WHAT IF YOU FALL FOR ME FIRST?

In this modern-day middle school Pygmalion, an aspiring influencer agrees to help a quiet girl catch her crush’s attention in exchange for a social media boost.

Thirteen-year-old eighth grader Sofia Santini is tired of being overlooked by everyone, including the object of her affection, Mark Chen; she’s an introvert who wants to be “fierce.” Most of their grade is under in-school suspension after a debacle in the gym at the Glow Night dance, so Sofia ends up chatting with Holden Thomas. Holden offers to coach Sofia through a transformation, but he wants to post photos so he can enter the glow-up challenge run by his favorite influencer, Igo Big. But while the unlikely companions focus on getting Mark to notice Sofia, Holden and Sofia fall for each other instead: He loves her kindness and humor, and she sees that his cool guy facade is an act to protect himself from feeling that no one likes him, including his parents and stepparents. The chapters alternate between Sofia’s and Holden’s points of view in close third person; the beginning overlaps with the end of Not If You Break Up With Me First (2024), though each stands alone. The white-presenting pair’s chaste chemistry is convincing, and readers will root for them as they discover that changing yourself to please another person isn’t the path to happiness. Secondary characters are diverse in race and sexuality.

A sweetly affirming and empowering read.