A sweet and soulful romantic debut about rumors, friendship, and discovering who you really are

Alice Dyson knows exactly how she’ll be spending her final year of high school—with her head down, quietly concentrating on her textbooks and homework. She is focused on the future, and nothing and no one is going to get in her way. That is, until a bizarre encounter with Teddy Taualai, the school’s most notorious troublemaker, goes viral, derailing her plans and pushing her into the spotlight. Suddenly Alice’s under-the-radar life is one enormous, messy complication. And the worst part? Teddy Taualai is everywhere she turns. In author Poppy Nwosu’s pitch-perfect debut novel, an unlikely pair of outsiders take the daunting, delicate first steps toward becoming friends and maybe, just maybe, something more. Briskly paced with a complex and appealing cast of characters, this contemporary romance explores the ever-tricky dance of staying true to yourself while opening your heart. Alice’s voice is charmingly open, honest, and kind, and her loyalty to her friends combined with her deep insecurity render her character fascinatingly layered...An entertaining teen romance.
—Kirkus Reviews

Fans of young adult contemporary romance will enjoy this book as they cheer for Alice to come out of her shell and embrace her senior year of high school.
—School Library Journal

Australian author Nwosu debuts with an offbeat romance featuring an endearing, mismatched couple...Told from Alice’s point of view, Nwosu’s novel expresses universal vulnerabilities and ends with a surprising resolution.
—Publishers Weekly