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Glad You Exist
Three years ago, Liz lost everything and everyone, nearly destroying herself in the aftermath. But as graduation nears her family sensing her growing loneliness, urge her to stop hiding from the rest of the world and do what she should have done years ago and right some wrongs. As fate would have it, she starts getting thrown into circumstances forcing her to face the mistakes she made including dealing with the fallout with her three best friends.
Brad has been living his life trying to fill that void she leaves behind. He searches for friendships to compensate for the ones he had lost and seeks out relationships to get Liz out of his head. Now that fate seems intent on placing them back in each other's lives again and again. Is he ready to forgive and forget?
But then who he finds is not the same girl he knew so will this version of her change the way he feels?
Will the secrets they kept from each other keep them further apart or will a sudden tragedy bring them closer together and help mend the broken pieces of their friendship?
What will happen when the lines between love and friendship start to blur?
Brad has been living his life trying to fill that void she leaves behind. He searches for friendships to compensate for the ones he had lost and seeks out relationships to get Liz out of his head. Now that fate seems intent on placing them back in each other's lives again and again. Is he ready to forgive and forget?
But then who he finds is not the same girl he knew so will this version of her change the way he feels?
Will the secrets they kept from each other keep them further apart or will a sudden tragedy bring them closer together and help mend the broken pieces of their friendship?
What will happen when the lines between love and friendship start to blur?
290 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2022
18 people are currently reading
1626 people want to read
About the author
Kaye Rockwell
11 books82 followersKaye is a Romance Author who spent the majority of her childhood falling in love with fictional characters, swooning over romcoms and teen dramas, singing and dancing to musicals AND daydreaming about her own Happily-Ever-After that lead to her writing her own love stories.
Diversifying your shelf with Romance reads that are packed with just enough tension, swoony lines, lingering looks (and touches), riddled with life lessons that have you reaching for the tissue box.
Diversifying your shelf with Romance reads that are packed with just enough tension, swoony lines, lingering looks (and touches), riddled with life lessons that have you reaching for the tissue box.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
December 28, 2021
“Hopefully you can start to see me not just as your friend but as a guy who is hopelessly in love with you.”
A beautiful and heartwarming story about love, friendship, and lots of heavy + serious issues such as mental illnesses and loss of loved ones.
Liz and Brad have been best friends since they were babies, but before starting high school, they fell apart. 3 years later, they’re in a group together in class along their other two best friends: Kyle and Kim. Things are awkward at first, blaming each other for the fallout of their friendships. But they slowly start to apologize and rebuild their friendship.
Liz has been struggling with her own things (with the divorce of her parents, a sudden illness with her mom and her anxiety/depression) and rather than leaning towards her friends, she pushes them away. She’s now learning to open up to others instead of dealing with it on her own. Brad has been in love with her for years, but was afraid to say anything for fear of rejection. Feelings like that are hard to move on from.
Can I take a moment to say that I am SO incredibly proud of Kaye on her debut novel! It was beautifully written, so touching and emotional. A real tear-jerker. A reminder to always check up on your loved ones whether you’re still in touch with them or not. You never know what people are going through and a simple message can make a difference.
✨READ IF YOU LIKE✨:
- dual POV
- best friends to strangers to lovers
- he falls first
- protective hero
- all the Filipino foods
- mental health & Asian-American representation
cw: mentions of suicide, rape, panic attack, anxiety, depression, divorce, abandonment, death of a loved one, cancer, sexual harassment
Thank you to Kaye Rockwell for the advanced copy! Glad You Exist is available on January 6, 2022!
A beautiful and heartwarming story about love, friendship, and lots of heavy + serious issues such as mental illnesses and loss of loved ones.
Liz and Brad have been best friends since they were babies, but before starting high school, they fell apart. 3 years later, they’re in a group together in class along their other two best friends: Kyle and Kim. Things are awkward at first, blaming each other for the fallout of their friendships. But they slowly start to apologize and rebuild their friendship.
Liz has been struggling with her own things (with the divorce of her parents, a sudden illness with her mom and her anxiety/depression) and rather than leaning towards her friends, she pushes them away. She’s now learning to open up to others instead of dealing with it on her own. Brad has been in love with her for years, but was afraid to say anything for fear of rejection. Feelings like that are hard to move on from.
Can I take a moment to say that I am SO incredibly proud of Kaye on her debut novel! It was beautifully written, so touching and emotional. A real tear-jerker. A reminder to always check up on your loved ones whether you’re still in touch with them or not. You never know what people are going through and a simple message can make a difference.
✨READ IF YOU LIKE✨:
- dual POV
- best friends to strangers to lovers
- he falls first
- protective hero
- all the Filipino foods
- mental health & Asian-American representation
cw: mentions of suicide, rape, panic attack, anxiety, depression, divorce, abandonment, death of a loved one, cancer, sexual harassment
Thank you to Kaye Rockwell for the advanced copy! Glad You Exist is available on January 6, 2022!
January 21, 2022
Trigger warning for this book: depression, suicide attempt, losing family member, sexual assault.
This is heavy with mental health and the value of your existence, along with strong friendship, family and fluffy romance, which is acceptable since the setting is in high school.
I enjoy this book and find it easy to sympathize with Liz, though it doesn't mean I always agree with her. I enjoy the friendship & family aspect more than the romance, don't get me wrong, I like Brad, he's perceptive and devoted but I just adore their friendship, especially Kyle with Liz, he's like another brother for Liz beside Dan, her actual brother that I'm glad they have each other.
I don't know where I stand with the angsty conflict towards the end of the book, I get both of their reasons but I don't enjoy that chapter, I like the hopeful (and a little fluffy) epilogue.
Oh I just remember, beside Liz and Brad physical description I don't remember if the author ever mention other characters physical description like their eye or hair colors, did I just skip that part?
Overall I enjoy this book.
This is heavy with mental health and the value of your existence, along with strong friendship, family and fluffy romance, which is acceptable since the setting is in high school.
I enjoy this book and find it easy to sympathize with Liz, though it doesn't mean I always agree with her. I enjoy the friendship & family aspect more than the romance, don't get me wrong, I like Brad, he's perceptive and devoted but I just adore their friendship, especially Kyle with Liz, he's like another brother for Liz beside Dan, her actual brother that I'm glad they have each other.
I don't know where I stand with the angsty conflict towards the end of the book, I get both of their reasons but I don't enjoy that chapter, I like the hopeful (and a little fluffy) epilogue.
Oh I just remember, beside Liz and Brad physical description I don't remember if the author ever mention other characters physical description like their eye or hair colors, did I just skip that part?
Overall I enjoy this book.
September 8, 2023
I was hoping I'd love this book, alas I did not. It started out promising, but the further I got into it, the more bored and annoyed I got.
First off, I want to point out that this book is more a contemporary romance than a romance as it mainly focuses on the relationships between the characters and on the journey of the main characters, mostly Liz's. This book is very character driven, which is also one of the reasons I didn't love it as I missed some action. There was too much telling instead of showing. I did like the biracial rep and Filipino culture and I thought the sensitive topics were handled quite well. You should definitely check out the trigger warnings for this book.
However, the romance aspect was a big part, but not one I enjoyed very much. At first I thought Brad was really sweet and supportive, but I started progressively disliking him throughout the book. In my opinion he seemed a little too perfect and his statements were just - too much and very cliché, I can't explain it any other way. It was just not realistic in my opinion, especially not for an 18-year-old boy. Yes, it's fiction, but it just bothered me? Surface level it was all very sweet, but it just annoys me to death when people make all these promises like "I'm never going to leave you", "this is forever" etc. etc., especially at that age. Don't get me wrong, I DO believe you can find your life partner at that age, but I hate how naive he was about it even though this book dealt with some pretty heavy topics, so he should know better. The "fight" at the end showed exactly how immature he was about it. I also wasn't a big fan of the "make-up" and couldn't help rolling my eyes and pushing myself to finish the book. I don't mind the miscommunication trope because if we're all honest, it happens all the time. However, I might be a hypocrite for it, but TALK IT OUT. I'd rather he went up to Liz and they talked about their insecurities and doubts than simply stating (for the millionth time and through some corny website) that he was hurt, but misses and loves her. We got that. It's not enough. Talk through your problems and change your ways.
The thing is, I'm 19, but if someone said all those "forever" and "we're meant to be" things to me, I'd lowkey find it creepy. Okay, yes, they have been friends forever, but still, don't do that. I'm a very romantic person, but I'm not naive. You can also acknowledge you're good together without giving a promise ring (that is already given back after ONE argument, which shows the naivety of it) and constantly pressing that you were made for one another. I get the reassurances as she needed those, but at a certain point you're like I GET IT, move on please. I felt like I read the same conversations over and over again.
Furthermore, I felt like they were too co-dependent. I do believe you are/feel better with a certain person, like Liz felt stronger with Brad around, but they literally feed on each other's energy and act like they can't live without one another. That's why I'm glad that Liz realized (after their sorta break-up) that she should rely on herself more and not solely on him. It's simply not healthy. You can make a great pair, but you're still two individuals.
Moreover, the book focused a lot on the friendship between Kim, Kyle, Liz and Brad, but I couldn't connect all that much with Kim and Kyle. There were a lot of characters in this book and most remained surface level. I liked them, but that's about it because I don't know them all that well. Out of the two, I liked Kyle the best because he had actual (deeper) conversations with Liz and Brad which gave us a better look in his personality. I honestly even liked him better than Brad.
I feel mainly neutral towards Liz. I haven't been through what she's been through, but I did feel sympathy for her and I can definitely understand some of her actions. However, I felt like Liz was a bit defined by her anxiety and depression. Obviously it consumes a big part of her life, and maybe I'm not someone who should have an opinion on it as I don't have it or don't know anyone who has it, but what are her hobby's? How does she interact with classmates, the people she tutors? I knew about all the big obstacles in her life, but what is she like? The other characters may say she's sweet and selfless, but I found it mainly stemmed from her anxiety to hurt anyone. Honestly, I don't know why I didn't love her, so I'll leave it at that.
Besides, as the book progressed, I become more and more apathetic towards all the characters, whereas in the first 100 pages I really felt for them. I was just exhausted and bored by the repetitiveness of the story and my annoyance with Brad's statements and, later on, his actions.
Finally, there were quite some grammatical errors (mostly were/we're, weird comma placements and repetition of words). I didn't bother me all that much, but I couldn't look past them either because they became more frequent towards the end.
In short, this book was a bit boring and repetitive. At first I enjoyed the rekindling of the friendship, the heavy topics it dealt with and the blooming romance between Liz and Brad. Then I started disliking Brad because of his way too sweet and cliché, which (from my view) resulted in borderline creepy statements until I got really annoyed at him and their relationship. Lastly, the other characters were quite flat (and the main characters a bit as well) and I missed some action and progression in the story.
First off, I want to point out that this book is more a contemporary romance than a romance as it mainly focuses on the relationships between the characters and on the journey of the main characters, mostly Liz's. This book is very character driven, which is also one of the reasons I didn't love it as I missed some action. There was too much telling instead of showing. I did like the biracial rep and Filipino culture and I thought the sensitive topics were handled quite well. You should definitely check out the trigger warnings for this book.
However, the romance aspect was a big part, but not one I enjoyed very much. At first I thought Brad was really sweet and supportive, but I started progressively disliking him throughout the book. In my opinion he seemed a little too perfect and his statements were just - too much and very cliché, I can't explain it any other way. It was just not realistic in my opinion, especially not for an 18-year-old boy. Yes, it's fiction, but it just bothered me? Surface level it was all very sweet, but it just annoys me to death when people make all these promises like "I'm never going to leave you", "this is forever" etc. etc., especially at that age. Don't get me wrong, I DO believe you can find your life partner at that age, but I hate how naive he was about it even though this book dealt with some pretty heavy topics, so he should know better. The "fight" at the end showed exactly how immature he was about it. I also wasn't a big fan of the "make-up" and couldn't help rolling my eyes and pushing myself to finish the book. I don't mind the miscommunication trope because if we're all honest, it happens all the time. However, I might be a hypocrite for it, but TALK IT OUT. I'd rather he went up to Liz and they talked about their insecurities and doubts than simply stating (for the millionth time and through some corny website) that he was hurt, but misses and loves her. We got that. It's not enough. Talk through your problems and change your ways.
The thing is, I'm 19, but if someone said all those "forever" and "we're meant to be" things to me, I'd lowkey find it creepy. Okay, yes, they have been friends forever, but still, don't do that. I'm a very romantic person, but I'm not naive. You can also acknowledge you're good together without giving a promise ring (that is already given back after ONE argument, which shows the naivety of it) and constantly pressing that you were made for one another. I get the reassurances as she needed those, but at a certain point you're like I GET IT, move on please. I felt like I read the same conversations over and over again.
Furthermore, I felt like they were too co-dependent. I do believe you are/feel better with a certain person, like Liz felt stronger with Brad around, but they literally feed on each other's energy and act like they can't live without one another. That's why I'm glad that Liz realized (after their sorta break-up) that she should rely on herself more and not solely on him. It's simply not healthy. You can make a great pair, but you're still two individuals.
Moreover, the book focused a lot on the friendship between Kim, Kyle, Liz and Brad, but I couldn't connect all that much with Kim and Kyle. There were a lot of characters in this book and most remained surface level. I liked them, but that's about it because I don't know them all that well. Out of the two, I liked Kyle the best because he had actual (deeper) conversations with Liz and Brad which gave us a better look in his personality. I honestly even liked him better than Brad.
I feel mainly neutral towards Liz. I haven't been through what she's been through, but I did feel sympathy for her and I can definitely understand some of her actions. However, I felt like Liz was a bit defined by her anxiety and depression. Obviously it consumes a big part of her life, and maybe I'm not someone who should have an opinion on it as I don't have it or don't know anyone who has it, but what are her hobby's? How does she interact with classmates, the people she tutors? I knew about all the big obstacles in her life, but what is she like? The other characters may say she's sweet and selfless, but I found it mainly stemmed from her anxiety to hurt anyone. Honestly, I don't know why I didn't love her, so I'll leave it at that.
Besides, as the book progressed, I become more and more apathetic towards all the characters, whereas in the first 100 pages I really felt for them. I was just exhausted and bored by the repetitiveness of the story and my annoyance with Brad's statements and, later on, his actions.
Finally, there were quite some grammatical errors (mostly were/we're, weird comma placements and repetition of words). I didn't bother me all that much, but I couldn't look past them either because they became more frequent towards the end.
In short, this book was a bit boring and repetitive. At first I enjoyed the rekindling of the friendship, the heavy topics it dealt with and the blooming romance between Liz and Brad. Then I started disliking Brad because of his way too sweet and cliché, which (from my view) resulted in borderline creepy statements until I got really annoyed at him and their relationship. Lastly, the other characters were quite flat (and the main characters a bit as well) and I missed some action and progression in the story.
March 31, 2022
4.5
Am I a typical YA reader? No
Is this your typical YA book? NO. 🙌🏼
This book was much deeper than your traditional high school romance love story. I found myself having to constantly remind myself that the male MC was in high school, because holy crap!! 😭 😭
He was absolute perfection!
Both characters were well developed, the plot was engaging, and the love was full of hope.
The story of Brad & Liz is heartbreaking. For being young adults, they overcome SO many struggles. They have to overcome mental illness, suicide, death, forced contact, and more. What begins as long time friends turns into something unexpected.
Thank you to @poetry for buddy reading with me! I love how similar our views & opinions are. 💕
This was such a quick read! It’s one I would definitely recommend for fans of Colleen Hoovers, Slammed, series. So, add it. Read it. & check out the author for some new upcoming releases. 👀
Am I a typical YA reader? No
Is this your typical YA book? NO. 🙌🏼
This book was much deeper than your traditional high school romance love story. I found myself having to constantly remind myself that the male MC was in high school, because holy crap!! 😭 😭
He was absolute perfection!
Both characters were well developed, the plot was engaging, and the love was full of hope.
The story of Brad & Liz is heartbreaking. For being young adults, they overcome SO many struggles. They have to overcome mental illness, suicide, death, forced contact, and more. What begins as long time friends turns into something unexpected.
Thank you to @poetry for buddy reading with me! I love how similar our views & opinions are. 💕
This was such a quick read! It’s one I would definitely recommend for fans of Colleen Hoovers, Slammed, series. So, add it. Read it. & check out the author for some new upcoming releases. 👀
April 16, 2023
Wow, not the book I was expecting. I thought this would be your typically Best friends turn lovers in high school kind of book. Fights, drama, and in the end they finally realize they are meant for each other. NOPE. While this book is a friends to lovers type book, it’s not the main focus. This books focuses on the true authentic emotions teenagers go through in high school. Anxiety, depression, heart break, loss, grief. It’s a group of great friends since diapers, fall out of friendship and reunite in their senior year. It was extremely refreshing to read this book and would recommend this if you want a little bit of your inner child healed and want a good cry. Don’t worry it’s worth the tears.
July 27, 2023
4 ⭐️
no spice but it wasn’t needed. This was such a cute YA romance book. The roller coaster ride it took me on though 🫠. GYE had me smiling, crying, screaming, kicking my feet up in the air; I loved it 🥹
no spice but it wasn’t needed. This was such a cute YA romance book. The roller coaster ride it took me on though 🫠. GYE had me smiling, crying, screaming, kicking my feet up in the air; I loved it 🥹
January 7, 2022
3.75 Stars:
Glad You Exist was the first 2022 release I read, and I’m glad I did!
This is a YA contemporary story about Liz, Brad, Kim, and Kyle, four friends whose friend group imploded three years ago, and who are starting to pick up the pieces.
I really liked the friendship dynamics in this book. It took a while for the four of them to come to terms with their pasts, but once they did, they were super tight. Liz dealt with several really hard things over the course of the story, and her friends banded together and supported her through it all.
Brad and Liz’s love story was so sweet. The friends-to-lovers, It’s-Always-Been-You vibes were absolutely adorable, and Brad was so sweet and supportive of her. They both had to work really hard to move past the events of the past and the difficulties they faced, and I loved how they grew together.
There's a bit of a time jump at the end that leads to the third-act-break-up that I really didn't love. It felt like it un-did a lot of the growth and development Liz and Brad went through love the course of the entire first 80% of the book. Don't worry, there's still a really sweet HEA, but I personally thought it could have come about in a different way.
This story deals with a lot of really heavy subject matter. Trigger warnings include death of a parent, depression, anxiety, attempted suicide, divorce, sexual assault, cancer, and abandonment. I think that throughout the majority of the book, these topics were dealt with really well and were given the weight they deserved.
If you’re looking for a heartfelt, emotional, and hopeful story that’s guaranteed to tug on your heartstrings, check out Glad You Exist! This was a solid debut from Kaye Rockwell and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work in the future!
Glad You Exist was the first 2022 release I read, and I’m glad I did!
This is a YA contemporary story about Liz, Brad, Kim, and Kyle, four friends whose friend group imploded three years ago, and who are starting to pick up the pieces.
I really liked the friendship dynamics in this book. It took a while for the four of them to come to terms with their pasts, but once they did, they were super tight. Liz dealt with several really hard things over the course of the story, and her friends banded together and supported her through it all.
Brad and Liz’s love story was so sweet. The friends-to-lovers, It’s-Always-Been-You vibes were absolutely adorable, and Brad was so sweet and supportive of her. They both had to work really hard to move past the events of the past and the difficulties they faced, and I loved how they grew together.
There's a bit of a time jump at the end that leads to the third-act-break-up that I really didn't love. It felt like it un-did a lot of the growth and development Liz and Brad went through love the course of the entire first 80% of the book. Don't worry, there's still a really sweet HEA, but I personally thought it could have come about in a different way.
This story deals with a lot of really heavy subject matter. Trigger warnings include death of a parent, depression, anxiety, attempted suicide, divorce, sexual assault, cancer, and abandonment. I think that throughout the majority of the book, these topics were dealt with really well and were given the weight they deserved.
If you’re looking for a heartfelt, emotional, and hopeful story that’s guaranteed to tug on your heartstrings, check out Glad You Exist! This was a solid debut from Kaye Rockwell and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work in the future!
November 13, 2022
I don't even know where to begin. I loved everything about this book but especially the relationships. I loved the romantic relationships between Liz and Brad, and between Kim and Kyle. I loved, LOVED how much Brad loved Liz (how many "loved" is too many? 😅) and how they were written as destined for each other. I appreciated the levity Kim and Kyle brought like the sort-of forced accidental birthday confession. IYKYK. 😂 I adored the friend unit these four created and how protective they were of each other, operating more like family than simply friends.
This story hits some pretty heavy topics and each of the four has something that weighs on them. But when they stumble, they always band together to support the one that needs love the most, assuring them that they'll always be there for each other to help ease the burden. So even in the moments that were emotionally hard, there was always something to smile about bc it was at least heartwarming to see them take care of one another.
CN: closed-door romance, mental health (anxiety and depression), suicide attempt in the past, sexual assault, death of a parent from cancer, strained family dynamic
This story hits some pretty heavy topics and each of the four has something that weighs on them. But when they stumble, they always band together to support the one that needs love the most, assuring them that they'll always be there for each other to help ease the burden. So even in the moments that were emotionally hard, there was always something to smile about bc it was at least heartwarming to see them take care of one another.
CN: closed-door romance, mental health (anxiety and depression), suicide attempt in the past, sexual assault, death of a parent from cancer, strained family dynamic
March 21, 2022
wow… just wow.
this book has it all.
4 best friends that fall apart and after 3 years they find their ways back to each other, 2 girls 2 boys. they fall in love .. but why exactly did they grow apart 3 years ago? you’ll have to read to find out what happened to Liz..
def check TW before u read this book🥺!
also Brad is a new addition to my book boyfriend list 🥺 i can’t get over him.. i love him so much he’d do everything for his girl. also i’ve never resonated with a protagonist as much as i did/do with Liz.. she is me and i am her and i wish i could read about her in every book forever.
I def recommend this debut novel HIGHLY ! (check TW as mentioned)
this book is available on kindle unlimited so what are u waiting for? 🤍
this book has it all.
4 best friends that fall apart and after 3 years they find their ways back to each other, 2 girls 2 boys. they fall in love .. but why exactly did they grow apart 3 years ago? you’ll have to read to find out what happened to Liz..
def check TW before u read this book🥺!
also Brad is a new addition to my book boyfriend list 🥺 i can’t get over him.. i love him so much he’d do everything for his girl. also i’ve never resonated with a protagonist as much as i did/do with Liz.. she is me and i am her and i wish i could read about her in every book forever.
I def recommend this debut novel HIGHLY ! (check TW as mentioned)
this book is available on kindle unlimited so what are u waiting for? 🤍
November 21, 2021
Tw: suicide, anxiety, depression
This book was exactly what I needed, I was struggling with a reading slump, and came across a post about this book and immediately wanted to read it, thankfully the author was so kind to send me an ARC and I’ll be forever thankful <3
•I loved all characters and the friendship between Liz, kyle, Kim, and Brad was just *chef’s kiss*
•I fell in love with Brad obviously, he really is the man of my dreams
•I really liked the way the serious issues like anxiety, depression and suicide were treated
I can’t wait for everyone to read this book <3 out january 2022!
This book was exactly what I needed, I was struggling with a reading slump, and came across a post about this book and immediately wanted to read it, thankfully the author was so kind to send me an ARC and I’ll be forever thankful <3
•I loved all characters and the friendship between Liz, kyle, Kim, and Brad was just *chef’s kiss*
•I fell in love with Brad obviously, he really is the man of my dreams
•I really liked the way the serious issues like anxiety, depression and suicide were treated
I can’t wait for everyone to read this book <3 out january 2022!
December 17, 2022
I couldn't put in words how much I loved this book♥️ and made me sob in certain parts like where , Liz lost her mother , when she was suffering from social anxiety even when she tried to hurt herself .
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I also liked Liz , Brad , Kim and Kyle's friendship towards each and how they mended their broken friendship and came back stronger !!!
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The side characters were the ones that keep me feeling itchy , they were so supportive towards Liz and Brad specially Aunt rose
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I also liked Liz , Brad , Kim and Kyle's friendship towards each and how they mended their broken friendship and came back stronger !!!
.
The side characters were the ones that keep me feeling itchy , they were so supportive towards Liz and Brad specially Aunt rose
January 10, 2022
A rollercoaster of emotions that wrap you up in a hug.
A story about hope, strength, resilience, friendship, love, family and loss.
A story about hope, strength, resilience, friendship, love, family and loss.
January 1, 2022
Glad You Exist is an emotional and heartwarming story about growing up, first loves, friendship and everything in between. This book is not light and fluffy, but instead, it deals with heavy topics head on, including mental health and losing a parent.
Growing up, Liz and Brad have been best friends since birth, but just before high school, their friend group falls apart and no longer speaks. The book enters into the aftermath three years later, where the group is forced to work together on a group project. This assignment brings their argument to the forefront, causing the truth to spill out about what really happened three years ago.
Liz is such a resilient character and it was touching to read how open and honest she was about her depression and anxiety after going through therapy. Mental health is not something teenagers readily discuss, so I loved how supportive her friends were as Liz came to terms with her mental health struggles, including a suicide attempt.
Brad has held a candle for Liz since middle school and I loved how he helped Liz navigate an extremely difficult time in her life. Never pushing, he was there when she needed it most and showed true love for her. Their journey back to each other was heartwarming.
Despite the book dealing with heavy themes, every tough subject is handled with absolute care and compassion. Nothing is written for shock value, but the themes move the story along and offer messages of hope and love. Because I recently lost my mom to cancer, there were parts that I had to skim, as they felt very fresh and raw for me. However, these parts were beautifully written and added emotional depth to the story.
Glad You Exist publishes January 6.
Growing up, Liz and Brad have been best friends since birth, but just before high school, their friend group falls apart and no longer speaks. The book enters into the aftermath three years later, where the group is forced to work together on a group project. This assignment brings their argument to the forefront, causing the truth to spill out about what really happened three years ago.
Liz is such a resilient character and it was touching to read how open and honest she was about her depression and anxiety after going through therapy. Mental health is not something teenagers readily discuss, so I loved how supportive her friends were as Liz came to terms with her mental health struggles, including a suicide attempt.
Brad has held a candle for Liz since middle school and I loved how he helped Liz navigate an extremely difficult time in her life. Never pushing, he was there when she needed it most and showed true love for her. Their journey back to each other was heartwarming.
Despite the book dealing with heavy themes, every tough subject is handled with absolute care and compassion. Nothing is written for shock value, but the themes move the story along and offer messages of hope and love. Because I recently lost my mom to cancer, there were parts that I had to skim, as they felt very fresh and raw for me. However, these parts were beautifully written and added emotional depth to the story.
Glad You Exist publishes January 6.
September 22, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and there was an amazing flow throughout the chapters. However, from time to time I found it difficult to know how much time had passed between chapters. Was it days? Weeks? Months? I wasn’t always sure, besides the time it explicitly said four months.
Still highly recommend reading this book.
The way this book tackles Liz her mental illness and the suicide attempt, wow. Her struggles were perfectly portrayed, helping us as reader see where she came from. Lizzy is resilient and strong.
Rockwell amazingly showed us how difficult it can be to rebuild lost friendships. I love that it was a struggle instead of just everyone apologising and everyone moving on and becoming best friends again. The conversation they had before they started building their friendship again was raw and honest. They voiced their emotions and didn’t back down. It was beautifully portrayed how it contains layers too.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and there was an amazing flow throughout the chapters. However, from time to time I found it difficult to know how much time had passed between chapters. Was it days? Weeks? Months? I wasn’t always sure, besides the time it explicitly said four months.
Still highly recommend reading this book.
The way this book tackles Liz her mental illness and the suicide attempt, wow. Her struggles were perfectly portrayed, helping us as reader see where she came from. Lizzy is resilient and strong.
Rockwell amazingly showed us how difficult it can be to rebuild lost friendships. I love that it was a struggle instead of just everyone apologising and everyone moving on and becoming best friends again. The conversation they had before they started building their friendship again was raw and honest. They voiced their emotions and didn’t back down. It was beautifully portrayed how it contains layers too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2021
All the feels folks….. by this cute pink fluffy cover I was expecting a full on cheese fest and let me tell you it was sooooo much more. Liz and Brad are complete perfection. I adored their childhood friendship turned romance and their best friend foursome is everything you want in a high school friendship. Kim is hilarious and sarcastic which I can relate to on all levels.
Definitely some heavy topics - I can appreciate books that touch on mental health and the importance of ending the stigma. A simply delightful read. A huge thanks to Kaye for sharing her debut novel and ARC with me.
Be sure to grab your copy when it comes out this January
Definitely some heavy topics - I can appreciate books that touch on mental health and the importance of ending the stigma. A simply delightful read. A huge thanks to Kaye for sharing her debut novel and ARC with me.
Be sure to grab your copy when it comes out this January
May 13, 2022
glad you exist •review•
★ ★ ★ ⭑ 3.5/5
wow- this was a really heavy, emotional read and simultaneously heartwarming and jam packed with love! the debut novel follows 4 best friends that disperse to do their own things and find their way back to each other.
writing accurately about the teenage years is tough, but writing about a teenager with crippling anxiety is very difficult. i feel like Kaye Rockwell wrote this book about teenage me, she just needed to say Liv instead of Liz 🥲
i don’t think i’ve read a best friends to strangers to lovers trope in a while.. oh and childhood friendship into lovers is my weakness 😭 their love story was sweet. love the way the friendships are written as well - i definitely have a few friends from high school who never judged me still don’t and are just my soulmates!
anxiety things i related to in the book, which were written about very well and think are important to mention:
- panicking in the moment about something ending in the future
- forgetting to eat, not receiving hunger queues
- fidgeting with hands, arms, fingers, clothing - picking away at anything to keep hands busy
- need to “recharge” for days after social events
- needing time to mentally prepare to do something that deviates from normal schedule and so many more examples i’ve never seen properly dissected in writing!
however, there were some moments when i felt the book fell flat (characters & growth). lots of telling and not showing. their fight at the end was immature and while i tried to keep in mind, yes you can find your soulmate at any age, young love can be cringe- all-or-nothing- soul-consuming, etc! also a few other cring parts happened that i didn’t think were necessary. towards the end there were grammatical errors, the story became quite repetitive and Brad got on my nerves 😬
i don’t often read YA romances but i am glad i picked this one up! it was a rollercoaster of moving through teenage emotions as an adult! a great debut and i look forward to reading more from Kaye! 😊
🚨 please check TW before reading
★ ★ ★ ⭑ 3.5/5
wow- this was a really heavy, emotional read and simultaneously heartwarming and jam packed with love! the debut novel follows 4 best friends that disperse to do their own things and find their way back to each other.
writing accurately about the teenage years is tough, but writing about a teenager with crippling anxiety is very difficult. i feel like Kaye Rockwell wrote this book about teenage me, she just needed to say Liv instead of Liz 🥲
i don’t think i’ve read a best friends to strangers to lovers trope in a while.. oh and childhood friendship into lovers is my weakness 😭 their love story was sweet. love the way the friendships are written as well - i definitely have a few friends from high school who never judged me still don’t and are just my soulmates!
anxiety things i related to in the book, which were written about very well and think are important to mention:
- panicking in the moment about something ending in the future
- forgetting to eat, not receiving hunger queues
- fidgeting with hands, arms, fingers, clothing - picking away at anything to keep hands busy
- need to “recharge” for days after social events
- needing time to mentally prepare to do something that deviates from normal schedule and so many more examples i’ve never seen properly dissected in writing!
however, there were some moments when i felt the book fell flat (characters & growth). lots of telling and not showing. their fight at the end was immature and while i tried to keep in mind, yes you can find your soulmate at any age, young love can be cringe- all-or-nothing- soul-consuming, etc! also a few other cring parts happened that i didn’t think were necessary. towards the end there were grammatical errors, the story became quite repetitive and Brad got on my nerves 😬
i don’t often read YA romances but i am glad i picked this one up! it was a rollercoaster of moving through teenage emotions as an adult! a great debut and i look forward to reading more from Kaye! 😊
🚨 please check TW before reading
October 30, 2021
I just finished this and I think I need some time to actually write my review because holy hell, that was a ride. I’ll be back, Kaye ♥️
UPDATE: I’m finally back to write this review after taking a minute to figure out what to say.
This book, despite the lighthearted cover, is anything but lighthearted—in a good way. The story is centered around two teenagers, Liz and Brad, who were childhood friends that fell apart. When a project brings Liz, Brad, and their two other best friends from childhood (Kyle and Kim), their friendship slowly builds to what it used to be. While they are stuck together again, Brad’s romantic feelings for his former best friend resurface while Liz’s feelings for Brad grow into something she has never expected.
The themes in this book are heavy (TW: anxiety, depression, suicide attempts/self-harm, rekindling relationships, cancer, sexual harassment, divorce, death, abandonment, identity), however, it was written tastefully. The conversations held about these topics were real and genuine and often times made me cry. When the characters were hurting, I was, too. When they laughed, I laughed along with them. They were just so real—I don’t have another way to describe it.
The other reason I wanted to read this book was because Kaye is a Filipino author. Seeing a few sprinkles of my own culture spread throughout the book made my heart swell at the representation. Reading about/seeing your own culture immortalized in print is touching in so many ways. You feel seen and heard and it was amazing.
So, yes, 5/5 for the brave Liz, the perfect and selfless Brad, the supportive Kyle, and the motherly Kim! Congratulations on your debut novel, Kaye ♥️
UPDATE: I’m finally back to write this review after taking a minute to figure out what to say.
This book, despite the lighthearted cover, is anything but lighthearted—in a good way. The story is centered around two teenagers, Liz and Brad, who were childhood friends that fell apart. When a project brings Liz, Brad, and their two other best friends from childhood (Kyle and Kim), their friendship slowly builds to what it used to be. While they are stuck together again, Brad’s romantic feelings for his former best friend resurface while Liz’s feelings for Brad grow into something she has never expected.
The themes in this book are heavy (TW: anxiety, depression, suicide attempts/self-harm, rekindling relationships, cancer, sexual harassment, divorce, death, abandonment, identity), however, it was written tastefully. The conversations held about these topics were real and genuine and often times made me cry. When the characters were hurting, I was, too. When they laughed, I laughed along with them. They were just so real—I don’t have another way to describe it.
The other reason I wanted to read this book was because Kaye is a Filipino author. Seeing a few sprinkles of my own culture spread throughout the book made my heart swell at the representation. Reading about/seeing your own culture immortalized in print is touching in so many ways. You feel seen and heard and it was amazing.
So, yes, 5/5 for the brave Liz, the perfect and selfless Brad, the supportive Kyle, and the motherly Kim! Congratulations on your debut novel, Kaye ♥️
October 10, 2022
It's a very cute lovestory. It's also about friendship. Like the book says What happens when the lines between friendship and love start to blur?
Brad is holding his feelings to Lizz for as long as he remember from his childhood. They have known eachother since toddler. Their mother being a friend brings them closer.
But Lizz developed this fence between their friendship three years back. She is going through so much because of her parents divorce, her brother Dan hardly being at home and she seems to be dissolving herself in depression and that leads to her suicide attempts.
One thing that she realized being away from her friends is, expecting her friends to come up to her and check on her is not the right thought. It just that she has to come out of her darkness and explain it to them.
I mean Kyle is very protective, strong but he is emotional and he expressed how much he felt lost during those three years of gap in their friendship.
Kim, she is also a very lovable character.
Four friends and they are all madly in love with eachother.
Kyle to kim.
Brad to Liz.
❤️ 💙 💜 💖
4 🌟
Brad is holding his feelings to Lizz for as long as he remember from his childhood. They have known eachother since toddler. Their mother being a friend brings them closer.
But Lizz developed this fence between their friendship three years back. She is going through so much because of her parents divorce, her brother Dan hardly being at home and she seems to be dissolving herself in depression and that leads to her suicide attempts.
One thing that she realized being away from her friends is, expecting her friends to come up to her and check on her is not the right thought. It just that she has to come out of her darkness and explain it to them.
I mean Kyle is very protective, strong but he is emotional and he expressed how much he felt lost during those three years of gap in their friendship.
Kim, she is also a very lovable character.
Four friends and they are all madly in love with eachother.
Kyle to kim.
Brad to Liz.
❤️ 💙 💜 💖
4 🌟
November 18, 2021
I don't normally gravitate towards YA novels but man, Glad You Exist has convinced me to expand and read more YA.
With YA romance novels, I expect fluffy, teenager romance but I was not expecting to audibly say "aww" and feel giddy excitement! I most definitely did not expect to feel hard hitting emotions with the heavy themes in this book (TWs below). The conversations were real and raw and broke my heart. The characters were all so likeable and relatable - our side character Kyle was definitely my favourite!
While reading, I could not help but feel so seen with the Filipino representation. Growing up, I rarely ever saw POC representation in books, let alone Filipino representation?! So much of the culture was perfectly written throughout the novel - I was shocked TBH! I can only hope that the younger generations feel as seen and represented as I did reading Glad You Exist <3
Thank you Kaye Rockwell for sending me an ARC <3
TWs: anxiety, depression, death of a loved one, suicide, divorce & sexual harassment.
With YA romance novels, I expect fluffy, teenager romance but I was not expecting to audibly say "aww" and feel giddy excitement! I most definitely did not expect to feel hard hitting emotions with the heavy themes in this book (TWs below). The conversations were real and raw and broke my heart. The characters were all so likeable and relatable - our side character Kyle was definitely my favourite!
While reading, I could not help but feel so seen with the Filipino representation. Growing up, I rarely ever saw POC representation in books, let alone Filipino representation?! So much of the culture was perfectly written throughout the novel - I was shocked TBH! I can only hope that the younger generations feel as seen and represented as I did reading Glad You Exist <3
Thank you Kaye Rockwell for sending me an ARC <3
TWs: anxiety, depression, death of a loved one, suicide, divorce & sexual harassment.
January 20, 2022
I think its great that the author didn't shy away from important subject matters like mental illness, grief, trauma. This was definitely not a fluffy YA. This was more. A lot more.
This was about Liz' journey to LIVE past the emotional trauma and how her friendship with Brad progresses into more. I love that Brad was there and constant. I actually like that the author showed how their relationship wasn't perfect later in the book and that they needed to be apart to be stronger together. Life is like that.
This was a phenomenal debut.
And honestly.. I don't get some of the reviews on this book? Did we read the same book?
Because when I finished reading this book, it immediately made me think about how little we know about what even the closest to us are going through and to not want to waste time especially in the current state of the world. I instantly reached out to my parents to check on them.
This book had that effect on me.
So yeah.. great book. Can't wait to read what else she's got in store for us.
This was about Liz' journey to LIVE past the emotional trauma and how her friendship with Brad progresses into more. I love that Brad was there and constant. I actually like that the author showed how their relationship wasn't perfect later in the book and that they needed to be apart to be stronger together. Life is like that.
This was a phenomenal debut.
And honestly.. I don't get some of the reviews on this book? Did we read the same book?
Because when I finished reading this book, it immediately made me think about how little we know about what even the closest to us are going through and to not want to waste time especially in the current state of the world. I instantly reached out to my parents to check on them.
This book had that effect on me.
So yeah.. great book. Can't wait to read what else she's got in store for us.
April 1, 2022
it was soooo good… until it wasn’t 😩
i’m not afraid to admit that a few tears were shed in the first half of the book. i cried like a little bitch, maybe its because i read this on during the time of the month— but i just loved it, it was so cute, heartbreaking and i was very invested until..
it just.. progressively got bad towards the end?? i wasn’t a fan of the conflict in the second half of the book. i didn’t like how it was handled. i just started cringing at some of the dialogue and i was just reminded of why i don’t really read books set in high school anymore. as someone whos a little older now, reading about characters who are still in hs saying they’ll love each other forever and nothing can get in the way of their love for one another made me die a little inside.
however, i will say, i did like the filipino representation in the novel
i’m not afraid to admit that a few tears were shed in the first half of the book. i cried like a little bitch, maybe its because i read this on during the time of the month— but i just loved it, it was so cute, heartbreaking and i was very invested until..
it just.. progressively got bad towards the end?? i wasn’t a fan of the conflict in the second half of the book. i didn’t like how it was handled. i just started cringing at some of the dialogue and i was just reminded of why i don’t really read books set in high school anymore. as someone whos a little older now, reading about characters who are still in hs saying they’ll love each other forever and nothing can get in the way of their love for one another made me die a little inside.
however, i will say, i did like the filipino representation in the novel
November 2, 2021
4.75 Stars!
.
I would like to first thank Kaye Rockwell for giving me an opportunity to read her debut novel before it comes out. GYE was such a cute coming-of-age book; not only does it contain cute romance, it also shows how one can struggle with mental health.
.
Each and every characters were super lovable in their own way. I would catch myself smiling from ear to ear, and then the next being heartbroken for Liz.
.
There was a little bit of everything I loved: dual POVs, friends to lovers, guy falls first, and the group of friends were so so special for me. Super fun and quick read!
.
I would like to first thank Kaye Rockwell for giving me an opportunity to read her debut novel before it comes out. GYE was such a cute coming-of-age book; not only does it contain cute romance, it also shows how one can struggle with mental health.
.
Each and every characters were super lovable in their own way. I would catch myself smiling from ear to ear, and then the next being heartbroken for Liz.
.
There was a little bit of everything I loved: dual POVs, friends to lovers, guy falls first, and the group of friends were so so special for me. Super fun and quick read!
January 6, 2022
see this is why i love hags. despite it being so rare that i fall for a teen ship ive seen such good reviews that i genuinely thought they’d stick with me but god help me if the guy whos in love with me calls me baby and confesses his feelings on a website. aside from the sometimes cringe quotes, the writing seemed superficial and they were kind of rushed and honestly, the only thing i really loved about the book was the group friendship. am i wrong if im kimkyle over lizbrad because… also, lizbrad you’ll never be wesliz unfortunately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2022
I loved Brad and Liz too, the conflict at the end seemed a bit I don’t know, I didn’t vibe with it. Anyways, I loved the dynamic of all the characters
January 30, 2022
Book: Glad You Exist
Author: Kaye Rockwell
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis:
LIZ
It's been three years since I last spoke to them. To him.
Three years, since our lives revolved around each other. We've known each other forever.
And when I walked away from them? I did what I had to do to protect myself.
Then a horrible tragedy happens and now suddenly they're always around.
They say they want to be there for me and try to be friends again.
And Brad... he's talking to me and looking at me differently.
He says he wants to take care of me. Be whatever I need him to be.
But will they forgive me when they find out what I did? Will he?
BRAD
I've known Liz my whole life.
She was my best friend until she walked away from me.
Three years later, she's still everything to me.
And I'm determined to prove it.
Whatever it takes.
Will the secrets they kept from each other keep them further apart or will a sudden tragedy bring them closer together and help mend the broken pieces of their friendship?
What will happen when the lines between love and friendship start to blur?
Review:
Before I even get into my review, I want to say a huge thank you to Kaye for writing this book. This book is a world changer because of the way it portrays an Asian American main character, Filipino culture, and heavy themes such as anxiety, depression, loss of a parent, grief, and suicide. I think it is very important that there is more awareness and acceptance about these themes. I loved the way she handled them and that she didn't just mention it here or there but actually took the time to discuss those themes in a meaningful way. That being said, I warn that you should look up trigger warnings before reading as this book is not for everyone.
I absolutely LOVED this book. I literally could not put the book down and lost track of time. I read 90% of it in one day and the rest the next. The main characters, Liz and Brad, were so well written. I loved getting to see their friendship rekindle and then bloom into love. Their journey was very powerful, especially getting to see Liz learning to trust Brad and open up to him, and Brad learning to trust in Liz and their relationship including his love for her. I'm so attached to the characters and don't think I'm ready to let them go yet😂
I also loved the side characters in the book, Kim and Kyle, as well as Dan and Summer. I wanted to be part of the main 4 friend group! The only minor negative for me was the time jump at the end of the book, but it was still tied up well, and it didn't ruin my overall feelings about the book. This was an emotional rollercoaster, but in a good way. I highly recommend that you put this on your reading list!
Author: Kaye Rockwell
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis:
LIZ
It's been three years since I last spoke to them. To him.
Three years, since our lives revolved around each other. We've known each other forever.
And when I walked away from them? I did what I had to do to protect myself.
Then a horrible tragedy happens and now suddenly they're always around.
They say they want to be there for me and try to be friends again.
And Brad... he's talking to me and looking at me differently.
He says he wants to take care of me. Be whatever I need him to be.
But will they forgive me when they find out what I did? Will he?
BRAD
I've known Liz my whole life.
She was my best friend until she walked away from me.
Three years later, she's still everything to me.
And I'm determined to prove it.
Whatever it takes.
Will the secrets they kept from each other keep them further apart or will a sudden tragedy bring them closer together and help mend the broken pieces of their friendship?
What will happen when the lines between love and friendship start to blur?
Review:
Before I even get into my review, I want to say a huge thank you to Kaye for writing this book. This book is a world changer because of the way it portrays an Asian American main character, Filipino culture, and heavy themes such as anxiety, depression, loss of a parent, grief, and suicide. I think it is very important that there is more awareness and acceptance about these themes. I loved the way she handled them and that she didn't just mention it here or there but actually took the time to discuss those themes in a meaningful way. That being said, I warn that you should look up trigger warnings before reading as this book is not for everyone.
I absolutely LOVED this book. I literally could not put the book down and lost track of time. I read 90% of it in one day and the rest the next. The main characters, Liz and Brad, were so well written. I loved getting to see their friendship rekindle and then bloom into love. Their journey was very powerful, especially getting to see Liz learning to trust Brad and open up to him, and Brad learning to trust in Liz and their relationship including his love for her. I'm so attached to the characters and don't think I'm ready to let them go yet😂
I also loved the side characters in the book, Kim and Kyle, as well as Dan and Summer. I wanted to be part of the main 4 friend group! The only minor negative for me was the time jump at the end of the book, but it was still tied up well, and it didn't ruin my overall feelings about the book. This was an emotional rollercoaster, but in a good way. I highly recommend that you put this on your reading list!
February 21, 2022
I cried. HARD.
Okay, first of all. Liz, I SEE YOU. I FEEL YOU. If you would be standing here right now, I would have hugged you tight. Brad, ILOVEYOU. Thanks for existing (even if it's in a fictional book) The way you took care of Liz and actually understood her filled my heart with warmth. I root for you guys. I want to see you guys getting married and have kids. @thenomaddreamer pleaseeeeeee😭
Kim, I feel you are a wonderful person inside out. The way you take care of Liz, the way you look at Kyle with tenderness when he is not at his best, is one of the best things about you.
And Kyle, boy! First of all, Lemme Hug you Tight.
and let you know that I vibe with you. The way you make people laugh with everything going inside you. That is SOMETHING. You, my boy are freaking strong to that. Thank you for giving this friendship a second chance. Kudos to Kaye for creating this masterpiece.
Okay, first of all. Liz, I SEE YOU. I FEEL YOU. If you would be standing here right now, I would have hugged you tight. Brad, ILOVEYOU. Thanks for existing (even if it's in a fictional book) The way you took care of Liz and actually understood her filled my heart with warmth. I root for you guys. I want to see you guys getting married and have kids. @thenomaddreamer pleaseeeeeee😭
Kim, I feel you are a wonderful person inside out. The way you take care of Liz, the way you look at Kyle with tenderness when he is not at his best, is one of the best things about you.
And Kyle, boy! First of all, Lemme Hug you Tight.
and let you know that I vibe with you. The way you make people laugh with everything going inside you. That is SOMETHING. You, my boy are freaking strong to that. Thank you for giving this friendship a second chance. Kudos to Kaye for creating this masterpiece.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2022
I saw this book going around bookstagram and had some great reviews. When I learned that the author was a Filipina indie writer, I instantly bought the book and supported her. I am not usually drawn to YA romances as much anymore, but after reading some reviews, I knew that it was so much more than that, which all the more intrigued me!
Liz and Brad have been best friends since they were little. A couple of years ago, they had a falling out along with their other two best friends. As fate and certain circumstances bring them all back together, they mend their relationship little by little while finding their feelings resurfacing and dealing with their traumas.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Great debut novel! I definitely loved how the book touched very important matters such as mental health issues and grief. I can relate to Liz because I’ve long suffered from anxiety and grief almost the same age as hers. And Brad, gosh, Brad. I absolutely adored him. Such a mature and endearing guy for his age. Where were all the Brads when I was a teen? Lol. I really adored their small group of friends we all wish we had when we were young. Like I mentioned before, this was more than just a friends to lovers YA romance, it’s a story about friendship, family and self worth. How this book touched the reality of the ups and downs of relationships and life itself all the while dealing with mental health issues was particularly what stood out for me. Bonus points for all the Filipino references that hits close to home too. I highly recommend it to everyone!
⚠️TW: Suicide, anxiety, depression, grief, cancer
Liz and Brad have been best friends since they were little. A couple of years ago, they had a falling out along with their other two best friends. As fate and certain circumstances bring them all back together, they mend their relationship little by little while finding their feelings resurfacing and dealing with their traumas.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Great debut novel! I definitely loved how the book touched very important matters such as mental health issues and grief. I can relate to Liz because I’ve long suffered from anxiety and grief almost the same age as hers. And Brad, gosh, Brad. I absolutely adored him. Such a mature and endearing guy for his age. Where were all the Brads when I was a teen? Lol. I really adored their small group of friends we all wish we had when we were young. Like I mentioned before, this was more than just a friends to lovers YA romance, it’s a story about friendship, family and self worth. How this book touched the reality of the ups and downs of relationships and life itself all the while dealing with mental health issues was particularly what stood out for me. Bonus points for all the Filipino references that hits close to home too. I highly recommend it to everyone!
⚠️TW: Suicide, anxiety, depression, grief, cancer
January 16, 2022
Glad You Exist is an emotional and beautiful story about friendship, first love, mental illness and loss of loved ones.
The relationships are what make the book special, especially the friendship between the four main characters. Liz, Brad, Kyle and Kim were distinct and unique characters. They had a lot of depth to them and they had all suffered some sort of trauma or hurt from the loss of their friendship back when they were freshmen in high school. The best part of the novel was watching them work through that pain and find a way to be friends again. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Liz and her older brother Dan. They used to bicker a lot when they were younger, but now they have such a close relationship and it was very reminiscent of my relationship with my little sister.
Although I liked the author’s debut novel, I think the last couple chapters threw me off a little. There is a four month time jump and all of a sudden Liz and Brad’s relationship is on the rocks. It was a little disconcerting because literally in the previous page they were all happy together and Liz had even confided in him about what happened the day she broke off their friendship. I just didn’t think it was necessary to create this drama for these characters especially since Liz had already been through so much. It just made me dislike Brad and I didn’t exactly want Liz to forgive him at the end.
Another complaint I had with the book was that there were a lot of grammatical mistakes. It sometimes took me out of the story because I had to reread certain sections. But overall, I think this was a pretty good debut novel and the author portrayed the topics of grief and mental illness very well.
The relationships are what make the book special, especially the friendship between the four main characters. Liz, Brad, Kyle and Kim were distinct and unique characters. They had a lot of depth to them and they had all suffered some sort of trauma or hurt from the loss of their friendship back when they were freshmen in high school. The best part of the novel was watching them work through that pain and find a way to be friends again. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Liz and her older brother Dan. They used to bicker a lot when they were younger, but now they have such a close relationship and it was very reminiscent of my relationship with my little sister.
Although I liked the author’s debut novel, I think the last couple chapters threw me off a little. There is a four month time jump and all of a sudden Liz and Brad’s relationship is on the rocks. It was a little disconcerting because literally in the previous page they were all happy together and Liz had even confided in him about what happened the day she broke off their friendship. I just didn’t think it was necessary to create this drama for these characters especially since Liz had already been through so much. It just made me dislike Brad and I didn’t exactly want Liz to forgive him at the end.
Another complaint I had with the book was that there were a lot of grammatical mistakes. It sometimes took me out of the story because I had to reread certain sections. But overall, I think this was a pretty good debut novel and the author portrayed the topics of grief and mental illness very well.
July 8, 2022
TW/ CW: attempted suicide, Anxiety (mentioned thoughout the book), death of a parent
WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS
(Ok I don’t usually reviews on books but this book…. 👀🥰 is important)—>
oh my gosh… where do I even begin… I loved it so much. First of all ,the love that brad and Liz have for each other in this book is like no other… brad is Literally my favorite book boyfriend. He is so patient, attentive, kind, nurturing. The way he was so in tune with Liz just has my heart. He is PERFECTION And also their friends, Kim and Kyle was so in tune with Liz needed with her struggle with anxiety and how they always support her. They’re a dream tight knit friend group I wish i would’ve had in school. I loved how relatable and realistic this book is because as much it may hurts, friendships do change and may move on a lot through out high school. That just how life is but with these characters, they fall out but then go right back and work on their struggles be as strong as they can together as if nothing happened.
WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS
(Ok I don’t usually reviews on books but this book…. 👀🥰 is important)—>
oh my gosh… where do I even begin… I loved it so much. First of all ,the love that brad and Liz have for each other in this book is like no other… brad is Literally my favorite book boyfriend. He is so patient, attentive, kind, nurturing. The way he was so in tune with Liz just has my heart. He is PERFECTION And also their friends, Kim and Kyle was so in tune with Liz needed with her struggle with anxiety and how they always support her. They’re a dream tight knit friend group I wish i would’ve had in school. I loved how relatable and realistic this book is because as much it may hurts, friendships do change and may move on a lot through out high school. That just how life is but with these characters, they fall out but then go right back and work on their struggles be as strong as they can together as if nothing happened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2021
'Glad You Exist' is a great young adult romance that kept me looking forward to read it every night. I don't read books that often, but this story got a new reader, like me, hooked. Some pages made me blush, tear up, and cheer out loud. This story is a great reminder to enjoy every moment in life, say 'I love you' to your loved ones, and that the problems we're facing are temporary. Over all, 'Glad You Exist' makes me want to go forward in life with vigor!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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