March 15, 2023
A scheme between rivals to fake date doesn't go as planned. Jonah Collins and Dylan Ram�rez have only two things in common: One, they can't really stand each other, and two, they're bisexual. The latter is enough for their friends to be obsessed with the idea of their getting together even though their public fights seem to be a prime source of entertainment in their small town. One night--during which Jonah gets drunk at a party at Dylan's house and ends up staying over--is enough for everyone to believe that something has finally happened between them even though they literally only slept (even if it was in the same bed). In an attempt to get their friends off their backs, the boys come up with a plan to pretend to date so they can have a fake breakup, and their friends will be satisfied that they've at least tried. Although the story is enjoyable enough, the protagonists' voices are almost indistinguishable, making it hard to figure out who's who. Both of them have a lot more going on: Jonah has a tough home situation, and there is something mysterious and sensitive about Dylan's brother, but the exploration of these subjects is lacking in depth. Jonah is White; Dylan's Brazilian immigrant father is Afro-Latino, and his mother is Mexican American. Entertaining but forgettable. (content note, author's note) (Romance. 14-18)
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March 27, 2023
Two bisexual high school seniors—and longtime rivals—commence a prolonged fake-dating scheme in Woody’s raucous debut. For the teens’ classmates, the public verbal sparring between charismatic Jonah Collins and introverted Dylan Ramírez is seen as something of a sporting event. Though Jonah thinks Dylan is a rich “Prissy Prince” and Dylan views Jonah as an egotistical jerk, their friends are convinced that their constant quarreling is just a way to unleash their repressed sexual tension. When a party at Dylan’s house ends with Jonah passed out drunk in Dylan’s bed, they’re certain their friends won’t believe that nothing happened between them. So the pair resolve to playact a romantic relationship, planning out public kisses and cuddle sessions that will culminate in a dissolution at winter break. Revelations about one another’s personal lives, brought to light by their newfound intimacy, lead to insightful realizations surrounding the assumptions they’ve made about themselves and each other. The boys’ banter sizzles and delights, but Woody’s true power shows through in the intricately realized characters’ tender depictions of support, kindness, and capacity for change. Jonah is white; Dylan is of Mexican and Afro-Latino Brazilian descent. Ages 14–up. Agent: Suzie Townshend, New Leaf Literary & Media.