[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book releases on June 15, 2021.]
Summary
Emilia and Jake met in 4th grade at an arcade birthday party. They bonded over video games. And every year or so for a little while they would run into each other and hang out.
As a junior in high school, Emilia has carefully crafted her life. During the day, she is a diligent student and the captain of the field hockey team. She’s running for VP of the Junior class. If an activity could look good to a college, Emilia is doing it. But at night, she’s a member of Team Fury on Guardian League Online. No one in her real life knows about her gamer life. Her parents would have a fit that she’s wasting so much time that she could be putting toward her college prep. Her friends wouldn’t understand. So it’s a secret, and Emilia wants to keep it that way.
Jake has transferred to Emilia’s school, but she has no idea. She obviously doesn’t remember him because when she sees him, she looks right through him. He’d love to reconnect, but he’s just not sure how to approach her. All of his friends on Team Unity in Guardian League Online are shipping the two of them and urging him to talk with her.
When Wizard Games announces a huge in person GLO tournament, Team Unity and Team Fury are all in. But a public tournament will put everything in Emilia’s gaming life out in the spotlight if anyone finds out who she is. Considering the secrets she is keeping from her friends and family – not to mention the issues women put up with in the gaming world – publicity means nothing but trouble.
Review
What a delight! After a darling opener about Emilia and Jake as kids, there were a few chapters that were slow-going for me. I wasn’t vibing the game at the center of the story. But once Jake and Emilia re-connected, I was sold. The game descriptions made more sense to me as the book went on (I am not a gamer.). But it was the characters and their relationships that made this story special.
I am completely in love with Jake and Emilia – both the kid versions and the high school versions. Jake is the perfect guy for Emilia. He accepts her as she is without expectations. She can be fully herself, and he gets her. It’s lovely.
I adored the humor in this – and the great Marvel/Avengers/MCU references in the book. This was a FUN story, and I would definitely read it again. Readers who enjoy YA romance, gaming stories, and stories dealing with sexism – like Moxie, or Slay, or Don’t Read the Comments – should run right out and pick this one up! (Language, LGBTQ+, TW: online harassment, doxxing, etc.)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*
*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would read again!