Alana Lucas is a lesbian: It's why she broke up with Gray, her best friend and boyfriend, last year.Even though they're no longer dating, the teens from the Bangor, Maine, area are inseparable-Gray's mom and Alana's parents have been close since college, and the high school seniors declare they had an "in-utero friendship." Alana and Gray have private jokes, long-standing traditions, and detailed plans for their futures. When intriguing new girl Tal arrives at their school, both Gray and Alana are instantly smitten. Alana, who's still coming to terms with what it means to live as an out queer person, allows herself to get roped into Gray's complex scheme to get Tal to like him. She decides to bury her growing feelings for Tal, even though the two girls become closer every day. The resulting love triangle forces Alana to explore her own interests, her identity as a lesbian, and how she fits into the larger queer community. She also learns some difficult lessons as she works on discovering her own path forward. While some supporting characters lack detailed backstories and seem to be tacked onto the main story arc, the joyous friends-and-lovers narrative sets this romance apart. Readers will enjoy Alana's immense growth as a character and delight in the witty dialogue between the three leads. Alana and Tal read white; Gray has brown skin.A warm hug of a romance. (Romance. 14-18)

Gr 10 Up— A beautiful, contemporary coming-of-age story about finding one's authentic self and learning to love and accept it. Alana Lucas is completely relatable as she navigates the politics of high school and her friend group, having recently realized her sexuality. Her best friend and ex-boyfriend Ethan Gray is close to her and supports her as best he can. But when new girl Tal Stonnard joins the student council and subsequently their friend group, Alana is forced to face her feelings and come into her own. Complete with college decisions, navigating forgiveness and betrayal, realizing life dreams, witty banter, and exercising autonomy, this is a wonderfully balanced story that evokes emotion and invites readers into the fun. Horne so accurately captures the buzz and electricity of high school: feeling overwhelmed getting to know a crush, as well as the conflicting feelings of getting closer to someone you're interested in, while also feeling guilty when your best friend likes them, too; and knowing who you are on your own, beyond the role you play to others. VERDICT Fresh and important while also being comforting. This book highlights themes and sentiments that all readers can relate to, regardless of identity or orientation.— Jenna LaBollita