Who doesn’t love a good romance? From the “will they/won’t they?” suspense to the heartwarming feeling of two people realizing they’re a perfect match, it’s no wonder these stories make for some binge-worthy reading.
Not only do our YA book picks feature some great love stories, but the stars of these romances—an independent young girl with Down syndrome, a plus-size teen who’s just entered a beauty pageant, and a teenage math whiz of Sri Lankan descent—are protagonists you’re guaranteed to fall in love with. Explore new perspectives with these diverse YA romances.
Rosie Loves Jack
by Mel Darbon
“The plot is so engrossing that the book is almost impossible to put down. Yes, Rosie loves Jack, and readers are going to love Rosie.” —Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
Sixteen-year old Rosie will do anything to find the boy who makes the sun shine in her head. Even defy her parents’ orders and run away from home. Even struggle across London and travel to Brighton on her own, though the trains are cancelled and the snow is falling. Even though people might think a girl like Rosie, who has Down syndrome, could never survive on her own.
Debut author Mel Darbon introduces a strong and determined protagonist who’s fighting for little freedoms, tolerance, and love, giving readers an underrepresented but much-needed point of view with a voice-driven, heartfelt story of finding your place an often big and intimidating world.
Author Q&A and discussion guide available.
What I Like About Me
by Jenna Guillaume
“This is the book I would hand to teen me.” —Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
The last thing sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin thought she’d be doing over vacation is entering a beauty pageant. Not when she’s spent most of her life hiding her body from everyone. Not when her Dad is AWOL and her gorgeous older sister has returned to rock Maisie’s already shaky confidence. And especially not when her best friend starts flirting with the boy she’s always loved. But Maisie’s got something to prove.
Jenna Guillame’s American debut features a plus-size protagonist with a compelling, funny, and authentic narrative voice. This relatable and charming novel about friendship, confidence, and self-love will draw readers in as Maisie’s realistic emotional journey unveils the importance of embracing one’s body and celebrating one’s self. Coming in paperback April 1st!
Author Q&A and discussion guide available.
The Secret Science of Magic
by Melissa Keil
“Neuroatypical characters, nerdiness, social anxiety, intelligence, and magic make this book stand out among other contemporary romances.” ―School Library Journal
Meet Sophia: former child prodigy and 17-year-old math mastermind who really doesn’t have the patience for games right now. And she especially doesn’t have the patience to figure out why all these mysterious playing cards keep turning up inside her textbooks.
Meet Joshua: highly intelligent and cheerfully unambitious amateur magician who’s admired Sophia for as long as he can remember. He thinks the time is perfect to tell Sophia how he feels, but he doesn’t know how wrong he is.
From award-winning author Melissa Keil comes this heartwarming tale of unconventional romance, perfect timing, and finding your own magic, featuring a relatable protagonist and diverse cast of characters.
Author Q&A available.
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