I believe in love at first sight. Fate, the universe, all of it. But not how you’re thinking. I don’t mean it in the our-souls-were-split-and-you’re-my-other-half-forever-and-ever sort of way. I just think you’re meant to meet some people. I think the universe nudges them into your path.
After loving Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, What If It's Us has been on my to-read for several years now. I found a practically new copy in a thrift store and it has turned into one of my best purchases from there. I try to avoid buying books before reading them but for $1, the risk was well worth it.
What If It's Us is the story of when Arthur and Ben meet and what happens next. After a serendipitous meeting at a post office, the pair circle around trying to find each other again. And despite just about the entirety of New York City standing between them, manage just that. Ben, the city native, is stuck in summer school with the boy he has just broken up with. Arthur is just in from Georgia working as an intern at his mother's law office. What should have been a chance encounter that simply made a funny story turns into first dates, musical references, fantasy story writing, and a collision of these two boys' worlds.
One of the first things that stuck out to me was the cast of characters. Both Ben and Arthur bring their friends and parents and instead of placeholder names and obligatory figures, they make this book much more than a love story. It was also about Ben's trouble in school and him trying to repair his broken friend group. And about Arthur's parents and being alone in the city for the summer. Dylan and Samantha and Ethan and Jessie brought their quirks and conflicts to enhance and support Ben and Arthur's crossed stories. Each of them was written with enough detail and thought that I could even see them each getting their own spin-off story.
One of my favorite things to read is multiple points of view, so I loved that the chapters alternate between the two protagonists. This was a particularly impactful decision for What If It's Us since Ben and Arthur had so much more to offer the book than their relationship. This structure allows the reader to really see into both of their characters, and experience Ben and Arthur's coming together from two distinct sides. Moving between the perspectives effectively keeps the pacing up, and fortunately or unfortunately encouraging me to read half of it in one sitting.
Something that made What If It's Us stand out was the musical references. Arthur is a big fan and brings up titles and song lyrics constantly. It brought lighthearted fun and maybe in a few years will date the book but currently had me replaying Only Us and My Shot. When I got to part two and realized what they did with the titles I had to pause at how cute and heartfelt it was. Personally, Dear Evan Hansen means a lot to me and helped make deeper connections to the characters and situations.
When trying to come up with points to evaluate for this book, I wanted to note that the first few of Arthur and Ben's dates felt a bit forced and awkward to read. Although I see the reason for this - two almost strangers just getting to know each other - it was still a little difficult reading through wondering if the two of them would even peacefully make it to the end of the night.
Without giving away what happens, the ending managed to be more realistic than the predictable Hallmark movie conclusion but still satisfyingly happy. I finished the book before realizing there is another one coming out and can say I was just as excited by the end of the story as I am to read the next.
A current and genuine story of two stories coming together that is fun, cute, and engrossing. What If It's Us will sit on my shelf with Rainbow Rowell and Morgan Matson.
"But what if the story should quit while it’s ahead?”
“How do you know unless you give the story another chance?"
留言