Just as You Are, Camille Kellogg
Just as You Are, Camille Kellogg
List: $20.00 | Sale: $14.00
Club: $10.00

Just as You Are

Author: Camille Kellogg

Narrator: Bailey Carr

Unabridged: 8 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/25/2023


Synopsis

Equal parts witty and steamy, this debut rom-com is “filled with fun” (People) and brings a healthy dose of queerness to a Pride and Prejudice-inspired enemies-to-lovers romance.

“Brims with heart, spice, and humor.”—Ashley Herring Blake, author of Delilah Green Doesn’t Care
“The L Word, but better.”—TJ Alexander, author of Chef’s Kiss
“A juicy sapphic romp; sweet, sexy, and tender in all the right ways.”—Gabrielle Korn, author of Everybody (Else) Is Perfect

A LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

The only thing worse than hating your boss? Being attracted to her.

Liz Baker and her three roommates work at the Nether Fields, a queer magazine in New York that’s on the verge of shutting down—until it’s bought at the last minute by two wealthy lesbians. Liz knows she’s lucky to still have a paycheck but it’s hard to feel grateful with minority investor Daria Fitzgerald slashing budgets, cancelling bagel Fridays, and password protecting the color printer to prevent “frivolous use.” When Liz overhears Daria scoffing at her listicles, she knows that it’s only a matter of time before her impulsive mouth gets herself fired.

But as Liz and Daria wind up having to spend more and more time together, Liz starts to see a softer side to Daria—she’s funny, thoughtful, and likes the way Liz’s gender presentation varies between butch and femme. Despite the evidence that Liz can’t trust her, it’s hard to keep hating Daria—and even harder to resist the chemistry between them.

This page-turning, sexy, and delightfully funny rom-com celebrates queer culture, chosen family, and falling in love against your better judgment.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Mai on April 18, 2025

So last month I read a Chinese American retelling of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. This month's is queer. Are P&P retellings my thing? Fairytale retellings certainly aren't. Growing up, I loved Lizzy as a character. She and Jo from LITTLE WOMEN were strong female characters I looked up to. I'm not even that t......more

Goodreads review by Anniek on March 03, 2023

My issue with books that are marketed as romcoms that aren't romcoms continues. This is not a romcom. I'm not even sure it's a straight-up romance, because while it does have a central romance, the plotline about the workplace problems felt more central, so this felt more like a contemporary story t......more

Goodreads review by Kristy on April 26, 2023

Liz and her three roommates are devastated when the queer magazine where they work, The Nether Fields, is about to be shut down. But the magazine is saved at the last hour by two wealthy lesbians, Bailey and Daria. Liz and snobby Daria get off on the wrong foot immediately, with Daria mocking the li......more

Goodreads review by Anita on September 15, 2022

Full blurb to come, but this was so specifically lesbian-queer and specifically young-in-New York that it just truly delighted me. Also: a prickly love interest I was obsessed with from the jump, and an MC with incredibly relatable gender/presentation/identity feels (and also the anxiety feels that......more

Goodreads review by Leah on July 10, 2023

While I enjoyed my time reading “Just as You Are” by Camille Kellogg, I think marketing this as a rom-com is pretty off base. This honestly felt like queer fiction novel with a romantic subplot. This is more about Liz Baker and her personal journey of with her friend group and first real job. Liz an......more


Quotes

“Much more than the typical romance or retelling . . . It’s because of this urgency to fight and protect that makes queer joy all the more crucial. The book, for all its romance and drama, is also filled with fun. . . . It is a book, in many ways, about starting over and celebrating the small things.”People

“So much more than your average rom-com . . . Just as You Are is a full-on enemies-to-lovers romance that exudes queerness at every possible turn. . . . It’s clear this book was written by a queer person, for a queer person. . . . Kellogg has made me feel so seen. . . . Kellogg’s references to queer pop culture feel like a shared language that only exists among queer people. I don’t know if a straight person would enjoy this book the same way that [a] queer person would—and that’s okay. This is for us.”Autostraddle

“Filled with intriguing characters, relatable gender and identity representation and . . . strong friendship bonds between distinct, engaging queer characters . . . Kellogg expertly delineates why queer media (and especially being represented accurately in it) is so important. . . . Perfect for fans of The Bold Type!”The Nerd Daily

“There have been plenty of Pride and Prejudice retellings, but nothing quite like this one. . . . Kellogg gives everything a contemporary sapphic twist. . . . This thoughtful and playful reimagining celebrates the unexpected.”Gay Times

“I’ve never read a book that so honestly and relatably explores being a queer woman in your 20s, from queer community and friendships to exploring gender presentation and so much more. . . . The part that most spoke to my soul, though, was the protagonist grappling with the value of writing and reading queer ‘fluff’ novels and celebrating seeing yourself in joyful books.”—Susie Dumond, author of Queerly Beloved, for BookRiot

“When you tell me it features a ‘butch 4 gender-confused mess’ you know I’m going to drop everything to read it.”—Yashwina Canter for Autostraddle

“Warm, witty, and wonderful! Readers will be utterly smitten by this clever, queer romance that, at its heart, is about embracing yourself—just as you are.”—Alexandria Bellefleur, nationally bestselling author of Written in the Stars

“The world Camille Kellogg has created is both lighthearted and heartfelt, filled with queer characters of every stripe. I felt like I was being told the juiciest gossip by my closest friends. Just as You Are was just what I needed.”—TJ Alexander, author of Chef’s Kiss

Just as You Are is the queer Pride and Prejudice retelling I’ve been waiting for! This is a story about assumptions, forgiveness, and finding your own path, and a rom-com that blends my needs for sexual tension and sentimentality. Pick this book up—you will be happy you did!”—Alison Cochrun, author of The Charm Offensive

Just As You Are is one of the most gloriously queer things I've ever read. While their romance is easy to root for, at its heart, this book is a tribute to queer friendships and being young in New York—like if The L Word had been about anxiety-ridden writers in Brooklyn. In other words: a delight.”—Anita Kelly, author of Love & Other Disasters

“A sincere, funny book that successfully uses Jane Austen’s characters and plot as a means to explore queer identity, gender expression, and the intersection of admiration and attraction . . . will charm readers looking for a queer spin on Pride and Prejudice and relatable stories about finding one’s place in the world.”Library Journal (starred review)