Dustin Thao

You’ve reached Sam #2

You’ve found Oliver

thank you to dutton books for young readers and penguin teen for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

dustin thao’s books are all just so special to me. he always does an incredible job crafting love stories that transcend the characters realities and oliver’s story is no different. after reading julie’s story i fell in love with what looked to be a blossoming friendship with her and oliver. so, when i started oliver’s story, i was so pleasantly surprised to see how much their friendship had grown with each other in the months that passed since the end of you’ve found sam.

oliver was such a compelling character to me from the very first page. he was in love with his best friend and planned to confess his love but wasn’t able to. in his present day, we’re watching his version of grieving for the loss of his childhood best friend and watching him text sam’s number to tell him every little detail of his life that reminds him of sam. after calling sam’s number, he learns that it has now been reassigned to someone new. ben. this sparks a budding relationship between the two as they begin communicating more.

oliver’s story is truly heartbreaking to me, but such a beautiful depiction of how he is trying to move forward with his new reality. we see him connect with ben and use their new connection as a space to let himself heal and discuss his relationship with sam further. ben was so so kind and patient with oliver the whole way through. we see how his relationship with ben ultimately causes his personal life to deteriorate as he tries so hard to hold onto their strange reality. we’re shown how it essentially mirrors his mental state while he grieved his best friend as well. and after a few questionable choices, oliver eventually begins to understand the deeper impacts on his relationship with ben (and with sam).

i hope one day, we can revisit julie and oliver a few years down the line after they’ve had a chance to heal further and build new relationships.

ash (smokedshelves)

thank you to dutton books for young readers and penguin teen for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

dustin thao’s books are all just so special to me. he always does an incredible job crafting love stories that transcend the characters realities and oliver’s story is no different. after reading julie’s story i fell in love with what looked to be a blossoming friendship with her and oliver. so, when i started oliver’s story, i was so pleasantly surprised to see how much their friendship had grown with each other in the months that passed since the end of you’ve found sam.

oliver was such a compelling character to me from the very first page. he was in love with his best friend and planned to confess his love but wasn’t able to. in his present day, we’re watching his version of grieving for the loss of his childhood best friend and watching him text sam’s number to tell him every little detail of his life that reminds him of sam. after calling sam’s number, he learns that it has now been reassigned to someone new. ben. this sparks a budding relationship between the two as they begin communicating more.

oliver’s story is truly heartbreaking to me, but such a beautiful depiction of how he is trying to move forward with his new reality. we see him connect with ben and use their new connection as a space to let himself heal and discuss his relationship with sam further. ben was so so kind and patient with oliver the whole way through. we see how his relationship with ben ultimately causes his personal life to deteriorate as he tries so hard to hold onto their strange reality. we’re shown how it essentially mirrors his mental state while he grieved his best friend as well. and after a few questionable choices, oliver eventually begins to understand the deeper impacts on his relationship with ben (and with sam).

i hope one day, we can revisit julie and oliver a few years down the line after they’ve had a chance to heal further and build new relationships.

As a fan of mutliple timelines, alternate universes this book was made for me. I absolutely loved this book! I do admit I was very curious on how everything will come together in the end and I was not disappointed.

This didn't make me cry as much as You've Reached Sam or made my jaw drop like When Haru Was Here but Oliver and Ben, you have my heart.

"I'll fly into a black hole to find you."

"Then I'll search every universe to find you"

Maui S.

As a fan of mutliple timelines, alternate universes this book was made for me. I absolutely loved this book! I do admit I was very curious on how everything will come together in the end and I was not disappointed.

This didn't make me cry as much as You've Reached Sam or made my jaw drop like When Haru Was Here but Oliver and Ben, you have my heart.

"I'll fly into a black hole to find you."

"Then I'll search every universe to find you"

PLEASE. MY HEART.

You’ve found Oliver You’ve reached Sam #2