Kate in Waiting by. Becky Albertalli | Book Review

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Title: Kate in Waiting

Author: Becky Albertalli

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 4/20/21

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Categories: Romance, Young Adult, Friendship, LGBT+

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.

How cute was this book? I haven’t read anything from this author but this looked like it would be a fun read and it didn’t disappoint me.

First off, this is a love story, a platonic love story between two best friends who have the same crush on Matt Olsson. Kate and Andy have been best friends for a long time, he’s the boy next door, he’s the boy she first kissed and she was the first one he came out to. They are tight as can be and the most adorable platonic couple ever. They made me laugh, they made me feel warm inside with all the affection they shower upon one another. They are each other’s hype person and we all need that someone! But their friendship is tested when the crush they have on Matt gets deeper. Personality wise, I love how Kate and Andy balance each other out. Kate is that romantic, head in the theater clouds kind of girl, with some bouts of anxiety when she starts over thinking things. Andy is super confident, funny, and says what he means.

Communal crushes are a bad idea – because someone is going to get hurt. But Kate and Andy thought they were stronger than that, and I loved their communication. They hit a bump in their friendship because of Matt but in the end, their friendship really wins out. I love that about the story a lot.

There is so much diversity in this book. Andy is gay, their other theater squad member, Raina, is transgendered and so much more.

I think books with theater kids are so fun to read. Maybe because theater is all about drama and it brings that natural to the story.

I thought Noah and Kate’s relationship was also cute. She’s very judgmental about jocks, though her older brother is one and his best friend, Noah. Kate was traumatized by an incident that involved being teased and bullied by jocks and since then she has judged them harshly but she gets to know Noah more than him just being her brother’s best friend.

Triggers: bullying, online bullying

Kate is judgmental when it comes to jocks. She and her squad refer to them as f-boys. (Insert 4 letter F word there, haha). If they are a jock and play a sport they automatically get categorized an F-boy or F-girl which I think is kind of harsh. It’s the popular, party kids that get labeled that but of course, not her dear brother, even if he is a jock. Noah is an f-boy until they decide he’s chill. So Kate had to open her eyes a little just to see Noah as something more than a jock.

I read this book in one sitting because I was in love with Kate and Andy despite their communal crush on Matt. You already know it’s a bad idea from the start but their friendship is everything and it stands strong against hurt feelings. I love the diversity in the story and how easily the story flowed. I enjoyed all the characters, even her brother Ryan who was pretty mellow and seemed like someone without much of a personality – but he cares for his sister in his older brother kind of way and that seemed realistic. This was a feel good, heartwarming, funny book that made me fall in love with friendship.

📚 ~ Yolanda