Description

Jane the Virgin meets To All the Boys I've Loved Before in this charming debut YA romantic comedy filled with Black Girl Magic. Perfect for fans of Mary H. K. Choi and Nicola Yoon, with crossover appeal for readers of Jasmine Guillory and Talia Hibbert romances.

Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson has never felt like the protagonist in her own life. She's rarely seen herself reflected in the pages of the romance novels she loves. The only place she's a true leading lady is in her own writing--in the swoony love stories she shares only with Caroline, her best friend and #1 devoted reader.

When Tessa is accepted into the creative writing program of a prestigious art school, she's excited to finally let her stories shine. But when she goes to her first workshop, a sudden case of writer's block means the words are just...gone. Fortunately, Caroline has a solution: Tessa just needs to find some inspiration in a real-life love story of her own. And she's ready with a list of romance novel-inspired steps to a happily ever after. Nico, the brooding artist who looks like he walked out of one of Tessa's stories, is cast as the perfect Prince Charming.

But as Tessa checks each item off Caroline's list, she gets further and further away from herself. She risks losing everything she cares about--including the surprising bond she develops with sweet Sam, who lives across the street, sparking an unexpected love triangle. She's well on her way to having her own real-life love story, but is it the one she wants, after all?

A Coming-of-Age Story: Tessa thinks she needs to find the perfect boyfriend to be the hero of her own story, but she might just find herself instead.
Black Girl Magic: A celebration of Black joy and the quest for representation, as Tessa searches for herself in the romance novels she's always loved.
The Sweet Boy Next Door: While she's busy trying to win over the brooding artist Nico, Tessa develops an undeniable connection with her kind and surprising neighbor, Sam.
Art School Romance: Set in a prestigious creative writing program where passion, ambition, and a little bit of drama collide.