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the_vegan_bookworm's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This was a delightful take on a Pride and Prejudice retelling with lots of interesting references to modern queer culture and interesting twists to the original story. A really great read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Classism
micaelacccc's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Sexual content
attolis's review
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, and Homophobia
Minor: Drug use
the_lesbrarian's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Just as You Are is a Pride and Prejudice-inspired romance about a late 20s fluff-piece writer
working at a failing queer magazine as she finds herself falling for the rich, cold woman who is helping keep the magazine alive.
The novel delves lightly into gender expression and butch identity and is one of few lesbian romcoms where both leads are somewhere on the masc-identifying spectrum. An old-fashioned feel-good, comforting love story.
working at a failing queer magazine as she finds herself falling for the rich, cold woman who is helping keep the magazine alive.
The novel delves lightly into gender expression and butch identity and is one of few lesbian romcoms where both leads are somewhere on the masc-identifying spectrum. An old-fashioned feel-good, comforting love story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
Minor: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Drug use
jkneebone's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Just As You Are is a sweet sapphic take on a Pride & Prejudice retelling. If you like romance and P&P, you will probably enjoy this book. Our heroine, Liz Baker, is the advice/quiz/fluff writer at a struggling queer magazine called the Nether Fields. (We won't talk about how long it took me to get that reference.) Her three roommates - talented journalist Jane, social media whiz Katie, and kind of a jerk Lydia - also work at the magazine. As the story opens, the Nether Fields staff is preparing for the closure of the magazine, when - surprise! - the publication is purchased by two well-off queer women.
Her friends are thrilled, but Liz is bummed, since she was planning to use the severance pay from NF to support her while she followed her dream of writing a novel. She's even more frustrated when she meets the new owners of the magazine. Bailey Cox is friendly and enthusiastic, if inexperienced in the world of publishing or running a business, but minority partner Daria Fitzgerald is a grump, overly concerned with the (admittedly bad) financial state of the magazine.
As you can imagine, Liz and Daria get off on the wrong foot, while Jane and Bailey hit it off extremely well. Liz gets dirt on Daria from hottie Weston, but it turns out that Weston is not who she seems. Liz and Daria take a trip to Boston to visit Daria's Aunt Catherine, where they also see Daria's ex, Caroline. The standard P&P plot is followed pretty closely, albeit with the necessary adaptations for a story about queer women and nonbinary people in modern NYC.
Just As You Are is a short book, and an easy read - I finished it in just a few sittings, and I liked how easy it was to digest. Although Liz is given some depth with discussion of her gender identity and writing dreams, most of the characters are fairly flat, simply by virtue of there being so many of them and so much going on in a shorter-than-average romance novel. Still, my heart went all twisty when Daria confessed her feelings (and Liz was appropriately horrified), and I liked the choice the author made with Lydia, as a way to modernize the Lydia/Wickham situation. It wasn't perfect, but it was an enjoyable romance read, especially if you're a fan of Pride & Prejudice. Not doing anything revolutionary, but definitely a fun way to spend an afternoon.
Her friends are thrilled, but Liz is bummed, since she was planning to use the severance pay from NF to support her while she followed her dream of writing a novel. She's even more frustrated when she meets the new owners of the magazine. Bailey Cox is friendly and enthusiastic, if inexperienced in the world of publishing or running a business, but minority partner Daria Fitzgerald is a grump, overly concerned with the (admittedly bad) financial state of the magazine.
As you can imagine, Liz and Daria get off on the wrong foot, while Jane and Bailey hit it off extremely well. Liz gets dirt on Daria from hottie Weston, but it turns out that Weston is not who she seems. Liz and Daria take a trip to Boston to visit Daria's Aunt Catherine, where they also see Daria's ex, Caroline. The standard P&P plot is followed pretty closely, albeit with the necessary adaptations for a story about queer women and nonbinary people in modern NYC.
Just As You Are is a short book, and an easy read - I finished it in just a few sittings, and I liked how easy it was to digest. Although Liz is given some depth with discussion of her gender identity and writing dreams, most of the characters are fairly flat, simply by virtue of there being so many of them and so much going on in a shorter-than-average romance novel. Still, my heart went all twisty when Daria confessed her feelings (and Liz was appropriately horrified), and I liked the choice the author made with Lydia, as a way to modernize the Lydia/Wickham situation. It wasn't perfect, but it was an enjoyable romance read, especially if you're a fan of Pride & Prejudice. Not doing anything revolutionary, but definitely a fun way to spend an afternoon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
emmafrazier01's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
arizona_foster's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I loved every bit of this book!
It was easy to relate to Liz and how she felt stuck, both in her current position at a magazine she worked for and struggling to find herself. Getting stuck in a comfortable work environment is easy, even if it’s not what you want to do for the rest of your life. It’s challenging to step outside your comfort zone and try something new, even down to what clothes make you feel comfortable or how you want to appear to certain people.
I loved that rooms throughout the office were named after notable people in the LGBTQIA+ community; the Laverne conference room was named after Laverne Cox, and the Kiyoko Kitchen after Hayley Kiyoko. It added a little something extra that put a smile on my face.
But most of all, I loved the friendships and relationships in this story. Friends looking out for friends. Authentic friendship fights and breakups. And, of course, one of my favorite tropes is the enemies-to-lovers relationship. Liz shows some real growth toward the end, partly because she has some really great people to help her along the way.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Just as You Are was easy to get into and immediately hooked me. The ending was perfect and tied everything together unexpectedly but wonderfully.
Thank you, Dial Press, Camille Kellogg, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship
booksdogsandcoffee's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
THE QUEER EXPERIENCE!
Kellogg builds a comprehensive story around a queer magazine on the brink of closure. While discussing topics of gender expression, how dating works in the big city, an enemies to lovers plot line that you can't help routing for and friendships that ebb and flow through it all.
I think so many queer folks will see themselves in this novel. There is wonderful representation across the board.
Kellogg builds a comprehensive story around a queer magazine on the brink of closure. While discussing topics of gender expression, how dating works in the big city, an enemies to lovers plot line that you can't help routing for and friendships that ebb and flow through it all.
I think so many queer folks will see themselves in this novel. There is wonderful representation across the board.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Sexual content
ladythana's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Toxic friendship and Bullying
queenkath32's review
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol