It is the direct sequel to her 2015 debut novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and the third novel in the "Simonverse", the shared universe in which Albertalli's books take place and which also includes 2017's The Upside of Unrequited.

Booklist noted that Albertalli "has a fantastic ear for voice, and it’s beautifully on display in Leah’s funny, wry, and vulnerable first-person narrative.

"[2] The entertainment site Hypable praised the story, Leah's characterization, and "a voice to another wave of LGBTQ+ youth".

[4] Albertalli won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fiction in 2018 for Leah on the Offbeat.

[5] Leah on the Offbeat was included on the American Library Association's 2019 Rainbow Book List.