HEARTSTRINGS

High school senior Indigo Mitchell-Jamiolkowski is over having a famous actor for a sister.

But when Violet offers Indie $500 to come to New York Comic Con as her personal assistant, Indie can’t say no. In addition to being an aspiring concert violinist who’s preparing to apply for Juilliard, Indie is a huge fan of special effects makeup artist Melody Nguyen, who’s appearing on a panel at the convention. The trip goes awry, and the sisters begin fighting. Indie meets Xander Jones, lead guitarist for the boy band the Heartbreakers, and they spend the day together—he even introduces her to Melody. And though Indie has a hard time believing Xander would be interested in her, he continues to seek her out. As their relationship grows, Indie struggles with family conflicts, and Xander works to step into the spotlight often occupied by his bandmates. This third entry in the series is a charming stand-alone love story in which both leads experience real growth as they lean on each other. Readers will enjoy watching the emotional connection between Indie and Xander strengthen, and they’ll root for Indie and Violet to work on their sibling bond, even as their relationship fractures under the weight of fame and their parents’ divorce. Indie’s exploration of her post–high school options is well developed. Xander and the Mitchell-Jamiolkowski family read white, and Indie’s best friend is cued Mexican American.

A rock-star romance that’s filled with emotional growth.