In Case You Read This

Arden isn’t thrilled that he is moving from Los Angeles to Winifred, Michigan, and is worried that this is going to be a hard place to exist as a Trans person. Gabe can’t wait to relocate from his small town in Illinois to Pasadena, California, and reinvent himself where no one knows who he is. Arden and Gabe meet along their relocation journey at a motel in Nebraska and find that not only are they both trans, but they are big fans of the same band, Damaged Pixie Dream Boi. Unfortunately, when they part ways, they only know the other’s first name, and as they struggle to adjust to their new location,s they keep thinking back on the time that they spent together. Will they be able to find one another again?

What I Liked: This book is told through a dual point of view, going back and forth between Arden and Gabe. This style allows you to follow both of the characters and get a glimpse at how they are adjusting to their new lives. Due to these back-and-forth perspectives, we get to be more familiar with Arden and Gabe, along with several side characters, before we delve into a relationship between the two of them.

The theme of found family is important to this story for both Arden and Gabe, and the friends that they make when they get to their new locations are pivotal to their development. It’s fun to see how their friendship develops and the different personalities for each of the characters. It’s fascinating to see how the Pretzel Queer Club celebrates the existence of queer people and how they continue to exist as a group of friends regardless of the rules for forming an official club at their high school.

While the romance in this one isn’t front and center, the journey to get to the romance is intriguing and makes for a book that you just can’t put down. It was great getting to know Arden and Gabe on their own as they were looking to find one another, and see how their family life and friends impacted them. Throughout the book, you get a glimpse at Arden’s mom and grandmother, and how their relationship impacts his life, and how he struggles with this. You also get to see Gabe’s relationship with his sister, and how that shifts throughout the course of the book as Gabe speaks up for himself.

Final Verdict: In Case You Read This is a sweet, fun book celebrating queer love that is perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli, Julian Winters, and Mason Deaver. Young adults ages 13 and up will delight in the themes of found family, queer belonging, and acceptance, while the slow romance will be building throughout the book.