THINGS I'D RATHER DO THAN DIE
by Christine Hurley Deriso
Jade and Ethan overcome misperceptions about one another in this lighthearted romance that explores race, class, religion, and identity.
Jade is a multiracial girl of African, European, and Cherokee descent with a Filipina stepmother in a blended Catholic, Protestant, and agnostic family. She often feels not black enough for black people and not white enough for white people. Ethan is a nondenominational evangelical white Christian who has perfect Ken-doll looks and is your typical all-American football player. Jade thinks he’s a privileged dumb jock and out-of-touch Jesus freak. Ethan thinks she’s a snobby atheist who’s too cool to know he exists. Neither of them is right about any of these details. On an unfortunate day when Ethan comes into the gym where Jade works right at closing time, the pair is held up by a burglar. After narrowly escaping with their lives, the two are locked together in an aerobics room for 8 hours by the intruder...plenty of time for them to shatter their mutual misconceptions and plant the seeds for a budding romance. This feel-good book asks the reader to suspend disbelief at times but uses heart and humor to tell a romantic story that is all about breaking stereotypes and making room for genuine connections.
Fans of Zora and Nicky by Claudia Mair Burney (David C. Cook, 2008) will enjoy this faith-based love story. (Romance. 14-18)