Publisher's Weekly Review
A queer Australian teen joins a community theater production to woo his online crush in this frothy romance by Madden (Anything But Fine). Seventeen-year-old white Noah Mitchell distracts himself from constant school bullying by playing online games with his secret crush, whom he knows only as MagePants69, or M. Though Noah desperately wants to meet M IRL, M's mother forbids him from sharing personal information; all Noah knows is that they live in the same town. But when M reveals that he's in a play and his online absences match up with rehearsals for Noah's mom's local production of Chicago, Noah joins the cast using his mother's connections. At rehearsals, he meets white Eli Callaghan, who resembles M's avatar. Convinced they're the same person, Noah endeavors to woo Eli while keeping their established connection secret. As rehearsals progress, Noah struggles with learning the choreography and standing up to his bullies, and Eli's jealousy over Noah's tentative friendship with the show's lead often stalls their budding relationship. Noah's initial social isolation, slowly building confidence, and gradual realization that people want to be his friend outside of the internet are sensitively wrought, making for an absorbing protagonist readers can't help but root for. Ages 14--up. Agent: Claire Friedman, InkWell Management. (Jan.)
Kirkus Review
A lonely Australian gaymer joins a musical theater society in a quest to win the heart of his soul mate. Noah Mitchell--or Snitchell as he's called at school--has a problem. He's in love with MagePants69, a friend he only knows through the online role-playing gameSpire of Dusk. They're both 17, gay, and live in Ballarat, but parental rules prevent them from sharing any other identifying details. In real life, wealthy White Noah avoids social interactions at all costs. When his self-absorbed mother, the leading lady of their town's upcoming production of Chicago, asks him to fill a hole in the show's chorus, he has no intention of accepting until MagePants69 casually mentions in a late-night chat that he attended a rehearsal. Desperate to meet the boy of his dreams and sure that MagePants69 is in Chicago, Noah crafts a plan to make their lives converge. Tightly connected storytelling emphasizes the importance of honesty and vulnerable communication, tying together Noah's conflicts with his family, his messy romance, and an incident in his past that ended all his friendships in ways that ramp up the tension. The emotional impact of the resolution is muddied by the lack of reflection on race; in the predominantly White cast, most of the antagonists are people of color. Lanky, self-conscious Noah starts working out but by the end of the book is starting to feel more accepting of his body. Skillfully explores how a teen reckons with authenticity in his relationships. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.