Hello (from Here) by Chandler Baker & Wesley King ARC Review

Authors: Chandler Baker & Wesley King

Genre: YA Contemporary

Release Date: 09.07.21

Publisher: Dial Books

Source: E-ARC via Publisher

My Rating: 3/5 stars

SYNOPSIS: “Maxine and Jonah bump into each other in the canned goods aisle of the grocery store just as the state of California is going into lockdown, when everything changes completely. Could there be a worse time to meet? Max’s part-time job at a supermarket is about to transform into a hellish gauntlet. Jonah’s preexisting anxiety is about to become an epic daily struggle. As Max, Jonah, and their friends live together but apart through hijinks, humanity, and heartbreak, Hello (From Here) cuts across urgent matters much bigger than a teenage crush. Differences of class, privilege, mental health, and sacrifice are thrown into stark relief by the profound and personal stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic. As thoughtful, probing, and informed as it is buoyant, romantic, and funny, Hello (From Here) looks at the first two months of the quarantine and adds falling hopelessly in love to the mess.:”

When I first discovered Hello (from Here) I was instantly intrigued; as someone who had their own pandemic romance, I wanted to see how a novel would address this. NOTE: Since this novel occurs during the early months of the pandemic (around March-May 2020), it explores many topics and issues from the beginning of the pandemic… so, TW for: death, death of a parent, illness, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aspects that I Enjoyed:

• A dynamic and representative discussion of mental health. Hello (from Here) does a fantastic job exploring the impact of the pandemic on mental health. Jonah struggles with anxiety disorders and this topic is touched on throughout the story. This book has a great focus on mental health and I really appreciated how it was handled.
• The impact of the pandemic on different people. The protagonists, Max and Jonah, came from vastly different worlds in regards to the economy and family and I appreciated this narrative. The way the pandemic affected them both was realistic and displayed how the pandemic impacts everyone in different ways.
• At 330 pages, it was a quick and engaging read. The plot was constantly flowing and made for an addicting story. I read almost the entire book in one sitting and never found a dull moment.

Aspects that I Didn’t Enjoy as Much:

• I struggled to feel emotionally invested in the characters. Okay, so this is totally a *me* problem, and nothing to do with the book. I struggled to feel engaged with the characters. I didn’t get too upset by what was happening, or get emotionally wrecked during the climax.
• The romance was a insta-lovey. Oh my poor heart. While I do understand why the insta-love was included for the overall book to work, I also wish it had been drawn out more. I love a slow burn and I was let down by how quickly the words boyfriend and girlfriend were being thrown around.
• One of the characters makes very questionable choices. I have to be vague about this to avoid spoilers. But, one of the characters makes some choices that aren’t the best. Their actions are discussed and shown to be wrong, but I also wanted to yell at this character to not do what they were doing so badly.

Overall I enjoyed my time reading Hello (from Here), but I also wouldn’t consider it a favorite. If you’re personally interested in reading a story that occurs during the pandemic, then I’d totally recommend this! It provides interesting insight and is a story I know others will love.

Thank you so much Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a review! Opinions are all my own.