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Not If You Break Up with Me First
Two friends who have unhappily found themselves in an accidental relationship try to drive the other one to call things off in this tongue-in-cheek middle grade romance.
Childhood friends Eve and Andrew are destined to be together� everyone says so, especially their friends and classmates who are all suddenly crush-obsessed. So when Eve and Andrew’s first eighth grade school dance rolls around and Eve, feeling the pressure, awkwardly asks Andrew to go with her, everyone assumes they are Officially Dating and Practically in Love. Overwhelmed, Eve and Andrew just…go with it.
And it’s weird. Neither of them wants this dating thing to mess up their friendship, and they don’t really see each other that way. But they also don’t want to be the one to call things off, the one to make things super awkward. So they both—separately—pledge to be the worst boyfriend or girlfriend ever, leaving it to the other person to break up with them. It would be genius…if the other person weren’t doing the exact same thing.
Childhood friends Eve and Andrew are destined to be together� everyone says so, especially their friends and classmates who are all suddenly crush-obsessed. So when Eve and Andrew’s first eighth grade school dance rolls around and Eve, feeling the pressure, awkwardly asks Andrew to go with her, everyone assumes they are Officially Dating and Practically in Love. Overwhelmed, Eve and Andrew just…go with it.
And it’s weird. Neither of them wants this dating thing to mess up their friendship, and they don’t really see each other that way. But they also don’t want to be the one to call things off, the one to make things super awkward. So they both—separately—pledge to be the worst boyfriend or girlfriend ever, leaving it to the other person to break up with them. It would be genius…if the other person weren’t doing the exact same thing.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
36 people are currently reading
4553 people want to read
About the author
G. F. Miller
3books90followersG. F. Miller absolutely insists on a happy ending. Everything else is negotiable. She is living her Happily Ever After with the love of her life, three kids, two puppies, and some chickens. She cries at random times. She makes faces at herself in the mirror. She believes in the Oxford comma. And she’s always here for a dance party.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
May 21, 2025
Ya'll....
This is my first time reading a novel by G.F. Miller, but it definitely won't be my last. Not If You Break Up With Me First is one of the best middle grade books I've read this year. Though it's not what I typically pick up, it is a novel that leaves a lasting impression. It's a novel that I can't stop recommending and it's a novel that I wish I had growing up. Miller does an excellent job exploring the feelings and pressure that come with dating as a teenager. The unfortunate results of an assumption amongst friends, leads to our main characters acting in ways that are reminiscent of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (all appropriate for this demographic, of course). The book is fast paced, funny, and sentimental. Though the main focus on the book is the relationship between the main characters, Miller develops well-rounded side characters that impact how each main character views love and relationships. From parents who are on the verge of a divorce to the exploration of communication skills, Miller leaves no rock unturned. This was pure magic and well thought out and insightful. It is clear that Miller has her pulse on the experiences of this age group. Not If You Break Up with Me First is another title that I would recommend for middle grade readers who are looking to explore romance in a way that is relevant to their age group.
This is my first time reading a novel by G.F. Miller, but it definitely won't be my last. Not If You Break Up With Me First is one of the best middle grade books I've read this year. Though it's not what I typically pick up, it is a novel that leaves a lasting impression. It's a novel that I can't stop recommending and it's a novel that I wish I had growing up. Miller does an excellent job exploring the feelings and pressure that come with dating as a teenager. The unfortunate results of an assumption amongst friends, leads to our main characters acting in ways that are reminiscent of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (all appropriate for this demographic, of course). The book is fast paced, funny, and sentimental. Though the main focus on the book is the relationship between the main characters, Miller develops well-rounded side characters that impact how each main character views love and relationships. From parents who are on the verge of a divorce to the exploration of communication skills, Miller leaves no rock unturned. This was pure magic and well thought out and insightful. It is clear that Miller has her pulse on the experiences of this age group. Not If You Break Up with Me First is another title that I would recommend for middle grade readers who are looking to explore romance in a way that is relevant to their age group.
January 6, 2024
YAY!! FINALLY get to share this baby with you all on June 4, 2024!
In the meantime, some exclusive VIP early reviews are in:
"This book is better than The Hunger Games." - Mini-Me (age 13)
(NOTE: The author does not share or condone this opinion. Nothing is better than THG.)
"I love your author bio. [Proceeds to recite it word-for-word]." - My Boy (age 11)
"Mom, can I read your book?" - Also My Boy, who has already read the book twice.
"ur book is AWESOME totally nailed ms drama btw" - My Nephew (age 14), via text obvs.
In the meantime, some exclusive VIP early reviews are in:
"This book is better than The Hunger Games." - Mini-Me (age 13)
(NOTE: The author does not share or condone this opinion. Nothing is better than THG.)
"I love your author bio. [Proceeds to recite it word-for-word]." - My Boy (age 11)
"Mom, can I read your book?" - Also My Boy, who has already read the book twice.
"ur book is AWESOME totally nailed ms drama btw" - My Nephew (age 14), via text obvs.
May 31, 2024
� 2.75 stars �
“They were just best friends. Weren’t they? He loved hanging out with her. She always made him laugh. Like friends do. But he’d missed her a lot this summer. Did that mean he liked her as more than friends?
They’d always been friends.
Why couldn’t things stay simple?�
What saved Not If You Break Up with Me First from a lower rating than what I settled for was the ending that captured so intimately and quite perfectly the aching honesty of the vulnerability of what it feels like when you're at that crossroad of harboring a crush on your best friend and not knowing if it will be worth losing a friendship so very dear in the pursuit of trying to be something more than just best friends. 💟 💟 That entire exchange between the two of them - beautifully done - so heart-wrenching pure and sincere and so very sweet in how honest that entire exchange was - that it melted away all my troubled and conflicted thoughts over the execution over so much of what had happened - that I felt like I was fourteen again - when I was still trying in vain to control my own feelings for my best friend - knowing all too well that it would never happen, but still dreaming about the possibilities if it could. 🙂↕ 🫶🏻🫶🏻
I would have loved to have enjoyed it more; so much resonated with me, so much of the dialogue felt like a glimpse of my own memories, where going to a co-ed school and we went through our own stages of boys and girls can't be friends without being ridiculed or made fun of. I don't normally take notes while I'm reading, but there was so much about this middle grade romance that was so very relatable and quite frankly, easy to see what the author was going for. Which I appreciate! 👍🏻 I can appreciate the efforts of storytelling, while not exactly being satisfied with the way the story was told about two childhood best friends - Andrew and Eve - who after a summer apart from each other - decide to take the next step in their friendship before they both start eighth grade, by starting a relationship of being boyfriend and girlfriend, instead. Is that possible? Like, I can recognize what the author is portraying, I just have a few complaints about certain facets that made it less than desirable for me to be swayed by it. 😣
�Isn’t there any way for the two stars not to destroy each other?�
“Sure. If they’re just a little farther apart, the system stays stable. But gravity is always pulling them toward each other. It’s a cosmic dance.�
Poor stars, she thought. Destined to suck the life out of each other because of stupid gravity that’s totally outside of their control.�
Ah, how to explain what failed and what prevailed. What prevailed was how poignantly the author captured that moment - that sudden epiphany when you realize your best friend is actually someone of the opposite sex - how it registers in both Andrew and Eve, not as an issue as much for them, rather than how their own social circles pressure them into thinking that the status quo has to change. '—Andrew obviously wasn’t a kid anymore. He was a boy. Like he always was, but now it mattered.' 💘💘 Absence does in fact make the heart grow fonder, but it's hard for the heart to dictate on its own accord, when so much of other's opinions and judgments continue ringing in your ears. It is a crushing if not crucial age at a critical time in your adolescence when talking to a boy or a girl, let alone being best friends with one! That's fuel for any number of rumors circulating that there's a major crush or hidden agenda involved. Trust me - I've been there. 🥲 And it really hit me then that times change - people change, but feelings never, if rarely do. 'He wanted to ask her what the heck was going on, tell her she was beautiful, and crack a joke.' Jealousy, pining, possessiveness in the form of fake dating to keep the other clore rather than admit the truth was captured in a very realistic and vivid light that I couldn't help but take it all in. That awkward age when you don't quite know how to express feelings directly, and then your friendship pays the price for it. 😢
It's also a very hard-hitting look at what happens when outside influence plays such a big part in their actions and thoughts. It is a natural case in middle school - so much peer pressure of doing what others feels is right or makes sense, without having the sense to make their own decisions. And it happens - phew, boy does it happen to Andrew and Eve - both in their respective circle of friends - being egged on to act in a certain way - 'Tom could obviously tell he’d hit a nerve, because he made a kissing noise and moaned, “Oooooh, Eve' - treat each other in a specific touch that is completely different than how you've behaved before that does more harm than it does good. 😔 It's palpable - it's evident and it's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking to see how much of being together is at the cost of their friendship that gets lost in the process - of trying to live up to brothers, friends, parents expectations takes on a whole other meaning of what their relationship originally was - 'their moms had been hoping for this hookup their whole lives.' 🥺 It was sad - I felt bad for Andrew and Eve - Andrew, more so, because he couldn't understand why Eve was behaving differently. He couldn't see himself acting like his brother, when simply all he wanted was his friend - his best friend forever. It becomes even more of a challenge when they both start fishing for a way to call it quits - dishonest complications when they both accept that they would be better off as friends, but are reluctant to admit that dating at fourteen years old wasn't right for either of them.
The strange thing is that as much as I was exhausted by how prolonged their attempts were about calling it off with each other - how at times it became rather childish and immature in its depiction and towards the end started to feel a bit too far-fetched and out of place with their personalities. 😕 What bothered me was that being bffs for as long as they did, why did neither of them ever feel the inclination to simply talk to one another about anything. I get that it's about showing how daunting and challenging it is to openly express one another's feelings - I mean, it's pretty much the case at any age, to be honest, but that part to me felt a bit unnatural, if not forced, simply for the sake of the rom-com feeling. 'Guys,� he said, “I want to stop dating Eve, but I don’t want to break up with her. I need your help.' They both felt so guilty each time for their actions, yet didn't hesitate to act upon it - choosing to take the extreme and absurd approach rather than being friends and talking! The stubborn refusal of avoiding all sensible reasoning - where it became a little too extreme to my liking is where my appreciation started waning. If it had taken on a more slightly honest approach - even to the extremities of peer pressure and how neither Andrew or Eve were willing to step back or break ground on even footing then maybe I could have gone along for the sake of it. 😮�
�Sometimes we’re the cruelest to the people we love the most. We take things out on them and show them the worst parts of us.�
And another thing - considering how much Eve was projecting her own parents' current conflict into her own - trying to make it work, so that she could recognize the mistakes that were being made - I felt that the whole issue with her parents was not treated as well as it should have at the end. A bit too lightly and brushed off, especially since it had affected her mindset so deeply; and the fact that they didn't bother talking about it with her once throughout the story - escaping to avoid the problem and then resolving it the way that it was. I don't know, it just made me mad at how easily it was solved - how after how much of Eve's concerns over her parents' situation was indirectly playing a part in her own treatment of Andrew - and for that just to be pushed away so easily. 😒 Without even a discussion or even something satisfying between mother and daughter that could help justify all the anger and resentment that she had been storing up inside. I want to feel satisfied afterwards, which I really didn't feel in this matter.
But like I mentioned earlier, the ending - the piece de resistance - that bittersweet closure to Andrew and Eve's friendship - I was just basking in that afterglow of how sweet and tender and affectionate - their very not-just-friends hand-holding and the hug that just spoke volumes more than everything else that had transpired.🤌🏻🫠🤌🏻 How after all that mayhem and madness that ensued, where the falling action is slowly settling down where I could just look at their relationship with an aching sadness. 'Only this time she didn’t want to run away. She wanted to stay forever.' They're at the cusp of the eventual possibility that it could become even more complicated as they grow older and express the feelings of what is the next step - where do they go from here. I basked in that honesty - the importance and value of their friendship. 🫂
If only so much unnecessary complications could have been avoided and I would not have been so unamused and disinterested in their childish attempts of breaking up with each other - it could have been a contemporary middle grade romance that could have evoked so many more feels within me - one where they both realize how okay it was not to rush heedlessly and needlessly into things - that there is always the potential and possibility of it being something else, but if it weren't - that's okay, too. ❤️� ❤️� 'Change, Eve thought, isn’t so bad after all. Not everything unravels. Some things evolve.' It washed away all the negative complaints I was gearing up to unload when in fact, I took a step back and reflected on what the author was attempting to show and how certain parts were achieved, while others left much to be desired. 😔
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
“They were just best friends. Weren’t they? He loved hanging out with her. She always made him laugh. Like friends do. But he’d missed her a lot this summer. Did that mean he liked her as more than friends?
They’d always been friends.
Why couldn’t things stay simple?�
What saved Not If You Break Up with Me First from a lower rating than what I settled for was the ending that captured so intimately and quite perfectly the aching honesty of the vulnerability of what it feels like when you're at that crossroad of harboring a crush on your best friend and not knowing if it will be worth losing a friendship so very dear in the pursuit of trying to be something more than just best friends. 💟 💟 That entire exchange between the two of them - beautifully done - so heart-wrenching pure and sincere and so very sweet in how honest that entire exchange was - that it melted away all my troubled and conflicted thoughts over the execution over so much of what had happened - that I felt like I was fourteen again - when I was still trying in vain to control my own feelings for my best friend - knowing all too well that it would never happen, but still dreaming about the possibilities if it could. 🙂↕ 🫶🏻🫶🏻
I would have loved to have enjoyed it more; so much resonated with me, so much of the dialogue felt like a glimpse of my own memories, where going to a co-ed school and we went through our own stages of boys and girls can't be friends without being ridiculed or made fun of. I don't normally take notes while I'm reading, but there was so much about this middle grade romance that was so very relatable and quite frankly, easy to see what the author was going for. Which I appreciate! 👍🏻 I can appreciate the efforts of storytelling, while not exactly being satisfied with the way the story was told about two childhood best friends - Andrew and Eve - who after a summer apart from each other - decide to take the next step in their friendship before they both start eighth grade, by starting a relationship of being boyfriend and girlfriend, instead. Is that possible? Like, I can recognize what the author is portraying, I just have a few complaints about certain facets that made it less than desirable for me to be swayed by it. 😣
�Isn’t there any way for the two stars not to destroy each other?�
“Sure. If they’re just a little farther apart, the system stays stable. But gravity is always pulling them toward each other. It’s a cosmic dance.�
Poor stars, she thought. Destined to suck the life out of each other because of stupid gravity that’s totally outside of their control.�
Ah, how to explain what failed and what prevailed. What prevailed was how poignantly the author captured that moment - that sudden epiphany when you realize your best friend is actually someone of the opposite sex - how it registers in both Andrew and Eve, not as an issue as much for them, rather than how their own social circles pressure them into thinking that the status quo has to change. '—Andrew obviously wasn’t a kid anymore. He was a boy. Like he always was, but now it mattered.' 💘💘 Absence does in fact make the heart grow fonder, but it's hard for the heart to dictate on its own accord, when so much of other's opinions and judgments continue ringing in your ears. It is a crushing if not crucial age at a critical time in your adolescence when talking to a boy or a girl, let alone being best friends with one! That's fuel for any number of rumors circulating that there's a major crush or hidden agenda involved. Trust me - I've been there. 🥲 And it really hit me then that times change - people change, but feelings never, if rarely do. 'He wanted to ask her what the heck was going on, tell her she was beautiful, and crack a joke.' Jealousy, pining, possessiveness in the form of fake dating to keep the other clore rather than admit the truth was captured in a very realistic and vivid light that I couldn't help but take it all in. That awkward age when you don't quite know how to express feelings directly, and then your friendship pays the price for it. 😢
It's also a very hard-hitting look at what happens when outside influence plays such a big part in their actions and thoughts. It is a natural case in middle school - so much peer pressure of doing what others feels is right or makes sense, without having the sense to make their own decisions. And it happens - phew, boy does it happen to Andrew and Eve - both in their respective circle of friends - being egged on to act in a certain way - 'Tom could obviously tell he’d hit a nerve, because he made a kissing noise and moaned, “Oooooh, Eve' - treat each other in a specific touch that is completely different than how you've behaved before that does more harm than it does good. 😔 It's palpable - it's evident and it's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking to see how much of being together is at the cost of their friendship that gets lost in the process - of trying to live up to brothers, friends, parents expectations takes on a whole other meaning of what their relationship originally was - 'their moms had been hoping for this hookup their whole lives.' 🥺 It was sad - I felt bad for Andrew and Eve - Andrew, more so, because he couldn't understand why Eve was behaving differently. He couldn't see himself acting like his brother, when simply all he wanted was his friend - his best friend forever. It becomes even more of a challenge when they both start fishing for a way to call it quits - dishonest complications when they both accept that they would be better off as friends, but are reluctant to admit that dating at fourteen years old wasn't right for either of them.
The strange thing is that as much as I was exhausted by how prolonged their attempts were about calling it off with each other - how at times it became rather childish and immature in its depiction and towards the end started to feel a bit too far-fetched and out of place with their personalities. 😕 What bothered me was that being bffs for as long as they did, why did neither of them ever feel the inclination to simply talk to one another about anything. I get that it's about showing how daunting and challenging it is to openly express one another's feelings - I mean, it's pretty much the case at any age, to be honest, but that part to me felt a bit unnatural, if not forced, simply for the sake of the rom-com feeling. 'Guys,� he said, “I want to stop dating Eve, but I don’t want to break up with her. I need your help.' They both felt so guilty each time for their actions, yet didn't hesitate to act upon it - choosing to take the extreme and absurd approach rather than being friends and talking! The stubborn refusal of avoiding all sensible reasoning - where it became a little too extreme to my liking is where my appreciation started waning. If it had taken on a more slightly honest approach - even to the extremities of peer pressure and how neither Andrew or Eve were willing to step back or break ground on even footing then maybe I could have gone along for the sake of it. 😮�
�Sometimes we’re the cruelest to the people we love the most. We take things out on them and show them the worst parts of us.�
And another thing - considering how much Eve was projecting her own parents' current conflict into her own - trying to make it work, so that she could recognize the mistakes that were being made - I felt that the whole issue with her parents was not treated as well as it should have at the end. A bit too lightly and brushed off, especially since it had affected her mindset so deeply; and the fact that they didn't bother talking about it with her once throughout the story - escaping to avoid the problem and then resolving it the way that it was. I don't know, it just made me mad at how easily it was solved - how after how much of Eve's concerns over her parents' situation was indirectly playing a part in her own treatment of Andrew - and for that just to be pushed away so easily. 😒 Without even a discussion or even something satisfying between mother and daughter that could help justify all the anger and resentment that she had been storing up inside. I want to feel satisfied afterwards, which I really didn't feel in this matter.
But like I mentioned earlier, the ending - the piece de resistance - that bittersweet closure to Andrew and Eve's friendship - I was just basking in that afterglow of how sweet and tender and affectionate - their very not-just-friends hand-holding and the hug that just spoke volumes more than everything else that had transpired.🤌🏻🫠🤌🏻 How after all that mayhem and madness that ensued, where the falling action is slowly settling down where I could just look at their relationship with an aching sadness. 'Only this time she didn’t want to run away. She wanted to stay forever.' They're at the cusp of the eventual possibility that it could become even more complicated as they grow older and express the feelings of what is the next step - where do they go from here. I basked in that honesty - the importance and value of their friendship. 🫂
If only so much unnecessary complications could have been avoided and I would not have been so unamused and disinterested in their childish attempts of breaking up with each other - it could have been a contemporary middle grade romance that could have evoked so many more feels within me - one where they both realize how okay it was not to rush heedlessly and needlessly into things - that there is always the potential and possibility of it being something else, but if it weren't - that's okay, too. ❤️� ❤️� 'Change, Eve thought, isn’t so bad after all. Not everything unravels. Some things evolve.' It washed away all the negative complaints I was gearing up to unload when in fact, I took a step back and reflected on what the author was attempting to show and how certain parts were achieved, while others left much to be desired. 😔
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2024
This is definitely geared toward middle school. I liked the main characters Eve and Andrew, but I thought the story about who was going to break up with who first got a little old after a while. I thought their pranks were childish, but they even said in one part of the book that they were only 13 years old. Maybe they’ll get married one day but if not, they will continue to be best friends forever.
January 26, 2024
I had to read this for work and it was so adorable I couldn’t not review it!
Wouldn’t change a thing. Loved it. Reminded me of being that age.
Wouldn’t change a thing. Loved it. Reminded me of being that age.
September 14, 2024
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days for middle schoolers.
Not enough middle grade romances!! Granted this wasn't the most romantic story, but it was FUN. Miller perfectly captured the awkwardness and uncertainty that comes with changing social dynamics once puberty is in play.
This was 5 stars until the end, and while I can't exactly pin down how I feel about Madison's random preachiness at the end, I can say I hated the "resolution" with Eve's parents' relationship.
Not enough middle grade romances!! Granted this wasn't the most romantic story, but it was FUN. Miller perfectly captured the awkwardness and uncertainty that comes with changing social dynamics once puberty is in play.
This was 5 stars until the end, and while I can't exactly pin down how I feel about Madison's random preachiness at the end, I can say I hated the "resolution" with Eve's parents' relationship.
December 31, 2023
Review copy courtesy of Aladdin through Edelweiss
Read to evaluate for adding to my elementary library, but unfortunately the 8th grade age just does not fit for mine. However, I think this a great choice for a middle school library, and a very thoughtful meditation on girl/boy friendships and the pressure to date at that age. The plot was very funny, starting with the grossness of teen boys and culminating in a horrifying disgusting climax while resolving the conflict.
Two qualms:
The book was painfully heteronormative, and in 2024, you'd expect one character or even parents to be nonbinary or not straight.
There was no mention of any character's race, which meant all the characters seemed to be white.
Read to evaluate for adding to my elementary library, but unfortunately the 8th grade age just does not fit for mine. However, I think this a great choice for a middle school library, and a very thoughtful meditation on girl/boy friendships and the pressure to date at that age. The plot was very funny, starting with the grossness of teen boys and culminating in a horrifying disgusting climax while resolving the conflict.
Two qualms:
The book was painfully heteronormative, and in 2024, you'd expect one character or even parents to be nonbinary or not straight.
There was no mention of any character's race, which meant all the characters seemed to be white.
June 19, 2024
This was awesome. I loved Glimpsed, and I was so excited to hear that G.F. Miller wrote another book!! This one was so much fun and really reminded me of the drama of middle school, lol. I read it all in one sitting because there was no way I could put it down! I can't wait to read whatever Miller writes next!
August 28, 2024
Angsty, funny middle-grade read. Miller really gets those preteen emotions and runs with them.
October 25, 2024
A great read, but not necessarily the best read. 4.5 stars
August 24, 2024
its read a romance month so i read a j fic . it was honestly so bad �.. it had WAYYYY too many pop culture references and the characters were SO poorly developed and it was wayyyy too long and just � ugh
June 14, 2024
This is Miller's second book, but first middle grade novel (their other book is a YA romantasy). I really enjoyed this one. Eve and Andrew had one of those perfect best friend relationships that sometimes run into problems when kids' hormones kick in hard and that's just what happens to them. This is a huge misunderstanding trope book. Everything could have easily been resolved about 20 pages in if the tweens had just talked to each other truthfully but of course where would the fun in that be? I loved the antics these two got up to, the angst, the horrible advice from friends and family, the way the author dealt with a heavy topic like impending parental divorce with a light touch but still gave it the seriousness it deserves, and the final big showdown before everything comes out. Great, realistic ending, perfect for this age group. 4.5 stars rounded up.
June 30, 2024
Very sweet middle school book! It’s about best friends who accidentally start dating. They realize that they’re in 8th grade and don’t want to be boyfriend and girlfriend just yet, but they don’t know how to tell the other. Very funny and cute read!
January 21, 2025
The forever friendship of Andrew and Eve takes a turn towards romantic as 8th grade begins but it just doesn’t feel right to either of them. When both decide that the best way to find their way back to the way things were is to get the other one to break up with them, the “oneupmanship� begins and gets out of hand in a very big way.
Junior high is such a hard time for young people-trying to find their niche, clarify interests, determine some sort of path to the future and, of course, getting those confusing feelings of romantic interest and not knowing what to do with them. Andrew and Eve embark in a series of what not to do shenanigans with Eve supported by her cross country team girls and Andrew by his drumline friends. The results will have readers cringing, rolling their eyes and seeing disaster coming all the way to the climactic neon glow dance and satisfying conclusion.
Great characters introduced with only Andrew and Eve fleshed out thoroughly but others will get their time to shine in Miller’s follow up romance, What If You Fall For Me First. No profanity, one reference to “making out� with no details provided and a very romantic almost first kiss. There is a big fight scene, but paint balls are the weapon of choice and there is no real damage done to anyone that a little soap and water (and a toothbrush) won’t fix. Representation: physical descriptions are vague enough that race of main characters is not obvious but naming conventions may indicate that Andrew has a Middle Eastern heritage and one of his friends may be Hispanic; orientation of featured couple is all heterosexual but at one point, one girl is asked about her preferences and it is clear that everyone is OK with whatever she answers.
Note: I read the companion book first and there was no difficulty reading either one with doing so out of publication order.
Junior high is such a hard time for young people-trying to find their niche, clarify interests, determine some sort of path to the future and, of course, getting those confusing feelings of romantic interest and not knowing what to do with them. Andrew and Eve embark in a series of what not to do shenanigans with Eve supported by her cross country team girls and Andrew by his drumline friends. The results will have readers cringing, rolling their eyes and seeing disaster coming all the way to the climactic neon glow dance and satisfying conclusion.
Great characters introduced with only Andrew and Eve fleshed out thoroughly but others will get their time to shine in Miller’s follow up romance, What If You Fall For Me First. No profanity, one reference to “making out� with no details provided and a very romantic almost first kiss. There is a big fight scene, but paint balls are the weapon of choice and there is no real damage done to anyone that a little soap and water (and a toothbrush) won’t fix. Representation: physical descriptions are vague enough that race of main characters is not obvious but naming conventions may indicate that Andrew has a Middle Eastern heritage and one of his friends may be Hispanic; orientation of featured couple is all heterosexual but at one point, one girl is asked about her preferences and it is clear that everyone is OK with whatever she answers.
Note: I read the companion book first and there was no difficulty reading either one with doing so out of publication order.
August 9, 2024
I feel like I say this about a lot of books, but THIS really would’ve gone so hard in middle school. It’s been a while since I’ve loved a book so much I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning to finish it (except I’m old now, so I didn’t actually make it to the end—I had to save the final chapter for the next day).
Silly me took almost the whole book to realize this was a YA You Deserve Each Other—perhaps because I was immediately hooked by G.F. Miller’s story, and Sarah Hogle’s took two reads to grow on me. I think what really sold me on Not If You Break Up with Me First was how the stunts Andrew and Eve were pulling were the exact kind of ridiculous shenanigans middle schoolers would actually think of, if not get up to. The immaturity and audacity and absurdity were realistic, unlike the premises of many an adult romance. (Don’t get me wrong, I still love marriages of convenience and fake dating schemes, but how often do those really happen in real life?) The terribleness of it all made me nostalgic for middle school, which is hard to do, particularly because the time was marked by my friends and I committing so many painfully awkward and embarrassing acts in the name of love or something because we were, you know, thirteen. I’m nostalgic for being young(er) and thinking you have everything figured out and wanting to be grown up and also being terrified of the future and so unsure and desperate for nothing to ever change. You couldn’t pay me to go through it again, but I will gladly relive those days vicariously through book characters. And especially if they’re written by G.F. Miller!
If you don’t like miscommunication, pettiness, jealousy, this book isn’t for you—personally, I love it, and especially in this early YA context. I don’t think it’s a cop out to say this story taking place in a middle school setting with thirteen-year-olds justifies such behavior, and I definitely think that makes it more palatable.
Additional thoughts:
Bring back fun chapter titles in everything, please and thank you.
There was no real explanation for all of Eve’s space metaphors. It seems that eighth grade science at her and Andrew’s school is astronomy, but that doesn’t feel like a compelling enough reason for Eve, who otherwise doesn’t appear to have a particular affinity for science, to think in such analogies. I did enjoy them, but they felt a little out of place.
Silly me took almost the whole book to realize this was a YA You Deserve Each Other—perhaps because I was immediately hooked by G.F. Miller’s story, and Sarah Hogle’s took two reads to grow on me. I think what really sold me on Not If You Break Up with Me First was how the stunts Andrew and Eve were pulling were the exact kind of ridiculous shenanigans middle schoolers would actually think of, if not get up to. The immaturity and audacity and absurdity were realistic, unlike the premises of many an adult romance. (Don’t get me wrong, I still love marriages of convenience and fake dating schemes, but how often do those really happen in real life?) The terribleness of it all made me nostalgic for middle school, which is hard to do, particularly because the time was marked by my friends and I committing so many painfully awkward and embarrassing acts in the name of love or something because we were, you know, thirteen. I’m nostalgic for being young(er) and thinking you have everything figured out and wanting to be grown up and also being terrified of the future and so unsure and desperate for nothing to ever change. You couldn’t pay me to go through it again, but I will gladly relive those days vicariously through book characters. And especially if they’re written by G.F. Miller!
If you don’t like miscommunication, pettiness, jealousy, this book isn’t for you—personally, I love it, and especially in this early YA context. I don’t think it’s a cop out to say this story taking place in a middle school setting with thirteen-year-olds justifies such behavior, and I definitely think that makes it more palatable.
Additional thoughts:
Bring back fun chapter titles in everything, please and thank you.
There was no real explanation for all of Eve’s space metaphors. It seems that eighth grade science at her and Andrew’s school is astronomy, but that doesn’t feel like a compelling enough reason for Eve, who otherwise doesn’t appear to have a particular affinity for science, to think in such analogies. I did enjoy them, but they felt a little out of place.
August 30, 2024
Rated 4.5 stars!
I absolutely loved this book! It reminded me of one of my favorite middle grade reads, Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen, as it has a similar set up: two childhood best friends who awkwardly might have feelings for one another. What I loved about this book is that it normalizes not having your feelings and relationships sorted out at the age of 13 when your heart, brain, and body seem so foreign to you. Lots of laugh out loud humor, but soo much heart. Miller perfectly captures what it feels like being 13/14 without trying so hard. I read this book after a really crappy couple of days and it really brighten up my day.
I absolutely loved this book! It reminded me of one of my favorite middle grade reads, Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen, as it has a similar set up: two childhood best friends who awkwardly might have feelings for one another. What I loved about this book is that it normalizes not having your feelings and relationships sorted out at the age of 13 when your heart, brain, and body seem so foreign to you. Lots of laugh out loud humor, but soo much heart. Miller perfectly captures what it feels like being 13/14 without trying so hard. I read this book after a really crappy couple of days and it really brighten up my day.
February 20, 2025
Y'all this was precious! The perfect Middle Grade book to read as my "kindle to bed" book! I feel like this author got the middle grade voice DOWN! Truly so accurate (or at least for a good amount of middle schoolers I interact with).
February 1, 2025
I get why everyone loves this. Great for middle school. And though they won’t get the reference, this felt like “how to lose a guy in 10 days� for quite a bit of the book. Probably because I’ve seen that movie too much 😂
May 24, 2025
This reminded me of a teenage version of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.. cute and relatable to middle schoolers. I will definitely recommend this one to students!
April 20, 2025
I cannot say that I loved this book but I can say that I have never seen middle school relationships portrayed so well - annoying, aggravating, and hilarious. The author did a fantastic job with this middle school version of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, a classic early 2000s romcom that I happen to enjoy. If you want to get a look into the relationship drama that middle school teachers find themselves unfortunately exposed to far too often, look no further.
August 25, 2024
This is a great middle grade "romance." It was perfectly awkward and offered a lot of food for thought about that transition into confusing feelings. I loved the way Miller concluded this story.
May 13, 2025
Heart-warming and funny with all the middle school boy girl drama. And ultimately a reminder if what matters most.
August 14, 2024
More like 3.5. Cute and relatable, I enjoyed this little romp examining middle school romance and drama. I thought Miller handled the tension between wanting to keep your friendship intact while also exploring the potential for more well. The underlying drama of Eve's parents was heartbreaking and handled with extra care. I did get a little annoyed at the shenanigans, even though they made perfect sense; I guess I am too adult to fully enjoy.
August 10, 2024
Very much a middle school age appropriate book. I think it would teach teenagers the importance of speaking up and being truthful. I hate adult books where there’s a miscommunication trope, but for kids in middle school, it made so much sense because they aren’t really taught how to be in a relationship, and even struggle in friendships to be honest when it’s going to hurt someone’s feelings.
Overall not a bad book, but a little unrealistic with some of the conflict they had.
Overall not a bad book, but a little unrealistic with some of the conflict they had.
Read
August 3, 2024What a cute, quick read. With laugh out loud middle school humor to the serious topic of family, this book was a delightful audiobook to listen too. It is a YA so if you are reading as an adult please take that into consideration.
Read
July 25, 2024Did I really read this? I started it ages ago but it’s sooo cringey so I just skimmed the last half to be done with it 😂 too uncomfortable for me
April 7, 2024
I'm definitely not the target audience for this book. As a 40 something year old woman, I havn't read middle grade since I was in fact in middle grade. I occasionally dabble in YA and quite enjoy it and when I was sent this one from Simon and Schuster Canada, it sounded so adorable that I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did! I'm putting myself in the mindset of a young person reading this book and it was quite enjoyable, quick and easy to read and dealt with what would be real issues for the target age group.
This book is a romcom about two childhood best friends entering their grade eight year. Because they've been friends for so long, everyone in the class feels like they're "meant to be". With all of their friends starting to develop crushes and dating peers, they gave into the pressure and went to the school dance together, causing everyone to believe things between them finally went official. But they don't want to risk ruining their friendship and feeling a relationship may do that, they both want to break up and just be friends. But neither wants to hurt the other, so they each decide secretly to be the worst boyfriend/girlfriend ever in the hopes that the other is the one to do the breaking up. It would be totally genius, if they weren't both doing the same thing!
This story was cute and fun and I can see this being a popular book in my school library! If you have a young reader at home (grade 7/8 or early high school age) this would be a really fun romcom for their shelf...or for you to enjoy too!
This book is a romcom about two childhood best friends entering their grade eight year. Because they've been friends for so long, everyone in the class feels like they're "meant to be". With all of their friends starting to develop crushes and dating peers, they gave into the pressure and went to the school dance together, causing everyone to believe things between them finally went official. But they don't want to risk ruining their friendship and feeling a relationship may do that, they both want to break up and just be friends. But neither wants to hurt the other, so they each decide secretly to be the worst boyfriend/girlfriend ever in the hopes that the other is the one to do the breaking up. It would be totally genius, if they weren't both doing the same thing!
This story was cute and fun and I can see this being a popular book in my school library! If you have a young reader at home (grade 7/8 or early high school age) this would be a really fun romcom for their shelf...or for you to enjoy too!
June 5, 2024
“Sometimes we’re the cruellest to the people we love the most. We take things out on them and show them the worst parts of us.�
I'd like to thank Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.
This was a sweet story about growing up and all of the troubles that go along with it. My favourite part of this book was the character development. It was great to see the growth that each kid went through and how they changed as they learned more about each other. There was a bit of miscommunication, but it was needed for the story to progress. I enjoyed that this book not only focused on how relationships with friends change as you get older but also on how family relationships change. We got to explore how Eve and Andrew were impacted by what was happening at home and how it translated into their reactions. The writing style was fast and easy to follow, making this a quick read. Not If You Break Up With Me First is a story of growing up, changing friendships, and figuring out what it means to feel pressured by those around you.
I'd like to thank Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.
This was a sweet story about growing up and all of the troubles that go along with it. My favourite part of this book was the character development. It was great to see the growth that each kid went through and how they changed as they learned more about each other. There was a bit of miscommunication, but it was needed for the story to progress. I enjoyed that this book not only focused on how relationships with friends change as you get older but also on how family relationships change. We got to explore how Eve and Andrew were impacted by what was happening at home and how it translated into their reactions. The writing style was fast and easy to follow, making this a quick read. Not If You Break Up With Me First is a story of growing up, changing friendships, and figuring out what it means to feel pressured by those around you.
November 11, 2024
Eve and Andrew have been best friends since forever; they'd gone through the ups and downs of growing up together and their families were very close. When summer ends and Andrew comes back home after two months Eve discovers he's not a kid anymore. Eve tells herself that nothing is going to change but at school things start to get really complicated, especially when her friends and Andrew's friends start assuming they're boyfriend and girlfriend. Eve and Andrew don't want to ruin their friendship so they just go along with it. But when the first dance of eighth grade approaches, Eve doesn't want to miss it because she's the only one without a date; so she ends up asking Andrew; then it really starts getting awkward. Eve wants to make Andrew see that dating is a terrible idea, so she tries to be the worst girlfriend ever; only problem is Andrew does the same thing.
This was a super cute, hilarious book; I was drawn in from the very first page. I loved the characters, I found them to be completely likable. I thought their actions were understandable when dealing with typical tween drama and done in a way that didn't make it seem obnoxious when we knew the reasons behind the characters' actions.
I'd love to read more from G.F. Miller. I won this book free from a ŷ giveaway.
This was a super cute, hilarious book; I was drawn in from the very first page. I loved the characters, I found them to be completely likable. I thought their actions were understandable when dealing with typical tween drama and done in a way that didn't make it seem obnoxious when we knew the reasons behind the characters' actions.
I'd love to read more from G.F. Miller. I won this book free from a ŷ giveaway.
February 9, 2024
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
Eve and Andrew have been friends and neighbors most of their lives. They know each other's quirks, likes and dislikes, and favorite activities. When Andrew's family spends the summer in Florida, they both feel like things are a bit odd between them as they start 8th grade. Eve has spent the summer hanging out with the cross country girls, who are much more interested in boys and make up than she is. Andrew, who is in the marching band, also finds that his friends have a different attitude toward girls. Last year, they were interested in Legos and video games. He is especially dismayed when one, Holden, makes comments about girls being "hot", but isn't sure how to challenge him. Eve's parents have been fighting constantly, adding to her feeling of unease. When the girls on her team mention that another drummer, Madison, seems to have a crush on Andrew, Eve is surprised to feel a bit jealous. The others tease her, and dare her to ask Andrew to an upcoming dance. It's hard to say no when they are egging her on, so she breaks away from practice and approaches Andrew during marching band practice to ask him to the dance. Andrew is suprised by the nature of the invitation, but because HIS friends are watching, can hardly say no. From there, things just get weird. Andrew and Eve stop hanging out, but text a lot about the upcoming dance. Eve notices that her mother, who is best friends with Andrew's mother and has long thought that the two kids would get married when they grew up, seems happier and fights less with her father now that she and Andrew are "dating". After a disastrous dance, which includes golden hour photos by moms "taking pictures like it was their actual job", Eve is sure she has to break up with Andrew, but doesn't want to hurt his feelings. Andrew feels the same way. Both independently come to the conclusion that they have to make the other person break up with them, and each set up on a course of annoying behavior designed to irritate. Eve demands Andrew's hoodie, sits at his lunch table and calls him Andy, and embodies the clinging, smothering girlfriend she knows Andrew despises. Even this doesn't dissuade him, but he manages to mastermind an embarrassing Halloween costume that is even worse when Madison joins the group in a costume that coincidentally coordinates in a horrible way. There are some quiet moments when the two are alone that are very sweet, and they clearly care about each other. The dating and even the plan to break up are driven primarily by the pressure of the friend groups. When this all comes to a horrible confrontation in public, the two have to find a way to deescalate the situation. Will they be able to return to their casual but deeply caring friendship?
Clearly, Miller has spent a LOT of time with middle school students. There were so many situations that could have come out of my own life, or the life of my children or students. That 24 hours when my friend Brad and I "went out" because our friends in Latin class pushed us to was... something. My proudest parenting moment was when I did NOT go with my daughter to a friend's house to get ready for homecoming and join the throng of mothers and grandmothers with cameras. And my other daughter's first summer on the cross country team? Revelatory. All of the swirling emotions, new experiences, and embarrassing moments are so perfectly captured, and the amount of clever, chortle worthy lines was positively Sonnenblickian.
The way that the struggle of Eve's parents affects her, and the way that Andrew's mother deals with it, is quite well done. It's great that when they see how much it is affecting Eve, decide to go to counseling. The way this mirrors the troubles that Eve and Andrew are having because of lack of communication is an important lesson in how relationships need work, no matter what one's age, or the duration of the relationship. Instead of killing off most of the parents, I really with that middle grade literature would explore how troubled family dynamics affect tweens every day lives.
It was sweet to see how much Eve and Andrew cared about each other, and how they felt bad about annoying each other, but felt it was for the best. Madison was an intriguing character, and it was great when she tells Eve she would love to be friends with her. I loved that while Holden was a complete jerk, his friends didn't let him get away with being that way for long. There's definitely jerkiness out there. Middle school has so many confusing emotions, and they are laid painfully bare on the pages of this book. Eve's relationship with Andrew's hoodie almost deserves a book to itself!
Another reviewer mentioned that this book was very heteronormative, and while I can see this, there is a fantastic moment when Madison is approached about her interest in Andrew (or lack thereof). One of the girls says something to the effect of "Or are you ace or aro? It's okay if you are." Madison has a fantastic response, saying that she is 13, and she just wants to be able to figure herself out without having labels placed on her. The simplest explanation is that Eve and Andrew's friend group is mainly heteronormative. I've seen in middle school that friend groups not only fall along gender lines, but identity lines as well. Even five years ago, students were much more heteronormative and are, in general, straighter than recent middle grade literature would have us believe. Could some LGBTQIA+ characters have been included? Absolutely. But was it realistic to not include them in this story that focused its lens on Eve and Andrew and their small circle of friends so closely? Also absolutely.
I loved this one SO MUCH. At its heart, it was such a sweet romance, with so many clever, funny lines. It had me alternating between snorting out loud and wiping tears from my eyes. I wanted to have a copy in my hand right now to give to my students, and might have mentioned it to patrons who were checking out Richards' Stu Truly or Acampora's Danny Constantino's First Date, two titles that are never on the shelf. This is the best middle grade romance since Heldring's The Football Girl.
Eve and Andrew have been friends and neighbors most of their lives. They know each other's quirks, likes and dislikes, and favorite activities. When Andrew's family spends the summer in Florida, they both feel like things are a bit odd between them as they start 8th grade. Eve has spent the summer hanging out with the cross country girls, who are much more interested in boys and make up than she is. Andrew, who is in the marching band, also finds that his friends have a different attitude toward girls. Last year, they were interested in Legos and video games. He is especially dismayed when one, Holden, makes comments about girls being "hot", but isn't sure how to challenge him. Eve's parents have been fighting constantly, adding to her feeling of unease. When the girls on her team mention that another drummer, Madison, seems to have a crush on Andrew, Eve is surprised to feel a bit jealous. The others tease her, and dare her to ask Andrew to an upcoming dance. It's hard to say no when they are egging her on, so she breaks away from practice and approaches Andrew during marching band practice to ask him to the dance. Andrew is suprised by the nature of the invitation, but because HIS friends are watching, can hardly say no. From there, things just get weird. Andrew and Eve stop hanging out, but text a lot about the upcoming dance. Eve notices that her mother, who is best friends with Andrew's mother and has long thought that the two kids would get married when they grew up, seems happier and fights less with her father now that she and Andrew are "dating". After a disastrous dance, which includes golden hour photos by moms "taking pictures like it was their actual job", Eve is sure she has to break up with Andrew, but doesn't want to hurt his feelings. Andrew feels the same way. Both independently come to the conclusion that they have to make the other person break up with them, and each set up on a course of annoying behavior designed to irritate. Eve demands Andrew's hoodie, sits at his lunch table and calls him Andy, and embodies the clinging, smothering girlfriend she knows Andrew despises. Even this doesn't dissuade him, but he manages to mastermind an embarrassing Halloween costume that is even worse when Madison joins the group in a costume that coincidentally coordinates in a horrible way. There are some quiet moments when the two are alone that are very sweet, and they clearly care about each other. The dating and even the plan to break up are driven primarily by the pressure of the friend groups. When this all comes to a horrible confrontation in public, the two have to find a way to deescalate the situation. Will they be able to return to their casual but deeply caring friendship?
Clearly, Miller has spent a LOT of time with middle school students. There were so many situations that could have come out of my own life, or the life of my children or students. That 24 hours when my friend Brad and I "went out" because our friends in Latin class pushed us to was... something. My proudest parenting moment was when I did NOT go with my daughter to a friend's house to get ready for homecoming and join the throng of mothers and grandmothers with cameras. And my other daughter's first summer on the cross country team? Revelatory. All of the swirling emotions, new experiences, and embarrassing moments are so perfectly captured, and the amount of clever, chortle worthy lines was positively Sonnenblickian.
The way that the struggle of Eve's parents affects her, and the way that Andrew's mother deals with it, is quite well done. It's great that when they see how much it is affecting Eve, decide to go to counseling. The way this mirrors the troubles that Eve and Andrew are having because of lack of communication is an important lesson in how relationships need work, no matter what one's age, or the duration of the relationship. Instead of killing off most of the parents, I really with that middle grade literature would explore how troubled family dynamics affect tweens every day lives.
It was sweet to see how much Eve and Andrew cared about each other, and how they felt bad about annoying each other, but felt it was for the best. Madison was an intriguing character, and it was great when she tells Eve she would love to be friends with her. I loved that while Holden was a complete jerk, his friends didn't let him get away with being that way for long. There's definitely jerkiness out there. Middle school has so many confusing emotions, and they are laid painfully bare on the pages of this book. Eve's relationship with Andrew's hoodie almost deserves a book to itself!
Another reviewer mentioned that this book was very heteronormative, and while I can see this, there is a fantastic moment when Madison is approached about her interest in Andrew (or lack thereof). One of the girls says something to the effect of "Or are you ace or aro? It's okay if you are." Madison has a fantastic response, saying that she is 13, and she just wants to be able to figure herself out without having labels placed on her. The simplest explanation is that Eve and Andrew's friend group is mainly heteronormative. I've seen in middle school that friend groups not only fall along gender lines, but identity lines as well. Even five years ago, students were much more heteronormative and are, in general, straighter than recent middle grade literature would have us believe. Could some LGBTQIA+ characters have been included? Absolutely. But was it realistic to not include them in this story that focused its lens on Eve and Andrew and their small circle of friends so closely? Also absolutely.
I loved this one SO MUCH. At its heart, it was such a sweet romance, with so many clever, funny lines. It had me alternating between snorting out loud and wiping tears from my eyes. I wanted to have a copy in my hand right now to give to my students, and might have mentioned it to patrons who were checking out Richards' Stu Truly or Acampora's Danny Constantino's First Date, two titles that are never on the shelf. This is the best middle grade romance since Heldring's The Football Girl.
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