BEAUTY AND THE BESHARAM

Kavya Joshi is aware that some people—classmates, Indian aunties and uncles, her older sister—think she’s besharam: “Bossy. Audacious. Rude. Mouthy. Boastful. Shameless. Bold.”

Nevertheless, Kavya is proud of her all-or-nothing attitude and refuses to compromise her personality for anyone, including the people she dates. And no one brings out her competitive spirit more than Ian Jun, her Korean American former friend–turned-rival, who not only excels with ease at everything he does but looks great doing it. As junior year wraps up, their friends decide to settle the long-standing rivalry over the summer with three mystery challenges. Kavya is eager to win and be declared the undisputed victor, especially after Ian joins her in working as off-brand Disney character children’s entertainers. But as she spends more time with Ian, who is considerate, charming, and seems to genuinely admire Kavya for who she is, Kavya starts to wonder if she’s misjudged him all along. Set in the picture-perfect town of Luna Cove, Indiana, this is a story that feels simultaneously magical and true to life. The character-driven plot, led by a vibrant cast that showcases diversity in ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation, places equal weight on the value of friendship, family relationships, and romance, with each element playing an important role in Kavya’s growth and changing self-understanding throughout the book.

A joyful ode to being true to yourself and finding love where you least expect it.