Come As You Are & the Art of Starting Over

Welcome back to The Chapter Café, where stories are always on the menu and comfort is served by the chapter. I’m your host, Kristen, and today we’re unpacking a story about heartbreak, reinvention, and the unexpected ways we find our people. On today’s menu? Come As You Are by Dahlia Adler—a YA romance that’s equal parts sharp, swoony, and soul-searching.

So grab your favorite back-to-school brew—maybe a chai latte with oat milk or a classic black coffee—and let’s turn the page together.

Everett “Evie” Riley is starting over. After her boyfriend cheated on her—with her sister—and her best friend stood by and watched, she transferred to Camden Academy for a fresh start. But her clean slate hits a snag when she’s accidentally placed in an all-boys dorm. With no other housing options, she’s stuck—and the gossip spreads fast.

Enter Salem Grayson, her grumpy, emo dormmate with secrets of his own. He needs help repairing his relationship with his parents. She needs help surviving her new reputation. So they strike a deal: he’ll teach her how to be “cool,” and she’ll teach him how to be “good.”

Here’s what’s on our appetizer plate:

Setting: Camden Academy—a boarding school full of whispers, reputations, and second chances.

Themes: Identity, trust, emotional resilience, and the freedom to define yourself on your own terms.

Tropes: Opposites attract, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, found family.

Vibes: Think 10 Things I Hate About You meets Fangirl, with eyeliner, playlists, and late-night heart-to-hearts.

Come As You Are is a story about what happens after the fallout—after the betrayal, after the heartbreak, after the people you trusted let you down. Evie isn’t trying to be perfect anymore. She’s trying to be real. And that’s what makes her so compelling.

Dahlia Adler writes with emotional clarity and a deep understanding of how messy teenage relationships can be. Evie’s voice is sharp and self-aware, but also vulnerable. She’s angry, she’s hurt, and she’s trying to figure out who she is when she’s not defined by other people’s expectations.

Salem is the perfect foil—moody, guarded, and quietly kind. Their dynamic is electric, full of banter and tension, but also mutual respect. They challenge each other to grow, to be honest, to show up. And their romance? It’s slow-burning, emotionally charged, and deeply satisfying.

What sets this book apart is its refusal to simplify. Friendships are complicated. Family is messy. Healing isn’t linear. But through it all, Adler gives us a story that’s hopeful, affirming, and full of heart.

Perfect for fans of:

YA romance with emotional depth and character-driven plots

Boarding school settings with a twist

Stories about reinvention and reclaiming your narrative

And anyone who’s ever felt like they had to start over from scratch

If Come As You Are left you feeling seen and soothed, here are a few literary desserts to keep the vibe going:

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter – A rom-com with heart, humor, and a heroine rewriting her own love story.

Begin Again by Emma Lord – A college-set story about fresh starts, found family, and unexpected love.

Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler – A bi teen caught between a summer fling and her longtime crush.

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth – A sapphic romance with humor, heartbreak, and healing.

You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn – A country music romance about fame, grief, and finding your voice.

Each of these books offers a different flavor of what Adler does so well: emotional honesty, romantic tension, and characters who feel like people you know.

That’s it for today’s episode of The Chapter Café. Whether you’re unpacking boxes in a new dorm or just trying to figure out who you are this season, may your stories be brave, your characters unforgettable, and your heart always open to a little reinvention.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, or share it with a fellow reader who’s navigating their own fresh start. And if you’ve got a favorite opposites-attract romance or boarding school drama, send it our way—we’re always hungry for more.

Until next time, I’m Kristen, and this has been The Chapter Café. Keep reading, and keep cozy.