Genre 📚: YA Contemporary, Queer Lit, Romance
Tropes 💁♀️: Workplace romance, Former friends to lovers, Opposites attract
Rep ✔️: Black and queer main characters, Korean American side characters, nonbinary and aroace side characters
CW ⚠️: Off-page death of a parent
Rating ⭐️: 3.5/5
The actual struggle to read this title and not sing the Hannah Montana song. If We Were a Movie (youuuu’d be the right guy — okay, sorry) follows FMC Rochelle, who is laser-focused on getting into her dream college. She’s got the grades, but she needs a job to really stand out, so she starts working at the local black-owned movie theater. Unfortunately for her, her childhood-friend-turned-enemy Amira works there too. As the assistant manager, no less.
Rochelle could definitely be an unlikable heroine for some people — she’s judgemental and a little insensitive — but I actually found her interesting to read about. She’s wired to think more logically than emotionally, without realizing she’s hurting those around her. The more she and Amira bond, though, she slowly learns how to recognize her emotions and act on them. Leading to a comforting, sugary sweet romance.
The book was a very slow build, but things picked up when Rochelle came out of her shell, both with Amira and with her fun group of co-workers. I’d call this more slice-of-life, since there’s not much happening plot-wise, and as such, it was an enjoyable read. I’d love to see what this author does next.
**Much thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. If We Were a Movie will be released on April 22, 2025.
Sara Bechtol 