Book Review: You, Me, and Our Heartstrings by Melissa See

You, Me, and Our Heartstrings by Melissa See
Published: May 31st by Scholastic
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5)
Genre: Young Adult // Romance, Contemporary
Quick Thoughts: A harmonious and wholehearted story about the lure of music and power of magnetic connections between likeminded souls.
About The Book:
A fresh and fun teen romance starring a girl with cerebral palsy, and a boy with severe anxiety.
Daisy and Noah have the same plan: use the holiday concert to land a Julliard audition. But when they’re chosen to play a duet for the concert, they worry that their differences will sink their chances.
Noah, a cello prodigy from a long line of musicians, wants to stick to tradition. Daisy, a fiercely independent disabled violinist, is used to fighting for what she wants and likes to take risks. But the two surprise each other when they play. They fall perfectly in tune.
After their performance goes viral, the rest of the country falls for them just as surely as they’re falling for each other. But viral fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. No one seems to care about their talent or their music at all. People have rewritten their love story into one where Daisy is an inspiration for overcoming her cerebral palsy and Noah is a saint for seeing past it.
Daisy is tired of her disability being the only thing people see about her, and all of the attention sends Noah’s anxiety disorder into high speed. They can see their dream coming closer than it’s ever been before. But is the cost suddenly too high?
First Thoughts
Oh, what’s that? Another Contemporary Romance? SIGN ME UP! Seriously, I could read this genre all my life, okay? I knew that You, Me And Our Heartstrings was going to be my kind of read ever since I saw it during the Scholastic Showcase Zoom earlier this year. As someone with a chronic illness and an anxiety disorder as well, it’s honestly so refreshing to see disability/mental health rep in YA.
My Review
Main characters Daisy and Noah are more alike than they are aware, in the beginning. They have a similar plan—make an impression at the holiday concert to get a Julliard audition—which in turn, means that they fall into a perfect symphony when they decide to play together. In fact, when their performance goes viral, it’s go-time.
Daisy, a sweet violinist with cerebral palsy and a heart of gold, starts to fall for cello-whizz Noah—who deals with severe anxiety—as they bask in the glory of their newfound fame. But it comes at a price: suddenly, people aren’t interested in how talented they are or how passionate they are about music at all. They want the love story—the one the public have painted for themselves—Daisy being an “inspiration” and Noah being some kind of angel for looking past her disability. And the thing is, Daisy and Noah are exasperated of that narrative. The more it spreads, the more Noah’s anxiety reaches an all-time high. Even as their dream is fast approaching with new possibilities on the horizon, the price they’re paying feels all too much. But the connection they share, beyond their viral performance, is something to cling to—because that is the reality: two talented people that are falling faster to the sound of their own music.
Overall, You, Me and Our Heartstrings was everything I wished for and more. With side-characters and mains that felt so real—so well-written—reading it went and passed in the blink of an eye—almost too fast. It had a little bit of insta-love, but I’m a sucker for romance, so that wasn’t too much of an issue for me. It was exactly what I needed for a Summer afternoon read. If you’re looking for a harmonious and wholehearted story about the lure of music and power of magnetic connections between likeminded souls, this is the novel for you. A beautiful 4.5 stars!

About The Author
Melissa See is a disabled author of young adult contemporary romances. Currently pursuing her education to work in children’s publishing, she lives in New York with her cat, Miles; more books than she can read; and more anime than she can watch. She is represented by Emily Forney at BookEnds Literary Agency.
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