RACING HEARTS

A quick-paced romance with a joyful message.

Five months ago, Sienna Shoring’s best friend, Stacey, died from suicide, and though that temporarily meant she was left alone by classmates, now the fatphobic bullying has started up again. Sienna is barely holding it together when a package is mailed to school addressed to her and Stacey. It turns out to be for a triathlon the girls signed up for together as a joke. Blake, a jock Sienna has had a crush on for a while, won’t let her just forget about it. Not only does he seem to know who she is, he also seems to be determined to get her to do the triathlon. Against her better judgment, Sienna takes his advice and starts training for it—and Blake joins her as she exercises. As they continue to train together, they become closer—but there may be more to Blake’s interest in her than she’d initially thought. In this body-positive story that is delightful from start to finish, Sienna is a charming and relatable lead, and Blake is the kind love interest who’s easy to root for. With an immersive narrative that is effortless and simple, this is guaranteed to become a favorite for reluctant readers with an interest in romance. Main characters are cued white.

Satisfying and endearing.