From the Publisher
A swoon-worthy, heart-wrenching view into the trials of growing up second generation in an immigrant community. — Kirkus Reviews
Hard to put down. Teen readers will root for Juliana to figure out what she wants—and who she wants to be—in time to have a shot at the happiness she’s spent so long denying herself. — Booklist
Kirkus Reviews
2024-04-20
A Taiwanese American teen joins forces with a childhood friend for a contest, only to discover that victory may cost her everything.
Seventeen-year-old Juliana Zhao loves love. Sure, she’s never actually been in love, but she has a knack for sensing when two people belong together, as evidenced by her successful matchmaking record. And Juliana is no stranger to success; she’s ranked first in her class and is president of the Student Business Association. Yet, as she prepares to enter the Asian Americans in Business Competition, which was founded by her late father, she finds herself floundering after she’s dumped by her project partner at the last minute. Desperate, Juliana turns to an estranged childhood friend, Garrett Tsai. Though reluctant to participate, pessimistic Garrett turns out to be the perfect teammate. Playing on the grumpy-sunshine trope, the two start a relationship advice website using the pseudonyms Sunny and Cloudy, with each offering their own take on each question. The narrative is structured around the competition, but the emotional heart of the story lies elsewhere. Both children of recent immigrants, Garrett and Juliana struggle with parental expectations and social judgment within the tightknit Taiwanese community. The challenges they face from being “raised by one culture but living in another” will ring true for readers who share their identity, while the sweetness of their romance will win over everyone else.
A swoonworthy, heart-wrenching view into the trials of growing up second generation in an immigrant community. (Fiction. 14-18)
