A review by effy
Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young

5.0

 
Evan and Clara have been friends since they were kids so when Clara’s new boss mistakes her for being a part of the queer community, they agree to fake date. This works to Evan’s advantage too as she has her work’s holiday party is being held at the home of her ex-fiancee who is now seemingly happy with the woman she cheated on Evan with and Evan really wants to show that she has moved on too.

Do you the miscommunication trope, especially when the characters could resolve things in literally a single conversation? Yeah, me too! Well, do I have fantastic news for you! The characters in Set the Record Straight have incredible communication skills and are always ready to convey to one another their wants and needs.

I loved the way that Clara started exploring her sexuality before Evan and her had even truly begun to fake date and then there wasn’t ever really a sense that these characters were on a different page from one another. Clara realised that her feelings for Evan might just be more than friends and she immediately expressed that.

This is a book where people with learning disabilities or a form of neurodivergence are never seen as less than and they also aren’t being used as some kind of token, wheeled-out as a success or pity story. This is a book where no character is denied their innate humanity and accommodations are made without blinking an eye. It gave me all the happy tears to see this couple immediately accept and respond to one another’s needs.

I just loved this book so much and am excited to read more from the author in the future.