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A review by neverlandpages4
Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.0
I’ve had quite the journey with this book. I started it in January but I ended up getting bored and putting it down. I finally finished it this month and even though I had my struggles with it, I ended up loving it!
Before picking this up, I had never seen it anywhere and I’m honestly surprised that it doesn’t get that much attention. It has a diverse cast of characters, adorable illustrations, and one of the cutest fictional couples ever 🥹
Alden & Conrad’s relationship was adorable and I loved seeing how their relationship progressed from “enemies” to lovers. Like many enemies to lovers books, they weren’t actually enemies but it was interesting to see how they’d fall in love. I felt like Conrad and Alden were a perfect match, despite their differences and I loved their characters so much!
Alden is easily my favorite part of the entire book. I related to him on a whole different level. I felt understood and validated whenever he expressed his feelings. He’s also neurodivergent and although not confirmed, possibly on the spectrum which is another thing I could relate to.
I also really felt for Conrad. He struggles a lot, and a lot of it has to do with unsupportive homophobic parents which was heartbreaking to read about.
Another thing I loved was how the characters are just unapologetically queer. There’s something so refreshing about reading a queer romance where the characters never come out or justify themselves or explain their sexuality. The reader simply knows it. No need for a million explanations.
The road trip was fun to read about but I felt like it got a little repetitive. There’s a huge gaming tournament at the end, and despite both characters being presented as good gaymers, it was pretty obvious from the start who was going to win. So the entire thing about the games and the tournament got boring for me.
Overall, this was such a cute, funny, and underrated read, but I think I would’ve liked it more if it was fast-paced, and had a more interesting plot.
Before picking this up, I had never seen it anywhere and I’m honestly surprised that it doesn’t get that much attention. It has a diverse cast of characters, adorable illustrations, and one of the cutest fictional couples ever 🥹
Alden & Conrad’s relationship was adorable and I loved seeing how their relationship progressed from “enemies” to lovers. Like many enemies to lovers books, they weren’t actually enemies but it was interesting to see how they’d fall in love. I felt like Conrad and Alden were a perfect match, despite their differences and I loved their characters so much!
Alden is easily my favorite part of the entire book. I related to him on a whole different level. I felt understood and validated whenever he expressed his feelings. He’s also neurodivergent and although not confirmed, possibly on the spectrum which is another thing I could relate to.
I also really felt for Conrad. He struggles a lot, and a lot of it has to do with unsupportive homophobic parents which was heartbreaking to read about.
Another thing I loved was how the characters are just unapologetically queer. There’s something so refreshing about reading a queer romance where the characters never come out or justify themselves or explain their sexuality. The reader simply knows it. No need for a million explanations.
The road trip was fun to read about but I felt like it got a little repetitive. There’s a huge gaming tournament at the end, and despite both characters being presented as good gaymers, it was pretty obvious from the start who was going to win. So the entire thing about the games and the tournament got boring for me.
Overall, this was such a cute, funny, and underrated read, but I think I would’ve liked it more if it was fast-paced, and had a more interesting plot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness