6 Reasons What If It’s Us Is the Feel-Good Rom-Com of the Fall
What happens when two YA authors known for their smart, compelling, swoon-worthy, and realistic characters join forces for a romantic comedy? Everything good and wonderful in this world, that’s what! Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda; Leah on the Offbeat) and Adam Silvera (More Happy Than Not; History is All You Left Me) have collaborated on What If It’s Us?, an emotional and funny dual-POV story that finds two seemingly opposite teenage boys searching for love after they meet and lose track of each other in the crowded depths of New York City. Ben is convinced the Universe is a jerk and won’t bring them back together, while Arthur believes the Universe will come through with a happy ending. Finding out which boy might be right is part of the joy of this feel-good romance. Here are six more reasons What if It’s Us will bring a huge smile to your face this fall.
1. There’s a meet-cute of legendary proportions
Think you know meet-cutes? WELL. You’ll never predict this one. Without spoiling too much, Ben and Arthur’s includes a flash mob, a post office, inadvertent innuendo, and banter that feels both imperfect and perfect all at once. In short, it sets up their relationship-to-come and makes readers desperate for them to interact again as soon as possible.
2. Opposites attract and bring out the best in each other
Ben is a tall Puerto Rican boy who’s super chill, loves writing wizard fantasy books, and recently broke up with his first boyfriend. Arthur, a self-described “five-foot-six Jewish kid with ADHD,” is chatty, heart-on-his-sleeve, super not-chill. Ben is embarrassed to be enrolled in summer school and fears being held back a year. Arthur is possibly Yale-bound. Ben has lived in New York his whole life. Arthur’s from a comparatively small town in Georgia, visiting for the summer. Ben is never on time. Arthur likes to have things planned out. They’re head over heels for each other, but their opposite personality traits cause strife between them, too. On the plus side, their disparate qualities allow them to stretch their wings and discover new facets to their personalities and self-perceptions. And when they open their lives to each other, it’s pure magic.
3. It’s a love letter to New York City
Since Arthur is new to the Big Apple, readers witness his frustration and delight at discovering the city’s secrets. He’s both overwhelmed and in awe of his surroundings, and the push-pull he feels between acting like a tourist and acting like a native are relatable. Join him in experiencing “that New York feeling, like they talk about in musicals—that wide-open, top-volume, Technicolor joy.”
4. It’s a love letter to firsts
First dates (and do-overs of first dates), first kisses, first “meet the parents,” first heartaches, first breakups—it’s all here in painfully realistic and heart-fluttering detail. As Arthur reveals, “The truth is, I have zero guts and zero game. I’ve never kissed anyone, never come close.” The good news is, Ben takes his role as Arthur’s first boyfriend seriously, and behaves kindly and chivalrously, knowing that, with any relationship, there’s a possibility “you start with nothing and maybe end with everything.” Albertalli and Silvera excel at depicting firsts in a sensitive, true to life, enchanting way.
5. The importance of friendships is never minimized
Though Ben and Arthur’s romance forms the crux of the plot, both main characters cherish the friends they’ve known since childhood, who continue to play important roles in their lives. When they meet each other’s people, you’ll wish you could hang out with the whole group, too.
6. It’s flat-out hilarious
The dialogue, situations, setting, and character foibles will make you laugh throughout the book. From discussions about “the sexy M&M” to “Harry Potter porn” to karaoke disasters and scavenger hunts, you’ll understand what Ben means when he says, “I’m mortified and I’m charmed and I never thought that was a combo that would make sense.”
What If It’s Us is on sale now and is an absolute delight!