. I liked the set up of the story and the premise of the experiment and I enjoyed the main character’s POV.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon – if you enjoyed the themes of science vs. love and the themes of high school rites of passage, try this standalone novel about the last day of senior year.
The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor – if you liked the ideas of trying to quantify love, try this modern retelling of Emma by Jane Austen.
July 8, 2021
There were parts where I was tempted to DNF. The science-speak was overwhelming. And that's difficult for me to process since I usually love this type of Evolutionary Psychology trivia. Which then tells me that the author really DID go majority overboard with the condensed Science-y lectures. It's supposed to be a YA Romance, so why not add in a little more about that instead?! Why not have more scenes with Seth in them?! The weakness in this plot is about not knowing your audience, since no one picks up a YA novel to be then endlessly lectured about brain functions and simian group dynamics. Even as an adult who's obsessed with Psychology, this novel managed to bore me after lecture number five trillion and one.
It's a bummer that this novel will probably be DNFed by a lot of people around the 35% mark, since the romance does pick up at the end. Seth truly loves his Bee, and I felt that at the very end: He takes her on even with all her imperfections, since he can't imagine his life without her in it. He knows what he's signed up for, and he enters into the newly-romantic relationship (with his eyes wide open) despite how hurt he was by her behaviour, because he truly loves her. He forgives her because there's no other option for him; life without her isn't bearable for him. He makes repeated sacrifices for her. *Swoon*
And Bee/Iris overcomes her many personal hurdles because she loves him enough to face up to her fears and brave the challenges anyway.
That romantic depth at the end is why I give this novel 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ despite the way it was so sawdust-dry throughout most of the middle chunk.
It's a bummer that this novel will probably be DNFed by a lot of people around the 35% mark, since the romance does pick up at the end. Seth truly loves his Bee, and I felt that at the very end: He takes her on even with all her imperfections, since he can't imagine his life without her in it. He knows what he's signed up for, and he enters into the newly-romantic relationship (with his eyes wide open) despite how hurt he was by her behaviour, because he truly loves her. He forgives her because there's no other option for him; life without her isn't bearable for him. He makes repeated sacrifices for her. *Swoon*
And Bee/Iris overcomes her many personal hurdles because she loves him enough to face up to her fears and brave the challenges anyway.
That romantic depth at the end is why I give this novel 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ despite the way it was so sawdust-dry throughout most of the middle chunk.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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