An enjoyable, comfortably predictable read.
When a spot opens up on the cheer squad, varsity cheer squad captain Rory doesn’t expect that soccer star Jacob will fill in—or that she’ll start falling for him.
Woodmont High School junior Rory Graham is readying her team for a go at regionals, but her teammate Stuart DaCosta breaks his leg, forcing her to find a replacement. When the irritating class clown Jacob Reilly tries out on a dare from his friends, he makes a surprisingly competent fit—plus Coach Fitz has suspended him from the soccer team, citing his cheer tryout as evidence of a lack of commitment. So Jacob accepts the offer of the spot. Rory has a boyfriend, but Jacob has secretly been pining for her since fifth grade, and she’s eventually forced to confront the fact that maybe she has feelings for him, too. An opportunity for Jacob to return to soccer makes for a conflict-ridden climax: Will the cheer squad win at regionals? Will Jacob be allowed to play in a high-stakes soccer game that could get them to the playoffs? Will Rory and Jacob realize their feelings are mutual? Though the plotting is predictable and the ending obvious, this is a fun, sweet romance set in an “adorable suburb” within commuting distance of Boston and populated with likable characters. Readers will root for the lovable Jacob and feel protective of Rory, who stands up for herself at a critical moment. The main characters read white.
An enjoyable, comfortably predictable read. (Romance. 13-17)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
ISBN: 9780063513433
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Avon A/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Despite the well-meaning warmth, a wearying plod.
Can a 17-year-old with her first girlfriend prevent real-life folks from discovering her online fandoms?
Cass is proudly queer, happily fat, and extremely secretive about being a fan who role-plays on Discord. Back in middle school, she had what she calls a gaming addiction, playing “The Sims” so much her parents had to take the game away. Now, turning to her role-play friends to cope with her fighting parents, she worries that people will judge her for her fannishness and online life. To be fair, her grades are suffering. And sure, maybe she’s missed a college application deadline. Also, her mom has suddenly left Minneapolis and moved to Maine to be with a man she met online. But on the other hand, Cass is finally dating her amazingly cute longtime crush, Taylor. Pansexual Taylor is a gamer, a little bit punk, White like Cass, and so, so great—but she still can’t help comparing her to Rowan, Cass’ online best friend and role-playing ship partner. But Rowan doesn’t want to be a dirty little secret and doesn’t see why Cass can’t be honest about this part of her life. The inevitable train wreck of her lies looms on the horizon for months in an overlong morality play building to the climax that includes tidy resolutions to all the character arcs that are quite heartwarming but, in the case of Cass’ estranged mother, narratively unearned.
Despite the well-meaning warmth, a wearying plod. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-06-324332-3
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
An enjoyable, if predictable, romantic holiday story.
Is an exuberant extended family the cure for a breakup? Sophie is about to find out.
When Sophie unexpectedly breaks up with her boyfriend, she isn’t thrilled about spending the holidays at her grandparents’ house instead of with him. And when her grandmother forms a plan to distract Sophie from her broken heart—10 blind dates, each set up by different family members—she’s even less thrilled. Everyone gets involved with the matchmaking, even forming a betting pool on the success of each date. But will Sophie really find someone to fill the space left by her ex? Will her ex get wind of Sophie’s dating spree via social media and want them to get back together? Is that what she even wants anymore? This is a fun story of finding love, getting to know yourself, and getting to know your family. The pace is quick and light, though the characters are fairly shallow and occasionally feel interchangeable, especially with so many names involved. A Christmas tale, the plot is a fast-paced series of dinners, parties, and games, relayed in both narrative form and via texts, though the humor occasionally feels stiff and overwrought. The ending is satisfying, though largely unsurprising. Most characters default to white as members of Sophie’s Italian American extended family, although one of her cousins has a Filipina mother. One uncle is gay.
An enjoyable, if predictable, romantic holiday story. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-368-02749-6
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
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