HOW TO LOSE A BEST FRIEND

Zeke thinks it’s destiny that they be together, but his best friend, Imogen, disagrees.

Sixteen-year-old Zeke Ladoja is tall, handsome, and a star baseball player. His dad is fighting cancer, and Zeke has to put baseball on hold so he can help the family out financially, but he still has bestie Imogen Parker, who’s smart, kind, beautiful, and an unabashed lover of historical romance books. Everyone has told them since they were kids that they’re meant for each other. Imogen isn’t allowed to date until she’s 16, so Zeke bides his time, showing her what a great guy and perfect boyfriend material he is. Imogen does love Zeke; she’s just never had romantic feelings for him, and Trevor Cook, the new kid, has caught her eye in a big way. With Imogen’s 16th birthday approaching, Zeke plans a grand romantic gesture that backfires. And when he refuses to take no for an answer, the consequences are disastrous. Told in Zeke’s and Imogen’s alternating first-person perspectives, Casomar’s debut features energetic, engaging dialogue but relies heavily on dramatic soap opera moments to drive the narrative. While the novel explores important themes around self-esteem and listening to others, the character development fails to make the leads endearing enough to fully invest in. All main characters are Black or Latine.

A strong start, youthful vibes, and an important message, but over-the-top theatrics keep this one from soaring.