I Kissed Shara Wheeler is Casey McQuiston's third book and their first young adult novel.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler is the story of Chloe Green as she attempts to find Shara Wheeler, who has voluntarily gone missing and left behind clues to be found. Chloe and Shara have competed academically ever since Chloe moved to the small city in Alabama, and Chloe feels obligated to find Shara before their class valedictorian is announced. She teams up with Shara's boyfriend and neighbor to find the missing girl. They bond over their varying relationships with Shara and Chloe ends up finding more than what she was looking for.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a LGBTQ+ young adult rom-com. It's a fun read and doesn't have the intensity of most LGBTQ+ books. It's lighthearted and, despite the fact that their decisions are questionable, the characters are relatable. Shara and Chloe's relationship is hurried, as is the end of the book, but the rest of the novel makes up for it in humor, fluff, and heartwarming moments. I especially appreciated that I Kissed Shara Wheeler isn't a heavy book about being part of the LGBTQ+ community, instead, it is a, albeit cliche, young adult novel providing content to LGBTQ+ youth. It combines the tropes of other young adult rom-coms and wraps them up in a neat little package.