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Friday I'm in Love
It's too late for a Sweet Sixteen but what if Mahalia had a Coming Out Party? A love letter to romantic comedies, sweet sixteen blowouts, black joy and queer pride.
Mahalia Harris wants.
She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend Naomi.
She wants the super cute new girl Siobhan to like her back.
She wants a break from worrying--about money, snide remarks from white classmates, pitying looks from church ladies . . . all of it.
Then inspiration strikes: It's too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if she had a Coming Out Party? A singing, dancing, rainbow-cake-eating celebration of queerness on her own terms.
The idea lights a fire in her, and soon Mahalia is scrimping and saving, taking on extra hours at her afterschool job, trying on dresses, and awkwardly flirting with Siobhan, all in preparation for the Coming Out of her dreams. But it's not long before she's buried in a mountain of bills, unfinished schoolwork, and enough drama to make her English Lit teacher blush. With all the responsibility on her shoulders, will Mahalia's party be over before it's even begun?
A novel about finding yourself, falling in love, and celebrating what makes you you.
Mahalia Harris wants.
She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend Naomi.
She wants the super cute new girl Siobhan to like her back.
She wants a break from worrying--about money, snide remarks from white classmates, pitying looks from church ladies . . . all of it.
Then inspiration strikes: It's too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if she had a Coming Out Party? A singing, dancing, rainbow-cake-eating celebration of queerness on her own terms.
The idea lights a fire in her, and soon Mahalia is scrimping and saving, taking on extra hours at her afterschool job, trying on dresses, and awkwardly flirting with Siobhan, all in preparation for the Coming Out of her dreams. But it's not long before she's buried in a mountain of bills, unfinished schoolwork, and enough drama to make her English Lit teacher blush. With all the responsibility on her shoulders, will Mahalia's party be over before it's even begun?
A novel about finding yourself, falling in love, and celebrating what makes you you.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2023
75 people are currently reading
7848 people want to read
About the author
Camryn Garrett
8 books862 followersCamryn Garrett was born and raised in New York. In 2019, she was named one of Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 and a Glamour College Woman of the Year. Her first novel, Full Disclosure, received rave reviews from outlets such as Entertainment Weekly, the Today Show, and The Guardian, which called a “warm, funny and thoughtfully sex-positive, an impressive debut from a writer still in her teens.” Her second novel, Off the Record received three starred reviews. Her third novel, Friday I’m in Love, was an IndieNext Pick and received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly. Camryn is also interested in film and recently graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. You can find her on Twitter @dancingofpens, tweeting from a laptop named Stevie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 525 reviews
September 7, 2023
This is the second book that I've read by Camryn Garrett and it was a solid read. It wasn't as strong as Off the Record, but still good. If you're looking for a fun and sometimes emotional contemporary book that focuses on a queer Black teen then I would recommend checking this out. CW: stereotyping of Black students, racism, homophobia, queerphobia, abandonment of parental figure. 3.5 Stars
Friday I'm in Love follows 16 year old Mahalia Harris (yes, she is named for the gospel singer) who wants nothing more than to have a sweet 16 party like her best friend Naomi. Instead of going with a sweet 16, Mahalia decides that she wants to have a coming out party. However, unlike Naomi, Mahalia and her mother do not have as much money. To help with the cost, Mahalia commits to saving certain amounts of money for a deposit on a location and other supplies. While doing this, she gets distracted by a new girl at school, Siobhan, who's just come to the States from Ireland. What ensues is a charming book about finding oneself in the midst of chaos.
What Worked: There were a lot elements about this book that I enjoyed. There were some great conversations related to the intersection of being Black and queer and how it may impact one's faith. Garrett never fails to handle this conversations with care and passion. Mahalia is not out to her mom and struggles greatly with the history of her faith. It makes for an interesting dynamic between the two because Mahalia's mother is extremely religious and heavily depends on her faith to get them through their most difficult moments. There was also this interesting dynamic related to socioeconomic status and how it impacts teenagers. Mahalia and her mother don't have much and it impacts Mahalia socially and personally. Readers see this tension build between her and Naomi due to their difference in socioeconomic status. When Mahalia is tasked with taking over more household responsibilities due to the lack of funds, readers begin to see how it affects her schoolwork, her stress levels, and more. It's a reminder that it's not only adults who are severely impacted by finances or lack thereof. Lastly, I enjoyed a few of the relationships in this book. Mahalia and Siobhan were charming. It was clear that the two had chemistry, but it took a while for them to figure out where they stood. And Mahalia and her mom had this great dynamic at all. They weren't perfect and they didn't always get along, but there was support and love in their relationship that I really enjoyed.
What Didn't Work: There were some interesting issues that occurred between Naomi and Mahalia that made me feel like there were some unresolved romantic feelings between the two. I don't think that was the intention, but it read that way so when they come to their conflict resolution it felt like pieces and parts of the narrative were missing. I also felt like there were some unresolved conflicts with Mahalia's dad. He pretty much is absent for some time and it's due to the fact he believes that he wanted to give Mahalia "the choice" to see him on her terms. He apologizes, but then goes back to doing some really weird stuff that had to do with balancing his new family and his relationship with Mahalia. Honestly, this part of the story felt a little underdeveloped. If Garrett was going to introduce this conflict, I think that it should have gone a little deeper. It just felt a little surface level to me. And lastly, there are a lot of pop culture references in this book. I loved Mahalia's passion for music and most of the references worked, but it sometimes it was a little much for the narrative.
Overall, this was a solid read. It definitely reads for a younger YA audience even though the characters are 16. I actually appreciated this because it's hard to recommend some YA books to younger readers in terms of accessibility. I don't think this is Garrett's strongest work, but I definitely see myself reading more of their books in the future.
Friday I'm in Love follows 16 year old Mahalia Harris (yes, she is named for the gospel singer) who wants nothing more than to have a sweet 16 party like her best friend Naomi. Instead of going with a sweet 16, Mahalia decides that she wants to have a coming out party. However, unlike Naomi, Mahalia and her mother do not have as much money. To help with the cost, Mahalia commits to saving certain amounts of money for a deposit on a location and other supplies. While doing this, she gets distracted by a new girl at school, Siobhan, who's just come to the States from Ireland. What ensues is a charming book about finding oneself in the midst of chaos.
What Worked: There were a lot elements about this book that I enjoyed. There were some great conversations related to the intersection of being Black and queer and how it may impact one's faith. Garrett never fails to handle this conversations with care and passion. Mahalia is not out to her mom and struggles greatly with the history of her faith. It makes for an interesting dynamic between the two because Mahalia's mother is extremely religious and heavily depends on her faith to get them through their most difficult moments. There was also this interesting dynamic related to socioeconomic status and how it impacts teenagers. Mahalia and her mother don't have much and it impacts Mahalia socially and personally. Readers see this tension build between her and Naomi due to their difference in socioeconomic status. When Mahalia is tasked with taking over more household responsibilities due to the lack of funds, readers begin to see how it affects her schoolwork, her stress levels, and more. It's a reminder that it's not only adults who are severely impacted by finances or lack thereof. Lastly, I enjoyed a few of the relationships in this book. Mahalia and Siobhan were charming. It was clear that the two had chemistry, but it took a while for them to figure out where they stood. And Mahalia and her mom had this great dynamic at all. They weren't perfect and they didn't always get along, but there was support and love in their relationship that I really enjoyed.
What Didn't Work: There were some interesting issues that occurred between Naomi and Mahalia that made me feel like there were some unresolved romantic feelings between the two. I don't think that was the intention, but it read that way so when they come to their conflict resolution it felt like pieces and parts of the narrative were missing. I also felt like there were some unresolved conflicts with Mahalia's dad. He pretty much is absent for some time and it's due to the fact he believes that he wanted to give Mahalia "the choice" to see him on her terms. He apologizes, but then goes back to doing some really weird stuff that had to do with balancing his new family and his relationship with Mahalia. Honestly, this part of the story felt a little underdeveloped. If Garrett was going to introduce this conflict, I think that it should have gone a little deeper. It just felt a little surface level to me. And lastly, there are a lot of pop culture references in this book. I loved Mahalia's passion for music and most of the references worked, but it sometimes it was a little much for the narrative.
Overall, this was a solid read. It definitely reads for a younger YA audience even though the characters are 16. I actually appreciated this because it's hard to recommend some YA books to younger readers in terms of accessibility. I don't think this is Garrett's strongest work, but I definitely see myself reading more of their books in the future.
March 27, 2023
może to nie Friday, ale I’M IN LOVE!
piękna, poruszająca młodzieżówka, która poza celebrowaniem queerowości sięga po tematy związane z pierwszą miłością, odkrywaniem siebie, przyjaźnią, dorastaniem, problemami w domu, zbliżaniem się do końca szkoły, relacjami z rodzicami i wieeeele, wiele więcej🥹
to z zewnątrz mała i niepozorna historia - a w środku coś naprawdę wielkiego💛
BIG LOVE!!
piękna, poruszająca młodzieżówka, która poza celebrowaniem queerowości sięga po tematy związane z pierwszą miłością, odkrywaniem siebie, przyjaźnią, dorastaniem, problemami w domu, zbliżaniem się do końca szkoły, relacjami z rodzicami i wieeeele, wiele więcej🥹
to z zewnątrz mała i niepozorna historia - a w środku coś naprawdę wielkiego💛
BIG LOVE!!
January 10, 2023
I freaking INHALED this book, and I adored everything about Mahalia and Siobhan! Okay, on to the review.
This story follows 16 year old Mahalia Harris (Black, bi/pan) who just wants the chance to be a kid but doesn’t really get the opportunity thanks to her needing to contribute to the finances of her household coupled with an absent father who is off raising a new family. While a Sweet Sixteen is too late, Mahalia decides to save up for a coming out party since the one thing she is sure of is her queer identity.
The author knocks it out of the park when it comes to addressing struggles that young people face daily: racism, queerphobia, abandonment, familial pressure, sexual orientation, identity, white savior teachers, bullying…this list goes on. And while none of these issues are taken lightly in this story, we do get moments of Black joy and queer joy throughout the story as well.
So much of Mahalia’s story mirrored my own experiences growing up, which made this book equal parts painful (thanks Camryn) but also joyous. Honestly, this book is a must read not only for young people, but for everyone.
Thank you to Get Underlined for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
This story follows 16 year old Mahalia Harris (Black, bi/pan) who just wants the chance to be a kid but doesn’t really get the opportunity thanks to her needing to contribute to the finances of her household coupled with an absent father who is off raising a new family. While a Sweet Sixteen is too late, Mahalia decides to save up for a coming out party since the one thing she is sure of is her queer identity.
The author knocks it out of the park when it comes to addressing struggles that young people face daily: racism, queerphobia, abandonment, familial pressure, sexual orientation, identity, white savior teachers, bullying…this list goes on. And while none of these issues are taken lightly in this story, we do get moments of Black joy and queer joy throughout the story as well.
So much of Mahalia’s story mirrored my own experiences growing up, which made this book equal parts painful (thanks Camryn) but also joyous. Honestly, this book is a must read not only for young people, but for everyone.
Thank you to Get Underlined for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
February 19, 2023
one of those books every kid should've access to! this wasn't made for people of my age but I'm happy kids can have these types of books that I so wished I had! (3.5)
Read
July 22, 2023Camryn Garrett can do no wrong.
A gorgeous story about coming out and into queerness, that balances the sweetness (and agony!) of crushes and love with the hard realities of being poor, and familial and friendship challenges.
A gorgeous story about coming out and into queerness, that balances the sweetness (and agony!) of crushes and love with the hard realities of being poor, and familial and friendship challenges.
January 13, 2023
it was fluffy, it was cute, it was cheesy and unfortunately very forgettable.
we follow sixteen year old mahalia, who is not yet out to her mom. the story revolves around her struggles growing in a financially unstable household and finding her footing as a black queer teenager. the concept of the book was one of a kind and it was a delight to follow mahalia and siobhan, their story and how they come together.
so, what is the problem?
disconnect. i just couldn't connect to the characters and i think mostly that's because despite being a young adult novel, the book reads like a middle grade. the diction got on my nerves. cheesy romance is fine but this just felt a tad bit sickly at times.
it was filled with random cliched high school romance scenes and didn't seem to add value to the story except for a stand in load of words until we reach the climax -- the party (which was by the way awesome, i-wanna-go awesome!!).
i appreciate the darker and much heavier themes that the author has incorporated into the story -- racism, queerphobia, etc. , but there wasn't really any stark improvement or visible change in the characters. at least none that i found meaningful.
now excuse me while i go bawl in the corner because i am disappointed in myself for not liking this book ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ
we follow sixteen year old mahalia, who is not yet out to her mom. the story revolves around her struggles growing in a financially unstable household and finding her footing as a black queer teenager. the concept of the book was one of a kind and it was a delight to follow mahalia and siobhan, their story and how they come together.
so, what is the problem?
disconnect. i just couldn't connect to the characters and i think mostly that's because despite being a young adult novel, the book reads like a middle grade. the diction got on my nerves. cheesy romance is fine but this just felt a tad bit sickly at times.
it was filled with random cliched high school romance scenes and didn't seem to add value to the story except for a stand in load of words until we reach the climax -- the party (which was by the way awesome, i-wanna-go awesome!!).
i appreciate the darker and much heavier themes that the author has incorporated into the story -- racism, queerphobia, etc. , but there wasn't really any stark improvement or visible change in the characters. at least none that i found meaningful.
now excuse me while i go bawl in the corner because i am disappointed in myself for not liking this book ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ
March 22, 2023
Hi hello yes. Coming in once again to say that if you have a fat character make them fat on the cover. I didn't even know that Mahalia was supposed to be fat until they were dress shopping and one of the sales quote mentioned Lane Bryant. Do you see how thin the character on the cover is? I got very frustrated with this book after that.
I have previously read Camryn Garrett's book full disclosure and I loved it so much and after seeing this cover I was intensely excited for the story but I just didn't love it. I think a lot of this fell down to the fact that I just disliked Siobhan. And it's kind of hard to enjoy a romance when you don't like the love interest. I thought that Siobhan was fairly problematic and I'm just never going to get behind a cheating storyline. I don't care if it's YA or adult romance, cheating is just not okay.
I really loved Mahalia even though she is very different for me and probably would have drove me nuts in high school with her attitude of "what could possibly go wrong" and "I'm only going to work as hard as I need to and not any more than that". I love the idea of a coming out party and finding ways to celebrate queerness. As all queer people know coming out is not something that you do once but an ongoing thing. I was just really excited for this party to celebrate queerness instead of a sweet 16.
I think my favorite character in this is actually Mahalia's best friend. Naomi was very similar to teenage Anna in that she's very level-headed and probably has been described as an old soul. She's also a little bit out of touch with what other people may be going through, especially in terms of money. I liked her and Mahalia's relationship where Mahalia would be a little bit outlandish and Naomi would bring her back down to earth.
As a whole I think that this book will be enjoyable for many people and it wasn't unenjoyable for me, I just didn't like Siobhan. It is one that I will recommend with caveats. I'm also definitely still annoyed that the character on the cover is very thin and the character in the book is supposed to be fat. Can you imagine how absolutely glorious this cover would be with a fat Black girl in a rainbow dress? Oh my god 🙌🏼 unfortunately we will never know 😭.
I have previously read Camryn Garrett's book full disclosure and I loved it so much and after seeing this cover I was intensely excited for the story but I just didn't love it. I think a lot of this fell down to the fact that I just disliked Siobhan. And it's kind of hard to enjoy a romance when you don't like the love interest. I thought that Siobhan was fairly problematic and I'm just never going to get behind a cheating storyline. I don't care if it's YA or adult romance, cheating is just not okay.
I really loved Mahalia even though she is very different for me and probably would have drove me nuts in high school with her attitude of "what could possibly go wrong" and "I'm only going to work as hard as I need to and not any more than that". I love the idea of a coming out party and finding ways to celebrate queerness. As all queer people know coming out is not something that you do once but an ongoing thing. I was just really excited for this party to celebrate queerness instead of a sweet 16.
I think my favorite character in this is actually Mahalia's best friend. Naomi was very similar to teenage Anna in that she's very level-headed and probably has been described as an old soul. She's also a little bit out of touch with what other people may be going through, especially in terms of money. I liked her and Mahalia's relationship where Mahalia would be a little bit outlandish and Naomi would bring her back down to earth.
As a whole I think that this book will be enjoyable for many people and it wasn't unenjoyable for me, I just didn't like Siobhan. It is one that I will recommend with caveats. I'm also definitely still annoyed that the character on the cover is very thin and the character in the book is supposed to be fat. Can you imagine how absolutely glorious this cover would be with a fat Black girl in a rainbow dress? Oh my god 🙌🏼 unfortunately we will never know 😭.
February 9, 2023
This was a really enjoyable queer YA coming of age story about friendship, family, money, coming out, and finding love. Mahalia’s mom always promised that she’d get to have a sweet sixteen party. But when the time came around money was too tight and there was no party. Even though her birthday has passed Mahalia has the idea to throw herself her own party, a coming out party to announce she’s bisexual. So she plans to save up a bunch of money, all while crushing on the new girl at school.
There’s a lot going on in this story, from Mahalia struggling to save up enough money when she has to help her mom with bills, her strained relationship with her dad, the fear of what her religious mom will think of her sexuality, upcoming SATs, racist teachers, feeling uncomfortable with how much more money her best friend Naomi has, and trying to figure out if Siobhan likes girls. However I never felt like the book was overstuffed.
I was hoping for a bit more to come from the last conversation she has with her dad in the book. Maybe it was the point for it to feel unfinished, but it felt like a plot thread that was still dangling without being fully wrapped up.
Overall this is a breezy YA contemporary that touches on some more serious themes without ever getting too dark.
There’s a lot going on in this story, from Mahalia struggling to save up enough money when she has to help her mom with bills, her strained relationship with her dad, the fear of what her religious mom will think of her sexuality, upcoming SATs, racist teachers, feeling uncomfortable with how much more money her best friend Naomi has, and trying to figure out if Siobhan likes girls. However I never felt like the book was overstuffed.
I was hoping for a bit more to come from the last conversation she has with her dad in the book. Maybe it was the point for it to feel unfinished, but it felt like a plot thread that was still dangling without being fully wrapped up.
Overall this is a breezy YA contemporary that touches on some more serious themes without ever getting too dark.
January 28, 2023
Now. What first drew me to this book was the cover, I am not going to lie to you. However, I am getting better at reading plots before picking up books and this one sounded fun and over the top, just how I like my YA queer contemporaries. I mean, a Coming Out Party? I want one for myself even if I am already out to almost everybody, pretty please.
Unfortunately, the execution wasn’t quite as good as I hoped it would be, and the book ended up disappointing me. I was so sad when I finished it and I had to go on Goodreads and Stroygraph to log my rating, since I hoped to give it at least 4 stars, if not a full 5.
I had several issues with Friday I’m in Love, the first one being the fact that the book was too short, and everything felt exceedingly rushed. I hate instalove, especially when the characters show no chemistry whatsoever, and this was the case with this book. I can understand insta physical attraction, but I cannot for the life of me comprehend how you can see a person for the first time and be like “I want to date them”. You don’t even know what they’re like! They may be horrible people, as far as you know, how can you want to date them?!
Moreover, I feel like we didn’t know any of the characters except for Mahalia, because she was so selfish and self-centered we barely had the chance to see what her friends and family are really like. And this leads me back to the book being short, because had we had a few more pages, not only could we have gotten a better development for our MC, we also could have gotten a bit more on Mahalia’s mom and her best friend Naomi.
Who, by the way, deserved way better. She was a really good friend to Mahalia, I think, and she did not deserve to be treated the way she was. She made some mistakes, especially when money was the issue at hand, but other than that she was always there for her best friend, who simply did not care. I hate when people fall head over heels for someone and forget all about the ones who have been there for them all along, it makes me sad. And some half assed ‘i’m sorrys’ at the end are not enough for me. #NaomiDeservedBetter.
Generally speaking, I did not like Mahalia. I understood where she came from and how frustrated she was by some things, but I found her growth almost non existent. And, as I was saying before, she had literally zero chemistry with Siobhan. Which is a problem when the romance is such a central theme in a book, you’ll agree with me.
Another problem with this book, once again linked to its brevity, is that the author tried to introduce a lot of different topics, ranging from family to money to racism to queerness and how everyone lives it differently and so on. However, every single one of them was treated in a very surface level way, and it made me feel disconnected to it all. Overall, it read like a first draft, more so than a finished and traditionally published novel, I would say.
Kudos to the author for making a reference to she who must not be named only to point out that she is transphobic and that you could read so many other books than hers like PJO. That was probably my favourite thing about this book, if I’m being honest.
So, in general this was a disappointing book. Maybe, if my expectations had been lower, I might have enjoyed it more. I’d still recommend it, if you don’t mind not liking the main character. I know some people don’t care about that, so I still think Friday I’m in Love could find its audience, especially if you haven’t read as many YA queer contemporaries as me.
Unfortunately, the execution wasn’t quite as good as I hoped it would be, and the book ended up disappointing me. I was so sad when I finished it and I had to go on Goodreads and Stroygraph to log my rating, since I hoped to give it at least 4 stars, if not a full 5.
I had several issues with Friday I’m in Love, the first one being the fact that the book was too short, and everything felt exceedingly rushed. I hate instalove, especially when the characters show no chemistry whatsoever, and this was the case with this book. I can understand insta physical attraction, but I cannot for the life of me comprehend how you can see a person for the first time and be like “I want to date them”. You don’t even know what they’re like! They may be horrible people, as far as you know, how can you want to date them?!
Moreover, I feel like we didn’t know any of the characters except for Mahalia, because she was so selfish and self-centered we barely had the chance to see what her friends and family are really like. And this leads me back to the book being short, because had we had a few more pages, not only could we have gotten a better development for our MC, we also could have gotten a bit more on Mahalia’s mom and her best friend Naomi.
Who, by the way, deserved way better. She was a really good friend to Mahalia, I think, and she did not deserve to be treated the way she was. She made some mistakes, especially when money was the issue at hand, but other than that she was always there for her best friend, who simply did not care. I hate when people fall head over heels for someone and forget all about the ones who have been there for them all along, it makes me sad. And some half assed ‘i’m sorrys’ at the end are not enough for me. #NaomiDeservedBetter.
Generally speaking, I did not like Mahalia. I understood where she came from and how frustrated she was by some things, but I found her growth almost non existent. And, as I was saying before, she had literally zero chemistry with Siobhan. Which is a problem when the romance is such a central theme in a book, you’ll agree with me.
Another problem with this book, once again linked to its brevity, is that the author tried to introduce a lot of different topics, ranging from family to money to racism to queerness and how everyone lives it differently and so on. However, every single one of them was treated in a very surface level way, and it made me feel disconnected to it all. Overall, it read like a first draft, more so than a finished and traditionally published novel, I would say.
Kudos to the author for making a reference to she who must not be named only to point out that she is transphobic and that you could read so many other books than hers like PJO. That was probably my favourite thing about this book, if I’m being honest.
So, in general this was a disappointing book. Maybe, if my expectations had been lower, I might have enjoyed it more. I’d still recommend it, if you don’t mind not liking the main character. I know some people don’t care about that, so I still think Friday I’m in Love could find its audience, especially if you haven’t read as many YA queer contemporaries as me.
September 16, 2022
Content warnings: Racism, homophobia, coming out themes (sort of a main plot point? No 'agonising' over it, it's just the MC wants a coming out party, which is the whole plot of the book), parental issues (dad left for a new family), n word used (context: the class is reading Huckleberry Finn and the MC says how the white boys, specifically, get a sick pleasure from being able to say the word. There is a good narrative from the MC on why she thinks it should be brought up to discuss in class, too.
Rep: Black MC. Both bisexual and pansexual is used to describe her. Black love interest, who also uses bisexual for herself.
Overall, it was really lovely and cheesy. Sometimes we just need a cheesy book. It reads quite young to me, but I thought it fit the book really well.
I totally think that coming out parties should be a thing for queer people! I love this idea, and I love Mahalia's determination to have one.
The romance was cute, and I adored that, too. This review is not my best, I apologise.
Bookish links: Instagram / Twitter / TikTok / Blog
Rep: Black MC. Both bisexual and pansexual is used to describe her. Black love interest, who also uses bisexual for herself.
Overall, it was really lovely and cheesy. Sometimes we just need a cheesy book. It reads quite young to me, but I thought it fit the book really well.
I totally think that coming out parties should be a thing for queer people! I love this idea, and I love Mahalia's determination to have one.
The romance was cute, and I adored that, too. This review is not my best, I apologise.
Bookish links: Instagram / Twitter / TikTok / Blog
January 31, 2023
thank you to netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review! this novel follows mahalia as she saves for a coming out party in lieu of a sweet sixteen. i really liked the nuanced descriptions of queerness and discussions of poverty/class throughout the book. it was also a really fast read. however, where it fell flat was that some conflicts were resolved a little too fast and the writing style was a bit juvenile for my tastes. overall this is a fun, quick read that is unapologetically queer and i'd recommend it if you're looking for something light yet emotional.
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March 10, 2023
Awww this was so cute!
January 12, 2023
3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
If you love cheesy books, I think you'll really like this! For me it was a little too cheesy, and read a bit too young, but I can totally see it working for other people. I just felt annoyed by the main character a lot of the time - she struck me as pretty self-centred, and it frustrated me, but at the same time I get it, because she's only 16 and she's dealing with a tough money situation at home. The romance is really sweet and heartfelt, and I also thought the friendship Mahalia had with her best friend was great as well. I think my issue was that I loved the author's previous work, Off the Record, so much, that I was expecting to love this one as much too and I'm just left a bit disappointed.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
If you love cheesy books, I think you'll really like this! For me it was a little too cheesy, and read a bit too young, but I can totally see it working for other people. I just felt annoyed by the main character a lot of the time - she struck me as pretty self-centred, and it frustrated me, but at the same time I get it, because she's only 16 and she's dealing with a tough money situation at home. The romance is really sweet and heartfelt, and I also thought the friendship Mahalia had with her best friend was great as well. I think my issue was that I loved the author's previous work, Off the Record, so much, that I was expecting to love this one as much too and I'm just left a bit disappointed.
March 14, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up
April 2, 2023
This was so cute and sweet! I loved the romance in this one and it was just a great coming-of-age and coming out story. I really felt for Mahalia in some of the tough moments with her mom, dad and friends. I think the conflicts were navigated well and the actions/reactions of characters felt realistic.
Mahalia and Siobhan were adorable. They made such a cute couple and it was nice to see them each learn more about themselves as individuals as they grew closer together.
This was a fun read and the representation it has is so important.
Mahalia and Siobhan were adorable. They made such a cute couple and it was nice to see them each learn more about themselves as individuals as they grew closer together.
This was a fun read and the representation it has is so important.
Read
July 7, 2022Pitch perfect, super adorable, and truly peak Camryn - I really loved this book.
July 1, 2025
Actual Rating:
2.5✰
This was just not for me.
I know that this is considered a young adult book, and I usually prefer young adult books to adult or even new adult, but this just felt so immature. I don’t know if it was because of all of the pop culture references, which I am not a fan of in books. One or two is okay, but for every page to be filled with reference after reference, is just a no for me.
And then there is Mahalia’s character.
This girl is supposed to be just a little bit over sixteen-years-old and she acts like she’s twelve. Literally in the first chapter she comments on how bratty she is. And being bratty is one thing, it’s a whole nother thing to just be a brat at that age. Especially with all that her mom is going through, being a single mother living in a shitty ass apartment while they both share a car to drive to school and work and while also dealing with medical problems on the side. Giirrlll, if you don’t stop acting like a damn fool. . .
And then the whole romance between Malhalia and Siobhan just seemed so unrealistic. Like, there’s this new girl that just moved overseas from Dublin, Ireland and is already the school’s most popular jock’s girlfriend. Sure, I couldn’t blame Malhalia for having a crush on the girl, but it just seemed so creepy to “want” after her when a) SHE ALREADY HAS A BOYFRIEND, and b) YOU DON’T KNOW IF SHE IS QUEER.
And then, oh my goodness. And then. . . Siobhan just decides to kiss Malhalia and break up with her boyfriend for “no apparent reason” other than she really likes Malhalia.
Lastly, is it too hard to just ask for some good bi/pan representation these days?
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆
𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬
✰ 2.5 ✰ Listen. I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t like it. I got through it, but still just a meh book.
━━━━━━━━━━☽✰☾━━━━━━━━━━
2.5✰
This was just not for me.
I know that this is considered a young adult book, and I usually prefer young adult books to adult or even new adult, but this just felt so immature. I don’t know if it was because of all of the pop culture references, which I am not a fan of in books. One or two is okay, but for every page to be filled with reference after reference, is just a no for me.
And then there is Mahalia’s character.
Mahalia Harris wants.
She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend Naomi.
She wants the super cute new girl Siobhan to like her back.
She wants a break from worrying--about money, snide remarks from white classmates, pitying looks from church ladies . . . all of it.
This girl is supposed to be just a little bit over sixteen-years-old and she acts like she’s twelve. Literally in the first chapter she comments on how bratty she is. And being bratty is one thing, it’s a whole nother thing to just be a brat at that age. Especially with all that her mom is going through, being a single mother living in a shitty ass apartment while they both share a car to drive to school and work and while also dealing with medical problems on the side. Giirrlll, if you don’t stop acting like a damn fool. . .
And then the whole romance between Malhalia and Siobhan just seemed so unrealistic. Like, there’s this new girl that just moved overseas from Dublin, Ireland and is already the school’s most popular jock’s girlfriend. Sure, I couldn’t blame Malhalia for having a crush on the girl, but it just seemed so creepy to “want” after her when a) SHE ALREADY HAS A BOYFRIEND, and b) YOU DON’T KNOW IF SHE IS QUEER.
And then, oh my goodness. And then. . . Siobhan just decides to kiss Malhalia and break up with her boyfriend for “no apparent reason” other than she really likes Malhalia.
Lastly, is it too hard to just ask for some good bi/pan representation these days?
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆
𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬
✰ 2.5 ✰ Listen. I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t like it. I got through it, but still just a meh book.
━━━━━━━━━━☽✰☾━━━━━━━━━━
February 10, 2023
Camryn Garrett’s books always have such a warmth to them. I love reading them knowing how much care she put into these delicate topics. I think sapphic romance needs to be more prominent in YA and I love supporting books like these. Mahalia and Siobhan were really cutesy and I adored the declaration of love at the end. At first I did think Siobhan was playing Mahalia but then I realized they’re still kids and she probably didn’t know how to handle her queer awakening. I loved how the Danny situation was handled and how they almost didn’t give him the time of day. Reading about two Black queer girls being in love and having a community around them that was so accepting and supportive was very touching. Also I just realized I finished this book on Friday :)
June 26, 2023
it's so hard to find books with black queer love that any time I do come across one my heart just melts. this is not really the type of book that I like, it felt a bit juvenile to me, but it's the same with any YA romance, just because the whole teen drama annoys me a little. I feel like I would've loved this when I was a pre teen/teenager myself, when I was still struggling with being black and queer. this is the kind of representation I always wanted to see while growing up and it makes me happy to see that kids these days can read books like these and feel seen and understood. cute book!
July 1, 2024
Friday I'm in love is the first Camryn Garrett book I have read. I enjoyed reading the book. Looking forward to reading more of Camryn's books.
July 6, 2024
This was really cute and cheesy, it felt a bit too young for me and I didnt really love the main character sometimes (I get it she’s 16 and growing up but she felt a little self-centered sometimes) but I did love all the pop culture references and mentions of queer artists and movies!
December 31, 2022
Thank you to Underlined and Netgalley for an e arc of this book.
Okay first of all, I love this cover so much! But I'm so sad the girl on the cover isn't midsize like Mahalia is because that would make it absolutely perfect!!!
Mahalia never got to have a sweet sixteen party because there wasn't enough money, but her friend Naomi helps her cook.up a scheme for an even better party-- and a way to come out to everyone who matters all at once.
I love the premise of this book. Throwing yourself a coming out party to tell everyone how gay (bi) you are? Perfect. And Mahalia has to work to save up the money for it. There is also a side plot with her falling for the new girl, Siobhan, who has a boyfriend. Their relationship was cute and messy and I loved the way it wrapped up.
I also really liked Mahalia's relationship with her parents. I felt like it was a good mix of not super heartbreaking but also realistic if that makes sense? Like sometimes books have the perfect parent child relationships and I just don't find them believable. And other times they are believable but so sad. This had lots of ups and downs and I loved how things happened with her mom.
It was a little hard for me to understand why Mahalia was so set on having such an expensive party? Like I get the party, wanting it to be fun and and awesome, but her budget was literally the price of my wedding! That dress though...worth $300!
CW: homophobia, Biphobia, racism, surgery
Okay first of all, I love this cover so much! But I'm so sad the girl on the cover isn't midsize like Mahalia is because that would make it absolutely perfect!!!
Mahalia never got to have a sweet sixteen party because there wasn't enough money, but her friend Naomi helps her cook.up a scheme for an even better party-- and a way to come out to everyone who matters all at once.
I love the premise of this book. Throwing yourself a coming out party to tell everyone how gay (bi) you are? Perfect. And Mahalia has to work to save up the money for it. There is also a side plot with her falling for the new girl, Siobhan, who has a boyfriend. Their relationship was cute and messy and I loved the way it wrapped up.
I also really liked Mahalia's relationship with her parents. I felt like it was a good mix of not super heartbreaking but also realistic if that makes sense? Like sometimes books have the perfect parent child relationships and I just don't find them believable. And other times they are believable but so sad. This had lots of ups and downs and I loved how things happened with her mom.
It was a little hard for me to understand why Mahalia was so set on having such an expensive party? Like I get the party, wanting it to be fun and and awesome, but her budget was literally the price of my wedding! That dress though...worth $300!
CW: homophobia, Biphobia, racism, surgery
July 29, 2022
A can't-put-it-down contemporary romance about a black teen who just wants to celebrate growing up and being queer. A Sapphic romcom & non-stop celebration of black joy and queer love.
Mahalia always wanted a sweet sixteen, but she doesn't often get what she wants. She'd love it if her dad hadn't started a new family and seemingly forgot about her. She'd would like for her mom to have a better job, because then she wouldn't have to work so much and so hard. And it would also be nice if Mahalia didn't have to pay her own phone bill and buy gas and chip in on other bills. Despite all the things Mahalia doesn't have, she has hope, a love of romantic comedies, classic music, and an ability to keep her head and heart dreaming, while staying rooted in reality.
Mahalia decides to make the most of her missed sweet sixteen. She'll chart her own path and have a Coming Out Party. She'll finally have her big shindig AND she'll have the most perfect rainbow dress AND she'll come out to her mom. As Mahalia starts planning, she's distracted by new student Siobhan. Too bad she's dating a casual racist guy. Despite thinking she doesn't have a chance, Mahalia goes for it. Will Mahalia finally get what she wants? The party, the dress, the girl, and the happy ending? Once you pick up Friday I'm in Love, you won't be able to put it down until you find out.
Mahalia always wanted a sweet sixteen, but she doesn't often get what she wants. She'd love it if her dad hadn't started a new family and seemingly forgot about her. She'd would like for her mom to have a better job, because then she wouldn't have to work so much and so hard. And it would also be nice if Mahalia didn't have to pay her own phone bill and buy gas and chip in on other bills. Despite all the things Mahalia doesn't have, she has hope, a love of romantic comedies, classic music, and an ability to keep her head and heart dreaming, while staying rooted in reality.
Mahalia decides to make the most of her missed sweet sixteen. She'll chart her own path and have a Coming Out Party. She'll finally have her big shindig AND she'll have the most perfect rainbow dress AND she'll come out to her mom. As Mahalia starts planning, she's distracted by new student Siobhan. Too bad she's dating a casual racist guy. Despite thinking she doesn't have a chance, Mahalia goes for it. Will Mahalia finally get what she wants? The party, the dress, the girl, and the happy ending? Once you pick up Friday I'm in Love, you won't be able to put it down until you find out.
February 12, 2024
My teenage self related to Mahalia so much. I cried at the one scene with her dad. The pain of having absent parents growing up never truly goes away. I loved her journey and how she stayed true to herself no matter what. And although it was a coming out story, I loved her attitude towards her sexuality. That she didn’t “have” to come out but she was so excited to announce this part of herself she wanted to throw an entire party for it. What a refreshing take on a typically so harrowing “trope”. This boom took me on an emotional rollercoaster but I highly recommend if you’re looking for something to cry and smile at in the same chapter. Plus Mahalia is probably one of my favorite YA characters ever.
January 13, 2023
love this concept, rtc
February 6, 2023
3.5* rounded up
July 3, 2023
When it comes to queer fiction, especially queer YA, it is becoming trendy for reviewers—myself included—to say that we need to move beyond coming-out stories. We need stories about young queer people who are already openly, joyously queer. This is true. However, with Friday I’m in Love Camryn Garrett demonstrates why a coming-out story is still viable and valuable.
Mahalia Harris didn’t get a Sweet Sixteen—her mother couldn’t afford it. A year later, she decides to throw herself an alternative: a coming-out party. Her plans are complicated by two factors: first, Mahalia doesn’t have much money herself; second, she is crushing hard on the new girl in school, Siobhan, who also happens to have a boyfriend. Oops. Mahalia puts a plan into motion that, if successful, would see her coming out to family and friends by the end of the summer. But, as usual, life finds a way to get in the way.
Ever since I first read Full Disclosure , Garrett has been one of my must-buy authors. I love the layers she gives her stories. On one hand, Friday I’m in Love is a romance. It’s Mahalia crushing on and attempting to woo Siobhan, and it is every but as cute and dorky as it sounds (there are playlists involved!). Yet Mahalia has her flaws—she is a teenager after all—and can hurt those around her, like her best friend, Naomi, or her mom, while focused exclusively on her party. This is as much a story about existing in community as it is about individual drive, passion, or love.
Along the same lines, I love that even though this book is about coming out, Mahalia herself is very clear on her sexuality (and Naomi is along on the ride with her). Again, there is still a valuable place for books about protagonists who are questioning and discovering their sexuality. But I love that Mahalia is confident and clear: she likes girls, and right now she likes Siobhan in particular. As I often remark, I’m not the right reader to discuss how good the romance tropes are! Nevertheless, I enjoyed the romance in this book and would actively recommend it to my more romantically inclined friends for their reading lists.
Each chapter has a banner at the top that displays any recent transactions and then Mahalia’s bank account balance. This is a very overt reminder of how perilous Mahalia and her mother’s financial situations are: even as money comes in to Mahalia’s account from paydays, it goes out again just as easily. Naomi, her family more privileged, acts as Mahalia’s foil in this regard. Through her, Garrett demonstrates how even just a little more money—and more security of capital—can set someone apart. Naomi works at the grocery store just like Mahalia, but she doesn’t have the same constant existential concerns around finances that Mahalia has. And this tension, latent in their friendship, manifests more strongly both because of issues with Mahalia’s mother and because of Mahalia’s focus on pulling off her party.
Garrett puts a lot of emphasis on the value of friendship, which I also appreciate. As Mahalia began brushing off Naomi’s attempts to talk about her issues, I smiled to myself, knowing this would led to conflict—perhaps even a blowout—down the line. I love how Garrett walks the line of creating a protagonist who, while very likeable, also needs to be held accountable by others.
This is also evident in Mahalia’s complex relationship with her mom. Like so many families where money is an ever-present anxiety, Mahalia’s mother tries her best to shield her daughter from that anxiety while also instilling a sense of fiscal respect and responsibility. When setbacks, racism, and ableism affect Mahalia’s mom’s income, Mahalia unfortunately has to step up. This puts a strain on their relationship in a way that some readers, including myself, have the privilege of never knowing.
I could go on about all the other relationships in this book, particularly Mahalia and her dad. But what it boils down to is this: Garrett has created a story that is very slice-of-life. It’s as colourful as its cover. I love the ending, love the way Garrett balanced romance and reality. It was a perfect read for Pride month, but it is also a perfect read any time.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
Mahalia Harris didn’t get a Sweet Sixteen—her mother couldn’t afford it. A year later, she decides to throw herself an alternative: a coming-out party. Her plans are complicated by two factors: first, Mahalia doesn’t have much money herself; second, she is crushing hard on the new girl in school, Siobhan, who also happens to have a boyfriend. Oops. Mahalia puts a plan into motion that, if successful, would see her coming out to family and friends by the end of the summer. But, as usual, life finds a way to get in the way.
Ever since I first read Full Disclosure , Garrett has been one of my must-buy authors. I love the layers she gives her stories. On one hand, Friday I’m in Love is a romance. It’s Mahalia crushing on and attempting to woo Siobhan, and it is every but as cute and dorky as it sounds (there are playlists involved!). Yet Mahalia has her flaws—she is a teenager after all—and can hurt those around her, like her best friend, Naomi, or her mom, while focused exclusively on her party. This is as much a story about existing in community as it is about individual drive, passion, or love.
Along the same lines, I love that even though this book is about coming out, Mahalia herself is very clear on her sexuality (and Naomi is along on the ride with her). Again, there is still a valuable place for books about protagonists who are questioning and discovering their sexuality. But I love that Mahalia is confident and clear: she likes girls, and right now she likes Siobhan in particular. As I often remark, I’m not the right reader to discuss how good the romance tropes are! Nevertheless, I enjoyed the romance in this book and would actively recommend it to my more romantically inclined friends for their reading lists.
Each chapter has a banner at the top that displays any recent transactions and then Mahalia’s bank account balance. This is a very overt reminder of how perilous Mahalia and her mother’s financial situations are: even as money comes in to Mahalia’s account from paydays, it goes out again just as easily. Naomi, her family more privileged, acts as Mahalia’s foil in this regard. Through her, Garrett demonstrates how even just a little more money—and more security of capital—can set someone apart. Naomi works at the grocery store just like Mahalia, but she doesn’t have the same constant existential concerns around finances that Mahalia has. And this tension, latent in their friendship, manifests more strongly both because of issues with Mahalia’s mother and because of Mahalia’s focus on pulling off her party.
Garrett puts a lot of emphasis on the value of friendship, which I also appreciate. As Mahalia began brushing off Naomi’s attempts to talk about her issues, I smiled to myself, knowing this would led to conflict—perhaps even a blowout—down the line. I love how Garrett walks the line of creating a protagonist who, while very likeable, also needs to be held accountable by others.
This is also evident in Mahalia’s complex relationship with her mom. Like so many families where money is an ever-present anxiety, Mahalia’s mother tries her best to shield her daughter from that anxiety while also instilling a sense of fiscal respect and responsibility. When setbacks, racism, and ableism affect Mahalia’s mom’s income, Mahalia unfortunately has to step up. This puts a strain on their relationship in a way that some readers, including myself, have the privilege of never knowing.
I could go on about all the other relationships in this book, particularly Mahalia and her dad. But what it boils down to is this: Garrett has created a story that is very slice-of-life. It’s as colourful as its cover. I love the ending, love the way Garrett balanced romance and reality. It was a perfect read for Pride month, but it is also a perfect read any time.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
March 9, 2024
2.75 ⭐️
Spunky, fluffy, fast paced
Mahalia dreams of having a coming out party full of rainbows, friends, and support. But in between navigating a new crush, SAT prep, and family life, she’s having trouble raising the money she needs to make it happen.
Ok umm this was alright. I didn’t like Mahalia and I didn’t care about her relationship at all. She was often self centered and irrational. The writing felt a bit disorganized as well because there wasn’t always a clear plot line. At the end, I felt as though some of the subplots were pointless. Although it touched on some important topics too, the whole book came off as having a surface level impact.
All that being said, I didn’t hate reading it. It was fluffy, cute, and had heartwarming moments. If you are looking for a fast and easy romcom, then you might like this!
Spunky, fluffy, fast paced
Mahalia dreams of having a coming out party full of rainbows, friends, and support. But in between navigating a new crush, SAT prep, and family life, she’s having trouble raising the money she needs to make it happen.
Ok umm this was alright. I didn’t like Mahalia and I didn’t care about her relationship at all. She was often self centered and irrational. The writing felt a bit disorganized as well because there wasn’t always a clear plot line. At the end, I felt as though some of the subplots were pointless. Although it touched on some important topics too, the whole book came off as having a surface level impact.
All that being said, I didn’t hate reading it. It was fluffy, cute, and had heartwarming moments. If you are looking for a fast and easy romcom, then you might like this!
April 6, 2023
Cute read, it felt a little rushed in some parts but I think for the type of book it is, it makes sense.
It made me laugh & cry (parts where difficult parent dynamics are explored) but otherwise a fast good read that I desperately needed while still finishing Stone Butch Blues 😭
It made me laugh & cry (parts where difficult parent dynamics are explored) but otherwise a fast good read that I desperately needed while still finishing Stone Butch Blues 😭
January 22, 2023
Thank you Penguin Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Saccharinely sweet and beautifully queer, Friday I’m in Love follows sixteen year old Mahalia as she saves up for her coming out party while falling in love with the new girl at school. I loved how Garrett honestly depicted the highs and lows of the Black queer girl experience, from the development of Mahalia and Siobhan’s homoerotic friendship into a romance to navigating queerness in homophobic spaces. The depiction of life just above the poverty line, too poor to be considered middle class but not poor enough to qualify for benefits, felt incredibly accurate and resonated with me as a reader. Mahalia’s struggles, with her racial and sexual identity, financial stability, academic career, family, and friends were written with such a realistic wit that it’s hard not to relate to her. Despite the hardships Mahalia endured throughout the novel, the story remained lighthearted and fun from beginning to end. A little cheesy at times, but a good read overall!
Saccharinely sweet and beautifully queer, Friday I’m in Love follows sixteen year old Mahalia as she saves up for her coming out party while falling in love with the new girl at school. I loved how Garrett honestly depicted the highs and lows of the Black queer girl experience, from the development of Mahalia and Siobhan’s homoerotic friendship into a romance to navigating queerness in homophobic spaces. The depiction of life just above the poverty line, too poor to be considered middle class but not poor enough to qualify for benefits, felt incredibly accurate and resonated with me as a reader. Mahalia’s struggles, with her racial and sexual identity, financial stability, academic career, family, and friends were written with such a realistic wit that it’s hard not to relate to her. Despite the hardships Mahalia endured throughout the novel, the story remained lighthearted and fun from beginning to end. A little cheesy at times, but a good read overall!
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