Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell follows loner Noah, who just wants to meet his online crush, MagePants69, IRL. Although he knows that his crush lives in the same small town as Noah, his crush’s overprotective parent won’t let the two of them meet. When MagePants69’s offline obligations start to match Noah’s mother’s rehearsals for a musical, Noah decides to take a chance and join the cast of Chicago to potentially meet his boy crush in person. Used to being ignored and bullied at school after an incident that marked Noah as a snitch, he’s not ready for the spotlight he gets in the theatre. For the first time in ages, Noah finds people who are nice to him, and on top of that, gets to spend actual time with his crush Eli. But telling the truth has cost Noah his friendships once before, so he doesn’t want to risk revealing his and Eli’s online connection until he’s sure that Eli’s fallen for him. But when Noah’s secrets come spilling out after the musical’s debut performance, he must pick up the pieces and learn what it means to forgive—and what it takes to stand up for himself.
I really wanted to play this review all chill but the undeniable truth is that this is the YA romance story of my dreams. Ridiculously enough, I have found myself in the situations the protagonist Noah is going through in this story and certain scenes felt like they were plucked directly from my memory which is A) way too scary to think about for too long and B) a huge reason for why I’m sure this book will be devoured by readers everywhere (we love relatability!). Madden’s debut novel was great, no doubt about it, but this one? Knocked it completely out of the park. From the delicacy of the telling the truth vs. lying debate to the real-life struggles Noah tries to ignore with the help of his gaming passion, this novel just had that pinch of magic that makes a story unforgettable.
So why should you pick up Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell?
First of all, the story’s protagonist, Noah Mitchell, is just so damn relatable. Despite tackling some incredibly tough topics—bullying, low self-esteem, familial chaos and finding the courage to try out new things even if they scare you—Noah’s self-deprecating yet upbeat (and sometimes hilariously overdramatic) voice makes this novel feel almost timeless. It’s hard not to feel for Noah as he is pushed out of his comfort zone and struggles with his relationship with his mother—especially considering that everyone at the theatre thinks she’s a godsent whereas she and Noah can’t hold a two-minute conversation without turning on each other—and on top of that, needs to figure out how to stay in school where bullies try to get him kicked out on a daily basis. Beyond that, Noah is trying hard to figure out how to be himself in front of Eli without letting it slip that they’ve known each other for ages online, yet his cocky but anxious interior monologue turns every chapter into a new adventure.
Secondly, the elements in this story just all work so well together. You wouldn’t think that a story about a gaymer (gay gamer) trying out musical theatre to impress his crush would work—but it totally does. As the reader, we get to see Noah grow and find friends in unexpected places all while unravelling the mystery behind him being bullied at school and what led to him losing all his friends in the past. The mystery is paced well and when Noah inevitably makes mistakes, he’s held accountable and has to learn to ask for forgiveness from others —but also to forgive himself. These are my favourite kinds of tales—where you see flawed characters and understand their motivations, yet also know that making the wrong choice is often far more painful in the end than making the right one.
Finally, if those reasons haven’t yet convinced you, here’s another one: this book focuses on love in all its forms. From the love you can have for your sibling who moved away but is kind of the only one who gets you to the love you can have for people you have met online but never seen in real life, to the ups and downs of first love and first rejection all the way to learning how to love yourself, Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell is infused with heart and empathy.
All in all, I can only recommend this story to everyone who’s ever felt a true connection with one of their online friends and cursed the IRL distance between them. Whether you’re a gamer or musical fanatic, chances are you’ll fall head over heels for Noah’s romantic plight (and eventual love story).
Following a wholesome gaymer going undercover in a musical production to get his online crush to fall in love with him, Madden’s sophomore novel Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell is a showstopping adventure. With a witty, relatable protagonist and a tender yet fearless approach to tough topics, this story is perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Julian Winters.
Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of August 30th 2022.
Will you be picking up Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Noah is in love with his online best friend. Which is a huge problem, for the following reasons:
1. His crush has no idea.
2. Noah only knows him as his gaming avatar.
3. There’s zero chance they’ll ever meet in real life.
So, when Noah sees an opportunity to secretly meet his crush, he takes it.
Even though he’ll have to join the cast of a local production of Chicago with his self-obsessed mother. Even though he’ll need to lie to his best (and only) friend. And even though he’ll have to sing and dance in front of actual people.
Because love is worth the risk. And, really, what could possibly go wrong?
