'What If It's Us?' Review

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera tells the love story of Arthur and Ben, brought together  by the universe and then again by Craigslist. 

I bought this book last year but sadly only got a chapter and a half into it. I don't really know why I put it down. I was in the middle of one of the many Games Of Thrones and my mind wasn't ready to simply settle in to the fun simplicity of a Young Adult Romance. But, as it's the new year and it has been a painfully long time since I've actually sat down and read something just for fun, I decided to give it another shot. (Is that a Hamilton reference?) I am expressly glad that I did. 

What If It's Us is wonderfully charming, and didn't at all go where I thought it would. There were certainly times when, as I am no longer a teenager, that the writing felt a little bit silly. But then I reminded myself that I would have absolutely adored all the nerdy references when I was 16 and kept going, if with a slight eye-roll. If you're looking for lighthearted romance, this is absolutely where you should be looking. 

It's not perfect, but nothing is. I've adored all of Silvera's books that I've read; nothing has ever made me sob like They Both Die At The End. I didn't get own so well with Albertalli's Simon vs. The Homosapiens Agenda, nor it's film adaptation Love, Simon, despite desperately wanting to. I think they do make a beautiful blend, but I did find myself thinking that it was lacking something. There were times where the plot seemed to escalate out of nowhere, but maybe part of that feeling can be put down to the fact that I was enjoying it so much that I read it too quickly. When it got to the main conflict point however, I found myself having to re-read sections because I wasn't exactly sure how we got from A to B. I think perhaps it was missing that futuristic flair that Silvera usually adorns his stories with, as these can often justify the quickly heightened stakes his novels are famous for. 

For the most part however, the characters felt believable and they were certainly compelling. Slight spoiler alert, but when two characters suddenly appear near the end of the story, I quite literally gasped with delight. You really do root for Arthur and Ben to get it together, and it gets all the feelings right. From the mixture of pride and stomach-plummeting anxiety Arthur gets announcing to a stranger that he's gay; to the weird obsession with kissing you develop after having your first one; it really brings you back to the joys and awkwardness of first loves. The writing is fun and more-ish, I couldn't put it down! 

New York romance stories are always a whirlwind, and this one is no different. It won't blow your socks off, but it will make you smile. Plus, all the Broadway references are a delight. What more could you ask for? 

4/5 Stars!