Review by Booklist Review
New girl Delilah is invited to join local band Fun Gi as its lead singer--and while it doesn't hurt that she has a massive crush on her bandmate, she's shyer than she'd like to admit to her new friends. Reggie is making waves in the Dungeons & Dragons world, playing the game with his friends but also writing critiques of the racism he sees in it under a pseudonym. Both teens face racism in their respective communities (Reggie is Black, Delilah is biracial Black) and, after they meet unexpectedly on New Year's Eve, they begin to find find comfort in each other as they bump into each other holiday after holiday. Bryant's third novel, a Happily Ever Afters (2021) spin-off, delivers likable characters and a fresh romance that still includes favorite tropes (only one bed!). The holiday conceit creates a charming structure that doesn't overshadow the adorably awkward romance at its core while a strong cast brings the world to life. Hand to contemporary romance readers who enjoy social commentary but love a warm dose of fluff.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
After biracial (Black and white) 16-year-old Delilah Cole joins her friend's punk rock band, Fun Gi, as the lead singer, she finds that being onstage offers a blissful respite from her self-doubt and chronic migraines. Despite the freedom she feels while performing, though, she worries about being singled out because she's Black ("Am I just... a novelty to them?" she says of the band). Meanwhile, Black 16-year-old Reggie Hubbard has always felt different because of his interest in D&D, which garners his parents' silent disapproval, and his dyslexia. Reggie and Delilah's lives intertwine after he watches her in a Fun Gi performance and, over the course of a year, they meet up serendipitously on various holidays, such as Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day. Through these chance encounters, their relationship unfolds, initially as a kinship among their largely white peers, before blossoming into earnest courtship. Together, they learn to embrace the parts of themselves they feel they must hide from others, including Delilah's desire to make Taylor Swift--inspired music and Reggie's determination to continue critiquing racism in the D&D community. Via inspirational self-discovery arcs with fated romance vibes, Bryant (One True Loves) pens a tender tale prioritizing conversations on disability and tokenism. Ages 13--up. (Jan.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up--It's New Year's Eve and Delilah's inability to disappoint her cool friends at her new private school means she's the front woman in a punk band and about to sing in front of people for the very first time. Enter Reggie, a self-conscious Dungeons & Dragons nerd whose anonymous online essays about race in D&D have been gaining traction. Their meet-cute would have gone perfectly if it weren't for Delilah's unresolved crush on a guy in her new band. And thus begins the year of falling. Reggie and Delilah's paths cross on Valentine's Day, then St. Patrick's Day, until they're sure the universe is trying to tell them something. As the year progresses, they start inventing holidays as an excuse to hang out as they slowly grow closer. Delilah finally starts gaining the confidence she needs to finally do her own thing, but Reggie, who has faked total self-assurance, still has things to hide. Told through dual narration, this sweet, will-they-or-won't-they romance has refreshingly authentic depth. It leaves room for Reggie and Delilah to grow, mess up, and explore their relationships with friends, family, and each other. While the secondary characters are a bit flat, Reggie and Delilah shine. Delilah is biracial (Black and white) and Reggie is Black. VERDICT Recommended for all collections. Hand to fans of Brandy Colbert's Little & Lion or Kristina Forest's Zyla & Kai.--Katie Patterson
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The lead singer of a punk band and a D & D Dungeon Master find love and find themselves in Bryant's latest teen romance. Hoping to come off as a cool girl at her new school, Delilah Cole, a biracial Black 16-year-old, just goes with the flow…and ends up as the lead singer of her friends' punk band, Fun Gi, despite not having any musical experience at all. Black 17-year-old Reggie Hubbard plays Dungeons & Dragons weekly with his friends and writes online essays critiquing colonialism and racism in the game under a pseudonym to protect his identity. When Reggie sees Delilah perform with her band on New Year's Eve, he's instantly smitten and works up the courage to talk to her. Charmed by his nerdiness, Delilah immediately takes a liking to Reggie, but their meet-cute is interrupted when band mate Charlie finds them and Reggie assumes Charlie is her boyfriend. They part ways only to run into each other on Valentine's Day. Reggie and Delilah's relationship is measured in chance meetings on various holidays, including St. Patrick's Day, Juneteenth, and even National Catfish Day. Bryant's adorable, introspective, authentic story alternates perspectives between two insecure teens struggling to be true to themselves: Delilah wishes she were more like seemingly self-assured Reggie, while Reggie worries about what will happen when Delilah realizes his confidence is just a front to impress her. A darling ballad for the shy and nerdy yearning to belong. (Romance. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
