Milo is determined to have the most magical summer in Paris after winning an apprenticeship at a prestigious fashion house. The plan is simple: work hard, impress the team, and land a permanent job. With his best friend Celeste by his side, nothing will stand in his way of getting what he wants—especially not a boy.
Enter Rhodes Hamilton: London’s resident tabloid magnet and the son of a famous footballer. Milo is devastated to learn that Rhodes’ connections have also landed him an apprenticeship, which means he’s now the competition. Milo knows he has to win at any cost, so he can’t risk getting close to Rhodes, no matter how nice and charming and cute he is . . .
Everything About You is a YA queer coming-of-age romance with a glittering Paris backdrop. The story follows Milo, an anxious but talented teen designer from Florida, and Rhodes, a charming Brit from a high-profile wealthy family, who are in a high-stakes competition as summer interns for a coveted permanent position at a prestigious Paris fashion house. What begins as fierce rivalry slowly shifts into a tender, slow-burn connection as both boys confront imposter syndrome and their own insecurities.
The Paris backdrop and its glamorous fashion world are the perfect backdrop for this YA romance drama. Milo and Rhodes are responsible for organizing special fashion events, maintaining guest lists, and schmoozing with icons in the industry—it’s an incredible opportunity for both of them, but their desire for being there and future goals couldn’t be more different!
Milo is an animated, flawed protagonist that readers may have a love-hate relationship with. At times he’s exasperating, immature, or makes decisions that strain credibility or sympathy. Rhodes is much more level-headed and comes across as genuine and kind despite his superficial upbringing. Both protagonists are out and proud—this isn’t a story about coming out or one of them being uncomfortable with their sexual orientation as a source of conflict. Instead, the story has some “Devil Wears Prada” vibes, as the boys not only viciously compete against each other but also have to change themselves to adapt to the demands of their demanding, high-strung boss.
Mental health is also well represented in this story—Milo speaks openly about his history of anxiety & depression, the treatment he has received, and his ongoing struggles. The competition for a permanent position makes both boys wary of each other. Milo perceives Rhodes as a spoiled rich kid who’s used his connections to get him there—and feels at a disadvantage coming from a regular middle-class family that has no star power or influence. He vocalizes a lot of self-doubt in his inner monologues, and this motivates him (against his true nature and better judgment) to manipulate Rhodes to get the upper hand. By the end, Milo’s emotional arc is quite pronounced—from imposter syndrome and envy to self-discovery and confronting his insecurities. Rhodes is not nearly as developed, but readers still get glimpses of his vulnerabilities, and he proves to be a genuine “don’t judge a book by its cover” character!
While this story is marketed as a YA romance, the romance is more of a subplot to the coming-of-age narrative (for both boys) and all the competition drama. There’s a lot of witty banter that slowly transitions to heartfelt, honest dialogue where the boys feel comfortable opening up to each other, and their eventual romance is sweet and fun. The writing is everything you’d expect in a contemporary YA novel—fun, snappy, emotive, and highly readable! There’s some repetition in Milo’s anxious internal dialogue, especially in the midsection, but his transformation is very satisfying!
Overall, Everything About You is a feel-good YA romance and is ideal as an escapist summer or autumn read! It will especially appeal to those who enjoy YA coming-of-age stories with mental health themes, rivals-to-lovers, and lavishly vivid settings that pull you right into the story with the characters!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Everything About You is a fun, heartfelt listen read by award-winning narrator Mark Sanderlin, who’s renowned for his narration of YA characters.
Sanderlin gives protagonist Milo an animated, emotive voice, perfectly capturing his anxiety, ambition, and self-doubt in a way that feels real. In contrast, Sanderlin portrays Rhodes as more grounded and charming, along with a very authentic-sounding British accent! Sanderlin’s performance especially shines during Milo’s moments of vulnerability and emotional honesty—as Milo’s anxiety is tangible in his inner monologues, making the character more likable and relatable.
The witty banter between Milo and Rhodes is a real highlight of the audiobook, with lots of dramatic flair added during heated scenes when the boys are most competitive and mistrustful of each other. Listeners will feel like they’re in Paris with Milo and Rhodes at the glamorous fashion events and glittering Paris settings, which are vividly narrated with lots of excitement and enthusiasm! Sanderlin also gives distinct voices and personalities to all of the secondary characters, including Milo’s American friends, family members, and French coworkers—there are even varied French accents for each of the Paris fashion house characters, which not only makes them easily distinguishable but also gives the audiobook a cinematic feel!
Overall, Mark Sanderlin elevates this YA romance with his entertaining character portrayals, expressive delivery (that wonderfully captures Milo’s emotional arc), and immersive narration that makes the Paris fashion world feel vibrant and alive! Readers who enjoy contemporary YA romances with heartfelt queer representation and who appreciate narrator performances that bring vulnerability, banter, and rivals-to-lovers romance to life will love this audiobook!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Everything About You is a fun, heartfelt listen read by award-winning narrator Mark Sanderlin, who’s renowned for his narration of YA characters.
Sanderlin gives protagonist Milo an animated, emotive voice, perfectly capturing his anxiety, ambition, and self-doubt in a way that feels real. In contrast, Sanderlin portrays Rhodes as more grounded and charming, along with a very authentic-sounding British accent! Sanderlin’s performance especially shines during Milo’s moments of vulnerability and emotional honesty—as Milo’s anxiety is tangible in his inner monologues, making the character more likable and relatable.
The witty banter between Milo and Rhodes is a real highlight of the audiobook, with lots of dramatic flair added during heated scenes when the boys are most competitive and mistrustful of each other. Listeners will feel like they’re in Paris with Milo and Rhodes at the glamorous fashion events and glittering Paris settings, which are vividly narrated with lots of excitement and enthusiasm! Sanderlin also gives distinct voices and personalities to all of the secondary characters, including Milo’s American friends, family members, and French coworkers—there are even varied French accents for each of the Paris fashion house characters, which not only makes them easily distinguishable but also gives the audiobook a cinematic feel!
Overall, Mark Sanderlin elevates this YA romance with his entertaining character portrayals, expressive delivery (that wonderfully captures Milo’s emotional arc), and immersive narration that makes the Paris fashion world feel vibrant and alive! Readers who enjoy contemporary YA romances with heartfelt queer representation and who appreciate narrator performances that bring vulnerability, banter, and rivals-to-lovers romance to life will love this audiobook!
The audiobook of Everything About You is a fun, heartfelt listen read by award-winning narrator Mark Sanderlin, who’s renowned for his narration of YA characters.
Sanderlin gives protagonist Milo an animated, emotive voice, perfectly capturing his anxiety, ambition, and self-doubt in a way that feels real. In contrast, Sanderlin portrays Rhodes as more grounded and charming, along with a very authentic-sounding British accent! Sanderlin’s performance especially shines during Milo’s moments of vulnerability and emotional honesty—as Milo’s anxiety is tangible in his inner monologues, making the character more likable and relatable.
The witty banter between Milo and Rhodes is a real highlight of the audiobook, with lots of dramatic flair added during heated scenes when the boys are most competitive and mistrustful of each other. Listeners will feel like they’re in Paris with Milo and Rhodes at the glamorous fashion events and glittering Paris settings, which are vividly narrated with lots of excitement and enthusiasm! Sanderlin also gives distinct voices and personalities to all of the secondary characters, including Milo’s American friends, family members, and French coworkers—there are even varied French accents for each of the Paris fashion house characters, which not only makes them easily distinguishable but also gives the audiobook a cinematic feel!
Overall, Mark Sanderlin elevates this YA romance with his entertaining character portrayals, expressive delivery (that wonderfully captures Milo’s emotional arc), and immersive narration that makes the Paris fashion world feel vibrant and alive! Readers who enjoy contemporary YA romances with heartfelt queer representation and who appreciate narrator performances that bring vulnerability, banter, and rivals-to-lovers romance to life will love this audiobook!
