Title: Kate in Waiting
Author: Becky Albertalli
Series? Standalone
My Rating: ★★★★ ½
Genre(s): Romance, Contemporary
Age Range: Young Adult
Publication: 20 April 2021 (Balzer + Bray)
CW: underage drinking, bullying, mentions of homophobia, profanity, transphobia, divorce (past)
I'm up on my feet to give Kate in Waiting a standing ovation.
Becky Albertalli’s books always give me a case of the warm-and-fuzzies. I love reading her stories which are, in my humble opinion, a perfect representation of teen romance. They encapsulate the entire teenage experience—romance, yes, but also friendships and finding yourself and suffering through the endless hell of high school. And Kate in Waiting was no exception.
Kate in Waiting centres on the long-time friendship of two high school juniors, Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker. When their mutual crush from their summer camp job shows up at their high school and joins their school musical, Kate and Anderson’s friendship is put to the test.
Everything about this book was so cute and fun.
It’s the perfect palate refresher after a string of heavy books. Every time one of Becky Albertalli’s books ends up in my hands, I’m thrilled because it means that I’m in for a great time. In this novel, she revisited the strong theme of friendship she developed in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and put it at the forefront with Kate and Anderson.
Crushing alone is like running lines without a scene partner. No one to play off of and your voice sounds fake and loud.
From a mile away, you can see that Kate and Anderson's friendship isn't exactly the healthiest.
In fact, it borders on codependent. However, what makes it all worthwhile is seeing these two characters grow and mature, which in turn allows their friendship to endure. They learn that their friendship can be important while also not standing in the way of their personal happiness and growth.
I love, love, LOVED that this book was set on the stage (pun intended) of a school play. While I wasn’t an active theatre kid in high school, I’ve always loved the theatre and I enjoyed watching these characters geek out over the same musical soundtracks I do and worry about what parts they’ll be given in the play. Drama happened on- and off-stage, all tied together by the dramatic arts.
Of course, the romance in this novel was super gushy and adorable. While we didn’t get to know Anderson’s perspective, I still enjoyed watching these two characters endure the beautiful trauma of high school crushes.
All around, this was a super fun read that I’d highly recommend putting on your summer TBR! I personally loved reading it in my backyard, enjoying the sun. It’s the perfect YA romance for when you’re feeling blue.
Synopsis: Contrary to popular belief, best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker are not codependent. Carpooling to and from theater rehearsals? Environmentally sound and efficient. Consulting each other on every single life decision? Basic good judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun anyway.
But when Kate and Andy’s latest long-distance crush shows up at their school, everything goes off script. Matt Olsson is talented and sweet, and Kate likes him. She really likes him. The only problem? So does Anderson.
Turns out, communal crushes aren’t so fun when real feelings are involved. This one might even bring the curtains down on Kate and Anderson’s friendship.
Which is your favourite Becky Albertalli book?
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