Note: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you choose to purchase via the links in this post. This is a way to support indie bookstores & the work I put into this blog! It’s appreciated, but never expected
Title: Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl
Author: Brianna R. Shrum & Sara Waxelbaum
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary, romance
Release date: May 2, 2023
Synopsis: “Margo Zimmerman is gay, but she didn’t know until now. An overachiever at heart, Margo is determined to ace her newly discovered gayness. All she needs is the right tutor.
Abbie Sokoloff has her own gayness down to a science. But a flunking grade in US History is threatening her acceptance to her dream school. All she needs is the right tutor.
Margo agrees to help Abbie get her history grade up in exchange for “Queer 101” lessons. But as they spend more and more time together, Margo realizes she doesn’t want just any girl—she wants the girl.”
Margo Zimmerman never fails at anything—not school, student government, swim team—so when she realizes she’s queer, she’s determined to be the best at that too. Her plan? Get her super-queer classmate Abbie to “tutor” her in all things queer culture, and she’ll help Abbie pass her AP history class. As they spend more time together, the two find themselves unexpectedly drawn to each other; but can they make it work with family, friends, and their own assumptions getting in the way?
This witty, banter-filled, sex-positive YA contemporary will delight romance readers; I found myself often laughing out loud while reading. The prolific references to queer culture will make this an especially fun read for LGBTQIA+ teens. Margo sets out to learn how to “be” queer and discovers that being queer doesn’t look a certain way, while Abbie is also challenged to question her own assumptions about queerness. Margo and Abbie’s voices read a bit too similar at times, and I would have liked to see a bit more distinction to help me keep track of who is who. That aside, their slow-burn romance kept me turning the page and rooting for them to finally realize their feelings.
Shrum and Waxelbaum also touch upon friendship and family. Abbie is grappling with her parents’ failing marriage while also questioning her relationship with her best friend. Her portions of the book delve into biphobia and the unique marginalization bi girls can face both outside and within the queer community. The balance of romance with themes of family, friendship, and identity is thoughtfully handled.
In terms of representation, Margo and Abbie are both white and there are some BIPOC characters in the supporting cast. Both Margo and Abbie are Jewish, and while this wasn’t a big part of the story, I loved seeing this representation seamlessly woven into the narrative, as is Margo’s autism. The supporting cast also includes characters who are trans, nonbinary, polyamorous, pansexual, and more.
Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl is a fun, can’t-put-down romp that I’ll be recommending to YA romance readers who love Perfect on Paper, She Gets the Girl (not just because the titles are similar, though it is a funny coincidence!) or Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating. Pick this one up when you’re in the mood for something funny and unapologetically queer!
Have you read this one yet? If so, what did you think?
Books. Libraries. Also, cats. 
This sounds really sweet. And I do love the focus on assumptions of queerness and how it can look like anything. Thanks for sharing this review.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for stopping by! If you get a chance to read the book, you’ll have to let me know what you think
LikeLiked by 1 person