An entertaining, magical queer romance.
Two high school seniors agree to fake date to help each other achieve their goals.
Monroe Bennett is excited to officially be one of six new junior recruits for the Bureau of Mystical Affairs. Even better, the recruits have their first case: investigating the illegal distribution of a love charm at Fair Glen High that’s violently disrupting romantic interactions between poor love matches. Self-professed love skeptic Monroe is determined to solve this case, but she lacks the social clout to investigate successfully. Enter Iris James, who, like Monroe, is cued Black. Popular, romance-loving Iris is the daughter of the Bureau’s director. After Monroe saves Iris from a charm-driven mishap, a video of the incident—which appears to show the pair locked in an intimate gaze—goes viral. Inspired, Iris proposes they fake date so Monroe can help her win her ex-girlfriend Anita back. In return, she’ll assist Monroe with her investigation of the illicit charm. An initially uninterested Monroe agrees after the director guarantees her a promotion if she sticks close to and protects Iris. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to avoid catching feelings for one another. Some readers may wish for a more explicit exploration of questions around agency and love, but those seeking a light read will appreciate the splash of fantastical elements that add whimsy to an otherwise familiar world.
An entertaining, magical queer romance. (glossary, magic rules and regulations, rom-com list) (Paranormal romance. 12-18)Pub Date: March 24, 2026
ISBN: 9780593897645
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Joy Revolution
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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
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