Adam Silvera

Becky Albertalli

A New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller! Critically acclaimed and bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera combine their talents in this smart, funny, heartfelt collaboration about two very different boys who can’t decide if the universe is pushing them together—or pulling them apart. ARTHUR is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it. BEN thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things. But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them . . . ? Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated. Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited. But what if they can’t nail a first date even after three do-overs? What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work and Ben doesn’t try hard enough? What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play? But what if it is? What if it’s us? Plus don't miss Yes No Maybe So, Becky Albertalli's and Aisha Saeed's heartwarming and hilarious new novel, or Infinity Son, the first book in Adam Silvera’s epic new fantasy series, both coming in 2020!

What If It's Us

Critically acclaimed and bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera combine their talents in this smart, funny, heartfelt collaboration about two very different boys who can’t decide if the universe is pushing them together—or pulling them apart. ARTHUR is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it. BEN thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things. But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them . . . ? Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated. Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited. But what if they can’t nail a first date even after three do-overs? What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work and Ben doesn’t try hard enough? What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play? But what if it is? What if it’s us?

Jacob Edmonds

Ben pulls me even closer, not an inch between us, and this time I don’t worry about boners, because if there are rules about that happening, he’s definitely, 

His hands are on my cheeks, and he’s kissing me.

“You want me to plan our . . . date?”

Date! He said it! Holy shit. It’s a date. This is legit. He’s romantically interested, and I’m romantically  interested, which means this is actually, finally happening. An actual date with an actual boy. This is possibly, definitely the number one best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I have no chill about it. None whatsoever.

🎶 And I can still see it all, in my mind. All of you, all of me, intertwined… 🎶

Ahhh!! I fucking can’t with this book. 😭😭

I’m going to find him. lt’s going to happen. My heart slams in my chest as I picture it. Hell be behind the counter, bored and dreamy and adorably disheveled. I’ll walk in, in slow motion, perfectly centered in a beam of flattering light. And obviously the handlebar twins from the post office will be there too, but we'll barely notice them this time. Our eyes will be glued to each other, his Emma Watson lips trembling. “Arthur?” he’ll say, and I’ll just nod. I’ll be so verklempt. “I thought I'd never see you again,” he’ll say. “I looked everywhere for you.” And I’ll whisper: “You found me.” And then he’ll—

“My heart’s the first to remember.”

🎶 Uh-oh. I’m falling in love… 🎶

The kitchen’s fully stocked with coffee again—I guess Dad stepped up and bought some. And it’s the nice stuff—not Starbucks. It’s French roast artisan blend from Dream & Bean—

A tiny thrum in my chest. My heart’s the first to remember.

Dream & Bean. His shirt. How could I forget about his T-shirt?

I swipe sideways. Same snowball fight, but the image is shifted slightly to the right. Now you can see Hudson’s laughing with a guy—but he’s blurry.

Because it’s the boy. It’s actually him. Center frame, an pink-cheeked and smiling self-consciously, while Hudson’s doubled over, cracking up.

The Dear Evan Hansen references and the Harry Potter references? This is my kind of book. 🫡

But twenty points to Gryffindor, because I manage to smile up at him.

Already?? This book is cute already, it’s going to kill me. 🥹

There’s a boy walking toward the entrance, holding a cardboard box, and he literally stops in his tracks when the twins walk by. He looks so confused, I laugh out loud.

Told in two voices, when Arthur, a summer intern from Georgia, and Ben, a native New Yorker, meet it seems like fate, but after three attempts at dating fail they wonder if the universe is pushing them together or apart.

What if it's us

Izaac Richards

Our voices don't ever really become one, but I like how we sound together. Like two people trying to make it work.

Ani Velasquez

When we broke up, Hudson said my expectations are too huge and that I sometimes dream too far. I don't get why that's so bad. Why shouldn't I want to be with someone who makes me feel worthy? Someone who wants to be with me for the long run?

Eva Marquant

Was ist mit uns

luca marie

Erin Wales

hannah 

Yarden fishel

Rodrigo Figueiredo Severino

Sure the Hamilton scene was kinda cringe, as was the Arthur and the six boxes of condoms but, but I found this to be great escapism. Cringey in a very endearing way, tackles cool themes of self discovery, self worth, friendship, expectations, virginity, among others. 
I also think it’s quite problematic that people keep describing Arthur as annoying and dramatic when it probably stems from his ADHD. But that’s a talk for another time I guess.

Ana Luiza

Tinha expectativas muito grandes para um livro de dois autores que eu gosto tanto. Achei a história muito superficial (faltou a mão do Adam, com certeza!). Não que eu tenha problema com histórias superficiais mas eu tenho a impressão que eles propuseram fazer algo grandioso e isso não aconteceu. Arthur era INSUPORTÁVEL!!! Jesus que garoto chato! Ben era legal e Dylan foi o melhor personagem, sem dúvidas. O final eu achei bem mais ou menos. Aquela enrolação toda pra terminar daquele jeito ai ai...
Mas enfim, me diverti. Dei umas risadas. Ainda esperando pelo YA que não faça menção à Harry Potter a cada capítulo. Um cliche LGBT nunca faz mal mas queria muito mais que isso :)

Daniel Spruill

 what I thought it would be, but it was cute.

 issue I had with it was that I felt like there were too many references to Broadway musicals, and social media. The dialogue didn’t seem natural in some parts—it felt like it was edited, and re-edited, and re-edited . . . so it just seemed strange.

The story was really cute, and I liked it for a cute little romance book. It definitely had its moments, especially in the beginning, but I feel like it kinda fizzled out after a while.

The only reason I finished this book, is to say that I had finished it. It was kinda hard to get through, and I probably wouldn’t read it again. Sorry!! Maybe one day.

Well. This book wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be, but it was cute.

I think the only issue I had with it was that I felt like there were too many references to Broadway musicals, and social media. The dialogue didn’t seem natural in some parts—it felt like it was edited, and re-edited, and re-edited . . . so it just seemed strange.

The story was really cute, and I liked it for a cute little romance book. It definitely had its moments, especially in the beginning, but I feel like it kinda fizzled out after a while.

The only reason I finished this book, is to say that I had finished it. It was kinda hard to get through, and I probably wouldn’t read it again. Sorry!! Maybe one day.

But they’re cute together! 😌

rita

hmmm characters were a bit ?? for me but i think the story was cute! kinda skimmed over a few pages bc i was in the car but i liked it! i might reread it when i have the time to focus on it

Julie Burszan 

This book was cute and had a pretty simple romance plot line to it! I do think that some parts of it were a bit unrealistic and a little rushed but overall enjoyed it. I like Adam Silvera’s writing style so this was easy to read after reading “they both die at the end”. Might read the sequel!

Jonah Watts 

This book is a collaboration between two authors, and while I generally enjoy this dynamic, I felt that some parts of the book were not quite in sync. 

The book is full of teenage drama, but it is also a cute and heartwarming story. I especially liked the realistic ending.

This book is a collaboration between two authors, and while I generally enjoy this dynamic, I felt that some parts of the book were not quite in sync. 

The book is full of teenage drama, but it is also a cute and heartwarming story. I especially liked the realistic ending.

Poncho Bosque

I enjoyed the story. It was hopeful, sweet, and funny; there were moments I wanted to cry a lot. All the characters have serious moments, but also really funny moments. They all feel people I could encounter in the world, quirky, nerdy people who have their dreams and goals, which ultimately end up taking them places they never imagined.

alexandra

4.5/5 • i'm seriously struggling between rating it a four or a five because on one hand i love it SO MUCH but on the other i had a few irks like:
1) I WANT MORE OF THE ENDING UGH
2) it was hard to distinguish the voice between the two main characters
3) it felt so so fast and i felt like the relationship developed "unrealistically"
BUT it was so cute and so new york and so magical, i can't help but love it

Julia

I’m between 2.5 and 3 stars. I really didn’t like Arthur or some of the sources of conflict but I think the last part saved it a bit.

Originally reviewed Sep 08, 2018 | Imported from my Goodreads account

Alberto

Megan O’Connod

I demoted this from a 5* to 4* upon reread. 

I reread this book in anticipation for the sequel and it was fine. I still enjoyed the characters and I loved the missed connections element but some parts of the characters annoyed me a little, they seems a little immature which to some extent makes sense as they are teens but Arthur seemed very immature and naive. He's never been in a relationship before and just comes off as he is just a bit too desperate to be in one. 

I'm all for second chance romance, which this verged on with the missed connections aspect and some of the scenes are iconic like the post office scene. We need more queer love by queer authors so I will always recommend stories like these. These were / are two of my fave YA contemporary authors so them coming out with a collab was the most iconic thing when this came out and you know, I think they did a pretty freaking good job. Collabs can sometimes be so tricky but I think they did it well.

Maybe I demoted it because it didn't blow me away as it did the first time around. Maybe that's because my reading tastes are evolving and I'm reading less YA or maybe It's because it's been almost 4 years on. Still really good. still recommend

From bestselling authors Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda which was made into the film Love, Simon) and Adam Silvera (They Both Die At The End) comes a New York love story with a difference... Meet Ben and Arthur. Ben is a battered dreamer who's shipping his ex-boyfriend's things back to him. Arthur is new to New York and struggling to fit in. After an memorable meet-cute in a New York post office, the boys lose touch only be be brought back together via a 'missed connection' advert. Is it fate? It looks like it. But after a series of disastrous first dates, Ben and Arthur may have to accept the universe should've minded its business.

I was really hyped for this book, being a collab and all, and had it on my radar since it was announced and now I've read it im just like eh yeah okay.

To be fair I don't have much to say about this, it was good, i didn't mind it but I wasn't in love with it. It was just a kinda cute fluff romance, not really much to it tbh. It was just kind of underwhelming, I feel like it (and the two main characters) had so much potential but it was just kind of wasted and the ending was just annoying. There wasn't really much substance and a lot of it was kinda cringe and ott, the dates were just...awkward idk. And just don't get me started on the pop culture references, omg i get it Hamilton exists, calm down please god.

Probs more of a 2.5 then a 3

Jamieson

you: Avengers: Infinity War is the crossover event of the year
me: an intellectual and contemporary YA fan: knows the real crossover event of the year Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli dropping What If It’s Us 


  “I believe in love at first sight. Fate, the universe, all of it. But not how you’re thinking. I don’t mean it in the our souls were split and you’re my other half forever and ever sort of way. I just think you’re meant to meet some people. I think the universe nudges them into your path.”


IT'S HERE. The much anticipated release from best friend writing duo Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, finally droppe. The Gay agenda is thriving, 20GayTeen is unstoppable. 

This book has been on my radar ever since it got announced and I’ve been yelling with glee about this collab forever. So when an ARC of this hot little book fell into my hot little hands let me tell you, I was close to tears. I adore both Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera and have read all of their books, so this was pretty much my dream team up.

In many ways this book has all the hallmarks of a Albertalli/Silvera team up you’d except. We follow Arthur and Ben, who meet at a post office in New York. Ben is mailing back his ex boyfriends things when he runs into Arthur and the two instantly hit it off, but things go wrong and they don’t get each others number. From there we follow the two as they attempt to find each other through next level internet sleuthing and then go on a series of bad dates. Along the way there’s all the fluff and ridiculous yet unputdownable drama you’d expect from an Albertalli book and all the complicated relationships between friends, parents and ex-boyfriends, as well as discussions around identity, you’d expect from a Silvera book.

Both Ben and Arthur are gay, and Ben is also Puerto-Rican. This is OwnVoices for Adam Silvera. Arthur is Jewish and that is ownvoices for Becky Albertalli. As usual, I loved the nuance of the discussion around identity that Silvera embeds into his writing. I really liked that this wasn’t a coming out story and both kids were out to their parents and friends. It was really nice to have a kind of “post coming out” queer story. I also really liked that Ben had already had a boyfriend because I just really enjoy stories where one or both characters have already dated people, for some reason.


  When I'm out in the hallway, I text Arthur back. Everything is good. Dylan is very Dylan. I take a deep breath. I really want to see you. Can I meet you somewhere?
My phone buzzes.
Yeah, I'll meet you in the waiting area in ten seconds. Don't be late.
What.
I look up.
There he is.


My favourite thing about this book was it’s maturity. Even though it’s a YA contemporary romance and it’s still corny as heck in some parts, a lot of this book takes it’s time to dissect romance tropes and interrogate how these tropes can’t be played out in real life, because real life is so goddamn messy. Ben has an ex-boyfriend he may or may not be over, and he regrets messing up the friendship group because of their breakup. Arthur can’t help but feel jealous of Arthur’s experience and brings unrealistic expectations into the relationship. The grand expectations of a New York romance you get from Hollywood and Broadway are brutally torn down here, and I really enjoyed it. Real life romance is messy and that is showcased here, but at the same time it kept enough fluff and cuteness that I didn’t feel sad reading this.

The friendship dynamics were also done so well here. Both Ben and Arthur have a friendship group that is going through some turmoil. Ben’s group has been torn apart by intra-group dating and Arthur feels distant from his friends since he moved to New York, and he’s sure one of them doesn’t accept him coming out as gay. I really liked how the friendship complications were done here. Friends are just as complicated as relationships and I thought it was so realistic to portray the groups this way. Ben’s issues with his group falling apart because some friends are now exes resonated with me a lot and the idea that the saddest thing about a relationship falling apart is also losing that friendship was something I related to a lot. I also have to give a special shoutout to Dylan, Ben’s best friend, whomst I LOVED. He was hilarious and added the comic relief to some parts of the book and I literally adored him. Please write his story next Silvertalli. 

Character wise, I really enjoyed the character development here. Both the main boys have lots of flaws that keep them from connecting properly. Ben is really proud and doesn’t let anyone in. He struggles to be vulnerable and portrays this cool exterior so no one can really hurt him. Arthur is over-eager and jealous and decides things in his head without letting other people share their perspectives. Throughout the book you really see how they change and develop, and how the relationship improves them both as individuals. Although it’s not as subtle as some of the best character work I’ve seen, especially from Silvera, I thought it was still really well done. The contrast between the boys in the prologue and epilogue was really stark and I loved that.

In saying that, lets talk about that ending. I personally loved it but I know it’s going to be divisive. I think the reason I loved it is because it really drives home the maturity of this book and the focus on modern romances. I don’t want to say much and spoil it, but I’ll just say I think it was really cathartic and realistic, and actually made me happier then anything else would have.

But there were a few negatives I spotted out that kept me from really enjoying this. First off, it’s so hard to tell the perspectives apart at the beginning. I found it so confusing, knowing which character was Ben and which was Arthur. I admit this may be totally my fault, but when the cover came out I thought the tall one was Arthur and the shorter was Ben, and when it was the other way around it threw my mind on a total loop.

I also think there was a real over saturation of pop culture references here. I love a good reference in a book, but there was so much and so much I didn’t understand too. I get this was supposed to be about New York and New York culture but I just felt so overwhelmed by it all. I haven’t seen Hamilton or Dear Even Hanson and that is fine, but I don’t think it should prevent me from understanding whole paragraphs of dialogue. I do think the references were good in that it really situated this in the present and realistically people do talk about things they like a lot, but it was just so overwhelming at points.

While I really liked this, I think I was maybe expecting something just a little bit more from these authors. Overall it was really cute and a page turner, but it wasn’t groundbreaking. But I appreciate how this wasn’t that formulaic and it’s not the typical YA romance you’d expect. I definitely enjoyed reading it, and I think lots of people are going to really love it. The characters were really well written, and the focus on friendship groups here earned a big tick from me. Though, I will say the character development is maybe not as great as I’ve seen Adam Silvera do before. This was a pretty ambitious task to take on, but Adam and Becky wrote such a cohesive book where their writing styles meshed so well, and I really hope they collab again in the future because I’d love to read it.

What If It’s Us is going to please so many people, I know it. It’s cute and dramatic, but also realistic and grounded in the exploration of two deeply flawed characters who are trying their best to make it work with that they have.

ALSO, WE'RE GETTING A MOVIE AND I AM ABSOLUTELY SCREAMING

it's not a star... it's not that i didn't like it okay it's just that this app doesn't allow me to express myself!!!!! anyways these two are a mess and i didn't like the ending. i enjoyed it but eeehhh??

I did expect to love this when I bought it last year. Because it's Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera. That's a garantuee for me loving something. Except I didn't. 
I can't say exactly what it was, but I put this book down multiple times before finally reading it. I confused Ben amd Arthur until the end. It just took too long until the story started getting really interesting.
However, I loved the side characters. Samanatha and Dylan were my favourites here.

I had such mixed opinions when it comes to this book. The awkward meet-cute and first dates I felt where very realistic and I could relate to life not being some storybook romance. I did however feel like I just couldn't get behind Bens character 100%. I pray Here's To Us is better

** spoiler alert **
           devoured this in the span of three hours, literally COULD not get away (except for when I, yanno... had to physically remove myself from the room and pace around my house in order to brace myself for overloads in general, nbd). There’s a lot of great stuff about this book, but my main favourite thing is how well written the characters are as teenagers? They’re just so... teenish, and it’s rare as FUCK to see teens written this well. The whole book is adorable but I fucking hate the ending so that’s the tea. sequel pls

Lorelei Petcu

I loved the book and the story and everything but I just have to say one thing: DYLAN. 
He is 100% undoubtedly the best thing about this book and he NEEDS his own book.

Izza

3.25 stars | It didn't live up to the hype. It wasn't bad, but I didn't like any of the characters (well, maybe except for Ben), and some scenes were overly dramatic. Maybe I'm just too old for this cutesy, teenage angst?

LGBTQ+ rep: gay main characters.

The story was amazing, young dumb love, one experienced and one new to it all. But I couldn’t get on with Aurther as a character. I loved Ben, and everything about him and his attitude but Aurther was difficult to get on with. Loved the ending can’t wait to read the best one :) 

JJay Jones

Jude Moon

** spoiler alert **
           I'm like so mad with the ending abkdnsodndkdnd. Like, i had 100 pages left and i was hating everything and suddenly you have to make me awe and get soft and all of that??? I wanted to keep getting mad!!!

Okay, now for real. I'm honestly quite dissapointed with this book. The story felt too rushed, and Arthur. Oh, Arthur. Too intense for me. Also, I feel like Ben got carried away by him??? I didn't feel like they were on the same page at all and suddenly they were both head over hills for each other. Something wasn't right, there. And what I meant earlier was that i didn't like how they try to make the bad things dissapear with a happy ending!! I was mad at Arthur, and I didn't want them to get together, but now im uwuing bc of them and i don't really like that. It's like when someone does something really shitty to you and then they make your favourite cookies and they spoil you so that you forget everything they've done? That's how I felt. However, I must say that Ben is the cutest human being on earth and that I loved his character (when he wasn't around Arthur specially). 5,5/10

From NYT bestselling authors Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda) and Adam Silvera (They Both Die At The End) comes a long-awaited collaboration about two very different boys who can't decide if the universe is pushing them together or pulling them apart. Meet Arthur and Ben. ARTHUR is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it. BEN thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things. But when the boys have a chance meeting at the post office, they leave wondering what exactly the universe does have in store for them. What if - in a city of eight million people - they can't find each other again? What if they do ... and then can’t nail a first date even after three do-overs? What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work and Ben doesn’t try hard enough? What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play? But what if it is? WHAT IF IT'S US PRAISE FOR WHAT IF IT'S US: "Romantic, realistic and sweet, this perfectly captures New York, teenage love and life in that gray area when you're not quite an adult and not quite a child either" - Lauren James, author of The Loneliest Girl in the Universe PRAISE FOR ADAM SILVERA: 'History Is All You Left Me overflows with tenderness and heartache. There isn't a teenager alive who won't find their heart described perfectly on these pages.' Patrick Ness 'This book will make you cry, think, and then cry some more.' Nicola Yoon 'Bold and haunting.' Lauren Oliver on They Both Die At The End 'A phenomenal talent.' Juno Dawson PRAISE FOR BECKY ALBERTALLI: 'The love child of John Green and Rainbow Rowell.' Teen Vogue Praise for Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda: 'I love you, Simon. I love you! And I love this fresh, funny, live-out-loud book.' Jennifer Niven 'A wonderfully charismatic story about coming-of-age and coming out'. Bookseller

Rachel Evans

(3.25/5) Audiobook 6 hours 33 minutes - Honestly I found this book a little boring. There was nothing wrong with it, per se, but the plot just felt bland. All of the conflict relied on miscommunication which is just frustrating to read about over and over again, and some of the plot points just felt overdone and overused. However, I did like the open ending. It felt more realistic and less forced than so many books where these teenage characters immediately fall into a perfect relationship with a permanent happy ever after.

What If It's Us

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