goodnessgraceous's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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.
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
Minor: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Drug use
jkneebone's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Sexual content
emmafrazier01's review
- 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
Graphic: Sexual content
arizona_foster's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship
slayergirl3281's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Sexual content
ladythana's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Toxic friendship and Bullying
queenkath32's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol
hannahmichele5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Finished a few days ago but coming back to write my review! Just as You Are is blurbed as a queer, contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I loved EVERYTHING about this book. It is laugh-out-loud funny, full of diverse characters, and will have you all in your feels. The friendship between the roommates was probably my favorite part (besides Daria's suits obvi). It was so fun to see their dynamic and made me so nostalgic for my early 20's (even though the character's arent in their early 20's lol).
Anyways, I HIGHLY RECCOMEND to any and everyone but especially those who are looking for a sapphic/lesbian romance. Thank you SO much to Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy!
Graphic: Sexual content
hanna's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Can you believe sapphic representation has gone so far lately?? We're getting our own toxic relationship stories 🥲
Okay, first the positives: I loved how unapologetically queer everything was — we stick together and that was shown here beautifully. There's also good starting thoughts about lesbian/sapphic gender expression and how sometimes we put ourselves back into heteronormative relationship norms by being obsessive about whether someone's a butch or a femme.
I really struggled with this, I'm sad to say. Liz wasn't developed enough at all as a main character and while Daria was developed, it wasn't in a positive sense. There's so much telling and not showing especially when it comes to their relationship. Suddenly they're confessing feelings for each other and there was just no build up to it. Daria gets her little redemption arc but she just seems to be two completely different people from the start of the book to the end.
The drama annoyed me a lot too — there's consequences for a mistake that Liz made but it's not even her fault! Suddenly she's out here apologizing to everyone for being a terrible friend but she's not even the one who made a mistake in the first place, it infuriated me so much.
So — nice butch representation, love myself a queer found family but the plot just wasn't it.
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Homophobia and Toxic relationship
Minor: Drug use and Drug abuse
analenegrace's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
it was a P&P retelling for P&P lovers and for those who don’t/haven’t read. While it was very obviously a retelling (character names etc) it was one that took the told many times plot and elevated it, taking the characters to new heights!
I loved the authors writing style and descriptive writing. I also loved that
Spoiler
the magazine didn’t stay open, it was realistic to the current stage of societyGraphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Classism