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You, Me, and Our Heartstrings
Daisy and Noah have the same plan: use the holiday concert to land a Julliard audition. But when they're chosen to play a duet for the concert, they worry that their differences will sink their chances.
Noah, a cello prodigy from a long line of musicians, wants to stick to tradition. Daisy, a fiercely independent disabled violinist, is used to fighting for what she wants and likes to take risks. But the two surprise each other when they play. They fall perfectly in tune.
After their performance goes viral, the rest of the country falls for them just as surely as they're falling for each other. But viral fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. No one seems to care about their talent or their music at all. People have rewritten their love story into one where Daisy is an inspiration for overcoming her cerebral palsy and Noah is a saint for seeing past it.
Daisy is tired of her disability being the only thing people see about her, and all of the attention sends Noah’s anxiety disorder into high speed. They can see their dream coming closer than it’s ever been before. But is the cost suddenly too high?
Noah, a cello prodigy from a long line of musicians, wants to stick to tradition. Daisy, a fiercely independent disabled violinist, is used to fighting for what she wants and likes to take risks. But the two surprise each other when they play. They fall perfectly in tune.
After their performance goes viral, the rest of the country falls for them just as surely as they're falling for each other. But viral fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. No one seems to care about their talent or their music at all. People have rewritten their love story into one where Daisy is an inspiration for overcoming her cerebral palsy and Noah is a saint for seeing past it.
Daisy is tired of her disability being the only thing people see about her, and all of the attention sends Noah’s anxiety disorder into high speed. They can see their dream coming closer than it’s ever been before. But is the cost suddenly too high?
303 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2022
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6787 people want to read
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February 26, 2022MORE DISABLED CHARACTERS IN ROMANCE AND ON COVERS THANK YOU !
May 1, 2022
This book is adorable, the romance is BEYOND sweet, and the representation?! Add this book to your tbr ASAP 👏
- Cerebral Palsy & Anxiety Representation
- Positive Therapy Experiences
- Forced Proximity
- Musicians
- Amazing Side Characters
I adored this book so much. I absolutely love our protagonists Noah and Daisy, and how they were both so real and existed outside of the romance, as both deal with their own set of problems that they have to overcome. The book is also so positive about therapy and medication, which is SO refreshing to see! And the friendships??? We love Mazhar and Amal, such great characters!
I loved the conversations surrounding disability which were so important, and I'm excited to see what own-voices reviewers think of the book!
The only reason it lost a star was that the pacing was a little fast in some places, but overall I absolutely loved this and fully recommend it!
- Cerebral Palsy & Anxiety Representation
- Positive Therapy Experiences
- Forced Proximity
- Musicians
- Amazing Side Characters
I adored this book so much. I absolutely love our protagonists Noah and Daisy, and how they were both so real and existed outside of the romance, as both deal with their own set of problems that they have to overcome. The book is also so positive about therapy and medication, which is SO refreshing to see! And the friendships??? We love Mazhar and Amal, such great characters!
I loved the conversations surrounding disability which were so important, and I'm excited to see what own-voices reviewers think of the book!
The only reason it lost a star was that the pacing was a little fast in some places, but overall I absolutely loved this and fully recommend it!
November 3, 2023
3.25 stars
Thank you so much to Scholastic and I Read YA for providing me an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The disability rep in this book? Phenomenal.
Daisy and Noah as characters? Great!
The idea behind the plot was also really interesting. I loved the musical aspects of the book, and I will forever adore the “suddenly viral” plot line.
There was so much about this book that had promise, I think the execution was just not up to par.
The writing itself was a little choppy. The narration didn’t resonate with me as a reader. The banter didn’t flow, and the dialogue often felt scripted and therefore came off sounding stilted. This was compounded by the pacing of the novel. Everything moved too fast—from action to action to action. There was no time for anything to sink in. Something tense would happen, and we’d get maybe a paragraph of the character’s reactions to it, if we were lucky, but often just a sentence, and what we did get felt flat and disconnected from the character themself. This led to the feeling that nothing was happening at all, despite the fact that there was, in so many ways, so much going on.
The disability rep was, of course, my favorite thing about the book. It related to my personal experiences in many ways. Like Noah, I have anxiety and panic attacks and I have seen many therapists over many years, and been medicated. Like Daisy, I was raised Catholic and attend Mass every Sunday. (Also! The word Mass was capitalized! Which was very exciting to see, since it is supposed to be, but never is.) I don’t have cerebral palsy, so I cannot speak for that specific lived experience, but I really enjoyed the way it was portrayed. #ownvoices rep is the best rep.
I believe the anxiety rep is also own voices, but I’m not 100% positive on that. Despite (or maybe because of?) the fact that I have anxiety, the portrayal of Noah’s anxiety wasn’t my favorite. Don’t get me wrong, I truly believe it was good representation. The everyday affects of Noah’s anxiety were very well done and very, very relateable. Because there was something about the writing that made it difficult for me to truly connect the characters and feel what they were feeling, the depictions on panic attacks resonate with me the way I wanted them to. However, I do think the descriptions were accurate to how a panic attack can feel (though they are of course different for everyone).
My main complaints, for lack of a better word, are simply in the execution falling short.
One example of this is the scene in which Noah tells his parents about his anxiety. It just felt melodramatic. Not Noah, but the reactions of his parents. They acted as if he was dying. Like he had been on the verge of taking his life because of this and they hadn’t known. It felt like the intensity of their guilt and fear was highly disproportionate to what Noah actually said. The dramatics of that scene really took me aback and took me out of the story. It was like,
“Hey, mom, dad? Can we talk? It’s important.”
“Of course, honey!”
“I’ve been really overwhelmed and stressed out lately. It feels like too much pressure and I’ve been having panic attacks. I think I need to see a therapist.”
“Oh my BABY!” *sobbing* “I can’t believe I almost lost you and I didn’t even know! I’m a failure of a parent!”
It was way too much, but the book acted as if it was a totally proportionate reaction. And maybe if Noah’s anxiety had been to the point that he was even remotely suicidal, it would have made sense. However that is not something that we as a reader are led to believe before this point, nor is it suggested or alluded to after this one scene, either. Noah has some general anxiety and a couple of panic attacks. I’m not trying to lessen the impact of that. Anxiety sucks. Panic attacks are literally the worst. And he needed help, both from his parents and a professional. It’s just that up to that point (and after) did not feel worthy of the reaction it was suddenly receiving. The actual portrayal I had read did not feel as if it matched up with how severe I was being told it was.
I wish the reaction had been toned down. I think the level of anxiety Noah exhibited throughout the book was perfect. It was an amount that I think many people living with anxiety experience and think “I’m fine, I don’t need help. I can still function so it’s not that bad. I don’t need therapy/meds.” I think we need more representation of that level of anxiety, the severe but not completely debilitating, where the characters do seek help and get help and see improvement in their symptoms. It felt like the reaction he recieved cheapened that.
Daisy’s representation felt much more real and steady. What we saw of her experiences from her POV and what how those around her seemed to view them matched up (aside from the ableism people projected, but that’s different, since it was blatantly called out as ableism).
I think my favorite parts of her rep was the religious aspects, probably because I can directly relate to it. There is definitely ableism in the way that disability is viewed in the Church, and it is something that needs to be addressed and pointed out more often. Disabled people are just regular people, and many of them don’t want their disability cured. We are not your inspiration, and unless we specifically ask for your prayers, we don’t want them. Especially not publicly.
However, I also liked that it was portrayed as ableism within the people and congregation and not within the religion and God Himself. I loved the character of the disabled priest and I loved the interactions that he and Daisy had. I also loved that she left her church and got out of that toxic environment, and I appreciated that she didn’t leave the religion completely. If she had, that would have been more than fair, and good on her if that had been her decision. I’m just someone who also finds a lot of comfort in my religion, so it meant a lot to see a character not give up on it.
In the end, this book wasn’t perfect, nor was it my favorite, but I truly believe it is worth the read. Daisy and Noah are great, the plot is interesting, and the disability rep alone makes me feel like everyone should read it. The writing was not my favorite, but if you can tolerate not-the-best writing, I think you should pick this up.
Thank you so much to Scholastic and I Read YA for providing me an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The disability rep in this book? Phenomenal.
Daisy and Noah as characters? Great!
The idea behind the plot was also really interesting. I loved the musical aspects of the book, and I will forever adore the “suddenly viral” plot line.
There was so much about this book that had promise, I think the execution was just not up to par.
The writing itself was a little choppy. The narration didn’t resonate with me as a reader. The banter didn’t flow, and the dialogue often felt scripted and therefore came off sounding stilted. This was compounded by the pacing of the novel. Everything moved too fast—from action to action to action. There was no time for anything to sink in. Something tense would happen, and we’d get maybe a paragraph of the character’s reactions to it, if we were lucky, but often just a sentence, and what we did get felt flat and disconnected from the character themself. This led to the feeling that nothing was happening at all, despite the fact that there was, in so many ways, so much going on.
The disability rep was, of course, my favorite thing about the book. It related to my personal experiences in many ways. Like Noah, I have anxiety and panic attacks and I have seen many therapists over many years, and been medicated. Like Daisy, I was raised Catholic and attend Mass every Sunday. (Also! The word Mass was capitalized! Which was very exciting to see, since it is supposed to be, but never is.) I don’t have cerebral palsy, so I cannot speak for that specific lived experience, but I really enjoyed the way it was portrayed. #ownvoices rep is the best rep.
I believe the anxiety rep is also own voices, but I’m not 100% positive on that. Despite (or maybe because of?) the fact that I have anxiety, the portrayal of Noah’s anxiety wasn’t my favorite. Don’t get me wrong, I truly believe it was good representation. The everyday affects of Noah’s anxiety were very well done and very, very relateable. Because there was something about the writing that made it difficult for me to truly connect the characters and feel what they were feeling, the depictions on panic attacks resonate with me the way I wanted them to. However, I do think the descriptions were accurate to how a panic attack can feel (though they are of course different for everyone).
My main complaints, for lack of a better word, are simply in the execution falling short.
One example of this is the scene in which Noah tells his parents about his anxiety. It just felt melodramatic. Not Noah, but the reactions of his parents. They acted as if he was dying. Like he had been on the verge of taking his life because of this and they hadn’t known. It felt like the intensity of their guilt and fear was highly disproportionate to what Noah actually said. The dramatics of that scene really took me aback and took me out of the story. It was like,
“Hey, mom, dad? Can we talk? It’s important.”
“Of course, honey!”
“I’ve been really overwhelmed and stressed out lately. It feels like too much pressure and I’ve been having panic attacks. I think I need to see a therapist.”
“Oh my BABY!” *sobbing* “I can’t believe I almost lost you and I didn’t even know! I’m a failure of a parent!”
It was way too much, but the book acted as if it was a totally proportionate reaction. And maybe if Noah’s anxiety had been to the point that he was even remotely suicidal, it would have made sense. However that is not something that we as a reader are led to believe before this point, nor is it suggested or alluded to after this one scene, either. Noah has some general anxiety and a couple of panic attacks. I’m not trying to lessen the impact of that. Anxiety sucks. Panic attacks are literally the worst. And he needed help, both from his parents and a professional. It’s just that up to that point (and after) did not feel worthy of the reaction it was suddenly receiving. The actual portrayal I had read did not feel as if it matched up with how severe I was being told it was.
I wish the reaction had been toned down. I think the level of anxiety Noah exhibited throughout the book was perfect. It was an amount that I think many people living with anxiety experience and think “I’m fine, I don’t need help. I can still function so it’s not that bad. I don’t need therapy/meds.” I think we need more representation of that level of anxiety, the severe but not completely debilitating, where the characters do seek help and get help and see improvement in their symptoms. It felt like the reaction he recieved cheapened that.
Daisy’s representation felt much more real and steady. What we saw of her experiences from her POV and what how those around her seemed to view them matched up (aside from the ableism people projected, but that’s different, since it was blatantly called out as ableism).
I think my favorite parts of her rep was the religious aspects, probably because I can directly relate to it. There is definitely ableism in the way that disability is viewed in the Church, and it is something that needs to be addressed and pointed out more often. Disabled people are just regular people, and many of them don’t want their disability cured. We are not your inspiration, and unless we specifically ask for your prayers, we don’t want them. Especially not publicly.
However, I also liked that it was portrayed as ableism within the people and congregation and not within the religion and God Himself. I loved the character of the disabled priest and I loved the interactions that he and Daisy had. I also loved that she left her church and got out of that toxic environment, and I appreciated that she didn’t leave the religion completely. If she had, that would have been more than fair, and good on her if that had been her decision. I’m just someone who also finds a lot of comfort in my religion, so it meant a lot to see a character not give up on it.
In the end, this book wasn’t perfect, nor was it my favorite, but I truly believe it is worth the read. Daisy and Noah are great, the plot is interesting, and the disability rep alone makes me feel like everyone should read it. The writing was not my favorite, but if you can tolerate not-the-best writing, I think you should pick this up.
December 15, 2023
Contains some language, suggestive content, side LGBT characters, cerebral palsy and anxiety rep
TL; DR: You, Me and Our Heartstrings is a book with an interesting premise and noble intentions; unfortunately, the execution fell short.
Oof. I feel bad for saying this, but this just did not work for me.
I was all excited about Melissa See's debut because I'm a huge fan of disability rep and explorations of mental health in fiction. I really wanted You, Me and Our Heartstrings to succeed, but this was a rough one for me. I just couldn't get into the story or bring myself to care about the characters at all. I basically had to force myself to finish the book.
I really think You, Me and Our Heartstrings could've benefited from another two to three rounds of good editing. The writing was painfully awkward at times and almost pedagogic at others. I probably wouldn't have minded the fact that Daisy got overly preachy about ableism and disability toward the end of the book if I'd enjoyed everything else, but it just didn't work for me. (and this is coming from a chronically ill reader who specifically picked up You, Me and Our Heartstrings because of the disability rep.)
The actual plot was paltry at best. The story moved at a snail's pace, and the synopsis is incredibly misleading since the viral video didn't actually come into play until about halfway through the book. To make matters worse, I couldn't really tell you what happened leading up to that. The pacing was completely off, and there wasn't any kind of character development. The romance was virtually non-existent. We were basically told that Daisy and Noah thought the other person was cute/beautiful, and then they got together and were supposedly in love.
There also wasn't really an overarching conflict in the story. Instead, we got a lot of little problems one after the other, but there weren't any that were developed enough to feel convincing. I think Melissa See may have been overly ambitious in attempting to tackle so many issues that we ended up with a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none type of plot. (I personally think we would've been better off if See had stuck to one POV and developed it more—especially because Daisy and Noah's voices sound exactly the same.) There were also a few things that didn't make sense to me. At one point Daisy’s friends went to San Francisco without any explanation. Though in all fairness, I was so disengaged at that point I may have missed the reason, and I was too busy trying to power through to the end to retrace my steps. I really just needed some point of emotional connection with the book, but sadly, none of my heartstrings were pulled by the story.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
TL; DR: You, Me and Our Heartstrings is a book with an interesting premise and noble intentions; unfortunately, the execution fell short.
Oof. I feel bad for saying this, but this just did not work for me.
I was all excited about Melissa See's debut because I'm a huge fan of disability rep and explorations of mental health in fiction. I really wanted You, Me and Our Heartstrings to succeed, but this was a rough one for me. I just couldn't get into the story or bring myself to care about the characters at all. I basically had to force myself to finish the book.
I really think You, Me and Our Heartstrings could've benefited from another two to three rounds of good editing. The writing was painfully awkward at times and almost pedagogic at others. I probably wouldn't have minded the fact that Daisy got overly preachy about ableism and disability toward the end of the book if I'd enjoyed everything else, but it just didn't work for me. (and this is coming from a chronically ill reader who specifically picked up You, Me and Our Heartstrings because of the disability rep.)
The actual plot was paltry at best. The story moved at a snail's pace, and the synopsis is incredibly misleading since the viral video didn't actually come into play until about halfway through the book. To make matters worse, I couldn't really tell you what happened leading up to that. The pacing was completely off, and there wasn't any kind of character development. The romance was virtually non-existent. We were basically told that Daisy and Noah thought the other person was cute/beautiful, and then they got together and were supposedly in love.
There also wasn't really an overarching conflict in the story. Instead, we got a lot of little problems one after the other, but there weren't any that were developed enough to feel convincing. I think Melissa See may have been overly ambitious in attempting to tackle so many issues that we ended up with a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none type of plot. (I personally think we would've been better off if See had stuck to one POV and developed it more—especially because Daisy and Noah's voices sound exactly the same.) There were also a few things that didn't make sense to me. At one point Daisy’s friends went to San Francisco without any explanation. Though in all fairness, I was so disengaged at that point I may have missed the reason, and I was too busy trying to power through to the end to retrace my steps. I really just needed some point of emotional connection with the book, but sadly, none of my heartstrings were pulled by the story.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Want to read
June 10, 2021"YA contemporary romance about disabled orchestral musicians falling in love both onstage and off" um yes please
May 15, 2022
I've been excited for this book ever since seeing Melissa pitch it, and I'm so happy it's now an actual book! We need so many more positive disability stories, and this was really such a cute YA romance. A perfect book to read in one sitting on a sunny Sunday afternoon! I absolutely adored the characters in this book - they're realistically flawed but so lovable.
CWs: (religious) ableism, R slur (both challenged)
CWs: (religious) ableism, R slur (both challenged)
March 25, 2025
✨Review✨
This is so underrated so reposting this review because where tf were y’all wdym 2 likes
This is so underrated so reposting this review because where tf were y’all wdym 2 likes
May 18, 2023
2.75 / 5 stars
Imagine you're me, entering your local library in you conservative area. POV you're Wheels, yeah? So as you're (I'm) going through there you (I) see a cover of a book you (I) recognize and it's literally the best thing ever because it's a disabled book! In your (my) library! Obviously we take it home and read it with high hopes as a disabled musician.
And at first we're enjoying it, right? This is everything we wanted it to be : sweet, funny, good rep, etc. Until....until I realize the harassment and ableism is only going to be addressed on the surface level not in a meaningful way. And now I'm annoyed because, c'mon man, I expected better. If this is a relatively successful disabled book, it might be the first for a nondisabled reader, and it's not even gonna explain why the r-word is bad? Yes, it should be a basic thing, but how are you literally going to have a character ask 'why don't you say it' and avoid the question.
I'm getting ahead of myself, so let me say the things I liked and my more minor criticisms. Such as the pacing! Because it was all over the place and didn't leave much room for character development–which in turn lead to the surface level relationships and analysis of ableism. I get having your characters having a pre-established crush to speed up the whole romance process, but that doesn't mean there aren't other steps. I'm left thinking they're cute together, but having no actual idea as to why they're in love other than circumstance.
Not to mention the way the mmc goes to a psychiatrist and, for lack of better words, says 'I have anxiety and panic attacks isn't that so silly of me' to which the psychiatrist, with only this information gives him medication. Hello??? Don't you want to run a blood test to see if it's even compatible with him? Or find out more about his anxiety before just choosing a random med for a stranger? No? Just me?
Speaking of, the loyalty of the 'best and most supportive friends ever' is incredible thin. My mans wholly betrayed his girlfriend, and her best friend is like 'idc he's my friend, too' even though he is obviously in the wrong and denied her existence and makes his ex (who the friend has known for years compared to her month long friend ship with the guy) extremely uncomfortable. That's just toxic. Honestly, so much of this is shitty and toxic when it's not meant to be.
And for my most minor criticism of all, there wasn't enough music! I mean, we know they're musicians, and the plot revolves around them performing to get into Julliard. But we don't know how music makes them feel, and as a musician, that's something I was really looking forward to. Music is so freeing, it's a place you can truly experience unadulterated wonder and pure creativity and expression–it feels like magic. And we didn't get any of that aspect of it! We only got to see the technical aspects through short and depersonalized versions of them pulling their bow across their strings or thinking 'huh, that note sounds like an A'. The author knew her stuff, and, as with the disability rep, I just wish she had taken it a little father, a little deeper.
It honestly reminded me how much I wished I could have pursued music in the way they got to, though, and that's a major pro.
It focuses a lot on the relationship between inspiration, disability, and talent in context of the characters' music, but it does it so superficially. It had a really great opportunity, but it fumbled, sadly.
And I haven't even touched on how it randomly decides one of the character's parents are abusive. And I won't because...um.
This part will contain spoilers, so skip the next paragraph if you want to but haven't read this.
The main character's a better person than me because if my partner said they didn't see me as disabled–said they looked past a fundamental part of me which is intricately intwined with my humanity and life–I wouldn't forgive him. It's an ableist take that goes farther than an offhand comment, it's his genuine belief. But it's brushed off as 'oh no, I was ableist' not 'the way I view my girlfriend is ableist and I need to work on that'. Like...yikes, man. This isn't a romance to me anymore /hj.
That's the end of the spoiler section
It hurts my feelings I didn't like this because I so desperately wanted to. And if not, I wanted to at least give it a better rating because it's so incredibly hard to be a disabled author and she seems so nice and has all the right ideas and seems like a great person I'd love to meet and be friends with, but in my heart of hearts, I just can't, and I'm sorry for that.
Imagine you're me, entering your local library in you conservative area. POV you're Wheels, yeah? So as you're (I'm) going through there you (I) see a cover of a book you (I) recognize and it's literally the best thing ever because it's a disabled book! In your (my) library! Obviously we take it home and read it with high hopes as a disabled musician.
And at first we're enjoying it, right? This is everything we wanted it to be : sweet, funny, good rep, etc. Until....until I realize the harassment and ableism is only going to be addressed on the surface level not in a meaningful way. And now I'm annoyed because, c'mon man, I expected better. If this is a relatively successful disabled book, it might be the first for a nondisabled reader, and it's not even gonna explain why the r-word is bad? Yes, it should be a basic thing, but how are you literally going to have a character ask 'why don't you say it' and avoid the question.
I'm getting ahead of myself, so let me say the things I liked and my more minor criticisms. Such as the pacing! Because it was all over the place and didn't leave much room for character development–which in turn lead to the surface level relationships and analysis of ableism. I get having your characters having a pre-established crush to speed up the whole romance process, but that doesn't mean there aren't other steps. I'm left thinking they're cute together, but having no actual idea as to why they're in love other than circumstance.
Not to mention the way the mmc goes to a psychiatrist and, for lack of better words, says 'I have anxiety and panic attacks isn't that so silly of me' to which the psychiatrist, with only this information gives him medication. Hello??? Don't you want to run a blood test to see if it's even compatible with him? Or find out more about his anxiety before just choosing a random med for a stranger? No? Just me?
Speaking of, the loyalty of the 'best and most supportive friends ever' is incredible thin. My mans wholly betrayed his girlfriend, and her best friend is like 'idc he's my friend, too' even though he is obviously in the wrong and denied her existence and makes his ex (who the friend has known for years compared to her month long friend ship with the guy) extremely uncomfortable. That's just toxic. Honestly, so much of this is shitty and toxic when it's not meant to be.
And for my most minor criticism of all, there wasn't enough music! I mean, we know they're musicians, and the plot revolves around them performing to get into Julliard. But we don't know how music makes them feel, and as a musician, that's something I was really looking forward to. Music is so freeing, it's a place you can truly experience unadulterated wonder and pure creativity and expression–it feels like magic. And we didn't get any of that aspect of it! We only got to see the technical aspects through short and depersonalized versions of them pulling their bow across their strings or thinking 'huh, that note sounds like an A'. The author knew her stuff, and, as with the disability rep, I just wish she had taken it a little father, a little deeper.
It honestly reminded me how much I wished I could have pursued music in the way they got to, though, and that's a major pro.
It focuses a lot on the relationship between inspiration, disability, and talent in context of the characters' music, but it does it so superficially. It had a really great opportunity, but it fumbled, sadly.
And I haven't even touched on how it randomly decides one of the character's parents are abusive. And I won't because...um.
This part will contain spoilers, so skip the next paragraph if you want to but haven't read this.
The main character's a better person than me because if my partner said they didn't see me as disabled–said they looked past a fundamental part of me which is intricately intwined with my humanity and life–I wouldn't forgive him. It's an ableist take that goes farther than an offhand comment, it's his genuine belief. But it's brushed off as 'oh no, I was ableist' not 'the way I view my girlfriend is ableist and I need to work on that'. Like...yikes, man. This isn't a romance to me anymore /hj.
That's the end of the spoiler section
It hurts my feelings I didn't like this because I so desperately wanted to. And if not, I wanted to at least give it a better rating because it's so incredibly hard to be a disabled author and she seems so nice and has all the right ideas and seems like a great person I'd love to meet and be friends with, but in my heart of hearts, I just can't, and I'm sorry for that.
Want to read
November 4, 2021I heard 'YA contemporary with disabled characters' and came running here! There truly isn't enough disabled representation in books.
October 18, 2024
This gave me Christmas vibes and reminded me of Dash And Lily, without the pretentiousness. I loved that Daisy and Noah were both musical prodigies but despite people's impressions of Daisy and her disability, it was really Noah that struggled with keeping up, comparing himself constantly to his older brothers.
The family dynamics here are so different. Noah's family is loving, supportive and as soon as they know Noah is struggling, find him the help he needs, makes sure he knows he's loved and does what's best for him. But in comparison, Daisy's family didn't seem to get or care for her love of music, never turning up for her concerts.
This was a really cute read that tackled more difficult topics of ableism and mental health, just sometimes I felt like the story was a bit too cute, which was jarring against a lot of the darker moments that happen in the story - that being said, I did love this overall and would re-read it.
The family dynamics here are so different. Noah's family is loving, supportive and as soon as they know Noah is struggling, find him the help he needs, makes sure he knows he's loved and does what's best for him. But in comparison, Daisy's family didn't seem to get or care for her love of music, never turning up for her concerts.
This was a really cute read that tackled more difficult topics of ableism and mental health, just sometimes I felt like the story was a bit too cute, which was jarring against a lot of the darker moments that happen in the story - that being said, I did love this overall and would re-read it.
June 8, 2022
*** Thank you to Scholastic, and the author, for this early, review copy.***
*** This review may be slightly biased, because I do know the author. However, all of these thoughts are truly my own, and I have not been influenced or compensated in any way for this review, outside of the review copy.***
CW: Bullying, Ablest language, Ablest slurs, Anxiety, Panic attacks.
I put those disclaimers at the front, because I am SERIOUSLY in love with this book. I have honestly never read a YA contemporary novel that moved me in so many ways emotionally, while having it all make cohesive sense, and feel like it is truly about teenagers.
Daisy's character is amazing. She is a spitfire, and is truly passionate about music. Because of her conservative upbringing, and the particular religious leaders she has had in her life, she has spent her life dealing with ablest language being thrown in her face almost daily. This makes her strong, yet truly terrified of being vulnerable to someone, and wondering if they will ever truly see all of her, not just one part or another.
Noah, my little anxious bean. Noah has had anxiety since he was 11, but hasn't told a soul. He is afraid of not being enough for his extremely musically talented family. He works so hard, every day to be the best, even at the detriment of his social.
Daisy has had eyes for Noah for a long time, so when he starts to open up because they have been paired together for an upcoming concert, sparks start to fly! I RAN OUT OF SWOON TABS!!! I had to go get more, and ALMOST RAN OUT AGAIN!!! The author comes at this with a heart full of love, and a lover of all things romance. Little things, like hand holding, and looks across a room took on a quality that was genuine, and swoon worthy. I could not help it! They both took their turns sweeping me off my feet throughout this.
With that said, the author chose to do a LOT of heavy lifting with this novel. It was all done brilliantly in my opinion. We have teens confronting their parents about their struggles. One set takes it like a champ, but you see their concerns as well. The other family had absolutely no idea that they were hurting their teen, and don't know how to handle things when confronted. I felt like this was a realistic look at the situation. Not all families are going to take it well. Some are going to be awkward, and not know what to do.
As I said before, I have never read a YA book like this one. The disability representation couldn't have been better, for both the cerebral palsy, as well as the anxiety. I am so happy to have read such a brilliant book. Please, put this one on your list. I have a whole video reaction vlog that will be up, so check that out. (It will be up soon, so I will edit this part when it's up.)
*** This review may be slightly biased, because I do know the author. However, all of these thoughts are truly my own, and I have not been influenced or compensated in any way for this review, outside of the review copy.***
CW: Bullying, Ablest language, Ablest slurs, Anxiety, Panic attacks.
I put those disclaimers at the front, because I am SERIOUSLY in love with this book. I have honestly never read a YA contemporary novel that moved me in so many ways emotionally, while having it all make cohesive sense, and feel like it is truly about teenagers.
Daisy's character is amazing. She is a spitfire, and is truly passionate about music. Because of her conservative upbringing, and the particular religious leaders she has had in her life, she has spent her life dealing with ablest language being thrown in her face almost daily. This makes her strong, yet truly terrified of being vulnerable to someone, and wondering if they will ever truly see all of her, not just one part or another.
Noah, my little anxious bean. Noah has had anxiety since he was 11, but hasn't told a soul. He is afraid of not being enough for his extremely musically talented family. He works so hard, every day to be the best, even at the detriment of his social.
Daisy has had eyes for Noah for a long time, so when he starts to open up because they have been paired together for an upcoming concert, sparks start to fly! I RAN OUT OF SWOON TABS!!! I had to go get more, and ALMOST RAN OUT AGAIN!!! The author comes at this with a heart full of love, and a lover of all things romance. Little things, like hand holding, and looks across a room took on a quality that was genuine, and swoon worthy. I could not help it! They both took their turns sweeping me off my feet throughout this.
With that said, the author chose to do a LOT of heavy lifting with this novel. It was all done brilliantly in my opinion. We have teens confronting their parents about their struggles. One set takes it like a champ, but you see their concerns as well. The other family had absolutely no idea that they were hurting their teen, and don't know how to handle things when confronted. I felt like this was a realistic look at the situation. Not all families are going to take it well. Some are going to be awkward, and not know what to do.
As I said before, I have never read a YA book like this one. The disability representation couldn't have been better, for both the cerebral palsy, as well as the anxiety. I am so happy to have read such a brilliant book. Please, put this one on your list. I have a whole video reaction vlog that will be up, so check that out. (It will be up soon, so I will edit this part when it's up.)
June 9, 2021
This book is an amazing ride full of so much heart and soul, and Daisy and Noah are characters you love to fall in love with. YOU, ME, AND OUR HEARSTRINGS belongs on your TBR ❤️🎻. #TeamGavin
March 20, 2022
I was lucky enough to get an early copy of YOU, ME, AND OUR HEARTSTRINGS, and I am SO EXCITED to start reading it! I already know I'm going to love it.
nope
August 3, 2022DNF @ 20%
I’ve been wanting to read this book since December. It was one of my most anticipated debuts of 2022. And after reading 20% of it I’ve had nothing but negative notes 😬. I never DNF books, but I’ve been reading so many crappy ones lately that I’m too tired to push through a book that started annoying me literally on page 1 😶. I really wanted to read this book (again, I’ve been highly anticipating it since last year, and it’s now AUGUST!), and I thought I’d love it (wholesome romance, the LI supposedly wasn’t a dickhead, disability rep!!!), but it just wasn’t working, and at this point I refuse to waste more time and energy on yet another disappointing book.
Here are some of my complaints based on what I read:
1) Right off the bat the writing wasn’t great… The dialogue was unnatural, and at times cringy too (I give examples in my reading progress below 👇). There were also *multiple* typos/formatting mistakes… 😐😐😐 Also, this book has something that has become a pet peeve of mine (because I’ve been seeing it in so. many. books!), and it is: when pretty much nothing is described and then a random person shows up and gets a 4 paragraph long, in-depth physical description, so you immediately know they’re gonna be the LI… @ authors: ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!
2) The pacing is off. Right on page 1 Daisy and Noah are chosen to perform a super prestigious duet (we didn’t even have time to meet the characters yet, let alone to build up the importance of this opportunity). Then the 1st conflict (they can’t agree on a song to play for said duet) is solved in like 10 pages…… Less than 15% through and really important things happened, conflicts arose and were instantly solved…. The book just doesn’t give time develop these things, so it’s hard to feel anything about any of what’s happening. Oh, and the romance also had zero build up…… 👇
3) This book has the one thing I hate the most in romance: insta love ……… 😒 Daisy apparently already liked Noah for years. This can work in a romance, but you need to give me, the reader, reasons to understand why she’s liked him for so long, and I don’t think this book succeeded on that front. Plus, I just personally prefer to see the love grow and develop, so I don’t enjoy reading about pre-existing crushes as much. Additionally, Noah really quickly shows interest in Daisy, too. Also, I checked and their 1st kiss is at 30%, so… yeah. Insta love indeed. 😑 (And omg their 1st kiss is in front of a giant audience after they finish their duet and everyone is cheering…. bye 💀).
4) Noah was super condescending right off the bat; and sure, it’ll probably be explained and he’ll have an excuse for acting that way, but still – it pissed me off. Also, he immediately realizes he’s an ass and decides to apologize (another example of the rough pacing – he grew as a person in 20 pages), so he goes to Daisy’s family’s flower shop, asks her mum for a bouquet to give Daisy, pays for it and immediately hands it back to Daisy…….. Bro that scene was so awkward 💀💀💀. I can’t deal with any more cringe at this point. Good riddance. 🫡
The fact that I had like 30 negative notes and only 1 positive one by the 20% mark is probably a good indication that this book won’t be great for me lol. Plus, I just got an ARC of my most anticipated debut of 2022, The Whispering Dark , so catch me reading that real soon. 😗✌️
(review written on 03/08/2022)
-----
21/07/2022
bro this book was supposed to come out may 5th. then it changed to july 19th. then july 26th. now it's august 2nd.
at this point i wonder if it's never coming out at all, fucking hell 😭😭😭
-----
07/02/2022
disabled characters in romance books yes please! <3
I’ve been wanting to read this book since December. It was one of my most anticipated debuts of 2022. And after reading 20% of it I’ve had nothing but negative notes 😬. I never DNF books, but I’ve been reading so many crappy ones lately that I’m too tired to push through a book that started annoying me literally on page 1 😶. I really wanted to read this book (again, I’ve been highly anticipating it since last year, and it’s now AUGUST!), and I thought I’d love it (wholesome romance, the LI supposedly wasn’t a dickhead, disability rep!!!), but it just wasn’t working, and at this point I refuse to waste more time and energy on yet another disappointing book.
Here are some of my complaints based on what I read:
1) Right off the bat the writing wasn’t great… The dialogue was unnatural, and at times cringy too (I give examples in my reading progress below 👇). There were also *multiple* typos/formatting mistakes… 😐😐😐 Also, this book has something that has become a pet peeve of mine (because I’ve been seeing it in so. many. books!), and it is: when pretty much nothing is described and then a random person shows up and gets a 4 paragraph long, in-depth physical description, so you immediately know they’re gonna be the LI… @ authors: ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!
2) The pacing is off. Right on page 1 Daisy and Noah are chosen to perform a super prestigious duet (we didn’t even have time to meet the characters yet, let alone to build up the importance of this opportunity). Then the 1st conflict (they can’t agree on a song to play for said duet) is solved in like 10 pages…… Less than 15% through and really important things happened, conflicts arose and were instantly solved…. The book just doesn’t give time develop these things, so it’s hard to feel anything about any of what’s happening. Oh, and the romance also had zero build up…… 👇
3) This book has the one thing I hate the most in romance: insta love ……… 😒 Daisy apparently already liked Noah for years. This can work in a romance, but you need to give me, the reader, reasons to understand why she’s liked him for so long, and I don’t think this book succeeded on that front. Plus, I just personally prefer to see the love grow and develop, so I don’t enjoy reading about pre-existing crushes as much. Additionally, Noah really quickly shows interest in Daisy, too. Also, I checked and their 1st kiss is at 30%, so… yeah. Insta love indeed. 😑 (And omg their 1st kiss is in front of a giant audience after they finish their duet and everyone is cheering…. bye 💀).
4) Noah was super condescending right off the bat; and sure, it’ll probably be explained and he’ll have an excuse for acting that way, but still – it pissed me off. Also, he immediately realizes he’s an ass and decides to apologize (another example of the rough pacing – he grew as a person in 20 pages), so he goes to Daisy’s family’s flower shop, asks her mum for a bouquet to give Daisy, pays for it and immediately hands it back to Daisy…….. Bro that scene was so awkward 💀💀💀. I can’t deal with any more cringe at this point. Good riddance. 🫡
The fact that I had like 30 negative notes and only 1 positive one by the 20% mark is probably a good indication that this book won’t be great for me lol. Plus, I just got an ARC of my most anticipated debut of 2022, The Whispering Dark , so catch me reading that real soon. 😗✌️
(review written on 03/08/2022)
-----
21/07/2022
bro this book was supposed to come out may 5th. then it changed to july 19th. then july 26th. now it's august 2nd.
at this point i wonder if it's never coming out at all, fucking hell 😭😭😭
-----
07/02/2022
disabled characters in romance books yes please! <3
April 6, 2023
Headlines:
Cute with substance
Disability is all they see
Firsts
I've been meaning to read this book for an age because of the cerebral palsy representation. What I found was authentic representation of mild CP and a true picture of the prejudice and microagressions people with disabilities face. But honestly while this factor was a pivot for the story, the plot was so much more than that.
These main characters were just a rush to read about. They were cute but belieavable, talented and from different sides of the tracks. Their differences were a problem in some ways but not in others. The music focus made for great reading and plot.
I liked the contrast of supportive and less supportive parents. I understood Daisy's hurt but I also recognised the challenges her parents had too. Noah's family was a huddle of love and I enjoyed seeing how they handled his issues, especially how the brothers rallied round.
The plot had some predictability, in that a contemporary YA romance is going to go a certain way, but that didn't decrease the enjoyment I had in reading. I looked forward to picking it back up and read it in 24 hours.
I definitely look forward to more from this author.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
Cute with substance
Disability is all they see
Firsts
I've been meaning to read this book for an age because of the cerebral palsy representation. What I found was authentic representation of mild CP and a true picture of the prejudice and microagressions people with disabilities face. But honestly while this factor was a pivot for the story, the plot was so much more than that.
These main characters were just a rush to read about. They were cute but belieavable, talented and from different sides of the tracks. Their differences were a problem in some ways but not in others. The music focus made for great reading and plot.
I liked the contrast of supportive and less supportive parents. I understood Daisy's hurt but I also recognised the challenges her parents had too. Noah's family was a huddle of love and I enjoyed seeing how they handled his issues, especially how the brothers rallied round.
The plot had some predictability, in that a contemporary YA romance is going to go a certain way, but that didn't decrease the enjoyment I had in reading. I looked forward to picking it back up and read it in 24 hours.
I definitely look forward to more from this author.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
June 3, 2023
Well, I finally finished with this one and it was a hot mess.
First up, Juilliard level students don’t just drop their instruments on the floor. Instruments are not cheap and I can guarantee that they would take better care of them (saying this as a violinist myself). Dropping my instrument would be horrifying.
Next up, why in the world are adults giving teens condemns because (and I quote) “you never know when you’ll need them”?
Here is the part that I really don’t understand. Daisy believes that noticing her disability is ableist and so is not noticing her disability. Everything else is a microaggression but she won’t say anything because everyone should know and she shouldn’t have to explain why she didn’t appreciate ‘x’ comment. But here is the thing, in any relationship, people will offend and say things they don’t mean. You MUST communicate and explain to them what you didn’t like. You can’t just drop everyone who ever says something hurtful. This is real-life, not a fantasy dreamland.
Genre: ya contemporary
Age: young adult
Series/Standalone: standalone
Content:
Rating: 1/5 Stars
First up, Juilliard level students don’t just drop their instruments on the floor. Instruments are not cheap and I can guarantee that they would take better care of them (saying this as a violinist myself). Dropping my instrument would be horrifying.
Next up, why in the world are adults giving teens condemns because (and I quote) “you never know when you’ll need them”?
Here is the part that I really don’t understand. Daisy believes that noticing her disability is ableist and so is not noticing her disability. Everything else is a microaggression but she won’t say anything because everyone should know and she shouldn’t have to explain why she didn’t appreciate ‘x’ comment. But here is the thing, in any relationship, people will offend and say things they don’t mean. You MUST communicate and explain to them what you didn’t like. You can’t just drop everyone who ever says something hurtful. This is real-life, not a fantasy dreamland.
Genre: ya contemporary
Age: young adult
Series/Standalone: standalone
Content:
Rating: 1/5 Stars
July 19, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: ableism, anxiety attacks, mental health, anxiety
At the heart of You, Me, and Our Heart Strings is a story about friendship and vulnerability. About using our voice to tell our story and not letting someone else control our narrative. Within the story are some truly endearing and complex characters. We have Noah who is so terrified of going against what his family has done. Who feels the pressure of being a legacy on his shoulders. While Daisy just wants to be seen for her talents and her dreams of Julliard might be slipping out of her reach.
We can think we know who we have to be. But often life, and someone who can inspire us, can show us that we have more to learn. That who we think we should be is just one piece of the puzzle of who we actually are. A theme that I loved the most is that You, Me, and Our Heart Strings explores asking for help and vulnerability. It's hard to admit we need help. And to know how to open ourselves to receive it.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/blog...
TW: ableism, anxiety attacks, mental health, anxiety
At the heart of You, Me, and Our Heart Strings is a story about friendship and vulnerability. About using our voice to tell our story and not letting someone else control our narrative. Within the story are some truly endearing and complex characters. We have Noah who is so terrified of going against what his family has done. Who feels the pressure of being a legacy on his shoulders. While Daisy just wants to be seen for her talents and her dreams of Julliard might be slipping out of her reach.
We can think we know who we have to be. But often life, and someone who can inspire us, can show us that we have more to learn. That who we think we should be is just one piece of the puzzle of who we actually are. A theme that I loved the most is that You, Me, and Our Heart Strings explores asking for help and vulnerability. It's hard to admit we need help. And to know how to open ourselves to receive it.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/blog...
October 3, 2022
This was a cute little YA romance. There’s some great friendships, and it really is a sweet sort of first love between Daisy and Noah. They were pretty adorable.
This is one of those books where the blurb doesn’t quite match though. It never read as these two having perfect chemistry and harmonising when they play. Even when they did the performance (after like one rehearsal) that goes ‘viral’.
It’s just sooo brief at times. I appreciate conciseness, but the pacing is set to full speed, so it feels like the MCs only talk once before they’re in love with each other, and the passage of time is blinked past in some sections. A little more build up or evidence of their connection or tension would have been nice, but I liked that the story didn’t get bogged down. There’s lots of drama (mostly from Daisy), and a terrible lack of communication going on and a few other bits and pieces going on. The setting never really stands out either. There are some name dropped buildings, and they take the subway a lot, but it just didn’t scream New York.
But all in all it was a sweet YA romance with some diverse characters, and I enjoyed it while I was reading it.
This is one of those books where the blurb doesn’t quite match though. It never read as these two having perfect chemistry and harmonising when they play. Even when they did the performance (after like one rehearsal) that goes ‘viral’.
It’s just sooo brief at times. I appreciate conciseness, but the pacing is set to full speed, so it feels like the MCs only talk once before they’re in love with each other, and the passage of time is blinked past in some sections. A little more build up or evidence of their connection or tension would have been nice, but I liked that the story didn’t get bogged down. There’s lots of drama (mostly from Daisy), and a terrible lack of communication going on and a few other bits and pieces going on. The setting never really stands out either. There are some name dropped buildings, and they take the subway a lot, but it just didn’t scream New York.
But all in all it was a sweet YA romance with some diverse characters, and I enjoyed it while I was reading it.
August 25, 2022
This book is hard to rate because while the representation is fantastic and the writing is beautiful, my enjoyment level was just not there.
I love the disability rep, which not only gives insight into cerebral palsy but also covers mental illness like anxiety and panic attacks. It's very comprehensive in how it highlights ableism, stigma, bullying, therapy, emotional neglect and more. There's diverse representation of culture and sexuality too. These are the book's biggest merits for me.
However, the writing was hard to get into and I often found myself blanking despite the lyrical prose and musical similes. I was also never fully onboard with the romance nor did I ever warm up to the two main leads completely.
There were many things I didn't get. Like, what was the point of the final scene when it's just a repeat of something that has already happened? How does doing the same thing in a different venue help? Also, Daisy constantly gets upset when people want to give her money, but call it a "favour" instead of "charity" and suddenly she's ok with it? She's a very hard character to like.
Nevertheless, this was a sweet debut.
I love the disability rep, which not only gives insight into cerebral palsy but also covers mental illness like anxiety and panic attacks. It's very comprehensive in how it highlights ableism, stigma, bullying, therapy, emotional neglect and more. There's diverse representation of culture and sexuality too. These are the book's biggest merits for me.
However, the writing was hard to get into and I often found myself blanking despite the lyrical prose and musical similes. I was also never fully onboard with the romance nor did I ever warm up to the two main leads completely.
There were many things I didn't get. Like, what was the point of the final scene when it's just a repeat of something that has already happened? How does doing the same thing in a different venue help? Also, Daisy constantly gets upset when people want to give her money, but call it a "favour" instead of "charity" and suddenly she's ok with it? She's a very hard character to like.
Nevertheless, this was a sweet debut.
December 27, 2023
This was a wonderful opposites attract, dual POV, YA romance debut that sees Daisy and Noah, two talented NYC teen musicians with dreams of attending Juilliard getting paired up for a prestigious duet only to find themselves falling for one another and facing incredible pressure when a video of their performance goes viral.
The #ownvoices disability rep in this book cerebral palsy (her) and generalized anxiety disorder (him), was excellent! As was the normalized therapy rep and the way the author handles ableism (both from the online community, from Daisy's own parents and even at certain times, unintentionally Noah himself).
Perfect for fans of authors like Bethany Mangle, Claire Forrest or Keah Brown. I've had this on my #tbr for a while and the only negative thing I had to say was that I wish it would finally get released as an audiobook to be more accessible to a wider group of readers!
The #ownvoices disability rep in this book cerebral palsy (her) and generalized anxiety disorder (him), was excellent! As was the normalized therapy rep and the way the author handles ableism (both from the online community, from Daisy's own parents and even at certain times, unintentionally Noah himself).
Perfect for fans of authors like Bethany Mangle, Claire Forrest or Keah Brown. I've had this on my #tbr for a while and the only negative thing I had to say was that I wish it would finally get released as an audiobook to be more accessible to a wider group of readers!
December 4, 2022
Really liked it! The disability rep was amazing and I wish so badly that there were more books with good disability representation like this one!
It read really fast as well, which as a dyslexic person I really appreciated that!
Don't have the energy to write along review sadly enough because my pain is making it too hard to think, but I highly recommend this one if you want to read a romance book with good disability rep written by a disabled author!
(read for the Disability Day Readathon, created by me)
It read really fast as well, which as a dyslexic person I really appreciated that!
Don't have the energy to write along review sadly enough because my pain is making it too hard to think, but I highly recommend this one if you want to read a romance book with good disability rep written by a disabled author!
(read for the Disability Day Readathon, created by me)
January 15, 2025
Muy bonito. Me encantó. Tiene un montón de representación en todos los sentidos y súper bien hecha, además de personajes súper carismáticos.
Aún así, tiene un par de puntos débiles, como el romance entre los dos protagonistas, Noah y Daisy. Creo que le faltó desarrollar eso, ya que fue muy rápido. Fue como: "uy, que lindo es" "uy ahora salimos" "lo amo con todo mi corazón".
De todos modos, lo recomendaría para cualquier público. El único problema es que está en inglés, pero es un nivel sencillo para quien domina un poco el idioma.
7/10
Aún así, tiene un par de puntos débiles, como el romance entre los dos protagonistas, Noah y Daisy. Creo que le faltó desarrollar eso, ya que fue muy rápido. Fue como: "uy, que lindo es" "uy ahora salimos" "lo amo con todo mi corazón".
De todos modos, lo recomendaría para cualquier público. El único problema es que está en inglés, pero es un nivel sencillo para quien domina un poco el idioma.
7/10
July 9, 2022
Got an arc from the publishers at ALA!
This was very cute! Disability rep is super necessary and too often gets glossed over when people are talking about diversity in books, so I cannot wait to watch this one succeed as it DESERVES!
This was very cute! Disability rep is super necessary and too often gets glossed over when people are talking about diversity in books, so I cannot wait to watch this one succeed as it DESERVES!
July 20, 2022
Thank you to Scholastic Canada for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
4.5 stars
You, Me, and Our Heartstrings hits the perfect chord, striking a balance between the heavy emotional labour that comes from tackling and dismantling ableism, and the light-hearted joy that I’m always yearning for when picking up a romance. It brought rage bubbling to the surface, but also set butterflies fluttering through my chest.
As someone who is chronically ill, I’ve often found myself balancing upon a fine line. That disability is a (large) part of me—it was shaping who I am and how I move through the world for the majority of my life, especially during my teen years. Yet, it is by no means all of me. It took (and is still taking) time to unlearn my own internalized ableism, and reframe the relationship I have with both my disabled body and my chronic illness. It’s no longer something I want to overcome, but something I want to work better with. I don’t want to inspiring or praised for what I am capable of accomplishing “in spite of” being disabled. At the same time? I do not want my disability erased. I am disabled, I am chronically ill, I am sick—and everything else that makes me, me.
It can be a fraught relationship, and rough water to wade through. It’s something extremely personal to reconcile, but also universal and relatable. It was a struggle I viscerally felt while reading You, Me, and Our Heartstrings—especially for protagonist Daisy. I adored her character from start to finish! She’s determined and passionate and carries so much love and strength. She knows how talented she is; she knows what she deserves. Seeing her grow to a place where she has the confidence to confront the people and circumstances not providing her with the love and respect she deserves? Truly unparalleled. And then, alongside her, is Noah—all too relatable in other ways (thanks, anxiety). He’s sweet and caring and seeing him grow to a place where he is able to acknowledge and understand his anxiety, and seek help with it? My heart burst. I was so incredibly appreciative of this aspect of the narrative.
Together, their dynamics and blossoming relationship is exactly what my soul needed when I picked You, Me, and Our Heartstrings up. There were adorable moments that left a silly grin plastered across my face, but also realistic struggles and hurdles. Seeing them grow individually and together was beautiful.
While some elements of the pacing for their romance were a tad instantaneous for my tastes, I know how much of a whirlwind my emotions were when I was young. That zero to one hundred acceleration? That all or nothing-ness? I could see why it makes sense, even though I would have still liked to see things progress on page with more gradualness—but this might also just come down to me wanting more of their story in general.
With a cast of endearing supporting characters endearing across the board, and adeptly handled explorations into disability advocacy and dismantling ableism, You, Me, and Our Heartstrings was a relatable and beautifully orchestrated disabled romance. I cannot wait to read future work from this author!
Before I can freak out about the fact that we’re actually touching—or how warm his skin feels against mine—a callus from his cello presses my skin. I have calluses from my violin. Our scars are mirrors, which reminds me that I’m a talented musician, just like him.
4.5 stars
You, Me, and Our Heartstrings hits the perfect chord, striking a balance between the heavy emotional labour that comes from tackling and dismantling ableism, and the light-hearted joy that I’m always yearning for when picking up a romance. It brought rage bubbling to the surface, but also set butterflies fluttering through my chest.
As someone who is chronically ill, I’ve often found myself balancing upon a fine line. That disability is a (large) part of me—it was shaping who I am and how I move through the world for the majority of my life, especially during my teen years. Yet, it is by no means all of me. It took (and is still taking) time to unlearn my own internalized ableism, and reframe the relationship I have with both my disabled body and my chronic illness. It’s no longer something I want to overcome, but something I want to work better with. I don’t want to inspiring or praised for what I am capable of accomplishing “in spite of” being disabled. At the same time? I do not want my disability erased. I am disabled, I am chronically ill, I am sick—and everything else that makes me, me.
It can be a fraught relationship, and rough water to wade through. It’s something extremely personal to reconcile, but also universal and relatable. It was a struggle I viscerally felt while reading You, Me, and Our Heartstrings—especially for protagonist Daisy. I adored her character from start to finish! She’s determined and passionate and carries so much love and strength. She knows how talented she is; she knows what she deserves. Seeing her grow to a place where she has the confidence to confront the people and circumstances not providing her with the love and respect she deserves? Truly unparalleled. And then, alongside her, is Noah—all too relatable in other ways (thanks, anxiety). He’s sweet and caring and seeing him grow to a place where he is able to acknowledge and understand his anxiety, and seek help with it? My heart burst. I was so incredibly appreciative of this aspect of the narrative.
Together, their dynamics and blossoming relationship is exactly what my soul needed when I picked You, Me, and Our Heartstrings up. There were adorable moments that left a silly grin plastered across my face, but also realistic struggles and hurdles. Seeing them grow individually and together was beautiful.
While some elements of the pacing for their romance were a tad instantaneous for my tastes, I know how much of a whirlwind my emotions were when I was young. That zero to one hundred acceleration? That all or nothing-ness? I could see why it makes sense, even though I would have still liked to see things progress on page with more gradualness—but this might also just come down to me wanting more of their story in general.
With a cast of endearing supporting characters endearing across the board, and adeptly handled explorations into disability advocacy and dismantling ableism, You, Me, and Our Heartstrings was a relatable and beautifully orchestrated disabled romance. I cannot wait to read future work from this author!
August 3, 2022
CWs:
multiple instances of experienced ableism as well as ableist violence and slurs, and some descriptions of anxiety attacks
December 7, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
Cute but there were some communication issues that drove me a lil nuts lol
Cute but there were some communication issues that drove me a lil nuts lol
November 23, 2022
3.75⭐️
This book was super cute! It made me think about stuff I’d never thought about before! The ending and beginning was a bit rushed and hard to follow but overall this book was cute and I definitely recommend!
This book was super cute! It made me think about stuff I’d never thought about before! The ending and beginning was a bit rushed and hard to follow but overall this book was cute and I definitely recommend!
June 15, 2024
Whenever I discover a new book featuring a protagonist with cerebral palsy, I immediately want to read it, and try not to have unreasonable expectations. This is a debut novel by a disabled author. The author doesn’t disclose her disability anywhere that I could see, and I can only hope that she’s using her own experiences. I had to remind myself time and time again that cerebral palsy affects everyone differently. What’s more, I really cannot bring to my mind what my body felt like at 17. Though I know I wasn’t in pain and I had much more energy and ability than I do now, I really can’t remember it. (I’m 43.) I have spastic diplegia, so my legs are affected, but I have full use of my hands, so my experience is much different than Daisy’s.
From what I could tell--it’s never explained clearly--Daisy has left-side hemiplegia. Though in chapter six it says, “muscle spasms crash through my arms and legs,” and I thought, Oh! Are all her limbs affected? I had a hard time getting a clear picture, and if *I* had a tough time, then all the non-CPers out there probably did, too.
So my big question is this, legitimately, from a fellow disabled person: How in the heck does someone with a CP-affected hand play the violin well enough to have a chance at Julliard? She bows with her left hand and her violin is adapted for her, but still. I’m flummoxed. Nerves, excitement, performing, all would make the muscles spasm more, and I’m supposed to picture her performing a duet without mistakes? And going from SITTING TO STANDING WHILE PLAYING and not missing a note?! What the heck.
The only way I’ll be completely satisfied by a portrayal of CP is if I write one myself. I get that. And if I did, others with CP would read it and find fault with it, until they remember that everyone’s experience is different. Still.
I understand that the message is “my disability is a big part of who I am, but I am also more than my disability.” That’s a near-universal sentiment for people with disabilities. I understand that the author’s goal is not to “raise awareness” or have the whole book be a “teachable moment.” But you’ve still got to help readers understand the character. Beyond muscle spasms, some tiredness, and tripping a few times, we don’t really get a picture of what living with CP is like for Daisy. Maybe that is meant to be the full picture for her. But CP is part of what makes her who she is--in what way? But what is a muscle spasm like? I have spastic CP, and I have don’t really muscle spasms throughout the day like Daisy. It’s a constant muscle tension; always there. Sometimes there are spasms--the whole leg moves without my consent. It can stop you in your tracks, throw you off balance. Again, how is she a violinist with muscle spasms? They are uncontrollable. She does have a spasm and stops playing when she’s practicing with Noah, and he “jokes” about it happening during a performance. She gets upset and defensive, but I don’t understand why because it’s a very real possibility and something she’d be living with every time she plays.
On page 2, Daisy “turns on her heel.” I was surprised to see this phrase for Daisy because it’s hard to stop forward motion and turn quickly. At least, it is for me. Maybe it’s not for Daisy. And I know that she’s not literally turning on her heel; it’s a figure of speech, but it does convey an abrupt change of direction. So that phrase was already sticking out in my mind. And then it kept popping up. All the characters spin, turn, and pivot on their heels. Daisy and Noah even do it simultaneously on the last page. The action appears 14 times in the book. This is something I would definitely flag as an editor. They can turn and spin and pivot without it being on the heel. It’s wordy and unnecessary and sticks out in a book with a physically disabled character. Drove me up the wall.
Other moments that were really head-scratchers for me in light of her CP:
In chapter 12 they dance, and Noah spins Daisy out and such. Does her CP not affect her dancing at all? I would have been really unsure of dancing, especially in front of other people. (Balance, control, strength are all really affected. I guess having one good side really makes a difference!)
On page 152: “We run toward each other. Noah easily scoops me up into his arms and spins us around.” I just can’t picture this. Does he have his arms around her waist, or did he actually scoop her up (arms under knees)?
The story is more about what everyone thinks of her instead of about Daisy herself. Why is she so worried about “how people view me because of my disability”? (140). They don’t know her--of course they’re going to get things wrong. Especially if she doesn’t correct them. Is obsessing over how others see you what being a teen in the 21st century is? When I was 17 in the 90s, I don’t think people assumed I had intellectual disabilities. I never heard the r-word directed at me. Yes, people asked if they could pray for me. I was even raised Catholic, but while people might have prayed for me, no one said things like “God will heal your condition.” I’m sure if social media existed then, I would have cared, and I would have been upset by comments, too, but I just wanted more to the story than that. I wanted more of Daisy herself, not just a slew of microaggressions.
Small, non-disability things that stuck out that the editor should have caught:
You’re telling me that a rich family of five doesn’t have a guest bedroom, even though two of three sons have moved out? (Daisy sleeps in Noah’s bed and he takes the couch.)
“Lurid pinks and yellows” to describe flowers sounded weird (35). And I love purple, so when purple flowers are described as lurid less than 20 pages later (53) I thought, there’s that word again. Lurid’s first definition is gruesome, then melodramatic, sensational, shocking. Definition 2b is “of any of several light or medium grayish colors ranging in hue from yellow to orange,” so maybe it could work…? When you’re going to use an unusual word, take care with it. Editor, where were you?
Chills, or some variation of that, run down Daisy's spine six times. That’s just too many. There’s a lot of ‘physical sensation to convey emotion’ in this book. And I absolutely understand that the author is trying to show, not tell, when she does this. But food doesn’t really sour in your stomach when a topic comes up that you don’t like, and this kind of immediate, extreme physical reaction happens a lot. Maybe just mix it up a little?
I know I’ve been hard on this book, this author, the editor. I just really want it to be more! It’s a solid start with so much potential. Another draft or two, more feedback from readers would have really helped. And I’m not the only one who thinks that. Many of these reviews have the same feedback. It makes me sad that Scholastic decided that this is the version they were going to publish, when it could be so much better.
From what I could tell--it’s never explained clearly--Daisy has left-side hemiplegia. Though in chapter six it says, “muscle spasms crash through my arms and legs,” and I thought, Oh! Are all her limbs affected? I had a hard time getting a clear picture, and if *I* had a tough time, then all the non-CPers out there probably did, too.
So my big question is this, legitimately, from a fellow disabled person: How in the heck does someone with a CP-affected hand play the violin well enough to have a chance at Julliard? She bows with her left hand and her violin is adapted for her, but still. I’m flummoxed. Nerves, excitement, performing, all would make the muscles spasm more, and I’m supposed to picture her performing a duet without mistakes? And going from SITTING TO STANDING WHILE PLAYING and not missing a note?! What the heck.
The only way I’ll be completely satisfied by a portrayal of CP is if I write one myself. I get that. And if I did, others with CP would read it and find fault with it, until they remember that everyone’s experience is different. Still.
I understand that the message is “my disability is a big part of who I am, but I am also more than my disability.” That’s a near-universal sentiment for people with disabilities. I understand that the author’s goal is not to “raise awareness” or have the whole book be a “teachable moment.” But you’ve still got to help readers understand the character. Beyond muscle spasms, some tiredness, and tripping a few times, we don’t really get a picture of what living with CP is like for Daisy. Maybe that is meant to be the full picture for her. But CP is part of what makes her who she is--in what way? But what is a muscle spasm like? I have spastic CP, and I have don’t really muscle spasms throughout the day like Daisy. It’s a constant muscle tension; always there. Sometimes there are spasms--the whole leg moves without my consent. It can stop you in your tracks, throw you off balance. Again, how is she a violinist with muscle spasms? They are uncontrollable. She does have a spasm and stops playing when she’s practicing with Noah, and he “jokes” about it happening during a performance. She gets upset and defensive, but I don’t understand why because it’s a very real possibility and something she’d be living with every time she plays.
On page 2, Daisy “turns on her heel.” I was surprised to see this phrase for Daisy because it’s hard to stop forward motion and turn quickly. At least, it is for me. Maybe it’s not for Daisy. And I know that she’s not literally turning on her heel; it’s a figure of speech, but it does convey an abrupt change of direction. So that phrase was already sticking out in my mind. And then it kept popping up. All the characters spin, turn, and pivot on their heels. Daisy and Noah even do it simultaneously on the last page. The action appears 14 times in the book. This is something I would definitely flag as an editor. They can turn and spin and pivot without it being on the heel. It’s wordy and unnecessary and sticks out in a book with a physically disabled character. Drove me up the wall.
Other moments that were really head-scratchers for me in light of her CP:
In chapter 12 they dance, and Noah spins Daisy out and such. Does her CP not affect her dancing at all? I would have been really unsure of dancing, especially in front of other people. (Balance, control, strength are all really affected. I guess having one good side really makes a difference!)
On page 152: “We run toward each other. Noah easily scoops me up into his arms and spins us around.” I just can’t picture this. Does he have his arms around her waist, or did he actually scoop her up (arms under knees)?
The story is more about what everyone thinks of her instead of about Daisy herself. Why is she so worried about “how people view me because of my disability”? (140). They don’t know her--of course they’re going to get things wrong. Especially if she doesn’t correct them. Is obsessing over how others see you what being a teen in the 21st century is? When I was 17 in the 90s, I don’t think people assumed I had intellectual disabilities. I never heard the r-word directed at me. Yes, people asked if they could pray for me. I was even raised Catholic, but while people might have prayed for me, no one said things like “God will heal your condition.” I’m sure if social media existed then, I would have cared, and I would have been upset by comments, too, but I just wanted more to the story than that. I wanted more of Daisy herself, not just a slew of microaggressions.
Small, non-disability things that stuck out that the editor should have caught:
You’re telling me that a rich family of five doesn’t have a guest bedroom, even though two of three sons have moved out? (Daisy sleeps in Noah’s bed and he takes the couch.)
“Lurid pinks and yellows” to describe flowers sounded weird (35). And I love purple, so when purple flowers are described as lurid less than 20 pages later (53) I thought, there’s that word again. Lurid’s first definition is gruesome, then melodramatic, sensational, shocking. Definition 2b is “of any of several light or medium grayish colors ranging in hue from yellow to orange,” so maybe it could work…? When you’re going to use an unusual word, take care with it. Editor, where were you?
Chills, or some variation of that, run down Daisy's spine six times. That’s just too many. There’s a lot of ‘physical sensation to convey emotion’ in this book. And I absolutely understand that the author is trying to show, not tell, when she does this. But food doesn’t really sour in your stomach when a topic comes up that you don’t like, and this kind of immediate, extreme physical reaction happens a lot. Maybe just mix it up a little?
I know I’ve been hard on this book, this author, the editor. I just really want it to be more! It’s a solid start with so much potential. Another draft or two, more feedback from readers would have really helped. And I’m not the only one who thinks that. Many of these reviews have the same feedback. It makes me sad that Scholastic decided that this is the version they were going to publish, when it could be so much better.
September 17, 2022
This was sooo cute 😍😍😍
thank you so much to colored pages blog tours and the publisher for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!!
it was kinda hard at first to get into the narration style because it reminded me sooo much of My Mechanical Romance but the story was sooo original and so cute it motivated me to keep going. I loved the aspect about the disability and how it's not something inspirational or a charity thing, it helped me to see it differently and i hope this helps me to not be ableist at any point in my life. the music aspect was beautiful, i missed when characters talked about something related to it and it connected with my lost dream of being able to play the violin. each of them grew up so much during the book, they were literally so cute and wanted more from them. which is why I feel that the synopsis gives away too much of the story and it actually goes away too fast that i was left hanging in some parts. but anyway, i really love the story and i hope more people can read it 💜
thank you so much to colored pages blog tours and the publisher for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!!
it was kinda hard at first to get into the narration style because it reminded me sooo much of My Mechanical Romance but the story was sooo original and so cute it motivated me to keep going. I loved the aspect about the disability and how it's not something inspirational or a charity thing, it helped me to see it differently and i hope this helps me to not be ableist at any point in my life. the music aspect was beautiful, i missed when characters talked about something related to it and it connected with my lost dream of being able to play the violin. each of them grew up so much during the book, they were literally so cute and wanted more from them. which is why I feel that the synopsis gives away too much of the story and it actually goes away too fast that i was left hanging in some parts. but anyway, i really love the story and i hope more people can read it 💜
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August 6, 2022dnf at 50%
this was way too cringy and middle school like for me. i was really excited because i wanted to read more romance books about disabled characters, but everything was happening way too fast for me to connect with either of them. at 35% they were already dating? like where is the tension? i could not care less. also they kissed for the first time on stage in front of EVERYONE including their parents. i could not i got so much second hand embarrassment. BUT i had to dnf when noah’s parents gave him condoms for christmas because it was “tradition”. apparently when his brothers got their first girlfriends his parents gave them condoms as well? what in the wattpad i could not.
this was way too cringy and middle school like for me. i was really excited because i wanted to read more romance books about disabled characters, but everything was happening way too fast for me to connect with either of them. at 35% they were already dating? like where is the tension? i could not care less. also they kissed for the first time on stage in front of EVERYONE including their parents. i could not i got so much second hand embarrassment. BUT i had to dnf when noah’s parents gave him condoms for christmas because it was “tradition”. apparently when his brothers got their first girlfriends his parents gave them condoms as well? what in the wattpad i could not.
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