Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee
Out Now from Quill Tree Books; 400 pages
Content Warnings: Strong language, teen partying, transphobia, misgendering, gender dysphoria, divorce, discussions of attempted suicide, anxiety/panic attacks, emotional manipulation
About the Author: “Emery Lee is a kidlit author, artist, and YouTuber hailing from a mixed-racial background. After graduating with a degree in creative writing, e’s gone on to author novels, short stories, and webcomics. When away from reading and writing, you’ll most likely find em engaged in art or snuggling cute dogs.” (Bio taken from the author’s website.)
Find Emery Lee on the following platforms:
Sixteen-year-old Noah Ramirez is the internet-famous founder of The Meet Cute Diary, a blog all about trans happily ever afters. The only problem? All the stories are fake, written by Noah as a way to inspire trans readers everywhere. When an anonymous troll reveals the truth, Noah must figure out a way to prove them wrong before it’s too late. So, when Noah bumps into the charming Drew, it feels like fate, especially when the two agree to fake-date to save the Diary. How could anyone deny that all the stories are true if Noah provides proof of his summer fling? But as Noah’s feelings for Drew grow and a new job complicates everything, Noah starts to realize that real-life romance isn’t quite the same as the love stories he’s created. To find the perfect happily ever after, Noah may just have to pick up the pen and write his own.
Emery Lee’s young adult debut is a queer rom-com full of OwnVoices representation, trans joy, and cuteness galore! Heart and humor collide as Meet Cute Diary is equally as touching as it is hilarious. Readers can look forward to plenty of romantic shenanigans and beloved tropes. Noah’s not perfect (who is?), but the growth he experiences is both inspiring and heartwarming. All of the characters are so nuanced, and each goes through their own journey of self-discovery; we especially found ourselves falling in love with Devin, Brian, and Becca. Exploring so many fantastic themes like first love, sibling dynamics, and unbreakable friendship, Meet Cute Diary is the perfect summer read for romance connoisseurs and young readers looking for a swoon-worthy story to sweep them off their feet.
(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)
PRR Assistant Directors, Wendy Waltrip and Hannah Miller