Gr 8 Up–Desombre doesn’t challenge the tried-and-true enemies-to-lovers trope here, but her insight into the minds of young people provides a depth of characterization in the protagonist that is rare in formulaic romances. Ivy Raines, 15, is newly dumped by her mega-famous girlfriend Allyson Hendricks. Rather than spend a miserable summer camping with her family in the deep woods, she decides to return to the theatre summer camp of her youth to serve as a counselor. It’s there that she reconnects with her former best friend Rynn, who five years previously had told Ivy she no longer wanted to be friends. As their animosity turns to attraction, Ivy is forced to confront her understanding of her own identity as she struggles to prove herself as something other than Allyson’s ex.
VERDICT Full of heart and a depth of understanding of young girls battling the forces of hormones, responsibilities, and social media, this is a must-read for fans of YA romance and queer romance.
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