IT SOUNDED BETTER IN MY HEAD

An Australian teen embarks on romance in the wake of her parents’ divorce.

Natalie never knew anything was wrong with her parents’ marriage, let alone that they were on their way to divorce. But here it is, Christmas Day, and Natalie’s parents have sat her down and told her the honest truth: Their family is no more. Dad’s moving out, Mum is selling the house, and Natalie will be on her own, off to university. She does her best to move forward, supported by best friends Zach and Lucy and buoyed by flirty exchanges with Zach’s sexy older brother, Alex. Alex and Natalie’s romantic involvement unfolds in a way that may feel familiar, but what sets this novel apart is the courage this requires on Natalie’s part. Natalie’s early adolescence involved extremely heavy periods and cystic acne on her face and body that caused physical and emotional pain and left scars. The constant anxiety this caused led her to avoid leaving the house and invited unsolicited advice from peers and harassment from strangers. Natalie’s struggles with internalized self-hatred as well as knee-jerk judgment toward girls with flawless skin mean her physical relationship with cool, popular Alex depends on genuine trust. Young people, especially those who know the pain of feeling unattractive in an age of social media, will resonate with this sympathetically told journey. All characters seem to be white.

A cute romance featuring a heroine who never before got to feel cute.