A teen travels to Jamaica hoping to answer questions about her absent mother, only to discover more about her identity than she could have ever expected—and find herself caught up in an unexpected love triangle—in this dazzling young adult coming-of-age novel by award-winning author DeAndra Davis.
Jaliya Powell has never had a real adventure, a real boyfriend, or spoken up for herself. She’s never even been kissed. Despite being valedictorian of her high school class, Jaliya is used to fading into the background.
But this summer will be different.
This summer, Jaliya is visiting her uncle and his family in Jamaica. Under the guise of one last vacation before college, she plans to find out more about her estranged mother, whose absence has remained an unspoken mystery. But things have changed in the seven years since Jaliya last visited. Her cousin has his own life and is reluctant to let Jaliya in, her childhood crush has only gotten hotter and more unavailable, and her aunt and uncle aren’t everything she remembered, either. Then she meets India, who’s vibrant, gorgeous, and free-spirited. And who makes Jaliya feel something she’s never felt before.
While searching for traces of her mother across the island, Jaliya finds herself entangled in complicated relationships, tricky secrets, and a passionate new love. As she navigates this perfectly complicated summer, Jaliya must choose between who she has always been or who she hopes to become.
*THE PERFECT SUMMER READ: A tropical adventure, sweet summer romance, and emotionally poignant character arc are just a few of the elements that make Jaliya’s story so appealing. Part entertaining beach read and part introspective journey of self-discovery, this knockout of a novel has something for every reader.
*SWOON-WORTHY QUEER LOVE TRIANGLE: Jaliya’s journey to understanding her bisexual identity and navigating the love triangle that follows makes for a uniquely satisfying summer romance story. Just like Jaliya, readers are going to have a hard time choosing between her charming childhood crush, Brendan, and captivating, smart new friend, India.
*BLAZE YOUR OWN TRAIL: Every young reader knows what it’s like to struggle with being fully authentic or grapple with a lack of self-confidence, and Jaliya’s story is as realistic and accessible as they come. Though Jaliya is an impressively motivated teenager with plenty to offer, she often lives in regret of never putting herself fully out there. Hers is a slow journey and more importantly, not linear, but portrays what it means to truly understand more about yourself and feel confident about big life decisions.
*THE FAMILY YOU FIND (OR DON’T!): As with DeAndra Davis’s acclaimed debut, the heart of this story is family. Jaliya goes to Jamaica first and foremost to look for her absent mother, but soon learns that familial roles can be incredibly complicated. From realizing she doesn’t know much about her family in Jamaica, to finding family in her new friends, to grappling with feelings of unacceptance from those she loves the most, Jaliya’s journey teaches her that family is what she makes it.
*GORGEOUS SETTING: Inspired by the author’s family ties to Jamaica, this story overflows with gorgeously lush depictions of iconic landmarks, including Blue Hole, Dunn’s River Falls, and Fern Gully.
*GIFTED AUTHOR ON THE RISE: DeAndra Davis writes with the hand of a seasoned pro and her debut, All the Noise at Once, is already making waves in the YA contemporary space. It’s gotten stellar reviews and been chosen as an Indie Introduce, Indie Next List, and JLG Selection. DeAndra is just getting started, and this new, slightly more commercial direction feels natural and perfect for her sophomore book.