Publishers Weekly
08/21/2023
High school senior Whitney Rivera, who is bisexual and Puerto Rican, had a difficult, lonely summer. First, her boyfriend moved from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. Then, after enduring months of chronic pain, she’s finally diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, resulting in a summer spent in and out of doctors’ appointments. It doesn’t help that weight gain, facial hair growth, and constant exhaustion—all symptoms of PCOS—caused Whit to emotionally withdraw. Determined to have a perfect year, she plans to take charge of her school’s annual Fall Fest, a weeklong homecoming celebration. But her grand plans are derailed when her ex-boyfriend and archenemy, Afro-Latino Isaiah “Zay” Ortiz, volunteers to help. What’s more, tensions arise at home when Whit’s autistic younger sister Lily seeks independence from Whit’s protectiveness as she begins high school. As Whit’s personal issues cause mental strain, she’s pleasantly surprised by Zay’s serious commitment to festival planning, shifting her perception of him—and their relationship. Vivid prose by Maldonado (No Filter and Other Lies), paired with ample romantic and lighthearted antics, aids in levying serious interrogations of anti-fatness, chronic illness, and medical gaslighting, making for a compassionate and cozy read. Ages 14–up. Agent: Tamar Rydzinski, Context Literary. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
"A pumpkin-spice-latte-flavored treat."—PEOPLE Magazine
★ "Meaningful. . . Multidimensional. . . An important addition to YA literature."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"Maldonado wraps this sweet romance in a satisfying story of self-acceptance, surrounding Whit with a fully realized cast of family and friends. Readers will swoon as they watch Whit and Zay fall for each other, but they'll love watching Whit fall in love with herself even more."—Booklist
"Maldonado’s writing warmly captures the charms and challenges of high school life for a Latina in a fat body, believably rendering the struggles and idiosyncrasies of teenagerhood. The heart-fluttering romance that ensues with the thoughtful Zay makes for a cozy autumnal read, but the depictions of friendship, family, and navigation of a chronic illness make this a solid read for all seasons."—The Horn Book
"This novel celebrates the less-than-perfect with a lot of Rory Gilmore energy."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Vivid prose by Maldonado (No Filter and Other Lies), paired with ample romantic and lighthearted antics, aids in levying serious interrogations of anti-fatness, chronic illness, and medical gaslighting, making for a compassionate and cozy read."—Publishers Weekly
"An ode to all things autumnal, with a dash of sweet romance and timely social issues on top."—Paste
"Whit has a Type-A personality, but is teeming with love for her two longtime best friends, her autistic sister, and her abuela. That love comes through strongly."—AudioFile
"A must-read. . . It's everything I love in Crystal Maldonado's books wrapped up in a cozy sweater."—RJ Julia Independent Booksellers, Staff Pick
"Full of humor and love, Crystal Maldonado has created another layered story filled with evolving family relationships, complex friendships, and a new crush that feel all too real. Paired with flirty banter that will make you swwon, this is the perfect book."—The Odyssey Bookshop, Staff Pick
"Beautifully tackles themes of chronic illness, fatphobia, sexuality, and class. It will also have you laughing out loud!"—Parnassus Books, Staff Pick
MARCH 2024 - AudioFile
High school senior Whit is still reeling from a summer filled with medical appointments and tests in this audiobook narrated by Victoria Villarreal. Whit has PCOS, a condition that causes uncomfortable body changes. All she wants is to throw herself into organizing the Fall Fest, the event at which her grandparents fell in love decades earlier. Unfortunately, she is forced to team up with Zay, her middle school crush turned nemesis. Whit has a Type A personality but is teeming with love for her two longtime best friends, her autistic sister, and her abuela. That love comes through strongly in Villarreal's friendly, personable voice. Most characters are Latine, and Villarreal smoothly performs Abuela's Puerto Rican accent and other characters' frequent Spanish phrases. S.P. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2023-06-21
A meaningful exploration of self-love and a cozy ode to autumn.
Whit Rivera, a bisexual Puerto Rican teenager living in a quaint Massachusetts town with her abuela and younger sister, Lily, is ready for the perfect summer and senior year. But then her boyfriend moves away and she is diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, a chronic illness that keeps her in doctors’ offices most of the summer when she would rather be lying by the pool with best friends Marisol, who is gay and Latina, and Sophie, who is Vietnamese American and has diabetes. To achieve the perfect senior year, Whit will help Lily, who is autistic, settle into life as a high schooler while planning Fall Fest, her school’s annual celebration where her grandparents met and fell in love decades before. But Whit’s plans become even more complicated when she finds out her co-organizer for Fall Fest is Afro-Latino Isaiah Ortiz, the ex who broke her heart in sixth grade. Rich, multidimensional character development showing the intersections of identity within each individual will lead readers to feel like they know Whit and her friends in real life. Authentic, naturally integrated representation of marginalized identities makes this novel, which never becomes didactic, an important addition to YA literature; the characters are memorable not because of their identities, but as fully developed individuals.
A sentimental story about friendship, family, and love as sweet as a pumpkin spice latte. (author’s note with content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)
