Review: If We Were a Movie by Kelly Oram

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Music meets Movies in this sweet college romance from the bestselling author of Cinder & Ella. NYU freshman Nate Anderson is a triplet who is desperate to escape his wild and crazy brothers. After they screw things up for him one too many times, Nate flees his housing situation and takes the first available room for rent as far from his brothers as he can get. Enter his new roommate Jordan--a quirky LA girl who believes that everything in life has already been done in the movies. In this heartfelt tale of love, friendship and family, Nate learns how to deal with his new adult life using Hollywood films as a guide.

My Review

I didn't realize for the first couple pages the first person POV was a male... which made me laugh when I got confused enough to figure it out. Nate has plenty of the typical guy in him- he appreciates good-looking girls and likes goofing off with his brothers- but he stands out with his compassion for the feelings of others and his passion for music. His girlfriend Sophie is cast as the villain of the story, but I thought she came off pretty obvious and two-dimensional. It didn't reflect well on Nate that he was still with her, but as he encounters Jordan with the help of the matchmaker Pearl, he redeems himself by recognizing and treasuring her individuality and kindness. I loved their friendship with the banter, film references, and unconditional support. The gay sidekick was a character I could have done without- I found him annoyingly stereotypical of a tired trend. Nate's shifting relationship with his brothers on the other hand had depth and really showed some of the difficulties of growing up and choosing something different than what your loved ones preferred; trying to balance being true to yourself with family love and loyalty. While reading, the story played in my head just like a movie, and I thinks it's fitting of the title and theme that it would easily translate to the big screen.

(Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

 

What readers just like you are saying about If We Were a Movie...

"WOW! This book is great! The concept is so inventive, and the writing is brilliant."

"I thought Cinder & Ella jerked with my emotions too much but this one might have it beat."

"I finished reading If We Were a Movie yesterday. I loved it! I fell hard for Nate. Jordan was amazing! And Pearl's timing was perfect! "

"Amazing concept with movies as chapters, and fantastic storyline."

 "I loved this story and was humming along to the songs from the book whilst reading. I can see this book becoming the movie it was written to be."

"If We Were a Movie made me want to binge watch movies, listen to old playlists and re-read it all at once."

 

Excerpts

“So this is what a Pearl-approved guy looks like.” She shook her head once and cracked a smile. “She’s got good taste, I’ll give her that. You’re an odd mix of sexy and adorable. Don’t see that often.”

I was a little taken aback by the compliment, if that’s even what it was. She may have just been stating what she considered to be fact. She laughed at my surprise and held out her hand to me. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jordan Kramer.”

I’d been afraid of that. “You’re a girl.”

Jordan laughed. “That’s what it says on my birth certificate, but I’m really glad you were able to figure it out without needing to read it.”

Nope. I definitely didn’t need that.

  


I handed Jordan the electric guitar that I’ve had since I was twelve, and laughed when her eyes got really big. “You play the electric guitar, too?” “Music major,” I teased, picking up my keyboard. “I play this, too. A little. And the bass guitar.” “Awesome.” She examined the electric guitar with awe. “Why do you seem so surprised?” She looked at me as if the answer to that question should be obvious. “Hello. Have you met yourself? You with an acoustic guitar singing soft songs around a campfire or in a coffee house makes perfect sense. But I can’t picture you up on a stage, jamming on your electric guitar like a rock star.” She studied me a moment, then shook her head. “You’ll have to play for me, or I’m not going to believe it.”

 

About the Author

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen--a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.

 

   

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