ON AGAIN, AWKWARD AGAIN

Two quirky North Carolina ninth graders navigate the surprises of high school—and their instantaneous attraction—in this YA collaboration by two award-winning authors.

Pacita “Pacy” Mercado is over high school before it’s even begun. After all, she thinks most of her classmates are Borg—trend-chasers who wouldn’t know a Star Trek: The Next Generation reference even if it hit them square in the face. Everything changes after a trip to the nurse’s office. The minute Pacy locks eyes with Cecil Holloway, who loves playing West African djembe drums, she’s smitten, questioning her self-imposed rules. Pacy is determined to resist the “romantic propaganda” of teenage dating, but the pair are thrown together again when they both join the student advisory committee for the upcoming freshman formal. Aided by Pacy’s best friend’s scheming, the teens’ acquaintanceship deepens into a sincere connection. But the course of true love never did run smooth. If they want a happy ending to this nerdy love story, they’ll first have to conquer doubt, miscommunication, and plenty of bad advice that’s offered with good intentions. This endearing tale of love-at-first-awkward-glance features alternating chapters from the perspectives of Pacy, who’s Filipino American, and Cecil, who’s Black and has irritable bowel syndrome. As fellow social outliers, they share a mutual appreciation for the other’s unconventional approach to life and passion for niche interests.

A sweet rom-com that comedically amplifies the embarrassing, relatable woes of putting yourself out there for a crush.