'Long Story Short' by Serena Kaylor

5 stars! 

Book Blurb:

"Beatrice Quinn has spent sixteen very serious years studying to get into Oxford University. Homeschooled and a whiz at statistics, Beatrice knows that she belongs at Oxford, where she will finally find people who understand her. She thought the hardest part would be getting in, not convincing her parents to let her go. They’ve put a halt to her plans until she can prove she’s able to make friends with people her own age and function in social situations. Their solution: Shakespearean theater camp and a detailed list of teenage milestones to check off. She has six weeks to show her parents she can pull off the role of “normal” teenager and won’t spend the rest of her life hiding in a library.

Unfortunately, hearts and hormones don’t follow any rules, and there is no textbook for teenage interactions. When she’s adopted by a group of eclectic theater kids, and immediately makes an enemy of the gorgeous popular son of the camp founders, she realizes that relationships are trickier than calculus. As the summer draws to an end, and with Oxford on the line, this girl genius stumbles through illicit parties, double dog dares, and more than your fair share of Shakespeare. But before the final curtain falls, will Beatrice still feel like Oxford alone is enough?

Serena Kaylor’s debut, Long Story Short, is a fun rom-com with a whole lot of heart about friendship, first love, and learning to take a chance on yourself.''

Book Review:

This heart warming Contemporary YA read put a huge smile on my face. Highly recommended!

Beatrice is a sixteen-year-old genius whose very careful routines help to keep her anxiety at bay. Homeschooling worked out best for her, but now that she wants to attend Oxford University, her parents have concerns about her ability to socialize and be on her own.

They agree that if Beatrice can prove she can have a "normal teenage experience" while at a four-week theater camp, she can attend Oxford. She immediately gains a bestie in her roommate Mia, and Mia's camp bestie, the Nolan, takes her under his wing as well. The relationships between these three gems are truly the definition of #FriendshipGoals.

Comically, she gets off on the wrong foot with the son of the camp's owners, Nik. As lead of the play, Nik is everywhere and Beatrice finds she cannot avoid him, try as she might.

'Long Story Short' hits bookshelves on July 26, 2022.

#NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s