Libby Lawrence Is Good at Pretending

by Jodi McAlister

Nineteen-year-old Libby Lawrence is good at pretending. Problem is, she’s not entirely sure how to stop. Which is good for her role in the campus production of Much Ado About Nothing … but poses problems in her personal life. Especially when the list of things she can’t admit to, even to her best friend Ella, starts to build.

Losing her virginity to the too-charming director of her uni theatre group (just before he ran off with the group’s money) is only the start. There’s also an uncomfortable encounter with her broody on-stage love interest Roarke, and her crackling offstage chemistry with nerdy-but-sweet new director Will.

And while Libby is thrilled to finally be on the inside of the uni theatre group she reveres, there’s a downside to being in on all the group chats, drama and backstage gossip. She must discover who she wants to be, who she wants to be with … and how to stop pretending.

Jodi McAlister’s sparkling campus novel is a rom-com about friendship, authenticity, and all the ways we perform ourselves … and the preciousness of those moments when all artifice falls away. Dramatic and wise, it combines the arch wit and sharp banter of Ten Things I Hate About You and Clueless with a knowing heart.

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult, Friendship, Young Adult Contemporary, New Adult

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2022

About the author

By day, Jodi McAlister writes romance novels. By other time of day, Dr Jodi McAlister studies them. She's written romantic comedies for adults, romantasy and contemporary romance for young adults, and several academic books.

For adults
If you're a reality TV lover, the Marry Me, Juliet series are the books for you. Even if you're not a reality TV lover, they might be the books for you - several reality TV haters have enjoyed them.

The trilogy all take place at the same time on the same season of a reality dating show called Marry Me, Juliet (which bears a very strong resemblance to The Bachelor). While they all stand alone and can be read in any order, they work best when read in order.

Start with Here For The Right Reasons (he's the series lead, she's the contestant he eliminates on the first night), move on to Can I Steal You For A Second? (she's a contestant, she's... also a contestant), and finish with the book the New York Times called a "full-on villain romance", Not Here To Make Friends (she's the villain, he's the producer who's pining for her).

For young adults
If you're a romantasy reader, you'll like the Valentine series, a young adult paranormal romance/urban fantasy series about smart girls, small towns, and scary fairies. There are three books: Valentine, Ironheart, and Misrule. If Picnic at Hanging Rock meets Holly Black sounds like something you’d be into, these are the books for you.

And if you're a theatre kid, Libby Lawrence Is Good At Pretending is the book for you. It's my love letter to theatre kids as someone who used to be one.

Academic books
No one really cares much about these on Goodreads, do they? More info on my website if you're interested.

About Jodi
Jodi is originally from Kiama, a seaside holiday town on the south coast of New South Wales, and has lived in a bunch of different cities: Canberra (where she did her undergrad degrees), Wollongong (where she lived while she did her PhD in Sydney), and Hobart (where she held her first academic job) among them. Currently, she lives in Melbourne, where she works as a Senior Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture at Deakin University.

When she’s not writing about romance, Jodi is an academic studying romance. Her research focuses on representations of love in popular culture and fiction. It means that reading romance novels and watching (and let’s be real, writing huge amounts about) The Bachelor/ette is technically work for her.

**Want to dip your toes into the Valentine universe? Try the free short story Galentine, set a year and a bit before the events of Valentine. http://jodimcalister.com.au/galentine/ **

**Want to read a bonus epilogue to Libby Lawrence Is Good At Pretending? Check it out here: https://jodimcalister.com.au/libby-la... **

Reviews

[Juliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit outside my usual reading range - this is aimed at 'new adult' readers, I think, and I'm more of an old adult, but I really enjoyed it. Theatre/music students have not changed so very much since I was one. The story is fun and touching and rings true.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending by Jodi McAlister is a fantastic contemporary YA romance, following our main character Libby as she tries to find her way through life. She participates in her University's theatre program, determined to make the jump between chorus actor and main character. As Libby navigates through a confusing world of study, boys and friends, she realises she is so good at pretending to be okay that she isn't sure how to tell everyone that she isn't.

Jodi McAlister has written a beautiful YA contemporary romance, with a very endearing main character. I personally enjoyed reading a book about a uni theatre group, especially one with such relatable issues. The story flowed well, with a pace that a reader can usually only dream about. I read this book in one sitting, finding it easy to lose myself in the story. Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending is well written, relatable and enjoyable. Many of the situations she found herself in made me cringe, and others made me laugh (the idea of Ella finding Libby's underwear in the Swamp, so gross but also very funny!). The slow burn between Libby and Will was great to read, and I liked Will's resilience and acceptance of Libby's struggles. Roarke's character was possibly my least favourite, he seemed to switch between commitment-phobe to dream boyfriend in a matter of seconds. Libby and Ella had a fascinating friendship, and I enjoyed seeing how the two realised what they had, and recognised that it was worth keeping.

The difficulty that Libby had feeling included in her theatre friendship group, and the internal filtering she had to do before communicating with the group, demonstrated the very real issues faced by university students. The desire to fit in, and the fear of potentially saying or doing the wrong thing, is a struggle that many would be able to relate to.

I loved this book, and thought it was a great first YA contemporary romance for Jodi McAlister. I haven't read any of her previous books, however after enjoying her writing style so thoroughly, I intend to read her other YA books.

[Poppy Nwosu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had the privilege of reading this one very early and I loved it. Romantic books by Jodi McAlister are my jam!

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: mental health, grief, death of a sibling (in the past), emotional abuse, stalking, vomit

If I had to describe this book in a single word, it would be MESSY. And that honestly sums up the undergraduate experience. Like, if you get through undergrad without being a mess, you're doing undergrad wrong (and I say that as someone who didn't drink or date or generally spend time with people during undergrad, and I was still messy as hell).

As someone who was obsessed with the In Death series in my early 20s, I found myself giggling every time Roarke was on the page. And the dynamic between Will and Libby reminded me a little of Saving Francesca. I did want a LITTLE more of the friendship between Libby and Ella. Like, we know that they've been best friends since childhood, but it felt a lot like this year and this book is when their friendship starts to change, and I wanted a liiiiiiiittle more of them finding their footing again.

Anyway, I had a lot of fun reading this, although I don't entirely think I would agree that it's a YA title...

[hannah! (lowkey gone) · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a hidden gem. all i wanted was an epilogue please! but yeah this was a great story and i loved the writing style <3

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS NOVEL!

From both a story perspective and a craft of writing perspective, 'Libby Lawrence' was perfect. McAlister hit all the right beats (much like Shakespeare, actually). The twists were, as Nat Eliason says, "unexpected, yet guessable" in hindsight, which is the way all compelling stories are told (https://www.worldbuilders.ai/p/secret...).

Libby isn’t so much a pretender, or acting her way through life, as she is a young woman slowly learning that she doesn't have to put a premium on others' opinions of her. She learns to forgive herself for her mistakes and becomes less afraid of acknowledging that she'd not as perfect as others perceive her to be - and to be completely fine with that. In many ways, this is a novel about shedding our self-imposed expectations of ourselves that we often intuit when we are younger based on social behaviours that are rewarded or punished when we were young.

The supporting cast also have their own roles to play. There's Will, an eldest sibling who has grown up with a strong sense of duty but realises he can’t keep playing the hero for everyone. There's Roarke, Will's foster brother, who learns to confront his fear of abandonment by loving others. There's Ella, Libby's best friend, who is plagues by night terrors reliving her brother's death, and is learning that friendship is more healing than romance. And there's Rosie, one of Nightingale's exes, who we learn is a much nicer person than the rumours led us to believe.

The bittersweet-yet-hopeful ending was realistic and satisfying.

(Aaannnd... the story continues in the bonus epilogue: https://jodimcalister.com.au/wp-conte...)

Nightingale (and perhaps Annalise) are the real villains of the novel. Even the chapter form Nightingale's perspective just confirms how self-absorbed and pathetic he is, thinking his charms are enough to smooth over his appalling behaviour. The juxtaposition between Will and Nightingale is an important study in the unequal power dynamics between director and cast which are inherent in theatre, but importantly, interactions and decisions can be made to reduce power imbalances as much as possible. This was a refreshing way to explore the power imbalances inherent in academia which are present in most campus novels.

This novel also interested me as it's a campus novel without any description of the campus. The novel is clearly set on a university campus, specifically the theatre, library, and campus café, but the campus itself is never described. This stands out from other university fiction and campus novels where there's usually a description of the sunlight filtering through the ivy clinging to the walls of Oxbridge-esque sandstone havens of learning. In 'Libby Lawrence', the campus functions as an ever present, but off-stage ghost, like Rebecca in Daphne Du Maurier's novel named after a character whose presence infuses the entire novel. 'Libby Lawrence' isn’t a gothic novel, but I'd like to read the novel again to appreciate how (and perhaps why) the campus is a silent character.

In typical campus novel fashion, particularly the majority set in humanities departments, the presence of Arts budget cuts and withdrawal of theatre funding is clear. Similarly, the fear that an Arts degree isn't practical or employable "enough". Two characters do double-degrees they don’t want to do (and by implication pay HECS on these degrees) so they can pursue their true passion for theatre while having a fail-safe because Arts careers that pay the bills are few and far between. While the campus isn’t foregrounded, these references to the higher education context of the novel mean the drama couldn’t have taken place anywhere else.

On a recent 'Writer's Routine' interview with Triona Campbell (March 2024), I learned that the majority of YA readers are actually women in their late-20s to 50s, rather than teens. This makes a lot of sense since the protagonists of YA are generally a few years ahead of the age bracket they are targeted at. All this to say, even if you don’t consider yourself a YA reader, don’t let the YA marketing put you off. 'Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending' is an excellent novel that I would happily read again.

[Helen Farch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libbry Lawrence is the good girl, the smart girl - the problem is, she is also good at pretending. Her best friend Ella is good at running away. Together they couldn't wait to get out of their hometown and move away to University.

At Uni Libby becomes part of the University Theatre group. So far she has only had bit parts, with one leading performance when she was the understudy. But that one performance changes everything when she finds herself taken in by the charming, and not particularly honest, director. Now he has fled - along with the theatre group's money and a new director has been brought in.

This time, with a new director, Libby is cast as the lead and now she finds herself drawn to the new, slightly nerdy, director, but also to her mysterious leading man.

But when her life should be coming together, she finds herself falling apart and wondering just how much longer she can go on pretending that everything is ok? How long can she go on pretending to be good, and smart, and strong?

And just who will Libby fall for....

"This was not a stage kiss. Not even close. He clutched at the collar of her shirt like he was drowning, and she clung to him so that if they did drown, they'd go down together."

😍😍😍

This one is aimed at the upper end of the YA market and feels so real and honest.

Libby's struggles to keep secrets that she feels will turn everyone against her, whilst remaining the strong one for Ella and negotiating an Arts/Law degree, even though she hates the Law part, is something that most of us will be able to relate to.

Libby, Ella, Will - the director, and Roarke - the brooding leading man, will all worm their way into your heart and not let go - all ably supported by a cast of supporting characters that bring life to the story.


Thanks to Wakefield Press for the review copy of this book.

[Sarah Cole]

We follow 19 year old Libby Lawrence - she's a bit weird and a bit shy but friendly and likeable- although in saying that, she doesn't really know that. Being self - conscious with low self esteem she is forever holding back and 'pretending' to those around her, even her closest friends.

Libby is involved in a drama club called Uni Rep who put on performances - when the actors aren't busy dealing with their own drama!

Firstly there's this self confessed 'hot guy' Nightingale who slept with Libby then ran off after stealing from the group. Then Roake turns up, snagging a lead role and Will the director finds himself caught up in it all. There's also Libby's best friend Ella who works on the play and has her own issues going on, turning to Libby for support.

As the story unfolds we follow the characters as they go about putting on a performance of Much Ado About Nothing - if they can actually concentrate and work together between gossiping and fighting for lead roles.

As the play draws closer and the drama clubs drama escalates everyone just keeps telling Libby how together she is but she knows deep down that she's not. You really just want her to come clean with her friends and admit that she's got just as many problems as the rest of them and she doesn't have to pretend all the time.

Thank -you Wakefield Press for sending me this copy to read and review.

[Kaykay]

I picked this book up from the local/Australian reads display in the YA section at the library on a whim and I ended up really enjoying this book. It ticked a lot of the right boxes for me: Shakespeare, Much Ado, YA set at uni instead of high school, valued platonic relationships, no unnecessary overdramatisation (ha!) of love triangles.
The interludes from the perspectives of other characters were really refreshing - it can be hard to see the secondary characters as clearly when you only have the protag's POV, but it was clear that all the other characters were really fleshed out as well, and I appreciated getting that insight.
Mainly I suspect that I enjoyed this book so much because I personally resonated with Libby. Often reading YA I really feel at a distance from the main characters, but that was not that case here. I, too, have sat in front of SBS Food on holiday half-dressed. Won my heart.

[Kirsten Segui · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

i hate staying up until 5am reading a book but i literally could not put this down..... a really easy and simple read but i loved how fleshed out the characters were like they had real flaws, fears, and desires that made them so much more relatable. i also really enjoyed the way the theater group was written, the energy of a university theater production felt so fun.

i think the love triangle was also set up really well and not in a cringey way. i can usually tell who the fl will end up with easily but the way will and roarke's relationships with libby are established made me really curious. will was so *____*.

+ it was two things i love: college campus novels and shakespeare. i will be rewatching much ado about nothing (1993)

[Valentine’s Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant book to get me into the new year! Libby Lawrence was full of humor, wit, relatability, and love for the ages.
There is little that I didn’t like in this book- in fact, there’s nothing that I didn’t love! Secondary characters and couples were just as great as the more prominent two, the main character, Libby, was always completely relatable and hilarious, and thank God for Jodi McCallister’s crooked grinning men. This is the perfect book for anyone looking to escape for a little while, but also feel right back home (if, like me, you were also a theater nerd).
To no surprise, after reading An Academic Affair, Jodi shines. She has cemented her spot as one of my new favorite authors. More in depth quotes and reviews on my ig! 💘

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alright yes, I’m COMPLETELY aware I’m late to this one—but I’m still trudging through my digital TBR like it’s the Kokoda Track in the middle of wet season. Fashionable? No. Timeliness? Absolutely not. But I’m getting there, one outdated title at a time. BEAR WITH ME. Anyway…

Look, Libby Lawrence might be good at pretending, but I’m still not entirely sure what she was pretending about. She’s got two secrets (which no one would want anyone knowing, all things considered), and somehow this justifies a full-blown identity crisis, 87000 imagined conversations, and enough inner monologue to rival Hamlet on a bad day.

Don’t get me wrong—it’s clever, pacy, and undeniably entertaining. But as someone no longer in the YA feelings-are-the-end-of-the-world phase of life, I did find myself muttering, “Is it that deep, Libs?” more than once. Maybe I’ve just aged out of the dramatic spiral genre. Perhaps I should reread my teen diaries to immerse myself in my own YA dramatics because I’m certain they’ll put me entirely in my place.

❓Do you read YA? If so, can you recommend one for me to get my YA groove back?

[Reebeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this so much - I did that thing where i can't put it down, but then I drag out the last 50 pages because I don't want it to end!

The world-building is amazing, I swear I feel like an honorary member of the production. I also need to know what happens in their next performance season... sequel please!!

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book picked up towards the middle, but the first half was quite slow. I feel like this novel had potential but needed a good hard edit to speed along the start and to create a better focus and direction in the beginning. Once I understood what the novel was about then it became more interesting for me and finished rather well.

[Anastasia King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe it took me 2-3 years to finally get my hands on this book!!

So it turns out I’m way more obsessed with Jodi’s YA works than her Adult Contemporary Romances, which I personally found more tepid, surprisingly.

I feel like there is potential to queue a reread of the Valentine trilogy for my Faerie February themed TBR next month.

[Dymocks Indooroopilly]

A sparkling campus romantic comedy about friendship, authenticity, and finding the ones who see you through it all. Witty and romantic, this was a love letter to community theatre and the pains of growing up. I loved every character and page of this book!

[❥~Bonnie Knox~❥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed this book, I related to Libby alot, but for some reason I just wasn't happy with the endingni knew she was going to end up with Will but apart of me wanted her to end up with Roarke...

[Louise Tong (shadybookdragon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5

[Katdakoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2 🌟

[Bectoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I really felt this one, including (and especially?) the arts/law emotions (torts!). Many uni flashbacks for me. Deeply felt characters and a lovely romance.

[Cate · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

[Belinda Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was angsty and delightful. Set in a University theatre group, it was as much about friends as it was about romance. I loved Libby's journey, and the romance was terrific.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this drama-filled drama book about thespians and Maths majors.

Libby is a character you want to cheer for, and the ending is very satisfying.

[♡ India ♡]

Got to page 80 when I finally put it down. So boring, did not care for any of the characters. “It picks up half way through” I don’t give a shit I ain’t reading this

[n i k k i · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book perfectly captures messy uni life so for that, 4 stars.

[Imogen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 x

[Ivy Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this. The author made it feel like I was I was the character in the book and made it feel like it was all actually happening to me.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Emesis
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a sibling recounted
Stalking

[abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

such an emotional mess, my god. regardless, it satisfied a bit of my hunger. (hunger being the urge to consume a book that would lose me forever in it's world.)

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast, easy and fun read. This was a good story, and addressed some real issues in a sensitive way. I have enjoyed everything I have read from this author so far.