Dahlia Adler returns with Come As You Are, a boarding school romance that manages to feel both familiar and refreshingly original. Known for her nuanced approach to LGBTQ+ narratives in titles like Cool for the Summer and Home Field Advantage, Adler once again demonstrates her ability to craft characters who feel genuinely human rather than archetypal. This latest offering tackles the complex terrain of reinvention, belonging, and the messy reality of teenage relationships with remarkable authenticity.
Plot That Subverts Boarding School Tropes
The premise feels deceptively simple: Everett “Evie” Riley arrives at Camden Academy seeking refuge from a devastating betrayal involving her sister Sierra, ex-boyfriend Craig, and former best friend Claire. What should be a standard “fish out of water” boarding school story quickly becomes something more complex when Evie finds herself accidentally assigned to an all-boys dormitory—a housing mix-up that becomes the catalyst for everything that follows.
Rather than dwelling on the administrative comedy of errors, Adler uses this unusual living situation as a launching pad for deeper exploration of identity and authenticity. Evie’s initial plan to embrace her scandalous reputation as the “Rumson Girl” leads to a pact with Salem Grayson, her brooding dormmate who needs to rehabilitate his image with his parents. The “teach me to be bad while I teach you to be good” arrangement provides structure while allowing both characters room for genuine growth.
The plot unfolds with careful pacing that avoids the rushed feel common in many YA romances. Adler takes time to develop the friendship between Evie and Salem before introducing romantic tension, creating a foundation that makes their eventual relationship feel earned rather than inevitable. The boarding school setting serves the story well, providing both intimacy and scope for the various subplots involving secondary characters.
Character Development That Feels Earned
Evie’s Journey Beyond the “Good Girl” Label
Evie Riley emerges as one of YA literature’s more compelling protagonists precisely because she resists easy categorization. Her initial desire to become a “bad girl” stems from genuine pain—the realization that being consistently good and accommodating left her vulnerable to betrayal. Adler skillfully avoids the trap of making Evie’s transformation purely reactive, instead showing how her experiences at Camden help her discover what she actually wants rather than what she thinks she should want.
The author’s portrayal of Evie’s relationship with her sister Sierra particularly shines. Rather than painting Sierra as a one-dimensional villain, Adler reveals the complex family dynamics that contributed to their toxic relationship. The phone conversation between the sisters near the novel’s end demonstrates Adler’s maturity as a writer—she allows both characters their pain without requiring easy forgiveness or neat resolution.
Salem Grayson: More Than a Brooding Love Interest
Salem could easily have fallen into the “bad boy with a heart of gold” stereotype, but Adler gives him genuine depth and contradictions. His academic intelligence, hidden musical talent, and fierce loyalty to his twin sister Sabrina create a character who feels authentic rather than constructed to fulfill romantic fantasy. The revelation of why he got expelled from his previous school—deliberately taking the fall to help Sabrina escape an unhealthy situation—reframes his entire character arc in ways that feel organic rather than manipulative.
Perhaps most importantly, Salem’s growth feels independent of his relationship with Evie. His improved relationship with his parents, success on the basketball team, and academic achievements stem from his own choices rather than simply being in love. This parallel development makes their eventual romance feel like the meeting of two complete people rather than two halves seeking wholeness.
Supporting Characters That Enhance Rather Than Distract
Adler populates Camden Academy with a diverse cast that avoids typical boarding school archetypes. Sabrina Grayson, Salem’s goth twin sister dealing with her own romantic disappointment, provides both comic relief and emotional depth. Her friendship with Evie develops naturally, offering readers a glimpse of healthy female friendship that contrasts sharply with Evie’s previous experience with Claire.
The inclusion of characters like Isabel McEvoy and her friend group adds layers to the social dynamics without overwhelming the central narrative. Even potentially problematic characters like Lucas Burke serve specific narrative purposes—his brief encounter with Evie early in the story provides both conflict and character development, particularly in how it contrasts with her eventual relationship with Salem.
Themes That Resonate Beyond Romance
The Complexity of Family Dynamics
One of the novel’s greatest strengths lies in its unflinching examination of family relationships. The contrast between the supportive, if imperfect, Grayson family and Evie’s more dysfunctional home situation provides insight into how family dynamics shape individual choices. Sierra’s struggles with addiction add weight to what could have been a simple case of sibling rivalry, while Evie’s parents’ complicated response to both daughters’ needs feels authentically messy.
Authentic Representation and Belonging
The book’s approach to LGBTQ+ themes feels organic rather than performative. Sabrina’s identity as a lesbian dealing with heartbreak receives the same careful attention as the heterosexual relationships, while the formation of an unofficial GSA provides community without feeling like a checkbox exercise. Adler’s experience with LGBTQ+ narratives in her previous works clearly informs her handling of these elements.
Writing Style That Captures Voice
Adler’s prose strikes an effective balance between contemporary teen voice and literary sophistication. Evie’s first-person narration captures the intensity of teenage emotion without becoming overwrought, while the author’s skill with dialogue makes each character’s voice distinct and memorable. The pacing allows for both quiet character moments and higher-stakes drama without feeling uneven.
The author’s handling of intimate scenes deserves particular praise for its age-appropriate approach that still acknowledges teenage sexuality. The relationship between Evie and Salem develops with realistic physical and emotional milestones that feel true to their characters and circumstances.
Areas for Critical Consideration
While Come As You Are succeeds on multiple levels, some elements feel less fully developed. The resolution of Evie’s relationship with her former best friend Claire, while emotionally satisfying, arrives somewhat quickly after months of silence. Similarly, some of the boarding school’s administrative aspects strain credibility—the casual approach to housing violations and the general lack of adult supervision sometimes undermine the story’s realism.
The book’s length, while appropriate for its target audience, occasionally forces certain plot points to develop more quickly than might feel entirely natural. Evie’s transformation from “good girl” to someone comfortable with her own agency happens convincingly but might have benefited from additional development time.
Final Verdict: A Romance Worth Reading
Come As You Are represents Dahlia Adler at her most confident as a storyteller. While it shares DNA with other boarding school romances, its emotional honesty and character development set it apart from many in the genre. The relationship between Evie and Salem feels genuine and hard-won, built on friendship and mutual respect rather than simply attraction and convenience.
For readers familiar with Adler’s previous work, this novel demonstrates continued growth in handling complex family dynamics and authentic teen relationships. Those new to her writing will find an accessible entry point into her thoughtful approach to young adult fiction.
The book succeeds most notably in its central message: that authentic relationships require being seen and accepted for who you truly are, rather than who you think you should be. In a genre often focused on transformation through romance, Come As You Are argues persuasively that the best relationships allow space for individual growth while providing support and acceptance.
This is boarding school romance with substance—a book that respects both its characters and its readers enough to dig deeper than surface-level drama. At four stars, it earns its place among the better examples of contemporary YA romance while leaving room for even greater achievements in Adler’s future work.