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Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller
Today Tonight Tomorrow meets A Pho Love Story in this whip-smart young adult novel about a girl who embarks on a road trip with her long-time rival to win back her best friend and his girlfriend.
There’s no one Kelsie Miller hates more than Eric Mulvaney Ortiz—the homecoming king, captain of the football team, and academic archrival in her hyper-competitive prep school. But after Kelsie’s best friend, Briana, moves across the country and stops speaking to her, she’ll do anything, even talk to Eric, to find out why.
After they run into each other—literally—at the last high school party of the summer, Eric admits he’s been ghosted by his girlfriend, Jessica. Kelsie tells him she’s had zero contact from Briana since she left their upstate New York town.
Suddenly, a plan is they’ll go on a road trip to the University of Pennsylvania the following week when both Briana and Jessica will be on campus. Together, they’ll do whatever it takes to win back their exes.
What could go wrong?
Used to succeeding in everything, Kelsie and Eric assume they’ll naturally figure out the details on the drive down. What they don’t expect is that the person they actually need may be the one sitting next to them.
There’s no one Kelsie Miller hates more than Eric Mulvaney Ortiz—the homecoming king, captain of the football team, and academic archrival in her hyper-competitive prep school. But after Kelsie’s best friend, Briana, moves across the country and stops speaking to her, she’ll do anything, even talk to Eric, to find out why.
After they run into each other—literally—at the last high school party of the summer, Eric admits he’s been ghosted by his girlfriend, Jessica. Kelsie tells him she’s had zero contact from Briana since she left their upstate New York town.
Suddenly, a plan is they’ll go on a road trip to the University of Pennsylvania the following week when both Briana and Jessica will be on campus. Together, they’ll do whatever it takes to win back their exes.
What could go wrong?
Used to succeeding in everything, Kelsie and Eric assume they’ll naturally figure out the details on the drive down. What they don’t expect is that the person they actually need may be the one sitting next to them.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2022
39 people are currently reading
5564 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
February 22, 2024
3.5 stars
I really liked The Jasmine Project by this author, so I was excited to read more by her. This was a fun read mixed with some more serious content. Kelsie and Eric have known each other since kindergaten, but they are not friends. They are academic rivals, both the smartest students at their school, and Kelsie pretty much hates him. The majority of the book is spent on their road trip to the University of Pennsylvania, so there is a lot of time for the things to unfold and for us to learn about their past.
My favourite part of this book were their conversations and their banter. I liked that Kelsie was an unlikable character for most of the book. She was definitely interesting to read about. And Eric is such a sweetheart. I also really appreciated the representation in this book.
The last part of the book was a bit underwhelming.
I really liked The Jasmine Project by this author, so I was excited to read more by her. This was a fun read mixed with some more serious content. Kelsie and Eric have known each other since kindergaten, but they are not friends. They are academic rivals, both the smartest students at their school, and Kelsie pretty much hates him. The majority of the book is spent on their road trip to the University of Pennsylvania, so there is a lot of time for the things to unfold and for us to learn about their past.
My favourite part of this book were their conversations and their banter. I liked that Kelsie was an unlikable character for most of the book. She was definitely interesting to read about. And Eric is such a sweetheart. I also really appreciated the representation in this book.
The last part of the book was a bit underwhelming.
October 27, 2021
So, I suppose this isn't a completely unbiased review as I'm the author, but I have loved working on this book. KELSIE is dear to my heart. It's the story of a girl, Kelsie, who gets friend dumped by her best friend and a boy, Eric, who is ghosted by his summer girlfriend. The two of them are rivals for valedictorian at their hyper-competitive high school, but they team up to go on an overnight road trip to the University of Pennsylvania to win back their exes.
I was a kid at a hyper-competitive high school competing for valedictorian. I went to Staten Island Tech, a member of the obnoxiously named elite 9. Like me, Kelsie is an adoptee, and like me she learns she is demisexual. Together with Eric they have a combined speck of common sense, which was... everyone I went to school with.
Most importantly, five years ago I lost my best friend. It wasn't a friend dumping but we'd had a falling out right before she was involved in a tragic accident. Honestly, I wrote this to heal. I also wrote this for other people who either don't realize they're demi or are dealing with a friend loss and a world that doesn't understand how important that is.
I hope you'll love this rom-com too. I promise it is both a romance and a comedy with plenty of humor and heart, even as it tackles thornier issues.
I was a kid at a hyper-competitive high school competing for valedictorian. I went to Staten Island Tech, a member of the obnoxiously named elite 9. Like me, Kelsie is an adoptee, and like me she learns she is demisexual. Together with Eric they have a combined speck of common sense, which was... everyone I went to school with.
Most importantly, five years ago I lost my best friend. It wasn't a friend dumping but we'd had a falling out right before she was involved in a tragic accident. Honestly, I wrote this to heal. I also wrote this for other people who either don't realize they're demi or are dealing with a friend loss and a world that doesn't understand how important that is.
I hope you'll love this rom-com too. I promise it is both a romance and a comedy with plenty of humor and heart, even as it tackles thornier issues.
June 8, 2023
This book was so cute. I really liked the messaging and it was funny. It's pretty fluffy but it still has heart and the end made me smile
October 20, 2022
If you like YA romance you absolutely HAVE to read this! It's the cutest "enemies" to lovers road trip book, with a Korean adoptee main character who figures out she's demisexual as she is starting to develop feelings for this boy she's known since kindergarten. And... he might have had a crush on her for years while she thought they hated each other. Do with that information what you will.
It's not just a romance though. They go on a roadtrip together because they've both been ghosted - him by his Instagram influencer girlfriend, and her by her best friend since kindergarten. Along the way she figures out there might have been a reason her friend hasn't been responding and that she might have to learn to take accountability, which I thought was a really good topic to discuss, as it's so important to be able to apologize but it can be really hard.
It's not just a romance though. They go on a roadtrip together because they've both been ghosted - him by his Instagram influencer girlfriend, and her by her best friend since kindergarten. Along the way she figures out there might have been a reason her friend hasn't been responding and that she might have to learn to take accountability, which I thought was a really good topic to discuss, as it's so important to be able to apologize but it can be really hard.
December 25, 2022
Not for me
September 3, 2022
I really liked The Jasmine Project by this author so I was excited to try another book by her!
This book is set around high school academic rivals setting out on a road trip to get their ex-girlfriend and ex-best friend back.
I love academic rivals to lovers so that aspect was so great. The banter between the main characters was so entertaining but they also shared some really deep and meaningful conversations which I really appreciated. Their connection was super believable. Sometimes the characters felt a little juvenile when the majority of the book took place on a college campus so it felt a little unbalanced at times.
I really enjoy this author’s writing! It’s humorous, sentimental, fun and genuine. The writing and story made for a quick and satisfying read. I went into this one wanting a fluffy YA romcom and that’s exactly what it delivered.
This book was honestly so cute and I think a lot of young adult readers who are uncertain about their path in the future when it comes it college will be able to relate to it.
This book is set around high school academic rivals setting out on a road trip to get their ex-girlfriend and ex-best friend back.
I love academic rivals to lovers so that aspect was so great. The banter between the main characters was so entertaining but they also shared some really deep and meaningful conversations which I really appreciated. Their connection was super believable. Sometimes the characters felt a little juvenile when the majority of the book took place on a college campus so it felt a little unbalanced at times.
I really enjoy this author’s writing! It’s humorous, sentimental, fun and genuine. The writing and story made for a quick and satisfying read. I went into this one wanting a fluffy YA romcom and that’s exactly what it delivered.
This book was honestly so cute and I think a lot of young adult readers who are uncertain about their path in the future when it comes it college will be able to relate to it.
August 13, 2022
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
As an academic rivals to lovers fan, I was so excited to read Meredith Ireland's sophomore novel!! I really enjoyed The Jasmine Project, which was a very wholesome, adorable read. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller, on the other hand, is whip-smart with witty banter, complex relationships, multi-dimensional characters, and more. I love reading books with "unlikable female characters," and even though Kelsie exhibited many traits of asshole-behavior (as she quips in the book), I actually really admired her. I love the self-growth she goes through in this novel and how she realizes the mistakes she's made in the relationships with her former/new friends and family. The romance between her and Eric was also so cute!! I loved the slowburn and "Will they, won't they?" dynamic between them. The demi rep was also so thoughtfully included, and I'm so happy to see more demi rep in novels! I just wish we got to see a few more scenes of Eric and Kelsie being happy and together, because the book ends pretty abruptly after their reconciliation. Overall, if you're a fan of academic rivals to lovers with tons of banter and heartfelt moments, definitely check this YA novel out! I'd give this 4.25 stars rounded up.
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As an academic rivals to lovers fan, I was so excited to read Meredith Ireland's sophomore novel!! I really enjoyed The Jasmine Project, which was a very wholesome, adorable read. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller, on the other hand, is whip-smart with witty banter, complex relationships, multi-dimensional characters, and more. I love reading books with "unlikable female characters," and even though Kelsie exhibited many traits of asshole-behavior (as she quips in the book), I actually really admired her. I love the self-growth she goes through in this novel and how she realizes the mistakes she's made in the relationships with her former/new friends and family. The romance between her and Eric was also so cute!! I loved the slowburn and "Will they, won't they?" dynamic between them. The demi rep was also so thoughtfully included, and I'm so happy to see more demi rep in novels! I just wish we got to see a few more scenes of Eric and Kelsie being happy and together, because the book ends pretty abruptly after their reconciliation. Overall, if you're a fan of academic rivals to lovers with tons of banter and heartfelt moments, definitely check this YA novel out! I'd give this 4.25 stars rounded up.
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November 6, 2022
demi rep you will always be famous to me
rtc!
rtc!
October 30, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Nemeses who have to begrudgingly work together will always be my kryptonite. I love rivals and the ones that have to work together but find out that there's more in common than what divides them? Love it. Additionally the banter in this one was *chef's kiss* it was quick witted and clever all at once. Plus the queer rep in Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller was amazing. But even more so, Kelsie just got to the heart of all my insecurities.
I'm laughing while I write this, but also like this book was a big @ symbol right at me. The friendship conflicts scooped my heart out. With time jumps we can try to figure out what happened as Kelsie herself is remembering. How we have to look at the ways our actions are perceived and all the things we didn't say. All the times our barbed comments end up leaving scars we aren't able to see, don't want to see. And both Kelsie and Eric have to really go on a personal journey to find out what they were both ghosted.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Nemeses who have to begrudgingly work together will always be my kryptonite. I love rivals and the ones that have to work together but find out that there's more in common than what divides them? Love it. Additionally the banter in this one was *chef's kiss* it was quick witted and clever all at once. Plus the queer rep in Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller was amazing. But even more so, Kelsie just got to the heart of all my insecurities.
I'm laughing while I write this, but also like this book was a big @ symbol right at me. The friendship conflicts scooped my heart out. With time jumps we can try to figure out what happened as Kelsie herself is remembering. How we have to look at the ways our actions are perceived and all the things we didn't say. All the times our barbed comments end up leaving scars we aren't able to see, don't want to see. And both Kelsie and Eric have to really go on a personal journey to find out what they were both ghosted.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
August 19, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
check out my blog for more reviews and recommendations!
4 ⭐️
This book was so damn adorable and cheerful and the perfect YA book to read in the summer!
Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller is a coming of age story that follows Kelsie and Eric, two high school rivals, as they decide to go on a road trip to the University of Pennsylvania in order for Kelsie to win back her best friend and Eric his girlfriend. What could go wrong?
I honestly read a bigger part of this book in one sitting. It had a gripping plot and amazing complex characters which completely sucked me in. Kelsie, the main character, started out as a very annoying person and I barely tolerated her. She was an asshole to her friends and family and she never apologised for any of her mistakes. Thankfully, she received a redemption later on in the book.
The academic rivals to lovers trope wasn’t really the main plot of the book and it’s actually something we see more in the flashbacks. This wasn’t a problem for me since the relationship between the main characters was still amazing. There was enough of banter and one sided hate in this book to still make it super interesting and exciting.
Sadly, this book had a very very underwhelming ending which left me with more questions than answers. Also, the fact that all of the plot happened in about a day or two makes this love story completely unrealistic and rushed in my opinion.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves academic rivals to lovers and is in a need of a quick summer read!
check out my blog for more reviews and recommendations!
4 ⭐️
This book was so damn adorable and cheerful and the perfect YA book to read in the summer!
Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller is a coming of age story that follows Kelsie and Eric, two high school rivals, as they decide to go on a road trip to the University of Pennsylvania in order for Kelsie to win back her best friend and Eric his girlfriend. What could go wrong?
I honestly read a bigger part of this book in one sitting. It had a gripping plot and amazing complex characters which completely sucked me in. Kelsie, the main character, started out as a very annoying person and I barely tolerated her. She was an asshole to her friends and family and she never apologised for any of her mistakes. Thankfully, she received a redemption later on in the book.
The academic rivals to lovers trope wasn’t really the main plot of the book and it’s actually something we see more in the flashbacks. This wasn’t a problem for me since the relationship between the main characters was still amazing. There was enough of banter and one sided hate in this book to still make it super interesting and exciting.
Sadly, this book had a very very underwhelming ending which left me with more questions than answers. Also, the fact that all of the plot happened in about a day or two makes this love story completely unrealistic and rushed in my opinion.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves academic rivals to lovers and is in a need of a quick summer read!
December 27, 2023
It Sounded Better in My Head meets Today Tonight Tomorrow - this was stupidly heartwarming. i am filled with so much affection for this book.
October 12, 2025
The cutest banter that will make your icy heart melt (well it depends how solid yours is🤣)
February 6, 2023
I loved this book from start to finish. There was not a moment where I lost interest and it had some funny moments. The character development was on point. I loved the mix of romance, friendships, and figures. It was non spice romance only kissing, and it was so adorable but not ever cheesy. The ending just made it all even better. It really reminded me of a mix between Better Than The Movies and Tweet Cute. Definitely going to stay one of my all time favorite romances.
January 13, 2023
you already know I’m a sucker for anything in upstate!
February 20, 2024
THIS WAS SUCH A CUTE CONTEMP ROMCOM! LOVED IT! 3.75 ⭐️
October 18, 2022
4.25 - absolutely loved Meredith’s debut novel THE JASMINE PROJECT (one of my favs of all time) and was so excited to see her announce a new book! EVERYONE HATES KELSIE MILLER was such a sweet, cute, angsty, teenage read and I loved it! It was a bit slow in the beginning but once it picked up, I was all in! Eric and Kelsie have my heart! I highly recommend you check out Meredith’s review of KELSIE MILLER on GR, because that alone deserves a 5/5 star.
October 21, 2022
Fluffy, funny and the YA I didn’t know I needed. I love academic rival stories and this book delivered !!!
October 23, 2022
I bought this book on a whim after I heard about it on Twitter and proceeded to devour it faster than I have any physical book in a very long time (i have had issues focusing on physical books since the pandemic began). Kelsie reminds me so much of me in high school - short, smart, and rather clueless about a lot of things having to do with interactions with other people. Both she and Eric are flawed people doing the best they can, and this book does a great job showing how they affect and make each other better. It's thoroughly enjoyable and very difficult to put down. Highly recommend.
November 24, 2022
i loved this whole concept from start to finish!!!
-love me a good life-changing road trip!!!
-love friendship struggles and ruminating on what it means to be a friend
-love academic rivals
-love slow-burn-y realizations
-love the concept of being Seen by this person who you didn't expect to see you
-love sassy parents
add this to the list of favorite ya contemporary romance books that i have to buy physical copies of!!!
-love me a good life-changing road trip!!!
-love friendship struggles and ruminating on what it means to be a friend
-love academic rivals
-love slow-burn-y realizations
-love the concept of being Seen by this person who you didn't expect to see you
-love sassy parents
add this to the list of favorite ya contemporary romance books that i have to buy physical copies of!!!
January 22, 2023
3.5*
não vou mentir amigos, eu tinha expectativas e elas não foram alcançadas.
o livro é bom, tem tudo que eu gosto e os personagens são ok, mas não consegui me conectar 100% com a leitura. acho que a escrita me incomodou um pouco.
embora eu tenha dado sinceras risadas e uns sorrisinhos aqui e ali, num geral a escrita não me agradou. as vezes parecia que a autora só colocava as coisas sem ter pensado nelas antes, e muitas vezes ela explicava algo óbvio e isso me deixa com a sensação de que o autor não confia na capacidade de compreensão do leitor. então sei lá, não gostei muito.
a história e o relacionamento dos personagens foram o ponto alto, gostei de ver o desenvolvimento deles e achei a química deles excelente. as interações eram divertidas e eu genuinamente consegui torcer pra eles ficarem juntos.
queria que o livro fosse um pouco maior, talvez um epílogo se passando algumas semanas depois do final, teria sido interessante ver um pouco do relacionamento deles.
foi uma leitura fofa, mas eu esperava mais.
não vou mentir amigos, eu tinha expectativas e elas não foram alcançadas.
o livro é bom, tem tudo que eu gosto e os personagens são ok, mas não consegui me conectar 100% com a leitura. acho que a escrita me incomodou um pouco.
embora eu tenha dado sinceras risadas e uns sorrisinhos aqui e ali, num geral a escrita não me agradou. as vezes parecia que a autora só colocava as coisas sem ter pensado nelas antes, e muitas vezes ela explicava algo óbvio e isso me deixa com a sensação de que o autor não confia na capacidade de compreensão do leitor. então sei lá, não gostei muito.
a história e o relacionamento dos personagens foram o ponto alto, gostei de ver o desenvolvimento deles e achei a química deles excelente. as interações eram divertidas e eu genuinamente consegui torcer pra eles ficarem juntos.
queria que o livro fosse um pouco maior, talvez um epílogo se passando algumas semanas depois do final, teria sido interessante ver um pouco do relacionamento deles.
foi uma leitura fofa, mas eu esperava mais.
December 5, 2022
3.5 stars ✨
This was cute!
Everyone knows I’m obsessed with academic rivals to lovers and after one TikTok saying that trope was in this book I immediately downloaded it.
I feel like that was one of my two problems with this book though. I didn’t feel like it was really the academic rivals trope. We didn’t get to see a lot of that part, just heard about their competitions, and that’s my favorite part.
Also the MC Kelsie was not super likable for most of the book. I understand that was intentional so you could see character development but I couldn’t understand how she didn’t see that she was the problem between her and her friend. Eric deserves five stars though. That boy was so sweet and caring to her. When he defended her!!
I really liked the ending. Seeing conflicts resolved but without the characters acting like nothing happened is realistic and I liked that. Also the football game and the sign!! Super cute.
This was cute!
Everyone knows I’m obsessed with academic rivals to lovers and after one TikTok saying that trope was in this book I immediately downloaded it.
I feel like that was one of my two problems with this book though. I didn’t feel like it was really the academic rivals trope. We didn’t get to see a lot of that part, just heard about their competitions, and that’s my favorite part.
Also the MC Kelsie was not super likable for most of the book. I understand that was intentional so you could see character development but I couldn’t understand how she didn’t see that she was the problem between her and her friend. Eric deserves five stars though. That boy was so sweet and caring to her. When he defended her!!
I really liked the ending. Seeing conflicts resolved but without the characters acting like nothing happened is realistic and I liked that. Also the football game and the sign!! Super cute.
January 16, 2026
This book is really cute and deeply relatable, especially if you’ve ever lost touch with a friend whether they moved away, you drifted apart, or the friendship simply ended. It captures that feeling of wanting to reconnect while also holding onto unresolved hurt.
I especially loved the dynamic where the guy friend has liked her for a long time, but she never noticed and at the same time, she resents him for something he did or said about her. The tension between them felt very real. Eric not knowing the true reason why she hates him, and watching them finally talk it through and resolve it, was refreshing and realistic rather than overly dramatic.
One of my favourite lines from Eric was, “She really much isn’t you,” which stood out to me because it felt honest and meaningful. The book has all the charm of a rom-com but with emotional depth, and the writing is smooth and engaging throughout.
Overall, it’s a well-written, comforting read and definitely worth picking up.
I especially loved the dynamic where the guy friend has liked her for a long time, but she never noticed and at the same time, she resents him for something he did or said about her. The tension between them felt very real. Eric not knowing the true reason why she hates him, and watching them finally talk it through and resolve it, was refreshing and realistic rather than overly dramatic.
One of my favourite lines from Eric was, “She really much isn’t you,” which stood out to me because it felt honest and meaningful. The book has all the charm of a rom-com but with emotional depth, and the writing is smooth and engaging throughout.
Overall, it’s a well-written, comforting read and definitely worth picking up.
June 21, 2023
4.25 stars
rep: adopted, demisexual Korean-American protagonist, biracial (Dominican, Irish) love interest, bisexual side character, Black side character
cw: racism, sexual harassment, mentions of death of a loved one (best friend)
As soon as I heard about this book, I was so excited to read it. I always really enjoy stories that examine friend break-ups and the complexity of losing someone who has been a constant in your life for ages. Heartwarming and full of emotion, Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller follows a girl who teams up with her academic rival on a road trip to find the people who’ve ghosted them.
Kelsie Miller hasn’t heard from her best friend Briana since she moved across the country. Granted, they had a fight before she left, but that doesn’t explain the complete radio silence. When she runs into Eric, she finds out that his girlfriend Jessica has also ghosted him. With some slight social media stalking, they discover that both Briana and Jessica will be at the same place this weekend. Eric convinces Kelsie to take a road trip down to the University of Pennsylvania to confront their respective exes. She reluctantly agrees, and throughout the trip, she discovers that there’s more to Eric than Homecoming King and that maybe they’re more similar than she previously thought.
Kelsie’s character really resonated with me, and I really related to her struggles and inner thoughts. She’s very self-aware and self-critical, in a way that’s brought on because she’s so self-conscious. She’s never felt like she fit in, especially as an adopted Korean American in a primarily white town. Kelsie’s only felt truly comfortable with her best friend Briana, whom she’s been best friends with since kindergarten.
Throughout the story, she can’t stop reflecting on all the ways that she’s been a bad friend; it’s evident that she thinks of herself as more selfish than Briana. Friend break-ups are complex situations, and it was really emotional to read Kelsie’s struggle to come to terms with the fact that Briana hasn’t been talking to her for months. I think her character also displays how we can be so self-aware of everything we’ve done wrong, yet also blind to our biggest faults.
I also really liked the great family dynamics in this book! Kelsie is very close to her parents and her younger sister, which I always love to see in YA. This also plays a part in her growth because she doesn’t understand why Briana would want to move across the country to live with her mostly absent mother. Kelsie gradually realizes that not everyone has the same love and support from their parents and that some people will handle their relationships with their families in their own way.
Personally, I think sometimes “academic rivals” have become a bit over-exaggerated lately. However, I didn’t find this to be the case with Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller. It turns out that Kelsie’s disliked Eric over a series of miscommunications, which is usually irritating to read, but in this case, I find that this points more to Kelsie’s characterization than anything. She’s internalized a lot, keeping her feelings to herself when in fact, she could’ve resolved a lot of things if she has just spoken to others about it.
The romance was so adorable! It’s a rivals-to-lovers romance, but again, I didn’t think this was a surface trope at all. I liked that Kelsie and Eric have to get over years of indifference and hatred but over time, warm up and open up to each other. Eric has his own issues to get through, and I liked seeing Kelsie help him even when she still thinks she hates him. Also! Kelsie is demisexual, and it was nice to see how her feelings for Eric grow as she realizes that she knows him better than she previously wanted to admit.
Also, can I just take a minute to praise the short length of this book? I know that’s a weird thing to love, but I’ve found that so many books now are extremely long for no real reason at all. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller is one of the most tightly written books I’ve read in a couple of years, and I adore it for that. Ireland doesn’t waste a single page; every moment aids in character development and/or contextualization. As much as I wanted to spend more time with these characters, it was so refreshing to read a book like this again.
I don’t think I’ve put into words how much I loved this book. It just really resonated for me, and I couldn’t put it down. I actually finished it in one sitting, which should tell you everything because that is so rare for me nowadays!
Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller was a brilliant sophomore novel, and I’m excited to see what Meredith Ireland does next. I loved the characters and the romance, and I really related to the protagonist. I can’t recommend Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller enough, especially for if you’re interested by an academic-rivals-to-lovers romance with a demisexual protagonist and/or a story that explores the complexity of a friend break-up.
ohhhhh this really just hit with me idk I loved it (and also so short which really worked in its favor tbh)
childhood-rivals-to-lovers !! i'm smiling at how sweet this was and I really just related to kelsie
read on my blog
rep: adopted, demisexual Korean-American protagonist, biracial (Dominican, Irish) love interest, bisexual side character, Black side character
cw: racism, sexual harassment, mentions of death of a loved one (best friend)
**I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
As soon as I heard about this book, I was so excited to read it. I always really enjoy stories that examine friend break-ups and the complexity of losing someone who has been a constant in your life for ages. Heartwarming and full of emotion, Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller follows a girl who teams up with her academic rival on a road trip to find the people who’ve ghosted them.
Kelsie Miller hasn’t heard from her best friend Briana since she moved across the country. Granted, they had a fight before she left, but that doesn’t explain the complete radio silence. When she runs into Eric, she finds out that his girlfriend Jessica has also ghosted him. With some slight social media stalking, they discover that both Briana and Jessica will be at the same place this weekend. Eric convinces Kelsie to take a road trip down to the University of Pennsylvania to confront their respective exes. She reluctantly agrees, and throughout the trip, she discovers that there’s more to Eric than Homecoming King and that maybe they’re more similar than she previously thought.
Kelsie’s character really resonated with me, and I really related to her struggles and inner thoughts. She’s very self-aware and self-critical, in a way that’s brought on because she’s so self-conscious. She’s never felt like she fit in, especially as an adopted Korean American in a primarily white town. Kelsie’s only felt truly comfortable with her best friend Briana, whom she’s been best friends with since kindergarten.
Throughout the story, she can’t stop reflecting on all the ways that she’s been a bad friend; it’s evident that she thinks of herself as more selfish than Briana. Friend break-ups are complex situations, and it was really emotional to read Kelsie’s struggle to come to terms with the fact that Briana hasn’t been talking to her for months. I think her character also displays how we can be so self-aware of everything we’ve done wrong, yet also blind to our biggest faults.
I also really liked the great family dynamics in this book! Kelsie is very close to her parents and her younger sister, which I always love to see in YA. This also plays a part in her growth because she doesn’t understand why Briana would want to move across the country to live with her mostly absent mother. Kelsie gradually realizes that not everyone has the same love and support from their parents and that some people will handle their relationships with their families in their own way.
Personally, I think sometimes “academic rivals” have become a bit over-exaggerated lately. However, I didn’t find this to be the case with Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller. It turns out that Kelsie’s disliked Eric over a series of miscommunications, which is usually irritating to read, but in this case, I find that this points more to Kelsie’s characterization than anything. She’s internalized a lot, keeping her feelings to herself when in fact, she could’ve resolved a lot of things if she has just spoken to others about it.
The romance was so adorable! It’s a rivals-to-lovers romance, but again, I didn’t think this was a surface trope at all. I liked that Kelsie and Eric have to get over years of indifference and hatred but over time, warm up and open up to each other. Eric has his own issues to get through, and I liked seeing Kelsie help him even when she still thinks she hates him. Also! Kelsie is demisexual, and it was nice to see how her feelings for Eric grow as she realizes that she knows him better than she previously wanted to admit.
Also, can I just take a minute to praise the short length of this book? I know that’s a weird thing to love, but I’ve found that so many books now are extremely long for no real reason at all. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller is one of the most tightly written books I’ve read in a couple of years, and I adore it for that. Ireland doesn’t waste a single page; every moment aids in character development and/or contextualization. As much as I wanted to spend more time with these characters, it was so refreshing to read a book like this again.
I don’t think I’ve put into words how much I loved this book. It just really resonated for me, and I couldn’t put it down. I actually finished it in one sitting, which should tell you everything because that is so rare for me nowadays!
Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller was a brilliant sophomore novel, and I’m excited to see what Meredith Ireland does next. I loved the characters and the romance, and I really related to the protagonist. I can’t recommend Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller enough, especially for if you’re interested by an academic-rivals-to-lovers romance with a demisexual protagonist and/or a story that explores the complexity of a friend break-up.
original review:
ohhhhh this really just hit with me idk I loved it (and also so short which really worked in its favor tbh)
childhood-rivals-to-lovers !! i'm smiling at how sweet this was and I really just related to kelsie
December 26, 2022
It has not been a good year for me and YA as a genre. Especially modern setting YA. It might be because I have less patience for teen angst now that I have teenagers of my own. Whatever the reason, I find the genre has not been working for me. That said, I really enjoyed Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller. Somehow the writer managed to make their teenage selfishness bearable. Kelsie and Eric have good chemistry, and their character and romantic development work for me. I give this book a solid 4/5 stars and will be on the lookout for this author in the future.
October 20, 2022
I LOVED this book. It’s my new favorite YA rom-com. Kelsie is such a well developed character- she’s snarky, smart, and hilarious. She’s also self centered and full of flaws. But wait until you see her character acr play out- it’s perfect. This is an enemies to lovers story done right! Kelsie is her own worst enemy and learns to love herself and others.
Highly recommend to all my rom-com and/or YA friends! And bonus points for all the Saratoga references! 5 stars! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Highly recommend to all my rom-com and/or YA friends! And bonus points for all the Saratoga references! 5 stars! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
May 23, 2023
This book is short and sweet but also packed quite a punch. I really loved all these characters, and I would have loved to have spent more time with them, but I also am very impressed with how well this book worked being 282 pages. I'm definitely going to continue to pick up Meredith Ireland's books.
November 24, 2022
DNF / skimmed. Very tired of this “so odd/awkward girl” trope.
“I did a little bow. “Top of the morning, my good sir. 'Tis a pleasant morn. What errand hath arisen for you to grace my threshold?"
Cringe.
“I did a little bow. “Top of the morning, my good sir. 'Tis a pleasant morn. What errand hath arisen for you to grace my threshold?"
Cringe.
January 25, 2023
What’s not to like about a wacky road trip where the love story at the core is really a best friendship and self-discovery journey? Don’t be fooled by the cute boy on the cover, he’s there too but not the main point. All around a fun and pleasant read!
April 16, 2023
LOVED. Some parts of the book were so relatable and made me realize that I definitely should apologize more😭 and at first I thought this was going to be a cliche cheesy book, and it was kinda cliche but I rly much liked it 😁
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