Senior Megan Harper, an aspiring theater director with a string of ex-boyfriends, embodies Shakespeare's line "the course of true love never did run smooth." Yet during her school's production of Romeo and Juliet, she slowly realizes that her unconventional aspiring-playwright friend Owen might just be her own Romeo. Theater culture takes center stage in this flirty and entertaining romance told in Megan's spunky first-person voice.

A young woman reluctantly cast as Juliet stumbles across her own real-life Romeo.Bold senior Megan Harper is known for directing student theater productions and being a self-proclaimed boy-crazy flirt. But Megan isn't ever "the one": Most of her seven ex-boyfriends have met their true loves right after leaving her—including Tyler, who is now with her accomplished best friend, Madeleine. Despite Megan's messy home life (she lives in Oregon with her dad, his pregnant wife, and their toddler, while her mom lives in Texas with her boyfriend), she has one post-graduation goal: attending a prestigious directing program. Because she needs one acting credit for her application, Megan auditions for the smallest role in her school's production of Romeo and Juliet—but ends up as the female lead opposite Tyler. The play offers the prospect of wooing Will, one of the stagehands, and, realizing he's friends with the new drama kid, Owen Okita, she cozies up to him in order to find out more about her latest crush, not realizing that her perfect match was right under her nose all along. Megan and Owen's flirty, whip-smart banter is irresistible, and it's refreshing to see a swoonworthy Asian male love interest. Owen is Japanese-American and Megan's best friend is a biracial (African-American and Mexican) boy; other major characters are white.Charming characters and an enchanting exploration of Shakespeare's romantic tragedy make this husband-and-wife duo's debut a must-read. (Fiction.14-18)

Megan, who aspires to be a theater director, is focused on finishing her senior year and fulfilling the acting requirement she needs to get into the Southern Oregon Theater Institute. Her family life is in flux (her parents are divorced), and her best friend is dating her ex, Tyler. But then she-s cast as Juliet, opposite Tyler-s Romeo. Owen, a new boy with theater aspirations of his own, enters Megan-s life, and as their friendship grows she misses all the signals that Owen might be the love she didn-t know she wanted. Real-life romantic partners Wibberly (the Last Oracle series) and Siegemund-Broka (making his YA debut) collaborated in this theater-centered novel, with a predictable will-they/won-t-they romance at its core. As Megan spends the bulk of her time with yet another guy who-s wrong for her (Will), Owen is there in the wings. The coauthors wisely balance out the romance with family drama, and Megan-s commitment to a future life in the theater will please readers who share a similar love of Shakespeare and want a little romance to go with their drama. Ages 14-up. Agent: Katie Shea Boutillier, Donald Maass Literary Agency. (May)