If you loved

Books like What If It's Us

A bustling, Broadway-infused summer romance that asks if the universe actually knows what it is doing when it pushes two opposites together. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with What If It's Us.

summery
bustling
romantic
chaotic

01
More happy than not
Adam Silvera
A heartbreaking, speculative exploration of whether erasing our deepest pains is worth losing the truth of who we are.
Shares:
- earnest
02
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Becky Albertalli
A warm, witty, and deeply relatable exploration of the terrifying thrill of letting yourself be truly seen.
Shares:
- earnest
- hopeful
03
They Both Die at the End
Adam Silvera
A ticking-clock romance that breaks your heart while desperately urging you to live.
Shares:
- earnest
04
The gravity of us
Phil Stamper
A swoony, high-stakes queer romance about finding your anchor when the whole world is watching.
Shares:
- romantic
- earnest
- hopeful
05
Only mostly devastated
Sophie Gonzales
A queer reimagining of a classic summer-nights romance that balances laugh-out-loud banter with the tender ache of real-world grief.
Shares:
- earnest
- hopeful
06
Yes no maybe so
Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed
A sweet, earnest exploration of two awkward teens finding their voices and each other on the local campaign trail.
Shares:
- earnest
- hopeful
07
Boy Meets Boy
David Levithan · 2006
A joyful, utopian queer rom-com that feels like a warm hug and a confetti cannon going off at the same time.
Shares:
- earnest
- witty
- hopeful
- first love
08
Red, White & Royal Blue
Casey McQuiston
A fiercely witty, swoon-worthy collision of duty and desire wrapped in a warm blanket of political optimism.
Shares:
- earnest
- witty
- hopeful
09
Wayward Son
Rainbow Rowell
A chaotic, emotionally messy road trip through the American West that asks what happens after the Chosen One saves the world and loses his purpose.
Shares:
- chaotic
10
Perfect on Paper
Sophie Gonzales
A sharp, big-hearted rom-com about a know-it-all advice dispenser who has to learn how to take her own medicine.
Shares:
- chaotic
- hopeful
11
Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe
Benjamin Alire Sáenz
A sun-drenched, tender exploration of boyhood, identity, and the quiet miracles of first love.
Shares:
- earnest
- coming of age
12
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
A sleepless, music-fueled sprint through neon-lit streets in search of the perfect song and a sudden, unexpected connection.
Shares:
- chaotic
- earnest
- witty
- hopeful

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