Review: "Good Luck, Babe!" by Erin Baldwin

Good Luck, Babe! by Erin Baldwin
Published June 2026 via Viking Books for Young Readers
★★★★

Until nine months ago, Noelle and Yumi were inseparable. Then they kissed, and it torpedoed their friendship. But now a reality-show application they sent in before they fell out has come back to haunt them—and because of events of the past nine months, Noelle really needs the prize money. So they're thrown together into a relationship that is strictly for the cameras...and for better or for worse.

I noted when I read Baldwin's first book that it was a delight to have YA enemies who are not awful to each other, and the same is true here. Yumi doesn't want anything to do with Noelle—but under the circumstances she'll do what it takes to work together anyway. They still know each other; if you asked either of them who their person is, they might no longer admit it, but they both know who would come to mind. And more than that, there are no real villains here: There are competitors who Noelle and Yumi don't like, and they're both vividly aware that the reality show has drama rather than their best interests at heart, but the stakes of the story don't come from evil villains.

There are some other small things that could be overdone but that the book turns on its head: Early on, for example, Noelle is given something with intensely personal value. I immediately worried that she'd lose it on the competition—but before I could worry too much about that, she brings that up as a concern, and she's reminded that it is only a thing and it will be okay if she loses it. Not that she won't lose it; that the world will not stop spinning if she does. This is a small thing, but I think it's illustrative of the way the book says "we see those standard plotlines, and we're taking a tangent, thanks".

The plot is lively (though I did spend some time wondering about the environmental impact on, and ethics of, this show), with entertaining side characters and main characters who are easy to root for. I could have used a bit more to the conversation about how the relationship torpedo went down, and also a bit more about how financial matters shook out in the end. But overall? A delight; well worth reading.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.