Here's to Us By Becky Albertalli

"People don't warn you that heartbreak is a chronic condition. Maybe it quiets down a little over time, or you can muffle it with distance, but the ache never quite dials down to zero. It's there lurking in the background, ready to flare back up the minute you let your guard down."

I read the first book back in 2018 when it came out, meet-cute and contemporary romance? Sign me up! Totally adored the first book but absolutely sobbed at how it ended? Thus, having a sequel, that I totally did not expect but low-key needed was perfect; exactly what I needed as I’m slowly coming out of my reading hibernation. 
Meeting again results in inducing older memories evoke the naturally long-suppressed feelings to the surface as they strive harder to shake off the old. Fate keeps them pulling back together as they end up meeting more often than they’d thought: a sign from the universe itself?


Book 2’s journey really had me sighing when it came to the plot and its bland writing style. It became almost stagnant and kind of slow at times. Arthur and Ben certainly gave the impression of not having grown as much as I was looking forward to, their teenage selves shadowing beneath their characters in this book, the narratives remaining unchanged even minutely.  I think it’s safe to say that the characters grew up physically but almost reflected with 0 emotional or intellectual growth. To an extent, their characters seemed even tarnished, when compared to book 1. Particularly Ben. His was a persona I’d had to force upon myself to skim and read through, it was beyond exasperating, learning his traits as one of the lead protagonists. Arthur on the other hand was mildly enjoyable, though he was still the same bloke, with a stench of maturity and calm.

Albeit, though not surprisingly, Ben remained the same old immature, envious, and impolite being during the entire tale, whining from time to time.

Precisely why I’d side with the side characters on this one. For the truly kept the reading experience fun and agreeable, Dylan being one of my absolute favorites! The Dylan we read in this sequel seems a lot more mellowed and thriven. His story and the cute saga with him and Samantha in it had me gushing all over them! Lowkey high key may want a book with just their story in it (fingers crossed)!



To conclude, as we know no book is crowned perfect, but the timing of it and me reading it in one sitting was pure perfection for me. Melancholic yet adorably fluffy, I’d highly recommend this book, Arthur and Ben’s story could possibly get you out of your reading nose-dive and hopefully, you enjoy it as much I did!