Smash or Pass follows Ellie, a 16-year-old autistic girl who is used to masking in high school in order to be liked and accepted by her peers. However, this fails her one day when her boyfriend, Daniel, breaks up with her and embarrasses her in front of school—right before they’re both supposed to go to beach volleyball camp together.
Thinking she needs to get back with Daniel, Ellie attends the camp and makes a plan to win back her ex. However, things take an unexpected turn when Ellie discovers her fellow campers are nothing like her classmates.
The biggest change is the alluring, yet standoffish Sierra, a volleyball prodigy. When Ellie gets paired with Sierra as volleyball teammates, she finds herself questioning herself and what she really wants.
Smash or Pass is a fun summer read for those looking for a cozy romance. With its short page length and compressed time frame — most of the novel takes place during the summer camp — it makes for a quick, fun read.
Ellie is a relatable character you can’t help but root for. Anyone who’s felt pressured to mask or fit in will understand and empathize with Ellie’s struggles, regardless of age. The conflict between who Ellie is versus who she thinks she should be is portrayed with depth and care.
Sierra is also an interesting character; it’s easy to see why Ellie is attracted to her from the start when we first meet her. Sierra and Ellie don’t start off as best friends, making it all the more rewarding to see how the two bond and help one another out.
The other campmates aren’t as developed as Ellie or Sierra. However, they are fun from the little we see of them. From Sloane to Maya, Ellie’s fellow campers show her what real friends look like.
These characters also represent various genders and mental health experiences, relating to some of the struggles Ellie faces herself. While they do occasionally mention serious issues, such as being shunned for having a mental illness, this is handled with kindness and authenticity. It never feels too heavy and carries a hopeful tone that things can and should be better for everyone.
Because the novel is such a quick read, it does fall somewhat flat in terms of character development. Ellie’s change to being more accepting of herself happens a little too quickly. Her time at summer camp doesn’t feel like enough time for these changes to realistically take place.
It would have made more sense if the novel had gone with Ellie reconsidering how she’s behaved in the past, or making an attempt or to. But with the way Ellie and other characters talk about how much she’s changed, it’s hard to believe that happened within only a couple of weeks at summer camp.
The short setting of the summer camp also makes Ellie and Sierra’s relationship feel less developed. They bond rather quickly, despite starting off as strangers, and it’s hard to see them as being friends already. The chemistry between the two of them, as well as some depth they do have as characters, makes up somewhat for this, but it’s still noticeable.
Smash or Pass also has the unfortunate tendency to deliver some heavy-handed dialogue. For example, fellow campers explicitly say that being at camp is the only place they’ve felt like they can be themselves, speeches that feel more forced than natural. It feels as if the novel itself is afraid the readers won’t naturally pick up on these themes.
While the message of acceptance is heartwarming and important, it’s undermined by these moments of unnatural dialogue that feel like it’s talking down to the reader at times. Thankfully, this doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does, it’s glaring.
Overall, Smash or Pass is a cute, cozy story about being yourself and finding friends who accept you. It’s not the most fleshed-out book when it comes to character development or pacing, and it’s marred by some heavy-handed dialogue. All in all, however, it makes for a warm summer read.
Smash or Pass is a young adult contemporary novel by Birdie Schae and published by Knopf Books for Young Readers. It releases in bookstores on May 12, 2026.
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Fairley Lloyd
Fairley Lloyd is a content editor at Unwritten, freelance writer, and bibliophile born and raised in eastern North Carolina. She has a BFA in creative writing and publishing certificate from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. In her free time, she enjoys reading YA dystopian novels, line dancing, listening to hard rock music, and upcycling clothes.