I Love You Just the Way You Are

by Riley Rian

Kellan, star quarterback and secret manga artist, has fallen hard for Maddie, a trans-girl and Twitch streamer. They’ve gone to school together for years, but Kellan never noticed her until she started presenting as her authentic self. Now she’s all he can think about, even as the rest of his world is crumbling.

But she’s terrified that he’s deluded, not seeing her for who she really is. Will she take a chance and let him in? Will they be able to overcome a cruel society that would rather erase Maddie than accept her? Or will Kellan walk away when the pressure becomes too much?

Written by #OwnVoices transgender author Riley Rian, “I Love You Just the Way You Are” is a timely coming-of-age novel about opening your heart and discovering the power and magic of love.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, LGBT, Contemporary, Coming Of Age

402 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 20, 2022

Reviews

[Cece ❀Rants, Raves &Reviews❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I was provided with an ARC for an honest review.**

This book took me a long time to begin. A long time to finish. And an even longer time to process…. But d@mn was it worth it.



If I had to describe it in one sentence then Id say: its a cliche cutesy high school romance where the quarterback falls in love with his transgender girlfriend.

But if that alone isnt making you click the ‘want to read button’, there is so much more… almost 500 pages worth of it actually

The Characters

Maddie is a transgender woman twin total goth nerd who has fully accepted herself and wont let the sh¿& of high school ruin it for her



Honestly she had the cutest POV that I enjoyed reading the most just from all her inner thoughts

“That was me on my bed. What had started as anger and sadness about a rough day morphed into full blown dysphoric meltdown.”



I felt validated and enthralled and giddy all at the same time. Being able to point and say HERE !! SEE THIS !! THIS IS WHAT RUNS THROUGH MY BRAIN

Then was Kallen the star quarterback… with a horrible homelife

Okay heres where Imma put some Trigger Warnings: Parental abuse, alcoholism, and generally rough home life all occur.

Whereas some gay romances get ripped on for being too real or too hallmark (f.;% off, i like my gay hallmarks)



This book definitely rode a fine line of showing realistic hard situations for teens these days with hope threaded throughout the plot. The contrast between father figures of Jack, Hugh and Baker forced me to set down the book for much needed breathing exercises. It was just so real and much needed to be portrayed so people know they arent alone, but also readers need to know what you are getting into when starting the book.

And yeah there were some secondary characters with Ty, Charlotte, Katie, Jasmine, and Mark. Unfortunately, they really flatlined for me to the point of skipping around to just get to the good parts with Maddie and Kellan. But another factor of that couldve been the…

Writing Style

Definitely heavy in the purple prose. There was great descriptions, background info, and heavy internal dialogue. Potentially more internal dialogue than actual dialogue back and forth between characters. A strong writing style in itself but not my favorite as it makes a 500 page book feel longer.

But when its full of sentences like…

“But I do care. Shes been my world for two months. I cant just snap my fingers and let her go.”

Then ya keep going. Also there were some other writing style choices with messaging and tik tok referenced and streaming. If ya like it then good on ya.

Back to the cuteness…

From mario kart, fear of acceptance, betting a kiss, and trust — this book covered a lotta queer highschool bases that kept you reading.

I think my biggest critique… Maddie is very emotional. Like i thought i knew emotion but man… When the foreshadowing fight was coming, I was still SHOOK by the consequences of the fight.



I dunno. To me, it felt disportionate. Yes get angry and you fight and you need space and you fight more and you set boundaries.

But the idea of the sudden cold shoulder, closing the door, refusing to talk…

Maybe my own issues got in there but just someone suddenly turning their back on someone else, man i was devastated reading it happen.

Good intentions or not, im not excusing eithers actions, just saying that is hard to read.

Trans sex. Amazing.



She made him go vegan



And the general cute moments that kept me going…

“And look, Im not going to lie, you’re sexy as anything the way you are now. But if you want to change your style or whatever, thats not going to change my feelings for you. Youre allowed to evolve and grow… as long as youre being true to yourself. The only thing youre not allowed to change is your youre feelings toward me. Thats off limits”
“Youre messing up my eyeliner, you big cute jerk.”

So while I acknowledge people’s critique of this book doing too much or not enough — I think we need MORE queer, romance, identity books, instead of bashing on this book for not doing it all within its pages.

Overall. Wow. That book was a cute amazing story and I’m so glad I read it! I see the writer’s potential and i hope they continue to grow and write these stories that need telling!

[C.E. Clayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I Love You Just the Way You Are” is the story of transformation. Of the main characters coming into their own and living their most authentic selves, and none more so than Maddie, a trans girl who braves going back to high school presenting as female when, just a year ago, she was still closeted. Maddie is incredibly brave, but she also has an amazing support system in her parents and her twin sister, making sure she is safe and able to live her truth. And then there’s Kellan, the star quarterback who has a truly horrendous home situation, but is incredibly popular and can sleep with any woman he wants in a love-them-and-leave-them fashion, until he sees Maddie working in a local café over the summer. He’s immediately smitten by this metalhead with her manga hair, and will not take no for an answer when she spurns his advances. Because while Kellan may not remember Maddie from before she came out, Maddie certainly remembers Kellan! While I loved that Kellan was so instantly attracted to Maddie and desperate to be with her or be her friend, his obsessiveness could be a bit… much at times.

This story takes place when the characters are juniors, or there abouts, in high school, so I do expect them to do things that are annoying or silly at times just because I, an adult, “know better”. But Kellan is told multiple times to leave Maddie alone by Maddie herself and he just won’t. It’s supposed to be “ok” because she secretly has always liked him too and is only pushing him away because she’s scared he doesn’t truly like her for who she is, but even so. The intensity with which Kellan fawns over her and tries to get to know her can be a bit stalkerish at times, which did make some of those scenes uncomfortable, as they are far too common for young women, which isn’t ok. Kellan does turn into a wonderful ally and he is a gentle and loving kid, even if he can be so obsessed with Maddie that she practically becomes his whole personality for chunks of the story. But I guess that’s just the intensity of young love for you?

Watching Maddie thrive as her authentic self is the highlight of this book. How she lives her life without shame and without hiding despite the bullying she faces is inspiring. She speaks candidly about what she went through, including her self-harm and attempts at suicide, both accidental and intentional. Then you have Kellan’s parents who are both alcoholics and have a tendency to abuse their son. So, if those topics are sensitive areas for you, just be forewarned. None of the self-harm happens in the present with which this story takes place, but Maddie and her family do discuss what happened to her “off page”, if you will, and you do see instances of how awful Kellan’s parents are to him. Maddie is an emotional girl, understandably, so she occasionally has outbursts that I thought were way over the top given the situation, and sometimes she’s a bit tyrannical when it comes to her veganism, but to each their own.

All in all, this was a sweet story and I love that it’s told by an own voices author! The themes this book covers are so important and vital for young kids who are discovering who they are and what they do and don’t like, in and out of a relationship and when it comes to their own bodies, too. Seeing a loving relationship with a trans woman and a, formally, cis male, was refreshing, especially as the author shows both the emotional and physical side of that relationship, and what that means for Maddie on her journey of self-love and acceptance. If it weren’t for some instances with Kellan and his complete obsession with Maddie, this book would get a higher rating from me, but as is, I’m giving it 4 stars and do recommend it to anyone interested in getting more in tune with the trans community or anyone who wants more stories around gender and sexual orientation but with a HEA. And thanks to the author and a Novel Cause for sending me a copy for an honest review!

[Julie (Bookshelf Adventures) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely struggled with this novel. I love the idea behind it – trans-girl learning to be herself; add in a bit of romance and what’s not to like?

The actual execution of the book left something to be desired.

I couldn’t bring myself to care about he characters. Maddie sees the world in black and white, despite being trans and living in the grey-area. She is quick to judge and very slow to forgive. Kellan is the typical jock with a bad home life. The reader is encouraged to see behind the popular image to the caring man inside. What I got was a boy who lives by making excuses for most everything.

I didn’t understand the love story that was presented in this novel. Kellan goes from dating every girl in school to being completely obsessed with Maddie. I understand being interested in the “new girl” but his level of obsession went a bit overboard and almost into the stalking territory. Maddie is understandably leary of trusting Kellan right away based on his reputation. Unfortunately she changes her mind due to everyone in her life rooting for Kellan and their supposed relationship. I feel like the romance was super forced and unrealistic.

I loved that Maddie as a trans-girl was the main character in this novel. there isn’t enough #ownvoices authors and stories in the world right now. Society needs these coming out tales to understand all the greys that life encompasses. I feel like her struggles with her identity and new way of living, especially during high school were very well written and true to life. It takes great courage to truly be yourself, despite the potential consequences.

This book just seemed to miss the mark of a great novel when bringing high school romance into the overall picture.

I received this novel for free from the publisher and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

[Evren (Nonbinary Knight Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Please check the content warnings for this book before reading. Protect yourself.

Have you ever read something and struggled to figure out exactly what your feelings about the book are? That's where I currently am about this book. I finished it two days ago but I still find myself thinking about this book and trying to center my thoughts.

I really enjoyed these characters. Maddie's chapters were sometimes tough to read. I didn't come out until I was in late college, so reading about the struggles that Maddie went through in high school was painful. I don't think I could have done what Maddie did. Kellan was an interesting character. He's got a good heart even if it takes him a bit to find it. I didn't always love him as a character, but once he found his heart he was very easy to like. I did wish there had been more between him and Ty before the ending of the book, but altogether I felt his story was built up quite well especially with his family. Maybe a bit rushed at times, but it worked for me.

I thought the pacing of this book was pretty good. Kellan was almost immediately drawn to Maddie but it wasn't insta-love and it did involve soul-searching on the part of the jock. There was build-up to fights and arguments and dates, nothing felt like it just came out of nowhere. I do wish we had been able to see some of the six weeks of them dating that was skipped over, but the book did work without it. There was one scene in particular that I wish had been in the book (Maddie streaming on Kellan's lap), but that's just because I thought it would be cute.

I enjoyed 90-95% of this book. There was only one part that I didn't really enjoy and that was just because I thought it was slightly overdone. I understand the anger in the moment, but it did feel a bit too much. Thankfully it was also called out by other people and it didn't go on for too long, but it was the one time that I didn't like Maddie.

I'll admit that at times this book reads like a self-published/fanfiction type of story. It's not perfectly written and there are improvements that could be made. That's part of why I struggled to come up with a rating for this book. My mind thinks that it should be lower but my heart thinks it's fine. Even when I thought the insta-love was too much or the author slipped into `show don't tell', I still really enjoyed the book. I guess that's the fun part of writing my own reviews. No one else needs to approve. I enjoyed this book, so it gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I enjoyed this book more than I had originally expected to. I found myself drawn into the story and the lives of Maddie and Kellan. I found myself wanting to know more about the side characters like Ty or Destiny or Charlotte. I like them, I'm invested!

[CallahansBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A star quarterback’s infatuation with a trans girl opens him up to ridicule at the proverbial lunch table: a pittance of punishment compared to what he endures at home, a domestic tinderbox that no kid deserves.

Years ago an interracial courtship would’ve done the same.

The girl is Maddie. She finds a safe space on her Twitch stream, instead of pouring her heart into a diary.

The world’s appetite for perpetual change is bottomless, but high school still sucks.

Where there’s individuality there is bigotry, and Maddie is faced with more than her share. But she’s outspoken, creative, busy. Given the emotional calisthenics required to live openly as her true self, Maddie seems to be doing pretty well.

Kellan — the popular jock — is also profoundly challenged to find his true north. Trapped in a prison of social expectations, he quietly loves Manga but reflexively hides his artistic talent. His feelings for Maddie won’t be so easy to conceal.

I LOVE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE is an ambitious work of middle grade fiction with a message far more nuanced and realistic than a simple call for tolerance.

Two vulnerable kids try to find their place at an age where their world is maddeningly limited. They are emotional, occasionally incompetent versions of their future polished selves. Teens, if you like.

Overcome by an unfamiliar love jones, Kellan initially comes on *way* too strong.

Conversely, Maddie is viperous in swatting aside his genuine efforts to know her. And why shouldn’t she? There’s no world where a guy like him could love her just the way she is.

But maybe the world is changing. Even though high school definitely still sucks.

[Katriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wished I liked this more than I did. I don't know if it was the writing style of the author or just me but there was some sort of disconnect. I felt for Maddie, I really did, but I had a really hard time liking her character. She hated when people judged her but she was so quick to judge others. I liked Kellan, he was so sweet! He just wanted to impress Maddie and be there for her, even when he kept getting shut down he kept trying.

I thought this was a good young adult book about a transgender person finding their happiness. In my opinion I thought there was good representation of the hardships Maddie had to go through, so that aspect was very well written. You could tell the author took the topic matters very seriously. Now as the description says there is an intimate scene between the two characters but it isn't a big scene for those of you who prefer not to read those types of moments.

Overall I thought that this book was good, just wasn't for me.

I recommend this book who wants to read a young adult love story about two people who just wants to find love and acceptance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marie (IfCatsCouldRead) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kellan, star quarterback and secret manga artist, has fallen hard for Maddie, a trans-girl and Twitch streamer. They’ve gone to school together for years, but Kellan never noticed her until she started presenting as her authentic self. Now she’s all he can think about, even as the rest of his world is crumbling.

But she’s terrified that he’s deluded, not seeing her for who she really is. Will she take a chance and let him in? Will they be able to overcome a cruel society that would rather erase Maddie than accept her? Or will Kellan walk away when the pressure becomes too much?

Written by #OwnVoices transgender author Riley Rian, “I Love You Just the Way You Are” is a timely coming-of-age novel about opening your heart and discovering the power and magic of love.

I love Riley's writing style and being able to picture the coffee shop Maddie works at. The emotions are up and down, just as you'd expect with the high school years. The dual perspective was fun, seeing from Maddie's and Kellan's views. It's so important to have books like this for everyone to read.

Thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours for the copy.

[MeMe · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing I love more than reading about an up-and-coming author. I love you just the way you are! The lesson reminds us that love is love, and each of us can choose how to live each moment. This is a story of self-love and growth, inner discovery, and the joys of found family. Maddie, a transgender girl, is the protagonist of this story, which begins in a suburban Arizona town with her first boyfriend, Kellan. The sweetest first love can provide you with all the angst and drama that only an edge-of-your-seat romance can offer. Hence, it is in this context that this book should be viewed. This is a heavy book with a lot of heavy topics. There are a lot of topics queer people can relate to, whether they are self-injury, toxic parents, or confusion about their gender and sexual orientation. Riley Rian took me for the ride that I want out of YA romance. I’m looking forward to seeing what she writes next. Her unique blend of intense characters and slightly different pacing was refreshing.

[Rocio Coria · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25

Kellan is a dick and i hate that everyone acts like he is entitled to Maddie. If he wants to be a decent human being and defend her from bullies, good for him, but Maddie doesn't owe him anything. She doesn't owe him her time nor her body. Everyone acted like Maddie was so irrational and like she was a shit person for how she treated Kellan but he was basically harrasing her and everyone acted like she was in the wrong. She said she didn't want to date him or be her friend but he kept pushing. That's creepy.

I recieved an ARC from Booksprout in exchange of an honest review.

[Falynn Breeding · Rating 5 out of 5]

" I Love You Just the Way You Are" is an exciting new read from an up-and-coming author! It is a fresh reminder that love is love and we all have the ability to choose the course of our lives in each moment. This is a story of self-love and growth, inner discovery, and the joys of found family. 

 

The story follows Maddie, a transgender girl, and her first boyfriend, Kellan in a suburban Arizona town. It’s an edge-of-the-seat romance filled with spicy teen angst and drama that only the sweetest first love can provide.

 

And that’s the context in which this book should be judged. There are a lot of things in this book that is heavy reading. Self-injury, toxic parents, confusion about gender and sexual orientation… it’s a laundry list of topics that anyone queer can understand and relate to it. This brings me to a point on which I disagree with a couple of other reviews I’ve read about this book – and that’s Kellan’s pursuit of Maddie. Some thought that Kellan was out of bounds in his intense pursuit of Maddie. I disagree, with an asterisk. Let’s unbox this.

 

Early in the novel, Maddie has a summer job as a barista at the local mom and pop café. This is where Kellan first sees her. He’s instantly struck by how different she is from all the other girls he knows (and has been with). Normally, his interest in a girl is only skin-deep – a point made clear by Rian in the narrative. However, it's also clear that Kellan sees so much more in Maddie but can’t quite understand why. In Kellan’s internal dialogue we see this almost from the start. So, it makes sense why he has a hard time staying away even though she’s not interested.

 

But here is where my asterisk comes into play – he definitely didn’t have to show up every day to the café to chat her up. And he could have admired her a bit more from afar, and his interest in her could have been shown to us more internally as opposed to externally.

 

But in the context of a 16-year-old boy who is going through all sorts of depressing crap at home and crumbling inside without a sense of purpose and meaning, it all makes sense. And frankly, it’s cute. He doesn’t do anything that is out of bounds, he’s not pushy toward her, he’s just there a lot. Maddie is right to want to smack him lol, but it’s not like he’s toxic… if you want to know what a real toxic male character is like I’ve got an entire list of books I could share with you. Kellan is not toxic. He’s a bit of a 20th-century male lead, and maybe I’m a little older than I’d like to be, but I recognized and liked him for what he is.

 

Once you understand the depth of Kellan’s longing for Maddie, and how his discovery of her being transgender isn’t a deal-breaker for him, it’s hard not to like the kid. Once Kellan knows the truth about her THIS is where the book really shines and you root for them to come together.

 

I was on the edge of my seat for the last 2/3 of the book. I couldn’t put it down. Riley Rian took me for the ride that I want out of YA romance. I’m looking forward to seeing what she writes next. Her unique blend of intense characters and slightly different pacing was refreshing.

 

Five stars!

 

Thanks to Riley Rian for providing me with a free physical copy in exchange for an honest review. 

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings on this book! In short, I loved the main character and the queer representation, as well as the writing. However, I feel that the main romance was toxic and the love interest is problematic. I think Maddie deserves better. But I think this author is a promising one to watch so I will read her next book when it comes out.

WHAT I LIKED
- the trans girl main character written by an #ownvoices trans author. We need more of this!
- the super cute cover
- realistic figuring-out-your-sexuality drama from supporting characters as well as our love interest, who doesn't know what it means that he's falling in love with a trans girl
- good demonstration of what being an ally really looks like
- Maddie is such a fun character! She feels like a real person and I loved every moment she was on page. I loved reading from her perspective. Her hobbies are unique and relatable, and I enjoyed reading about her Twitch streaming (even if the scenes were a little long when she is gaming).
- emphasis on safe, consensual, queer-positive sex
- emphasis on how trans people deserve to be treated with respect

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
- Kellan doesn't take no for an answer, and that's just not okay. Maddie turns him down repeatedly when she's a barista and he keeps asking her out. And he keeps pursuing her.

- Maddie's dad keeps siding with Kellan over her and that's just not cool. Nor do I think it's realistic. No way should a parent choose a random boy who's after your daughter over your daughter. And all the stuff about rooting for Kellan when Maddie is mad at him (for good reason!) rubbed me the wrong way. You should be on your daughter's side, not on her ex-boyfriend's side (barring extreme circumstances that don't apply in this book).

- Kellan displays stalker behavior. When Maddie is freaked out, she's shown to be unreasonable.
- Kellan is such a creep in the beginning section of the book.
- When a girl (or anyone) says no, it's not a challenge to try to prove yourself and win her over. That is so harmful and I was sad to see this message in this book.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book but was uncomfortable with the main relationship. I will check out Riley Rian's future books though because I like her writing! Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘For the first time in my life, I look on the outside the way I feel on the inside’

Author Riley Rian bursts onto the literary scene with a novel that is not only entertaining but also one of the most complete avenues to understanding transgender life. As she shares in her short bio, ‘I started writing when it dawned on me that I was a girl trapped in a ridiculously large male body. It took me until I was 33 to figure this out, but I’m a slow learner so whatever.’

Riley’s prose surveys the awakening and struggles and life experiences of a young trans girl, Maddie, whose blossoming into her real life provides entry into the gender change that all trans people can appreciate (and identify with) and finally a path for the general public to gain insight into the world of transgender journeys. Another subtle benefit of this story is an appreciation for African American equality as Riley serves in the Prologue with Maddie gaining support from her black girlfriend Destiny whose application of feminine makeup provides Maddie’s initial presentation to the friends as female. “Hey, thanks. I’ve always been so alone with my secret, and you’ve been there so much for me. Taking this leap is both exciting and terrifying, but just knowing that I have you in my corner...I want you to know that it means everything to me,’ Adding a path through suicide attempt, psychotherapy, and Hormone Replacement Therapy allows in-depth appreciation for trans transitions!

The storyline is as follows: ‘Kellan, star quarterback and secret manga artist, has fallen hard for Maddie, a trans-girl and Twitch streamer. They’ve gone to school together for years, but Kellan never noticed her until she started presenting as her authentic self. Now she’s all he can think about, even as the rest of his world is crumbling. But she’s terrified that he’s deluded, not seeing her for who she really is. Will she take a chance and let him in? Will they be able to overcome a cruel society that would rather erase Maddie than accept her? Or will Kellan walk away when the pressure becomes too much?’

Riley Rian write very well indeed, and it is inspiring to note that this is Book 1 of a promised series. For an exceptional reading experience and helpful perceptions into the trans life, this book is very highly recommended.

[Roger Hyttinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is about Kellan, a high school quarterback and closeted Manga artist who falls for a trans girl and secret Twitch streamer named Maddie. Maddie has just started presenting as female, and Kellan, who has always identified as heterosexual, has fallen hard for Maddie. Maddie, however, is not convinced and doesn’t trust Kellan’s intentions or his declarations. But Kellan is determined to convince her that his feelings are genuine and that he likes her just the way she is. Not only that, he’ll need to convince Maddie that he will not cave to outside pressure — neither from his peers nor his parents.

This was a beautiful story written by an #ownvoices trans author about the metamorphosis of two young people who have chosen to stand up for themselves and live an authentic life — and obtain happiness in the process. The author did a superb job of illustrating the struggles, anxieties, experiences, and ups & downs of a young trans girl, and I enjoyed journeying along with Maddie throughout the novel. This was not only a lovely coming-of-age story but also a transgender romance one. I loved watching the beginnings of Maddie’s and Kellan’s romance, especially how he finally wins her over and convinces her that his feelings are genuine. It warmed my heart how he defended her and demonstrated his love for her time and time again. In this way, this was a story of self-discovery and self-growth for both of them. This book is all about casting off shame and stigma.

Additionally, I appreciated the real-life insight into transgender transitioning and felt that the novel provided essential insight into the difficulties and challenges that transgender people face. And though there was that aspect to it, it was also a heart-warming love story that brought tears to my eyes.

All in all, I adored this warm and embracing story and felt that not only were Maddie and Kellan relatable characters, but they were also compelling and engaging ones, both with their hidden hobbies/interests and as well as the demons they each are facing. A joyous and hopeful novel that worked on so many different levels for me, and I look forward to what this author will come up with next. Recommended!

[Alihandra_86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite scene/quote:
“Are all kisses like that?” she asked breathlessly.
“Only if they feel like you’re traveling faster than the speed of light across the universe, to arrive at a home that you never knew you had but instantly recognize.”
me: *smacks head on counter from swooning so damn hard*

First of all, I have to preface this review by quoting Stephanie Tanner. How rude of this author to expect us reviewers to leave a star rating for a book that far exceeds the amount of stars in the known universe. How rude of the author to expect me to even begin to narrow down my opinion of this book to five measly stars. To that, my dear Watson, I say “HOW RUDE!”

Now, on to my review . . . . . To begin, I cannot possibly give a big enough thank you to @katerockbooktours for taking on this amazing new author, and for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. I feel specially hand picked by the universe right now, and I’m not sure I deserve it. So alas, I humbly say thank you.

In thinking of what I want to say in this review, I keep coming back to the same thoughts, and those thoughts are that I can’t remember the last time I read a book where I truly felt as though I was transported into the story. I can’t recall the last time I felt each and every one of the main characters’ hurts or moments of joy so emphatically.

This book was not only well written, but it was written with so much heart and passion, the likes of which I haven’t seen in any book I’ve ever read. I mean, the pages were just oozing with it, if that’s even a thing. I was also fascinated to learn in the Author’s Note that the author wrote a part of, if not all of, their own story into Maddie’s character and experiences. You can feel their younger self’s desire to be seen throughout the pages of this incredible novel, and to that I have to say, Riley, you are so incredibly seen by me, and you are most definitely on my book radar!

I have so much more that I want to say, but I will end with this…@rileyrianbooks, you've written a beautiful piece of LGBTQIA literature and I can't wait to read all that you have to offer this world!

Read more books, and stay weird my friends 🖖

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Riely Rian and Kate Rock Book Tours for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

WOW!!! WOW!! WOW!! Riely Rian’s I Love You Just The Way You Are is such a beautifully written story that made me smile ear to ear and put love in my heart. I have read many books in the LGTBQ+ genre but none of them touched my heart the way Riely’s did! You could feel how passionate they were about their characters and the story they were sharing just by reading it. I just couldn’t get enough of the story.

Let’s talk about Riely’s cover shall we? OMG it is beautiful!! It is fun, colorful, youthful, appealing to the eye, and gives us an idea what Maddie looks like. Big kudos to the talented graphic designer who created the book cover!! They are talented!

Riely did a fantastic job with this story and I was totally blown away!! They picked real characters that many will find relatable in more ways than one. They addressed some very important issues with some hidden messages thrown in the mix.

Some of the advice and messages that were given really hit home and made me think.

This is a book about self discovery, acceptance, and standing up for what you believe in.

The friendship between Maddie and Kellen is one of the most beautiful budding relationships I have ever read before. The way that Kellen went above and beyond to make Maddie happy just melted my heart! That was a huge gesture.

I felt like a fly on the wall all giddy when they shared their first kiss. Oh and Riely’s intimate scenes between Maddie and Kellen were very classy and beautiful.

At the end of this book Riely shares his own personal story on how Maddie came to be.

I highly recommend I Love You Just The Way You Are to be put on your TBR list as it is a must read. This is my first time reading them and it won’t be my last. I can’t wait to see what else they have in store for their readers.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of teenage love portrayed from dual points of view between Maddie, a trans high school junior, as she tries to rejoin her high school after time away for her mental health and Kellan, the star quarterback, secret artist, and kind of player. Kellan meets Maddie in the summer and is instantly attracted but Maddie constantly rejects him for fear that he wouldn't be into her if he knew she was trans.

The romance is a great teen portrayal. Very true to teen angst, romance, and drama and the big feelings that come with high school. Kellan is able to grow a lot as a character and learns to be brave and authentic and stand up for what is right. Maddie is a bit dramatic but on par for the emotional growth of a teen in high school with a lot of stress and constant bullying. There are very well handled topics of suicide, self-harm, bullying, alcoholism, abuse, coming out, and transphobia. This was a charming book with well fleshed-out characters, even the side characters were engaging and multidimensional. Although Maddie and Kellan were a little much with the drama sometimes it wasn't out of character and the book was overall compelling, engaging, and heartwarming. Can't wait for more from the series.

[The Local Spooky Hermit · Rating 2 out of 5]

You wait half of the book for them to at least connect. And when they finally do. It skips 6 weeks ahead.. im sorry WHAT? And we hear mention of LGBT club at the school that they both join. Do we ever get to see them go? NO. And that they made friends there. Do we meet them? NO. I really hoped to see the two actually bond and be together and find a place in the school setting but we just don't. I really wanted that. More of Maddie streaming too I enjoyed what little we got.. her interacting with her friends online, even the skater kids. I wanted the characters to really engage with the world around them. And maybe Kellan to stop being so obsessed, it got creepy. It felt forced. I wanted to watch a slow burn of him getting to know Maddie being there for her, that was happening but he hulk smashed a kid and idk how he didn't catch charges for that. What we get is a forced breakup for really no reason. "oh no my boyfriend knows I do streams online and never told me(forget the part of me never telling him either)? I CAN NEVER TRUST YOU GET AWAY WAAAAAAH"
sorry what? there's so many ways to do this misunderstanding/trust breaking and we get this? unrealistic forced non-problem as the giant problem?
sure

[Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good, but it was long and there were some things that made me feel uncomfortable. I loved that this was a story of transformation. A story of the main characters becoming their most authentic selves and thriving in this authenticity.

Maddie and Kellan’s story takes place when they are seniors. Maddie, a trans girl, returns to high school presenting as female. She has an immense support system in her family. Then there’s Kellan, the incredibly popular star quarterback, who doesn’t have the best home life. He is instantly attracted to Maddie when he first sees her and desperately pursues her.

My favorite part of this book was Maddie thriving in her authentic self and living her life without shame. My least favorite part was the obsessiveness and stalker vibes Kellan gave off that made me uncomfortable.

Overall, this is a sweet story and the author shows a lot of potential!

[Krista Hajjar-Nejad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddie’s character was perfection! I loved her drive, courage, and her persistence to be her true and authentic self. Her relationship with her twin sister, Charlotte, and her Mom and Dad was so wonderful. They were so incredibly supportive of Maddie and had such a strong family bond.
I really enjoyed the alternating chapters told from Maddie and Kellan’s POV. Kellan was so much more than just the typical high school jock. I really enjoyed learning more about him as a person and his genuine love for Maddie.
Riley Rian, this was such an amazing book! I hope it touches so many other readers as much as it has touched me. I felt such a wide range of emotions while reading and wanted the absolute best for Maddie.

Can’t wait to read the second book in this series!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I Love You Just the Way You Are" is an inspiring young adult book about acceptance, love and being your authentic self. Maddie and Kellan took me on an emotional rollercoaster. I enjoyed the back and forth of their dual point of views and seeing some of the same scenes through each other's lenses. It reminds readers to take a step back and think about the other point of view for a better understanding. This book is a must read!

[Trevor Chesler · Rating 5 out of 5]

There better be a sequel!


Seriously excellent writing and amazing story. Really good ability to delve into the characters!!!
I hope there is at least two more or even more in this because I need to see Maddie and Kellen more!