The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)

Gr 7 Up—Abby Ives, 15, is trying to get her career started in fashion by obtaining an internship at a local boutique for plus-size shoppers. She has become an Internet sensation with her blog on plus-size and affordable fashion, but has a dark past with her mother who works in the health food industry and is always trying to force Abby to lose weight by fat shaming. The teen discovers that she has to share the seasonal internship with Jordi Perez, who seems like a typical artsy girl; she is serious, wears all black, and loves photography. Jordi has been labeled a criminal for a photo shoot gone wrong and has been arrested for arson. Both teens work toward getting the job that the internship promises, but their growing feelings for each other complicate things. While Abby is trying to discover herself and her newfound relationship and find balance in her complicated life, she is on an adventure with her male friend Jax to find the best burger in L.A. for his father's food rating app. It takes quite a few chapters to shift through the scrambled writing style in the beginning of the story, yet despite the slow pace and inane dialogue, the characters' backstories will resonate with teens and invite them to see how Jordi, Abby, and Jax end up.