Love Somebody

November 15, 2021
Three high school juniors navigate messy, changing relationships with one another. Popular girl Sam used to date nice guy soccer player Christian, but they realized they were better off as friends. When Christian falls for Ros, a supersmart loner, he asks Sam to help him gain her affection. In Cyrano de Bergerac fashion, Sam tells Christian what to say when he is texting or talking with Ros. It works; Ros becomes interested in Christian. However, Sam starts to develop feelings for Ros, too, and wonders if they could ever be reciprocated. Meanwhile, the teens are each navigating issues related to their families and examining how they affect their identities. Sam has an absent actress mother; Christian's dad is controlling, which caused his older brother to leave the family years ago; and Ros, who was born via surrogate and is not biologically related to her beloved gay dad, feels adrift and seeks belonging. The story shifts among the first-person narratives of these complex and intriguing characters, all implied White. Their family dramas add depth to their characterizations but sometimes lead to the story's feeling unfocused. Still, the dynamic shifting and evolving relationships between each of the protagonists propel the plot. The romance is compelling, but it's their friendships that are most heartwarming and memorable. The leads are relatable and realistically flawed, and their stories will appeal to fans of character-driven, slice-of-life relationship and coming-of-age novels. A promising debut about love in its many forms. (Fiction. 12-18)

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November 15, 2021
In this thought-provoking contemporary Cyrano de Bergerac reimagining that leans into social media’s dark side, debut author Roasek brings a sapphic twist to the false suitor trope. Actor Sam Dickson, 17, chafes at the thought of being a nobody, intent on leaving Worcester, Mass., to make it big as “the next Emma Watson.” When her best friend and ex-boyfriend, 17-year-old Christian Powell, develops a crush on classmate Rosalyn Shew, an arts critic who just panned Sam’s one-act play, Sam agrees to help, manipulating social media to make the soccer star seem more palatable to the prickly intellectual. But while texting on Christian’s behalf and feeding him the right lines, Sam develops unexpected feelings toward the girl she initially considered an enemy. Meanwhile, Ros lowers her own emotional defenses while exploring the true meaning of love for a school presentation. Sam’s morally dubious hobby of serially catfishing and ghosting people on dating apps (“It’s not like I’m doing any lasting damage,” she justifies) sets her up as someone ripe for personal growth, but it may not sit well as a means to manipulate—and engage in—romance. While the story starts off slowly, with a trio of flawed, white-cued protagonists navigating familial situations, it eventually develops into an enjoyable romance as the three come into their own. Agent: John Cusick, Folio Jr./Folio Literary. Ages 12–up.

December 15, 2021
Grades 8-11 Relationships are tough to navigate, especially as a teen. In this debut novel, readers meet Sam, a popular girl whose relationship with Christian hits the brakes after Sam realizes the two are better off as good buddies rather than romantic partners. The duo forges a friendship, after which Christian confesses that he has a crush on Ros, a smart girl who spends a lot of time on her own. Sam decides to encourage Ros to pay attention to Christian, only to be surprised by her own feelings for Ros as she plays matchmaker. Additionally, Sam and Christian deal with tough issues at home, which are thoughtfully explored as readers come to know the characters' insecurities and struggles. In the end, the book teaches that while love and romance are certainly a central part of life, it is friendship that gets you through the toughest of days. This warm and fuzzy story sweetly deals in the complications that come with teenage love, of both the romantic and platonic variety.

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Starred review from May 1, 2022

Gr 7 Up-Seriously ambitious junior Sam Dickson is premiering her semi-autobiographical play, with her soccer star ex-boyfriend (turned best friend) Christian Powell starring opposite her. Brainy loner Ros Shew finds herself reluctantly in the audience to review the play. When Christian locks eyes with Ros and drops the last line, Sam doesn't suspect that Christian's smitten-she's too annoyed at him. Her annoyance turns to anger when she reads Ros's unflattering review. None of them (all of whom present as white) realize that soon they will be playing out their own version of Cyrano de Bergerac, with lovesick Christian engaging the help of sharp Sam to woo romantic neophyte Ros-an endeavor complicated by Sam's changing ulterior motives and feelings. The Cyrano trope gets deftly manipulated by debut author Roasek until her story is more about how these three connect and change as people than who ends up with whom. While the three seem stereotypical at the outset, Roasek unwinds the main characters' motivations and backstories skillfully without dragging the pacing. Secondary characters could be a bit more developed, however. YA readers may not get all the Cyrano references, but they will enjoy the banter, the secrets, and how this old plot gets a queer twist. Satisfying as the romantic ending may be, it's the main characters' finding their true selves that makes this sparkling rom-com stand out. VERDICT With humor, romance, and unsuspected depth, this book is highly recommended for purchase for upper middle and high school libraries.-Kate Fleming

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