I Kissed Shara Wheeler: A Novel

Written by Casey McQuiston

Narrated by Natalie Naudus

*INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*
*INSTANT #1 INDIE BESTSELLER*
*INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER*

"Narrator Natalie Naudus admirably voices more than a half-dozen significant characters, imparting individuality and personality to teens embracing a variety of identities."- BookPage (Starred review)


From the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need...

Chloe Green is so close to winning. After her moms moved her from SoCal to Alabama for high school, she’s spent the past four years dodging gossipy classmates and the puritanical administration of Willowgrove Christian Academy. The thing that’s kept her going: winning valedictorian. Her only rival: prom queen Shara Wheeler, the principal’s perfect progeny.

But a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and vanishes.

On a furious hunt for answers, Chloe discovers she’s not the only one Shara kissed. There’s also Smith, Shara’s longtime quarterback sweetheart, and Rory, Shara’s bad boy neighbor with a crush. The three have nothing in common except Shara and the annoyingly cryptic notes she left behind, but together they must untangle Shara’s trail of clues and find her. It’ll be worth it, if Chloe can drag Shara back before graduation to beat her fair and square.

Thrown into an unlikely alliance, chasing a ghost through parties, break-ins, puzzles, and secrets revealed on monogrammed stationery, Chloe starts to suspect there might be more to this small town than she thought. And maybe—probably not, but maybe—more to Shara, too.

Fierce, funny, and frank, Casey McQuiston's I Kissed Shara Wheeler is about breaking the rules, getting messy, and finding love in unexpected places.

"An unfettered joy to read." - The New York Times
"McQuiston has done it again." - USA Today
"You won't want to miss." - Good Housekeeping

A Macmillan Audio production from Wednesday Books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: May 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781250854186

Casey McQuiston

Casey McQuiston is the New York Times-bestselling author of One Last Stop, Red, White & Royal Blue, and I Kissed Shara Wheeler, as well as a pie enthusiast. Born and raised in southern Louisiana, Casey now lives in New York City with Pepper, a poodle mix and semipro personal assistant.

Reviews for I Kissed Shara Wheeler

[Thyra Morton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book so so much. The representation the realness, everything was amazing. I found Chloe so relatable and loved watching her and other characters grow into themselves throughout the story.
I wish this book had been out when I was in high school, I think it really could’ve helped me get through it.

[Mermer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great listen and storyline. I can see this being turned into a movie. Narration was not annoying. Highly recommended! ✌️

[Clementine · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Histoire qui se lit vite. Si vous cherchez une histoire profonde passer votre chemin, sinon c'est fait pour vous !

[Maja Zu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another great book from this author! Perfect combination of intrigue, plot twists and emotions. Definitely a reread and relisten.

[Isabelle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This books was so good. The characters were interesting and complex, the story well executed, I want to read it again.

[Katelyn Davis · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really did not enjoy this book which is a bummer because I loved one last stop. I just couldn’t get myself to cheer for the main ship. Almost DNF about 30 minutes from the end.

[Kayla Pratt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was good!

I didn't expect it to be a mystery. This was interesting, funny and cute. Chloe was obsessed from the start, how did she not see that! But I loved it.

4 stars

[Angie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very Good! I liked it a lot and I think it is a book that many people will like!

[Lisa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were fun and dynamic, and the story is full of so .any twists and turns. My only criticism is that in my opinion, it started stronger than it ended, but that being said it was still solid the whole way through. If there were decimals for ratings here, this would definitely be a 4.5, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone reading this!

[angi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very easy and entertaining read, I enjoyed all the characters and loved the ending.

[Stacey Schanda · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

From the New York Times Bestselling Author of "Red, White, and Royal Blue" and "One Last Stop" comes a YA romantic comedy about breaking rules, getting messy, and finding love in unexpected places.

Shara Wheeler. Shara F*cking Wheeler.

I'm not sure how I feel about her yet, but I have A LOT of feelings about this book.

First of all, can we all FINALLY admit that Casey McQuiston is Queen, and we should all bow down and worship at her feet for her amazing writing style, and her multifaceted main characters? Don't even get me started on her perfectly written side characters! The universe has blessed her with the most beautiful brain in the known universe.

Now my thoughts on the book!

This book starts out strong, which is that really surprising for a Casey McQuiston novel? I mean, come on. She's the Queen of strong beginnings. I will admit, though, that YA is my least favorite genre, and because of that I may have had too high of expectations for this book based off of her other two adult romances with all the smut.

The two main characters, Shara and Chloe, were interesting to read about, but even into the end I still didn't feel the love connection between those two as believable. I just didn't see it, despite the cute one liners. And who doesn't love a good, quippy one liner with a side smirk? Honestly, I was more interested in what was going on in the side characters' lives than the two main. However, I did like the scavenger hunt that Shara sent Chloe, Rory, and Smith on. It was a cute, quick paced adventure that revealed a broken friendship of Willowgrove high that only Shara could have brought back together.

This is my third novel by this author, and I am physically biting my fist that I have to admit, this one was my least favorite. Shara and Chloe's love story was a miss for me. Aside from Chloe having to find Shara through letters, I didn't see much of a personal connection there.

However, Shara's character by herself was a huge HIT for me. I wasn't rich or popular, that's something Chloe and I actually have in common, but I really felt the religious connection and the pressure of having to look the part, act the part, and dress the part that Shara experienced, all the while trying to figure out who *I* was.

Sidenote: I applaud McQuiston for taking on the subject of LGBTQIA youth within a Christian community. She kept it fun and light, while not overshadowing the real life relationships of Christian caregivers in regards to LGBTQIA youth.

This was an overall fun story. The side characters made the book, in my opinion. I would have LOVED to have seen this book narrated from multiple point of views. However, the letters from the burn pile were entertaining and were a nice "behind the scene" addition to the story. The rom-com and mystery blend was wonderfully intertwined, and worked really well for me.

[Brittany Early-Scroggins · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My least favorite Casey McQuiston book. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I not previously read paper towns. Honestly it was a 3 star book most of the way through, but the ending saved it.

[Bridget McCue · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“What do you say when The Girl tells you that you’re THE GIRL?”

I have loved each of Casey McQuiston’s novels and will love them until my dying breath. They’d beautiful, poignant, witty, and breathtaking in their own ways. They’re all better than the last. And yet, I still can’t pick a favorite! I Kissed Shara Wheeler dived into deeper waters than McQuiston’s usual shallow end of the pool. It explores the rocky ground of coming to terms with who you are, who you want to be, and who people perceive you to be. It covers such complex and adult themes, which is completely ironic because this book is marketed as the most YA of her novels. Casey McQuiston has done it again and everyone needs to know!

[Shannon McIlhenny · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This is boring and the plot isn’t really good. The end was disappointing as well as the “clues.” I’m sorry I hate to be a hater but no clue how this has such a high rating.

[Nicole · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a cute young adult book that I think will be really important for middle school/high schoolers but I’m obvi not the intended audience. Great narration.