A strong series kickoff for fans of quirky, slice-of-life romantic comedies.
Expected to make an advantageous marriage, Jade Galbaud du Fort is far more interested in powerlifting.
Born into an upper-crust French family in an alternate world that creatively blends contemporary elements with some historical social customs and aesthetics, young noblewoman Jade is forced to attend numerous balls at which her mother introduces her to eligible suitors. While dancing with snobby Nathaniel, Jade makes a big mistake. Irritated with his obnoxious, nonstop chatter, she picks him up in an overhead lift—and accidentally tosses him into a table of refreshments. Her passion for building muscles—deemed inappropriate for a socialite—must be kept secret, especially as her family is in dire financial straits, so to protect her reputation, light-skinned Jade, who has orange hair and green eyes, exclaims that being swept up in love momentarily gave her extraordinary strength. But rumors abound that she’s taking drugs meant for horses. She must navigate relationships with friends, enemies, and Alexander, an attractive—and super strong—stable boy, who’s cued Spanish. This humorous, heartfelt compilation of entries from a comic series that was originally released on WEBTOON features simple and appealing cartoon art, big emotions, and intriguing characters. Readers will anticipate the resolution of storylines in future volumes; the romance and class conflicts are just getting started here. The robust cast of secondary characters have their own insecurities, which are explored as their friendships with Jade deepen.
A strong series kickoff for fans of quirky, slice-of-life romantic comedies. (character profiles) (Graphic romance. 13-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9781419777820
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Abrams Fanfare
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2026
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A delightfully autumnal small-town romance buoyed by strong characterization.
Ellis Mitchell has her whole life planned out.
Heading into senior year, Ellis plans to study hard and crush it at the journalism internship her media executive dad got her, paving the way for her acceptance to Columbia University. But then Ellis’ parents announce they’re separating—and that Ellis and her mom will be heading to Bramble Falls to stay with her aunt and cousin. Furious that her careful plans have been upended, Ellis struggles to settle into the small, charming Connecticut town even as everyone around her gears up for the annual Falling Leaves Festival. Ellis runs into Cooper Barnett—her long-ago summer friend from visits to Aunt Naomi and cousin Sloane—who’s grown up to be very handsome. But Cooper isn’t pleased to see Ellis; he’s cold and curt, and she has no idea why. Wilson’s YA debut is chock-full of charm. Readers will swoon at Cooper’s and Ellis’ developing feelings following their frosty reunion and sympathize with Ellis’ difficulties even as Bramble Falls grows on her. She must choose between small-town community ties and big-city ambitions—between what her dad wants for her and what she really wants. Ellis’ relationships with her mom, aunt, and cousin are lovely and aspirational. The depiction of Bramble Falls is evocative, and the book contains enough seasonal delights to satisfy even the most devoted pumpkin spice latte lover. Main characters are cued white.
A delightfully autumnal small-town romance buoyed by strong characterization. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781665975209
Page Count: 352
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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