GOOD LUCK, BABE!

Two ex-best friends fake a romantic relationship for a reality show.

Noelle Breland and Yumi Panganiban have been best friends since fourth grade—or at least, they were best friends until an awkward kiss ended everything. In the year since, the two haven’t spoken and Noelle, who reads white and has ADHD, has been busy grappling with her father’s liver failure. Then the two recent high school graduates are offered a last-minute spot on their favorite reality show, The Adventureverse, in which contestants race around the world (think The Amazing Race). Noelle sees the prize money as an opportunity to help pay off her dad’s medical expenses. With some groveling, she convinces Yumi, who’s Filipino American, to join her on the show despite their estrangement—Yumi agrees, but only “for Papa Breland.” The catch? It’s an all-couples season, and they’ll have to pretend to be girlfriends. As the two travel from country to country, completing challenges along the way while pretending to be a couple, they can’t deny their growing feelings for each other. With the finish line getting closer, Noelle begins to wonder what will happen when the camera stops rolling. The quick pace and the palpable chemistry between Noelle and Yumi will keep readers turning the pages. A fascinating, subtle critique of the reality television industry adds a layer of nuance to the banter-filled rom-com.

A delightful, swoony, Sapphic romp that will have readers racing to the finish line.