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Aphra Brown is bold and outgoing. Her best friend, Bethany, is achingly beautiful. Individually, they could both do a little better in the self-esteem department, but together? Together, they have what it takes to win over Greg D'Agostino, a proverbial "ten," who happens to be fluent in six languages—seven if you count the language of smoldering gazes . . .
What begins as an honest mistake turns into an elaborate deception, wherein Bethany goes on dates with Greg while Aphra coaches her on what to say, and texts him in the guise of Bethany, trying and failing, all the while, to tamp down her own hopeless crush. It's only a matter of time before things come crashing down. The question is: What will happen when Greg finds out? And can Aphra and Bethany's friendship survive the fallout?
From the author of We Regret to Inform You comes a witty, warm-hearted exploration of love in all its forms, and a cris-de-coeur for self-acceptance when the pressure to be perfect is overwhelming.
"There is much to appreciate about this book: its cleverness, its humor, that it embraces and normalizes therapy, that it places familial love and friendship on a level with romantic love. But, perhaps best of all, it offers teens, especially those struggling to accept and love themselves, a picture of a girl who makes mistakes and fights to begin again." —Booklist, starred review
"At once painful and heartfelt . . . a smart and honest look at female beauty, with plenty of panache to boot." —Kirkus, starred review
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
May 21, 2019 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781984889133
- File size: 309690 KB
- Duration: 10:45:11
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- Lexile® Measure: 650
- Text Difficulty: 2-3
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Reviews
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March 4, 2019
In a clever retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac, Kaplan (We Regret to Inform You) introduces best friends with opposing personalities who face challenges of the heart. If combined, high school junior Bethany’s beauty and Aphra’s smarts and gift of gab would make the “perfect girl.” Separately, though, their self-worth suffers. Bethany gets tongue-tied around everyone except Aphra; Aphra is all too aware of what she perceives as her oversize nose. Problems begin when Bethany sets her sights on attracting handsome Greg, Aphra’s longtime crush. Putting aside her jealousy to be a good friend, Aphra helps get the two together. When an advice app that Aphra designed malfunctions, she answers teens’ questions herself instead of letting the app generate answers. And when Greg sends in questions, mistaking Aphra for his girlfriend, she goes along with it, dazzling him with her wit and advice. After their conversations grow too intimate, though, disaster strikes. Told from Aphra’s point of view, this romance offers equal amounts amusement and relatable teen challenges, among them sibling resentment, self-esteem, and codependency, shown through realistically flawed characters. Ages 12–up. Agent: Hannah Bowman, Liza Dawson Associates.
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