Overall, a decent read. Covered the topics of mental health and self-harm without shaming, as well as bullying, transphobia and coming out. I do have very mixed feelings about Kellan's behavior towards Maddie - I found his behavior to be somewhat stalker-ish, and that was unsettling. His character development was good, though, and he did mature as the story went on. Maddie was a well developed, sympathetic character as well. I appreciate that the author went into Maddie's backstory. The drama could be a bit much at times as an adult reader, but this is a teen romance. Overall a good story with well developed characters and a cute secondary romance as a bonus. ( )

My only complaint is that it was too short. I wanted to know more about each character, they were so full of life that I did not want to say goobye. ( )

Content Note: (critical treatment of) transmisia

Plot:
Maddie wants to spend her summer working at the café in peace before school starts again, where she will return after a home-schooling break during her transition. But her peace is short-lived when star-quaterback Kellan starts coming to the café – and tries to hit on Maddie. It’s not that Maddie hasn’t been dreaming about Kellan forever, but she is worried: does he even know that she is trans? And if not, what will he think when he finds out? And anyway, he has a reputation of having a new girl every week. So she rather blows him off than flirt. But Kellan doesn’t give up so easily. Or at all.

I Love You Just the Way You Are is wonderful when it comes to trans representation, but I struggled a little with Kellan as the romantic lead. Still, despite being a bit of a bumpy read, it is almost compulsively readable and has its heart in its right place.

Read more on my blog: https://kalafudra.com/2022/08/26/i-love-you-just-the-way-you-are-riley-rian/ ( )