The Meet Cute Diary (the fictional blog, that is) is, in fact, brimming with cute. And that's the problem. Trans boy and blogger Noah is so focused on creating vicarious rom-com scenarios for trans folks that he's lost his bearings offline. When an internet troll initiates a campaign to debunk MCD, Noah must re-assess the difference between virtual and IRL existence.
There's a lot to like in Emery Lee's 2021 YA novel. I thought it was cool that our protagonist emerges fully formed in terms of gender identity and sexual preference. This isn't a coming out story. I loved Noah's dedication to spotlighting trans folks in the world of romance fiction. I, for one, would like to feel more romantically desirable. I would read MCD.
I found myself appreciating Noah, but not relating to him. He rolls his eyes constantly and bases his self-worth on the comments of his readers. He manipulates a romantic interest, and ignores a long-time friend for MCD. Is it wrong to want to shake a fictional character?
I loved Devin, whose crippling anxiety provides a memorable entrance about 125 pages in. Part of Devin's arc is finding pronouns that work. Reading this book forced me to confront my own ignorance about they/them vs. xe/xem vs e/em.
Noah's brother is a particularly moving character. For much of the book, Noah is oblivious to the love and support Brian provides. We all need someone who has our back no matter what.
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